Meltio Engine Blue: Advanced Solution for Industrial Metal 3D Printing

At Formnext 2024, Meltio announced the launch of its new Meltio Engine Blue system. This integration tool, based on wire-laser metal deposition, is specifically designed for industrial robotics and vertical machining centers. As an evolution of the Meltio V3, it aims to enhance production efficiency, increase reliability, and minimize maintenance efforts.

The Meltio Engine Blue utilizes a 1.4 kW blue laser to process metals such as stainless steel, titanium, copper, aluminum, and nickel. Unlike previous systems, the new model eliminates fiber optics and collimators, simplifying integration into production environments and reducing maintenance time.

“The new Meltio Engine Blue represents a crucial breakthrough in Meltio’s directed energy deposition (DED) technology, designed specifically to respond to the current demands of the manufacturing industry around the world. For our industrial customers, the Meltio Engine Blue represents a significant improvement in reliability and deposition rate, enabling increased production speed and quality. With a fiber-optic-free system and a 1.4 kW blue laser head, we have simplified integration into robotic arms and vertical machining centers, reducing maintenance times and eliminating common problems such as the need for continuous laser alignment. This approach will allow our customers to optimize their processes, reducing downtime and improving compatibility with a wide range of materials,” explains Meltio Product Manager, Alejandro Nieto.

A key advantage of the system is its versatility, making it suitable for the automotive, aerospace, energy, maritime, and defense sectors. Its compact design and enhanced safety features make it ideal for demanding production environments. The integrated camera system enables real-time monitoring and optimization of production processes, while the blue laser’s energy efficiency reduces power consumption by 30 percent.

“The development of the new Meltio Engine Blue has been a painstaking process of more than two years, in which our engineering team has worked collaboratively with our partners and integrators to identify and overcome the challenges faced with the V3. Among the most important industry demands were the need to reduce maintenance time, increase reliability, and improve deposition rate. The elimination of components such as fiber optics and collimators has simplified the system, while the blue laser head and dual power supply system allow continuous and flexible operation, adapting to different materials and applications,” says Alejandro Nieto.

At Formnext 2024, Meltio also showcased new metal parts produced with the Engine Blue, including components made from marine bronze, copper, and dual-wire combinations. These parts demonstrate the system’s versatility and precision, designed to meet complex industrial requirements while advancing the benefits of additive manufacturing. Visitors can explore Meltio’s innovations firsthand at the exhibition.

He also adds: “While maintaining the foundation of integration into industrial robotic arms and vertical machining centers, the Meltio Engine Blue introduces substantial improvements in power, reliability, and ease of use, positioning itself as a disruptive option within our range of metal 3D printing solutions offered by Meltio to industries worldwide.”