Fabrication of Precision and Complex-shaped Parts Using a Developed SLM Machine

Miniaturization of parts is proceeding in various industrial applications such as medical, automotive electrical equipment and nanotechnology. Furthermore, lots of these parts have complex shapes which are difficult to fabricate by normal machining or forming. Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process is one of the techniques to improve this drawback, because SLM process can produce the complex shaped parts. However, commercial SLM machine tends to fabricate the large size products in recent years. Therefore, accuracy of its dimension is insufficient for the precision parts making. Precision SLM machine is expected to become an effective method for manufacturing small parts. In this research, we developed a precision SLM machine equipped with customized Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software and single mode Yb fiber laser which can focus into 50 μm. Eventually, the precision parts fabricated by developed SLM machine have the wall with thickness of 100 μm. Various types of precision and complexed shape parts were fabricated by developed SLM machine.