Desktop Metal announces three qualified metals for 3D Printing
Desktop Metal has announced it has qualified Copper Alloy C18150 for its Production System 3D printer, alongside Sandvik Additive Manufacturing, and an unnamed a ‘major global automaker’.
The company has also announced the qualification of Titanium Alloy Ti64 with TriTech Titanium Parts For binder jet 3D printers on the same system, as well as the qualification of 304L Stainless Steel CETIM on the mid-size Shop System.
According to Desktop Metal, C18150, also known as chromium zinc copper, is a high-conductivity, high-strength copper alloy that’s used in thermal transfer applications such as electrical connectors and welding electrodes.
The company says that a global automaker is now testing a unique 3D printer part design, which is being developed for a future production application, in C18150 using Sandvik’s Osprey metal powder.
“We are proud to announce that chromium zirconium copper is now a qualified material, bringing our world-leading portfolio of binder jet materials to 23 metals,” said Ric Fulop, Founder and CEO of Desktop Metal. “Simultaneous with our C18150 announcement, we’re also announcing 304L qualification on the Shop System ad Ti64 customer-qualification on the Production System, which demonstrates how our Team DM experts are collaborating with customers on application-specific material and part qualification projects for future additive manufacturing 2.0 production.”
Desktop Metal partnered with TriTech Titanium Parts in Detroit to qualify Titanium Alloy Ti64. TriTech Titanium Parts manufactures titanium parts for industrial and commercial markets, including automotive, marine and aerospace. According to the company, Ti64 is popular due to its strength-toweight ratio and corrosion resistance as well as biocompatibility.
Desktop Metal believes that Binder Jetting of Ti64 makes it easier to produce complex titanium parts which can be costly and difficult to manufacture using traditional manufacturing methods.
“With binder jet 3D printing, titanium production of even the most complex geometries can be greatly simplified and achieved at a lower cost,” said Robert Swenson, owner of TriTech. “Our team is incredibly proud to be the first Desktop Metal Production System P-1 customer worldwide to binder jet 3D print titanium, and we’re excited to offer this new manufacturing technology to our customers.”
Desktop Metal said that the qualification for 304L is a complement to the full range of stainless-steel materials available on the Shop System middle-sized binderjet 3D printer. These include 17-4PH, IN625, 316L and Cobalt Chrome. According to the company 304L is a notable stainless steel for its high tensile strength and corrosion resistance as well as durability.
“304L is one of the many Additive Manufacturing materials that CETIM is studying and developing processes for on behalf of French industry,” said Christophe Reynaud, Ph.D., Additive Manufacturing Material Engineer at CETIM. “304L is a key material in the energy sector due to its corrosion resistance, suited for highly demanding environments such as civil nuclear applications. Coupled with the high versatility and responsiveness of the Shop System, it is now possible to considerably reduce the lead-time for critical 304L maintenance parts, avoiding long and expensive downtimes in the factory.”
Fulop added: “We are delighted to partner with the highly respected CETIM on qualifying 304L for use on the Shop System. This new material will enable manufacturers to produce complex geometries in 304L parts quickly and efficiently, regardless of whether they are looking for low or high volumes. 304L is a flexible, widely used stainless steel across many industries, and we’re delighted to offer it in our affordable, popular Shop System model.”
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