Dual-galvanometer dual-laser metal 3D printing, FastForm raised 5 million yuan in angel round financing

Antarctic Bear: FASTFORM 3D's independently developed large-scale metal 3D printer with dual galvanometers and dual lasers using a powder bed has been successfully launched. The core founders are Dr. Li Shuai from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Dr. Chen Zhichao from Loughborough University in the UK, and former Nokia engineer Li Weidong. It has currently received a RMB 5 million angel investment from Sanlei (additive and subtractive composite all-in-one machine).

At the 2017 Hangzhou China Additive Manufacturing Conference, Antarctic Bear saw FASTFORM 3D's dual laser metal 3D printer.

According to Lieyun.com, FASTFORM 3D, which focuses on 3D printing technology and hardware research and development, has completed an angel round of financing of 5 million yuan, and the investor is Sanlei Technology Co., Ltd.

3D printing is an emerging term that has emerged with Industry 4.0. 3D printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing technology, is a technology that uses three-dimensional digital models to create physical objects by adding raw materials such as powder, filament or liquid layer by layer. As a disruptive innovation technology in the manufacturing industry, 3D printing technology is gradually becoming a focus area for countries around the world to seize the commanding heights of future manufacturing.

FASTFORM 3D Technology Co., Ltd. was established in April 2016. Its main business is the development, sales, service and sales of 3D printing technology and hardware, as well as 3D printing consumables. Half a year after the company was established, its independently developed large-scale metal 3D printer with dual galvanometers and dual lasers using powder bed was successfully launched. The equipment is based on the SLM technology of powder bed (a type of metal 3D printing technology), using high-energy laser beams to melt thin layers of powder layer by layer. Because the laser beam spot used in the SLM process is small, the precision error of the formed parts is ≤0.1mm, and high-performance and precise metal parts can be directly formed, which has outstanding advantages in the manufacture of complex parts in the fields of aerospace, molds, personalized medicine and automobiles.

In April this year, a customer contacted FASTFORM 3D to help print a satellite structure hardware, requiring it to be one-sixth lighter than the original product. After repeated research and multiple sample printings, the finished product provided by FASTFORM 3D met the customer's requirements. "Using this printing technology to print some load-bearing structures of the satellite has reduced the weight of the entire satellite by three to five kilograms. The launch cost of one kilogram is two hundred thousand yuan. In this way, we have saved nearly one million yuan in launch costs for our clients," said Li Shuai, the company's head.

The highlights of this dual-laser dual-galvanometer large-scale metal 3D printer are:

1. Hardware highlights
The forming size is large, the maximum building size is 500×400×300mm, and it can print aerospace molds. High precision, precision error ≤2 microns. Fast forming, dual lasers work simultaneously, and the forming efficiency is increased by more than 50%. The system self-check function displays the machine operation status at any time.

2. Self-developed control system and software
The software can realize the automatic increase, change and distribution layout of model support; intelligent powder control system, add powder when lacking, and can realize unattended operation; intelligent graphic detection, identify printing defects.

3. Safety protection
Automatic shutdown function, automatic shutdown in case of failure; the laser cannot be started when the hatch is open.

Printer Specifications

In terms of operating model, FASTFORM 3D currently adopts the B2B model, providing five major services for B-side enterprises: software authorization, equipment sales, consumables sales, technology development and printing services.

Li Shuai, the head of the company, introduced to Lieyun that since the company was established not long ago, the company's main business is to provide printing services for B-side enterprises. As the company's scale continues to expand, it will successively carry out other four major services in the future.

According to the data provided by FASTFORM 3D, the products produced by the company through 3D printers are currently mainly used in aerospace, biomedicine, automotive molds, personalized customization, etc., among which industrial molds have the largest sales volume, accounting for about 70% of the total sales volume. The charging standard for each finished product is 7-10 yuan/gram. Since it was put into production in February this year, the company's total sales have been about 700,000 yuan. In the future, the company also has plans for whole machine sales, and it is expected that the unit price of each 3D printer will be about 2-3 million yuan/unit.