ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING is the magazine devoted to industrial applications of 3D printing and digital layering technology. We cover the promise and the challenges of this technology for making functional tooling and end-use production parts.
Issue link: https://am.epubxp.com/i/921188
JANUARY 2018 Additive Manufacturing TECH REVIEW 36 Polymer 3D Printer Intended for Industrial Scale The EOS P 500 additive manufacturing system is de- signed for the mass production of polymer parts on an industrial scale. The system offers high efficiency for low cost-per-part, is automation ready, and can process polymer materials with operating temperatures ranging to 300°C. The EOS P 500 is said to build twice as quickly as the EOS P 396 laser sintering machine thanks to a dual-laser system and new recoater that operates at a speed of 600 mm/sec. The EOS P 500 preheats polymer material before it is applied on the build platform, reducing layer times. Preheating and cool-down is performed in an exchangeable frame, further streamlining the workflow. Frames can be switched within 15 min. after a build job is completed. The system can also reuse all recycled powder for the next build job at higher fill rates, further increasing efficiency. The EOSame feature homogenizes the energy input of the laser, ensuring high quality and reproducible part prop- erties as well as dimensional accuracy across the complete build volume to support serial production. Sensory and camera-based data evaluation helps to ensure quality. EOSConnect software gathers machine and production data, making it available in real time. The company also offers an intuitive app to visualize the data on a dash- board. The EOS P 500 is the first EOS system for polymer AM supported by the company's EOSPrint 2 CAM tool, already used to support the company's metal AM systems. The EOS P 500 can process polymer materials ranging to 300°C, making it compatible with material classes such as PA6, PBT, PET, PPS and PEKK. eos.info Multitasking CNC Machine Integrates Laser Metal Deposition The MU-8000V Laser EX multitasking CNC machine from Okuma combines combines laser metal deposition (LMD) technology with the ability to subtractively machine parts of many different sizes and shapes. The LMD process supplies powder from nozzles to melt and bond to parent material, enabling the combination and layering of differ- ent materials as well as fabrication and cladding. Parts can also be repaired and inspected throughout production, and an infinitely variable control of laser spot diameters (ranging from 0.4 to 8.5 mm) increases efficien- cy and resolution, Okuma says. LMD also supports coolant use in the work envelope. okuma.com Industrial-Grade Metal 3D Printer Offers Compact Footprint Xact Metal's XM300 industrial-grade metal 3D printer is designed for large-part development and production use with a build volume measuring 10" × 13" × 13" (254 × 330 × 330 mm). The printer's small footprint is said to enable easy installation, handling and main- tenance. Twin feed chambers reduce build time and increase productivity. The powder-bed fusion system uses the company's proprietary Xact Core technology, a scalable gantry sys- tem platform that enables light, simple mirrors to move quickly above the powder on the X-Y axis. Two translating mirrors deflect the beam to different locations with- out varying the angles of incidence, keeping the beam orthogonal to the build surface. According to Xact, this feature generates uniform part properties with an effec- tive fusion speed ranging to 1.5 m/sec. The system can be equipped with two or four high-precision independent fiber lasers. xactmetal.com