Farsoon SRS Technology Reduces Number of Supports for Metal 3D Printing

Farsoon developed the SRS (Support Reduction System) technology to enable significantly fewer supports compared to the standard metal laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process for the production of complex metal structures. The SRS technology enables fabrication of inverted conical structures and horizontal circular holes with no support.

The company says the SRS innovation addresses one of the most challenging aspects of additive manufacturing (AM) — internal stress and deformation during the cooling phase of metal LPBF, which can lead to part failure, especially in overhanging structures.

Applicable for all Farsoon metal LPBF platforms, the SRS technology successfully forms inverted conical structures with a 20- to 25-degree angle and support-free horizontal circular holes up to 50 mm in diameter (See Figure 1a and 1b).

This advancement is said to significantly reduce the need for support structures, which are traditionally necessary for low-hanging angles (typically below 45 degrees) to mitigate the risk of part failure. This not only saves on material costs and reduces printing and postprocessing time but also minimizes potential damage to the part, enhancing both efficiency and quality in sectors such as aerospace and automotive.

The use of Farsoon’s proprietary slicing software and adaptive intelligent scanning strategies enables precise control of energy input and local part temperature. This ensures high part density and significantly improves the capability of forming low-angle structures versus the capability of traditional scanning technologies.

The benefits of the support reduction technology extend beyond cost and time savings for material, fabrication and postprocessing. It also offers increased design freedom and reduces constraints imposed by traditional manufacturing methods. For example, a closed impeller made of IN718 material, approximately 130 mm in diameter and 50 mm in height, can now be printed 33% faster, with cost reductions exceeding 25%.

Farsoon has applied this minimal support technology to a variety of real-world materials and applications, including titanium alloys, high-temperature alloys, aluminum alloys and stainless steel. Applications range from combustion chambers to closed impellers, valve bodies and nozzles with the largest parts exceeding 450 mm (See Figure 2a and 2b).