Almost every big company has been a big startup at one time or another. We are used to reading fantastic stories of “self-made man” from overseas, who have changed big things starting from the solution of small problems. Today's story begins in Italy.
Ivano Corsini he is an entrepreneur with more than 35 years of experience: he directs several companies in the mechanical sector and has created a completely innovative startup, which revolves around a proprietary machine. 3D4Steel is the first Printer 3D for specialized in the use of only one material: steel.
As with other inventions in other fields, too 3D4Steel was created to solve a series of productivity, cost and sustainability problems on the field.
To create complex components that cannot be obtained in any other way, 6 years ago the project that led to the creation of this special printer was born, passing through 5 proprietary patents.
How 3D4Steel works
The key factor of 3D printer for steel it is in the presence of a single 300W laser head, which guarantees a structural density greater than 99%. A real laser forging, which allows (unlike the two laser heads systems) to maintain the solidity and quality of the pieces produced even in the vicinity of the joints, preserving the printing speed.
The result is an advancement in the entire production process, in production costs and in environmental sustainability:
In terms of speed, the 3D4Steel printer cuts production time by more than two thirds compared to traditional methods while regarding costs the improvement is 17%.
In terms of sustainability there are two peculiar aspects of the machine: the first, versatility. Faced with an average compatibility of 15 types, 3D4Steel allows the use of all over 150 types of steel powders available on the market. One machine for one job, e almost zero waste: the filtering system of the Italian 3D printer allows to recycle up to 99% of the circulated dust.
To ensure that there is no type of risk for the operators in handling printer waste, the entire disposal and filter change process has been certified, reaching the classification of "special non-hazardous waste".
After use in the 3D printer for steel, the exhausted filter can then be thrown directly into the metal container without risk, and with lower running costs.
Here is a video showing 3D4Steel, the steel 3d printer, in action:
