CAM-LEM, Inc.
Ceramic and Metal Component Prototyping
~ Functional Prototypes and Production ~

CAM-LEM, Inc. can quickly and economically produce prototypes of metal components that contain complex curved surfaces, or require controlled internal shaped cavities.

A combination of shaping techniques with a patented green-state joining allows this freedom.

Our processes (see Green Machining and Inteform under Technologies) allow us to produce a wide variety of components from 3-D CAD models that we can produce from your drawings.  Surface finish is far superior to that seen on parts made by straight-edged layered rapid prototyping methods.

Closeup of stainless steel part
316L Stainless steel tooling segment

Inside of tool segment showing fluid flow channels
Our forming processes are particularly well suited to creating geometries that cannot be cost-effectively machined, molded, or cast due to their unusual geometry or complex shape. The part shown in cross section below contains two orthogonal layers of connected fluid flow channels. Applications include thermal management, fluidic controls, and sampling devices.

Cross-section of stainless steel cooling plate with internal fluid flow channels
Typical part sizes range up to 200 x 150 x 150 mm.

Over a dozen metal alloys are available for this process.  We currently stock 316L stainless as our preferred feedstock.  Please contact us with your requirements.

Tensile test bar specimens made from joined layers exhibit excellent mechanical properties as shown in the table below.  Literally over a thousand joints were tested to develop this database.
 

     
Tensile Property Comparison
of Green-Laminated 316L Stainless Steel
     
  Tensile Properties
 
  UTS*  Elongation
  (MPa)  
 CAM-LEM formed specimens    
     joints perpendicular to testing axis
 566 
 44% 
     joints parallel to testing axis  539 45%
     
 Powder Injection Molding 448 40%
     (ASM International: Metals Handbook)    
     
 Typical properties for wrought 316L  480 to 600    40 to 50% 
     
 * UTS = Ultimate Tensile Strength    

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Last modified 2005 September 12 info@camlem.com