Published 9/15/2017

Software Delivers Job Files, Process Control for AM

Edited by: Julia Hider

Senior Editor, Modern Machine Shop

DP Technology has announced its Esprit Additive Suite, a comprehensive software product designed to deliver efficiency and accuracy while simplifying the additive manufacturing process into a few steps. The software delivers machine-optimized job files and process control for direct metal deposition machines and 3D powder bed fusion systems.

For hybrid machine tools, the Esprit Additive app for direct metal deposition offers integrated programming and simulation for multitasking, multi-function, multi-channel additive and subtractive machine tools, all integrated within the Esprit CAM system. Features include specialized trajectories for additive processes, full-spectrum toolpaths for subtractive processes, simulation and verification for both additive and subtractive processes, and post processing for any CNC machine tool.

The Esprit Additive app for 3D powder bed fusion systems is a printer driver designed to support the full process of additive manufacturing, from orienting the part and creating supports to optimizing the build, slicing and nesting, and generating a job file. It includes a part-to-build workflow, which is essentially a portable, reusable print driver enabling the creation of an intermediary part-to-build file for reuse in other job files without the need to redefine manufacturing information for traceability, time savings and consistency. Knowledge Management enables problem-solving and knowledge sharing with members of the manufacturing community. An additive process control app enables information sharing among multiple users within a company. It stores information including original 3D CAD files, part-to-build files and job files as well as post-build information such as user comments, build results and machine log files. Thermal simulation of the build process helps users foresee potential part distortion. The software also has optimized nesting for multi-part builds.

Both apps can work directly with native 3D CAD files. General end-user availability is expected in mid-2018.

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