BCN3D Redefines Desktop Metal 3D Printing with the Innovative Metal Pack for Epsilon Series

As the global additive manufacturing community converged for Formnext 2021, Spanish 3D printing pioneer BCN3D seized the momentous occasion to unveil a groundbreaking solution: the Metal Pack. This innovative offering, meticulously engineered for BCN3D’s acclaimed Epsilon series of 3D printers, is set to revolutionize access to metal additive manufacturing. By integrating seamlessly with existing Epsilon hardware, the Metal Pack dramatically expands the application landscape for BCN3D customers, enabling them to produce high-quality metal components for an array of uses including robust spare parts, sophisticated functional prototypes, and precision tooling. This launch represents another significant milestone in BCN3D’s impressive year of strategic growth, which has also seen the introduction of the intuitive BCN3D Cloud platform and the pivotal acquisition of Astroprint. The Barcelona-based company steadfastly continues its trajectory of innovation, reinforcing its commitment to expanding both its software and hardware solutions to meet the evolving demands of industrial 3D printing. With this strategic new product, BCN3D is not merely introducing a new accessory; it is strengthening its formidable position in the additive manufacturing market and actively paving the way for more widespread adoption of advanced metal fabrication technologies.

Introducing the Metal Pack: Materials and Dedicated Hardware

The heart of the BCN3D Metal Pack lies in its meticulously selected components, designed to deliver exceptional results. Central to this solution are the high-performance Ultrafuse® 316L and 17-4 PH metal filaments, both expertly developed by Forward AM, BASF’s dedicated additive manufacturing division. These filaments are renowned for their robust mechanical properties and widespread industrial applicability. Ultrafuse® 316L is a staple in industries requiring high corrosion resistance and ductility, making it ideal for marine, chemical processing, and medical applications. The 17-4 PH filament, on the other hand, is a precipitation-hardening stainless steel known for its exceptional strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance, suitable for aerospace, defense, and oil & gas sectors. The Metal Pack also boasts a new, specially designed metal hotend, engineered to handle the unique thermal and abrasive characteristics of metal-infused filaments. This dedicated hotend, along with a suite of specific accessories, ensures an optimized and seamless printing experience, minimizing potential issues and maximizing print quality on BCN3D’s Epsilon platforms.

Firat Hizal, Director of the Metal Systems Business Group at BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH, underscored the rigorous development behind these materials. He commented, “The Ultrafuse® metal filament portfolio has been developed based on decades of BASF know-how from the metal injection molding (MIM) industry. The filaments have been designed for ease of handling and can be used in any open-source fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer.” This statement highlights not only BASF’s extensive expertise in metal processing but also the user-friendly nature of the filaments, making metal 3D printing more accessible than ever before. The leveraging of MIM technology principles in filament development is crucial, as it ensures that the parts produced via FFF metal printing can achieve mechanical properties comparable to traditionally manufactured metal components after post-processing.

The Three-Step Journey to Industrial-Grade Metal Parts

Achieving optimal results with the Metal Pack involves a streamlined three-step manufacturing process, carefully designed to transform green parts into near 100% solid stainless steel components. The journey begins with the precision of BCN3D’s Epsilon 3D printers, which utilize the Metal Pack’s specialized filaments and hotend to fabricate what are known as “green parts.” These parts are composed of metal powder bound together by a polymer matrix. The Epsilon series, known for its Independent Dual Extrusion System (IDEX) and robust construction, ensures high dimensional accuracy and reliable printing, forming the critical first stage of this advanced workflow. The user-friendly interface and cloud integration capabilities of the Epsilon printers further simplify the initial printing phase, allowing for efficient production directly from the designer’s desktop.

Following the successful printing of green parts, the next two critical steps – debinding and sintering – are performed externally through Forward AM’s extensive network of authorized vendors. This collaborative approach ensures that customers benefit from expert post-processing services, which are essential for achieving the final mechanical and material properties of metal components. Debinding is the process of removing the polymer binder from the green part, leaving a fragile, porous structure of metal powder. This is typically achieved through thermal or chemical processes. Subsequently, sintering involves heating the debound part to a temperature just below its melting point. During sintering, the metal particles fuse together, densifying the part and transforming it into a solid, robust metal component with mechanical properties akin to traditionally manufactured parts. The result is a final piece that is nearly 100% solid stainless steel, exhibiting excellent mechanical performance and dimensional stability. This integrated workflow, from desktop FFF printing to specialized post-processing, offers a complete and reliable path to metal parts production.

