Amace solutions Pvt Ltd, an Ace Micromatic Group company and the Metal AM solutions provider based in Bangalore has launched the ALM-400 metal 3D printer, suited for serial production applications not just for prototype manufacturing. The machine has a build volume measuring 410mm x 410mm x 450mm allowing for large sized parts to be printed, supported by a dual laser system with full scan field covered by the two high powered 1kW lasers.
The machine can also print a wide range of materials such as Stainless Steels, Aluminium alloys, Maraging Steels, Inconel and Titanium alloys. The machine can print parts with layer thicknesses varying anywhere between 30 microns to 100 microns. For superior precision in axes positioning, longer life and enhanced serviceability the machine has on board all axes controlled by servo motors. A lot of research and innovation has been brought about through this machine and this is evident from the many smart features on the machine that exist. One such feature is the innovative multi-blade recoating system designed to enhance the productivity of printing especially during the production related activity. The smart powder management system, in-situ inspection of part dimensions, automatic filtration system, user friendly digital cockpit format for data display on the Graphical User Interface (GUI) and the remote monitoring & control of the machine are some of the many features that make the machine a smart one and most suited for a production environment.
Mr. TP Sridhar
“The ALM-400 has been designed keeping high productivity in focus. With some of the unique features of the machine, ALM-400 will meet and exceed the expectations of additive machine users. With enhanced user experience and intuitive feedback, the machine is convenient to operate and troubleshoot.” Said Mr. TP Sridhar, CEO & Director, Ace Designers Ltd.
The metal printing adoption in India is currently very low. Some of the major factors contributing to the low rates of adoption of this advanced technology are the low productivity rates, high cost per component compared to the conventional manufacturing processes, high machine downtimes during break downs predominantly due to the non-availability of service engineers and spare parts. There is also limited technical and applications support offered by OEMs to the machine users. But the high cost of these metal 3D printers has been a major factor contributing to the hesitancy in customers adopting metal 3D printing for their manufacturing processes. With all these factors kept in mind, we have indigenously designed and engineered metal 3D printers that deliver unmatched reliability, high rates of productivity in metal printing along with faster Return on Investment (ROI) for the customer. The Ace Micromatic Group has developed different configurations of machine to suit wide range of industrial applications in the metal cutting space mostly catering to the growing needs of the industry. With the Indian industry as a part of the global supply chain and many of the group’s existing customers looking to adopt additive manufacturing technology to stay competitive and relevant, it was necessary to build capability in this emerging technology.
Mr. LS Umesh
“The versatile machine is developed on the strong foundation of our vast experience in machine building and understanding of metal working machines. Backed with industry expertise and having involved in the technology for the past many years, amace, today has a better understanding of customer requirements. The team has understood the complexities in manufacturing faced by customers and has the right solution through the AM process.” said Mr. LS Umesh, CEO & Director, Ace Manufacturing Systems Ltd.
The vision of amace solutions has always been to be one of the best Additive Manufacturing (AM) solutions provider globally and foster large-scale adoption of metal additive manufacturing through affordable AM solutions. amace solutions aims to establish an ecosystem that enables AM technology to become affordable so that even the small and medium enterprises that form a major part of Indian manufacturing ecosystem look forward to and leverage on the advantages of AM for industrial applications such as aviation & defence, space, automotive, die-mould and medical.
Through ALM-400, amace solutions intends to address the hesitancy of the manufacturers to adopt metal AM in their mainstream manufacturing activities. There are multiple products and technologies under development with different timelines which will meet the diversified requirement of customers globally.
Aditya Chandavarkar is a established entrepreneur with business interests in manufacturing, innovative technology, training and consulting. Among other activities he the Co-Founder of Indian 3D Printing Network and is a subject matter expert on 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing with good grasp of Additive Manufacturing trends in the Region including India, APAC, Middleeast and Africa.
