Innovations in manufacturing and materials science are pushing the boundaries of slewing drive performance. Additive manufacturing (AM), particularly laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), enables complex geometries that reduce weight while maintaining structural integrity. For example, aircraft slewing support units optimized via topology optimization achieve a 20%–30% weight reduction without compromising load capacity .

Material selection plays a pivotal role in extreme environments:

• AlMgScZr Alloy: Used in aerospace slewing mechanisms, this alloy offers a tensile strength of 500–560 MPa and superior corrosion resistance compared to conventional AlSi10Mg .

• Heat Treatment Processes: Case hardening of bearing raceways to 55–60 HRC ensures wear resistance, while tempered cores retain toughness to absorb shock loads .

These advancements are critical for applications like satellite antennas and offshore cranes, where weight savings and reliability directly impact operational costs. Furthermore, LPBF parameters such as laser power (240 W) and scanning speed (1,000 mm/s) are fine-tuned to minimize defects in critical components .