(028) 9070 6940 
sales@laserproto.com 
Why choose metal printing (DMLS)?
Our in-house additive manufacturing facilities consist of multiple state-of-the-art metal 3D printing machines with optimised machine parameters and a wide range of materials offering superior mechanical properties. We offer metal sintering parts in high resolution.
LPE are an AS 9001 & ISO 13485 approved supplier, with over 30 years of industry experience. We have developed qualification routes for AM production components. If requested we can provide first article inspection reports, certificates of compliance, PCD documents, machine quality reports, MILL certificates and we will work with you to ensure any quality requirements in relation to your production requirements are met.
We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of this emerging 3D printing technology and have been actively involved in R&D in this field for several years. We utilise enhanced simulation software ensuring that complex parts build correctly first time.
Our in-house post-processing abilities are second to none and include post machining and inspection capabilities (5axis and 3axis CNC machines along with CMM), heat treatments, mechanical tensile and density testing capabilities, metal polishing expertise and advanced finishing techniques.
Customer service lies at the heart of everything we do at LPE, from tailored quotes to a personalised service. If you feel you could benefit from chatting directly to an expert about your project, contact us now.
Learn more about why you should choose LPE as your preferred DMLS 3D Printing partner.
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Materials
Stainless Steel 316L
- Tough material with good thermal and mechanical properties
- Acid and corrosion-resistant
- High ductility
- Maximum part dimensions: 250 x 250 x 300mm
Aluminium AlSi10Mg
- Aluminium alloy that combines good strength, hardness and dynamic properties
- High corrosion resistance
- Ideal for applications that require low weight
- Good thermal and electrical conductivity
- Properties can be modified with heat treatments
- Maximum part dimensions: 250 x 250 x 300mm
Titanium Ti64
- High strength-to-weight ratio alloy
- Wear and corrosion-resistant
- Great fracture toughness and fatigue resistance
- Excellent biocompatibility
- Available as Grade 5 (our standard material) and Grade 23 (ELI) (on request)
- Maximum part dimensions: 250 x 250 x 300mm
Hardening Stainless Steel 17-4 PH
- Precipitation-hardened stainless steel known for its high strength and good mechanical properties
- Excellent chemical resistance
- Can be heat treated to maximise strength and hardness properties
- Maximum part dimensions: 90 x 90 x 90mm
Maraging Steel MS1
- Excellent mechanical properties
- Ultra high-strength
- Easily heat-treatable for enhanced strength and hardness
- Maximum part dimensions: 250 x 250 x 300mm
Inconel 718
- High-Temperature strength
- Excellent mechanical properties
- Corrosion & Oxidation resistant
- Maximum part dimensions: 250 x 250 x 300mm
Technical Specification
| Standard lead time: | 5-7 days. If your project is urgent, please let a member of the sales team know so that we can investigate if anything can be done to improve the lead time. |
|---|---|
| Minimum feature size: | Normal resolution: 0.2mm High resolution: 0.1mm |
| Layer thickness: | Normal resolution: 0.03-0.06mm High resolution: 0.015-0.025mm |
| Tolerances: | Typically, expected tolerances on well-designed parts are: Normal resolution: +/- 0.10/100mm High Resolution: +/-0.10/100mm |
| Max part size: | Normal resolution : 250 x 250 x 300mm High resolution : 90 x 90 x 90mm |
| Machines: | EOS M290 | Concept Laser Hi Res MLabs |
Please note figures provided above are expected tolerances, we cannot guarantee part tolerance.
Process Comparison
| Stereolithography (SLA) | Stereolithography High Res. (SLA HR) | Digital Light Processing (DLP) | Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) | Direct Metal Laser Sintering Production (DMLS Pro) | Direct Metal Laser Sintering High Res. (DMLS HR) | Hybrid Photosynthesis (HPS) | |
| Description | High-quality precision prints, excellent detail & definition. Wide range of materials. | SLA prints with ultra-fine detail & definition. | Super high resolution for small & complex parts in durable prototype & production materials. | Very tough, high impact and high-temperature resistant. Range of nylon materials. | Metal parts with excellent physical and mechanical properties – full production spec (>99% density). | High-resolution metal prints with superior surface finish and ultra-fine detail. | High-definition parts with production-grade functional properties. |
| Layer Thickness | 0.1mm | 0.05mm | 0.01-0.05mm | 0.1-0.15mm | 0.03-0.06mm | 0.015-0.025mm | 0.05-0.1mm |
| Minimum printable XY features | 0.15mm | 0.08mm | 0.1mm | 0.75mm | 0.2mm | 0.1mm | 0.1mm |
| Minimum printable Z feature | 0.5mm | 0.5mm | 0.3mm | 0.5mm | 0.06mm | 0.03mm | 0.3mm |
| Typical Tolerance | +/- 0.15 Per 100mm | +/- 0.10 Per 100mm | +/- 0.25 Per 100mm | +/- 0.25 Per 100mm | +/- 0.10 Per 100mm | +/- 0.10 Per 100mm | +/- 0.25 Per 100mm |
| Max Part Size | 650 x 750 x 550mm | 450 x 450 x 400mm | 124x70.2x196mm | 320 x 320 x 600mm | 250x250x305mm | 90x90x90mm | 249x140x495mm |
| Quality of printed Surface Finish | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★ | ★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Lead Times | 3-5 Days | 3-5 Days | 3-5 Days | 3-5 Days | 5-7 Days | 5-7 Days | 3-5 days |
| Price | ££ | £££ | ££ | £ | £££ | ££££ | ££ |
Finishing Options
LPE has a team of experienced in-house traditional model makers and CNC machinists allowing us to offer our customers a range of post-processing options for our 3D-printed metal parts.
