ExOne introduces S-MAX Pro for industrial sand 3D printing
The company has also partnered with Siemens, integrating its Digital Enterprise portfolio
Binder jet 3D printing company ExOne has today unveiled its latest industrial sand 3D printer: the S-MAX Pro, which boasts improved print speeds, reliability and precision. In addition to the 3D printer, the company has also announced a partnership with Siemens that it says will benefit its industrial customers in the foundry, aerospace, automotive and energy markets, among others.
S-MAX Pro
The S-MAX Pro 3D printer was designed for both prototyping and industrial series production and is characterized by its box-in-box system configuration. This design enables 24/7 operation in chains of interconnected facilities, bringing ExOne a step closer to the goal of fully automated, scalable production lines.
The new 3D printer is reportedly capable of achieving print speeds of up to 135 l/hr (or 18 s/layer), meaning that it can produce two full 1,800 x 1,000 x 700 mm jobs with a volume of 1,260 L in just 24 hours. The machine’s print rates make it significantly faster than its predecessor, the S-MAX, which has a maximum throughput of 85 L/h.
Compared to ExOne’s other sand 3D printing systems, the S-MAX Pro also integrates a number of new features, including an enhanced and more efficient print head and a fully automated recoater. The machine also makes replacing the molding material a simple and easy process, facilitating the production of complex parts with various casting materials.
The industrial sand 3D printing system also integrates an updated control system that improves machine operation significantly through cloud connectivity and Industry 4.0 integration capabilities. Users can also easily and remotely monitor their print jobs thanks to an inline process and machine monitoring system.
“This is an exciting time for ExOne,” commented John Hartner, CEO of ExOne. “With the recent release of our X1 25PRO 3D metal printer, and now the launch of our new S-MAX Pro 3D industrial sand printer, ExOne is delivering leading-edge 3D binder jetting technology solutions to a broad range of industries and applications around the world.”
The new 3D printer is being showcased this week at the 2019 GIFA International Foundry Trade Fair in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Siemens partnership
Through its partnership with Siemens, ExOne is fully implementing the latter’s Digital Enterprise Portfolio of software and automation technology on the S-MAX Pro system.
“With this expanded partnership, ExOne will deliver even more value to our foundry and manufacturing customers who rely on our industrial 3D printers,” said Hartner. “We are proud to be the first industrial 3D printer to fully integrate the latest of Siemens control, sensing and motion technologies and this new MindSphere technology, which will give our customers a new level of control and plant integration.”
Siemens’ Digital Enterprise portfolio consists of integrated hardware, software and services. For ExOne, the partnership with Siemens will enable it to leverage the benefits of Industry 4.0, including Digital Twin technology.
Additionally, the ExOne App “3D Live” runs on MindSphere, Siemens’ open cloud-based IoT operating system. This allows for machine data and other information to be analyzed in real time. For example, ExOne users can easily identify anomalies to improve maintenance and repair activities resulting in reduced machine downtime.
Dr. Karsten Heuser, Vice President of Additive Manufacturing at Siemens Digital Industries, added: “We are proud to further strengthen our partnership with ExOne and advance the industrialization of additive manufacturing. Siemens brings new digital technologies and its profound industrial domain knowhow to help ExOne generate further value. The new ExOne S-Max Pro 3D printer proves that seamlessly integrated software and automation solutions result in shorter time to market, higher performance and maximum availability.”
