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High-speed resin 3D printer manufacturer Nexa3D has launched a suite of new additive manufacturing products and partnerships at the Formnext trade show.
With the help of DyeMansion post-processing, Siemens’ PLC software and its own QLS 820 system, Nexa3D has developed an end-to-end 3D printing workflow designed to help users enter serial production. The firm has also introduced a new range of ceramic, flexible and clear resins, as well as installing machines at Xometry and Quickparts, to provide the clients of both with access to its technologies.
“We are very excited to make Nexa3D’s ultrafast technology available to our customers in the coming months,” said Xometry CEO Randy Altschuler. “Our customers have the need for additively manufactured, engineering-grade components that have shorter lead times, but yet can be sourced economically, and we look forward to meeting those customer needs.”
End-to-end 3D printing with Nexa3D
Nexa3D’s new 3D printing workflow is the result of a strategic partnership with DyeMansion, established to drive the greater automation and integration of its offering. This collaboration has yielded a three-step production set up, which allows for the automatic 3D printing and post-processing of parts, via the NexaX software, Siemens PLC integration and the two firms’ hardware.
Launched in September, Nexa3D’s QLS 820 is technology-agnostic, making it ideal for integration with third-party Manufacturing Execution Systems (MESs) and post-processing units. That said, the printer can also be operated via the QLS Command Center that comes as standard, which allows for fleet management, print preparation and real-time monitoring, in a way that promotes industrialization.
According to Kai Witter, CCO of DyeMansion, the integration of its Print-to-Product solutions into the QLS 820 3D printing workflow should help “position it as a challenger to all existing offerings” in the high-throughput laser sintering space.
“We are delighted to support Nexa3D’s entry into the powder bed production market as a strategic partner that shares our passion for automation of additive manufacturing,” said Witter. “The QLS 820 brings new printer throughput capabilities to the market, and comes with a powder management, factory automation, and a data integration solution on board.”
New XiP and NXE resins launched
Alongside the unveiling of its end-to-end production workflow, Nexa3D has launched a new range of materials for its fleet of industrial and desktop 3D printers. Developed in tandem with polymer experts at BASF and Henkel, these three xCERAMIC3280, xMODEL17-Clear and xFLEX402 resins feature the functionality to unlock new user applications.
With the rigid xCERAMIC3280, a ceramic with a lofty heat deflection temperature and excellent tensile modulus, users are able to 3D print tooling and wind tunnel testing models. xMODEL17-Clear, meanwhile, is a durable, translucent material that’s said to be ideal for precision prototyping, and xFLEX402 has a high elongation at break and tensile strength that facilitates the creation of elastomeric parts.
Altogether, these materials take Nexa3D’s NXE and XiP resin portfolio to over 20 validated photopolymers, and its COO Kevin McAlea says they “reaffirm its commitment” to launching “resins that further expand customer applications.”
These latest launches closely follow the introduction of Nexa3D’s Mechnano xESD 3D printing material earlier this month. Developed using Mechnano’s MechT technology, the electrostatic discharge (ESD)-safe material is designed for the fabrication of static-dissipative parts with isotropic mechanical properties, and potential electronics-facing applications.
High-speed printing for a wider audience
Lastly in Nexa3D’s Formnext announcements, it has been revealed that manufacturing service provider Xometry and 3D printing bureau Quickparts have turned to its technologies to fulfill client orders. In Xometry’s case, the firm has adopted Lubricant Sublayer Photocuring (LSPc) 3D printing through the installation of the NXE and XiP 3D printers.
LSPc works using an LED array as its light source, along with an LCD photomask, which shapes the layer image. When deployed alongside its proprietary Everlast Membrane, Nexa3D says the process is “orders of magnitude faster than traditional SLA and digital light processes,” leading to “better print quality and up to 20x productivity gains.”
Quickparts, on the other hand, invested in the QLS 820 earlier this year and signed on as a foundational manufacturing partner in September 2022. Having installed the NXE 400Pro and XiP 3D printer as well, the firm now offers services via Nexa3D’s entire fleet from its US facilities, with its European ones set to follow suit in 2023.
“We are excited to bring our customers the speed and quality they need to meet today’s market demands,” added Ziad Abou, CEO of Quickparts. “We’ve been working closely with Nexa3D and have validated its industrial and desktop 3D printers, both utilizing the ultrafast LSPc 3D printing technology to help meet our customers’ needs for quicker turn-times and uncompromised part quality.”
Check out our full Formnext news round-up for the latest from 3D printing’s leading trade show.
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Featured image shows the Nexa3D booth at Formnext 2022. Photo via Nexa3D.
