Metal Additive Manufacturing Conference - MAMC 2022

Metal additive manufacturing is becoming increasingly important for industrial manufacturing. This is ensured by both the further development of existing processes and the development of new manufacturing technologies. This paper covers the practical implementation of a prototype for the validation of the SLEDM process patented by TU Graz. The setup includes a concept for non-contact powder application for the melting process as well as the concept of energy input via a LED-based light source. The prototype enables simple and fast melting tests with different low-melting powder materials such as tin, zinc and aluminum in an inert gas atmosphere. In addition, the experimental setup forms the basis for the development and adaptation of a suitable light source for the SLEDM process. The evaluation of the recorded measurement data and the analysis of the test results provide important insights into the feasibility of the SLEDM process for industrial manufacturing.