SECTION TITLE
MATERIALS • PROCESSES • FINISHES
The availability of new materials will foster greater adoption of 3D printing
SUPERIOR STAINLESS STEEL
3
16L is the low-carbon grade of 316 stainless steel, and is commonly used in applications such as laboratory equipment, impellers and pumps,
engine parts, food processing equipment and more. A fully austenitic, non- magnetic stainless steel, 316L is known for maintaining excellent performance at room and moderately elevated temperatures, as well as exhibiting superior ductility and mechanical performance. 3D printing as-a-service company 3DEO has launched a 316L material specially designed for use in high-volume metal 3D printing. Te weldable material is extremely corrosion resistant, making it ideal for applications in the medical, aerospace and industrial markets that are exposed to harsh environments. “As our customers aim to innovate and gain a competitive edge with their next generation and new-to-market products, we have seen a strong demand for 316L,” says Matt Petros, CEO and co-founder of 3DEO. “Introducing this to our customers will continue to enable engineers to develop premium products for a wide variety of demanding applications in partnership with 3DEO.”
Te company works with its customers 30
www.engineerlive.com
to design and manufacture complex metal components at each stage of the product life cycle, from early ideation and prototyping to manufacturing at scale. “Our talented team of material scientists
have been hard at work testing and validating 316L on our technology, and we are thrilled with the results,” Petros continues. “With material properties that meet the MPIF Standard 35 standards, introducing 316L to our customers will allow them to take advantage of the benefits, time-savings and cost-efficiencies of 3D printing using a biocompatible, corrosion-resistant material like 316L for their high-demand applications.”
INTELLIGENT LAYERING 3D PRINTING 3DEO’s patented metal 3D printing technology, Intelligent Layering, combines CNC machining and 3D printing to unlock each end-use product’s full potential. Te first stage of this metal powder ‘bind-and-sinter’ process includes spreading the finest particle size metal powder at an average particle size of 10 microns. Te entire layer of powder is then bound with a proprietary binder and spray system to create uniformity and precise
How can a new stainless steel material for high- volume metal 3D printing benefit demanding industrial applications in harsh environments?
control over depth penetration, which is how 3DEO’s output is more consistent and precise than binder jetting. Te third step is to cut the new layer with up to eight micro end mills. On a layer-by-layer basis, these cutters define the perimeter of the part and any internal features. After all layers are printed, the part is put into a sintering furnace which consolidates the metal powder into a dense metal part. “3DEO’s technology creates new possibilities in 3D printing, such as the ability to define many layers at the same time or to cut upward-facing geometries in three dimensions, eliminating layer lines,” explains President and co-founder Matt Sand. “Te end result is a part with some of the best properties and tolerance in metal 3D printing, especially surface finish and dimensional accuracy.”
BENEFITS OF 3D PRINTING 316L With high wear resistance and near wrought part density of 98.%, 3DEO’s 316L 3D printed components enable customers to produce quality components across a variety of industries and applications. Sand continues: “Compared with
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
