Chinese 3D printer manufacturer Brilliance Technology showcased its dual laser flying technology on its 403P printing platform for the first time at the 2021 Shanghai TCT Asia Exhibition.
The company also announced that it has expanded the technology's material portfolio by adding two new polymer powders and another third-party material.
Farsoon's new dual-laser configuration based on LPBF's Flight technology is designed to significantly increase manufacturing turnover while speeding up the product-to-market cycle of industrial-grade parts such as robots, electronic components, and battery cells.
Farsoon's Flight Technology was first launched in February 2019 with the company's 403P system, a medium-sized polymer SLS machine designed for heavy-duty professional applications.
Flight technology, also known as Fiber Light technology, is a 3D printing process designed to improve the productivity of plastic laser sintering. This process replaces the standard CO₂ laser technology with a powerful fiber laser to extend the life and energy absorption of the laser.
In turn, this expands the range of materials that can be processed by the Huashu 3D printing system and allows the powder to be fully sintered in a shorter time. The high-speed technology was launched for beta testing in October 2019, and CEFC has continued to develop it to be compatible with other systems.
The company's machine portfolio includes multiple machines for polymer and metal processing. Each machine is an open platform that allows users to access advanced parameters and third-party material usage.
Farsoon stated that its Flight technology "opens a new level of LPBF productivity" for industrial-grade parts, providing extremely fine details with a minimum wall thickness of only 0.3 mm.
The combination of high-speed sintering and high feature resolution opens up a variety of applications for the mass production of parts, including electronic components, robots, special tools and models, battery cells, filter modules, and many consumer products.
Last year, Brilliance applied its proprietary flying technology to its new high-temperature 252P series polymer SLS 3D printer.
The dual laser configuration of Farsoon Flight technology utilizes two powerful 300w fiber lasers and two dynamic optical systems to create two ultra-fine laser spots with scanning speeds up to 20m/s.
Compared with the single laser configuration, the output of the dual laser flight technology has increased by 50-90%. According to reports, its output is three to four times that of a single CO₂ laser machine.
When used in Brilliance’s 403P printing system, the dual-laser configuration can achieve two complete builds of 400 x 400 x 450 mm in one day. Therefore, the machine's uptime is significantly improved, and the maximum total output per unit area is achieved within the same time frame.
Farsoon demonstrated the dual laser configuration on its 403P platform at TCT Asia and plans to integrate the technology into its HT1001P CAMS platform, which is equipped with a build cylinder measuring 1000 x 500 x 450 mm.
Expanding the material portfolio of Flight technology
Two new PA12-based powders were also announced at TCT Asia 2021, specifically designed for Brilliance's flight technology.
The first one is FS3300PA-F, which is optimized for fiber laser processing. The parts produced have a good balance between mechanical and thermal properties and are suitable for various industrial applications.
The second type, FS3401GB-F, is a glass bead reinforced powder, suitable for end applications that require functionality and mechanical strength. The parts printed in this material have good dimensional stability and good heat resistance and wear resistance, making it very suitable for 3D printing industrial parts, such as automobile engine systems and power tools.
Users can use the polymer powder management system (PMS) released by Huasheng Group on Formnext Connect last year to achieve a powder refresh rate of up to 20% for the new powder based on PA12 and reduce the manufacturing cost of each part. Therefore, PMS integrates powder recovery and storage, new powder supply, high-speed mixing and sieving powder handling processes.
In addition to expanding its powder product portfolio, Huashu will also include special TPU materials from its partner LEHVOSS Group for its Flight technology. The LUVOSINT TPU X92A-1064 WT material is light gray and has been successfully tested on Brilliance's Flight 403P and 252P printing systems.
According to the company, the material provides a convenient processing window and good recyclability, while the printed parts produced have good elongation and dimensional stability. These characteristics make the material suitable for applications such as custom shoe soles, parts with complex tube geometries, and even medical applications.
Subscribe to the 3D printing industry newsletter for the latest news on additive manufacturing. You can also keep in touch by following us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Looking for a career in additive manufacturing? Visit 3D printing jobs to learn about a range of roles in the industry.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get the latest 3D printed video clips, reviews and webinar replays.
Featured pictures show the sintering process of dual laser flight technology. The photo is from Brilliance Technology.
Hayley is a 3DPI technical reporter with a background in B2B publications across manufacturing, tools, and bicycles. She writes news and features, and has a keen interest in emerging technologies that affect the world in which we live.
© Copyright 2017 | All rights reserved | 3D printing industry