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Leveraging additive manufacturing technology, extensive research and practical applications have been conducted in the following areas:

· Design for additive manufacturing (AM)
· Lightweight and integrated design
· Stress control design for AM parts
· Function-first design
· Design for cost control and construction specifications
· Assessment of typical characteristics maturity and risk identification

Selective Laser Melting (SLM):
Selective laser melting (SLM) is a metal additive manufacturing (AM) technology that uses a bed of powder with a source of heat to create metal parts.

Laser Solid Forming (LSF):
Laser solid forming (LSF) is a typical laser direct energy deposition additive manufacturing technology based on the powder feeding method with a high deposition rate.

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM):
Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is a wire-based DED approach that uses an electrical arc as a source of fusion to melt the wire feedstock and deposit a part preform, layer by layer.

BLT Intelligent Manufacturing Factory has 380 sets of machines & systems, of which nearly half are large-format systems. The build dimension of large-format system is from 400mm to 1500mm, and the build dimension of small and medium-format machines & systems is from 160mm to 400mm. Machines & systems of all sizes meets the forming needs of various parts in Aerospace.

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China, on November 2nd, – Beijing Interstellar Glory Space Technology Co., Ltd. (i-Space) Reusable Liquid Oxygen-Methane Validation Rocket SQX-2Y’s launch mission achieved complete success. Bright Laser Technologies (BLT) provided full metal additive manufacturing (AM) support for the development of critical parts in SQX-2Y.

Testing of the Hyperbola-2’s First Stage at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

Why adopt Additive Manufacturing in SQX-2Y?

A liquid oxygen methane rocket requires a strong payload capacity while ensuring lightweight construction to maintain rocket performance. Efficiency, cost, and iteration speed are crucial to commercial rocket development. Metal 3D printing technology offers significant advantages in part structure optimization design, manufacturing complex feature combinations, and rapid prototyping of small batch parts. 3D printing processes has the advantages of high integration, lower process complexity, shorter production cycles, and reduced costs.

As a long-term partner of i-Space, BLT has assisted the i-Space in the development of several key engine components, effectively reducing i-Space’s component production cycle, saving production costs, accelerating product iteration, and enhancing development efficiency. In the early stages of developing new rocket engines, relying on 3D printing technology allows i-Space to have greater flexibility in design and significantly shortens the validation cycle for design optimization iterations.

How was BLT’s Additive Manufacturing expertise implemented in the SQX-2Y Program?

BLT has 3D printed components including T-shaped Coupling Connectors/ Tee Joints and Liquid Rocket Engine Thrust Chambers for SQX-2Y. The T-shaped Coupling Connectors were printed by BLT-S310 machine with stainless steel. The average printing time for a single piece is only 20 hours, and the formed parts exhibit high consistency in quality and performance, meeting the requirements of actual working conditions.

The Liquid Rocket Engine Thrust Chamber incorporates dozens of precision-critical nozzles. Metal 3D printing technology enables the integrated manufacturing of these nozzles, ensuring that the quality, precision, and performance of the parts meet the exacting demands for flawless aerospace applications. The Liquid Rocket Engine Thrust Chamber is printed by BLT-S310 machine with stainless steel, taking only 180 hours to complete.

The Liquid Rocket Engine Thrust Chambers Printed by BLT for SQX-2Y

Recognized as a Metal Laser-Powder Bed Fusion machine and qualified by Airbus, BLT-S310 demonstrates remarkable equipment stability, guaranteeing the precision and quality of part formation. BLT-S310 boasts a maximum build dimension of 250mm×250mm×400mm (W×D×H). The available materials for forming range from titanium alloy, superalloy, aluminum alloys, stainless steel, high strength steel to tool steel.

BLT has mature technology and rich experience in the development and production of aerospace components. With over a decade of experience in tailored product production, structural optimization design experience, comprehensive technical research and development matrix, well-proven engineering-tested technology, and stable and reliable machines, BLT is able to provide comprehensive industrial support for commercial aerospace customers. Besides, BLT facilitates efficient small-batch prototyping and rapid manufacturing of components for these customers. The products delivered by BLT have significant advantages in terms of quality, delivery lead time, and overall cost, meeting the stringent requirements of the commercial aerospace industry for equipment performance and reliability. Furthermore, BLT has also introduced a variety of materials tailored for the aviation and aerospace fields, supporting every innovative breakthrough in the commercial aerospace industry.

Testing Service

The BLT Testing Center provides a comprehensive range of testing services, including:

· Chemical composition analysis
· Mechanical properties testing
· Physical properties testing
· Microstructure analysis of metal materials
· Geometric quantity testing
· Non-destructive testing of metal parts
· Other related projects

BLT has successively passed the quality system certification of ISO 9001 (2015), AS 9100D/EN 9100(2018).

