HP Inc., the creator of the Multi Jet Fusion technology, and Legor Group SPA, a precious metals science specialist, have announced a strategic collaboration to develop innovative precious metal 3D printing materials for HP’s Metal Jet system. Legor, a global leader in metals science and the manufacture of best-in-class alloys, powders, and plating solutions, is the first to develop specialty precious metal 3D printing materials for the jewellery and fashion accessory markets that are compatible with HP’s revolutionary 3D metal binder jet platform.
According to Didier Deltort, President, HP Personalization & 3D Printing, “Our work with Legor aligns perfectly with HP’s vision to disrupt manufacturing norms, accelerate digital manufacturing and sustainable impact for customers around the world. The combination of our breakthrough Metal Jet 3D printing platform with Legor’s materials expertise and customer-centric approach will disrupt the luxury jewellery and fashion industries. This is an exciting milestone as we prepare to make Metal Jet more broadly available to the market later this year.”
“Our vision for additive manufacturing goes beyond small series and prototyping. We see a future where every modern business will have one or more of HP’s state-of-the-art binder jetting printers in its facilities, enabled by Legor’s technology, design and support to reduce the time to market for both precious and non-precious metal parts. This strategic partnership with HP is the keystone to accelerate this vision and move the industry toward more sustainable manufacturing.”
– Massimo Poliero, President & CEO of Legor Group SPA
Innovative Precious Metal 3D Printing Materials
Both HP and Legor Group intend to create a variety of innovative precious metal 3D printing materials for HP’s Metal Jet system. The initial focus of this collaboration will be on enabling the production of functional stainless steel accessories for the jewellery and fashion markets. Simultaneously, the companies will launch a rigorous R&D programme to parameterize and characterise bronze and silver powders, and eventually gold powders, the precious metal’s core material. HP and Legor will collaborate to optimise the printing and sintering parameters, as well as the surface finish results, for these new materials. The research will be carried out at the new Legor 3DMetalHub in Bressanvido, Italy, a centre of excellence dedicated to accelerating additive manufacturing for the luxury industry.
Furthermore, in collaboration with HP, Legor is creating opportunities for its customers to benefit from the cost, quality, and productivity advantages of HP Metal Jet, as well as assisting them in integrating sustainable manufacturing into their businesses. The benefits of HP Metal Jet enable Legor to transform product manufacturing for customers in the precious metals and other industries. HP Metal Jet enables customers to economically manufacture high-quality metal parts at scale, in addition to design freedom, production flexibility, and lower development costs.
Poliero added, “Producing metal powders and 3D metal objects is part of our DNA and we have always been collaborating with customers in the jewelry and fashion accessories world. The digital capabilities of HP Metal Jet provides an alternative method to the classic investment casting which requires the combustion of waxes or resins and the use of gypsum (calcium sulphate) as casting material, containing free breathable silica. It is our way to promote more robust and intentional sustainability into production processes.”
HP will exhibit the latest Metal Jet parts at several global industry events, including the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) in Chicago on April 3-7, 2022, and Rapid + TCT in Detroit on May 17-19, 2022.
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