GE Additive unveils new Concept Laser M2 Series 5
November 19, 2019
GE Additive unveiled the Concept Laser M2 Series 5 at Formnext 2019, Frankfurt Germany. The latest iteration of the popular M2 machine was said to meet the high expectations for part quality and consistency from customers, especially in the highly-regulated aerospace and medical industries, as they move to serial additive production. The Concept Laser M2 Series 5 will be manufactured at the GE Additive Lichtenfels facility, is available for order now, with delivery expected in Q1 2020.
“As our customers evolve and start to ramp up high volume production, we will also continue to evolve our machine portfolio to meet their needs for repeatability, usability and quality,” stated Chris Schuppe, general manager – engineering, GE Additive.
“Over the past year, teams from GE Additive have worked closely with colleagues at GE Aviation – which operates a fleet of M2s – to get direct feedback. Co-located teams collaborated on the critical characteristics needed for the next iteration of the M2 and to make a good part, but also on input on the mechanical operations, performance and productivity of the machine, and on improvements in reliability and quality,” added Schuppe
This collaborative work incorporated an extensive machine design, system and component review, and an extended testing period. The resulting machine is said to be configured to meet the exacting requirements of highly-regulated aerospace and medical industries.
The M2 Series 5 includes a dual laser system with up to 100% coverage per laser. It allows for a larger build volume thanks to increased surface area (245 mm x 245 mm) and 350mm z-axis. The system incorporates a glovebox system for non-contact handling of reactive materials, better filter change and inerted sieving and powder exchange.
