though tungsten, glass, ceramics, and silica sand for casting molds can be processed.
The M-FLEX model, one of four sizes, features a build chamber of 400 × 250 × 250 mm and build speeds of three seconds per layer and is well-suited for either prototypes or short runs of mul- tiple and/or custom parts. The M-FLEX system includes a printer, recycling equipment, printing materials, and requires a sintering furnace. “The volumetric output of the M-
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FLEX machines per unit time has made it competitive in mid-range production runs,” said Burns. “The parts that are well-suited have some level of com- plexity like pumps and gears that rotate around a center point and are usually too difficult to make using traditional processes. With AM it’s pretty straight- forward. We have good penetration into the pump business with both fluid and gas transmission, and a lot of traction in aerospace, where volume and com- plexity make aerospace a logical choice for ExOne technology.”
ExOne both runs its own produc- tion service centers and sells and ships equipment, with each segment account- ing for about half of its business. “We have five production service centers around the world, and our intention is to expand the number of service centers in the next 18–24 months. Our equipment has gone into OEMs or Tier 1, but we believe that the M FLEX price point will make it attractive to job shops, as well,” Burns said.
The largest ExOne applications to date have been sand molds produced in the MAX platform that has a build chamber measuring 1.8 m × 1 m × 700 mm. ExOne also has directly metal printed a pump housing that is 660 × 305 × 305 mm. “Each new generation of printers is designed to print more
volume at a faster rate, as we continue to improve the return on investment for our customers,” said Burns. ME For more information on The Ex One Co., go to www.exone.com, or phone 724-765-1328.
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