EOS, a leading technology supplier in the field of industrial 3-D printing metals and polymers, has introduced four new metal materials — EOS stainless steel CX, EOS aluminium AlF357, EOS titanium Ti64 grade 5, and EOS titanium Ti64 grade 23.

Each has been tailored to suit a broad array of applications, ranging from automotive to medical applications.

EOS offers comprehensive data on the material properties of all four metals; this includes the number of test specimens on which the mechanical properties are based, as well as detailed scanning electron microscope images that provide an insight into the material quality.

EOS says this provides companies with documentation and transparency that makes it easier to compare DMLS 3-D printing with traditional manufacturing technologies — and other 3-D printing technologies.

Hannes Gostner, director (R&D) at EOS, said: “At EOS, the development of systems, materials, process parameters, software and services have always gone ‘hand in hand’.

“The result is reproducible high-quality parts at a competitive cost per part — characteristics that are of crucial importance, particularly for series manufacturing.”

EOS (www.eos.info/en) says it classifies the ‘technological maturity’ of all its polymers, metals, and processes in the form of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) — a concept that was developed by NASA and is established in numerous industries.

Level 5, for example, refers to a “verification of the technical solution”, while level 9 (the highest) refers to “full production capability” with extensive statistical data documentation.

Furthermore, EOS divides its materials and processes into two categories: TRL 3–6 refer to Core products, whereas TRL 7–9 refer to Premium products and address the usage for series applications.

The new materials belong to the following categories: EOS stainless steel CX (Premium, TRL 8); EOS aluminium AlF357 (Premium, TRL 7); and EOS titanium Ti64 grade 5 (Premium, TRL 7).