Desktop Metal (DM), a global leader in Additive Manufacturing 2.0 technologies for mass production, has launched the all-new PureSinter™ Furnace for high-purity, one-run debinding and sintering of powder metal parts.

PureSinter is compatible with powder metal parts 3D printed with Additive Manufacturing (AM), such as Bound Metal Deposition® (BMD) and Binder Jetting (BJT) processes. Also, it suits traditional Metal Injection Molding (MIM) or Press and Sinter (PM) manufacturing methods.

For decades, the powder metal manufacturing industry has been challenged by sintering furnaces that are easily contaminated by hydrocarbons and other waste emitted by powdered metal parts. Particularly, this contamination builds up on walls and other surfaces inside the furnace. Also, it causes undesirable chemical reactions and furnace reliability complications that have long challenged powder metal manufacturers.

“Rather than trying to simply mitigate the factors that lead to poor performance in an all-in-one debinding and sintering furnace, we have eliminated them with an innovative all-new design,” said Ric Fulop, Founder and CEO of Desktop Metal.

“This is the first product from Desktop Metal aimed at manufacturers using both Additive Manufacturing and traditional manufacturing methods.

“We have put the PureSinter through a prolonged period of testing to rigorously verify our new design, and it has exceeded all expectations. PureSinter is an exemplary demonstration of the innovation for which Desktop Metal and our engineers are known. We believe this furnace will revolutionize sinter-based AM and the traditional furnace industry.”

All-New Furnace Design

In development for more than five years, PureSinter reinvents furnace design from the ground up. This aims to eliminate traditional furnace challenges with an all-new, patent-pending approach. Primarily, PureSinter features hot walls that prevent contamination buildup. It also has an airtight processing environment to ensure efficient waste exit and the highest levels of purity.

Additionally, PureSinter has undergone extensive testing. It shows little to no contamination or buildup inside the furnace, even after hundreds of runs. Consequently, PureSinter delivers the highest quality sintered parts, on par or better than premium furnaces with higher acquisition, energy utilization, and operating costs. Sintering with a high degree of confidence, even of titanium, without the complex preparations necessary with other furnaces is possible. PureSinter is Ti-Tested™ with excellent results.

The PureSinter furnace is compatible with all of DM’s metal printer platforms and binders. At present, the system is validated with 14 metal powder and DM binder combinations. Among them are stainless steels, tool steels, superalloys, and reactives. Additional material validations are in process.

PureSinter can reach a maximum temperature of 1,420°C. Additionally, it is qualified for use with a variety of processing gasses, including argon, nitrogen, forming gas, and air. The system also features a total of 17 fans and a pop-out ceiling vent for active, rapid, and consistent cooling as well as fast turnaround times. Importantly, PureSinter does not require cold walls with expensive water-cooling features. As experienced furnace users know, cold walls are collection points for debinding residue and contaminants.

With an oxygen-tight retort seal and an efficient cooling system, the PureSinter energy requirements offer a dramatic improvement over other state-of-the-art furnaces that it competes with on performance. Specifically, the electrical requirements are 200-220V, 40A; 380-415V, 20A, 3ph, 50/60hZ. With a maximum power draw of 15.2kW, PureSinter has a holding steady state power draw of approximately 7kW at 1420°C.

PureSinter also modernizes the experience of operating a furnace, with a vertical furnace design that offers an efficient footprint, an automated thermal hood lift, touchscreen controls, and unparalleled visibility inside the retort.

The Desktop Metal PureSinter Furnace, along with metal parts sintered in the PureSinter furnace, will be on display June 25-27 in Los Angeles at Rapid + TCT. This is North America’s largest additive manufacturing and industrial 3D printing event. Desktop Metal is at  Booth No. 2139 on the main promenade and will showcase a wide range of its AM 2.0 technologies for metal, polymers, and ceramics.

-06 June 2024-