ES Technology has introduced Concept Laser's Mlab cusing machine, part of the Lasercusing range, which is suitable for use within the jewellery and dental prosthesis markets. Lasercusing is a process that involves the mixing of a metallic powder by a scanning laser. Initially targeted at the mould tool manufacturing industry for the production of mould inserts, the technology is now also used for direct component production within the aerospace, automotive motorsport and medical implant industries.
The new Mlab cusing machine, due to be launched at the IDS in Cologne next year, will extend the technology and the ability to directly build metallic parts. The new machine concept is designed with smaller-size components and has a build envelope of 80 x 80 x 80mm - dimensions that are ideally suited to the dental and jewellery markets. The compact Mlab cusing solution will be able to be integrated within typical laboratory environments and will be simple to operate. This latest addition will allow these industries to consider direct digital manufacture for custom components or short-batch production.
The Mlab cusing machine will provide the capability to build fully dense metallic parts in stainless steel, cobalt chrome and precious metals. The design features in the Mlab machine are targeted at new users of the technology, which are expected to generate the majority of sales. The latter part of 2009 saw the introduction of a quality assurance (QA) system. This contains individual quality modules that help to create a process that is assured, controlled and documentable. The QA system monitors the construction process in real time and encompasses all of the process components: melt pool, documentation, process gas, powder and temperature.
The key element here is the real-time monitoring of the melt pool. In practice, this means monitoring the melt pool at very high sampling rates. As Lasercusing is a micro-welding process in a confined space - a track width of approximately 100um with a layer height of about 20-50um - very high resolution is required. The melt pool module follows the construction process at several thousand images per second, analysing the relevant melt-track data, which is recorded and subsequently evaluated by Concept Laser's software.
When applied to applications in the medical implant and dental technology sectors, Lasercusing can produce components with micro- or macro-cellular structures that mimic the structure of human bone and thus combine light weight with a high mechanical load-bearing capacity. For applications within the jewellery sector, the freedom the process gives to designers allows complex filigree structures to be produced that would be difficult - if not impossible - to produce using traditional methods.
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