January 27, 2021, Antarctic Bear learned that Formlabs announced the launch of the long-awaited selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printer Fuse 1. This is a new desktop-level industrial 3D printing system that uses Surface Armor technology and new nylon 12 powder. The utilization rate of Fuse 1 recycled powder is as high as 70%. Compared with traditional industrial SLS printers, the price of Fuse 1 on the official website is significantly lower, only 18,499 US dollars (about 120,000 yuan). Formlabs' goal is to allow customers to manage prototyping and production in their own workspace at one-tenth the cost of existing SLS machines.
△Formlabs' Fuse 1 SLS desktop 3D printer
The patent-pending Surface Armor technology can provide reliable high-quality surface effects and high material utilization. The molding volume of the equipment is 165 x 165 x 320 mm, which can realize the printing of large parts. No supporting structure is needed, and as many parts as possible can be loaded in the molding room at one time to save post-processing time.
The Nylon 12 material used in this device was launched simultaneously. Its elongation at break can reach 11%, the tensile strength can reach 50 MPa, and the heat distortion temperature can reach 171 °C / 340 °F (air pressure 0.45). Mpa).
Nylon 11 and other materials are under development.
△Fuse 1 new nylon 12 powder material for SLS 3D printer
It is reported that Formlabs' Fuse 1 is not the only company in the field of desktop powder bed sintering and SLS. Sinterit and Sintratec continue to develop in the field of desktop SLS equipment, and the prices of the machines manufactured are between US$5,000 and US$20,000. There are some new entrants,Such as WeMatter and NaturalRobotics. Formlabs took a long time to release Fuse 1, and concluded that the high-quality, low-cost SLS/PBF additive manufacturing machine is not as easy to design and manufacture as you think.
△Fuse 1 start printing screen
But after 7 years of development, Formlabs finally completed this task and launched the desktop Fuse 1, which includes a post-processing system called Fuse screening. The Fuse screening system, Surface Armor technology and the new Nylon 12 powder are all part of the end-to-end benchtop SLS solution.
△Take the printing cylinder out of the 3D printer and put it into the post-processing system
△Post-processing powder cleaning process
△Fuse 1 adopts a pull-out molding room, Support for continuous printing, which can reduce downtime
△Fuse 1 3D printer with nylon 12 powder 3D printed final use part
Formlabs CEO and co-founder Max Lobovsky said: "SLS 3D printing It shouldn’t be used only by companies with large budgets. It needs to allow all companies-from start-ups to large manufacturers-to benefit from the design freedom and high productivity provided by SLS 3D printing."
SLS 3D printing technology has been used by engineers and large manufacturing organizations for rapid prototyping and printing of terminal parts, but due to the complexity and high cost of SLS machines, many small and medium enterprises (SMB) have been excluded. Formlabs hopes that Fuse 1 can change the status quo of small and medium-sized enterprises and allow them to benefit from economical desktop SLS printers with workflow optimization functions.
△The parts printed on the Fuse 1 3D printer can end the dependence of small and medium-sized enterprises on outsourcing production parts to injection molding companies.
Small companies that outsource parts production to injection molding companies for manufacturing,The rapid prototyping workflow provided by Fuse 1 can be implemented to speed up the time to market. The modular construction room allows continuous printing to reduce downtime. Using 70% recycled powder for printing can save material costs, and a 30% material refresh rate (the lowest proportion of fresh powder required for printing) can also minimize material waste.
Fuse 1 will allow many small companies to encapsulate their entire product development process from concept to manufacturing end products with nylon 12 powder, and may open prototyping and design for small and medium enterprises interested in low-cost SLS desktop 3D printers. The gate of production.
Seminar: China and Europe's 3D printing innovation company
This is the last session of the first Sino-German additive manufacturing seminar in 2020. Antarctic Bear 3D Printing Network is the exclusive media partner. 4 heads of innovative 3D printing companies in China and Europe will give online presentations. The technologies involved are:
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melt extrusion FFF metal 3D printing;
SLM laser sintering pure copper metal 3D printing;
complex runner additive manufacturing design.
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