BLT presents two new high performance materials for metal 3D printing
The new mateials include: BLT-AlAM500 - high-strength aluminum alloy, and BLT-Ti65 - high-temperature titanium alloy.
BLT - the leading Chinese manufacturer of industrial 3D printers for metal and polymers, has introduced two new materials, including a high-strength aluminum alloy, specifically developed for 3D printing applications in aerospace.
BLT-AlAM500 was introduced at TCT Asia earlier this year to overcome issues associated with cracking and poor component density in selective laser melting. The Chinese manufacturer says it has optimised the process parameters for high-strength aluminium alloys to overcome difficulties of manufacturing large, complex components with integrated structures. The company shared a number of thin-walled part examples with internal cavities at the Shanghai event in May, a bent tube, ventilation duct, and connecting pipe, all printed on the BLT-S400 in under 30 hours with an average weight reduction of around 20%.
After heat treatment, the material is said to offer a tensile strengths of 530-550 MPa, yield strengths of 480-500 MPa, and elongation rates of 11-17%. The material also provides excellent fracture toughness and fatigue performance, with a room temperature fracture toughness of 30.8 MPa·m1/2 and a high-cycle fatigue strength of 245 MPa (smooth sample). Beyond aerospace, the manufacturer says demand for high-strength aluminium is coming from applications in high-speed trains, lightweight automotive parts, and sports equipment.
The company has also introduced its BLT-Ti65 powder, a high-temperature titanium alloy, which provides excellent strength, plasticity, creep resistance, corrosion resistance, and thermal stability at temperatures up to 650°C, for SLM and Direct Energy Deposition processes. Targeting applications in aerospace, chemical equipment, and marine industries, the material is said to have been developed to mitigate failures caused by unmelted or partially melted powder particles, inter-track and inter-layer porosity, and cracking.
Source: BLT press release