3x the Throughput, Half the Size: How Fuse X1 Enabled a Service Bureau to Scale SLS

Delivering 10,000 3D printed parts a week requires high throughput from every square foot of a facility. Printers have to be fast and reliable, all with a low cost per part. 

At Autotiv, over 200 printers run round the clock, delivering parts for drones, robotics, consumer products, and medical prototypes to customers in the US and beyond — often in a single business day.

With the addition of Fuse X1, Autotiv has increased throughput of SLS parts. The fast print speed and the ability to print a high mix of parts in one build, has enabled Autotiv to deliver large parts and thousands of small parts all with shorter delivery times.

Fuse X1 is an accessible, industrial, selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printer in a small footprint. With a 63 L build volume, 8x larger than Fuse 1+ 30W, Autotiv can print large parts and dense builds with hundreds of parts in minimal space — all within 24 hours.

Throughput is impacted by packing density — a larger build volume with a low packing density produces fewer parts per build than a smaller build volume with a high packing density might. Fuse X1 builds on the thermal processing power of Fuse 1 and Fuse 1+ 30W, processing 700x more thermal data per second. Unlike multi jet fusion (MJF), which has limited packing densities, Fuse X1 has no constraints on packing density or placement in the build chamber. With Dynamic Thermal Control, Fuse X1 can perform real-time thermal tuning for unlimited packing freedom. LaBelle routinely runs packing densities from 20-30%.  

Previously, Autotiv would print large parts on their Farsoon SS403P, which would take about 70 hours to cycle. With a cycle time of ~24 hours, Autotiv can effectively run two or three builds on one Fuse X1 in the same amount of time it would take to run one build on the Farsoon. This allows them to scale production without taking up more space, delivering large SLS parts to clients in drastically shorter lead times.

Fuse X1 includes Print Intelligence™, a real-time AI-powered intelligence architecture that monitors, adapts, and protects every stage of the print process. The new feature senses issues before they happen, preventing users from coming back to failed builds.

LaBelle notes that Print Intelligence™ saves material. If a part fails during a build and the printer keeps printing, it would result in powder waste. When Print Intelligence™ detects a problem, it selectively removes the affected part from the following layers, saving materials. The unaffected parts will continue to print, saving time.

Parts printed on the Fuse X1 are post-processed in Fuse Sift X1, where powder is reclaimed. Autotiv then uses Fuse Blast for cleaning and polishing. LaBelle says that before Fuse Blast, it could take five or six hours to break down and clean all the parts in a build. “One time we actually had someone who had a shoulder injury from overuse because of how much bead blasting had to be done,” he says. Adding Fuse Blast saves not only significant time, but also labor costs. “Now with the Blast, you turn it on and you walk away. That entire monotonous process is automated at this point.”

Media blasting with Fuse Blast delivers parts with a smooth, semi-gloss surface finish. However, Autotiv also coats and paints parts depending on the application, including adding Cerakote ceramic coatings. This not only achieves desired surface finishes, but can also enhance the performance of 3D printed parts.