Page 14 - 3D Metal Printing Winter 2018

3D New Metal-AM Technology
BeAM’s New Portable DED Machine
French-based BeAM Machines introduced its Modulo 400 machine, a direct-energy-deposition unit designed for industrial-scale metal AM while min- imizing required floor space. Com- pany representatives explained that peripheral equipment including the laser, chiller and fume extractor are integrated into the machine cabinet, which minimizes the overall machine footprint. That design also makes the machine relatively portable—it can fit inside of a shipping container for transport to offshore oilrigs, military bases and other remote sites. The Modulo 400 features a 2-kW fiber laser and can accommodate multiple deposition heads, as
well as a light-duty milling spindle for dry machining.
Also noted: Early in 2018 the company expects to introduce the Modulo 250, an even more compact version of its DED system aimed
at R&D operations and capable of producing small part runs.
www.beam-machines.com
Adira’s Tiled Laser Melting Setup an Attention Grabber
A handful of exhibitors appear to be focused on the desire to use metal AM to print very large parts, and the solutions we saw in Frankfurt vary in concept and capabilities. One such exhibit attracting a lot of attention was that of Adira, which explained to 3D Metal Printing the bene-
fits of its tiled laser melt-
ing (TLM) process. TLM
printing divides the pow-
der-bed work area into
small segments or tiles,
which the machine
processes sequentially
and then stitches togeth-
er using overlapping scan
fields to achieve the final
part. Dubbed AddCreator,
the machine includes
automated powder handling for easier cleaning and sieving of used powder, as well as quicker supply and storage. Additionally, integrated laser and process-related equipment contributes to a clean and efficient work environment.
The build envelope measures 1020 by 1020 by 520 mm, with a maximum build rate of 40 cm3/hr. with one 400-W laser; maximum scan speed is 9 m/sec. Use it to print with steel, Inconel or cobalt-chrome. One of the parts demonstrated during the Frankfurt trade show was a bladed turbine disk. The machine can process nonreactive metals, and engineers at the show explained to us that they are developing parameter sets for printing steel alloys.
www.adira.pt
O.R. Lasertechnology’s Hybrid Targets Medical/Dental Applications
Not all new metal printers are aimed at large parts. Case in point: the new Orlas Creator Hybrid printer/milling machine from O.R. Lasertechnology Inc., with a target customer base including medical and dental parts. Visitors to formnext saw a concept machine. It should be available to the market by year-end.
The combination additive and subtrac- tive (three-axis milling) machine, accord- ing to company officials, extends beyond the capabilities of classical milling and machining, due to its ability to mill every five to 10 layers—inside of structures and surfaces not normally reachable, such as inside contours, undercuts or hidden cool- ing channels. Otherwise, the hybrid offers all of the 3D-printing features of the com- pany’s original Creator metal-AM machine, including a 250-W laser that generates a spot size of 40 μm, and a processing speed that maxes out at 3500 mm/sec. Build platform: 110-mm dia., 100-mm Z axis. creator.or-laser.com/en/
12 | 3D METAL PRINTING • WINTER 2018
3DMPmag.com