Designed and engineered for serialized production, the Renishaw RenAM 500M additive manufacturing system builds complex metallic components directly from CAD using metal powder bed fusion technology. The RenAM 500M is first in a family of products based around Renishaw’s optical systems and control technology.

The RenAM 500M suits industrial production applications, and each system can be dedicated to a single material type for a lights-out manufacturing environment, providing a higher level of automation compared to previous AM250 and AM400 platforms. The RenAM 500M manufactures parts within a 250 mm x 250 mm x 350 mm build volume (9.84 x 9.84 x 13.77 in.) and uses a high powered ytterbium fiber laser to fuse fine metallic powders together creating functional 3-dimensional parts.

In-line sieving allows powder to be recycled and re-used in a single process under an inert atmosphere, reducing user interaction and turnaround time. Metallic powder is loaded into the machine hopper at the front of the system and sieved ultrasonically. Any unmelted material is returned to the hopper and passes through the ultrasonic sieve before being processed. Sieved powder is pneumatically transferred in a flow of high purity argon gas into the powder delivery silo.

Renishaw recently released an updated version of the QuantAM build file preparation software dedicated to its metal additive manufacturing (AM) systems. Users can position the parts to be built then add, import and edit the required support anchors. Multiple components, each with their own material properties, can be efficiently configured on the build plate and reviewed, in slice by slice detail, prior to sending the build file to the Renishaw metal AM system.

Based on a Windows operating system with a dedicated user interface, large icons show the build set-up workflow for clear and straightforward operation.

The RenAM 500M features a patented high capacity twin SafeChange filter system enabling builds to run for long periods in a stable and controlled atmosphere. Filters capture process emissions safely and efficiently and the machine’s intelligent control system actively senses the filter’s condition and redirects the gas circuit to a clean filter before conditions deteriorate. Powder sieving and recirculation are automatically carried out within the compact system, reducing the need for manual handling and exposure to materials, which provides increased safety and sustained quality of the metal powders.

Renishaw
www.renishaw.com/additive