Metal 3D Printing Service
The Next Frontier of Manufacturing
Metal 3D printing services are revolutionizing the manufacture of parts in many industries.
Why? Because they enable you to cost-effectively build high-mix, low-volume metal parts. You can also build complex parts that are impossible to make using CNC machining and casting.
Fathom has one of the largest fleets of Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) metal 3D printers in the country. We also have the engineering and production expertise and the capacity to help you with your metal 3D printing needs.
Igniting a Manufacturing Revolution
Until recently, producing short runs of metal parts using casting or machining wasn’t cost-effective. That’s because these manufacturing methods require time-consuming and expensive set-up, fixturing and tooling.
Metal 3D printing services smash through this barrier. They eliminate these steps and enable on-demand printing of metal parts. That gives you the freedom to:
- Finalize your part designs quickly – so you can bring your new products to market faster
- Quickly evaluate your part designs for fit, finish and functionality
- Simplify an assembly into a single 3D-printed metal part
- Print multiple versions of a part for evaluation
- Use 3D-printed metal parts for bridge production while your tooling is built
The metal 3D printing process makes parts that are strong and durable. Fathom offers high-strength, lightweight materials like titanium, cobalt chrome and nickel alloy. They provide high tensile strength, hardness and wear resistance.
Advantages of Metal 3D Printing
Rethink Metal Part Designs // Metal 3D printing services enable you to produce part designs that are hard or impossible to make using traditional manufacturing techniques. Here are some of the design features that metal 3D printing makes possible:
- Internal supports
- Weight-saving lattice wall sections
- Conformal cooling channels
- Undercuts
- No need for draft angles
- Internal cavities
- Varying wall thicknesses
Fathom engineers can help you understand what’s possible to optimize your part designs.
Part Consolidation // Metal 3D printing services from Fathom enable you to redesign multi-part assemblies into a single, printable part. In many cases, it’s lighter, less expensive and more reliable than the assembly it replaced. This is especially important for applications where air or liquid must pass through an assembly and leaks must be prevented. Part consolidation eliminates the joining surfaces between parts where leaks may occur.
Fast Prototyping // Fathom can help you finalize your part designs – quickly – so you can bring your new products to market faster.
Mass Customization // For certain manufacturing methods, making tooling changes during production can be very costly. Metal 3D-printed parts don’t need fixtures or tooling. That makes it easy for you to modify part designs during production. You can also use this freedom to create customized variations of parts for your customers.
Production Parts // Do you need bridge production? We can 3D print up to several hundred production-quality metal parts for you. They can help you bring your new product to market sooner, even while your tooling is built.
Jigs and Fixtures // The exceptional toughness of metal 3D-printed parts makes them ideal for jigs and fixtures for CNC machining, part inspections and more.
Industries & Applications for Metal 3D Printed Parts
These industries have been early adopters of high-performance 3D-printed metal parts:
- Aerospace
- Medical
- Dental
- Automotive
Applications can include:
- Functional prototypes
- Molds and inserts
- Jigs and fixtures
- Rapid tooling
- Service parts (print-on-demand)
- Heatsinks and heat exchangers
Fathom’s Metal 3D Printing Technology // DMLS
Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) uses a laser to melt powdered metal in the shape of the part. When one layer is complete, the build table moves down, the printer spreads a new layer of powder and the process repeats. In this way, the DMLS printing process “grows” parts one layer at a time.
DMLS produces high-quality metal parts that don’t need sintering. However, they usually require heat treatment to release stresses that build up in the metal during the printing process. Parts built on a DMLS printer have a raw, rough finish comparable to a fine investment cast. Fathom offers several in-house finishing processes that can help you achieve your desired surface quality.
