Most 3D printers on the market were originally designed for rapid prototyping. However, as the industry evolves and continuous manufacturing cases become more feasible, companies are beginning to maximize the return on investment in additive manufacturing. From designing high-performance individual parts, automating shop floors and developing new materials to optimizing the parameters of each machine to improve speed, quality and productivity.
Since SLM Solutions first introduced dual laser systems in 2015, the number of multi-laser devices has grown rapidly. Since then, more original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), machine builders, and companies have begun customizing their own 3D printers for production, adding more lasers to improve productivity.
When it comes to laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), most users believe that more lasers should automatically lead to higher speed and performance, but this is not the case. The challenge that remains is how to efficiently distribute the workload to increase productivity while maintaining high product quality. Finding the right simulation software to optimize each laser's capabilities becomes even more important.
Key findings in production
Johan Troukens, market solutions architect at Materialize Software, said: "In my experience, I find that many machines are not being used very efficiently. People think that adding more lasers is supposed to improve production, research and development, or speed and productivity of other projects, but it not so. We need technology that can maximize the use of the laser in an efficient way. Otherwise these systems will be very inefficient."
. production process. This is why adding more lasers to a 3D printer does not increase performance.
In order to maximize the use of the laser, the following three main factors must be considered:
1. Effective application of laser load distribution
2. Reduction of 3D printing time
3. Ensuring print quality
For inefficient multi-laser printers, these processing results will seriously reduce the overall operating equipment effectiveness (OEE) of the machine. This begs the question: How do you optimize the output of these 3D printers, which cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars?
The "load balancer" can fully utilize the capabilities of multi-laser metal 3D printers. As part of the Slicer Processor Software Development Kit (BP SDK), the customizable load balancing algorithm allows users to customize the parameters of each laser, a technology not available in other similar 3D printing load balancing applications.
The BP SDK allows users to immediately get started with a solution or design a slicing processor that meets their specific production needs. This flexibility is very attractive to developers, process engineers, or anyone interested in adapting multi-laser 3D printers to improve efficiency.
Michele Pavan, R&D Engineering Manager at Materialize Software, said: "The load balancer can increase performance by around 25% compared to traditional multi-laser systems. This means no more wasted time and resources on overheating, beam-blocking gas and splatter. Issues such as unscanned areas of the build platform."
Overcoming difficulties with laser propagation
Brecht Pellens, product manager at Materialize Software, said: "The 3D printing industry is moving in a sustainable and efficient direction to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption. . Companies must increase profitability while producing high-performance parts to ensure a competitive advantage. An important part of this development is to maximize the value derived from each transaction while maintaining quality standards." Here are some examples that explain how to overcome problems with
by lasers Load balancing issues to maximize utilization and unlock the full potential of multi-laser load balancer machines.
1 Optimal load distribution thanks to control of each laser
A load balancing algorithm simplifies the task of balancing the load of each laser by accounting for gas flows and fog zones to prevent interference between lasers and ensure even energy distribution. It assigns a file path by calculating the optimal load for each laser, taking into account all process and user constraints. Paths are optimized between all lasers, which significantly increases performance.
2 Adjust mist zones to optimize gas flow, improve quality and avoid downwind processing
Quality control management is complex, especially for multi-laser systems. Lasers typically create mist and gases that move in a given direction of gas flow. Smoke in these hazy areas can obscure lasers operating in close proximity to each other, reducing their effectiveness. Mist zones can be adjusted to improve quality by optimizing gas flow and avoiding downwind processing.
Additionally, when lasers are operated indoors, they release excess energy that can negatively affect the melt pool and part quality. By calculating the fog zone for each laser, the algorithm can optimize a complex sequence, such as deciding which vector blocks to scan first, following priorities to avoid crosswind and fog zone processing. This helps maintain the quality of the laser beams by preventing interference between them, ensuring an even distribution of energy.
Loose powder on the powder coat can degrade the quality of your prints if handled improperly. To avoid spatter, gas blocking, and overheating, load balancers can simulate airflow, ensuring that the laser never scans the airflow of another laser beam.
3 Combine performance and quality for high quality printing
"The appeal of the load balancer is that it ensures that each laser remains in excellent working order without being adversely affected, thereby increasing processing speed while maintaining build quality," Michel said.
Multiple lasers too close together can emit too much energy, reducing the overall quality of the print, as it can lead to porosity and keyhole defects in the part. With a load balancer, precise and even energy distribution is required to improve laser beam control and achieve high-quality results.
Additionally, load balancers can implement vector fragmentation, which is the next level of granularity, based on user input. Usually a layer contains at least one vector block. However, the algorithm can break large blocks of vectors into smaller blocks, thereby increasing the detail of the layers and allowing a more even distribution of the load among all lasers. The advantage of this technique is that the overall distribution can be further adjusted to improve the efficiency of the 3D printer.
One of the reasons for not optimizing the production time is that the laser can make too many jumps while printing the part. Limit the range of each laser by wavelength to reduce the number of jumps. This helps to improve overall production efficiency and reduce close interaction between lasers working on the same part.
Finally, a hybrid mode option in the load balancer allows the user to choose whether to scan a section with a single laser or algorithmically optimize to distribute vectors between different lasers. This can further optimize load distribution.
"Options can be set with just a few clicks. If you have any needs, you can also adjust and adjust the details of each option as needed," said Brecht.
An optimized multi-laser 3D printer designed for LPBF production
Optimizing a multi-laser 3D printer can be a great way to increase metal 3D printing performance while reducing costs and lead time if the scan path strategy is designed correctly. However, users and even manufacturers are not taking full advantage of these devices because they haven't invested in the right software.
Load equalizer — this a solution to the problem of a multi-laser printer. Use this module as part of the BP SDK or your own slicer to reduce development costs and speed time to market, opening up new avenues for innovation, and the load balancer can be machine controlled on our server-side CO-AM software platform.
“Whether you're a technology engineer looking to customize settings for a specific application, or a less tech-savvy user who prefers a simplified approach to integration, the fast and easy experience with Load Balancer is great. This automated manufacturing tool is a game-changer: it harnesses the full power of your production resources and turns your operations into tangible results,” says Johan.