3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) has announced the addition of two new materials — Certified HX and Certified CuCr2.4 — to its materials portfolio. Both materials are certified for use with the company’s DMP Flex 350, and DMP Factory 350 3D printers, and HX is also certified for the DMP Factory 500 to address a breadth of applications requiring high strength and corrosion-resistance in industries such as energy, industrial gas turbines (IGT), high tech, consumer goods, aerospace & defense, and automotive.
Certified HX
Industrial Gas Turbine component built with Certified HX parameters, manufactured on the DMP Factory 500 (Image courtesy of GF Casting Solutions)
Industrial Gas Turbine component built with Certified HX parameters, manufactured on the DMP Factory 500 (Image courtesy of GF Casting Solutions)
Certified HX is a high-performance nickel alloy that contains a higher percentage of molybdenum (up to 9.5%) versus other nickel alloys, which enhances its strength and resistance to corrosion, creep deformation, cracking, and oxidation in hot zone environments. This material is ideal for applications with a service temperature of up to 1200°C. With its part quality and part density (typically 99.9%), Certified HX is ideal for producing tall, large parts with integrated cooling and flow channels in optimal orientation for the energy, industrial gas turbine (IGT), petro-chemical, and aerospace & defense industries. These include applications such as hot zone stator blades and integrated stators, impellers, turbine vanes, drilling tools, and combustion components that benefit from the high service temperature of the HX material.
3D Systems developed the parameters for Certified HX to be used with the DMP Flex 350, DMP Factory 350, and DMP Factory 500 in collaboration with its partner, GF Machining Solutions. These parameters were tested and optimized with GF Casting Solutions using real-world IGT and aerospace applications. “The DMP Factory 500 together with the new printing parameters for the HX nickel alloy allows us to scale our additive manufacturing services by delivering large cross-section parts such as combustion chamber casings, stators, and impellers,” said Marco Salvisberg, business development manager, additive manufacturing, GF Casting Solutions. “The high heat deflection temperature of the HX material combined with the surface smoothness, part accuracy, narrow tolerances, and high repeatability of the DMP Factory 500 printing process addresses the essential performance requirements of these parts and critical features such as cooling channels.”
