AddiTec Offers Wire and Powder Additive Manufacturing in One Machine

Additive Technologies, LLC, also known as AddiTec, is still quite a young company, founded in 2015 in Las Vegas with a branch office in Bremen, Germany. The company designs and builds advanced additive manufacturing systems featuring its proprietary technology, the Direct Deposition Device, and caters to a number of industries including aerospace, nuclear, energy, medical, automotive and high performance sports. Now AddiTec has announced an updated version of its Direct Deposition Device, which has already sold 10 systems.

The AddiTec TriAxial Direct Deposition Device (TriAx 3D) is a laser-assisted, multi-beam metal deposition system for 3D printers, laser cladding machines and CNC systems. It was designed to reduce cost while improving performance, and what sets it apart from other laser-assisted metal deposition systems is its ability to process both powder and wire-feed materials through the same nozzle. How it works is that the material is fed through the central axis of the deposition head with multiple off-axis lasers angled to coincide with the material feed and workpiece at a precise focal distance. Multiple diode lasers provide high effect laser power, while the wire and powder feed materials occupy independent channels, which allows for in-process switching and dual-mode deposition where powder and wire can be deposited simultaneously.

The TriAx 3D system is compact, at about 30 cm tall and 15 cm wide, meaning it can be retrofitted to existing robotic, gantry and CNC systems. The system is comprised of the deposition head plus a compact supply module that houses the diode lasers, associated power supplies, a process chiller, HMI, software, inline process controls, a single powder feeder, and a single wire feeder. Options include additional powder and wire feeders, an onboard nitrogren generator, and total laser power output options ranging from 0.8 kW to 4 kW.

AddiTec sells multiple metal 3D printers and CNC machines powered by the TriAx 3D module, and has already sold high specification 3- and 5-axis CNC machines with the module. Customers can select whatever CNC machine they like, and AddiTec will integrate the TriAx 3D technology with it. The company also offers several metal additive manufacturing systems featuring the technology and boasting a high build volume, 5-axis kinematics, low gas consumption and high material utilization efficiency. Also available are hybrid machines that combine CNC machining and 3D printing into one system.

AddiTec’s largest system, the TriAx Delta 3H, was recently introduced and offers, according to AddiTec, high levels of performance, reliability and repeatability. It’s the product of more than 4,000 hours of testing and features a sizable 1.5 m x 3 m build envelope and optional hybrid mode utilizing an inline milling head for automatic part finishing.

In addition to the systems and products it develops and sells, AddiTec offers several services as well, including reverse engineering and non-destructive inspection. Its real selling point, however, is its novel technology. Powder and wire feed additive manufacturing have always been treated as two very separate technologies, and by bringing them together AddiTec saves manufacturers money while allowing them a much more expansive range of manufacturing options.

The TriAx 3D system can be purchased for a starting price of $99,995.

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[Images: AddiTec]