Nexa3D showcased their new Lubricant Sublayer Photo-curing (LSPc) technology at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, Illinois. The company also released their NXE Pro series and QLS 820 3D printers, along with new printing resins for a variety of applications.
Nexa3D’s LSPc technology is geared toward high-speed 3D printing. Fundamentally, masked stereolithography (MSLA) involves curing resin with ultraviolet (UV) light that is “masked” in the desired pattern using an LCD screen. LSPc refines this process by delivering uniform, distortion-free light across the entire build plate for extremely accurate part production. Additionally, LSPc utilizes the Everlast-2 membrane, a self-lubricating layer that creates a non-stick zone segregating the printed part from the resin. This absence of “peel forces” is what facilitates rapid build cycles.
As for new 3D printers, Nexa3D introduced the NXE 200 and 400 Pro series at the trade show. The Pro series pairs LSPc technology with two new build plate designs: smooth and slotted. The former is compatible with low-viscosity resins and is geared toward improving post-processing efficiency. The slotted design caters to higher tool recovery and a 50 percent reduction in material waste.
A newly introduced armored LCD screen is resistant to wear and tear during the MSLA process, therefore increasing repeatability. The NXE Pro series also features a brand new settings profile manager, which allows users to set up shareable profiles for their own or third-party resins. According to Nexa3D, setting up profiles for each resin will ensure consistency when using specific resins for builds.
Nexa3D also debuted its quantum laser sintering 3D printer, the QLS 820, at IMTS. The platform comes equipped with four 100KV CO2 lasers that operate on a powder bed build plate. The result is 3D printing capabilities of around 8 L/h with a 20 percent average packing density and a 25 percent refresh rate. The powder beds are exchangeable, allowing continuous build cycles if needed.
With a variable temperature window of up to 240C, the QLS 820 can work with high-temperature materials such as aluminum, glass, and PA 12. Other materials like PA 11 and PBT will be made available in Q4 of 2022. Additionally, the QLS 820 is equipped with a centralized printer management system and a suite of software solutions that monitor printer performance, quality control, fleet management, and job status in real-time.
Finally, Nexa3D introduced new printing materials including the xMODEL15, xMODEL35 and the xESD. The xMODEL15 is a plant-based resin that creates high-resolution parts that are easily washable. The xMODEL35 is well-suited for prototyping solutions due to its strength, stiffness, temperature resistance and water resistance. The xESD is a nano-engineered electrostatic ESD resin, boasting high tensile strength and impact resistance.
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