Formalloy’s new X5R metal 3D printer provides some new capabilties.
The San Diego-based company has been developing advanced DED (directed energy deposition) metal 3D printers since 2016. Their printing process involves jetting metal powder through a robotically controlled toolhead, where a powerful laser instantly melts the powder.
This is a process used by several other 3D printers, but Formalloy differentiates their product through advanced monitoring. Their systems carefully record machine status and parameters at a high update frequency.
This data can then be leveraged in their “DEDSmart” product. It’s a software tool that implements a “digital twin” of the 3D print process. They explain:
“FormAlloy-developed DEDSmart software enables the user to record all build parameter data that can be utilized post-build to analyze the component and verify the build quality. In addition, this unique capability offers a playback feature so that a process can be frozen and repeated as desired.”
This allows operators to understand the critical elements of each print job to prove the quality of printed metal parts.
Here is a visualization generated by DEDSmart, showing some of the aspects of a print job.
At top you can see a detailed view of a print made using this technology, showing outstanding print quality for a DED metal 3D print. Normally DED produces somewhat coarse depositions, but here the print has far better surface quality.
All Formalloy customers can use DEDSmart, although it is separately priced.
The company markets two lines of metal 3D printers, the X5 and L2 series, with the X5R offering a larger build volume of 1000 x 1000 x 650 mm.
The new X5R is similar to the X5, but offers the new capability of using either powder or wire metal material. The machine can even use both material types in a single job, according to Formalloy.
Wire feedstock is becoming increasingly attractive to DED system operators as it is somewhat easier to handle than metal powder. Powder must be kept sealed and managed carefully.
These changes were apparently a result of enquiries from Formalloy’s aerospace and defence customers. And as we all know, the customers are always right.
Via Formalloy
