3D printer SLM FastForm FF-M220 H

FastForm FF-M220 H for Serial 3D Printing of Dental Structures

FastForm FF-M220 H is an industrial metal 3D printer with two lasers for the serial production of dental crowns, denture frameworks, and bridge structures. The build area of 220 × 140 × 200 mm allows printing up to 300 crowns in 5 hours or 30 frameworks in 6 hours. The LFPT system controls powder application, the bidirectional recoater reduces layer formation time, and automatic model placement simplifies preparation for 3D printing.

Advantages of the Metal 3D Printer

• Two lasers for serial printing. The dual-laser system operates in a build area of 220 × 140 × 200 mm, allowing for the production of batches of dental structures and metal components.
• Up to 300 crowns per cycle. Up to 300 crowns or 30 frameworks can be placed on one platform. The declared 3D printing time is 5 and 6 hours, respectively.
• Bidirectional powder application. The flexible recoater distributes metal powder in both directions of movement, reducing the number of idle moves.
• LFPT layer application control. The system tracks the recoater's trajectory in real-time. According to FastForm, the technology reduces layer application time by 9 seconds and increases process efficiency by 20%.
• Magnetic platform attachment. The quick-release base plate simplifies printer preparation and removal of printed products.
• Filter with a lifespan of 30,000 hours. The permanent filter element is designed for long-term use and does not require frequent replacement within the declared resource.

Dual-Laser System for Metal 3D Printing

FastForm FF-M220 H is equipped with two laser sources that operate within the build area. This configuration allows the distribution of the metal parts formation process between the two lasers and the production of several products in one cycle.

The laser spot size is 50–80 µm, and the powder layer thickness is adjustable in the range of 30–60 µm. The layer thickness determines the vertical step of the part build, while the laser spot size affects the width of the laser beam's action zone. These parameters are important when manufacturing dental structures with complex geometry, thin walls, and small elements.

Productivity of Dental 3D Printing

FastForm FF-M220 H is designed for the serial production of metal products for dental laboratories and dental production centers.

The working platform capacity is:

• Up to 300 dental crowns with a declared 3D printing time of 5 hours.
• Up to 30 denture frameworks with a declared 3D printing time of 6 hours.

Group placement of models allows for the production of batches of products in one cycle, reducing the number of individual equipment starts.

Actual productivity depends on the size and geometry of the structures, their placement density, the selected metal powder, layer thickness, and laser sintering parameters. The declared build time does not include all stages of finished product manufacturing, including cooling, cleaning, thermal, and mechanical processing.

LFPT Technology and Metal Powder Application

FastForm FF-M220 H is equipped with the LFPT system, which controls the trajectory of metal powder application in real-time. According to FastForm's stated characteristics, the technology reduces the application time of each layer by 9 seconds, increasing process efficiency by 20%.

A flexible recoater with bidirectional movement is used for powder distribution. It applies material during movement in both directions, so there is no need for a separate idle return before the next application after completing a pass. This reduces the time for forming powder layers, especially during 3D printing of batches of parts with a large number of layers.

FastLayer and FastFab Software

For the preparation of dental models and management of 3D printing tasks, FastForm FF-M220 H supports the software solutions FastLayer and FastFab.

FastLayer automates the placement of dental crowns on the working platform. According to FastForm, model layout is performed with one click and takes approximately 5 minutes. This reduces the time for manual preparation of batches for 3D printing.

FastFab allows launching prepared tasks with one click. The software simplifies the operator's work during the serial production of dental structures.

Protective Gas and Filtration System

During metal 3D printing, FastForm FF-M220 H operates in a protective atmosphere of nitrogen or argon. The gas limits the contact of metal powder with oxygen during laser sintering.

The choice of protective gas depends on the material properties and the established 3D printing parameters.

The printer is equipped with a permanent filtration system with a filter element lifespan of 30,000 hours. This indicator allows for planning long-term equipment operation without frequent filter replacement within the declared resource.

Metals and Alloys for 3D Printing

FastForm FF-M220 H supports 3D printing with metal powders based on stainless steel, titanium, and cobalt-chrome.

• Stainless steel. Used for the production of functional parts, fasteners, casing elements, prototypes, and technological components.
• Titanium alloys. Used for parts with high requirements for strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and mechanical properties.
• Cobalt-chrome alloys (CoCr). Commonly used in dental production for the manufacture of metal crowns, bridge structures, and denture frameworks.

For each metal powder, appropriate laser sintering parameters must be applied, and the requirements for the finished product must be considered.

Applications of FastForm FF-M220 H

The metal 3D printer FastForm FF-M220 H is primarily intended for dental laboratories and enterprises that manufacture dental structures in batches. Main application areas:

• Dental crowns. Serial production of metal crowns with the ability to place up to 300 units on one platform.
• Denture frameworks. Printing up to 30 frameworks in one cycle under declared conditions.
• Bridge structures. Manufacturing metal bases for dental bridges from compatible alloys.
• Individual dental components. Printing structures based on prepared 3D models, considering material and finished product requirements.
• Functional metal parts. Manufacturing small components, fasteners, and prototypes within the working area.

Technical Specifications of FastForm FF-M220 H