The West'S First SLM Metal 3D Printer Which Technology Innovation?

Selective laser melting technology (SLM) has a number of mature SLM equipment manufacturers have used internationally, including the German company EOS (EOSINGM270 and M280), SLMSolutions company, ConceptLaser company (MCusing Series), and the manufacturers have developed different types of machine type, including different parts forming range and in different fields the custom models, occupy more than 90% of the global market share.

The first in China from the beginning of 1998 work on SLM related technologies. Has arranged 973 Plan, 863 plan and assembly "fifteen", "11th Five-Year" pre research project. Beihang University, Northwestern Polytechnical University, and other domestic research institutions have carried out research and development of laser rapid forming and repairing technology and equipment, and made a number of achievements. But the main learning foreign technology development path, the degree of commercialization is slow

Recently, the West in Dongguan in September 17th the upcoming release of high performance SLM metal 3D printer industry to become the focus of attention, according to the west, which is China's first independent SLM metal 3D printing equipment, in addition to the country's first independent operating system, its many innovations represent new height on SLM Technology. The following is the core China innovation:

Technical innovation: double micro fault parallel scanning

The SLM process, high energy density laser beam of metal powder instantly melted, and then rapidly cooling, this process is not stable, resulting in the molding surface and inside of a hole in the molding density is not high. Most manufacturers for single inter stagger scanning strategy, namely 3 o'clock or 5 o'clock and 6 o'clock direction scanning

But the N 1 layer scan line scan line in the N layer at the top of the fusion, the molten metal liquid wetting layer on top of the N, resulting in both sides of the layer thickness increases, the molten metal is not fully wetting on both sides, prone to defects such as pores and binding is not strong.

The innovation lies in the west when the N scan after laying a layer of powder, the N 1 layer scan line offset 0.5 spot distance, the laser in the N layer of the valley at the same lap to scan. After X staggered scanning, side wetting molten metal and the N layer of the scan line, wetting of liquid metal in the gravity filling valley, close with the fusion line between two layers of little holes, good wetting effect, the density of nearly 100%. The study found that in the interlayer stagger scanning strategy, through the optimization of process parameters (laser power, scanning speed, spacing and layer thickness) can greatly improve the density of parts, the optimized parts density can reach more than 98%, with investment casting dense metal parts is not much difference between.

Technology innovation two: double X gradient staggered scanning

In N 2, N 4, N 6... Scanning, the traditional technology used in fixed angle with angle scanning, surface layer quality optimization of SLM forming part of the roughness is generally 15~50 m, compared to the traditional way of processing the parts are not a small gap. But the west by double X gradient scanning with staggered angle of 0.5 degrees, gradually changes way on the 246 floor,. To improve the quality of direct optimization, surface SLM molding study found that double X gradient scanning mode can be staggered, roughness Ra control below 8 M.

Technology Innovation: Three Tree Support System

Overhanging structure is mainly to add support to ensure the stability of the forming process, forming after the removal of support for the complete parts. The traditional vertical drape structure optimization of overhanging structure makes the SLM forming part of the local shape and dimension precision cannot meet the requirements, or process failure. The overhanging structure is inevitable, with bold use of support system can reduce the tree support situation will achieve the smooth overhanging structure molding, the innovation of the SLM process to enhance and expand the scope of application is of great significance.

If you want more details, can visit the September 17th West Dongguan Songshan Lake Southern China - west wind "series of industrial 3D printing conference"