Digital Metal® offers 3D printing with low-alloy steel
Digital Metal® adds DM 4140, low-alloy steel powder, to its binder jetting printing system, creating new opportunities and greater design freedom for components exposed to high loads.
Low-alloy steel components, manufactured with Metal Injection Molding (MIM), have been used in general engineering and automotive manufacturing since the early 1980s. Its strength, toughness, and resistance to deformation during quenching has made DM 4140 a popular grade.
In collaboration with Hyundai Motors, Digital Metal developed and certified DM 4140, low-alloy steel powder, in order to manufacture gearbox Control Fingers using binder jetting. By adding carbon-steel to their metal binder jetting technology, Digital Metal® has expanded their offer of tool-less design freedom, short lead times, and potential weight savings. DM 4140 is ideal for components in automotive, consumer goods, and industrial applications, which are exposed to high loads.
The material is printed with an ink that is commonly used for other steel and nickel-based alloys, although the process has been modified and optimized to reach properties that are consistent with MIM standards (ISO22068). By alternatively applying quenching and subsequent tempering treatment in an as-sintered state, tensile properties may be tuned toward application requirements.
Common applications
DM 4140 is an ideal grade for components exposed to high loads, such as gear wheels, connecting rods, fasteners, couplings, gears, belt pulleys and shafts.
Control Finger for automotive gear boxes, binder jetting printed with DM 4140, in green state.
DM 4140 supplements a wide range of materials
DM 4140 is the latest addition to our binder jetting system. Other materials in the range include: pure copper DM Cu, 316L and 17-4PH stainless steel, DM D2 tool steel, the superalloys DM 625 (equivalent to Inconel 625), DM 718 (equivalent to Inconel 718) and DM 247 (equivalent to MAR M247), and Titanium Ti6Al4V.
With a minor adjustment to curing conditions, DM 4140 is also available as a turnkey solution for customers who already have Digital Metal® systems processing other steels and superalloys.
About Digital Metal®
Digital Metal® is the world’s first company to commercialize industrial high-precision 3D metal printers for the mass production of components with advanced geometries.
Digital Metal’s proprietary binder jetting technology enables the production of highly complex objects with superior surface finish and repeatable accuracy, which is not possible with competing technologies. In addition to developing, manufacturing and selling printers, we also offer small-volume or mass-production printing services. Many of the world’s leading Aerospace, Automotive, Industrial, MedTech, Energy, Luxury and Academic companies are numbered among our customers. Millions of parts have been produced, a substantial quantity of them in mass production at our plant in Sweden
Digital Metal® was founded in 2003, and is headquartered in Southern Sweden. The company is part of the Höganäs Group (founded in 1797), the world’s largest metal powder producer. Read more at www.digitalmetal.tech or www.linkedin.com/company/digital-metal.