Intech iFusion LF Series Metal 3D Printer Launched

Intech Additive Solutions Pvt Ltd. (Intech) based in Bengaluru is, per its website, one of the primary metal 3D printing service providers in India; an OEM that successfully develops and manufactures laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) metal 3D printers. Two years ago, the corporate purchased a MetalFAB1 system from Additive Industries, which helped Intech expand its business because it was now ready to scale for volume. Now, they are launching the iFusion LF series of large-format metal 3D printers, which may be a direct results of research and development efforts by Intech over the last four years.

This metal AM range was completely developed and built at the company’s facility, and Intech says it offers “a high build rate for cost effective manufacturing.” With a 450 x 450 x 450 mm build volume, the new system is sweet for applications within the automotive and aerospace industries, also as tool and die and general engineering needs.

“Indian companies have a huge interest in 3D Printers that build parts larger than 400mm. All these machines must be imported and are prohibitively expensive,” explained Intech’s vice chairman of Hardware Sales Pradeep Nair, who joined the corporate this summer. “There are other issues like long lead times for support and spares, making Indian companies ultimately settle for the less expensive mid-sized machines. The ‘iFusion LF Series’ amply fills this void. The system supports a wide range of materials like Aluminium, Titanium, Steel, Inconel and Cobalt Chrome addressing the needs of industries such as Aerospace, Automotive, General Engineering, Tool & Die and Medical Market segments in India and abroad.”

The large-format 3D printers within the new iFusion LF series starts with one 500W laser system, and may even be upgraded to a four-laser system with either 700W or 1000W lasers. The systems are integrated with the Intech’s own AMBuilder build preparation metal AM software suite, which has an easy-to-understand guided workflow to assist users navigate the varied stages of build preparation. As an example , with iFusion LF’s generous build volume, parts are often nested and stacked during a single run, which definitely increases productivity and lowering the part per cost; AMBuilder can assist you position the parts, optimize the orientation, generate supports, and more.

Intech says that its iFusion LF series printers offer durability “at a competitive MHR and lowest cost per part (CPP),” and don’t require an outsized investment right off the bat. the corporate also announced that it's signed an agreement with Poeir Jets, the primary company from India that designs, develops, and manufactures propulsion systems for micro-jet engines in unmanned aerial Solutions, unmanned aerial applications, and heavy-lift drones.

Poeir Jets are going to be using Intech’s iFusion LF 3D printers to form larger parts for its heavy-lift drones. “The 3D printed parts from the iFusion series performed exceptionally well during the testing phases and proved to be of production quality. Intech’s 3D printers helped us achieve the specified scale for commercialising manufacturing and ensuring lower cost per part. We are now moving to printing parts on Intech’s LF series of machines,” said K.S. Swami, the Director of Poeir Jets. “The LF’s larger build envelope suits our must print parts for our engine and Hybrid Drones. This, including the lower costs compared to imported systems, local spares and support availability among other things, make it an automatic choice for us.”

Intech’s main objective is to assist further develop an ecosystem in India for industrialization of 3D printing. So if Poeir Jets has goodies to mention about its new iFusion LF series, the word could spread to other aerospace companies, which definitely helps with the company’s goal.
"The Ministry of Electronics and knowledge Technology has identified Additive Manufacturing (AM) as a critical focus area. The govt plans to market various AM sector verticals including machines, materials, software, and style methodologies to leverage new and untapped business opportunities. This initiative will prepare the Indian manufacturing sector for Industry 4.0 and evolve an integrated approach towards this emerging technology. Intech’s range of metal 3D printers is indigenously designed and made for both the Indian and global markets. during this regard it's “Made in India, Built for the World” and captures the essence of the Aatmanirbhar initiative of the Indian Government,” said Intech’s CEO Sridhar Balaram. “We have a superb team in situ and are confident of enhancing and growing the Indian AM ecosystem with our range of metal 3D printers, and end-to-end metal AM solutions.”