Desktop Metal Qualifies 4140 Low Alloy Steel for High Volume Additive Manufacturing with its Production System

Desktop Metal, Inc, Burlington, MA, USA, has qualified the use of 4140 low alloy steel for use in its production system^MT Metal Binder Jet Additive Manufacturing (BJT) platform. Desktop Metal would be the first company to qualify 4140 low alloy steel for use with metallic BJT systems, enabling its use in mass production end-use part applications.

Considered one of the most versatile low alloy steels, 4140 is characterized by its toughness, high tensile strength, and abrasion and impact resistance. It is a critical, all-purpose, heat-treatable steel widely used in a variety of automotive, oil & gas, and industrial applications, such as gears, downhole tool components, couplings, pins, bolts and nuts, and many other mechanical parts.

Desktop Metal’s materials science team has validated that 4140 low alloy steel, built on production system technology and sintered by Desktop Metal, meets MPIF 35 standards for structural powder metallurgy parts defined by the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF).

“4140 has been a difficult material for metal binder jetting due to its low alloy content, stringent carbon control requirements, and low ignition energy, which together require advanced binder chemistry. , as well as extensive printing and sintering optimization and atmospheric controls for safe processing. “said Jonah Myerberg, co-founder and CTO of Desktop Metal.

“We are delighted to be the first to qualify 4140 for Metal Binder Jetting to enable this versatile material for the AM industry. With the speed of the production system, companies can now use the binder jet to print complex 4140 parts at competitive costs while maintaining the strength and mechanical properties of traditionally manufactured alternatives. This is a revolutionary solution for manufacturers who have been linked to long and expensive machining processes and conventional tool-based manufacturing processes, â€Myerberg added.

The Production System platform material library includes 17-4 PH stainless steel, 316L stainless steel, and 4140 low alloy steel, each qualified by Desktop Metal. The platform also supports several materials qualified by customers, including silver and gold, and the company plans to add additional metals to its portfolio, including tool steels, stainless steels, superalloys. , copper, etc.

www.desktopmetal.com