Renishaw TEMPUS tech reduces metal AM build times up to 50%

British engineering company Renishaw launched a new tech solution that will substantially increase build speeds for its RenAM 500 series metal 3D printers. The new technology, called TEMPUS, can unlock up to 50% faster print speeds without compromising part quality. Existing customers of Renishaw’s RenAM 500 series can now integrate TEMPUS as a paid-for upgrade.

TEMPUS technology works by enabling the printer’s lasers to sinter at the same time as the powder recoater moves. This effectively shaves off up to nine seconds of build time for every layer—with many builds consisting of thousands of layers, users are looking at hours, if not tens of hours saved. The patented technology allows for seamless communication between hardware and software components, which in turn ensures that the lasers and recoater are perfectly synchronized.

Notably, this approach to speeding up metal prints does not influence part quality. This is due to the use of sophisticated scanning algorithms, which sequence layer data to maximize productivity while maintaining print quality. Renishaw does disclose that TEMPUS is more suited for certain geometries, such as parts with thin vertical features, but reassures that the upgrade can benefit all types of parts. 

In addition to launching TEMPUS as a paid-on upgrade for existing RenAM 500 systems, Renishaw has also introduced the RenAM 500 Ultra, which is pre-equipped with TEMPUS and comes with advanced process monitoring software. This, of course, is in addition to other features present in other RenAM 500 machines, such as high powered lasers (either one in the 500S or four in the 500Q) and automated powder and waste handling systems. The RenAM 500 Ultra is now available to order.

“The dominant contributing factor to part cost for most components today is the time spent building the part on the machine itself,” said Louise Callanan, Director of Additive Manufacturing at Renishaw. “That’s why we’re excited to bring TEMPUS technology and the new RenAM 500 Ultra system to the marke. We believe the time and cost savings that both TEMPUS technology and the RenAM 500 Ultra system bring will open AM up to mass production applications where the technology would previously have been unviable.”

Renishaw has also signed an exclusive partnership agreement with Alloyed, a metal component specialist which has been using TEMPUS technology since 2021. The partners will be focused on the use of metal AM in consumer electronics and computing applications.