Materialise has evaluated EOS's soon-to-launch polymer 3D printing platform under production conditions and reported 44% higher productivity than with the previous EOS system. The additive manufacturing service provider also measured a reduction in build time per part of more than six minutes, from 19:53 to 13:51.
The evaluation used the not-yet-released EOS machine to produce a cable twist wheel for customer GKN Aerospace. According to the account, the part printed successfully. Materialise also assessed reliability, the effect of new machine features, productivity and efficiency, usability and control, and the ease of post-processing.
Three lasers and balanced exposure
EOS has not yet released the full technical specification, but the company has confirmed several elements of the platform. It uses a three-laser architecture with intelligent utilization and dynamic load balancing. The load-balancing function is designed to maximize output per build by distributing the exposure workload evenly, while the additional laser capacity contributes to higher productivity.
Giovanni Vleminckx, process engineering manager at Materialise, said the three lasers make a visible difference in performance. He attributed the higher throughput to their intelligent use while maintaining the part quality that Materialise's customers expect.
The system also provides extended process controls. Users can work with validated parameter sets or open them up for greater control and alignment with specific applications and key performance indicators. Vleminckx said the overall performance of the system stood out rather than one isolated feature, combining the productivity needed with the process stability and control required for demanding production applications.
Downstream gains from a softer powder cake
Materialise noted benefits beyond build speed. An advanced roller recoater creates softer powder cakes, which makes it easier to depowder parts and reduces handling effort. Vleminckx described the softer powder cake as a tangible improvement for operators, adding that parts are easier to unpack and clean, making the overall workflow more efficient.
Those improvements are relevant for a manufacturing service with high-throughput requirements that must adapt to different production applications. For Materialise, the combination of three lasers, the new roller recoater and open process controls addresses both output and the practical steps that follow printing.
EOS plans to reveal the full platform at Formnext 2026. The company is scheduled to present it on November 17 at its booth in hall 12, stand D71, where visitors will be able to see the system in person.