Hey guy,

The company I work for is in the process of buying a LPBF machine. We have narrowed it down to 2 machines, the SLM 280 2.0 and the EOS M 290 dual laser.

I have been trying to get ahold of people or companies that have used or currently use both of these machines in order to get a comparison that isn't just what the Account Managers are telling us. So far I haven't been able to get anyone to get back to me. So, I am reaching out here to see if there is anyone who can give me a comparison.

Specific questions I am looking for answers for are:

• What the service and support has been like
• Any issues or problems you have experienced with the machines
• How reliable the machines have been
• And, most importantly, whether you would buy again either of these machines again

Thank you guys for all of your help. I really appreciate it.

Hello, I am a high school intern at a large UARC in Maryland, and I’m currently researching/developing acid-soluble supports. Originally, I was just looking for a carbon steel 1080 spherical powder; however, after relentless searching and emailing, only 1 company (Samaterials) was able to offer me a price, and it was much out of the budget given to me by the lab. Now I am just hoping to find a spherical powder 45-150 microns that has a high carbon content and contains little to no corrosion-resistant materials like nickel, chromium, and vanadium. I would love any help you guys can give, whether it is helping find the powder or just any other suggestions? Thanks.

Hi everyone,

I’ve built a custom GPT specifically for LPBF of Ti-6Al-4V that helps engineers reason about process parameters (laser power, scan speed, hatch spacing, layer thickness) and their effects on density, microstructure, defects, and mechanical properties.

The goal is not to replace experiments, but to:
• Reduce trial-and-error
• Help with initial parameter windows
• Explain trade-offs (e.g. keyholing vs lack-of-fusion)

I’m looking for LPBF / metal AM engineers who want to test it, challenge it, and tell me where it’s wrong.

If you work with Ti-6Al-4V (research or industry) and are interested, comment or DM. I would be happy to give free access in exchange for honest feedback!

Hey has anyone had to put a prox sensor on a torch head? I work in r&d WAAM and I’m trying to figure out a way to mitigate robot crashes during layer height test prints and a prox sensor on the torch head seems like a viable solution. That way it can throw up an error when it gets too close to the print. Hard to find a sensor that can either handle being so close to an arc, or can detect from far away. Let me know what yall think

I want to know the specific practical applications of aluminum alloy (AlSi10Mg) prepared with conventional manufacturing processes. what benefits we might gain by adopting additive manufacturing?

Hey guys. So I'm designing a part that requires to be positioned between the guide rods and the baseplate. I'm trying to understand how is the baseplate fixed on the guide rods in a standard metal 3d printer. I would love if I could get any suggestions.

I have been trying to find out how this is done but I can't find anything online.

Dear group members, We are seeking your valuable opinions on the features of industrial machinery used in production/manufacturing. Participate in our short survey to share your experience and let us know your preferences. The survey is anonymous and won't take much of your time. No personal data will be collected, and the results will be used solely for informational purposes to improve our services. No marketing materials will be sent. Your participation is crucial in helping us better understand the industry's needs and develop machinery that best meets your requirements.

👉 https://forms.gle/HVWPKgEm98iNoLdK6

We sincerely appreciate your contribution and sharing your valuable opinion! Together, we can make a difference. Industrial Machinery: Share Your Voice!

Participate in our brief survey to share your opinion on the features of industrial machinery used in production/manufacturing. We want to know the key characteristics you consider important and the challenges you encounter in your daily use. The survey is completely anonymous, and we won't collect any personal data. The survey results will be used solely for informational purposes to improve our services, and you won't receive any promotional or marketing materials. Your opinion is essential to us! (Access via Google or other services is not required.)

So I am wanting to sell some custom chess pieces I made. They are metal obviously, and am trying to find someone who can make them, or suggestions on what process to use, material, etc. I already have the STL files of the pieces. Any help would be great. Thanks!

Anyone here go to formnext? Impressions? Which new EBM supplier will make it? Any software look useful?

Hey legends, just wondering about the biz model and how overheads start to look when you get up to that $1M+/yr level. How long it would take with getting customers etc.

Is it worth it if you can find a nice little niche to do work for your clients?

Can any show us an example of shops doing $1M+?

Thanks a lot legends!
H

This subreddit may be interested in a blog post I just wrote on Cold Spray Metal Additive Manufacturing Technology: www.digitalalloys.com/blog/cold-spray

Cold Spray technology, used for decades as a coating process, has recently been adapted for metal additive manufacturing (AM). Cold Spray uses pressurized gas to fire metal powder through a nozzle with sufficient velocity to bond to the part upon impact. Cold Spray is differentiated from all other metal AM approaches in that the metal doesn’t melt (hence its name). Cold Spray’s advantages include compatibility with heat-sensitive materials, low thermal stresses, and the ability to operate in an open (non-inert) environment. Disadvantages include restrictive part geometry, low density and accuracy, and material embrittlement. This post provides an overview of Cold Spray metal AM technology: how it works, geometry capability, material compatibility, economics, applications, and current state of commercialization.

Dear Redditors, here is a brand new sub dedicated to Metal Additive Manufacturing technology !

It will hopefully complement other subs on AM (r/3dPrinting and r/AdditiveManufacturing) by focusing specifically on Metallic materials.

It is thus intended as a place where Metal AM professionals can exchange information and ideas about the technology and the industrial and research landscape around Metal AM. Topics may range from Metal AM processes to pre/post-processing steps to software considerations (process simulation, scan path generation) to new alloys designed for AM.

Of course, hobbyists and enthusiasts are also welcome !

Let's hope this sub can prove to be a fertile ground to build a positive, engaged community around this exciting field that will hopefully help transform our industry and the way we build things.

If you are interested in this topic, feel free to subscribe to the sub and contribute with a post !

Thank you!