Matsuura Launches Metal Additive Manufacturing Production Services 

Matsuura Machinery USA Inc. (St. Paul, Minnesota), a specialist in metal 3D printing and high-speed milling, is now offering quick-turn prototyping producing a wide range of 3D metal-printed parts, including unique functional prototypes and low to mid-volume production runs via its Lumex series, which combines the company’s high speed milling (HSM) with a metal laser sintering function.

“Due to unprecedented customer interest and demand, Matsuura’s Metal Additive Manufacturing Service Bureau is now providing the production of 3D metal printed and machined parts,” says Tom Houle, director, Lumex, NA. “Products and shapes previously impossible to manufacture [including: ultra-deep ribs, 3D mesh, hollows, free-form surfaces and porous structures] can now be produced using the Lumex Technology.”

According to Matsuura, with its metal 3D printing services, the production of high-volume mold components with conformal cooling and integrated porous venting will minimize the need for traditional EDM processes and provide significant savings to the production of molded plastic components. Customers can also reportedly lower their capital equipment investments for tooling and molding machines while reducing mold cavitation requirements and accelerating return on investment (ROI).

Matsuura’s established state-of-the-art Additive Manufacturing Center promotes the use of metal 3D-printed parts as a solution to continuing supply chain challenges and delays.

“The Lumex team in our Additive Manufacturing Center, along with our collaboration with the Customer Solutions team and machine designers in Japan and Germany, will help customers quickly realize the benefits of additive manufacturing,” Houle says. “Our team’s insight into the process and the technology, will assist in modification of your traditional designs into suitable 3D metal printing.”

Matsuura’s Lumex Avance-25 and Avance-60 machines are said to minimize mold assembly; create superior mold performance; reduce lead time; and performs high-precision machining without EDM. 

“Matsuura is committed to advancing the technology with manufacturing companies throughout the U.S. and Canada. With almost two decades of experience, we possess first-hand knowledge of the machine’s operation and will deliver the best opportunity for our customers to achieve success in metal 3D printing,” says Houle.

Matsuura further contends that its Lumex Technology is transformative in the industry, with multiple customer case studies showing 25-45% reductions in cycle time. 

“Metal 3D printing can benefit tooling, injection molding, CNC machining and die casting processes and operations,” Houle concludes. “We will work with you throughout the entire 3D printing process, including through the design to enable our customer’s to fully realize the benefits throughout the life of their products.”