SLM software reduces the need for support structures in metal 3D printing

Free Float software reduces the need for support structures—or eliminates them altogether—when additively manufacturing metal parts, says the software’s developer, 3D printer builder SLM Solutions.

Supports must be removed during a postprocessing operation, which increases production time and cost. The latest addition to the company’s portfolio allows creation of metal components with previously impossible designs and unmatched productivity, reducing overall material usage and minimizing the end-part cost to achieve industrial-scale production, claims the company.

The software’s vector technology establishes thermal management that significantly decreases net build time while simultaneously enhancing part quality, especially in overhang areas, which can now free-float like the branches of a tree, according to the company.

During the product’s introduction in late June, SLM CEO Sam O’Leary announced that a basic subscription to the software would be free of charge.