Powder Bed Fusion (PBF / SLM)
additive manufacturing

PBF (Powder Bed Fusion) or SLM (Selective Laser Melting) process in laser-based additive manufacturing, is a manufacturing technique consisting in successively melting layers of metallic powder in a chamber with controlled atmosphere. This additive manufacturing process in layers makes it possible to simultaneously produce one or more complex near-net-shape parts with a high level of details.

PBF / SLM additive manufacturing

PBF (Powder Bed Fusion) or SLM (Selective Laser Melting) process consists in successively melting layers of metallic powder in a chamber with controlled atmosphere for the 3D manufacturing of mechanical parts with complex geometries.

This process is part of the family of powder bed additive manufacturing processes.

IREPA LASER has been equipped with a AddUp FORMUP 700 machine since January 2021. This equipment is dedicated to R&D works. Our research teams challenge the limits of PBF additive manufacturing for large parts (L 700 x W 350 x H 500 mm) while developing new efficient methods to produce high quality metal parts.

Powder Bed Fusion (PBF / SLM)
additive manufacturing in detail

Uses

Powder bed additive manufacturing makes it possible to build complex parts that cannot be machined using conventional methods (metal foam, parts with optimised morphology, cooling/conforming cooling channels etc.)

The PBF / SLM manufacturing process is chiefly used in different areas of industry such as:

aviation (turbine parts)
space (supports)
defence (drones)
medical engineering (dental implants, prostheses etc.)
automobile manufacturing (F1, weight reduction, interior personalisation, etc.)
sport

Benefits

Possibility of making several parts at the same time
Possibility of making different designs in the same batch
Automatic process
Manufacturing of parts that cannot be machined
High resolution

Advantages

Very high metallurgical quality
Manufacturing of single pieces and small runs
Automatic controlled process
The powders can be reused
Large dimensions
High productivity (thanks to IREPA LASER’s developments)

Powder Bed Fusion (PBF / SLM)
additive manufacturing

PBF / SLM additive manufacturing