The ExOne Co., N. Huntingdon, Pa., announces that its ExOne Material Applications Laboratory (ExMal) has qualified Inconel alloy 625 for 3D printing industrial applications at more than 99% density, utilizing its binder jetting technology. Its machines are said to provide higher volumetric output per unit of time compared with other metal 3D printing technologies, and greater flexibility for simultaneously printing multiple production parts.Inconel alloy 625 is commonly used for components in the aerospace, chemical, and energy markets, with applications including gas turbine blades, filtration and separation, heat exchanger and molding processes.
The metal is beneficial due to its oxidation and corrosion-resistant qualities, and is able to retain its strength even when subjected to extreme environments such as high pressure or wide temperature ranges. It has been qualified for use on ExOne’s M-Flex and X1-Lab 3D printing machines.
The company expects to commercialize Inconel alloy 625 around June 1, 2014.
Rick Lucas, ExOne’s Chief Technology Officer, commented, “Our qualification of the more than 99 percent dense Inconel alloy 625 further validates ExOne’s binder jetting technology as a cost-effective 3D printing industrial solution. We believe that the ability to directly print highly dense metal components increases our competitive edge with both subtractive manufacturers and other metal 3D printing technologies.”
ExMal is in various development stages with several metals, including titanium, which has produced excellent results in preliminary testing and printing research. New materials combined with new product designs tailored to 3D printing will create disruptive market opportunities for customers and also expand the addressable market. In accordance with its strategy, the Company continues to be in varying stages of qualifying additional industrial materials approximately every six months.
