10-19-2022: GE Additive announced its entry into Binder Jetting technology and introduced a new metal 3D printer – the Series 3
The company operates now as Colbrium Additive
On October 19, 2022, GE Additive (now Colibrium Additive) officially announced and unveiled its proprietary version of Metal Binder Jetting technology. The development process took a total of four years. Deliveries of the first 3D printers, named Series 3, were expected to begin in the second half of 2023.
Over the course of four years, a select group of the company’s strategic partners worked together on developing the entire ecosystem. The foundation was to be the Series 3 Binder Jet Line – a 3D printer capable of producing complex small and large parts. According to GE, these parts surpass the quality of casted equivalents, with achievable through-hole diameters and wall thicknesses below 500 μm.
GE Additive was founded in 2016 when GE acquired two metal 3D printer manufacturers – Concept Laser (laser PBF method) and Arcam (electron PBF method). The Binder Jetting technology was developed independently and was meant to respond to the growing popularity of products offered by Desktop Metal, as well as HP’s entry into the sector. In 2024, after structural changes within GE and the division of the conglomerate into three independent groups, GE Additive was renamed Colibrium Additive.
The Binder Jet Line technology was designed to enable the creation of complex parts without simultaneously damaging delicate elements, thanks to GE’s patented binding systems and the sintering of parts within required tolerances. This was partially made possible by the GE Additive Amp software, which predicts distortions and allows for compensation, enabling the production of high-quality cast parts in much shorter times compared to traditional manufacturing methods.
From the beginning, GE aimed to make industrial additive metal production an economically viable process, so production profitability was a key factor. The company emphasized lower raw material costs due to the recycling of unused powder and the use of cheaper materials compared to other technologies, the utilization of the entire build volume from top to bottom and edge to edge without the need for supports, and the ability to introduce new, innovative parts whose production is either too costly or difficult with conventional or other existing additive technologies.
The Binder Jet Line can be installed and operated without the need for designated hazard zones and was designed to minimize operator contact with the system and metal powders. The system was intended to be equipped with UL and CE certifications, featuring a fully inert and sealed work environment, and is designed to be compatible with reactive and flammable powders and binders.
Source: www.pressreleasefinder.com