From Italy 3D4Steel, 3D steel powder printer

There 3D printing only at the beginning of its history and its revolution in the world of production. With training in the family business, active in the production of industrial machines, Ivano Corsini has always had a watchful eye on innovation, founding in 1997 the first Italian company active in 3D graphics simulation with kinematic systems of industrial systems. More recently he approached 3D printing: he began to cut his teeth on filament 3D printers, creating the company in 2016. 3D4Mec, starting to develop the idea of ​​a global service of 3D metal printers, in the direction of a chain in which to travel were drawings and projects and not the pieces, printed instead on the spot through commercial printers. For several reasons the idea turned out to be too complex for the current scenario, also due to the lack of specialization of multi-metal 'generalist' machines, with problems of cross-contamination alternating different materials on the printing plate, with consequent structural defects of the molded pieces. In fact, parts per million titanium particles are enough to create flaws in steel prints.

Convinced that in any case the world ofAdditive Manufacturing represents the future, Corsini has completely changed the approach, starting from the process. He created a working method, called CorSystem, to support companies and understand what advantages 3D steel printing can bring to each of them; at the end of the analysis process comes the 3D4Steel 3D steel printer, built by the company and aiming to bring a small revolution to the market.
Like companies that produce printers for Lucrano paper sheets on consumables, similar methods are used to increase the profitability of 3D metal printers. Hardware and software blocks often do not allow the use of materials from third-party suppliers, inextricably linking the customer to the manufacturer even in the supply of metal powders. This bond can lead to paying consumables more than three times the market price. There Instead, 3D4Steel looks like an open printer, produced on commission with the specific requests of the customer, but without blocks and therefore able to use, after appropriate characterization, all non-reactive steel dusts on the market.

Ivano Corsini chose the non-reactive powders, like 316L steel, both because steel in general is the most economical material for most applications, and because in this way the possibility of an accident is limited, increasing safety along the entire supply chain, avoiding the use of pyrophoric powders, such as titanium and aluminum.

The CorSystem method starts with the client's support to understand from which piece or project to start to experiment with the use of 3D printing in production. This fundamental part, as a great experience necessary to approach the problem. Not simply a matter of replacing the production process of the piece, but it is a matter of understanding where and if 3D printing can bring real benefits. In some cases they are very obvious, as in a case study which saw 3 pieces of a packaging machine replaced with a single piece printed in three dimensions. A special project that has highlighted the potential of 3D printing: it is a folding arm of an automatic packaging machine, hollow inside for the passage of air.

From a project divided into three parts, into three different materials (steel, aluminum and iron) it was passed to a 3D printed monoblock (in the picture above), which reduces not only the total production time of the piece, but also the number of items in stock, each of a different material and with different treatments. For Ivano Corsini the part 'preproductionof fundamental study so that the introduction of 3D printing can lead to real benefits and represent an investment with a real economic return. In the case of the study, the introduction of 3D4Steel by the Au.Te.Bo. allowed to reduce costs and production times by 78%, also limiting the use of external suppliers, maximizing margins.
The study on the orientation of the piece on the printing plate is not minor, to maximize the structural characteristics of the piece and simplify the subsequent processing. The pieces coming out of the printer require finishing treatments, like the foundry castings. A wise orientation also allows the use of fewer supports (printed in steel, but easily removable with a simple clamp).

Printers are commissioned based on customer needs. It is about SLM printers – Selective Laser Melting – who use a laser beam to melt the powders and create the piece layer by layer from the powder bed. Printing takes place in a room under azotor. Print plates that can reach 350x350x350mm. The steel plate and reusable after each print after a simple rectification. Using only 316L steel, scraps and waste (such as filters) are not considered special waste and can be disposed of as common metal waste. In addition, 99% of the powders used in the printing process can be recycled. Printers do not require a clean room and can operate in a normal environment.
The machines using a single laser head with power starting from 300 W, to minimize any defects from double exposure of the material, possible in multi-head configurations. In the small print plate versions it is possible to operate with a printing speed of less than 5 seconds per layer. can reach 99% density. As each project has its own consultancy, 3D4Steel does not have a catalog of its products, but the required investment of about 250,000 euros for a basic printing machine.
For several reasons, including energy consumption, it was not possible to put the printer into operation in the Milanese location of the press conference, but we hope to be able to make a quick jump from the parts of Sasso Marconi to see 3D steel printing at work .