Renishaw RenAM 500Q's Four Lasers Increase Productivity

Renishaw has launched the RenAM 500Q additive manufacturing system. Featuring four 500-W lasers, the compact machine is designed to improve productivity in a commonly used platform size to bring additive manufacturing to a wider range of industries. According to the company, it can speed processes by as much as four times, increasing productivity and reducing cost per part.

The machine features an optical system and control software. Laser beams enter the system via four channels, where they are dynamically focused and directed into a single, thermally controlled galvanometer mounting. The galvo mounting houses four pairs of digitally controlled guided mirrors, which can guide the lasers to cover the entire working area of the powder bed. It also incorporates internal conformal cooling channels to maintain thermal stability. A stable process environment manages the additional process emissions caused by multiple lasers. An inert gas recirculation system including a cyclone pre-filter and gas intercooler is said to preserve filter life and provide consistent, clean processing conditions throughout the build.

The system works with the company’s InfiniAM Spectral software, which helps users capture, evaluate and store process data from laser powder-bed fusion technologies. It also enables presentation and analysis of the data. The software streams data across a conventional computer network on a layer-by-layer basis, enabling real-time analysis. As the build progresses, the data is rendered live and in 3D to help identify and correct anomalies and store product quality data.