Scottish company Defiant3D unveiled its Defiant200 metal 3D printer at TCT 3Sixty in Birmingham this week.
According to the manufacturer, five years of research and development went into the new AM system, which relies on Cold Deposit and Sinter (CDS) technology developed in-house. One of the goals of CEO Gary Cairns, who also runs 3D printing services company PlastiPrint 3D, was to lower the cost of metal 3D printing. The result is the Defiant200 system.
The metal 3D printer is available for pre-order on the official website. The cost of one machine is GBP 40,000. Delivery is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2024.
The installation space is specified as 200 x 200 x 200 mm. Two powders are introduced into the build space using printhead technology. The first powder, currently all 316L stainless steel, serves as the build material, while the second powder is a support powder with a higher melting point. The tool head moves along the XY axis and introduces both powders into the build space, while the Z axis moves gradually downward in the build space.
Once the build space is filled with powder, the lid lowers, sealing the build space, and thermal elements in the lid heat the build space to the sintering temperature of the metal. During this process, the support material remains as powder while the build material sintered into a solid object. The support material can then be easily removed and the parts undergo the necessary finishing steps such as sandblasting or machining.
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