The All-Russian YI Zababakhin Scientific Research Institute of Technical Physics (RFNC-VNIITF) and Rusatom – Additive Technologiessaid said on 1 April that they have developed and manufactured their own line of lasers for 3D printers. These include prototypes of lasers with a power of 200W, 400W, 700W and 1000W for use in 3D printers using selective laser melting (SLM) technology. The development was carried out within the framework of Lasers R&D, which is supervised by the industry integrator Rusatom – Additive Technologies (RusAT part of Rosatom’s Fuel Company TVEL).
The entire range of laser systems will undergo a complex of tests at the RFNC-VNIITF site, after which the lasers will be transferred to the Moscow Centre of Additive Technologies for testing on the RusMelt 300M and RusMelt 600M printers. By the end of 2021, it is planned to carry out a full cycle of tests of laser sources in accordance with and prepare a product line for launch into mass production.
“The laser system is one of the key components of an SLM printer, along with the machine kit and software. The created line of lasers is an opportunity to fully provide the additive manufacturing of Rosatom with its own developments, which is necessary for the stability of the business and independence from external suppliers. Moreover, in the future, RusAT will be able to accept external orders for laser products of this line,” noted RusAT General Director Mikhail Turundaev.
