Desktop Metal announced it has released DM HH Stainless Steel (DM HH-SS), a custom stainless steel alloy that combines high strength and hardness with corrosion resistance, for additive manufacturing on the Production System platform. With the addition of this new alloy, the Production System can now print ten qualified metal materials.

DM HH-SS is a custom, heat treatable-alloy that combines the tensile strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance of 13-8 PH stainless steel with the added benefit of improved hardness comparable to low-alloy steels, such as 4140. These attributes make DM HH-SS an enabling material for companies looking to eliminate the use of low-alloy steels, which also require a subsequent plating step for applications needing corrosion protection. DM HH-SS is also suitable for conformally cooled injection tool core and cavity applications, where millions of injection strokes per year are required.

Derived from 13-8 PH stainless steel (UNS 13800) and custom-developed by Desktop Metal, DM HH-SS has been qualified and fully characterized for printing on Production System technology. An example of a key DM HH-SS application is the offset socket.

Offset sockets used for manufacturing tooling are critical parts in scenarios where space is limited and a traditional tool would not be able to access a bolt. Manufacturers have traditionally warehoused and maintained a large variety of tools to accommodate the multiple socket sizes produced for each unique bolt size. With the Production System, manufacturers can instead maintain a digital warehouse of each socket size and print large quantities of different sizes together in a single build, enabling just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing to meet demand. DM HH-SS is the ideal material for high-wear components such as these sockets, which are subjected to repeated abrasive use and expected to have a long lifetime, making high strength and hardness as well as corrosion resistance critical.

Desktop Metal
www.desktopmetal.com/materials