3D Printed metal applications

Get Inspired - Metal

Metal Additive Manufacturing Solutions

Industrial quality parts – every single time

Our industrial metal 3D printing solutions allow for highly reproducible industrial-grade parts, no matter how intricate your design or how daring your plans are to scale. EOS offers unparalleled flexibility, so you can easily adapt your manufacturing and application design to fit your production and customization needs.  

Our metal 3D printing customers include a vast collection of organizations, including market leaders, industry disruptors, and national research labs. From aerospace and automotive, to medical implant manufacturers, to renewable energy and consumer goods, we have provided metal industrial 3D printing solutions that fit each one’s needs. Explore a few of our customer success stories and get inspired for your next 3D printed application project.  

Rocket Engine with LAUNCHER

Space-ready 3D Printing

When leveraging 3D printing for rocket engine manufacturing, the functionality of components can be completely reimagined and reinvented. For example, you can integrate cooling channels into a combustion chamber, or consolidate multiple parts into a singular design. Supported by EOS and AMCM, the U.S. aerospace company VAST is launching small to medium-sized payloads into space more efficiently than ever before. The results include novel and innovative rocket designs – and the world’s largest rocket engine to ever be manufactured additively in a single piece. The engine is based on a standard rocket design but is extended with internal ribs for optimal cooling. VAST successfully constructed, tested and further developed this new design quickly and cost-efficiently, entirely thanks to 3D printing.  When beginning the project, the build space and material properties were quickly identified as obstacles. AMCM, a company in the EOS group that offers specialized machines tailored to customer requirements, accepted this challenge. 

The combustion chamber, 3D printed from a copper alloy on AMCM’s M4K machines, is the largest single-piece combustion chamber for liquid rocket engines in the world. The chamber is 86 cm (34 in) high, with an outlet nozzle diameter of 41 cm (16 in). The booster has won a $1.5 million prize at the US Air Force Space Pitch Day, which was held to accelerate the development and testing program of the E-2 booster. The first large-scale test runs have already been planned. 

“Traditionally, manufacturing this type of part requires millions of dollars of investment in custom machines. Now, with 3D printing there is the option to print the combustion chamber, nozzle and neck combined into a single piece. Thanks to this progress, our work is easier than ever before.” – Max Haot, Chief Executive Officer of VAST 

Launcher AMCM Part
Launcher AMCM Part

Future Ariane Propulsion Module Simplified

All-in-one Design

„Mission Critical“ perfectly describes the Class 1 components used in the aerospace industry. Missions costing hundreds of millions depend on these components. Accordingly, engineers are constantly seeking to develop components of the highest quality, functionality, and robustness while simplifying the manufacturing chain and reducing the number of individual elements. Thanks to EOS additive manufacturing technology, ArianeGroup has succeeded in taking this to a whole new level: Instead of 248 elements, the injector head of a rocket engine of a future upper stage propulsion module now counts just one component. The injector head has been simplified and reduced to what is literally an all-in-one (AiO) design.

"On Ariane program, we are combining our innovative strength with the expertise of EOS. Together, we work on the additive manufacturing of an injector head for a rocket engine. The results are impressive: Significant reduction in production time and 50 % lower costs." – Dr.-Ing. Steffen Beyer, Head of Production Technology, Materials & Processes of ArianeGroup

The additively manufactured injector head as all-in-one Design (AiO) of a rocket engine with 122 injection elements is made from EOS NickelAlloy IN718. | © ArianeGroup | EOS
The additively manufactured injector head as all-in-one Design (AiO) of a rocket engine with 122 injection elements is made from EOS NickelAlloy IN718 | Source: EOS, ArianeGroup

3D Printing an Antenna Satellite Bracket with RUAG

Redesigning for Weight Optimization

For many people, talking of the infinite vastness of the universe conjures up stories of science fiction, usually told by a Hollywood film studio. However, in real life, more than in any other area, it is arguably in space travel that a strong will and clear vision are vital for creating the necessary technology and readying it for deployment in the cosmos. This was the challenge faced by Swiss technology group RUAG in the construction of its Sentinel satellite, designed for observing our planet from on high. Even here, beyond the Earth's atmosphere, AM is playing a key role. Swiss RUAG group needed an optimally designed antenna bracket, with weight optimization being a crucial element, but not the only aspect that needed to hold up in the comparison of AM vs. traditional manufacturing. Because of the vibrations and G-forces that a part is subjected to during a rocket launch and orbit, stability and rigidity formed a second essential element to the redesign.  


“EOS combines innovation with great experience in additive manufacturing. The systems offer really interesting possibilities for all markets across every sector.” – Andreas Berkau, CEO, CITIM GmbH  

Satellite bracket from RUAG
Satellite bracket from RUAG

Discover More

Metal Success and Blog Stories Enabled by EOS

3D printed heat exchanger from Conflux | © EOS

3D Printed Heat Exchanger

 Success Story | Conflux Technology

Conflux Technology has patented a highly efficient, compact heat exchanger design that derives its performance from a geometry that can only be made using additive manufacturing (AM). 

