AddUp FormUp 350 Evolution
The trend for large-scale metal 3D printing continues as AddUp announces the launch of its new laser powder bed fusion machine designed for printing parts up to 1-metre tall.
The metal additive manufacturing (AM) company’s latest hardware, the FormUp 350 Evolution, is a variant of and maintains all characteristics from its FormUp 350 New Generation system launched in 2021.
The FormUp 350 Evolution features a larger build envelope of 350 x 350 x 1000 mm, 185% larger than its predecessor, and according to a press release, ‘an architecture focused on reducing non-productive time.’ This includes a removable build chamber which allows builds to be preserved in an inert environment to guarantee part quality and powder reuse, meaning cooling and vacuuming to be carried out as a background task while a new chamber is placed inside the machine to immediately start the next job.
The company, created by French groups Michelin and Fives, says this expanded print volume will open up applications in aeronautics, space, defense, and energy sectors for large, single-component structures in combustion chambers, aircraft structural elements, missile bodies, and large-capacity heat exchangers.
Additional features inherited from the FormUp 350 Evolution include the choice of a roller or scraper recoating device and a number of lasers, up to 4,500W each, along with a 3-axis laser scanner capable of reaching every point on the build plate. All laser and build chamber parameters are completely open for optimisation.
Further safety features include autonomous powder and fume filtration modules that prevent the exposure of toxic or explosive substances, and help maintain powder properties over the course of several production runs.
The trend for large-scale additive manufacturing was reflected at this year's Formnext where companies like SLM Solutions debuted new hardware with build volumes extended to 1.5m in the Z-axis (and later teased a further system promising up to double that), and by many wire arc additive manufacturing-based companies such as WAAM3D and Meltio showing monolithic parts in a range of materials.
