Valve internals
Cages and trim with flow paths that are slow or impossible to machine.
Metal 3D printing.Powder bed fusion.
Dense metal parts on an Eplus3D EP-M300 in Jebel Ali. Internal channels, lattices and consolidated assemblies that machining and casting cannot reach.
450 mmBuild height on the EP-M300
7Alloy families
20 μmFinest layer, manufacturer-stated
ISO 9001Certified quality management system
Melted from powder,one fine layer at a time.
A fibre laser melts selected areas of a thin metal powder layer in a controlled atmosphere. The part grows on a build plate, held by supports that are removed afterwards.
- System
- Eplus3D EP-M300
- Build volume
- 300 × 300 × 450 mm, height including the build plate
- Layer thickness
- 20–120 μm (manufacturer data)
- Alloys
- Stainless steel, titanium, aluminium, nickel, cobalt chrome, maraging steel and copper
Plan the build
We select the alloy and review orientation, supports, heat flow and critical features.
Melt each layer
The laser melts each fresh powder layer in a controlled atmosphere until the part is complete.
Remove from the plate
Loose powder is recovered, then the part is separated from the plate and supports are removed.
Finish and inspect
Heat treatment, machining and surface finishing as specified, then inspection of critical features.
Where metal earns its place.Geometry, not volume.
Metal LPBF pays off when the shape is the problem: internal passages, weight targets, many parts combined into one, or a spare nobody makes any more.
Lightweight brackets
Optimised structures that put metal only where the load path needs it.
Metal spare parts
Obsolete or long-lead components rebuilt from scan data and printed on demand.
Digital spare partsWhen metal is right,and when it isn't.
Metal printing is powerful and costs more per part than polymer. Here is how it compares with our FDM and SLS systems.
Choose metal LPBF when
- The part must be metal for strength, temperature, pressure or corrosion.
- Internal channels or lattices cannot be machined or cast.
- Several machined parts could become one printed part.
- A metal spare is obsolete, or its lead time is measured in months.
Look at another process when
| Compare | Metal LPBF | FDM | SLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largest envelope | 300 × 300 × 450 mm (EP-M300) | 914 × 610 × 914 mm (F900) | 340 × 340 × 600 mm (EOS P 396) |
| Layer thickness | 20–120 μm | 0.127–0.508 mm | 0.06–0.18 mm |
| Materials | 7 alloy families, from stainless steel to titanium and nickel | 18 engineering thermoplastics, including ULTEM™, PC, ASA and PEKK | 13 polyamide, flame-retardant, filled and flexible powders |
| As-built surface | Textured metal; critical faces often machined | Visible layer lines | Fine, matte texture |
| Supports | Supports and a build plate, removed after the build | Support material under overhangs | None; the powder supports the part |
| Strength | Fully dense metal parts | Tough thermoplastic parts, strongest along the layers | Tough nylon parts with complex geometry |
| Typical uses | Valve internals, manifolds, impellers and brackets | Cabin interior parts, large housings, jigs and fixtures | Ducting, housings, clips and serial batches |
Eplus3D EP-M300
EP-M300 detailsOne Eplus3D EP-M300,run in-house in Jebel Ali.
An industrial metal powder bed fusion system for dense parts in a wide range of alloy families.
- Build volume
- 300 × 300 × 450 mm
- Layer thickness
- 20–120 μm
- Maximum scan speed
- 8 m/s, manufacturer-stated
- Software
- EPControl and EPHatch
A valve cage,re-engineered in metal.
With oil and gas consultant 3D Energy and technology partner Eplus3D, we scanned an existing labyrinth cage, adapted the design for additive manufacturing and printed it in metal.
- Under 3 weeks
- From design to printed part, including specimen testing
- 18% lower cost
- Reported part cost against the conventional part in this project
Seven alloy families.Matched to the job.
From corrosion-resistant stainless steel to light titanium and heat-resistant nickel. Open any family for manufacturer data and typical uses.
Stainless steel
Process hardware and tooling.
Titanium alloys
Aerospace and medical components.
Aluminium alloys
Brackets and heat exchangers.
Nickel alloys
Energy and aerospace hardware.
Cobalt chrome
Dental and industrial hardware.
Maraging steel
Tooling and engineering parts.
Copper alloys
Heat exchangers and electrical parts.
The full materials library
Search all 38 polymers and alloys by name, process or property.
Open the libraryListed alloys are manufacturer references. The powder grade and parameter set are confirmed per order.
Design notesthat save a rebuild.
Send the CAD as it is. These are the points our engineers check first, and where a small change makes a better metal part.
Supports and overhangs
Overhangs need supports that anchor the part and carry heat away. Leave access to remove them.
Heat and residual stress
Thick sections and abrupt changes concentrate stress. We plan orientation and heat treatment around them.
Internal passages
Channels need a powder escape route and a way to inspect them once the part is finished.
Critical surfaces
Mark datum faces, bores and sealing surfaces so we add machining stock where it is needed.
Build-plate separation
Parts are cut from the plate after the build. Allow for that base and its finish in the design.
Layer thickness
The EP-M300 range is 20–120 μm. Finer layers add detail; thicker layers build faster.
From the build plateto a finished part.
A printed metal part is rarely finished straight off the plate. We plan every step after the build before it starts.
- Powder recovery from surfaces and internal channels.
- Plate separation and support removal planned with the orientation.
- Heat treatment matched to the alloy and the drawing.
- Machining of datum faces, bores and sealing surfaces.
- Inspection of the critical features you identify, with records.
Metal printing questionsengineers ask us.
Anything else? See all FAQs
Is this the same as SLM or DMLS?
They are names for the same family of processes. SLM and laser powder bed fusion both melt metal powder with a laser, layer by layer. Eplus3D describes the EP-M300 as a metal powder bed fusion system.
Can a printed part replace a machined one directly?
Not automatically. Material, surface condition, critical dimensions, heat treatment and inspection are assessed against the application before a printed part replaces a machined one.
Which alloys can you print?
The EP-M300 handles stainless steel, titanium, aluminium, nickel alloys, cobalt chrome, maraging steel and copper alloys. Tell us the specification you need and we match the powder grade.
Do metal parts need machining?
Often on critical faces. The as-built surface is textured, so sealing faces, bores and datum features are usually machined. We add stock to those areas when we plan the build.
How large can a metal part be?
The EP-M300 builds within 300 × 300 × 450 mm, including the build plate. Orientation and supports reduce the usable space, so we confirm the size for your geometry.
Which files do you need?
STEP for 3D data and a PDF drawing showing critical dimensions and surfaces. If you only have the old part, we can scan and model it.
Bring us the part.
Send a drawing, a CAD file, or photographs and the old part. Tell us what it does, how many you need and when.