Additive suite to be unveiled at EMO 2017

The software will make its debut at EMO Hannover, 18th to 23rd September, with general end-user availability expected in mid-2018.

“This decade has been characterised by the widespread, mainstream use of 5-axis machining processes, but we are about to enter the decade of additive: within ten years, we anticipate that ten percent of machines will have additive capabilities,” said Chuck Mathews, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President at DP Technology. “We are redefining the meaning of ‘full-spectrum’ with the ESPRIT Additive Suite, which provides a new workflow and new process for a new class of machines, both additive and hybrid.”

Direct metal deposition
For hybrid machine tools - CNC machines with additive capabilities - the ESPRIT Additive app for direct metal deposition offers integrated programming and simulation for multi-tasking, multi-function, multi-channel additive and subtractive machine tools, all integrated within the ESPRIT CAM system.

Features of the ESPRIT Additive Suite for direct metal deposition tools include:
- Specialised trajectories for additive processes and full-spectrum toolpaths for subtractive processes
- Simulation and verification for both additive and subtractive processes
- Universal post processing for any CNC machine tool

3D powder bed fusion
The ESPRIT Additive app for 3D powder bed fusion systems is a versatile printer driver that supports the full process of additive manufacturing, from orienting the part and creating supports, to optimising the build, slicing and nesting, to generating a job file. Features of the ESPRIT Additive app for 3D powder bed fusion systems include:

• A new Part-to-Build workflow: To manufacture a part, a 3D CAD file is combined with manufacturing information and converted into a job file containing all the information necessary to build a part on a specific machine. The ESPRIT Part-to-Build workflow - essentially a portable, reusable print driver - allows an intermediary Part-to-Build file to be created and reused in other job files without redefining the manufacturing information. This creates traceability, saves time and improves consistency.
• Knowledge Management enables interactive problem-solving and ongoing knowledge sharing with other members of the manufacturing community - fostering process improvement and enhanced decision-making through the use of automated rules and best practices.
• An additive process control app allows seamless information sharing among multiple users within a company. The app stores information including original 3D CAD files, Part-to-Build files and job files, as well as post-build information, such as user comments, build results and machine log files.
• Thermal simulation of the build process to foresee potential part distortion
• Optimised nesting for multi-part builds

Both the ESPRIT Additive Suite apps for direct metal deposition machines and 3D powder bed systems feature the ability to work directly with native 3D CAD files. And, like ESPRIT CAM systems, the Additive Suite is backed by full-time support from ESPRIT-certified application engineers. To learn more about the ESPRIT Additive Suite, visit DP Technology at EMO, 18th to 23rd September, at Hannover Fairgrounds hall 25, stand D25.