Desktop Metal officially introduced 316L stainless steel to work with Shop System 3D printers operating in Binder Jetting technology. Known for its corrosion resistance, excellent mechanical properties and the ability to operate in extreme temperatures, 316L steel is an austenitic stainless steel that is well suited to demanding environments and applications. The Desktop Metal R&D team confirmed that printed and sintered 316L stainless steel using the Shop System meets the MPIF 35 standards set by the Metal Powder Industries Federation.
Shop System 3D printers operate in the Binder Jetting technology, consisting in selective spraying of the binder on powdered materials (eg metal alloys or sand), “sticking” objects in this way, and then hardening and burning them in furnaces at high temperatures. The advantages of the technology are fast work, the possibility of any “stacking” of parts in the working chamber (in laser metal sintering technologies, support structures are necessary to keep the detail on the work table) and no need to use technical gases.
The Shop System 3D printer produces final metal parts up to 10 times faster than laser technologies (SLM, DMP, DMLS) and saves money on operating costs (including technical gases). At the same time, it is important to remember about the necessity of high temperature furnaces and all the challenges that come with it. Nevertheless, at speeds up to 800 cm3 / hr. The Shop System enables the batch production of dozens or hundreds of intricate printed parts in as little as five hours.
Source: www.desktopmetal.com