TCT Breaking News
With the introduction of the Build Processor (BP), Materialise’s Magics and Streamics software now connects to all EOS systems in a machine-specific way, allowing EOS users to get the best out of their machines. By a tighter integration between Materialise and EOS systems, new technical possibilities for true manufacturing solutions are enabled.
The tighter integration between machine and 3D software enables the user to manufacture parts beyond the scope of today’s possibilities. Additive Manufacturing is a great technology to produce complex and freeform shapes. However, the .stl data format was somewhat limiting this applicability. With the new EOS build processor, Materialise software is capable of communicating in slices with the machine thereby enabling the design and the production of complex parts such as 3D patterns, textures and lightweight or optimized structures.
“This new integration strategy between software and hardware brings complex AM technology to a broader range of people and allows professionals greater design freedom and easier interaction between their production software and their machine as they have better access to advanced machine functionalities due to the build processor,” explains Tim Van den Bogaert, Product Manager at Materialise. “The integrated Build Processor enables a user-friendly data preparation process with direct communication between Materialise´s Magics software and the EOS-Laser Sintering system. This improvement is a large step forward in terms of part production directly from 3D-data.” emphasizes Fabian Müller, Product Marketing Manager at EOS GmbH.
Enabling top-end manufacturing
Many technical innovations have helped Additive Manufacturing to evolve from a niche industry to a more mainstream one, making it much more applicable to manufacturing. The new build processor serves as a communication link between Materialise software and EOS systems. It creates a strong connection between Materialise’s AM automation & control system, Streamics and the EOS machines and therefore it is a crucial component for the top-end manufacturing industries such as aviation, orthopedics and many more which need a single, integrated solution that matches their business processes.
Easy upgrades
Since the BP Build Processor comes as a dedicated installer, users only need to upgrade if it is really needed taking away the pains of different development cycles at EOS and Materialise. Moreover, Materialise and EOS can bring new technologies easy and fast to the market by an update of the build processor and since the system is dedicated to a selected type of machine it only shows the options and functionality that the user needs.
EOS and Materialise share a mutual vision for the future, which is to take the next step in AM by integrating software solutions and machines, and by laying the foundation for the factory of the future. “We call this an evolution and a revolution,” says Tim. “Bringing this software solution to the market is an evolution for our mutual customers as it encompasses greater functionality but it is a revolution since it enables both companies to work together in integrating more and more benefits to the machine dedicated system. Therefore this is not the end point but the starting point of a revolution in our collaboration with EOS.”
