BLT
BLT stainless steel threaded micro 3D printed part
Bright Laser Technologies has announced the development of a new high-precision metal additive manufacturing (AM) technology, specifically for the production of micro-sized parts.
The Chinese 3D printer manufacturer believes its latest laser powder bed fusion technology, which is said to be capable of achieving a surface roughness as low as Ra 2-3μm and precision below 0.05mm, can address limitations around 3D printing of small, intricate parts with improved surface finish and accuracy.
BLT says it has been working on the technology as part of a ‘multi-year exploration’ into hardware, software and materials, to address growing demand for ‘smaller and more precise components.’ BLT has demonstrated the technology's capabilities using an algorithmic digital design to create an F-RD topology structure model, a type of periodic minimal surface characterised by distinct hyperbolic features and complex curvature variations. The formed part showcases the effects of different inclinations on the local surface texture within the same layer thickness. Compared to parts formed with traditional 60μm, 40μm, and 20μm layers, the company says those produced with BLT’s new 10μm high-precision LPBF technology showed significant improvements to surface quality, with roughness decreasing from Ra 7μm, 6μm, and 5μm to Ra 2.6μm, and a smooth, refined part surface ‘free from the layer lines.’
The company says the technology has already been used in a number of case studies including a structural component for MicroNeuro, which has already been using BLT's metal AM technology to develop the world’s first flexible robotic system for brain surgery. The part features a wall thickness of just 0.15mm and ‘superior surface finish and flatness’ while improving development time, material costs and efficiency. It has also been used to manufacture a stainless steel threaded part with a forming angle of 30°. The part was able to be printed without support structures, which had proved challenging for conventional metal AM methods, and achieved a surface roughness of Ra≤1.6μm through sandblasting.
Much of BLT's recent developments have been focused on multi-laser larger format metals systems, including the 8-laser BLT-S450, which launched at TCT Asia earlier this year. Most recently, the company has expanded its materials offering with the launch of Ti₂AlNb, believed to be one of the most promising high-temperature, lightweight and structural materials, and BLT-AlAM500, high-strength aluminium alloy, specifically developed for 3D printing applications in aerospace. It follows a successful period for the company, which this year reported a 34.24% year on year increase to its operating income.
