The 3D printing of metals uses the so-called "powder bed-based process". Intelligenty, it makes use of the properties of materials such as metal, thermoplastic, but also ceramic. These soften or melt in the heat. The procedure involves several steps.

Step 1: The actual component material is initially present as a very fine powder. In a defined layer thickness it is spread on the building platform and creates an even powder layer.

Step 2: A laser travels over different areas of the powder. He creates the shape of the component. In the focal point of the laser, the material experiences great heat, so that the fine powder particles are caked or melted with their neighbors. This creates a coherent structure.

Step 3: Another layer of powder is applied to the laser processed layer with a defined thickness. For this purpose, the material is heated again along the component.

Layer by layer, a three-dimensional component of two-dimensional layers is built up. In contrast to the polyjet process, additional structures are rarely necessary in the powder bed-based process. Only at high heat support structures must be attached to the component to dissipate the heat and thus to avoid stresses in the material. These are then removed in a post-processing step.

The metals used here and high-performance plastics give your product pronounced stability and temperature resistance up to high ranges. If your meter is subject to heavy use or is exposed to higher temperatures, this method will surely find the right material for your specific needs.