Platform for additive manufacturing of metal parts

First unveiled earlier this year, the additive manufacturing platform is based on Stratasys' Layered Powder Metallurgy (LPM) technology, which is designed to make the production of metal parts faster, easier and more cost-effective than ever before.

With the intention of disrupting conventional manufacturing approaches, the platform was developed to combine the value of additive manufacturing with low-volume production of metal parts. Its technology aims to improve efficiency and cost savings through the use of standard Powder Metallurgy (PM) alloys, achieve high accuracy mechanical properties, controlled shrinkage and fast throughput.

"We've found that current approaches to 3D printing metal parts leave a lot to be desired - including slow post-processing, meticulous and complicated support removal, and hours of customization and grinding. Combined with the high cost of AM powder, this means that each part is expensive and the total cost of ownership is difficult to justify," says Rafie Grinvald, Director of Product Marketing and Management, at Stratasys. "Our new platform is designed to transform the current production landscape of metal additive manufacturing. It represents a forward-looking alternative to traditional manufacturing methods and helps customers dramatically reduce the cost of producing reliable, consistent, high-quality metal parts for low-volume applications."

The Stratasys metal platform is equipped with the company's proprietary jetting technology and common powder metallurgy - starting with the aluminum powder offering. © Stratasys

Developed internally by Stratasys in recent years, the platform incorporates the company's proprietary jetting technology as well as common powder metallurgy, starting with the aluminum powder offering. The LPM solution offers a three-step additive manufacturing process that combines traditional powder metallurgy with the company's robust PolyJet technology. The process involves printing contours with proprietary thermal printing material, dispensing and distributing powder, and then compacting the powder layers to achieve high density and controllable shrinkage.

The end result should be economical in terms of unit costs, throughput and ease of post-processing, as well as offering high quality production components. The system is said to directly address the needs of customers who require prototype production, low-volume production during market launch and customized, lightweight and complex components. The offering is suitable for industries such as automotive, aerospace and defense.

According to Stratasys, it is currently in talks with industrial OEM manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers regarding the metal platform. Further details - such as product features and exact timelines for market launches - will be published soon.

Formnext, Hall 3.1, Stand G40