Laser powder bed melting (LPBF) is a widely used process in the field of metal 3D printing, used to create prototypes and even durable end use parts. So far, due to the different melting points of different metals, this process can only use one material. So is there a process on the market that can simultaneously fuse multiple powders? The answer is affirmative: selective powder deposition.
Aeroint was founded in 2016, headquartered in Belgium, and has developed a patented technology called Selective Powder Deposition (SPD). This technology can selectively deposit two or more powders, forming a single thin powder layer with multiple materials. At the same time, this technology can be integrated into various powder bed additive manufacturing processes, including laser powder bed melting, adhesive spraying, high-speed sintering, or selective laser sintering. This new multi material powder deposition method aims to support rapid printing of various polymer, metal, and ceramic materials.

As a rare high-throughput, multi material powder recoating system in the market, the advantage of selective powder deposition is that it can achieve local optimization of mechanical properties, such as improved wear resistance or vibration reduction, while improving chemical and physical properties, such as improved thermal conductivity, conductivity, corrosion resistance, and aesthetic appearance. The application examples of multi material printing are as follows:

Produce molds for shape following cooling channels optimized for heat dissipation;

Wear resistant cutting tools with hard exterior and tough interior;

Conducting metal paths within polymer components for flexible electronic products;

Dual material luxury goods with excellent aesthetics;

RF components with different dielectric and conductive properties.

At present, Aeroint has launched two types of multi metal coating machines, namely the Acoustic MIDI+and Acoustic MICRO LPBF 3D printers, which are the first commercial multi metal L-PBF 3D printers on the market. According to Aeroint, its equipment can accurately stack up to three types of powders in molds with a maximum inner diameter of 100 millimeters. This adhesive free technology can combine multiple materials into multi material blanks or near net shapes.

Perhaps seeing the potential for the development of multi material deposition systems, Desktop Metal acquired Aeropoint in 2021. At present, the application of this technology still needs further expansion, especially in the field of hydraulic valves, which has a broader development prospect.

In addition, compared to SPD technology, at the TCT Asia exhibition in 2023, we also saw South Korean metal 3D printing manufacturer InssTek showcase its MX-Fab 3D printer based on DMT (Direct Metal Tooling) technology, which is also the world's first machine that can simultaneously supply six different metal powders.