Product category:
Fast prototyping equipment, pattern-making and services
News Release from: EOS Electro Optical Systems | Subject: Laser sintering
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 29 October 2003
Laser sintering offers flexible plastics
parts
Recent developments in laser sintering of plastics and metallic parts include flexible, thin-wall plastics products and a plastics injection mould made from layers of 20 micron steel powder.
The EOS stand at this year's TCT Show will present to visitors a range of plastics components that have been laser sintered directly using its EOSINT P machines and the latest powders Noteworthy are the recently evolved materials such as alumide that allow flexible, thin-wall plastics products to be produced that are sufficiently robust to be bent and twisted
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 12 Oct 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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There will also be examples of direct tooling, including a plastics injection mould made from layers of 20 micron steel powder having fine detail resolution and high surface finish, together with the resulting plastic components.
EOSINT M machines are manufactured by EOS for these applications.
A further recent development is the production cast parts 'live' by laser sintering using the EOSINT S 750 machine.
The flexibility of this technology allows the manufacture of complex sand cores and moulds for prototypes, one-off parts and spare parts as well as small series runs offering high accuracy, resolution and surface quality.
EOS has also laser sintered components directly in zirconia silicate, a ceramic material normally used for casting aluminium alloys or low-alloy steels.
The possibility of manufacturing ceramic cores and shells directly by laser sintering for investment casting and sand casting is of considerable interest to the foundry trade.
The company has adopted the expression 'e-Manufacturing' to encompass volume production as well as prototyping using its laser sintering machines.
As part of the TCT seminar programme, on the last day of the show (13th November) at 2.45 pm, EOS' Regional Manager for the UK and Eire, Stuart Jackson, will present a paper entitled "Trends and Prospects for e-Manufacturing using Laser Sintering".
The previous day at 9.30 am, an EOS customer from the Netherlands, Freedom of Creation, will talk of their vision of a 'designer' retail utopia where consumer products are stored virtually and only produced on demand for the individual using rapid manufacturing techniques.
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