Tungsten is known for having the highest melting point (at 3,422 °C/6,192 °F), the highest tensile strength, the lowest vapor pressure, and a name reminiscent of the titular orangutan from the critically-acclaimed film Dunston Checks In. With such useful properties, a number of firms and institutions have begun researching the ability to 3D print objects made from the metal, including ExOne, which partnered with rp+m to develop Tungsten additive manufacturing and CVMR Corporation, which is working to make its own industrial machines to print with Tungsten powders. Philips-owned Smit Röntgen, previously a manufacturer of medical imaging parts, has just broken into the 3D printing industry with their proprietary laser melting process for additively manufacturing Tungsten components.
The Dutch company began researching the ability to 3D print pure Tungsten ten years ago, working with a major manufacturer of 3D metal printers on the Tungsten printing process. Together, the two have worked on every step of the development process, until Smit Röntgen finally unveiled the technology to the public. In addition to the printing itself, the company has also invested in post-processing and measurement equipment, as well as part verification and validation, all of which is essential for additively manufacturing metal parts to high-performance specifications.
Head of Development for the company, Harry Kleijnen, said of Smit Röntgen’s decision to enter the 3D printing market, “From process development to industrialization, Smit Röntgen is focused on creating added value to the industry by developing and manufacturing parts for medical applications, in particular high precision parts for X-ray collimation targeting the CT/PET/SPECT market. In addition, we also started to design and produce parts for industrial use.” Pieter Nuijts, head of Marketing and Sales for the company, elaborated, “When talking to major players in medical and non-medical fields, it becomes evident that being able to 3D print pure Tungsten parts does attract global attention. By mastering this technique, the possibilities for creating new innovative products and niche markets are endless.”
As mentioned when reporting on ExOne’s venture with rp+m, Tungsten, as an RoHS compliant material, can replace lead as a means of protecting against X-rays in doctors’ and dentists’ offices, with rp+m’s Russell Wolff saying, “It’s roughly double the density of lead so the advantage of tungsten is that you can get by with 40 to 50 percent less wall thickness and less mass than lead.” As a medical parts supplier, Smit Röntgen would then have a vested interest in taking on the powerful material to replace lead in the medical field, but its high melting-temperature and tensile strength is sure to have benefits in other fields, as well.
