AMPOWER Academy

Nikon
Lasermeister Online Learning

Learn how to get the most out of Nikon’s Lasermeister 100A series Directed Energy Deposition technology.

Register now to start the Lasermeister 100A series Course

Lasermeister 100A series

Making Additive Manufacturing more accessible

The Nikon Lasermeister 100A series is a metal 3D printer that can perform both measurement and processing. The Lasermeister 100A series facilitates various laser metal processing with precision and ease, ranging from repair and additive manufacturing, which are basic functions of metal 3D printers, to marking and welding. The main advantages are:

  • Open system: Flexibility in process parameters to enhance alloy development and process optimization
  • Compact: A small footprint of W850mmx D750mm xH1750mm, easy-to-install and saves space while maximizing performance
  • Small material volume: Easy-to-handle for students (e.g. max 5kg of Stainless Steel)
  • Cost-efficient: Affordable & accessible to facilitate research & innovation
  • High safety rating: Certified by industrial regulatory agencies for use in various regions. Safe-to-use in classrooms/labs with diverse materials (e.g. Titanium alloy)
  • Design flexibility: The 5-axis processing system (+option) enables design flexibility
  • Meltpool feedback (+option): Stabilizing processing quality and provide enhanced assist on process recipe development via real-time monitoring
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Lasermeister 100A series Online Learning

A self-paced online course for the Lasermeister 100A series

This self-paced online learning enables you to get the most out of the Lasermeister 100A series and to understand the full potential of Directed Energy Deposition in general. It covers topics such as 

  • Machine technology and software landscape
  • The workflow from digital model to a printed part
  • Material availability and properties
  • Applications from different industries

This course is 100% free of charge and is ideal for everyone that is interested in the Lasermeister 100A series machine and wants to understand how to get the most out of the technology. 

Go to the Lasermeister 100A series Online Learning
Application overview
Design guidelines
Lasermeister 100A overview
Machine overview
Repair application
  • Available on-demand, 100% free of charge
  • over 30 minutes of video content
  • Interactive content with regular updates
  • Further readings and downloads

Nikon Advanced Manufacturing introduces itself

From optics to Advanced Manufacturing: Nikon's path to industrial innovation

Nikon Inc. is involved in a broad spectrum of businesses centered around specializations in imaging products, optics, precision equipment, and instruments. In 2019, Nikon established a specialized division to accelerate the launch of new growth businesses such as advanced manufacturing. Since then, by leveraging synergies resulting from strategic investments including acquisition of SLM Solutions, a global provider of integrated metal Additive Manufacturing solutions, and prior to that, Morf3D, a provider of end-to-end solutions in additive manufacturing, Nikon has taken major steps towards the industrialization of digital manufacturing.

These transformative programs culminated in the exciting launch of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing, Inc., which will be in charge of scaling and managing all assets including organically developed as well as consolidation, synergizing, harmonization and governance of acquired entities. Nikon has a “Lasermeister Technology Center” in its Kumagaya Plant. The Lasermeister Technology Center offers not only opportunities to have a hands-on metal processing experience, but also technical consultation.

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AMPOWER ACADEMY

A strong legacy in training for Additive Manufacturing

The Lasermeister 100A series online learning has been developed by AMPOWER in collaboration with Nikon.

AMPOWER is the leading strategy consultancy and thought leader in the field of industrial Additive Manufacturing. The company advises investors, start-ups as well as suppliers and users of 3D printing technology in strategic decisions, due diligence investigations and provides unique access to market intelligence. In 2022, AMPOWER decided to  combine the profound experience in the AM industry and the expertise in training engineers to create the AMPOWER Academy with the goal to provide every individual and organization the relevant knowledge to utilize Additive Manufacturing in their business. 

Today, the AMPOWER Academy offers several online and offline trainings that are already used by a great number of industrial companies. Click here to find out more about the AMPOWER Additive Manufacturing Online Learning Programs. 

Get started with the Lasermeister 100A series Online Learning now

Start the Lasermeister 100A series Online Learning

Do you want to find out more about the Lasermeister 100A series technology?

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The content is based on information provided by Nikon. 

Reach out to training@ampower.eu if you are facing any difficulties related to the website or the course.

Sinter-based AM technologies and process chain

Sinter-based AM - a technology overview

Many different printing technologies - one sintering process

The sinter-based AM (SBAM) technologies have, as the name suggests, the sintering process in common. In this process, the printed green part is consolidated into a dense part and receives its final properties. The green part can be printed in advance using different technologies.They all have in common that metal powder is bound to the desired shape by a binder. The best-known printing technologies include Binder Jetting and Filament Material Extrusion.

In this section, you learn everything about the sinter-based AM  process chain and get an overview of the different printing technologies.

Goal and structure of this course

This course is aimed at engineers, designers and other professionals that are working closely with sinter-based AM technologies. The goal is to cover the most important aspects that will enable engineers and designers to fully grasp the capabilities and technical limitations of the printing technologies and the sintering process to succeed in technology selection and part design. Besides going through the course from the beginning until the end, this course can also act as a constant source of knowledge while working on AM projects. 

