Introducing metal 3D printing
Here's all you need to know about surgical-grade stainless steel included in the Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L.
Stainless steel contains over 10% of chromium which in contact with oxygen forms a thin surface layer protecting it from corrosion as well as making this alloy esthetically pleasing, easy to maintain and sterilize. The downside is the chromium makes 316L steel relatively soft. 316L stainless is used for:
- Corrosion-resistant automotive parts
- Parts exposed to chemicals and liquids
- Decorative parts like trims and grills
- Hydraulic systems' components
- Food containers
- Medical equipment
- Corrosion-resistant precision mechanisms
Parts made with Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L are isotropic and can be welded, polished or machined just like standard steel.
Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L contains everything you need to make parts out of 316L surgical-grade stainless steel on the Zortrax Endureal 3D printer. The package includes:
- 1000 g spool of BASF Ultrafuse® 316L metallic powder filament
- A 300 g spool BASF Ultrafuse® Support Layer
- Magigoo® Pro Metal 50ml glue
- Endureal hotend module
- Post processing voucher for a 1000 g of metal parts
- Bubble wrap to secure your 3D printed parts for transit
BASF Ultrafuse® 316L metallic powder filament and BASF Ultrafuse® Support Layer are available for purchase separately.
How to use Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L
Printing
Green Part
Printing
Green Part
Debinding
Brown Part
Debinding
Brown Part
Sintering
Metal Part
Sintering
Metal Part
The process is simple. You replace a standard hotend module with the one included in the package, load the included printing and support filament, cover the build platform with included Magigoo Pro Metal glue, print your parts using default settings in Z-SUITE, send the parts for post processing using the included voucher, get your post-processed metal parts delivered to your doorstep. To make best possible metal parts with the Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L you need to follow a few simple guidelines and design principles. They are all clearly explained in our metal 3D printing step by step manual.
A model of a space-grade single dipol antenna unit made for the JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) mission by Astronika, a space industry manufacturer that seeks to implement metal 3D printing in their workflow.
Applications
- functional prototypes,
- metal end-use parts, such as electronics covers,
- medical equipment,
- automotive parts, such as engine brackets,
- components for chemical industry,
- parts intended for welding,
- tooling, jigs, fixtures.
Non-magentic
The material has austenitic, non-magnetic structure.
Stainless
A thin layer formed by chromium in contact with oxygen provides corrosion-resistance.
Medium hardness
Low percentage of carbon makes the 316L steel relatively soft.
BASF Ultrafuse® Support Layer
BASF Ultrafuse® Support Layer is a support filament dedicated for metallic powder filaments. Using it is crucial to achieve desired parts' geometry both during the 3D printing and post-processing stage.
Available Colors
| Dedicated for | Container | Weight | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endureal | spool | 330 g ± 5% | 1.75 mm |
| Support material compatible with |
|---|
| BASF Ultrafuse® 17-4 PH, BASF Ultrafuse® 316L |
A steel turbine rotor beofre debinding and sintering process 3D printed on the Zortrax Endureal using Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L.
BASF Ultrafuse® 316L and BASF Ultrafuse® 17-4 PH
are two available metallic powder filaments corresponding to two types of steel. Here's how they are different.
| Type of steel | Corrosion Resistance | Structure | Mechanical performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 316L | Stainless | Non-magnetic | Medium harndness / high elongation |
| 17-4 PH | Corrosive | Magnetic | High hardness / low elongation |
| Type of steel | 316L | 17-4 PH |
|---|---|---|
| Corrosion Resistance | Stainless | Corrosive |
| Structure | Non-magnetic | Magnetic |
| Mechanical performance | Medium harndness / high elongation | High hardness / low elongation |
Working with 316L steel prints
Welding: Parts made with Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L can be welded just like standard steel.
Polishing: Parts made with Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L can be polished or sanded to fine tune the dimensions or achieve mirror surface finish.
Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L works well even in manufacturing small, precise components.
Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L works best in producing steel parts that are too expensive or infeasible to make with standard steel processing techniques.