Velo3D has announced that it has qualified M300 tool steel for Sapphire 3D printers. The new materials is an ultra-low carbon alloy with extremely high strength and hardness. Automotive manufacturers have already expressed strong interest in the alloy for use in high-pressure die cast inserts, injection moulding, and other types of tooling, according to Velo3D.
The first M300 parts printed on a Sapphire printer will be displayed in booth #433031 at IMTS 2022 in Chicago, September 12-17.
“By qualifying M300 tool steel for use in our printers, we’re able to service entirely new industries, like automotive and tooling, that can leverage Velo3D’s advanced capability to print high quality, large diameter internal channels for their applications. By manufacturing die cast inserts and other tooling components with our technology, we expect companies will be able to build stronger products, improve machining throughput, and decrease manufacturing costs.”
– Greg Brown, VP of Technology, Velo3D
M300 Tool Steel for Sapphire 3D Printer
Because of its ability to print parts with high-quality surface finishes in complex large-diameter internal cooling channels, Velo3D’s end-to-end solution is well suited for leveraging M300 tool steel. These channels can extend the life of the tooling, but they are difficult to create using traditional manufacturing methods. Furthermore, while many metal 3D printers can print holes with smaller diameters, printing large channels can result in roughness and cracking.
The Sapphire XC 1MZ from the company also has a large build volume—600 mm in diameter and 1000 mm in height. This is the highest build volume in comparable printers from leading manufacturers, making it better suited to meet the needs of industries requiring the largest M300 tool steel inserts, such as automotive.
M300 tool steel for Sapphire 3D printers is proving to be a great addition. Velo3D shared that it has seen a surge in demand for Sapphire printers that use M300 tool steel in both the Sapphire and Sapphire XC platforms. The company anticipates that system deliveries will begin as early as the fourth quarter of 2022.
About Manufactur3D Magazine: Manufactur3D is an online magazine on 3D Printing. Visit our Tech News page for more updates on Global 3D Printing News. To stay up-to-date about the latest happenings in the 3D printing world, like us on Facebook or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
