December 2012 / IMTS 2012 Roundup

Additive manufacturing company ExOne says its new M-FLEX 3-D printing system vastly increases print speeds and manufacturing capabilities for industrial products. The system can print metal, tungsten, glass and ceramic parts, and offers manufacturers seven times the volume compared to its previous printer, according to the North Huntingdon, Pa.,-based company.

The mid-sized system is primarily for manufacturing metal parts for mining, automotive and energy industries. Tungsten, glass, ceramics and a variety of materials can be used for the casting industry.

The M-FLEX’s productivity improvements and increased flexibility are housed in a build chamber that measures 400mm × 250mm × 250mm and can achieve build speeds of 30 seconds per layer.

“We’ve made tremendous strides in 3-D printing in the last decade and what our machines can do today is simply remarkable. We are printing engine castings for helicopters and replacing broken pumps in oil fields in days—not months,” said Dave Burns, president of ExOne.

The machine can be used for prototypes or short runs. The complete system includes a printer, recycling equipment, printing materials, a furnace and a comprehensive multimedia training program.