Machine Manufacturers TRUMPF and Materials producer Equispheres Inc. will work together to qualify aluminum additive manufacturing powders from Equishperes for TRUMPF 3D printers.
The materials producer that recently added new equipment to its laboratory, provides three lines of AlSiMg10 powders optimized for laser powder-bed fusion manufacturing systems. In this collaboration, Equispheres brings its expertise in powder metallurgy and applications engineering, with a key focus on the specific characteristics of its aluminum powders.
Known for its TruPrint additive manufacturing systems, TRUMPF delivers high standards of quality and productivity at attractive part costs. According to the German company, first uses of these materials reveal positive initial results. The manufacturer expects to complete the qualification process early next year.
“TRUMPF’s engineering team is working to determine the optimum parameters for faster production of aluminum parts with Equispheres’ powders. This will allow customers to reduce production costs for 3D printed parts and opens the door for more broad adoption of additive production in global manufacturing,” explains Thomas Bloor, head of global business development for Equispheres.
Once the qualification process is complete for Equispheres powders, the company will be recognized as one of TRUMPF’s recommended powder suppliers and the materials will be supported by applications engineers at both Equispheres and TRUMPF.
“Equispheres’ powders have the potential to support faster build rates than some other aluminum feedstocks. To help our 3D printing customers reduce part costs and make the move into mass production, we are developing optimized processing parameters for Equispheres’ high-quality metal powders,” says Severin Luzius, Head of Application, Materials and Consulting AM at TRUMPF.
“This will be a significant step forward for our material. For part manufacturers to receive the maximum benefit from our superior feedstock, processing parameters must be adjusted,” says Bloor. “TRUMPF’s qualification work will give users of TRUMPF equipment a productivity and cost advantage when using Equispheres aluminum powders.”
In 2021, Equispheres brought online additional high-speed commercial reactors to produce its proprietary, patent-pending, spherical aluminum powders. The company is working with partners in the automotive, aerospace and defense sectors to qualify its materials for industrial applications. Third-party testing has demonstrated Equispheres’ high-performance aluminum powders can print three to five times faster than traditional powders and achieve part cost reductions of 50%, enabling metal 3D printing to compete economically with traditional manufacturing processes, a press release concludes.
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