On the coronary heart of a number of the most essential 3D printers within the additive manufacturing (AM) business are subsystem makers who empower these printers to do what they do. With out the businesses that make digital mild processing (DLP) mild engines, we wouldn’t have the Carbons and Desktop Metals of the world. Amongst them is VISITECH, the Norwegian pioneer of DLP methods whose know-how is driving the vat photopolymerization area ahead.
3DPrint.com not too long ago had the chance to sit down down with Alfred Jacobsen, Managing Director of VISITECH Engineering GmbH, to find out about what the corporate plans to showcase at Formnext 2023.
VISITECH’s True 4K Mild Engine
As VISITECH rolls out quite a few thrilling applied sciences, resembling scrolling and 8K projectors, it’s additionally within the midst of launching its new NEOS platform. Underneath the brand new NEOS label, VISITECH has bundled all seven of its DLP mild engine methods for AM, which now embody quite a few novel platforms, in addition to upgrades to current DLP methods.
The LUXBEAM® LRS-MCx 4K mild engine.
Maybe most notably, the corporate has launched its new LUXBEAM® LRS-MCx 4K mild engine, which guarantees to double the additive manufacturing capability of DLP methods. Breaking down the numbers, this interprets to a staggering 8 million native pixels embedded inside the engine’s DMD. The place when you might need wanted 4 mild engines to ship 8,000 pixels width, with the LRS-MCX 4K, simply two suffice.
This streamlining has important operational advantages. With fewer engines, calibration and alignment—particularly in methods the place engines are stacked in a scrolling system—turn out to be easier and extra environment friendly. Moreover, with the upper pixel rely, seamless side-by-side stacking of engines is feasible even at a finer pixel pitch of 25 microns, a stark enchancment from the 50 microns sometimes achieved with HD DMDs. The direct final result? A possible for much more exact 3D printed components.
A number of LUXBEAM® LRS-MCx 4K mild engines in a scrolling structure.
Jacobsen famous that it already has clients in line, eagerly awaiting the models for implementation and prototyping, emphasizing the excessive demand. Apparently, the LRS-MCX 4K has additionally broadened horizons for individuals who might need earlier been hesitant about scrolling, significantly within the industrial phase. Jacobsen mentioned that whereas the brand new product initially has a explicit demand from these involved in ceramic 3D printing, curiosity for polymers is growing as nicely.
Mild Engine Improve
Initially, mild engines utilized in additive manufacturing had been operated as soon as a day or as soon as per week. However because the sector has matured, most of VISITECH’s merchandise have discovered functions in 24/7 operational settings. “We’ve up to date our merchandise and streamlined them to ascertain as many frequent parts as potential,” Jacobsen mentioned.
The NEOS line of projectors from VISITECH.
In flip, a key focus of the NEOS platform is its robustness, permitting for constant efficiency even in demanding circumstances. Included into the NEOS platform are the corporate’s high-powered proprietary Gen5 UV LED sources. The brand new mild sources increase the facility output by 20-30%, providing each longer lifespans and sooner cycle instances.
Not solely have the sunshine sources been upgraded, however Visitech has integrated superior liquid-cooling methods and clear air filters. These enhancements not solely promise sturdiness but in addition drastically scale back the necessity for upkeep, guaranteeing that manufacturing strains run smoother, and downtime turns into a rarity. All of that is meant to permit uninterrupted 24/7 manufacturing operations in a number of the harshest industrial environments.
“When taking a look at higher-power LED mild sources, we’re reaching the boundaries of air-cooled methods. These are largely constrained by the cooling capability of their our bodies and the scale of their followers, which we attempt to hold as small as potential to keep up an affordable field dimension. Consequently, most merchandise are actually shifting in direction of liquid cooling, a transition we initiated a while in the past.”
VISITECH has additionally transitioned to FPGA-based, versus low-latency video-based, management methods throughout its vary. Because of this the software program platform, often known as LUXBEAM® Additive Manufacturing Software (LAMA), is now uniform throughout all its merchandise, as nicely.
“Initially designed for scrolling merchandise, LAMA is now additionally a staple in our static mild engines. This software program is optimized for additive manufacturing, guaranteeing seamless communication between the sunshine engine and the 3D printing machine,” Jacobsen mentioned. The usual LAMA software program comes free, with specialised options out there within the LAMA Professional model for these requiring extra superior functionalities.
One other essential overhaul within the NEOS platform is the uniform adoption of industrial-standard Ethernet interfaces for each information and communication. This transfer has phased out different information feeds like HDMI and show port. This permits VISITECH to implement universally useful options, resembling security switches and safety measures, on prime of guaranteeing that the right picture is displayed.
Introducing LRS Compact and LRS Compact Plus
Additional increasing its product line, VISITECH can also be introducing two new models focused in direction of the skilled market phase, the LRS Compact and LRS Compact Plus. Whereas the corporate’s different merchandise are geared at industrial manufacturing, these models are designed to be cost-efficient whereas providing superior efficiency.
The LRS Compact projector.
The principle distinction between the LRS Compact and LRS Compact Plus lies of their meant functions. The LRS Compact is designed for resolution-sensitive implementations, resembling dental work that requires excessive pixel accuracy. The LRS Compact Plus, alternatively, is extra geared in direction of functions like aligners that demand greater productiveness however will not be as essential when it comes to precision.
“These merchandise supply extra value effectivity and superior efficiency with an optimized value of possession, thanks partly to the free LAMA software program and a typical platform. Each models even have an optimized field dimension, making them probably the most compact wide-queue industrial projectors in the marketplace, appropriate even for skilled desktop functions,” mentioned Jacobsen.
Jacobsen famous that VISITECH’s entrance into the skilled phase was in pushed partly by demand from clients. Producers who depend on VISITECH’s DLPs for industrial 3D printing have turned to the Norwegian agency as soon as extra as they broaden their very own product ranges to focus on lower-cost segments.
Formnext 2023
For these eager on seeing the know-how firsthand, VISITECH shall be showcasing it at Formnext 2023, Sales space C68 in corridor 11.1. There, attendees can have interaction in insightful discussions with product consultants, expertise demos, and achieve a deeper understanding of how the NEOS platform can redefine their manufacturing processes.
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