3DX Industries, Inc. has completed its first series of production run components using the M-Flex Metal Printing System manufactured by The ExOne Company (nasdaq: XONE). 3DX Industries has now printed numerous metal components and parts using Binder Jetting Technology (BJT) for clients use in the green energy generation sector, food processing industry, along side various other industries.
3DX Industries Inc. (otcqb:DDDX) is focused on the additive metal segment within the manufacturing industry. The company manufactures a wide variety of products using its three-dimensional printers and 3D composite printing parallel to traditional methods of precision manufacturing. 3DX also offers product design, engineering and assembly services to its customers.
3DX President and CEO Roger Janssen said: “Having the ability to generate working prototype parts for our customers within a matter of a few days really shows the power and flexibility of the M-Flex metal printing system. We have now shown our customers that we can take their computer aided design generated files and create working prototypes for their evaluation and testing as well as provide finished parts for their immediate use without the time delays and tooling costs inherent in conventional manufacturing processes. We look forward to continuing our introduction of this exciting technology to our current and future customers. We are planning to increase our exposure across additional industries over the coming weeks with the intent of identifying other areas where this additive manufacturing process can be applied.”
The Binder Jetting Technology works by the following process. First software slices the CAD file into 0.004 – 0.006 inch (0.1 –0.15 mm) layers. The machine spreads a layer of powdered metal in the build box. A printhead moves across the layer, depositing liquid binder according to the design slice for that layer. The layer dries and the build box is lowered. A new layer of powdered material is spread, repeating this process until the completion of all layers. The build box now contains a fully 3D printed part, surrounded by loose powder which acts as a support. The part is considered in a green state. The printed part is depowdered and goes into a furnace for sintering to burns out the binder and fuses the metal molecules. Metal parts are now strong and can be handled but still contain tiny internal gaps, thus a second thermal process is used to bring parts up to full density.
The ability to offer clients the option of manufacturing their products using Binder Jetting Technology reduces production costs, saves time in the design evolution and engineering stages of the product manufacturing process via the ability to make immediate changes within a computer aided design file to have those changes to be sent directly to the print floor. 3DX Industries is another believer that 3D printing will change the way companies bring products to market.
