SCANLAB
SCANLAB GmbH, a leading supplier of laser scan systems, helps mechanical engineers to develop new metal 3D printing systems by providing harmonious solution modules. These include laser scan systems as well as control solutions for efficient laser process development and effective production.
The company says that ultra-precise 3D printing results from the Fraunhofer ILT, which can be deployed on industrial machines using the new SCANmotionControl software, will be presented at Formnext 2023 in Frankfurt.
SCANLAB says that at the heart of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) machines for 3D printing of metal are the scan systems and their interaction with the laser. SCANLAB has been developing scan heads for 3D printing since the 1990s, and alongside the hardware components themselves, control systems have become increasingly important in recent years according to the company.
SCANLAB works with leading providers including Autodesk, Dyndrite, as well as Siemens in combination with Aixpath, to deliver harmonious solution modules to integrators. The company says this simplifies system development and significantly shortens the time to market for new laser processing machines.
The recently launched SCANmotionControl software makes it possible to synchronise the scan system, laser, and other peripheral equipment. The software calculates optimal trajectories for laser machining on the basis of predefined machining parameters, taking into account the physical limits of the scan head.
The energy input can be defined precisely, since speed and laser power are planned, simulated and adjusted synchronously. SCANLAB says that until now, the exact scan path had to be determined through experimentation. Thanks to the offline simulation of the trajectories, this can now be examined and optimised beforehand on the computer.
The company says this gives the process developer full control over the energy input at any position on the workpiece, and makes job planning far simpler and makes development times significantly shorter.
“With the use of SCANmotionControl, for example, we were able to avoid edge bulging on complex components – and not just in the lab. Using the software, the results can easily be applied to an industrial scale,” said Dr. Tobias Pichler, Process & Systems Engineering, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT.
SCANLAB says the new software allows users to achieve optimum machining results with minimum laser-off times. The scan systems fiberSYS, excelliSCAN, and intelliSCAN IV are ready for SCANmotionControl.
SCANLAB will be at Formnext 2023 in Frankfurt in hall 12.0, stand D12.
Read more: Scanning solutions provider SCANLAB to showcase laser process control innovations