China's Faiborida 3D has introduced the SLM M500 metal powder-bed system with a 500 × 500 × 500 mm volume and four 500 W IPG fibre lasers. The large cube and multi-laser layout target large parts or parallel production, but installed optical power alone does not guarantee productivity.

Metal AM reports technical data attributed to manufacturer specifications. No public independent benchmark, installed reference or complete part-qualification dataset was found, so performance values remain attributed vendor data.

Optics, layers and speed

Four 1064 nm lasers use SCANLAB galvanometers and F-theta optics. Stated build rate is 20–80 cm³/h across 0.02–0.2 mm layers. Recommended scan speed is 1–4 m/s, jump speed 6–7 m/s and maximum motion 11 m/s.

These figures should not be combined into one typical cycle. Volumetric rate depends on material, layer, hatch, contours, packing, recoating and coordination of four fields. A thicker layer may raise nominal volume but reduce detail and require another process window.

Accuracy and four lasers

The vendor states ±0.1 mm up to 100 mm and ±0.1% of length beyond that. It is unclear whether this is as-built or machined, and which material, orientation, position and sample count were used. On a 500 mm part the percentage rule permits ±0.5 mm, potentially acceptable for some tools but not precision fits without finishing.

Overlap between four lasers is a separate acceptance problem. Power, focus, position and thermal response must align or seams may differ mechanically or visually. Procurement should print identical coupons at field centres, edges and overlaps, then compare density, properties and dimensions.

Powder and gas

SLM M500 lists top-fed bidirectional powder delivery, enclosed loading and recovery, and nitrogen or argon circulation. Enclosure can reduce handling but does not replace documented oxygen limits, filtration, sieving, refresh ratios, grounding, explosion protection and housekeeping.

Stainless steels, cobalt chrome, titanium, tool steels, aluminium and high-temperature alloys are named. That is a compatibility target, not one universal recipe. Each material needs its own powder data, parameters, heat treatment, inspection and revalidation rules.

Software and application

Voxeldance Additive performs data preparation and Faiborida control software runs on Windows 10 or later; STL, SLC and JOB are listed. Tooling, automotive, aerospace, nuclear, defence and orthopaedics are target markets, not proven qualifications.

A buyer should price the complete installation: inert gas, powder room, filters, sieve, plates, heat treatment, removal, machining, measurement, service and local spares. A 125-million-cubic-millimetre chamber ties up substantial powder and capital even though not all powder melts.

Editorial conclusion

M500 specifications describe a competitive large-format quad-laser architecture. The decisive evidence is field uniformity, accepted-part cycle, powder loss and regional support—not cube size. Until those are demonstrated, 20–80 cm³/h and accuracy are vendor screening data.