Desktop Metal Studio System 2
Desktop Metal has announced the launch of an upgraded version of its office-friendly Studio System metal 3D printing platform.
The Studio System 2 is said to retain all the critical features of the machine that was initially made available in 2018, but also boasts several advancements designed to make the technology more reliable and accessible. Set to ship later this year, it represents the second upgrade of the Studio System after improvements were made in September 2018. It follows updates to the company’s Production System line in December 2020.
In launching the Studio System 2, Desktop Metal is said to have enabled a two-step print and sinter workflow, removing the need for the solvent debind phase that was initially required with the original platform. The company has managed this with ‘all-new material formulations’ that facilitate the transferring of parts directly from the printer to the furnace, resulting in a ‘nearly hands-free experiences’ that can reduce the use of consumables and the system’s overall footprint.
New print profiles and a re-engineered interface layer material are said to minimise trial and error by ensuring more even shrinkage in the sintering process and increased part success across an array of geometries. The new print profiles also combine with the machine’s heated build chamber to help improve the surface finish across side walls and support-facing surfaces. The ability to harness new isotropic TMPS infill allows for stronger parts to be created, while vacuum sintering at temperatures up to 1400°C enables the Studio System 2 to output parts that boast similar mechanical properties to Metal Powder Industrial Federation (MPIF) standards, according to Desktop Metal.
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Parts printed on the Desktop Metal Studio System 2.
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Parts printed on the Desktop Metal Studio System 2.
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Parts printed on the Desktop Metal Studio System 2.
There is also the immediate addition of being able to print with 316L stainless steel, with a ‘broad portfolio’ of additional metals set to be released later this year. The Studio System 2 is also ‘backwards compatible’ through the use of the debinder unit with all materials that were previously supported by the original Studio System, including 17-4PH stainless steel, H13 tool steel and copper. On the software side, Fabricate is said to simplify build preparation with the new print profiles, generate Separable Support structures with strategic splits to avoid locking during post-processing and fully automates thermal debind and sintering cycles.
“As additive manufacturing adoption advanced worldwide, Desktop Metal continues to drive innovations that enable the technology to more effectively compete with conventional manufacturing processes,” commented Desktop Metal CEO and co-founder Ric Fulop. “Our next generation Studio System 2 takes the best features of the original Studio System+ and significantly improves upon them, delivering higher quality end-use metal parts through a more streamlined and accessible process and within an even smaller footprint.”
The Studio System 2 is set to ship globally in the first quarter of 2021 and will be available through an upgrade to all existing users of the original machine. Desktop Metal says it has hundreds of customers across 30 countries currently utilising the Studio System, including the likes of Ford Motor Company, BMW Group, Google ATAP, Stanley Black & Decker, Lockheed Martin and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. With the release of the new and improved system, Desktop Metal expects these users to open up new applications across their respective sectors.
“Based on the success of our original Studio System, we know companies around the globe are eager to adopt our new, more streamlined Studio System 2 process to produce difficult-to-machine parts featuring complex geometry like undercuts and internal channels,” added Fulop. “Across manufacturing, tooling, automotive, consumer products and electronics, and medical applications, companies are sharing how additive manufacturing is challenging their design and engineering teams to think differently about how to optimise designs for best-in-class part success.”
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