The Mazak i-400AM hybrid machine.
DP Technology has announced the world premiere of the ESPRIT Additive Suite - a comprehensive 3-D printing solution that delivers efficiency and accuracy, while simplifying the time-consuming additive manufacturing (AM) process into a few easy steps. The ESPRIT Additive Suite delivers machine-optimized job files and control of the AM process for both direct metal deposition machines and 3-D powder bed fusion systems. The software made its debut at EMO Hannover, with general end-user availability expected in mid-2018.
"This decade has been characterized by the widespread, mainstream use of 5-axis machining processes, but we are about to enter the decade of additive: within 10 years, we anticipate that 10% of machines will have additive capabilities," said Chuck Mathews, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President at DP Technology. "We are redefining the meaning of `full-spectrum' with the ESPRIT Additive Suite, which provides a new workflow and new process for a new class of machines, both additive and hybrid."
Direct Metal Deposition
For hybrid machine tools - CNC machines with additive capabilities - the ESPRIT Additive app for direct metal deposition offers integrated programming and simulation for multitasking, multi-function, multi-channel additive and subtractive machine tools, all integrated within the ESPRIT CAM system.
Features of the ESPRIT Additive Suite for direct metal deposition tools include:
- Specialized trajectories for additive processes and full-spectrum toolpaths for subtractive processes
- Simulation and verification for both additive and subtractive processes
- Universal post-processing for any CNC machine tool.
3-D Powder Bed Fusion
The ESPRIT Additive app for 3-D powder bed fusion systems is a versatile printer driver that supports the full process of AM, from orienting the part and creating supports, to optimizing the build, slicing and nesting, to generating a job file.
Features of the ESPRIT Additive app for 3-D powder bed fusion systems include:
- A new Part-to-Build workflow: To manufacture a part, a 3-D CAD file is combined with manufacturing information and converted into a job file containing all the information necessary to build a part on a specific machine. The ESPRIT Part-to-Build workflow - essentially a portable, reusable print driver - allows an intermediary Part-to-Build file to be created and reused in other job files without redefining the manufacturing information. This creates traceability, saves time and improves consistency.
- Knowledge Management enables interactive problem-solving and ongoing knowledge sharing with other members of the manufacturing community - fostering process improvement and enhanced decision-making through the use of automated rules and best practices.
- An additive process control app allows seamless information sharing among multiple users within a company. The app stores information including original 3-D CAD files, Part-to-Build files and job files, as well as post-build information, such as user comments, build results and machine log files.
- Thermal simulation of the build process to foresee potential part distortion
- Optimized nesting for multi-part builds.
Both the ESPRIT Additive Suite apps for direct metal deposition machines and 3-D powder bed systems feature the ability to work directly with native 3-D CAD files. And, like ESPRIT CAM systems, the Additive Suite is backed by full-time support from ESPRIT-certified application engineers.
For more information contact:
DP Technology
1150 Avenida Acaso
Camarillo, CA 93012
805-388-6000
www.dptechnology.com
esprit@dptechnology.com
www.espritcam.com