Desktop Metal Qualifies 316l Stainless Steel for High-Volume Manufacturing

The Production System platform enables printing this heavy industry fluid connector in 316L stainless steel as a single, consolidated component and can support a throughput of nearly 5,500 parts per week.

Desktop Metal has qualified the use of 316L stainless steel for its Production System platform, which leverages patent-pending Single Pass Jetting (SPJ) technology designed to achieve some of the fastest build speeds in the metal additive manufacturing (AM) market.

Known for its corrosion resistance and excellent mechanical properties at extreme temperatures, 316L stainless steel is well suited for applications in demanding conditions, such as parts exposed to marine or pharmaceutical processing environments, food preparation equipment, medical devices and surgical tooling. It also exhibits excellent weldability by standard fusion and resistance methods, the company says.

“With 316L on the Production System P-50, businesses will now be able to leverage additive manufacturing to produce complex, end-use parts suitable for use in harsh environments at volumes and costs competitive with conventional manufacturing,” says Jonah Myerberg, Desktop Metal co-founder and CTO.

Through extensive testing, the Desktop Metal materials science team has validated that 316L stainless steel printed on Production System technology and sintered by Desktop Metal meets MPIF 35 standards for structural powder metallurgy parts set by the Metal Powder Industries Federation. The company says that parts printed with 316L have demonstrated excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, while significantly decreasing production time and part cost.

One test involved rocker arms that are used to open and close intake and exhaust valves on an outboard marine engine. The use of 316L extended the part’s life and provided corrosion resistance against harsh saltwater environments. Manufacturing on the Production System P-50 enabled the production of more than a thousand parts per day with ribbing features and cutouts to deliver adequate strength and stiffness while maintaining low weight and a small footprint versus the standard cast alternatives, which require up to 8 to 14 weeks lead time.