3D printing Aerospace Airbus Defence Space Satellite

Parts for Satellites

Success Story | Airbus Defence and Space

Cost-effective production of retraining brackets for the connection of components in telecommunication satelites thanks to additive manufacutring. 

3D printing Siemens gas turbines for power generation

Industrial Gas Turbines

Success Story | Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery

Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB, manufactures gas turbines for power generation. In an effort to help reduce maintenance costs, Siemens works with the development and implementation of Additive Manufacturing technology, utilising EOS technology and equipment.

Airbus A380 aircraft.

Primary Flight Control Hydraulic Component

Success Story | Liebherr

The realization of a high-pressure hydraulic valve block using EOS metal 3D printing technology marks an important milestone. This valve block has now been successfully tested on a flight with an Airbus A380 aircraft.

Bracket built with support-free parameter

Benefits of Support-Free Metal 3D Printing

Additive Manufacturing Blog

Support-free 3D metal printing is an attractive proposition. But what does it really mean and why is it so appealing? Learn what support-free printing is, whether it’s actually possible and what benefits it can bring.

Trees build without support

Building Without Support

Additive Manufacturing Blog

Building without supports or with a minimum of supports is a hot topic in metal powder bed fusion. The reason is apparent: Cost reduction. The number of supports impacts not only post-processing but also build-time and material consumption.

rocket in the sky

European New Space

Additive Manufacturing Blog

The New Space industry, since its inception, was strongly U.S.-centric, but with the emergence of new technologies and private organizations invested in the new space industry, that geographical focus has widened to incorporate more of the world. In this article we will explore the globalization of New Space with frontier technologies, such as additive manufacturing and Europe’s growing role.

3D printed metal part in EOS ToolSteel CM55

Start to Part with Metal Additive Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing Blog

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) is complex, but the path to metal 3D printing expertise is simple. With the help of expert consultants and AM education, your business can successfully integrate industrial metal 3D printing into your production line.

Free EOS Webinars

From 3D-Printing Basics to Additive Manufacturing Deep Dive

Metal Application

Selection of Material

Metal Webinars & Whitepaper Enabled by EOS

The Hitchhiker´s Guide to Smart Fusion

Whitepaper

A new level of process monitoring. Discover how real-world applications are created using Smart Fusion and learn about the design guidelines that must be considered. Download the whitepaper on "Smart Fusion" and get deep insights into the new way of process monitoring

Support-Free Printing of Closed Impellers

Support-Free Printing of Closed Impellers

Whitepaper

Metal 3D printing without supports has multiple potential benefits, but there are many factors that need to be considered to reduce the supports needed for a successful build.

Effects of Different Recoater Materials in Metal AM

Effects of Different Recoater Materials

Whitepaper

Download the whitepaper "Effects of Different Recoater Materials in Metal AM" and get deep insight about the influence of soft and hard recoater blades in metal additive manufacturing.

Machine Capability Study EOS M 290 & EOS Titanium Ti64ELI

Machine Capability Study EOS M 290 & EOS Titanium Ti64ELI

Whitepaper

This whitepaper identifies how this repeatability is achieved and investigates the performance of a standardized test job layout built on three different EOS M 290 machines at different production locations and by different operators.

A Disruptive Innovation of Thermal Management

A Disruptive Innovation of Thermal Management

Whitepaper

Download the whitepaper "A Disruptive Innovation of Thermal Management" and get deep insight about reinventing a high-performance CPU cooler with 3D printing.

Master the Challenge of Support-Free 3D Printing

Webinar

Smart Fusion is the latest addition to EOS' commitment to advancing and promoting metal additive manufacturing (AM) through innovative solutions that simplify the process, save costs, and increase productivity.​ ​Dive into the exciting world of the latest innovations in metal additive manufacturing with EOS Smart Fusion.

Building process from a Metal Machine

Learn How to Start Production with Metal Industrial 3D Printing

Webinar

This webinar provides an overview of the different metal AM technologies, their strengths and weaknesses plus insights on their suitability for production.

Metal Material Portfolio

Metal Printing Materials and Processes

Webinar

Metal printing may seem like the “new kid on the block” compared to other materials processing techniques. However, it has come a long way in a short time due to breakthroughs in materials science and an explosion of R&D to understand the structure, process, properties, and performance relationships.

3D printed Metal Mesh Spinner

Boost Part Performance with Metal 3D Printing

Webinar

Join our webinar and learn how your company can profit from 3D printing in mass production or from partnering with Dunlee to develop your tungsten solution.

EOS 3D printing Copper Combustion chamber

It’s Copper Time -  Taming the beast

Webinar

This webinar will give you an overview of copper materials, the challenges that come with additive manufacturing and were overcome as well as examples of customer applications in production. It will provide insights into the different copper materials, how best to get started and some inspiration to join the manufacturing revolution with 3D printed copper parts.