In terms of rapid prototyping technology the unit endowment consists today of two different equipments, the formers based on stereolithographic tecnique, the latter on powder laser sintering.
Here below a brief description of each apparatus is given.
- 3D SYSTEMS VIPER SI2
It makes epoxy resin prototypes through a stereolithographic tecnique. The feed material is a photosensible resin which is submitted to localised curing by a laser beam which makes the object of the desired shape by moving itself according with a predefinite route. Even if the greatest dimension obtainable by a single batch is constrained by the reaction chamber size (250*250*250 mm3), bigger objects are assembled by matching sub-parts by special slots or guides.
This apparatus can be managed according with two different operational modes, the former permitting single layers each of 0.1 mm thick, the latter featured by an higher resolution (each layer thickness is 0.05 mm).
VIPER SI2 System has been conceived and designed to make functional, aestethical and sacrificial models to be used within the investment casting process.
- EOS EOSINT M 250 EXTENDED
This equipment allows the direct fabrication of metal prototypes as the laser beam moves itself along the set route so sintering a metallic powderaccording with the input designed shape (Direct Metal Laser Sintering tecnique). The metallic model is constructed layer by layer each of them 0.02 mm thick.
At the moment, only copper- and steel-based powders are managed by this equipment to create both die inserts or electric spark electrodes.
The surface finishing of the product can be successively improved by resin infiltration or blasting and pinning.