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LPBF · Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Industrial metal 3D printing in Brescia, Italy

Metal 3D printing by LPBF (Laser Powder Bed Fusion, also known as DMLS or SLM) fully melts metal powder, layer by layer, with a fiber laser inside an inert gas chamber. The part is dense metal with properties comparable to wrought material, and it can include internal channels, lattice structures and organic shapes that CNC machining or casting cannot achieve. We use industrial LPBF systems with a build volume of up to 400 × 400 × 400 mm, suited to highly complex components, from an insert a few centimeters across to a structural part. After printing, every part is stress-relieved, removed from the build plate and finished; functional surfaces can be machined for tight tolerances.

Max build volume

400 × 400 × 400 mm

Dimensional accuracy

±0.2% (minimum ±0.1–0.2 mm)

Minimum feature

0.75 mm

Layer thickness

0.02–0.06 mm

Energy source

Fiber laser, inert gas chamber

Relative density

above 99.5% (typical)

Lead time

Stated in the quote

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How metal 3D printing works

For each 20–60 µm layer, in a sealed chamber under argon:

  1. The recoater blade spreads the metal powder rising from the dosing piston;
  2. The fiber laser, steered by galvanometer mirrors, melts the cross-section of the part;
  3. The platform drops by one layer.

The part grows welded to the build plate through supports, which anchor it and draw off the heat. After printing it is stress-relieved, then separated from the plate; the supports are removed and the part is machined wherever the tolerances require it.

Metal 3D printed muffler with thin louvered walls, still welded to the build plate

Key strengths

  • Geometries that CNC machining and casting cannot produce: internal channels, lattices, organic shapes
  • Assembly consolidation: several components redesigned as a single part
  • Dense metal, with properties comparable to wrought material
  • No molds or tooling: from CAD to part, even as a one-off
  • Layers from 20 to 60 µm for fine detail and thin walls

Typical applications

  • Mold inserts with conformal cooling channels
  • Manifolds, nozzles and fluid-dynamics components
  • Brackets and structural parts lightweighted through topology optimization
  • Metal spare parts that are out of production or made to drawing
  • Functional metal prototypes and short runs
  • Grippers, tools and end effectors for automation

Compatible materials

The alloy is defined at the quote stage: tell us in your request which material or which performance you need (strength, operating temperature, corrosion resistance, weight).

Guide to LPBF metal 3D printing →

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about industrial metal 3D printing.

Yes, they describe the same principle: a laser melts metal powder layer by layer until it forms a dense part. LPBF (Laser Powder Bed Fusion) is the generic name, which the ISO/ASTM 52900 standard classifies as powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M); DMLS and SLM are trade names.

Tell us in your request which alloy you need, or the performance you expect (mechanical strength, operating temperature, corrosion resistance, weight): in the quote we confirm the best alloy and process for the part.

When the geometry is complex (internal channels, lattices, organic shapes), when several parts can become one, or when you need a few parts without tooling. For simple, prismatic parts CNC machining is usually cheaper; often the best solution combines the two: metal printing plus machining of the functional surfaces.

They depend on size, quantity and post-processing (stress relief, support removal, finishing) and are stated in the quote, which we send within 24 working hours of your CAD upload.

Surfaces inclined at less than about 45° to the build plate need supports that must then be removed: self-supporting angles, small or teardrop-shaped horizontal holes and machining stock on the surfaces to be machined reduce cost and lead time. With our DfAM consulting we review the CAD before production.

Planning an LPBF project? Let's talk.

Upload your CAD: within 24 hours we reply with a quote, a lead time and DfAM recommendations optimized for LPBF.

Request a quote