[ad_1]
There has been a lot of talk about steel lately in the 3D printing world. It is not yet among the most common 3D printing materials, but its profile and potential is increasing as companies and research institutes work to develop 3D printable versions of it. As recently as last week, the University of Pittsburgh received an award to begin developing steel 3D printing materials, especially for the US Navy, which requires strong and durable materials that can withstand an environment hostile sailor. For these demands, it’s hard to beat steel.
Tool steel is particularly attractive for manufacturing; as the name suggests, it is well suited for tool making. It is a particularly hard material with a high tolerance to heat and abrasion, and is available in several grades to suit a variety of applications. It is not surprising that this is a highly desirable material for additive manufacturing, and there has been a great demand for it, because Markforged CEO Greg Mark pointed out in a recent interview. Markforged will develop tool steel materials for its Metal X 3D printer, and today NanoSteel announced the launch of a new 3D printable tool steel material – the company’s first material for laser powder bed melting after the successful development of a material portfolio for binder jet printing .
BLDRmetal L-40 is a case hardening steel powder with high levels of hardness and ductility: it offers case hardness> 70HRC and core elongation of more than 10%. It’s easy to 3D print, making it an attractive alternative to more difficult-to-print tool steels such as H13, and according to NanoSteel, it outperforms M300 maraging steel. Designed for parts such as tools, dies, gears and bearings, the BLDRmetal L-40 has proven its capabilities when used to 3D print an 8 inch roll thread die set, which outperformed dies machined from D2 and M2 tool steels.
“We tried almost any combination of materials and conventional CNC machining processes to create our double-thread die sets, none of which could cut or grind the complicated double-thread geometry,†said Mark Doll, president and CEO of America Inc Perfect Lock Bolt., the only manufacturer of double-threaded fasteners in North America that resists automatic loosening. “The NanoSteel solution offers exactly what we are looking for, including excellent surface finish, flexibility, as well as strength and hardness for maximum die life. This is a welcome technological innovation in the fasteners industry. We are happy with our testing and should start production this year. “
NanoSteel developed the new material through rapid iterative development at a 3D printing service provider CFK GmbH.
“For us the most important attributes of NanoSteel’s BLDRmetal â„¢ L-40 are that it is easy to process and creates high hardness components without cracks, which sets it apart from many other tool steels we have. tested, â€said Dr-Ing. Christoph Over, CEO of CFK. “We are proud to be a preferred printing service provider for NanoSteel, which will allow us to continue to deliver the most valuable products to our customers. “
“The launch of BLDRmetal â„¢ L-40 after having successfully produced roll thread dies ensures the commercial viability of the new alloy for customers seeking the use of additive manufacturing,†added Harald Lemke, vice president and Managing Director of NanoSteel Engineered Powders. “We don’t limit ourselves to material design, but create common solutions with our customers, facilitating the process from material selection and prototyping to fully qualified production parts. “
As tool steel becomes a viable option for additive manufacturing, advanced geometries with high strength and desirable industrial capabilities are poised to become more accessible. The potential of 3D printed tool steel, especially with what NanoSteel calls “easy printability on standard equipment,†will be a big issue to watch out for in the near future. Chat in the NanoSteel forum on 3DPB.com.
[ad_2]
