Eplus3D – a leading Chinese manufacturer of metal 3D printers, has developed a high-quality printing process for the Aheadd CP1 aluminum alloy produced by Constellium – a company that develops innovative solutions based on aluminum for the aerospace, automotive and packaging industries. Constellium has designed the Aheadd CP1 powder specifically for the L-PBF Eplus-3D additive manufacturing process.
The new material is a compromise between strength and thermal conductivity. It enables new applications in various industries, such as automotive, semiconductors, aviation and the production of spare parts. The silicone-free chemistry (Al, Zr, Fe) used in Aheadd CP1 facilitates anodizing of printed components, which allows it to be used in very demanding industries such as the production of semiconductor devices.
The use of the new aluminum alloy on Eplus3D large-format 3D printers is expected to set a new standard in terms of cost and quality for 3D printing from aluminum. Eplus3D experts achieved print quality with an average density of 99.93%. The high ductility of Aheadd CP1 as-built will enable users of the company’s 3D printers to produce large components with very minimal geometric distortion.
Source: Eplus3D press materials