EOS 3D Metal Printing for Aerospace and Industrial Applications

EOS, which originally stood for electro optical systems, is a Germany company primarily focused on the production of DMLS (direct metal laser sintering) additive manufacturing machines. In operation for more than 25 years EOS is one of the oldest players in the 3D printing market and recently expanded in a big way to the US with the opening of their new facility in Texas.

DMLS machines use higher powered laser and powdered or pelletized metal materials to metal together progressive build layers. The materials available include stainless steel, nickel alloys and even Titanium which opens up numerous applications. Unique aspects of three dimensional printing allows for significant material reduction in these parts thanks to the inherent advantages over traditional manufacturing techniques. This provides reduced component weight and improved functionality while also often eliminating waster from the production process. In fields such as Aerospace, where a single component weight has a huge impact on the overall design, these technologies were quickly adopted. Increasingly though other segments of the market are turning to DMLS and metal materials to see where they can be leveraged.