M300 tool steel qualified for use in Sapphire printers

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Metal additive manufacturing technology company Velo 3D announced that M300 tool steel, an ultra-low carbon alloy that delivers very high strength and hardness, is qualified for use in Sapphire printers.

Velo 3D has seen extensive interest in the M300 tool steel from automotive manufacturers for use in high-pressure die cast inserts, injection moulding and other types of tooling. "By qualifying M300 tool steel for use in our printers, we’re able to service entirely new industries, like automotive and tooling, that can leverage Velo 3D's advanced capability to print high quality, large diameter internal channels for their applications," said Greg Brown, Velo 3D VP of Technology. "By manufacturing die cast inserts and other tooling components with our technology, we expect companies will be able to build stronger products, improve machining throughput, and decrease manufacturing costs."

The company's end-to-end solution is suited for leveraging M300 tool steel due to its ability to print parts with high-quality surface finishes in complex large-diameter internal cooling channels. These channels can prolong the life of the tooling; however they can be difficult to create with conventional manufacturing methods. Furthermore, while many metal 3D printers can print smaller diameter holes, printing large channels can create roughness and susceptibility to cracking.

The company's Sapphire XC 1MZ also provides customers with a large build volume — 600 mm in diameter and 1,000 mm in heights. Accodring to Velo 3D, this is the largest build volume in comparable printers from leading manufacturers, making it better suited to fulfill the requirements of industries that require the largest M300 tool steel inserts, like automotive.

The company expects system deliveries will start as early as Q4 of 2022.

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