EXBuild Blog

In Fall 2023, we launched FX10 as a next generation composite printer. We promised modularity, but didn’t specify what modularity meant. Now, we can clarify. The modularity we were promising was Metal FFF capability – making FX10 the first industrial printer capable of printing composite and metal parts. FX10 was designed from the ground up to bring this dual capability to customers. In this blog post, we’ll talk about what it took to create the first industrial metal and composite 3D printer, and what it means for you as a potential user.

As a business invests in 3D printing, owning multiple types of printers provides a significant edge. The combination of a Photocentric resin printer and a Markforged carbon fiber printer creates a dynamic production environment, enabling you to take on various challenges. Here’s why you should consider having both in your shop:

In the ever-evolving world of additive manufacturing, innovation often comes in the form of subtle but revolutionary breakthroughs. Meltio’s dual wire printhead technology is one such innovation, redefining the standard for material handling in 3D printing. Two independent wire feeds allow material to be deposited smoothly without compromising the integrity or quality of the print.

An interesting project came to EXBuild when a good customer picked up an old wheeler. They wanted to utilize the accessory racks on the wheeler. They just could not find any mating accessories they liked. We looked it over, listened to what they wanted, took a few measurements and  quoted this project.

The French Navy has already validated the use of Meltio’s patented additive manufacturing technology for actual offshore maneuvers. Recently, the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle required the help of Meltio’s technology to manufacture and repair stainless steel metal parts to continue the experimental phase of the Meltio M450 metal 3D printer.

Mark Two and Onyx Pro Turbo Print is a new 250 µm layer height print mode for Gen 2 Mark Two and Onyx Pro printers that results in print speed increases of up to 2x compared to 200 µm print settings. Print speeds up to two times faster means parts are delivered quicker, printer throughput is increased, and design iterations are completed sooner, resulting in more value and increased ROI.

Built to be the ultimate machine on the production floor, the ALTRA 280 is the answer for the most demanding applications for industries ranging from aerospace, military, and defense to automotive. It features top-of-the-line specs such as a fully enclosed high-temperature printing environment, up to four state-of-the-art DSX extruders, an open material system compatible with BigRep and third-party filaments, and a massive build volume making it a mighty production beast.

Awhile back we had a customer reach out asking us to help create a failure point in a part for a robotic application. At their facility they manufacture custom robotic lines that are manually loaded with dissimilar parts by operators. Occasionally a part fixture is loaded incorrectly, it would then cause a collision between part and robot arm or EOT. When this happened, it could lead to major downtime dependent on what collided. The operators had to wait while maintenance determined what was broken.  Then if we have the necessary parts and a service technician to repair it.

A few years ago I started watching machinists on YouTube and became enamored with the trade.  I enjoyed watching the process of slowly carving away material to make a part, it was very satisfying.  I also liked the idea of being able to make metal parts, so late last year I decided to turn my fascination into a hobby and I bought myself a used mini lathe.  Since the lathe is so small, any stock sticking out of the chuck more than half an inch starts to wobble.  

Every additive manufacturing company says that their latest product offering is “groundbreaking” and “revolutionary”, which can get a little tiresome and make it difficult to really understand if any AM technology will actually make a positive impact for your business. With the recent launch of the M600 from Meltio, the loft promises of a groundbreaking technology are still there, BUT I believe there are six unique aspects of this machine that will help it deliver real value for those who need to produce metal components.