The course is structured into the following sections.

This section will start with an overview of the sinter-based AM process chain and its printing technologies, followed by a technology deep dive into the most important aspects of the BJT technology, followed by a closer look at the debinding and sintering step also including sintering simulation .

The second section will provide an overview of the different materials that are available as well as part characteristics that can be achieved with the BJT process and typical methods for quality assurance. Finally, several common defects in the BJT process are presented. 

The last section will act as a guideline for designers. Besides generally describing the process when designing for Additive Manufacturing, actionable restrictions and guidelines for the BJT process are provided. The final section will present several design examples from different industries. 

What you will find in this section

Sinter-based AM process chain

From digital model to finished part

Data preparation

Simulation to compensate the deformation during the sintering step, nesting of parts and definition of printing parameters

Printing

Through various printing processes, different feedstocks such as metal powders, filaments, pellets or dispersions are processed into green parts

Unpacking

Unpacking of fragile green parts needs to be done carefully and is typically a manual process.

Debinding

Debinding describes the process of removing the binder which results in a brown part

Sintering

To reach the structural integrity of a metal part, a sinter process is required. The powder particles fuse together to a coherent, solid structure via a mass transport that occurs at the atomic scale driven via diffusional forces.

The brown part shrinks ~13-21 % in each direction.

The process chain of sinter-based technologies differs from other AM Technologies. Especially the post-printing processes (debinding and sintering) are crucial to achieve the intended mechanical properties.

Technology principle

How does Binder Jetting work?

Binder Jetting is a powder based Additive Manufacturing technology in which a liquid polymer binder is selectively deposited onto the powder bed binding the metal particles and forming a green body.

The metal powder is applied to a build platform in a typical layer thickness of 40 µm to 100 µm. Subsequently a modified 2D print head apply a binder selectively onto the powder bed. Depending on machine technology a hardening or curing process of the binder is performed in parallel for each layer and/or at the end of the whole build. During the in-situ curing process a heat source is used to solidify the binder and form a solid polymer – metal powder composite.

Afterwards the build platform moves downward by the amount of one layer thickness and a new layer of powder is applied. Again, the liquid binder is deposited and hardened in the required regions of the next layer to form the green body. This process is repeated until the complete part is printed. After the complete printing process is finished the parts have to be removed from the “powder cake” meaning the surrounding loose but densified powder. To improve the removal of the excess powder from the green body often brushes or a blasting gun with air pressure are used.

To create a dense metal part the 3D printed green body has to be post-processed in a debinding and sintering process. Similar to the metal injection molding process BJT parts are placed in a high temperature furnace, where the binder is burnt out and the remaining metal particles are sintered together. The sintering results in densification of the 3D printed green body to a metal part with high densities of 97 % to 99,5%, dependent of the material.

Printing Technologies

Metal Binder Jetting

Binder Jetting is a powder based Additive Manufacturing technology in which a liquid polymer binder is selectively deposited onto the powder bed binding the metal particles and forming a green body.

The metal powder is applied to a build platform in a typical layer thickness of 40 µm to 100 µm. Subsequently a modified 2D print head apply a binder selectively onto the powder bed. Depending on machine technology a hardening or curing process of the binder is performed in parallel for each layer and/or at the end of the whole build. During the in-situ curing process a heat source is used to solidify the binder and form a solid polymer – metal powder composite.

Material Extrusion

Binder Jetting is a powder based Additive Manufacturing technology in which a liquid polymer binder is selectively deposited onto the powder bed binding the metal particles and forming a green body.

The metal powder is applied to a build platform in a typical layer thickness of 40 µm to 100 µm. Subsequently a modified 2D print head apply a binder selectively onto the powder bed. Depending on machine technology a hardening or curing process of the binder is performed in parallel for each layer and/or at the end of the whole build. During the in-situ curing process a heat source is used to solidify the binder and form a solid polymer – metal powder composite.

Mold Slurry Deposition

Binder Jetting is a powder based Additive Manufacturing technology in which a liquid polymer binder is selectively deposited onto the powder bed binding the metal particles and forming a green body.

The metal powder is applied to a build platform in a typical layer thickness of 40 µm to 100 µm. Subsequently a modified 2D print head apply a binder selectively onto the powder bed. Depending on machine technology a hardening or curing process of the binder is performed in parallel for each layer and/or at the end of the whole build. During the in-situ curing process a heat source is used to solidify the binder and form a solid polymer – metal powder composite.

Metal Selective Laser Sintering

Binder Jetting is a powder based Additive Manufacturing technology in which a liquid polymer binder is selectively deposited onto the powder bed binding the metal particles and forming a green body.

The metal powder is applied to a build platform in a typical layer thickness of 40 µm to 100 µm. Subsequently a modified 2D print head apply a binder selectively onto the powder bed. Depending on machine technology a hardening or curing process of the binder is performed in parallel for each layer and/or at the end of the whole build. During the in-situ curing process a heat source is used to solidify the binder and form a solid polymer – metal powder composite.