SLM Solutions and Danish Technological Institute to develop advanced parameters for 316L and CuCr1Zr
April 13, 2023
SLM Solutions, Lübeck, Germany, has announced a collaboration with the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) in an effort to scale up the industrialisation of Additive Manufacturing. This partnership aims to develop parameters for SLM machines and the NXG XII 600, building off a longstanding relationship between the two organisations.
With their recently acquired SLM 280 2.0, DTI is developing faster process parameters for stainless steel 316L and copper alloy CuCr1Zr to support cost-effective production, taking advantage of SLM Solutions’ open architecture. The material development collaboration will create new application opportunities for advanced components, where electrical and thermal conductivity are crucial, and sturdy components out of stainless steel can be additively manufactured wit processes.
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with DTI on high-productivity solutions for 316L and CuCr1Zr. DTI will follow the SLM Solutions standards of material development and qualification, enabling us to provide material parameters of the same high quality as any other new SLM material parameter,” stated Christoph Wangenheim, Head of Additive Material Products & Development at SLM Solutions.
Ellen MJ Hedegaard, Business Manager at DTI, added, “The collaboration with SLM Solutions is extremely interesting for us. With SLM Solutions’ expertise in special alloys for Additive Manufacturing, this collaboration gives us a unique insight into future possibilities.”
The development allows the copper alloy CuCr1Zr to be additively manufactured in varying layer thicknesses and is expected to create new business cases where AM will be used for advanced components where electrical and thermal conductivity are important. With up to 92% IACS after heat-treatment, CuCr1Zr still features very high electrical conductivities at up to 300 MPa ultimate tensile strength. SLM Solutions’ stainless steel 316L, however, is an austenitic high-chromium steel with high processability on SLM Solutions’ Additive Manufacturing machines. 316L is often used in applications requiring good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance, especially in chloride environments. DTI aims to develop faster process parameters for stainless steel 316L, enabling the possibilities of additively manufacturing components at a lower price.
DTI is a research and technology institute with over thirty years of experience in Additive Manufacturing. The organisation’s facilities in Aarhus offer additively manufactured components in a range of metal and polymer materials, making use of a wide variety of AM technologies.
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