Prodways Introduces the ProMaker P1000 S to Democratize SLS for Industrial Production

The French manufacturer Prodways introduced its brand new 3D SLS printer, the ProMaker P1000 S, at Formnext Digital Days. Designed to make SLS additive manufacturing more accessible, this new industrial solution is reliable, ergonomic, flexible and adapted to industrial production. The ProMaker P1000 S is compatible with PA12, PA11, TPU and PP, meaning that it caters to a wider variety of applications, offering mass part design and greater repeatability to any user. Thanks to this, the French company hopes to enable more professionals to build on the benefits of laser sintering technology.

SLS is one of the most widely used additive manufacturing processes on the market. It allows the design of parts with the best properties, especially in terms of isotropy, without any support, which increases possibilities in terms of geometric complexity. Finally, it is a technology that is particularly suitable for small and medium-sized production runs. However, the investment in an SLS machine is relatively high compared to processes such as extrusion or photopolymerization. Laser sintering also has its limits when it comes to mass production. Prodways has developed the ProMaker 1000 S to overcome these challenges.

The ProMaker P1000 S (photo credits: Prodways)

The features of the ProMaker P1000 S

With a printing volume of 300*300*360 mm (or 32L), the machine reaches a speed of 1.4L per hour and is equipped with a high quality 30W laser. Thanks to its two powder supply tanks, users can print their parts in a few hours without having to refill the tanks. Prodways claims that the machine can be set up in as little as 10 minutes, including cleaning and nesting. The “Slicing on the fly” functionality will allow parts to be added to production even if the machine has started. Finally, 50 print parameters are available to optimize your production.

Prodways is therefore banking on a machine that is more flexible and easy to use while remaining affordable. The current market offers high-cost industrial SLS 3D printers and a few more compact machines that are limited by their manufacturing volume. The ProMaker P1000 S falls between the two and according to the manufacturer, it offers the best price/print volume ratio. Sylvestre Perrin, CEO of Prodways Printers SLS, explains, “Our goal is to open up industrial SLS production to new applications, to new users who couldn’t access it before.” Precisely on the price side, the ProMaker P1000 S is available from €117,500 with delivery scheduled from April 2022.

Prodways hopes to democratize SLS for industrial production (photo credits: Prodways)

A more suitable material developed with BASF Forward AM

Most SLS machines use PA12 or PA11, materials that offer interesting characteristics however choice remains limited. Prodways wanted to expand the range of materials and approached BASF Forward AM to develop a custom polypropylene, PP 1200. It is an affordable powder that has good chemical resistance, high elasticity, low moisture absorption and good recyclability. Sustainability has become a key issue for market players, and more and more users are turning to more environmentally friendly materials. Polypropylene can now be recycled, which is an important criterion when it comes to choosing the right additive manufacturing solution.

The ProMaker P1000 S remains compatible with PA12, PA11 and TPU; this partnership with BASF Forward AM aims to unlock new applications for laser sintering and enable users to move towards large-scale production. Sylvestre Perrin concluded, “We are not just offering a new SLS 3D printer but a fully validated solution whether in terms of machine, process, materials or even workflow.” Please note that until December 31, Prodways is offering a complete price competitive introductory offer. Feel free to watch the replay of the presentation webinar HERE to learn more about the machine and the offer in question.

Example of a 3D printed part on the ProMaker P1000 S (photo credits: Prodways)

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*Cover Photo Credits: Prodways