Breaking the 0–15° Barrier: Zhongke Xianglong Sets New Benchmark for Support-Free Metal 3D Printing

In recent years, many metal 3D printer manufacturers have claimed “support-free” technology—yet in reality, these solutions often still require supports at angles below 15°. Zhongke Xianglong has now achieved a genuine breakthrough: pushing the limits of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) to enable true 0–15° support-free metal 3D printing, establishing a new industry benchmark.

A Breakthrough in LPBF: From Limited Supports to True Support-Free Printing

Support structures in LPBF have long been a critical bottleneck: while they stabilize the build, they also drive up material waste, extend production cycles, and add costly post-processing. Zhongke Xianglong has re-engineered its process architecture and optimized laser energy control on a standard LPBF machine, achieving stable, high-quality builds at angles below 15° without supports.

Key achievements include:

· Retaining part surface quality and mechanical performance equivalent to traditional supported builds.

· Establishing a cost–efficiency–quality synergy, simultaneously reducing powder consumption, shortening print cycles, and lowering post-processing costs.

Broad Application Potential: From Aerospace to Consumer Goods

The significance of reducing the support-free threshold to 15° lies not in the number itself, but in the leap in design freedom and manufacturing efficiency it represents. This breakthrough solution is compatible with a wide range of metal 3D printers and unlocks value across industries:

· Aerospace: Enables integral printing of impellers and turbines, reducing internal supports, cutting weight, and improving fuel efficiency.

· Automotive: Facilitates lightweight structural components, lowering material use while improving throughput and fuel economy.

· Medical Devices: Guarantees dimensional stability and surface quality for high-precision implants and instruments.

· Consumer Products: Expands design freedom to meet personalization needs, enhancing competitiveness.

Lifecycle Benefits: Economic and Environmental Gains

Compared with conventional additive methods, Zhongke Xianglong’s support-free technology offers major lifecycle advantages:

· Material Savings: Eliminates most support structures, drastically reducing powder consumption and waste.

· Energy Efficiency: Shorter print times and minimized post-processing lower energy use, improving overall sustainability.

· Durability: Optimized geometries enhance heat dissipation and reduce stress concentrations, extending component lifespan.

By breaking through the support-free threshold down to 0–15°, Zhongke Xianglong has redefined what is achievable in LPBF metal printing. This advance not only ensures part quality but also expands application boundaries and strengthens both economic and environmental performance. In doing so, it accelerates the evolution of additive manufacturing from “feasible” to “efficient, economical, and sustainable,” providing vital momentum for large-scale industrial adoption.