3D Metal Printer Project - Electron beam melting

Hello!,
My name is Agustin. I'm from Chile. I have been reading and following MetalicaRap for many years, and I would like to share with you my creation.
I'm making a 3D Metal Printer using an electron beam. Is a very expensive project, and I have worked many years on it.
Now I'm opening the project to the community inside a crowdfunding model. I'm going to share the design, tests, updates, so I can receive some support and continue working 100% in this project.
Recently I made a Patreon page for this purpose:
https://www.patreon.com/3dmetalprinter

I'm wondering if you can take a look to this project. I can share with you pictures, and all the information you need.
My goal is continue working fulltime in this project, so any support is welcome!. Many thanks!

Hello Augustin,

good luck with your project!

What's the price-tag with the electron gun?

I'm actually more with high-power 200W-IR-laserdiodes, salvaged out from broken/dismanteled muti-kW-fiberlasers, which can be bought at ebay for 500€ (bought several two years ago for 300€ each).

They can be focussed on 0.3mm with a 50mm-FL-lens and only needs 12V with up to 40A and "only" shielding gas, no vacuum.

Plans to use them in combination with CW-fiberlasers (0.02mm spot diameter) for the "finer" details ... and other wavelengths diode lasers (blue 40W @450nm and red 652nm @20W) to reduce the reflectivity of the surface or "optimize" the power absorption

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/25/2022 07:32AM by VDX.

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Many thanks Viktor!,
The price estimation is around 6.000USD for this 3D Metal Printer if you make it yourself, using the final design.
The research & development is more expensive. If you support me with the development, i can continue working fulltime in this project and publish the designs, schematics, tests, etc.
The advantage of using an electron beam, is the faster XY speed using coils. Electrons have no inertia (almost), so you can move them very fast!

Also when you print a 3D Metal part with laser is very important to take in account heat deformation and cracks when the piece cools itself. If you need a durable and strong part, you will also need an oven to heat the metal part and slowly cool it to eliminate internal stress.
With electron beam printing you dont need an additional oven. The electron beam can be defocus to pre-heat the powder, so you focus again to start the sintering process according to your design.

... in one of my older projects around welding Kovar and Inconell parts and housings I had to switch from MIG- and electron-welding to laser because of too much induced energy or not exact enough impact zone ... this was done with laser much more precise (in energy and position accuracy).

So I'm more the "laser type"

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Hi Viktor!,
I dont have experience welding Kovar and Inconell yet. Maybe is more difficult. I can test later.
I have welded stainless steel with the electron beam and I find it relatively simple to position the electron beam in welding applications.
I have uploaded this video for showing the electron gun testing:
[www.youtube.com]

I can upload more videos later. You can assign a trajectory to the beam (spiral, sawtooth, etc), so you have precise control of the heat input

Hi Augustin,

... I've already seen the video in your project-link.

It seems to be different, if the beam-"target" is a flat surface, a bulge (convex) or a "concave" structure between two parts -- while the laser simply "points" to a spot, the electron beam deflects with varying flux gradients ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Hi Viktor!,
I think you mean about the focus spot size?. When the focus size is big, you will have a gradient and the heat is not applied efficiently in the spot.
In the case of electron beam, you can control the focus size.
Regards!

... no, it's more the "jumping" spot position when electron-beam welding two parts and wish to melt ecactly the gap - the "spot" will randomly oszillate/jump between the two edges.

The same with a flat surface ... but here this random displacement is not so big, as with a gap (or concave surface) ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]