Lithoz CeraMax Vario V900
Lithoz GmbH has finally unveiled details about its new CeraMax Vario V900 3D printer ahead of its debut at ceramitec later this month.
Based on the ceramic 3D printing expert’s new Laser-Induced Slipcasting (LIS) technology, the machine has been built for the production of large parts (within a build area of up to 250 x 250 x 290 mm) with thick walls and full densities using oxide and non-oxide ceramics, including dark ceramics such as the highly sought after silicone carbide, a notoriously difficult material to process with additive manufacturing.
Lithoz, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary last year, says LIS works using industrial water-based suspensions with very low organic binder contents and the machine has the ability to apply up to 1,000 μm slurry per layer in less than a minute. With a water-based slurry solution, the process can completely absorb the light from the laser beam, opening up opportunities for new materials, and thanks to a simplified debinding process, parts with greater wall thicknesses, which Lithoz says were previously not possible with current ceramic 3D printing solutions, can now be realised. Additionally, green parts printed with the CeraMax Vario V900 can be machined without any restrictions, meaning they can be easily reintroduced into the traditional ceramic workflow.
Supporting the hardware, the CeraMax Vario's accompanying software offers database-supported storage and management of all process data, and can be upgraded to allow for greater parameter controls and real-time process monitoring via remote video transmission.
While the Austrian 3D printing company says its flagship Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing technology will remain the go to process for ultra precise ceramic parts with thin features, it describes the CeraMax Vario V900 and LIS as a ‘new era’ and an ‘ideal technological entry point’ for newcomers to ceramic 3D printing.
The company will be presenting examples of components made using the new system at ceramitec on 21-24th June.