BLT has passed the ISO 14001 environmental management system certification(2015) and ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management system certification(2018).

Furthermore, BLT has achieved four Nadcap certifications, and the testing center has been approved as a national CNAS laboratory.

Xi’an Bright Laser Technologies Co., Ltd. Testing Center was established in 2018. It is a non-independent legal person testing institution authorized by BLT Company, which undertakes multiple testing tasks for the company’s products.

With the in-depth development of metal additive manufacturing in different fields, the demand for mass production is increasing, and efficient powder circulation is an inevitable requirement for industrial production in the “Era of Mass Production”. According to different production needs in different production scenarios, BLT has introduced a variety of powder circulation solutions to help industrial production reduce costs and increase efficiency.

BLT can provide industrialized powder circulation solutions for multiple machines. By using the newly upgraded powder supply machine BLT-GF500, powder sieving machine BLT-SF400 and powder recycling module BLT-HS03.The powder circulation solution not only reduces the total powder demand of the production line, but also reduces the dependence on manual operation, so that the production efficiency and the return on investment are higher.

In the printing process, the powder is circulated under the protection of inert gas to realize the automatic Recycling, Sieving and Supplying of powder. The powder circulation solution can reduce manual intervention, improve the rhythm of powder circulation, and ensure continuous production.

In addition, the industrialized powder circulation system is composed of independent units, and the interfaces of each auxiliary module are unified. When working, the powder circulation is realized through pipeline connection, and the powder is configured to different equipment according to actual production requirements.

In recent years, BLT has introduced a series of large-scale system (BLT-S515, BLT-S600/S615series, BLT-S800, BLT-S1000) with building dimension exceeding 1 meter. In order to meet the continuous production demand of large-scale system, BLT has launched a new powder circulation system BLT-XH300 according to the production process and powder processing function of powder circulation.

The BLT-XH300 is highly integrated, enabling the powder handling needs of the printing process to be achieved with just one device. The powder processing efficiency of BLT-XH300 can reach 30 L/H, which can basically meet the needs of powder circulation in the printing of large build dimension system and improve the production efficiency. For some models of system, BLT-XH300 can be directly arranged under the people working platform, which is highly integrated with the host system in space and saves space.

With the development of “Mass Production Era” of metal 3D printing, the requirements of mass production of industrial parts for cost reduction, quality improvement and efficiency enhancement are also increasing. Aiming at solving the problem of mass production, BLT has continuously improved its technology research and development. In this TCT Asia show, BLT has brought many application cases of mass production in the industrial field.

Rotors and stators are important parts for motor applications. At this TCT Asia Show, BLT displayed a full substrate of the rotors and stators. The size of a single rotor is 39mm × 39mm × 20mm, and the size of a single stator is 46mm × 46mm × 20mm. Using six-laser BLT-S400 machine,27 rotors and 27stators can be formed on a full substrate. The printed rotor and stator have high consistency, and the quality and building efficiency are ensured.

Tesla Valve is a one-way gas flow valve, which uses space structure to promote gas flow. Using six-laser BLT-S400 machine,126 Tesla Valves with the size of 30 mm × 30 mm × 90 mm can be formed on a full substrate. The formed Tesla Valves have good dimensional accuracy and meet the engineering requirements.

The high-frequency induction coil is of a cavity thin-wall annular structure. Because of the high reflectivity of copper alloy powder, it is difficult for laser to melt copper alloy powder continuously, which leads to the low forming efficiency of induction coil and the difficulty in controlling the forming quality. Through developing new Cr-Zr-Cu material process, using BLT-S210 machine, 4 induction coils can be formed on a full substrate with high efficiency and high quality.

There is a circle of evenly distributed blades in the swirler showed at TCT Asia 2023, the overall structure of which is stable. 140 pieces can be formed by eight-laser BLT-S450, which shortens the production cycle while ensuring the quality.

Planetary gear are commonly used in all types of engine transmissions. Using BLT-S400 machine, 8 Epicyclic Gears can be formed on a full substrate, which not only can realise the integrated forming of several internal and external gears, but also can realize the compact design of the gears. The compact design can ensure that the gear is in a normal transmission state with low possibility to separate under high load. This kind of character can meet the requirements of gearbox, including high efficiency, large gear transmission ratio, large power-weight ratio, etc.

• The sales increased 58.53% from the same period last year.
• The operating income was approximately $60.22 million.
• Net profit attributable to the listed company’s shareholders is approximately $2.44 million, with basic earnings per share of $0.02.
• The Aerospace & aviation, and industrial machinery accounted for 52.29% and 39.76% separately.
• As of August 29, 2023,the market value of BLT is $2.51 billion.

