EOS, the world's leading technology supplier in the field of industrial 3D printing of metals and polymers, introduces the material handling solution IPCM M pro for its well-established EOS M 290 system. For this purpose, the EOS M 290 – a highly productive system for the additive manufacturing (AM) of metal components – is equipped with a special process chamber door with coupling points to connect with the IPCM M pro and material containers. The combination of system and periphery enables users to convey material easy, fast and safe out of the system, sieve it and refill it into the system – thus, simplifying industrial 3D printing as an established manufacturing method overall.

In additive manufacturing, a laser beam fuses powdered material at points defined by computer-generated component design data. With the IPCM M pro, material not fused during the building process can be directly conveyed out of the AM system – without opening the process chamber door and therefore without the operator coming into direct contact with the material. A vacuum pump conveys the powder out of the system and into the IPCM M pro, where it is sieved under inert gas within the module at a throughput of 120 kilograms of material in 30 minutes – 50% faster than previous solutions. Powder treated in this way can be used for a new building process, the powder cycle starts anew.

For the user, this semi-automated, dust-free material handling within the process chamber of the AM system has clear advantages in terms of health and safety as well as operability, as the risk of powder contact is minimised. This makes a more comfortable protective equipment possible for the operator without compromising safety in any way. At the same time, even large volumes of material can be sieved and conveyed more quickly and the manual tasks are both fewer and simpler. Moreover, the IPCM M pro module is mobile, which means it can be efficiently used for several systems. All of these points contribute towards additionally improving user-friendliness and productivity of additive manufacturing.

With the EOS M 290 system and the IPCM M pro module, companies are provided with the right solution for a swift entry into the world of industrial 3D printing as an established manufacturing technology. The EOS M 290 system features a reproducible high part quality, a broad range of validated materials and processes, and extensive software solutions for data preparation and quality management. Currently installed well over 500 times worldwide, the EOS M 290 is one of the most successful AM systems for processing metal materials that the market has to offer. With the IPCM M pro module, EOS expands this established AM system by including the option of particularly easy and safe material handling. Together with the comprehensive range of consulting services that EOS provides, companies have access to a holistic portfolio of solutions that enables them to successfully enter the world of 3D printing with a short learning curve.

Dr. Tobias Abeln, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at EOS said, “Industrial 3D printing has proven its worth as a manufacturing method across industries and is being increasingly used for serial production. Companies should therefore consider now, how they could make best use of the technology to strengthen their business. The EOS portfolio gives companies one single source for all the elements they need to successfully set up and leverage additive manufacturing to meet the challenges of production with an established, future-proof technology.”