Velo3D Qualifies M300 Tool Steel for Use in Sapphire Printers
The company says the high-strength alloy combined with Velo3D’s end-to-end solution can improve the lifetime of tooling inserts and enhance manufacturing throughput for automotive manufacturers.
An M300 tool steel print of conformal cooled tooling and high pressure die casting inserts. The print is shown as printed on the build plate. Photo Credit: Velo3D
Velo3D has qualified M300 tool steel for use in the company’s Sapphire series printers. M300 tool steel is an ultra-low carbon alloy with very high strength and hardness properties derived from intermetallic compounds rather than carbon content. The material is comprised mainly of nickel with cobalt with molybdenum and titanium as secondary intermetallic alloying metals.
By qualifying M300 tool steel for use in its printers, the company says it is able to service entirely new industries, such as automotive and tooling. The company says users can leverage its advanced capability to print high-quality, large-diameter internal channels for their applications. By manufacturing die cast inserts and other tooling components with the technology, it is said companies will be able to build stronger products, improve machining throughput and decrease manufacturing costs.
The alloy is well suited for tooling applications such as high pressure die cast (HPDC) inserts, injection molding, and other types of tooling. The company says its end-to-end manufacturing solution enables companies to build the parts they need without compromising design or quality — resulting in complex parts higher in performance than traditional casting techniques or other additive methods.
The company’s printing technology is said to work well with the M300 tool steel due to its ability to print parts with high-quality surface finishes in complex, large-diameter internal cooling channels, which can prolong the life of the tooling. However, the company says the channels can be difficult to create with conventional manufacturing methods. Also, while other metal 3D printers can print smaller diameter holes, printing large channels can create roughness and susceptibility to cracking. The Sapphire printers are said to eliminate those issues.
The company’s Sapphire XC 1MZ, for example, offers a large build volume — 600 mm in diameter and 1,000 mm in height. This is said to make it well suited to fulfill the requirements of industries that require the largest M300 tool steel inserts, such as automotive.
Related Content
-
What Holds AM Back in Automotive Production? GM Additive Lead Describes Advances Needed
“If AM were cheaper, we would be doing more of it,” says GM’s Paul Wolcott. Various important factors relate to cost. However, the driving factor affecting cost is speed.
-
BMW Group Vehicle to Adopt 3D Printed Center Console
A vehicle coming to market in 2027 will include a center console carrier manufactured through polymer robot-based large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM).
-
How AM Enables Cobot Automation for Thyssenkrupp Bilstein (Includes Video)
The shock absorber maker has responded to its staffing shortages through extensive use of collaborative robots. In-house 3D printing makes this possible by providing the related hardware needed to complete the cobot-automated cells.
