Additive Industries introduces the MetalFab 300 Flex. This new 3D metal printer offers an 'on-demand platform format', which the manufacturer says combines the price of a small 3D printer with the versatility of a large 3D printer.
With the new 3D metal printer, Additive Industries aims to offer customers more flexibility. It allows them to access a larger printing area without having to make a long-term investment to do so. As standard, the 3D printer offers a print area of 300 x 300 x 400 mm. Customers can expand the print area on-demand to 420 x 420 x 400 mm using a licence.
Monthly or lifetime licence
These licences are available as monthly and lifetime licences. The monthly licence allows, for example, for a project that requires a larger print area to be temporarily made available using a licence.
Those wishing to have this additional printing surface in the long term can take out a lifetime licence for it.
Best of both worlds
With this flexibility, Additive Industries aims to offer customers a cost-effective entry-level package, and reduce the costs and risks of embracing additive manufacturing in metal. Among other things, this should lead to lower development costs for customers looking to scale up their production.
Additive Industries says it thus combines the best of both worlds: the more accessible price of a small 3D printer with the versatility of a larger system.
Powder Bed Fusion
The MetalFab 300 Flex uses Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) technology. This is a technology in which powdered material is cured using a laser. In this process, the printer deposits a layer of powder material, which is then cured using one or more lasers. This process then repeats itself over and over again, allowing the 3D printer to build an object layer by layer.
MetalFab 300 Flex uses two 500-watt lasers for this purpose, which can reach every corner of the build surface. If required, customers can expand the number of lasers to four, increasing productivity.
Additional modules
Additional modules are also available to improve output and automate the printing process. These upgrades can be installed in the field, with the aim of minimising machine downtime.
With the new 3D printer, Additive Industries is particularly targeting parties that want to get started with additive manufacturing in metal for the first time. These include organisations in the automotive, defence, energy and semiconductor sectors. The system is available from EUR 680,000.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Image: Additive Industries
