Novel True 3D Printing Method for Serial Production of Highly Performant Components up to 100,000lb

As the first true 3D MAM (Metal Additive Manufacturing) technology available for metals, the MAM from MetalPrint3D-XXL offers outstanding speed and consequently low cost. Printing holograms in over 6 feet x 3 feet in 1” layers at a time it is a volumetric printing system as opposed to linear (1D) printing systems like DMLS or restricted surface (2D) printing systems like binder jetting, enabling printing speeds of Tons per hour as opposed to the current pounds per hour. Currently a precision of +/- 0.1% can be attained matching or improving gravity casting, HPDC or stamping. This technology is suitable for serial production up to 100.000 components/year. Since it does not require any kind of supporting structures, there is practically no restriction in the shape of internal features that can be attained. Currently, components up to 8 ft x 6ft x 3ft can be produced with a weight up to 100.000 lb in less than 3 full days at the cost level of gravity casting. With an order of magnitude fewer energy required for Kg printed than DMLS and a yield surpassing 96%, the sustainability is outstanding. In terms of performance, the technology presents exceptional control on interstitial levels and dislocation densities (as an example: %O and %N levels below 2ppm and dislocation levels even above 10¹⁵ 1/cm² can be attained in 4340 alloy). While printability of Li, Mg, Al, Ti, Fe, Cu, Ni, Co, Nb, Mo, W, ... alloys and even hard metal or CERMET (provided at least a 10% metal is present) has been demonstrated, optimization work has only been undertaken for Fe, Cu, Ni and Al alloys so far. Typical properties reached for 6061 Aluminum are 340 MPa tensile strength with 270 MPa yield and 15% elongation. This MAM should help in the industrial uptake of Additive Manufacturing.