Optomec, Albuquerque, New Mexico, has announced that the Center for Remanufacturing and Resources Recovery (C3R) at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York is restoring legacy components with the Optomec LENS 3D Hybrid Vertical Milling Center (VMC) system. The LENS family of 3D metal printers can be used throughout the product life cycle to repair, rework and manufacture high-performance metal components in materials such as stainless steel, titanium and super alloys.
The LENS 3D Hybrid VMC is a way to remanufacture complex components in equipment. The LENS process, combined with a traditional mill, allows damaged parts to be removed, their surfaces prepped, and their structure restored by machining. Current projects at C3R involve investigating application of the LENS system for restoring the original capability of cast iron and steel parts for another life cycle.