O.R. Laser tailors metal Additive Manufacturing systems to universities & SMEs
September 19, 2017
Germany’s Industry Federation of Mechanical Engineers (VDMA) recently published an interview with Uri Resnik, CEO of O.R. Lasertechnologie GmbH, Dieburg, Germany, in which he explained the company’s current target users and applications. In the interview, Resnik stated that O.R. Laser is currently aiming its Additive Manufacturing systems at small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and universities, having set itself a price cap of €100,000 per system.
“To [SMEs and universities], the prices of today’s powder bed systems pose a high initial hurdle,” he stated. “Three years ago, we decided to close this gap… Pricewise, our system is tailored to small and medium-sized businesses and universities.”
This comparatively low pricing was made possible by O.R. Laser’s having its own laser and software development facilities, he stated. “We develop and realise laser systems, mechanics and software in-house. This allows us flexibility when working with our customers’ demands.”
According to Resnik, the primary application areas for O.R. Laser’s systems have been in the fields of dental and medical implants, tools, aerospace and jewellery. They are capable of processing cobalt chrome alloys for implants, as well as stainless steel and some precious metals. With an installation space of 100 mm x 110 mm, Resnik states, “the most important fields of application are in dental/medical implants for humans and animals.”
In response to the growing demand for automated ‘plug and play’ process chains for Additive Manufacturing, Resnik stated that the question “does not yet arise” for O.R. Laser’s systems. “We use a zero point tensioning system,” he states, “and with this, users of the dental sector can take out the building platform as a whole and clamp it into a milling centre. Thus, the whole coordinate system is carried over to the milling process before the parts get singled out and are removed from their supporting structures.”
“It is an exciting question of how removing supporting structures might become automated in industrial processes,” he continues. “I think this highly complex task will remain a manual one for a long time.”
Resnik stated that O.R. Laser sets itself apart from its competition due to its production intensity. “That is what allowed us to open up a whole new price segment in the powder bed area,” he states. “We were able to build on our existing software suite and to enlarge it specifically for powder bed systems… The short distance and well-practised communication between our laser, mechanical engineering and software specialists pave the ways which daunt many of our competition.”
