As promised, German laser manufacturer TRUMPF has released new 3D printers at formnext in Frankfurt this week. Developed as part of a joint business with SISMA, the new machines complement the partners’ already existing line up of metal 3D printing systems with laser metal fusion technology (LMF). Together with the original laser metal deposition (LMD) machines, TRUMPF is the only manufacturer to produce those two types of metal 3D printing technology.
Dubbed the TruPrint line, TRUMPF displayed the TruPrint 1000 LMF and the TruPrint 3000 LMF systems alongside their TrueLaser LMD metal 3D printers. The LMD system works by zapping a 200-watt laser at layers of powder, at which point the construction chamber lowers and the excess material falls into an overflow receiver. At each point, the coating mechanism is tilted slightly without hitting the printed part or the powder bed. All of this takes place within an enclosure with an oxygen content of only .1%, preventing oxide formation and a potential fire.
The TruPrint 1000 is a more compact model with a maximum build capacity of 100 mm in diameter and 100 mm high. It features a built-in touchscreen, while all components are contained within a the machine’s housing and the build area’s supply cylinder, construction chamber, and overflow receiver are lined up in a single enclosure. The TruPrint 1000 can handle up to 1.4 liters of stainless steel, tool steel, aluminum, or other weldable materiel. The TruPrint 3000, on the other hand, has a build space of 400 mm in height and 300 mm in diameter, with printing temperatures as high 500 degrees Celsius.
Additionally, TRUMPF announced a new LMD package meant to 3D print new metal structures onto existing components via laser cladding. With the large TruLaser Cell 7040 and the smaller TruLaser Cell 3000, LMD creates a melt pool onto the surface of a part and simultaneously fuses powder onto the object, welding beads of metal layer by layer at rates of 500 cubic centimeters per hour.
With both technologies available under one roof, TRUMPF is demonstrating that it can provide multiple metal 3D printing technologies to meet any need. The company is able to provide a laser cladding system as well as its fusion system, offering the benefits of both and perhaps attracting customers that want all solutions from one source.
