Steel Additive Manufacturing — Production Strength
Steel 3D Print covers DMLS printing of steel and stainless alloys — from the utility of 316L austenitic stainless to the ultra-high strength of MS1 maraging steel at 1,900 MPa.
Steel DMLS dominates production applications because steel alloys are familiar to engineers who have designed for machining for decades. The mechanical properties are documented. The post-processing is understood. The cost is lower than titanium or nickel superalloys.
What Steel DMLS Does Better Than Machining
For complex internal geometry (conformal cooling channels in H13 mold inserts, hydraulic manifolds, consolidated bracket assemblies), DMLS produces features that machining cannot economically approach. A conformal-cooled injection mold insert that reduces cycle time 40% pays back its DMLS premium in the first production run.
Published by Ben Stagl and Max Davis as part of the Metal 3D Printing Network.