GE Additive Concept Laser Mlab 100R
Specs
Technology: Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM) or Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF)
Material Type: Metals
Material Format: Powdered metals
Material Names:
Printer comes with one material parameter. Each one after that is roughly $3,000.
A material parameter editor is available for about $30,000. The editor would allow for customizing parameters for other alloys or tweaking existing settings.
- Stainless Steel 316L
- Stainless Steel 17-4PH
- Aluminum AlSi10Mg (reactive)
- Titanium Ti6Al4V ELI Grade 23 (reactive)
- Titanium CPTi Grade 2 (reactive)
- Bronze CuSn
- remanium star® CL (CoCrW)
- rematitan® CL (Ti6Al4V ELI) (reactive)
- Silver 930
- Gold, Yellow
- Gold, Rose
- Platinum
- Maraging Steel M300
Material_Cost: ?
Build_Volume: A build box with powder is inserted into the machine. There is one build box per material. Build box dimensions come in three sizes:
- 1.9 x 1.9 x 3.15 in (50 x 50 x 80 mm)
- 2.75 x 2.75 x 3.15 in (70 x 70 x 80 mm)
- 3.5 x 3.5 x 3.14 in (90 x 90 x 80 mm)
Machine Dimensions: 27 x 48 x 72.75 in (705 x 1220 x 1848 mm)
Handling Station Dimensions: 28 x 25 x 54 in (729 x 628 x 1391 mm)*
Resolution: 15 - 30 μm
Laser system: Fibre laser 100 W
Link: Brochure, website
Price: Quoted upon request
Printer kit:
- Mlab printer
- Build module handling station
- PPE
- Accessory kit (protective gas box, hardness pliers, charging plate, charging for, heat resistant glove)
- UPS
Description
The Mlab 100R is capable of building in both reactive and non-reactive materials and produces fully dense parts with a surface finish that is unmatched in laser systems. The smaller build volume is ideal for high-value materials, as it allows the user to work with smaller powder batches.
The size of the system lends itself well to a production or lab environment, where the footprint can be very limited, and the system requires less ancillary equipment than most of the larger systems. The modularity of the build chamber allows for quick and efficient material changes, and the semi-automatic sieving station enables powder re-use.
Pros:
- Capable of handling reactive and non-reactive metals
- allows for powder reuse
- Student groups would be interested in using this (SEB is already outsourcing metal printing)
Cons:
- Additional costs. See Additional Costs
- PPE restrictive for reactive metals
- Requires handling station
- Requires inert gas supply (nitrogen or argon)
- Heat Treatment Furnace (under inert gas) recommended to stress-relieve parts
Additional costs:
- Consumables:
- Build plates ($30 each)
- PPE
- Materials (cost per kg?)
- Recommended Furnace for post-processing heat treatment $10k
- Material parameter editor software $30k
- optional additional build boxes $25k each
- optional additional material parameters $3k each
- optional nitrogen generator $12k
- optional bead blaster $10-15k?
- optional wet separator ?
- Hand Gaussmeter (example)
- Hand Demagnetizer (example)
- optional transport trolley and shelf system for Mlab (cost?)
Post-processing
- Heat treatment for stress relief recommended
- Bead blasting optional for smoother surfaces optional. Electropolishing also possible.
- Parts are cut off of build plate with EDM machine or horizontal bandsaw
- Build plate is polished after each build and eventually replaced
PPE
Environmental Protections:
- Filtered Ventilation - Carbon filter, HEPA-filter, fire/explosion appropriate
- Oxygen monitoring - the machine requires use of inert nitrogen gas. An uncontrolled escape of inert gas may result in a lack of oxygen and a danger of suffocation. Adequate ventilation and a gas warning device to permanently monitor the oxygen level are recommended.
- Fire extinguishers
- Grounding of equipment, floor/mats, operator
Standard PPE for non-reactive materials
- particle mask or respirator
- safety glasses
- gloves
Extended PPE for reactive materials (titanium, aluminum)
- Disposable protective suit, size XL
- Single use protective gloves - Dermatril 740 blue (100 pcs)
- Heat protection gloves
- Full-face piece respirator size M (example - this brand/model was not specified by GE)
- Particle filter for full-face respirator
- ESD plastic bracelet
- ESD discharge cable
- ESD press button manifold
Health Hazards
For more information about the health and safety of metal powder printing, see Health Risks of Metal AM Materials
UL Outline of Investigation for Additive Manufacturing Facility Safety Management
Possible PPE: 3M Versaflo Powered Air Purifying Respirator
Questions
- What do the materials cost?
- Can we see SDS docs for materials? (asked, waiting for response)
- Are there any videos demonstrating the process thoroughly?
- What does a maintenance schedule look like? How often and what activities are required of the operator to maintain the machine/lab?
Follow up
- Get copies of SDS for materials
Other AM Facilities
- UofL AMIST - faculty and staff
- phone: 502-852-0848
- Justin Gillham, Coordinator, AMIST Core Technical Services - [email protected] (Notes for meeting with Justin: 2023-11-15 Justin Gillham)
- Cody Bishop, Technical Specialist [email protected] 502- 852-0848
- CMU's Manufacturing Futures Institute
- Equipment
- Lab use policy
- Liza Allison [email protected] handles inquiries for information, training,
Questions for us
- How many build boxes would we start with? How many of their materials would we want to use?
- What are EH&S requirements for storing metal powders safely?