DMLS Materials Guide
| Material | Alloy Designation | Layers | Hardness | Advantages | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum AlSi10Mg | Typical Casting Alloy | 30 Micron Layers | Approx 119 ± 5 HBW | Low Weight, Good Thermal Properties | Automotive, Racing |
| Cobalt Chrome (MP1) | ISO 5832-4 & ASTM F75 | 20, 40 or 50 Micron Layers | 35-45 HRC Built | High Temperature Resistance | Turbines and Engine Parts |
| Maraging Steel (MS1) | 18% Ni Maraging 300, European 1.2709, German X3NiCoMoTi 18-9-5 | 20 or 40 Micron Layers | 33-37 HRC Built, Post Hardened to 50-56 HRC | Easily to Machine and Excellent Polishability | Injection Molding Tooling, Conformal Cooling |
| Nickel Alloy IN718 | UNS N07718, AMS 5662, AMS 5664, W.Nr 2.4668, DIN NiCr19Fe19NbMo3 | 40 Micron Layers | 30 HRC Built, Post Hardened 47 HRC | Heat and Corrosion Resistant | Turbines, Rockets, Aerospace |
| Stainless Steel (316L) | ASTM F138 | 20 Micron Layers | 85 HRB | Corrosion and Pitting Resistant | Surgical Tools, Food and Chemical Plants |
| Stainless Steel (GP1) | 17-4, European 1.4542, German X5CrNiCuNb16-4 | 20 or 40 Micron Layers | 230 ± 20 HV1 Built, Ground & Polished to 250-400 HV1 | High Toughness and Ductility | Engineering Applications |
| Stainless Steel (PH1) | 15-5 PH, DIN 1.4540 and UNS S15500 | 20 or 40 Micron Layers | 30-35 HRC Built, Post Hardened to 40 HRC | High Hardness and Strength | Prototype / Production Parts |
| Titanium Ti-64* | ASTM F2924 | 30 or 60 Micron Layers | 320 ± 15 HV5 | Light Weight, High Strength and Corrosion Resistant | Aerospace, Motorsport Racing |
| Titanium Ti-64 ELI* | ASTM F136 Properties | 30 or 60 Micron Layers | 320 ± 15 HV5 | Corrosion Resistance, Biocompatibility | Medical, Biomedical, Implants |
*Contact a Fathom expert for more information.
Cobalt Chrome MP1
Cobalt Chrome MP1
Cobalt chrome MP1 is a cobalt-chrome-molybdenum-based superalloy. It has excellent mechanical properties, including strength, hardness, corrosion resistance and temperature resistance. Cobalt chrome alloys are often used in biomedical applications like dental and medical implants. They are also well-suited for high-temperature applications like jet engines.
Cobalt Chrome MP1 Properties
- Increased Strength, Temperature and Corrosion Resistance
- Improves Mechanical Properties with Increased Temperature Resistance up to 500-600 °C
- Conforms to the Chemistry Composition UNS R31538 of High Carbon CoCrMo Alloy
- Ensures Nickel-Free (< 0.1 % nickel content) Composition
- Fulfills Mechanical and Chemical Specifications of ISO 5832-4 & ASTM F75 for Cast CoCrMo Implant Alloys
Cobalt Chrome MP1 Applications
- High-Temperature Engineering Applications (e.g. turbines, medical implants)
Maraging Steel MS1
Maraging Steel MS1
Maraging steel MS1 is a martensite-hardenable steel. Its chemical composition corresponds to US classification 18% Ni Maraging 300, European 1.2709, and German X3NiCoMoTi 18-9-5. Maraging steel MS1 offers excellent strength and exceptional toughness. Parts are easy to polish and machine with CNC finishing processes. Parts can be hardened to more than 50 HRC. Maraging steel applications include tooling and high-performance parts.
Maraging Steel MS1 Properties
- Easy to Machine
- Age Hardening up to Approximately 54 HRC
- Good Thermal Conductivity
Maraging Steel MS1 Applications
- Series Injection Molding for High-Volume Production
- Tooling Applications (e.g., Aluminum Die Casting)
- High-Performance Parts
Stainless Steel GP1
Stainless Steel GP1
Stainless steel GP1 has a chemical composition that corresponds to US classification 17-4, European 1.4542 and German X5CrNiCuNb16-4. This type of steel has good mechanical properties and excellent ductility and is used in many engineering applications. This material is ideal for functional metal prototypes, small series products, individualized products and spare parts.