Unlocking New Possibilities: Applications and Performance

The introduction of the Metal Pack significantly broadens the horizons for BCN3D users across various industries. With the ability to produce strong, durable metal parts, customers can now tackle a wider range of applications that were previously out of reach for desktop 3D printing. For **spare parts**, the Metal Pack enables on-demand production of critical components, reducing lead times and minimizing downtime for machinery and equipment. This is particularly valuable for aging assets or specialized machinery where original parts are difficult to source. In the realm of **functional prototypes**, designers and engineers can quickly iterate and test metal designs, accelerating product development cycles. This allows for early validation of form, fit, and function, dramatically shortening time-to-market for new innovations. Moreover, the solution is perfect for creating bespoke **tooling**, including jigs, fixtures, and even certain types of molds, which can be custom-made to enhance manufacturing processes, improve assembly line efficiency, and reduce production costs.

A significant advantage of the Metal Pack is that the resulting parts exhibit behaviors and properties remarkably similar to those created using conventional manufacturing methods like Metal Injection Molding (MIM) or Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining. This equivalency in performance means that BCN3D users are not sacrificing quality or reliability when opting for additive manufacturing. MIM is known for producing complex, high-volume metal parts with excellent surface finish and tight tolerances, while CNC machining is a versatile method for precision metal fabrication. By achieving comparable characteristics, the Metal Pack positions FFF metal 3D printing as a viable alternative for low to medium-volume production, rapid prototyping, and custom component manufacturing, offering flexibility and cost-effectiveness without compromising on end-use application demands. This capability democratizes access to industrial-grade metal part production, allowing smaller businesses and design bureaus to compete with larger enterprises.

BCN3D’s Strategic Vision for Accessible Metal 3D Printing

Eric Pallarés, CTO of BCN3D, articulated the company’s strategic vision behind this ambitious launch: “The whole AM industry is chasing metal 3D printing. But the truth is that, nowadays, affordable available solutions, if any, are very scarce. With the release of the Metal Pack at BCN3D, we are excited to leverage BASF’s decades of experience in MIM technology applied to metal extrusion and post-processing. In combination with our existing 3D printing ecosystem, it becomes an end-to-end and accessible solution for functional prototyping. Our customers will be able to take the best advantage of 3D printing by obtaining industry-grade metal parts, within days and hassle-free.” This statement highlights a crucial pain point in the additive manufacturing industry: the limited availability of truly affordable and accessible metal 3D printing solutions. Many existing metal AM technologies come with significant capital expenditure, complex operational requirements, and high material costs, making them prohibitive for a broad range of potential users.

BCN3D’s Metal Pack directly addresses this gap by offering a cost-effective entry point into metal additive manufacturing for those already invested in or considering the Epsilon series. By integrating BASF’s profound expertise in MIM with BCN3D’s robust FFF ecosystem, the solution provides an unparalleled combination of reliability, ease of use, and industrial-grade output. This end-to-end accessibility means that users can manage the entire process, from design to print, with streamlined simplicity, relying on BCN3D for the initial fabrication and Forward AM for the essential debinding and sintering. The promise of obtaining industry-grade metal parts “within days and hassle-free” is a powerful differentiator, empowering engineers and manufacturers to accelerate their design cycles, reduce outsourcing dependencies, and bring innovative products to market faster. This strategic move solidifies BCN3D’s commitment to making advanced manufacturing technologies more democratic and widely adopted.

The BCN3D Metal Pack stands as a testament to the ongoing evolution of additive manufacturing, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable on a desktop platform. By offering an integrated, accessible, and high-performance solution for metal 3D printing, BCN3D is not only expanding its own product portfolio but also contributing significantly to the broader industrial adoption of metal AM. This innovation underscores the company’s forward-thinking approach and its dedication to providing practical, real-world solutions that empower its diverse customer base to innovate, iterate, and produce with unprecedented efficiency and quality. The future of distributed manufacturing for metal components looks brighter with such advancements. The impact of the Metal Pack is expected to resonate across various sectors, from automotive and electronics to consumer goods and specialized machinery, fostering a new era of localized, on-demand metal part production.

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Cover Photo Credit: BCN3D