      Based on the RMB/USD exchange rate on August 30, 2023

Xi’an Bright Laser Technologies Co., Ltd (Stock Code: 688333.SH), a pioneering company in the integrated solution provider for metal additive manufacturing supplier, today announces its financial results ended June 30, 2023, and the publication of its half-year financial report.

 The 2023 semi-annual performance report shows that BLT [Stock Code: 688333.SH] is maintaining a strong financial position. With an increase of 58.53% from the same period last year, the company’s operating income was approximately $60.22 million, indicating growing demand for its high-quality and leading solutions.

In the first half of 2023, BLT seized opportunities and overcame challenges, turning losses into profits. Net profit attributable to the listed company’s shareholders is approximately $2.44 million, with basic earnings per share of $0.02. The net loss attributable to shareholders of the listed company in the same period of 2022 was approximately $5.34 million, with a basic loss per share of $0.07.

In the period from January to June 2023, BLT’s revenue breakdown was as follows: aerospace and aviation accounted for 52.29%, industrial machinery accounted for 39.76%, research institutions accounted for 6.16%, medical research accounted for 1.78%, and other sectors accounted for 0.02%.

As of August 29, 2023, the market value of BLT is $2.51 billion.

Deep Exploration In Aerospace & Aviation and Consumer Market

For 2023, BLT has a number of moves to boost capacity, meeting the global demand for additive manufacturing technologies.

In the Aerospace and Aviation sector, BLT has established a solid reputation with an impressive list of esteemed customers and partners. Among its main customers are various subsidiaries of renowned global aerospace giants. Moreover, the company is a trusted supplier of metal additive manufacturing services for Airbus, a prominent player in the global aviation industry. In 2023, BLT has already achieved a number of noteworthy successes in aerospace applications.

In March, Dongfang Space independently developed a supporting gas generator for the “Force-85” 100-ton liquid oxygen kerosene engine, which achieved a successful first test run and assessment. The “Force 85” engine adopts a pin bolt design and is the first 100-ton level liquid oxygen kerosene pin bolt gas generator engine in China. BLT participated in developing the “Force-85” engine and printed multiple key components such as the engine body blank and pin-type gas generator. The quality and performance of these components have a significant impact on the overall performance of the engine.

On March 1-2, 2023, Beijing Star Glory Space Technology Co., Ltd. successfully completed two semi-system joint tests of the 100-ton liquid oxygen methane rocket engine “JD-2” in real media. BLT assisted the development team in printing multiple pipeline and turbopump parts for the “JD-2” liquid engine, helping customers reduce costs and increase efficiency.

In July, BLT’s Additive Manufacturing enabled the successful launch of the world’s first liquid oxygen-methane rocket. During its development, the BLT team conducted a comprehensive analysis of the service conditions for a number of parts, selecting materials such as superalloys and stainless steel to meet the required mechanical properties. Parts were manufactured on machines such as the BLT-S310 and BLT-S400.

Landspace launched ZQ-2 Y2 rocket at 9:00 a.m. (BJT) from the China Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on July 12, 2023.

In the consumer market, BLT started the expansion of the shoe molding business as early as 2019 and recently established a strategic partnership with a large Sino-foreign joint venture shoe manufacturer to jointly promote the development of the application of metal 3D printing technology in the shoe-making industry. BLT provides metal 3D printing technology and high-end equipment for international brands our client produces. Besides, BLT also made some advancements in the electronics sector.

 More technologies made breakthroughs, marching toward an unmanned factory

As part of its vision to “Make Manufacturing Easier,” BLT introduced the “Era of Mass Production” two years ago, with an emphasis on metal additive batch manufacturing. BLT aimed to lower the threshold of adopting this technology and bring metal 3D printing to millions of factories by adhering to the principle of “make it possible, make it affordable”, making the benefits of cost reduction and efficiency of 3D printing tangible for manufacturers.

In March, BLT upgraded the BLT-BP2.0, The new version of BLT-Build Planner further improves the software’s profiling efficiency, printing efficiency, and ease of use, providing users with an efficiency-enhancing and cost-saving print path planning solution. The new version of BLT-Build Planner, especially optimized and upgraded in the process planning of multi-laser metal additive manufacturing equipment, will further stimulate the high-efficiency printing advantages of multi-laser metal additive manufacturing equipment, and reduce costs and increase efficiency for the additive manufacturing of large-quantity, large-size, and complex structural parts.

In June, BLT officially launched the Powder recovery system. Powder recovery is of vital importance for mass production processes. The BLT-A400’s new powder recovery system ensures the safe transfer, recovery, sieving, and reuse of metal powders within an on-site test laboratory. This system facilitates the seamless and secure transfer of large volumes of 3D printing powders from containers to multiple machines, eliminating the risk of spillage, contamination, explosion, or contact with workers. BLT provides multiple equipment powder recovery solutions for different production scenarios. This system empowers manufacturers to meet their production needs while achieving substantial savings in operational costs.

