Press release: atum3D

Netherlands-based atum3D, known for its range of open platform Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printers, will introduce the DLP Station 5-365 at formnext 2019, from 19 to 22 November in Frankfurt, Germany. DLP Station 5-365 is the first ever DLP printer to support the use of high performance functional (stereolithography) build materials, such as DSM’s SOMOS resins and build materials from other dedicated resin partners. This state-of-the-art printer features an all-new 365 nm light source with exceptional contrast ratios and the new atum3D Self-Traversing Integrated Resin Homogeniser (STIRH), which actively homogenises particle-infused or multicomponent resins with additives as required for consistent results. Combining cost-effective atum3D hardware and software with high-quality build materials opens up 3D printing of high-performance parts to all. The resulting integral solutions with diverse application options will help accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing into regular manufacturing in more types of industry.

Juan Vertelman, Commercial Director at atum3D, explains the significance of this introduction: “We’re very excited to present DLP Station 5-365 and the opportunities it holds in Frankfurt. Both existing as novel high-quality build materials used to exclusively available for use on a few high-end printers. At atum3D, our goal is to help incorporate additive manufacturing in existing production processes. Two important prerequisites are the availability of resins with functional characteristics that fit a specific application and the availability of industrial grade hardware and software for an investment that’s feasible for smaller businesses and institutes as well. It’s exactly the combination of properties we’re introducing with the combination of DLP Station 5-365 with STIRH and high-performance third-party resins”.

As the striking bright blue addition to the atum3D product range, DLP Station 5-365 features an all-new powerful 2K Ultra HD light source with a very high contrast ratio and a 70-micron x,y resolution leading to exceptional speed and accuracy levels. The large build envelope allows creating multiple parts in a single production run without impacting the total build time. DLP Station 5-365 includes STIRH, atum3D’s continuous homogenising system that automatically agitates the resin as required. Depending on the resin properties, STIRH can traverse the Resin Tray after every layer or at a lower interval. Ensuring particles or additives are always evenly mixed throughout the resin, STIRH results in consistent part quality. The STIRH solution is standard on DLP Station 5-365 and is available as an option on DLP Station 5-405.

“We believe our customers are looking for an application solution rather than a box with a printer and a bottle of resin”, Mr. Vertelman continues. “That’s why we’ll be showing several examples of functional application solutions that can include hardware, software, a resin suggestion, post-processing automation and applicable services. We’ll also be presenting various use cases to show the practical application of our products. These operational references underline the importance of tailoring the customer application solution to size. That’s something atum3D passionately supports, with in-house hardware, software and chemical expertise and an open resin platform supported by leading resin partners. We create a custom product bundle to optimally fit the application.“

Are there any other introductions planned for formnext 2019? Mr. Vertelman smiles: “Yes, there’s more. Visitors can get a hands-on experience of the new Operator Station features, such as the Print Settings dialogue that allows selecting the desired combination of speed and level of detail for every print job. Another addition to our software is the proprietary Surface Smoothness Optimisation option, which enhances the part’s surface quality. Using proprietary algorithms, this intelligent fill feature eliminates stair-stepping by assessing the surrounding surface areas and adjusting the individual lighting time at the micron level. Operator Station can now also scale imported part models and allows users to adjust individual support properties.”

As Mr. Vertelman concludes, atum3D aims to facilitate the integration of DLP additive manufacturing technology in industrial processes by tailoring the 3D printing solution to the customer’s application: “Other than the open resin platform, which allows us to select any third party resin based on the required technical material properties, examples of new application-specific solutions are the Build Platform S Micro, which allows printing with only several milliliters of resin and the Creator Edition of our Operator Station software offering extensive print settings control for scientific, research and expert purposes. Lastly, our Tolerance Tuning service lets us do the fine-tuning in fixed-variable environments for our customer, resulting in custom printer settings that for example balance part characteristics with a specific performance indicator, like build speed. Thanks to DLP Station 5-365, our options have now multiplied.”

atum3D welcomes visitors at booth 11.1-B19 to get further acquainted with the DLP Station range, Operator Station software and many resin options with exceptional functional properties. We’ll gladly advise you on your specific application benefits and opportunities. Contact atum3D today (www.atum3d.com or info@atum3d.com) to receive an entry voucher for formnext 2019 free of charge.