INDUSTRY NEWS
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A company specializing in laser sintering has introduced a cobalt-chrome superalloy that can be subjected to rapid-prototyping techniques. EOS GmbH (Krailling, Germany) selected Morris Technologies (Cincinnati, OH, USA) as a pilot customer to test the alloy prior to its full commercial release. Morris Technologies found the alloy to be suitable for producing uniformly dense parts with a smooth surface finish. The company cites the material’s strength, and temperature and corrosion resistance as being particularly advantageous for rapid prototyping.
Morris Technologies reports that customer demand for the material has been mushrooming. Before the introduction of this alloy, there were few good alternatives for creating a rapid prototype that could withstand client-specified test conditions such as elevated temperatures, corrosion resistance, and other mechanical properties, reports Greg Morris, company principal and chief operating officer. “Even though it took a lot of time and money, we would end up machining stainless steel or other alloys to meet their needs.”
The cobalt-chrome alloy is easy to machine, and the material has opened new opportunities for direct metal laser sintering, leading the company to anticipate numerous as-yet-undiscovered applications. “We have seen probably less than 1% of all possible uses of CobaltChrome MP1,” Morris says. The company has decided to focus initially on aerospace and medical applications.
The firm is currently pilot testing titanium alloys at customer sites. The commercial release of the alloys is scheduled for early 2007.
Recently, EOS GmbH selected Morris Technologies to promote its E-Manufacturing technology. To this end, Morris Technologies is charged with identifying and implementing production applications of the technology. E-Manufacturing is a laser sintering technology that allows companies to go directly from electronic data to fast, flexible, and cost-effective production. Now operating four direct metal laser sintering machines from EOS, Morris Technologies will attempt to popularize the manufacturing technique.
Contact EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems at Robert-Stirling-Ring 1, 82152 Krailling, Germany; phone: +49 89 89336134; fax: +49 89 89336288; e-mail: info@eos.info [3]; Internet: www.eos.info [4]. Contact Morris Technologies at 11988 Tramway Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45241, USA; phone: +1 513 7331611; fax: +1 513 7338775; e-mail: sales@morristech.com [5]; Internet: www.morristech.com [6].