At Formnext 2017, German 3D printer manufacturer SLM Solutions demonstrated its prototype SLM 800 solution for the first time, marking a breakthrough in large-format selective laser melting. Today, the additive manufacturing solution with a usable build volume of 500 x 280 x 850 mm is one of the leading large-format machines in the field of metal 3D printing, providing various industries with methods to produce large, complex and precise metal parts.

Since the launch of the SLM 800 system, SLM Solutions has continuously developed and enhanced its metal AM solutions, fine-tuned controls and hardware, and integrated multi-machine settings. The latter is one of the biggest recent advancements in the company's technology, and it paves the way for autonomous, continuous and scalable production of large metal parts.

In order to fully study the potential of SLM Solutions' largest multi-laser SLM system, we will break down the features that make SLM 800 a reality.

Unlike many large-format additive manufacturing systems, SLM 800 does not integrate a particularly wide printing envelope, but chooses a high build space of 850 mm. The company said that this method can produce large parts at a faster rate and has a lower risk of failure.

This is because compared with the horizontal construction, there is less exposure layer by layer, which reduces the internal stress of the part, thereby reducing the failure in the production process. The reduction in exposure time also brings higher part quality and surface quality. By maintaining the construction scope and basic process layout of the SLM 500 selective laser melting system, its proven parameters and application guidelines can be used, thereby reducing the time and risk in the part development process.

From a practical point of view, the vertical build height of SLM 800 also reduces the need for support due to part orientation, thereby reducing post-processing time.

Thanks to a new multi-machine configuration option, SLM 800 is better than ever before for industrial-scale production. The multi-machine setup consists of various elements, including up to five SLM 800 systems, SLM HUB automatic unpacking station, building cylinder bank (BCM), and central powder supply system (CPS) with portable tanks.

The multi-machine printing process benefits from a high degree of automation: the SLM HUB system provides complex automated parts and powder removal solutions, while the build roller is designed to be unloaded from the SLM 800 and passed through a linear axis.

In the SLM HUB powder removal chamber, the construction cylinder is lifted, and the construction plate rotates with vibration to remove the powder. At the same time, the downwardly inhaled gas prevents the formation of dust clouds and recovers the powder to return to the centralized powder supply.

CPS only needs two 220-liter storage tanks to provide enough concentrated powder for up to five SLM 800 printers. As far as BCM is concerned, it can accommodate up to six build cylinders, which helps to significantly reduce downtime, thanks to the preheating station and the controlled cooling phase after build.

The multi-machine setup of the SLM 800 is also modular, which means that manufacturers can choose from a variety of configurations. For example, users who have used a single SLM 800 for manual unpacking can easily upgrade to HUB automation, and once two or more machines are connected, users can install BCM.

It is worth noting that many of the hardware features of the SLM 800, including its airflow, repainting and multi-laser systems, are all inherited from the company's flagship 3D printer SLM 500. We will introduce these different technologies in detail below. SLM 500 has been extensively tested and verified, which greatly simplifies the additive manufacturing process and improves the reliability of the system. Therefore, manufacturers can rely on the fact that SLM 800 is built on the same credibility principles as SLM 500, but on a larger scale.

The airflow system of SLM Solutions ensures that the print room is always kept clean. Specifically, it uses patented sintered wall technology to push a uniform airflow through the chamber to keep it away from smoke or other debris without interfering with the laser beam. This is important for building chambers of all sizes, but after thousands of layers have produced soot in the chamber, the continuous flow of gas throughout the vertical height of the building is critical to the mechanical properties of the material.

The permanent filter module of the printer then traps the powder and soot particles in the sintered plate filter, which is then purged with gas. The waste collected from this process will eventually be disposed of in a designated garbage bin, while the clean gas is returned to the processing chamber. This cleaning system not only ensures that the constructed envelope remains uncontaminated, but also does not require manual intervention in most cases because it does not require an operator to replace the filter element.

The recoating system of SLM 800 ensures that the powder is evenly distributed layer by layer over thousands of layers. This feature is especially important for the construction of large parts, where the consistency of powder application is essential for a reasonable and precise component.

According to SLM Solutions, its unique metal repainting brush is designed for durability and can even be used for error correction during the build process. For example, tests have shown that the brush remains stable when it exceeds 100,000 layers. In addition, the system also integrates a contingency plan: if the brush does come into contact with an extrudate up to 3 mm from the powder bed, the bristles will only bend and not break.

There is no doubt that SLM Solutions' large-format metal AM systems have a wide range of applications and are used in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, mold, energy, and maritime.

For example, automotive expert Bugatti uses SLM 800 to produce Chiron cam covers. The board is composed of eight parts, each of which is 735 mm in height and is made of AlSi10Mg, which was made in just over four days.

Other parts produced by end users using SLM 800 include titanium propellers used in the maritime industry, titanium turbines used in the energy sector, aluminum engine blocks used in the automotive industry, and various inconel tool parts.

Bernd Müller, a development engineer at SLM Solutions, said: "With SLM 800, we have found an excellent solution that can print tall metal parts with the highest quality. Features such as recoating metal brushes and fully automated processing stations demonstrate the SLM solution. The power of innovation. We are responding to market demand and paving the way for automated mass production in future applications. The robustness and productivity of our machines, especially our large-format products as the next generation of selective laser melting, are also the result of our development activities Forefront.

This market research by 3dpbm Research provides an in-depth analysis and forecast of the ceramic additive market.

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