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German engineering company Trumpf will start serial production of high-speed 3D printing systems using direct laser deposition. According to the developers, the new technique (EHLA) will increase productivity by about 100-250 times.
The new technology generally repeats the widely used method of additive manufacturing by direct laser deposition: finely dispersed metal powders are selectively sprayed onto a part or substrate and melted using a laser emitter. The fundamental difference between EHLA and conventional laser deposition is that the powders are heated almost to the melting temperature on the way to the target, which significantly reduces the deposition time. Hence the higher productivity. The authorship of the new technique belongs to researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser
Technology (ILT), who presented a working prototype in June this year and received the Joseph Fraunhofer Prize for their efforts with a monetary award of fifty thousand euros.
Trumpf expert Antonio Candel-Ruiz explains that advanced laser deposition technology has other benefits as well. So, a higher speed will increase the working area, while the minimum layer thickness will significantly decrease - from 500 microns typical for such systems to 10-300 microns. In terms of productivity, conventional systems can coat areas up to 40 square centimeters in one minute, while EHLA can process at least 250 square centimeters in the same minute. Finally, the developers have improved the focusing system, making the process more energy efficient.
The existing Trumph 3D printer operators will be able to take advantage of the new technology. There is no need to purchase new 3D printers, as the company plans to offer EHLA as an upgrade for existing machines, including the TruLaser Cell 3000 and TruLaser Cell 7000 multifunctional 5-axis 3D printers.
