Exclusive interview | Dr. Li Shuai, founder of FASTFORM: Exploring the innovative path of metal 3D printing

The following article comes from Keplin Optoelectronics , written by Xiao Kai
Recently, China's Chang'e-6 spacecraft successfully landed on the back of the moon and returned with lunar soil , once again achieving a great feat in human exploration of the universe. As the construction of the future international lunar scientific research station gradually moves from a dream to a reality, 3D printing technology, one of the core technologies, has attracted much attention , including not only the lunar soil 3D printing base , but also the metal laser 3D printing used for the first flight of the Chang-5 rocket .

Laser 3D printing, also known as metal additive manufacturing, has become an important part of high-end manufacturing based on its advantages of flexible design, short development cycle, high printing accuracy, high material utilization, excellent performance, and especially suitable for complex structural components . Today, with the rapid development of science and technology, 3D printing technology has penetrated into all aspects of life from small-scale development to large-scale application. Recently, we interviewed Dr. Li Shuai, founder and CEO of  Fastform (Jiangsu) 3D Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as FASTFORM) , and had an in-depth exchange and study on laser 3D printing technology, industry trends and development characteristics .

Li Shuai, founder and CEO of Fastform(Jiangsu) 3D Technology Co., Ltd.
Adhere to integrated innovation

Leading a new round of industrial application revolution

3D printing technology, which originated in the 1980s, breaks through the limitations of traditional equal-material and subtractive manufacturing. It uses digital printing to realize the manufacturing of complex structural three-dimensional entities, bringing disruptive innovation to the manufacturing industry .

Universities and research institutes at home and abroad have taken the lead in exploring 3D printing technology. With the continuous advancement of technology, aerospace has put forward higher requirements for components with extreme characteristics such as super load-bearing, extreme heat dissipation, and lightweight. Metal 3D printing technology can not only process refractory metals and alloys , but also produce large-sized, thin-walled, high-density and lightweight parts . More importantly, it can also produce complex metal parts that are difficult or even impossible to process with traditional processes, such as thin-walled complex structures, special-shaped curved surfaces, complex flow channel structures, lattice structures, heat dissipation structures, and multi-functional integrated components .

Fastform makes 3D printed metal prototypes

Amid the industrial upsurge, FASTFORM came into being in 2016. It quickly emerged with the profound 3D printing technology accumulation of Li Shuai and Chen Zhichao, the first batch of domestic 3D printing Ph.D.s. The two founders studied under Professor Shi Yusheng from the additive manufacturing research group of Huazhong University of Science and Technology , which laid a solid foundation for the company's technological innovation . In 2021, FASTFORM relocated to Yancheng, Jiangsu, focusing on the research, development and manufacturing of metal selective laser melting (SLM) equipment . The company has always adhered to the equipment development concept of deep integration of software and technology. Through continuous software iteration and process optimization, it has not only achieved the localization of parts and components, but also greatly improved the efficiency of 3D printing.

FASTFORM 3D ​​Manufacturing Company

Dr. Li Shuai said that fastform takes software algorithms as its core competitiveness, independently masters software core algorithms, structural design and control procedures, uses software to define manufacturing, and is committed to creating an open cooperation platform for metal additive manufacturing. The company's independently developed slicing algorithm and control software have achieved many disruptive designs and innovations, meeting the customized needs of different industries for 3D printing equipment. In terms of hardware, FASTFORM has launched a series of industrial-grade metal additive manufacturing equipment, providing efficient and reliable solutions for aerospace, dental medicine, industrial mold and other industries.

Over the years, Fastform has been adhering to the innovation of software, hardware and process integration . By optimizing software algorithms, improving processes and overall machine design, it has achieved a significant increase in printing efficiency and a significant reduction in equipment costs . In addition, we continue to optimize the after-sales service system to ensure customers have a smooth experience during use.

With its strong comprehensive strength, FASTFORM has made SLM metal 3D printing a tool for industrial large-scale mass production and manufacturing, and has achieved remarkable results in many fields such as 3C consumer electronics, shoe molds, and oral dentures . As of now, fastform has shipped more than 1,000 units. Its market share of new metal SLM equipment will be at the forefront of the market in 2023, and its new market share of SLM dental equipment will rank first. Among them, the dental equipment M140C has a daily printing capacity of more than 1,000 dentures.

A new chapter in colluding with 3D printing for domestic substitution

In the fiercely competitive 3D printing market, how does FASTFORM maintain its technological leadership and market competitiveness? Dr. Li Shuai said that the company always adheres to innovation as its core driving force and continues to achieve upgrades and breakthroughs in software algorithms, equipment performance, and application expansion to ensure continued technological leadership.

At the level of technological innovation, fastform pays particular attention to close cooperation with upstream enterprises in the industry chain. Taking lasers as an example, US Lightspeed Manufacturing has very high requirements for the performance, service and market reputation of lasers. During the cooperation with Kepling, Kepling lasers have achieved excellent results in terms of spot size, beam quality and stability. It meets the industry requirements for metal 3D printing, and Keplin laser has corresponding advantages in terms of increasing processing speed and miniaturization.

In particular, the BWT Lightning 500W fiber laser has become a powerful assistant for fastform to improve production efficiency and product quality due to its stable performance. For example, FASTFORM 3D's M420 equipment can integrate up to eight Lightning 500W single-mode fiber lasers, which not only greatly improves production efficiency, but also effectively saves equipment space .

Of course, it is not smooth sailing for domestic laser companies to replace domestically produced 3D printing. Among them, timely response to services and continuous upgrading and iteration of technology are particularly important . At present, Keplin has a production base in Suqian, Jiangsu. The after-sales service is very timely and can quickly solve various problems encountered by customers. It basically achieves a high-speed after-sales service channel of 1 minute response, 3 hours door-to-door, and 6 hours troubleshooting !

Fastform makes golden dragon handicrafts printed using Keplin Lightning 500W fiber laser

In terms of global market layout, fastform is accelerating the pace of internationalization. Overseas sales account for nearly 30%, and are exported to Europe, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and other regions. Currently, although the technical level of domestic 3D printing equipment continues to approach the international level , market dominance is still in the hands of overseas brands. With the accelerated implementation of the domestic substitution strategy, domestic 3D printing companies need to achieve closer collaboration with industry chain partners in key links such as lasers, software, and equipment to jointly promote the global popularization and application of 3D printing technology.