Optomec to Demonstrate Simultaneous Five-Axis Metal Additive Manufacturing at RAPID-TCT 2019

Optomec, a supplier of production-grade metal, directed energy deposition (DED) systems, will demonstrate simultaneous five-axis additive manufacturing at its At RAPID+TCT 2019 booth (#517). The technology is said to enable new capabilities for building, repairing and coating mid- to large-size complex metal parts.
 
The new Optomec LENS additive plugin is toolpath generation software that enables simultaneous five-axis control. When combined with the Siemens Sinumerik 840D CNC, complex geometries can be printed faster and easier, according to Optomec.
 
“Optomec has once again pushed DED printing capability to new heights," said Tim Bell, additive manufacturing industry manager at Siemens in a press release. "By leveraging the outstanding system flexibility and openness of the Sinumerik 840D CNC, Optomec adds new capabilities to its LENS solutions. With its innovative HMI, Sinumerik bridges the gap between traditional machining and additive manufacturing technologies. The 840D provides maximum control performance supporting a wide range of programming approaches that can be tailored to the exact needs of the additive machine builder in ways that others simply can't.”

The simultaneous five-axis control moves a part beneath the laser deposition head, virtually making overhangs obsolete, eliminating the need for support structures and minimizing the material removal required in post processing, according to Optomec. It also opens up the possibility to capture data within the kinematics of the system during processing and tie in advanced software applications.

The Siemens Sinumerik 840D comes standard on the Optomec LENS CS 600, LENS CS 800 and LENS MTS 860 systems and the new Optomec LENS additive plugin is also available on these systems as an add-on. All systems are available for immediate purchase.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.