Nexa3D SLS System decouples 3D printing and cooling processes to maximize productivity

Nexa3D, the maker of ultrafast polymer 3D printers, announced the pre-launch of its QLS 350 selective laser sintering (SLS) system. The QLS 350 thermoplastic 3D printer delivers significant cost savings compared with traditional methods and provides unprecedented production throughput and flexibility, enabling users to bring additive manufacturing (AM) to the production floor at scale.

Nexa3D has developed the QLS 350 to be all about speed and throughput, achieving a speed of eight liters per hour at 20 percent job density — the highest throughput in its class. With the QLS 350’s unique light engine architecture, consisting of four CO2 lasers with 100W power each, users can achieve up to 4X the print speed of traditional laser sintering technologies, taking thermoplastic 3D printing to a new level.

The QLS 350 also features exchangeable build units that operators can use to continue production while previous parts cool down inside the exchangeable build unit, enabling users to reach the high speeds required for production.

“We wanted to address the problems associated with traditional SLS systems, such as lack of modularity and flexibility. This includes the biggest bottleneck caused by these systems — the need to print and cool parts in the same machine,” explained Kuba Graczyk, Head of QLS business at Nexa3D. “The made to measure, exchangeable unit in the QLS 350 removes this bottleneck, enabling manufacturers to continue operations while a part cools, a big step forward for SLS systems.”

The QLS 350 delivers a polymer-based production alternative to traditional injection molding. The platform works with standard materials such as PA11 and PA12 — direct replacements for injection molding grade materials, and it’s also compatible with higher-temperature materials such as PA6, at processing temperatures up to 240 degrees Celsius.

The QLS 350’s software features a KPI dashboard monitor that enables users to measure what really matters to them, such as machine uptime, build success rate, and number of parts printed. The software is designed to work in a cluster with multiple printers and units, so users can increase productivity with multiple units for an integrated operation and easily monitor the performance of each machine.

Instant access to data is becoming more important in additive manufacturing. By using a software system that operates as a digital twin, operators can track telemetrics from the build jobs, such as temperature, scanning speed, the power of the laser, as well as trace previous data to a specific part. Production floor managers can now carry out one-click reporting to easily view machine performance and can tailor reports to communicate build performance and quality to customers.

“Additive manufacturing is still fairly new to the production floor, meaning that customers are often concerned that the equipment will not deliver consistent quality — this is now a worry of the past,” continued Graczyk. “The QLS 350 is easy for users to operate continuously, while benefiting from software that provides real-time data on the parameters influencing part quality.

“We’ve developed a system that could change how industry uses additive manufacturing in serial production. We have also taken steps to automate the manual process of changing units, for example by using autonomous guided vehicles that can transport and dock at each unit to streamline the process,” concluded Graczyk.