The French 3D printing company Prodways is distributing new ProMaker P4500 series “powered by Farsoon” with higher build volumes, including a high-temperature configuration to process PA6 polymer powder developed by, UK-based chemical company BASF (FRA:BAS). The series is on display at the current Formnext trade show in Frankfurt where 3DPI are currently reporting from all week.
In the continuity of the technological partnership signed with SLS/SLM machine and material manufacturer Farsoon at the end of 2015, Prodways is distributing new ProMaker P4500 series « powered by Farsoon » which stands out from current standards for its high productivity for reduced operating cost. The ProMaker P4500 series meets industrial needs by offering impressive build rates, made possible by its advanced, high-speed digital scanning system and large effective build platform. In 2017, the whole ProMaker P4500 series will be available with new 600 mm cartridge option allowing higher build volume for optimized productivity.
Additionally, the ProMaker P4500 series offers best-in-class thermal stability with an eight-zone heater system and intelligent temperature control technology, providing superior mechanical properties and accuracy for all parts.
In line with its strategy across the entire ProMaker P series printer range, Prodways offers a platform strategy open to all materials. This strategy aims to facilitate and speed up innovation, and to develop new materials with high-performance mechanical properties to provide genuine added value to industrial customers and research institutes.
ProMaker P4500 series is composed of 4 new laser sintering printers:
- ProMaker P4500 SD
400 x 400 x 450 mm (or 600 mm – coming soon) 30 W Laser power
Up to 1.5 l/h*
- ProMaker P4500 HS
400 x 400 x 450 mm (or 600 mm – coming soon) 60 W Laser power
Up to 2.7 l/h*
- ProMaker P4500 X
400 x 400 x 450 mm (or 600 mm – coming soon) 100 W Laser power
Up to 4.0 l/h*
- ProMaker P4500 HT
400 x 400 x 450 mm (or 600 mm – coming soon) 100 W Laser power
Up to 4.0 l/h
High Temperature
The high-temperature-capable configuration of the ProMaker P4500 HT enables users to process a wide variety of high-performance materials at temperatures of up to 220°C, thereby opening up the possibility of new industrial applications. Those innovative new powders, such like new Ultrasint PA6 – X028 by BASF can be used for the production of high performance functional parts.
Thanks to its partnership with BASF, announced in April 2016, Prodways integrated the new Ultrasint PA6 – X028 by BASF into its portfolio of laser sintering materials. BASF’s development of this new PA6 polymer powder for 3D printing by laser sintering technology is a major breakthrough for the industrial sector. It offers new possibilities for the series production of parts, for example functional components, with more complex structures and more customized designs, but with the similar mechanical resistance, hardness and thermal stability properties as parts produced today in PA6 via traditional injection techniques.
PA6 is a widely-used material today, in particular in the automotive and electronics industries, where it can replace metal in order to produce lighter-weight parts and reduce production costs for massive parts, hot engine parts and electronic components. This new material meets the requirements of applications in all areas of industry for a wide range of components and machine parts. It stands out by its good recyclability and adds to Prodways’ materials portfolio, which already includes over 19 grades of PA12, PA11 and TPU allowing the development of new applications for series parts.
The latest Prodways announcements confirms its strategy to offer new materials and technologies that allow the development of the “rapid manufacturing” applications expected by the market. They mark a sizeable step forward to becoming an alternative to the current laser sintering leaders.
Featured image shows the Promaker P4500.
