Chinese 3D printer manufacturer Bright Laser Technologies (BLT) has launched the BLT-S800, a new Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) 3D printer featuring an 800 x 800 x 600 mm build volume and 20 fiber lasers.
A number of manufacturers have incorporated more and more lasers into their new metal 3D printers. A recent report from market intelligence firm CONTEXT highlighted the emergence of the metal 3D printer “laser wars” in Q2 2023, which have driven revenue growth despite a drop in unit shipments. Besides BLT, Chinese manufacturers Eplus3D and Farsoon Technologies have announced their own new multi-laser 3D printers.
According to BLT, the BLT-800’s 20-laser configuration shortens delivery cycle time, enabling rapid research and manufacturing. The BLT-800 is compatible with titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, high-temperature alloy, stainless steel, high-strength steel, and tool steel. The new 3D printer is reportedly targeted towards a number of verticals, including aviation, aerospace, engine, medical, automotive, electronics, mold, and research.
“By investing a decade in large format and multi-laser printing, the BLT-S800 has excelled in system stability,” commented Eliza Duan, head of the International Business Department at BLT. “Currently, we have deployed dozens of BLT-S800, 20-laser printers in our customers’ factories, and their reliability and usability have been tested in the market.”
Key features of the BLT-S800
Incorporating 20 synchronized lasers, the BLT-S800 is advertised as boosting production capacity and plant efficiency without the need for extra equipment, factory space, or operating personnel.
According to BLT, the 3D printer’s 20 lasers are perfectly synchronized. As such, the BLT-S800 reportedly disperses any black smoke and splatter generated during the multi-laser 3D printing process, ensuring high part quality. The BLT-S800 also ensures that the optical lenses remain clean, allowing for an uninterrupted 3D printing process.
A powder circulation system has also been added to enhance mass production capabilities. This system has been designed to safely transfer, recover, sieve, and recycle metal powders on-site. This reportedly secures and simplifies the movement of 3D printing powders from containers to 3D printers. As such, the risks associated with spillage, contamination, explosions, or human contact are minimized, allowing manufacturers to meet serial production demands whilst cutting material costs.
When configured with BLT-BP software, the BLT-S800 can reportedly streamline the profiling of large-scale parts, enhancing efficiency during the 3D printing process. In fact, using the BLT-S800, parts with a substantial 25G data volume can be profiled in just 30 minutes.
Additionally, when used with the BLT-S800, BLT-BP offers a dynamic powder laying strategy that can adapt powder fusion speeds to the part contour, facilitating multi-stage automatic 3D print speed adjustments. According to BLT, this ensures both part quality and efficiency, with parts typically experiencing a 30% improvement in single-layer efficiency compared to conventional methods.
The BLT-S800 20-laser 3D printing process. Video via Bright Laser Technologies.
The 3D printing “laser wars”
The burgeoning “laser wars” have seen manufacturers incorporate a growing number of lasers into their new metal 3D printers.
Farsoon Technologies recently announced the development of its new FS1521M PBF-LB 3D printer series boasting 16 fiber lasers.
The FS1521M possesses a build chamber diameter of 1530mm and an 850mm Z-axis height, whilst the FS1521M-U variant offers an increased Z-axis height of 1650mm. Both models are equipped with 16 500-watt fiber lasers, which are said to boost productivity for high-volume 3D printing applications. Debuted during TCT Asia 2023 last month, Farsoon claims that its new 3D printers offer significant potential for the oil & gas and aerospace industries.
Eplus3D recently introduced the EP-M1550 metal 3D printer, which is said to be the market’s largest Metal Powder Bed Fusion (MPBF) system with a base build volume of 1558 x 1558 x 1200 mm. Equipped with 16 lasers, the EP-M1550 can be expanded to include a substantial 25 lasers. Capable of employing either 500W or 700W lasers, this new multi-laser 3D printer is compatible with a range of materials, including titanium alloys, aluminum alloys, stainless steels, and mold steels.
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Featured image shows the BLT-S800 20-laser 3D printer. Photo via Bright Laser Technologies.
