Developed with the US Navy for its supply base in mere months, EOS CopperAlloy CuNi30 for LPBF industrial 3D printing delivers a combination of strength and corrosion resistance.
In partnership with Phillips Federal and Austal USA for the submarine industrial base (SIB), EOS CopperAlloy CuNi30 was developed and tested to alleviate the supply pressure of traditional castings and meet the goal of “2+1 Columbia and Virginia Class submarine platforms” for the US Navy.
Phillips Federal, a manufacturing service provider to the United States Federal Government, has noted that the material’s exceptional performance combined with the competitive cost-per-part (CPP) has created a strong business case for production implementation.
“EOS was provided with a strategic objective to deliver a CuNi30 product to the US Navy submarine industrial base to mitigate casting delays; a material holding unique to the naval construction industry and not widely available for AM technology use,” said Dr Ankit Saharan, senior manager of metals technology at EOS. “We acted with priority to support the submarine program schedule, and we are pleased to share our successful product release within a few months of the project start. It is a privilege to contribute to projects of such strategic importance to our national interests.”
Traditionally, manufacturing of CuNi alloy applications is done by casting and can be costly due to testing and quality requirements. There is also a lack of suppliers who can meet the application requirements.
“We are grateful for the response from EOS and the Additive Minds team to develop EOS CopperAlloy CuNi30 so quickly,” said John Harrison, senior vice president of global additive at Phillips Federal. “This alloy is critical in many marine applications and will be important in our efforts to support the US Navy Center of Excellence.”
EOS CopperAlloy CuNi30 is now commercially available for the mid-frame EOS M 290 and the large frame EOS M 400, followed by the four laser EOS M 400-4 later in 2024.