Stainless Steel GP1 Properties
- Good Mechanical Properties
- Excellent Ductility
Stainless Steel GP1 Applications
- Engineering Applications Including Functional Prototypes
- Small Series Products
- Individualized Products or Spare Parts
- Parts Requiring High Toughness and Ductility
Stainless Steel PH1
Stainless Steel PH1
Stainless steel PH1 conforms to the compositions of 15-5 PH, DIN 1.4540 and UNS S15500. It has excellent mechanical properties, especially in its precipitation-hardened state. Stainless steel PH1 is widely used in medical, aerospace and other engineering applications that require excellent hardness and strength. This material is ideal for building functional metal prototypes, small series products, individualized products or spare parts.
Stainless Steel PH1 Properties
- Very High Strength
- Easily Hardenable up to Approx. 45 HRC
Stainless Steel PH1 Applications
- Engineering Applications Including Functional Prototypes
- Small Series Products
- Individualized Products or Spare Parts
- Parts Requiring High Toughness and Hardness
Titanium Ti64
Titanium Ti64
Titanium Ti64 is a Ti6Al4V alloy. This light alloy has excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance combined with low specific weight and biocompatibility. The ELI version (extra-low interstitials) has very high purity. Titanium is good for aerospace, engineering applications and biomedical implants.
Titanium Ti64 Properties
- Light Weight with High Specific Strength Per Density
- Corrosion Resistance
- Biocompatibility
- Laser-Sintered Parts Fulfill Requirements of ASTM F1472 (for Ti6Al4V) and ASTM F136 (for Ti6Al4V ELI) Regarding Maximum Impurities
- Very Good Bio-Adhesion
Titanium Ti64 Applications
- Aerospace and Engineering Applications
- Biomedical Implants
Metal 3D Printing Finishing
Fathom offers multiple in-house options to help you finish your DMLS parts:
Abrasive Blast (Grit & Ceramic)
Abrasive blasting removes imperfections, rust and other contaminants from the surface of a part. It’s also used to prepare the surface of a part for coating. Abrasive blasting methods include micro-abrasive blasting, bristle blasting and bead blasting.
Shot Peen
Shot peening adds strength and reduces the stress profile of metal parts. Multiple shots are directed at its surface, causing deformation. This creates a compressive stress layer that protects the part and improves its durability.
Optical Polish
Optical polishing creates a micro-finish or super-finish on a surface for further processing. Optical polishing works well for parts with low production quantities and those that don’t have critical tolerances.
Electrochemical Polishing
Electrochemical polishing produces a mirror-like finish on metal surfaces. It’s sometimes used to prepare a metal part for additional finishing. The part is placed into an electrolytic solution next to a cathode. An electric current moves through the solution, transferring metal ions to the part. The coating material creates a smooth surface.
Abrasive Flow Machining
Abrasive flow machining de-burrs and polishes parts. Chemically inactive abrasive media polishes the surface of the part and removes unwanted material.
Electroplating
Electroplating adds a metal layer to the outside of a part, increasing its strength and durability. This process dissolves metal in an electrolytic solution and transfers it onto the surface of the part.
Micro Machining Process (MMP)
Micromachining produces a mirror-like finish while preserving the fine details of the part. The part is first mapped using a profile meter, which creates a roughness profile of its surfaces. The part is then moved to an MMP envelope where micro-milling cutters polish the part, removing irregularities.
Why Choose Fathom’s DMLS Metal 3D Printing Service?
Fathom has the expertise and technology to help you meet your needs faster.
Fathom is one of the largest contract manufacturers for DMLS printing. Our experienced engineers can guide you through the DFAM process. We can help you optimize your part designs for production.
We also offer a full suite of in-house post-processing services for DMLS parts.
Get a quote on your DMLS project today with our SmartQuote platform.
