SLM Solutions Outfits MacLean Additive with SLM280 3.0 Production Series Machine for Serial Production

The investment will scale up additive manufacturing capabilities using MacLean’s proprietary high- durability Formetrix L-40 powder.

  • MacLean Additive’s Formetrix L-40 powder is a patented, high-performance steel alloy designed to provide users with a market-leading combination of hardness, ductility, toughness, and 3D- printability.
  • MacLean Additive is the additive manufacturing start-up within MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions, a Top 100 supplier to the North American Automotive Industry.
  • Durable tools utilizing Formetrix L-40 have been successfully printed on SLM Solutions machines, making use of the company’s open-architecture feature, and are deployed across multiple industries and processes.
  • The machine will be initially used to produce hundreds of identified Formetrix L-40 3D printed tools annually.

Additive Manufacturing pioneer SLM Solutions and MacLean Additive jointly announce the purchase by MacLean Additive of a SLM®280 3.0 Production Series system. MacLean Additive is a start-up division of MacLean Fogg Component Solutions, one of the 100 largest automotive suppliers in North America. MacLean Additive is the home of the Formetrix L-40 steel powder, an engineered, patented, high-performance steel alloy designed to provide users with an unparalleled combination of hardness, ductility, toughness, and 3D-printability.

Durable tooling manufactured with Formetrix L-40 powder have been serially produced via SLM Solutions machines and are deployed across multiple industries and processes. A key pillar of SLM Solutions is the ability for an open-architecture system that enables Tier 1 experts like MacLean Additive to supply their customers with their unique material properties. This installed SLM machine will be used to produce hundreds of identified Formetrix L-40 3D- tools annually, with technical and economic benefits far exceeding those of traditional tooling.

“Some of the most innovative use cases for Formetrix L-40 powder were developed and printed using SLM machines. This proven performance made SLM machines the perfect fit for our initial production product lines,” commented Greg Rizzo, Vice President and General Manager of MacLean Additive. Sam O’Leary, CEO of SLM Solutions, stated: “We’re excited to partner with MacLean Additive on the industrialization and growth of their 3D metal printing product lines. Success with another innovative powder like Formetrix L-40 tool steel adds to the already impressive list of materials validated and proven on SLM machines. We look forward to the mutual growth of Formetrix L-40 powder usage and the rapid adoption of SLM Solutions’ technology”.

The machine will be delivered to one of MacLean Additive’s design and manufacturing centers in the Detroit metropolitan area.

Those interested in learning more about Formetrix L-40 and MacLean Additive can contact MFCS at www.macleanfoggcs.com/contact/.

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