GE Additive unveiled the first BETA machine developed as part of its Project A.T.L.A.S program. The meter-class, laser powder-bed fusion machine has been developed to provide manufacturers of large parts and components with a scalable solution that can be configured and customized to their own specific industry applications. Project A.T.L.A.S (Additive Technology Large Area System) is GE Additive’s company-wide program to develop the next generation large additive machines. This first BETA machine was developed in just nine months and complements the company’s existing portfolio of products.
International collaboration
Ideally suited to industries that require large complex metal parts, such as aviation, automotive, space and oil and gas industries, the new BETA machine builds on technology previously developed by GE, combined with Concept Laser’s expertise in laser additive machines. The first few BETA machines are currently being evaluated by a small group of customers and more are available for delivery in 2018.
Scalable Solution
The machine’s feature resolution and build rate speeds are better than machines available today and has a scalable architecture that can increase the ‘Z’ axis to 1.0 m and beyond in the near future. Well-suited for large components with high resolution and complex geometries, such as aerospace-class parts, the machine incorporates the latest laser technology - and the ability to be reconfigured to incorporate additional lasers – as well as discrete dosing to save on powder and cost. Key features of this first, new machine include a build volume of 1.1 x 1.1 x 0.3 m (x,y,z) and a 1kW laser. Process and machine health monitoring are enabled by Predix software, GE’s cloud-based operating system.
