The lasering area is the area where a laser deposits a thin layer of molten metal powder along a precise line in order to produce parts layer by layer (in the µm range).
Small in size (40 × 40 cm), it is mounted on a sliding system that enables it to be lowered to each layer with the addition of metal powder.
The lasering area is the area where a laser deposits a thin layer of molten metal powder along a precise line in order to produce parts layer by layer (in the µm range).
Small in size (40 × 40 cm), it is mounted on a sliding system that enables it to be lowered to each layer with the addition of metal powder.
At around 9:00 a.m., a fire broke out on a vacuum machine that was being serviced at a 3D metal printing plant. Technicians tried to put out the flames with powder fire extinguishers. The 54 employees were evacuated. Firefighters extinguished the fire at around 9:40 a.m. The machine was damaged and unusable. The filtration system in the confined area where the machine was located made it possible to prevent the spread of smoke.
According to the operator, soot from the melting of titanium powder during the process would settle on the inner walls of the machine’s lasering area. Cleaning with an ATEX vacuum cleaner caused this soot to heat up and ignite. The flames spread to the machine’s plastic combustible components. In addition, the stepladder used by the technician had not been connected to earth. The risk analysis, conducted by a specialist engineering services firm, had not taken into account the presence of soot and its flammability. The requirements in it had not been recorded in a cleaning procedure.
To prevent a recurrence of such an accident, the operator:
- improved the risk analysis;
- reassessed the PPE used;
- wrote a procedure for reducing the flammability of soot before its vacuuming;
- selected extinguishing media adapted to the identified risk;
- designated which employees are authorised to clean the machines;
- revised the cleaning intervals.
