Having recently beenissued a patentfor an inert build chamber design,ExOne, a manufacturer of binder jet 3D printers, has announced a new version of itsX1 160Pro 3D printer。
With a build volume measuring 800 x 500 x 400mm (160 liters), the X1 160Pro is the company’s largest metal and ceramic printer to date. The original model only started shipping from ExOne’s European headquarters and production facility in late 2020, but the manufacturer already has its eyes set on an upgrade.
Set to launch in the second half of 2022, the upcoming model will feature a new inert gas build chamber, allowing customers to process reactive metals such as aluminum, titanium, and copper in a controlled atmosphere. According to the company, the new model will be the world’s largest binder jet metal 3D printer with an inert chamber.
While the patent was only issued in December 2020, it’s worth noting that ExOne has been offering controlled chambers with some of its systems for a number of years now. ExOne has stated that it will continue to develop and support the original 160Pro model, which is sufficient for customers not looking to process reactive metals.
“Our technology roadmap has been leading us to this machine for more than two decades,” said John Hartner, CEO at ExOne. “At the same time, the X1 160Pro was also designed in response to growing demand from automotive, defense and aerospace customers. We’re incredibly proud of what this model means for the future of metal 3D printing and sustainable production of large metal parts without design limitations.”
活页夹射流3D打印与Exone
ExOne is undeniably one of the key players in the binder jetting space. The company already offers a number of metal, ceramic, and sand 3D printers for a variety of applications in aerospace, automotive, and tooling.
Theoriginal X1 160Pro是由制造商开发的第10个3D打印机，并具有10,000cm³/hr的打印速度。该机器配备了Exone的三重高级压实技术（ACT），据报道，该技术可以提高零件密度和可重复性。
The smaller-scaleX1 25Profeatures a build volume measuring 400 x 250 x 250mm and delivers a build rate of up to 3600 cm³/hr. The system also houses patented ultrasonic dispensing technology to optimize powder flow.
Why might you need an inert gas chamber?
An inert gas chamber is absolutely crucial for those looking to 3D print with reactive metals, whether that be via binder jetting or a laser-based 3D printing process. The feature ensures that loose powder in the powder bed does not oxidize, all while helping to control humidity and improving material spreadability. This, in turn, eliminates impurities in the raw feedstock and results in higher-quality 3D printed parts.
新的受控大气X1 160Pro将与氩和氮兼容，氩和氮，这两种化学无活性气体通常用于工业3D打印系统。与原始型号不同，即将到来的X1 160PRO也将与其他辅助系统（例如固化烤箱，粉末调节系统，退化站）以及用于在各个站点之间移动建筑物箱的气密运输设备。
Once launched, users of the new system will be able to 3D print with over 20 qualified binder jetting materials, including inconel, stainless steel, cobalt chrome, and others.
Just last week, ExOne revealed that itsannual revenue increased by 11%during 2020. With an increasing demand for high-throughput metal binder jetting technologies, the company generated $17.4 million in revenue in Q4 alone. Alongside the news, ExOne also announced that it had developed a more rapid process of binder jetting aluminum parts in conjunction with automotive manufacturer福特。
Earlier this year, the company also licensed a new 3D printing technique fromOak Ridge National Laboratory(ORNL), enabling it toproduce lightweight metal-ceramic parts。具体而言，可以使用申请专利的过程来创建铝浸润的硼碳酸酯组件在前机器上。该交易将通过为客户制造科学研究零件来使Exone在商业上利用这项技术。
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图像显示了新的X1 160 pro 3 d打印机。通过Exone的照片。
