XJet recently demonstrated its innovative Metal Jet 3D Printing technology at RAPID 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was the first time that the machine had been shown in public, and the public was impressed and intrigued with this new NanoParticle Jetting (NPJ) technology, which is unlike anything seen in the industry to date.
Using a novel inkjetting technique, XJets technology is capable of achieving a level of detail and finish unmatched by other metal printing approaches. Avi Cohen, Markets Development Manager for XJet, described the process in an interview, saying a key component is the nanoparticle ink – be it stainless steel or another metal – that is deposited by the machine. The metal is ground into a dust so fine as to produce particles at the submicron level. This is a remarkable feat compared to the atomized metal powders used in powder bed systems, which have particle sizes ranging in the 30- to 45-micron level for selective laser sintering (SLS) platforms and 45 to 100 microns for electron beam melting systems.