Technology

SAMYLABS Develops New Dynamic Laser Technology for Metal Additive Manufacturing

· 2 min read · Samylabs

SAMYLABS has developed and integrated an innovative 915 nm laser system into its ALBA 500 metal additive manufacturing platform as part of the 2025 2i Innovation and Advanced Investment Promotion Programme, supported by the Provincial Council of Bizkaia.

SamyLabs ALBA 500 metal additive manufacturing printer, with metal powder and a laser beam on a blue background
The ALBA 500, the platform the new laser system has been integrated into.

The project, entitled “Development and Implementation of a New Dynamic Laser System in Metal Additive Manufacturing Equipment to Optimise Production Times and Improve the Structural Properties of LPBF-Manufactured Parts”, aims to advance towards more efficient, versatile and competitive metal 3D printing systems.

The initiative focuses on integrating a new 915 nm laser source designed to enable dynamic adjustment of the laser beam size during the manufacturing process. This technology opens up new possibilities for optimising printing times, expanding the range of processable materials and improving the properties of manufactured components.

To implement this technology, the SAMYLABS engineering team has developed a new integration architecture incorporating optical and mechanical adaptations, proprietary control electronics, firmware, communication interfaces and a new galvanometric scanning system.

Diagram of the 915 nm laser integration in the ALBA 500: laser source, optical train, galvanometric scan head, control electronics and dynamic spot control
The parts of the development: the 915 nm source, the optical train, the new galvanometric scan head and the control electronics.

One of the project's main milestones has been the successful functional integration of the system into an ALBA 500 printer, enabling the first three-dimensional builds to be produced using LPBF with the new laser configuration.

Work is currently continuing on the optimisation of manufacturing parameters and the validation of part quality, both essential steps towards evaluating potential improvements in productivity and performance.

This development reinforces SAMYLABS' commitment to technological innovation, the development of proprietary solutions and the advancement of industrial metal additive manufacturing. It also represents progress in the research and development of new laser technologies aimed at overcoming some of the current limitations of LPBF processes and contributing to more efficient and competitive industrial manufacturing.

The project has been carried out under the Provincial Council of Bizkaia's 2025 2i Programme (project reference 6/12/2I/2025/), which aims to promote innovation and advanced investment among companies in the region, strengthening their competitiveness and technological capabilities.

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The machine it has been integrated into, in ALBA 500. And why we develop the technology in-house, in what it means to fully develop an LPBF technology.

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