Nihon Chuzo orders large-format metal 3D printing system from BLT

Japan’s entry into large-scale industrial metal 3D printing is reaching a new milestone. The foundry specialist Nihon Chuzo will install a large-format PBF-LB/M system from Bright Laser Technologies (BLT) in April 2026, supplied via the Japanese distributor Orix Rentec. Several trade media classify the machine as one of the largest powder bed laser systems currently planned in Japan. The aim is to establish additive manufacturing as a complement to existing casting production and to ease structural bottlenecks in manufacturing.

From a technical perspective, the investment represents a significant leap in build volume and productivity. The platform used to date with 260 × 260 × 290 millimetres is being replaced by a system with a 450 × 450 × 500 millimetre build volume and an eight-laser setup. This increases the printable volume to more than five times its previous size, while the multi-laser architecture reduces build times for large components. A central application scenario is components for equipment used to process 12-inch semiconductor wafers with a diameter of 304.8 millimetres, which could not be fully produced on the previous machine.

Nihon Chuzo, part of the JFE Group environment, has extensive experience in manufacturing large cast components made of cast iron and steel. The new PBF-LB/M system is intended to gradually replace selected cast parts, particularly where complex internal geometries, functional integration, or small batch sizes are required. At the same time, the company expects to reduce manufacturing costs and lead times and to counteract the shortage of skilled workers in machining.

For BLT, the installation is a strategic step in the Japanese market. The company is contributing an ecosystem of machine, process parameters, materials, and software designed for the series production of large-format metal components. In combination with Nihon Chuzo’s expertise in post-processing, this could create new production chains ranging from cast-part substitution to components for semiconductor equipment, heavy machinery, and other demanding industrial applications.