Research and Discussion on Large-Scale Laser Powder Bed Fusion Metal Additive Manufacturing Equipment

The domestically-produced metal additive manufacturing processing equipment has been widely applied into the advanced research and development manufacturing field such as aerospace, military project, automotive, molds, and high-end medical care. As the demand for large-scale additive manufacturing gradually increases, overcoming the bottlenecks in the domestic production of large metal additive manufacturing equipment and process technology, and improving the manufacturing capabilities of the large-volume, high-quality metal parts in the additive manufacturing will play a significant role in alleviating challenges related to the forming range, process quality, and application segments of metal additive manufacturing. Combining the growing market demand for the large-scale metal additive manufacturing equipment and addressing the characteristics of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) metal additive manufacturing equipment, we discuss the manufacturing of the large-scale and multi-beam equipment, as well as the cost and efficiency. Besides, we provide a brief introduction to the technical approach of super large-scale equipment with a "flying printing" structure.