DMP Factory 500: New 3D metal printer for aerospace components from 3D Systems and GF Machining Solutions

GF Machining Solutions and 3D Systems are innovating to bring game-changing metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) to the booming aerospace market, as evidenced by their DMP Factory 500. This workflow-optimized metal AM printing solution enables seamless large parts, increased quality and lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers.

With over a half a century of expertise and key aerospace machining technologies, GF Machining Solutions keeps aerospace OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) partners and other contract manufacturers soaring high above the competition. GF Machining Solutions offers a vast range of aerospace component manufacturing solutions including, most recently, metal AM.

The full potential of AM as an important aerospace component manufacturing technology is supported by recent studies predicting a growth rate of as much as 23 percent for AM in aerospace manufacturing. That makes good business sense because AM optimizes buy-to-fly ratios through reduced costs associated with waste material and enhances geometry and design for functionality to reduce aircraft weight and increase performance.

GF Machining Solutions' long history of relationships with aerospace OEMs and 3D Systems' deep AM expertise and broad portfolio of 3D printers position these partners to develop factory grade AM solutions that fully address the challenges of mass production and the aerospace industry's full traceability requirement.

DMP Factory 500: Meet the AM Factory

The DMP Factory 500 empowers aerospace manufacturers to develop their own dedicated AM factories today. This workflow-optimized 3D metal printing solution is the cornerstone for scalable metal AM production of seamless large parts. It ensures massive scalability, high throughput and low TCO for the production of parts up to 500 x 500 x 500 mm in size.

Metal 3D printing emerged as a technology best suited for producing small, intricate metal parts, and achieving consistent high quality even as part sizes increase is a challenge. But GF Machining Solutions and 3D Systems master that challenge with the deep expertise and clever engineering integrated into the DMP Factory 500.

The DMP Factory 500 is a remarkably viable modular factory solution because it allows users to overcome a vast range of existing hurdles, including control of part quality, cost and workflows, as well as scalability. In doing so, it paves the way for aerospace manufacturers to build higher-quality parts, reduce their TCO, simplify their process workflows, and scale in a factory environment.

Key features include:

- Unique vacuum chamber in order to attain the purest atmosphere during printing. Results: best part quality (no oxidation of titanium parts), highest powder recyclability, lowest argon consumption, fastest setup time.

- Fast bidirectional material deposition allowing for faster recoating and greater productivity over time, which is translated to lower operational costs.

- Unique modular concept to maximize efficiency by optimizing utilization.

- DMP Monitoring allowing for non-destructive quality control using real-time process monitoring for informed decisions on product quality.

- 3DXpert integrated software that handles the entire spectrum of AM workflow. Supporting every step of the AM workflow from design to post-processing, 3DXpert streamlines your process to quickly and efficiently transition from a 3D model to successfully printed parts.