2023-11-15 16:30:18
The Flemish Rejig has launched the Re3ig S100 at Formnext, a further development of the former Sindoh S100 SLS printer. What is unique is that the Belgian manufacturer supplies these with Materialize’s Blueprint technology. This means that the PA12 powder can be completely reused.
Anyone who thinks they recognize the image of the first 3D printer from the Belgian Rejig will see it correctly. “Basically it is the Sindoh machine, which we have further developed and are now going to sell,” says Tom Peeters, product manager. Sindoh has been forced to halt 3D printing activities in the aftermath of the corona lockdowns in China. Also the further development and production of the S100, which had just been launched. Rejig was already involved in the development of the machine at the time and thought it would be a shame not to continue using the concept. Sindoh applied the Bluesint technology under license.
Now a Belgian SLS printer
As an independent service partner for AM technology, Dennis Vandenbussche, founder and CEO of Rejig, contacted the South Korean manufacturer when it announced that it would be ceasing its 3D printing activities altogether. The result is the Re3ig S100, a further development of the Sindoh SLS printer. Unique to the printer is Materialize’s Bluesint technology, which has so far been used by Materialize in its own 3D printing factories. The Re3ig is the only commercially available printer with this technology. With Bluesint technology the powder can be completely reused, where this is usually limited because a certain percentage of virgin powder must always be used.
No penalty if your build job is not full, all powder can be reused
Cost reduction
Tom Peeters: “The first laser (CO2 100W) heats up the powder. We use a large spot size for this. The second laser (CO2 100W) ensures the sintering of the powder.” This allows the powder that is not exposed to be reused the next time. In principle, you can even print with 100% used powder, provided it has been sieved. Because SLS printing costs roughly account for approximately 40% of the total costs per part, this can have a significant impact on the cost price per printed product. The Belgian manufacturer sees the S100 as a solution to reduce the costs of 3D printing and thus remove an important entry barrier.
Same mechanical properties
Mechanically, the Bluesint parts have the same properties when printed as without these settings and a mix of virgin and used powder. The surface is slightly rougher, Tom Peeters explains. “The quality is good for functional parts.” For a machine that prints daily, this results in annual cost savings of up to € 120,000 and more, according to a simulation that Rejig made for a customer. Tom Peeters: “We often hear in the market that people make a loss if a machine is not completely full. With us, you don’t pay a penalty if your build job (510 by 510 by 500 mm) is not completely full because you can use the unused powder again for the next build job.”
Four materials, open system
The build job preparation is done with Magics. The programmer can indicate here whether to print with the standard settings or with the Bluesint profiles. Printing without Bluesint technology is always possible. At the moment it has Rejig developed the parameter sets for PA12 and 11, PP and TPU for the Re3ig SLS printer. However, it is an open system so that people can develop their own settings. The printer is assembled in Belgium. Rejig has already supplied several SLS printers to Materialize.
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