In July, BLT launched the Tungsten Carbide Additive Manufacturing forming process in early 2023. This revolutionary method addresses the manufacturing obstacles associated with tungsten steel components featuring intricate structures, a challenge often encountered with conventional techniques. BLT has embraced an additive manufacturing process dedicated to tungsten carbide production to surmount this challenge. This innovative approach serves as a remedy for the prevalent issue of crack defects, presenting a particularly advantageous solution for fabricating intricate structures like flow channels and nozzles.

The picture shows the tungsten steel tip/tube

BLT officially launched the intelligent production line management system MES 2.0, which realizes for the first time the material additive manufacturing field’s planning and execution data IoT, and provides end-to-end digital manufacturing solutions, such as product management, project planning, intelligent scheduling, manufacturing execution, data IoT, statistical kanban, online reports, etc., to digitally empower metal additive manufacturing in the “Mass-production era”. BLT-MES 2.0 provides end-to-end digital manufacturing solutions for metal additive manufacturing in the “Mass Production Era”, including product management, project planning, intelligent scheduling, manufacturing execution, data linkage, statistical kanban, and online reporting.

Launched a variety of new machines and systems, meeting the needs of different build dimensions and multiple lasers

In June, in response to the changing production needs of our customers, BLT launched BLT-S615, a new platform for the mass production of large-size parts. BLT-S615 system can be equipped with a 4-laser or 6-laser configuration, with two optional configurations, respectively, 600mm × 600mm × 1500mm and 650mm × 650mm × 1300mm, the Z-axis molding height increased to 1.5 meters, to meet the needs of different areas of customers with large-size parts mass production. The height of the whole machine can be controlled to meet the installation conditions of most users’ plants.

In July, BLT released BLT-A400 (5-laser, build dimension 400 mm×300 mm×400 mm), a platform for mass production of small and medium size parts.

In the last half of the year, BLT will launch BLT-S450(8 lasers, build dimension 400mm x300mmX400mm) and BLT-S400 (6 lasers, build dimension 450mm x450mmx500mm), meeting the demand for multiple lasers in small format, and improving the average output efficiency of the plant, and reduces total operating costs.

It is said that BLT will launch the 20-laser system and more laser systems for larger parts.

Expanding the capacity to continue strong growth

In 2023, BLT has continued to expand its production capacity and continue to build the strong additive manufacturing ecosystem, providing the turnkey solutions to manufacturers. Its commitment to innovation, exceptional technological strength, and strategic market focus have paved the way for its impressive growth and success.

In May, BLT officially broke ground on its Phase IV facilities expansion project in Xi’an, China. Upon completion of Phase IV in 2025, BLT’s headquarters will reach a size of 410,000㎡.

Phase IV marks that BLT has entered a new historical stage, significantly expanding the production capacity of metal 3D printing powders and customized product printing services in aerospace and other applications, actively promoting the upgrading of China’s traditional industrial system, joining global industrial giants to push the boundaries of innovation in the manufacturing sector.

In June, BLT opened its new R&D Center in Shanghai. BLT’s Shanghai R&D Center emphasizes on electronics, smart devices, industrial machinery, civil drones, commercial aerospace, molds, new energy, and robotics applications.

The official opening will further enhance BLT’s application development capabilities in the East China region, promote in-depth exchanges with users, and mark an important step in further developing BLT’s R&D and innovation capabilities, leading the manufacturing industry to upgrade and innovate, making manufacturing easier.

BLT focuses on the frontier of engineering and complex problems of disciplines and providing model evaluation and models for users.

BLT has helped many universities and scientific research users conduct relevant research work in materials, mechanics, machinery and other disciplines, as well as aerospace, medical, automotive and other application fields, and has supported many universities to publish several high-quality papers.

As at 30 June 2023,BLT has supported more than 220 universities and research institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tongji University, Jinan University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and City University of Hong Kong, to achieve many international advanced research results in new materials, new structures, and new application scenarios.

For example, the Institute of Material Forming and Manufacturing of Tsinghua University has used BLT-S210 and BLT technology to study the application of magnesium alloys in orthopaedic implants for a long time. The State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites of Shanghai Jiaotong University uses BLT-S210 for the research and development of composite materials. The Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences uses BLT technology to develop intelligent medical products.

Based on additive manufacturing technology, carrying out a number of studies and applications:

·Design for AM
·Lightweight and Integrated Design
·Stress Control Design for AM parts
·Function-First Design
·Design for Cost Control and Constructed Specification
·Assessment of Typical Characteristics Maturity and Risk Identification