St. Paul, MN (March 27, 2018) — Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc. announces the planned exhibition of the Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 Metal Laser Sintering Hybrid Milling Machine at AMERIMOLD 2018, the annual tradeshow for the business development, best practices and networking interests of the plastic injection mold manufacturing industry.
The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 metal laser sintering hybrid milling machine is a powder bed metal AM platform with subtractive machining capability. The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 combines selective laser sintering (SLS) along with high speed milling (HSM) commonly called Hybrid AM.
The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 relies on one-machine, one-process manufacturing of complex molds and parts by fusing metal laser sintering (3D SLS) technology with high speed milling technology. The Hybrid technology creates a “finished” part with machined surface finish and accuracy, without inducing the additional variation caused by multiple machine set-ups and part handling. The machine enables production of complicated parts and molds through total manufacturing by digital engineering, using 3D data.
“The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 achieves the highest accuracy in part fabrication since metal powders are melted and sintered via laser, while surfaces are precisely milled at high speeds,” said Tom Houle, Director, LUMEX, NA, Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc.
3D cooling channels can be incorporated into molds in the single setup, thereby increasing cooling efficiency and enabling high-cycle injection molding with better than ever quality and precision, reducing costs and improving efficiency.
The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 serves predominantly the high value, high accuracy mold and die market. Dies and molds with complex geometries can be fabricated in one piece with high accuracy, shortening lead time and reducing manufacturing costs by as much as a third over conventional machining technology.
Matsuura’s cutting-edge technology is transformative in today’s world of 3D Metal Additive Manufacturing. With Matsuura’s combination of best-in-class CNC Milling and high speed Direct Laser Melting, Matsuura has fundamentally revolutionized the AM marketplace. Matsuura’s unique combination of technology platforms enables the production of parts and component geometries in a method that has never been possible nor imagined.
Original parts and geometries with internal structures, previously impossible to manufacture, are achievable on the Avance-25.
“Instead of starting from a block or some other traditional geometric shape, with the Matsuura LUMEX, the designer now can begin with a blank page and “grow” their designs for lightest weight, sleekest design and most efficient use of material. The Matsuura LUMEX permits freedom of design never seen in the manufacturing world,” Houle added.
The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 technology also shortens lead times and reduces manufacturing costs to a half or even a third of conventional methods.
“Unlike traditional sinter only machines, where the work piece is built in space, with the Matsuura LUMEX hybrid technology, our work piece is built in relation to a coordinate system. The user can remove the work piece from the machine and perform additional operations to the in-process build. Then, the user can resume the build where it was interrupted. The Matsuura Lumex also provides a machined surface on internal structures of the work piece, which is not possible in two separate machines,” Houle explained.
The use of the term, “sintering” is a generic description of the process that most Metal AM machines use. The technology utilized in the Matsuura LUMEX series is more accurately described as Powder Bed Fusion with “selective laser melting.” For the Hybrid technology, this machine configuration provides the most benefits and allows the user to capitalize on the unique features that can be created with the Matsuura LUMEX Hybrid.
The Matsuura LUMEX technology complements the milling process by utilizing Powder Bed Fusion. This technology provides excellent stability and repeatability, which allows the machine to know where in the coordinate system the build is taking place and maintain the overall accuracy of the completed part.
The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 is capable of processing parts and molds up to 256 mm x 256 mm x 185 mm with an option allowing processing of 256 mm × 256 mm × 300 mm. The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 serves predominantly the high value, high accuracy mold and die market. Dies and molds with very complex geometries can be fabricated in one piece with high accuracy, shortening lead time and reducing manufacturing costs to a half or even a third of conventional methods.
The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 achieves the highest accuracy in part fabrication since metal powders are melted and sintered via laser, while surfaces are precisely milled at high speeds. 3D cooling channels can be incorporated into molds in the single setup, thereby increasing cooling efficiency and enabling high-cycle injection molding with better than ever quality and precision, reducing costs and improving efficiency.
Differentiated original parts and mold production with internal structures, thus far considered impossible, are achievable on the Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25. The Matsuura LUMEX metal laser sintering hybrid milling machine is capable of quick turn production of custom parts and molds, whether prototypes or small production run parts and molds.
AMERIMOLD is the Event for Mold Manufacturing. Introduced as the MoldMaking Expo in 1999, the annual tradeshow addresses the business development, best practices and networking interests of the plastic injection mold manufacturing industry. Amerimold is owned and operated by 4th-generation, family-owned Gardner Business Media and is presented by MoldMaking Technology magazine, Plastics Technology magazine and Modern Machine Shop magazine. Amerimold attendees are owners, executives, engineers and managers at OEMs and contract manufacturers. Amerimold exhibitors are equipment suppliers, service providers and tool & mold makers.
AMERIMOLD will be held at the Suburban Collection Showplace, located at 46100 Grand River Ave in Novi, MI, June 13-14, 2018.
Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc., located in St. Paul, MN is the U.S. subsidiary of Matsuura Machinery Corporation in Japan. Since 1935, Matsuura has been the forerunner in designing innovative technology and manufacturing solutions to a variety of industries around the globe. Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc. delivers unmatched excellence in 5-axis, vertical, horizontal, linear motor, multi-tasking CNC machine tools and machines with a powder bed metal AM platform with machining capability. Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc. provides the service, applications and technical field support that have always been the Matsuura standard for business. For more information on Matsuura LUMEX products, contact: [email protected] or visit: www.matsuurausa.com.