Sweden-based Digital Metal announced a dramatic speed increase in their DM P2500 device. 

The company, owned by metal powder manufacturer Höganäs, develops specialized metal 3D printers that use a binder jetting process. This requires a post-print step to debind and sinter the particles within the print together.

The results are incredibly detailed. This 3D printed metal whistle, for example, is only 6mm wide and has a crisp 1mm breath-hole. I’m constantly impressed with their ability to produce small but very detailed metal objects. 

Digital Metal Print Speed

Now the company has somehow sped up their 3D printing process significantly. They say: 

“Digital Metal has launched a new software upgrade that triples the printing speed of its DM P2500 printer. This allows for significantly larger production volume per time unit while keeping the renowned high component quality.”

This is quite interesting, as it seems to be a software-only upgrade. That means the software could be distributed to existing customers and make their machines better even after they’re installed. 

What could they be doing in the software to make things go so much faster? It’s not clear, as they don’t say much about the technical aspects of the change in their announcement, other than this: 

“Now, the printer has been upgraded with new software that triples its printing speed. This allows to produce significantly larger component volumes per time unit while keeping excellent component quality. The new software is standard on all new units and upgrade kits are available for installed printers.”

I speculate that they have been able to optimize the motion system instructions to allow for faster deposition of binder. Perhaps they now accelerate and decelerate the motion system more aggressively during printing movements, leading to a shorter overall print completion time. 

Faster 3D Print Throughput

The implications of the speed tripling are possibly significant for users of the DM P2500 metal 3D printer. While the device’s build volume is not particularly large at only 203 x 180 x 69 mm, it is typically used to 3D print quantities of small objects in batches. For example, wristwatch components are apparently a common usage. 

Now a wristwatch manufacturer could theoretically punch out 3X as many parts in the same time. This increased throughput could allow businesses to expand business operations in a corresponding manner. 

If only every 3D printer company could suddenly triple their devices’ print speeds. 

Via Digital Metal