Standard
Components produced using the DMLS process are sanded to remove support structures and build lines but additional finishing may need to be requested if a smooth finish is required.
Polished
Metal parts can be polished to provide a surface finish under 1 Ra um.
LPE have developed proprietary techniques to facilitate advanced surface finishing of metal parts which can be used when superior surface finish of metal parts is required.
Post machining
LPE has 5axis and 3axis CNC machines in-house along with EDM machines which means we can offer post-processing of our DMLS components to meet tight engineering tolerances.
Heat treatments
LPE has a Nabotherm LH216/12 gas-controlled furnace in-house which can be used to offer thermal post-treatment for both reactive and non-reactive metals (ASTM F2924). These treatments can facilitate improved mechanical properties and stress-relieving benefits.
Tapping and reaming of metal parts
Metal parts can be hand-tapped or reamed to facilitate tight fittings for assembly tolerances.
Applications
Metal printing is suitable for low-volume production and one-off prototypes.
Prototyping
- Functional prototypes
- Acid/corrosion-resistant prototypes
Production
- Critical parts for motorsport and aerospace
- Medical devices
- High-temperature applications
- Light-weighting
- Heat exchangers and heatsinks
Tooling
- Tooling inserts for plastic moulding & die casting
How does DMLS work?
The Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) process is an emerging metal 3D printing technology in which 3D CAD data is converted into physical solid models, layer by layer, by selectively fusing areas of metal powder with a powerful laser.
Initially, the DMLS machine laser will be aimed onto a bed of metallic powder and it will draw the support structures required onto the build plate, then it draws the part itself. Each time a layer is sintered, the build plate will drop and a recoater blade will move across the platform to deposit the next layer of powder to be sintered. This process repeats layer by layer until the entire part has been built. When the build is completed the build platform is removed and loose powder is brushed away. While the parts are still attached to the build plate they may receive heat treatment or shot peening. Parts are then typically removed from the build platform using either a saw or EDM. Parts will then be ready to be post machined, barrel rumbled or hand finished.
Production with DMLS
We offer a complete contract manufacturing service and qualification route that we have developed in conjunction with the standards ASTM/ISO F3301 and FF3302. Our QMS quality management system allows us to manufacture repeatable and reliable metal parts.
As part of our production manufacturing process, we can offer:
- Process control documents (PCD)
- Powder certification and analysis (batch control, size distribution and chemical analysis)
- Machine certification (calibration certified, in-build laser power monitoring)
- Quality reports from each build
- Mechanical testing
- Physical analysis, including porosity and density, surface and dimensional analysis
- Heat treatments certification (reports from our fully instrumented in-house inert gas box furnace)
- Advanced heat treatment certification, hot isotonic pressing (HIP) (full cycle reporting from certified heat treatment facility, customised cycles available)
FAQs
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Which industries commonly use metal 3D printing?
Metal printing is especially popular in aerospace and motorsport, where creating complex components for weight reduction is crucial. It is also used in the medical and general automotive industries.
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Which types of metals can be used in 3D printing?
Structural metals are primarily used in 3D Printing, given the functional nature of the applications.
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How strong are metal 3D printed parts compared to traditionally manufactured parts?
With almost 100% density, parts can match or exceed the strength of traditional wrought-bar materials.
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How accurate is metal 3D printing?
Like most AM processes, metal printing is highly accurate. LPE also offer hi-res metal printing which can achieve a minimum feature size of 0.1mm.
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How much does metal 3D printing cost?
Metal printing is generally more expensive than the traditional plastic AM processes. However, specific project price depends on quantity, complexity and post-processing/quality testing requirements.
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Which material is best for my project?
See the ‘Materials’ section above. If you are still unsure which material to choose, contact our team for assistance.
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Is DMLS cost-effective for small batch production?
DMLS is cost-effective for small batch production, particularly for components that are especially complex.
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Can DMLS be used for tooling applications?
Yes, DMLs can be used for a range of tooling applications
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Can metal 3D printed parts be post-machined?
Yes. With 2×5-axis machines (including a high-speed 5-axis) and 1×3-axis, LPE have extensive post-machining capabilities.
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What are the limitations of DMLS?
The limitations of DMLS lie in its cost and the fact that quality certification processes can take longer than usual for some applications.
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How will DMLS affect my carbon footprint?
Like other AM processes, DMLS offers significant savings on material waste and can help you minimize excess stock, reduce the weight of your parts (and thus your shipping emissions), and onshore or nearshore your manufacturing for further reductions in shipping emissions.
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Can you provide quality documents and reports?
Yes, we can provide a range of quality documents and reports, including FAIs, CoCs, machine build reports, furnace data logs and more.
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Can DMLS meet strict regulatory compliance requirements?
Yes, LPE have developed an extensive in-house quality testing and certification offering, enabling us to offer metal-printed parts that meet strict requirements.
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Do you offer design optimisation?
No, however, we utilize build simulation software to advise on best practices for designing for AM. Software packages for topology optimization are readily available online.
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How long do quotes take?
Typically, quotes take 2-4 hours.
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Does metal printing offer light-weighting capabilities?
Yes. With the ability to produce topology-optimised, end-use parts, metal printing can be used to reduce component weight by anywhere from 50-90%.
Why choose LPE?
Range of services and materials
One stop shop for all your prototyping and production requirements with a full range of in-house services and wide range of materials.
Speed of turnaround
Parts can be turned around in a matter of days.
ISO9001 and ISO13485
quality approved
Quality is at the heart of everything we do and is integrated into all our processes. All our parts are finised to the highest standard every time.
Speed of turnaround
Parts can be turned around in a matter of days.
Personal service
Technical sales team offering a professional, experienced and personal service.