EOS Introduces New P-810 3D Printer and New Material at RAPID + TCT

Today marks the beginning of RAPID + TCT, the preeminent 3D printing event in North America. The announcements and unveilings are already rolling out, with new 3D printers and 3D printing materials in every direction. Companies are also showcasing their existing products alongside their brand new ones, and EOS is among the market leaders to do so. Along with its existing large portfolio of 3D printing products, EOS is displaying its brand new EOS P 810 polymer 3D printing platform. The 3D printer was developed in partnership with Boeing and designed specifically to process a new material, the high performance ALM material HT-23.

The platform addresses industry requirements for demanding, high-performance parts, and was particularly developed for the aerospace industry but can be applied to other industries as well.

“The aerospace industry has to meet challenging requirements when it comes to UV resistance, flame retardancy and meeting Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) such as FAR 25.853, which sets standards for materials within compartment interiors,” said Scott Killian, Aerospace Business Development Manager for EOS North America. “Additive Manufacturing enables the design and manufacturing of complex geometries without expensive tooling. This allows aerospace OEMs to replace composite parts which to date are being produced manually via carbon fiber laminating. They can also replace aluminum parts with HT-23 while still meeting the material strength properties required for the application. With the EOS P 810, our customers can produce lightweight parts, reduce time for production and parts assembly, and cut overall costs-per-part.”

The new additive manufacturing system builds on the EOS P 800 but processes only the new HT-23 material. It features two 70-watt lasers and a large build volume of 700 x 380 x 380 mm, enabling the production of large structural parts with high dimensional accuracy and increased productivity. It’s especially well-suited for industrial applications.

HT-23 is the first carbon fiber-reinforced material that can be processed on EOS systems and offers isotropic part properties. Parts 3D printed with the material possess high strength, low weight and resistance to high temperatures. It is the first high-performance material with a low refresh rate of 40 percent, significantly contributing to reduced cost per part.

“Our EOS P 810 polymer 3D printing platform and the ALM HT-23 material enabled us to help Boeing reach high demands for weight reduction, cost efficiency and reduced assembly time for components,” said Killian. “Intensive testing of the final parts from the EOS P 810 proves the technology platform addresses Boeing’s needs and allows them to achieve homogenous part properties within the overall building volume, a key factor for cost efficient manufacturing of air ducts, small turbines and holders.”

In addition to aerospace, the new system is well-suited for the electronics and mobility industries, with applications including plugs and housings, serial parts and well as spare parts for the interior and exterior (exterior facing) of buses and trains.

EOS will also have a display on the Additive Manufacturing Mile that will take visitors through the four stages of a typical additive manufacturing journey:

1. Part screening to identify the proper applications to introduce additive manufacturing
2. Part design iterations and development of the application
3. Ramping up of additive manufacturing production
4. Certifying and scaling up a highly efficient additive manufacturing chain

“From more than 300 consulting projects, we have learned that nearly all companies implementing additive manufacturing go through four transformational stages,” said Dr. Gregory Hayes, Director of Applications and Consulting for EOS North America. “With each phase of their development, companies establish more knowledge and technological maturity, but at the same time also face different challenges. We can help customers to overcome these challenges and to gain momentum on their journey to become an additive manufacturing champion.”

EOS is at Booth #1118 at RAPID, and we will be catching up with the team on-site for another discussion of their latest technologies and strategies.

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