ValCUN, an innovator in steel additive manufacturing (AM), will unveil its new options for steel 3D printing on the upcoming Formnext truthful in Frankfurt. The total vary of merchandise proven by ValCUN will embody the Minerva Printer and the Minerva Print Head, in addition to a variety of printed components.
The Belgian firm will introduce its Minerva Printer (we anticipated some particulars on this VM Podcast episode a couple of months in the past). It’s anticipated to supply increased deployability, sustainability and cost-effective steel printing than most processes presently available on the market. The system makes use of ValCUN’s proprietary Molten Steel Deposition (MMD) expertise.
One other {hardware} product, that may even be offered on the present, is the Minerva Print Head, which was developed to reinforce the consumer’s flexibility and freedom to function. The printhead might be carried out on robotic arms, gantry programs, in manufacturing amenities or in-line with different fabrication applied sciences.
Molten Steel Deposition (MMD) Know-how achieves single-step steel deposition, which is akin to Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) however with low-temperature metals. This well-known course of employs available off-the-shelf steel wire as feedstock, making certain user-friendly operation and fast implementation.
The Minerva Printer and the Minerva Print Head are presently specializing in Aluminum, a extremely sought-after steel by trade that’s presently under-served by current AM processes. The character of the method additionally permits the printing of high-strength aluminum alloys, such because the 6XXX sequence and the 7XXX sequence.
MMD guarantees a extra sustainable course of, by way of increased power effectivity, diminished waste and elimination of the necessity for poisonous chemical compounds or powders. Due to its simple post-processing (no want for de-binding, sintering, powder removing or HIP), MMD additionally gives reductions in time-to-part.
ValCUN’s group can be at Formnext 2023 to exhibit the Minerva Printer and Minerva Print Head and to supply extra info on use circumstances and purposes for this expertise.