Manufacturer of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) 3D printers Metal Xact announced the addition of two new machines to its budget “XM” portfolio.
Priced at just $65,000, the cheapest of the company’s latest systems, the ‘XM200C,’ is designed to provide SMBs with an easy and accessible way to adopt LPBF for the first time. The most powerful of $90,000 XM200Gmeanwhile, incorporates dual lasers with configurable power and spot size that Xact Metal says gives users “industrial speed and performance at an affordable price.”
“The XM200G printers adapt to customers, beginning their entry into metal 3D printing in various applications, including product development, tool manufacturing, metal powder bed research, and education” , said Juan Mario Gomez, CEO of Xact Metal. “Xact Metal aims to further expand the use of metal 3D printing across multiple industries including aerospace, automotive, and general manufacturing.”
Xact Metal’s Accessibility Mission
Founded in 2017, Xact Metal has made it its self-proclaimed mission to “change the perception that additive manufacturing is only for capital-rich companies”. To do this, the company says it has developed a process that combines LPBF with “breakthrough technology” in a way that allows users to access the build speed and part quality benefits of metal printing. , but at a more affordable price.
Alongside its XM200C and XM200G systems, the firm has also integrated this technology into its upcoming ‘XM300C‘, which at 254 x 330 x 330mm, packs the largest build volume of any of its printers to date. Scheduled to launch in Q4 2022, the unit will be available in two or four multi-laser configurations, which would be capable of creating industrial-grade parts that don’t need debinding or sintering.
As for Xact Metal’s current portfolio, it now markets its XM200C and XM200G machines, along with an offering of related software, materials and services, which has enabled it to attract a customer base ranging from MAHLE and Medtronic to The American armyand continues to seek new applications for its line of accessible metal 3D printing products.
The XM200C: economical metal AM
Designed to allow as many manufacturers as possible to take advantage of LPBF, the XM200C incorporates an economical yet practical compact design. Powered by Xact Metal’s proprietary “Xact Core” high-speed gantry system, the machine essentially works by redirecting lasers through a series of lightweight, simplistic mirrors above a bed of powder onto a XY axis.
In doing so, the machine avoids the need for complex rotating galvanometric mirrors or F-theta lenses, while still managing to maintain a constant laser angle across the entire build plate and providing streamlined gas flow across the powder bed.
The system also features an ampoule-shaped coating design, which spreads the powder like a blade, allowing it to accommodate out-of-plane growth before continuing production. On the other hand, if desired, the device can also be mounted on the cover of the machine, allowing it to be completely removed from the build chamber, in a process that Xact Metal says is “easy” and allows replacement or adjustments.
Elsewhere, the XM200C sports an easy-to-use 7-inch touchscreen and dual internal cameras that provide users with real-time monitoring capabilities, while the entry-level system also offers high hardware compatibility, including the ability to process powders such as stainless steel. steels, maraging steels and superalloys as well as certain bronzes, coppers, aluminums and titaniums.
A configurable next-generation XM200G
The second generation of Xact Metal’s XM200G machine may share a number of features with its smaller sibling, but its basic architecture differs significantly from that of the XM200C. For starters, the high-end printer uses a galvanometer system to move laser beams across a bed of powder, in a way that not only speeds up part production, but gives it the ability to support multiple lasers simultaneously. .
In practice, this means that adopters can deploy two lasers at once, with either 100% overlap area using a 100µm spot size, or 66% overlap and 50µm spot size. This, in tandem with the customization options of the machine’s 100-400W laser and water-cooled galvanometer, makes it configurable for specific applications, whether R&D or automotive and industrial manufacturing. end use.
Unlike the XM200C, Xact Metal’s beefier XM200G also has an integrated powder handling system, making it potentially ideal for those looking to enter mass production, while according to Gomez, its larger volume of 150 x 150 x 150 mm construction and its fast 12-16 cc/h print speed makes it best suited for time-intensive applications.
“The XM200G family is ideal for part printing where high performance applications and print speed are critical,” says Gomez. “The introduction of the XM200G is another example of how Xact Metal continues to combine the demands of metal powder bed fusion and breakthrough technology to establish a new price and performance level for additive manufacturing.”
Technical specifications and prices
Below are the technical specifications of Xact Metal’s $65,000 XM200C and $90,000 XM200G 3D printers. Interested persons can learn more about the machines via the company’s store page, where they can also ask for a quote if desired.
| XM200C | XM200G | |
| Purchase Volume | 127x127x127mm | 150x150x150mm |
| type of laser | 100W Yb fiber laser | Dual 100W, 200W or 400W |
| Precision optics | Spot size > 20 microns | 50 or 100μm |
| Materials | Al, Ti, Cu, steel, superalloys | Al, Ti, Cu, steel, superalloys |
| User interface | 7″ touch screen | 18.5″ touch screen |
| Electricity | Single phase VAC, 50/60 Hz | 1.5 kW, 2.0 kW peak |
| Dimensions | 610 x 610 x 1,295 mm³ | 650 x 780 x 1,930 mm³ |
| Mass | 205kg | 425kg |
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The featured image shows Xact Metal’s new XM200C 3D printer. Photo via Xact Metal.
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