ExOne Targets Education, Research with Innovent

There’s no doubt that a great deal of important additive manufacturing (AM) research is performed by professionals in the industry, but just as many breakthroughs have come from academia. Spectrom’s color process is just one example of an idea that probably wouldn’t have gained much traction in real world research and development.

ExOne is adding to the fire of learning with a new metal AM system called the Innovent, designed specifically for education and research. Unlike most metal ExOne systems, the Innovent is small enough to fit inside a classroom or laboratory, but still provides experience with the binder jet process used by ExOne.

“Innovent expands upon ExOne’s lab machine offerings by allowing customers, whether they are educators or companies, the ability to qualify materials, an option not previously available in these types of 3D printers,” said S. Kent Rockwell, chairman and CEO for ExOne. “ExOne is improving its laboratory solution to help drive the overall industrial sector towards increased experience with and use of binder jetting 3D printing.”

Objects built using ExOne’s metal binder jet system don’t require support structures, but do require additional finishing steps, including firing. The Innovent may be purchased by itself, or as part of a package deal that includes the printer, curing oven, furnace and starter materials. The system has been designed specifically for ExOne’s blend of metal powders.

Technical stats are as follows:

• Build volume: 160 x 65 x 65 mm (6.3 x 2.5 x 2.5 in.)
• Build speed: 30 seconds/layer
• Layer thickness: 100.0 μ (0.0039 in)
• Print resolution: 63.5 μ/ 60.0 μ/ Z 100.0 μ (0.0025 / 0.0024/ 0.0039 in)
• External Dimensions (WxDxH): 1203 x 887 x 1434 mm (47.4 x 35 x 56.5 in.)

Innovent is meant to be something of a stepping stone to ExOne’s full-scale metal 3D printing systems. Objects are built in the new system in the exact same manner as they would be in one of the company’s “M” class AM systems.

“Innovent was specifically designed to complement ExOne’s larger machine platforms, so those who are using Innovent for testing purposes can easily migrate to the larger M-Flex and M-Print when they are ready for larger scale prototyping or series production,” added Mr. Rockwell.

Below you’ll find a video about ExOne’s metal printing process.

Source: ExOne