Desktop Metal announced the launch of a Reactive Safety Kit for the Production System P-1 ? unlocking safe, high-speed binder jet 3D printing of both titanium and aluminum. In development and testing for more than two years, the P-1 Reactive Safety Kit features ATEX-rated components, as well as critical hardware and software updates to ensure the higher level of safety.

ATEX certification is given to equipment that has undergone rigorous testing outlined by European Union directives and is considered safe to use in specific environments with explosive atmospheres. The Desktop Metal Production System P-1, as well as an array of titanium and aluminum designs, including those 3D printed by TriTech, will be on display June 25-27 at RAPID + TCT at the Los Angeles Convention Center. DM will be located in Booth No.

2139. Binder Jetting is widely regarded as the faster method of metal 3D printing for high-volume output. It uses a digital file to quickly inkjet a binder into a bed of powder particles such as metal, sand, or ceramic to create a solid part, one thin layer at a time.

When printing metals, the final bound metal part must be sintered in a furnace to fuse the particles together into a solid object. Binder jet 3D printing, compared to both traditional manufacturing and other forms of 3D printing, enables manufacturers to more affordably produce complex parts with unique benefits, such as size and weight reductions, part consolidation, and performance improvements. Because of the broad material flexibility of binder jet 3D printing, Desktop Metal employs a tiered qualification system for production of powdered materials: Qualified Materials come with complete printing and sintering profiles with fully characterized material and mechanical properties Customer-Qualified Materials have printing and sintering profiles developed by or in partnership with customers and/or partners with material and mechanical properties suitable for specific applications R&D Qualified Materials have demonstrated binder and process compatibility with printers, with final printing and sintering profiles under development by DM or customers In all, more than 30 metals and ceramics are qualified on DM printers.

The Production System P-1 is qualified to 3D print 17 metals, including stainless steels, low-alloy steels, copper alloys, tool steels, nickel-based alloys, precious metals, and more. With today?s announcement, titanium (Ti64) is now classified as Customer-Qualified on both the P-1 and X-Series models when upgraded with an inert atmosphere and other safety features. Aluminum is now classified as Customer-Qualified on the X-Series and R&D Qualified on the P-1 when upgraded with an inert atmosphere and other safety features.