Optomec demonstrates simultaneous five-axis hybrid metal Additive Manufacturing
November 13, 2018
The Optomec LENS 860 hybrid controlled atmosphere system can process reactive metals and combines additive and subtractive operations on the same machine
Optomec, Albuquerque, USA, is showcasing its newest hybrid machine tool system offering a larger build volume and higher power capability for metal additive and hybrid manufacturing at Formnext 2018, November 13 – 16, Frankfurt, Germany. The LENS 860 Hybrid Controlled Atmosphere (CA) System is the latest addition to the Machine Tool Series,and integrates Optomec’s LENS technology with vertical machining platforms, resulting in the industry’s first hybrid controlled atmosphere system.
“We are excited to be at Formnext, the premier gathering of the world’s next-generation manufacturing technologies, with our biggest, most powerful system for printing high-value metal parts,” stated Urs Berger Managing Director of Optomec’s newly-announced headquarters for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in Dübendorf, Switzerland. “The LENS 860 has unique capabilities and the right economics to make metal Additive Manufacturing more accessible for a wider range of industrial applications.”
With an 860 x 600 x 610 mm work envelope, the LENS 860 Hybrid CA system offers a much larger build volume than other systems in the Machine Tool Series and comes with a hermetically-sealed build chamber that maintains oxygen and moisture levels below 10 ppm for processing reactive metals, such as titanium. It can be configured with closed loop controls and a high-power 3 kW fibre laser, making the system ideal for building, repairing, coating and finishing mid to large size parts with superior metal quality.
Opotmec LENS product manager Tom Cobbs added, “With the LENS 860, customers can print and mill and perform finished machining on a printed part all on the same system without re-fixturing or aligning the component on a second machine. We think this will bring great benefits to companies looking to move to additive and hybrid manufacturing.”
All systems in the Machine Tool Series incorporate Optomec’s LENS 3D Metal Printing technology, which uses a high-power laser (400 W to 3 kW) to fuse powdered metals into fully dense, three-dimensional structures. Optomec’s software enables five-axis build strategies that integrate additive and subtractive operations in a single tool path. A range of material starter recipes compliment the system and help speed adoption and success with the LENS 860 Hybrid Controlled Atmosphere System.
Optomec will run demonstrations showcasing simultaneous 5-axis metal printing and a single tool path for both additive and subtractive processes on the same machine at its booth in Hall 3.1 Stand J10.
