At this year’s International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, Ulendo Technologies is presenting a software solution for optimizing laser paths for 3D printing. The software, Ulendo HC, was developed as an add-on for the Dyndrite LPBF Pro platform, which is specifically designed for use in Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) technology. This technology allows the precise printing of metal parts and is used in industries such as aerospace and automotive.
Ulendo HC is based on an algorithm developed at the University of Michigan under the direction of company founder Chinedum Okwudire. The software aims to reduce thermal deformations, which often occur during LPBF printing, by up to 50 percent. It can also minimize residual stresses by 88 percent, resulting in improved quality of printed parts and higher production reliability. The innovation of Ulendo HC lies in the automatic adjustment of the laser paths without the user having to enter any additional data. This sets the software apart from previous approaches, which often rely on trial-and-error methods.
The savings made by the software are considerable, especially when using expensive materials or complex components. Ulendo HC is designed not only to reduce waste, but also to reduce the need for costly reworking.
“When working with high cost materials or large, complex builds, even one failed build can significantly impact the bottom line,” says Ulendo CEO Brenda Jones. “Ulendo HC aims to eliminate these issues, improving the profitability and reliability of LPBF as a production tool.”
The software is integrated into the Dyndrite LPBF Pro platform as a plug-and-play solution. This offers an open API architecture that enables Ulendo to work seamlessly with existing infrastructure.
“Our goal is to enable customers to print new materials, print faster, print features like thin walls, print without supports and improve surface finish. Our tools can be combined with tools like the one Ulendo provides to accelerate this goal,” says Dyndrite CEO Harshil Goel. “We welcome Ulendo as the first company to provide add-in software to the Dyndrite LPBF Pro platform. With the addition of Ulendo HC to the platform, we are working toward our collaborative vision of Dyndrite LPBF Pro as a powerful metal 3D printing engine into which innovative companies like Ulendo can integrate their software add-ins and features. I’m excited to see what new ways Ulendo will use our powerful core tools to achieve previously difficult prints for our customer base.”
For those interested, the technology will be on display at Dyndrite’s booth at IMTS from September 9-14, 2024 in Chicago.
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