Metal additive manufacturing / SLM metal printing

Selective laser melting (SLM metal printing) is the future of additive manufacturing with metal. Until now, SLM metal printing was considered a rather cost-intensive process. However, ever faster systems with ever greater metal production capacities are visibly increasing productivity. This reduces the manufacturing costs for 3D printed metal or SLM parts.

Advantages of SLM metal printing
In technical terms, SLM offers a number of significant advantages compared to machining: It saves time, offers significantly greater design freedom and enables lightweight constructions as well as the integration of a wide range of functions. FKM is an experienced 3D printing metal service provider and combines the advantages of SLM manufacturing with its own strengths in the areas of process expertise, design and parameterization. In conjunction with the large 3D printing metal production capacities, this offers important advantages for customers with every 3D printing order:

• Higher process speed, faster production
• Smart support structure concepts
• Broad portfolio of post-processing technologies
• Production of ready-to-install spare parts or series parts
• Overall falling unit costs

With currently 16 SLM machines, we realize more than 2,500 orders per year. We are continuously investing in new production facilities and are thus constantly expanding our production capacities for 3D metal printing.

As a long-standing and reliable supplier to the industry, FKM consistently relies on the latest system technology for additive manufacturing and a large machine park. In order to offer economically optimized SLM metal printing, the systems are tailored to different requirements in terms of size and material usage. Small machines are ideal for the economical SLM metal printing of express components in a short time. The medium-sized and large SLM metal printing systems, including those with multiple lasers, are optimized in terms of speed and performance. The large 3D printing systems are also used in particular for 3D printing jobs with large components – individual parts or series parts. This flexible machine portfolio not only shortens the production times of 3D printed metal parts, but also allows us to reduce the amount of material used while maintaining reproducible product quality.

Depending on requirements, we realize classic and machining post-processing and surface technologies. As an all-inclusive 3D metal printing service provider, we smooth, polish and harden components so that we can supply our customers with fully functional prototypes as well as ready-to-install series parts and spare parts.

In order to realize all additive manufacturing orders efficiently and economically, we work with intelligently controlled project planning. As a 3D metal printing service provider, this enables us to process orders particularly quickly and flexibly. We combine different components made from the same material and reduce costs by making better use of the installation space. This means that our prices are not only particularly competitive, but in many cases also cheaper than in-house production. In addition, we can guarantee short response times, maximum transparency and 100% adherence to delivery dates and deadlines, even for complex special parts and tight schedules.

The precision and exact reproducibility of 3D-printed metal blanks requires the machinery used to be in optimum condition at all times. To ensure this, we work with a preventive maintenance concept for the machines and experienced specialists in machine operation. They continuously calibrate the process parameters, replace wearing parts as a preventative measure and carry out constant cleaning of the installation space. In addition, we continuously print test specimens, which we measure, and readjust the machines if necessary. This quality assurance process is documented using SPC (Statistical Process Control).