Desktop Metal, CETIM Qualify 304L Stainless Steel

Desktop Metal, Inc. in partnership with CETIM, the French technical center for mechanical industries and one of the largest industrial research organizations in Europe, report that 304L stainless steel has been qualified for use on the Shop System.

CETIM, which collaborated with DM on parameter development for 304L, will now offer the material on the mid-sized Shop System binder jet 3D printing system to support quick production of critical replacement parts in the French energy sector, such as those used in fuel processing, as well as nuclear components.

“​​304L is one of the many additive manufacturing materials that CETIM is studying and developing processes for on behalf of French industry,” says Christophe Reynaud, Ph.D., additive manufacturing material engineer at CETIM. “304L is a key material in the energy sector due to its corrosion resistance, suited for highly demanding environments such as civil nuclear applications. Coupled with the high versatility and responsiveness of the Shop System, it is now possible to considerably reduce the lead-time for critical 304L maintenance parts, avoiding long and expensive downtimes in the factory.”

Within the Shop System material portfolio, 304L is the fifth material qualified for printing. In addition to 17-4PH and 316L, IN625 and Cobalt-Chrome are now qualified. IN718 is now ready for final development on Shop.

“This new material offering will allow manufacturers to produce complex geometries of 304L parts on demand with little to no waste, whether they are interested in low or high volumes,” says aid Ric Fulop, founder and CEO of Desktop Metal. “304L is a flexible, widely used stainless steel across many industries, and we’re delighted to offer it in our affordable, popular Shop System model.”

Additional Details about 304L Qualification

304L is an austenitic stainless steel and a commonly used type of stainless steel. With a high tensile strength, corrosion resistance and durability, it’s a material for various home and commercial applications such as structural components, food processing equipment, fluid transfer components and welded components.

304L stainless steel printed with the Shop System and sintered in an Ipsen graphite furnace meets or exceeds the minimum tensile properties and the chemical composition outlined in the ASTM A240 standard.

Additional development is underway to qualify binder jet 3D printed 304L for use in food-processing equipment applications and for applications involving welding.

CETIM, which works closely with industrial companies to help identify market opportunities and facilitate innovation and technical progress, was an adopter of the Shop System, the Production System P-1, and also owns a Desktop Metal Studio System, a Bound Metal Deposition (BMD) metal printing system.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.