In the spring of 2021, a metal 3D printer based on a selective laser melting (SLM) process LASERTEC 30 SLM (1st Gen. Retrofit) from DMG MORI was installed at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, UL.
The purchase was realized in a consortium of seven laboratories of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, UL with the co-financing of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, UL and the Slovenian Research Agency.
Printer specifications:
- Printing process: SLM
- Print volume: 300 x 300 x 300 mm3
- Layer thickness: 20 – 100 µm
- Laser source power: 600 W
- Beam diameter: 60 – 800 µm
- Building rate: 28.8 cm3/h
- Shielding gas: Ar
- Powder particle size: 15 – 45 µm
- Powder material:
- stainless steel 316L,
- tool steel H13,
- AlSi10Mg 0.5,
- Ti6Al4V
- Powder material change time: 2 h
The consortium of laboratories of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, UL covers the entire chain of manufacturing technology processes from the design of functionally and geometrically optimized 3D printed components, thermo-mechanical and microstructural modeling, optimization of SLM process parameters, to appropriate post-processing and fatigue testing of manufactured components. In addition to research of all processes in the chain and education of students in cooperation with the industry, the new 3D printer is also intended to introduce and promote usage of SLM 3D printing technology in research and development of new products and optimization of existing ones.
