We’re accustomed to examining home 3D printers or consumer 3D print services, but we’re also fascinated by the larger commercial species. An interesting 3D print approach is employed by Arcan, a Swedish manufacturer of Electron Beam Melting printers. Yes, they use “powerful electron beams” (up to 3000W) to melt metal powered to gradually form complete objects layer by layer. Arcam offers two models, the A1 (for medical implants) and the A2 (for aerospace). The two 1,420Kg (3100 lbw) are very similar, with the A2 offering a unique feature: two interchangeable build chambers, one for tall prints, the other for wide. Four metal powders, various shades of Titanium, and CoCroMo (Cobalt-Chromium-Molybdenum) are suitable:
- Ti6Al4V
- Ti6Al4V ELI
- Titanium Grade 2
- CoCrMo ASTM F75
Those are not the kind of thing you’d find in a home 3D printer. Hmm, what kind of noises would a home 3D printer make if it were equipped with 3000W electron beams?
Via Arcam
