The Timeliness of Cold Metal Fusion: Low-Cost SLS Machines Can Make High-Value Metal Parts
Cold Metal Fusion is the process for tricking a polymer selective laser sintering (SLS) machine into making metal parts. On Manufacturing Unlimited, we visit the U.S. licensee for the process.
Cold Metal Fusion is a process for tricking a polymer selective laser sintering (SLS) machine into making metal parts.
The process was developed by Headmade Materials. CADmore Metal is the agent for the process working to develop applications for it in North America. We paid a visit to CADmore Metal for the lastest episode of Manufacturing Unlimited, sponsored by the International Conference on Advanced Manufacturing (ICAM), where CADmore Metal’s John Calhoun (pictured below) has presented this technology.
The process is timely. SLS is a well-established polymer additive manufacturing process, and small low-cost SLS machines have recently come to market from various providers. The Cold Metal Fusion process, which is like metal injection molding (MIM) without a mold, uses a binder (like in MIM) to shape the part until debinding and sintering make the metal part fully dense. The process’s demands from the machine are low, so SLS machines at all levels can be used to make metal parts with this process. CADmore currently uses larger SLS machines from XYZprinting (visible in the first of the two photos above) and smaller machines from Formlabs and Sinterit (partly visible with John and me in the second photo) to make production metal parts, primarily in titanium.
The machines run in a kitchen. That was one of the discoveries upon visiting. Calhoun says CADmore Metal launched so fast, it was short on time to find a space. A former industrial kitchen was available. The space proved to be fitting for this process, which has relatively simple workflow and handling needs. Learn more in the episode: