Australian metal 3D printer manufacturer Aurora Labs has increased the speed of its Rapid Manufacturing Technology (RMP1) additive manufacturing system by a reported 2000%.
Following the company’s latest speed tests, the RMP1 3D printer demonstrated a print speed of 350kg/day. This is a significant improvement when compared to the initial speed tests last year which exhibited a print speed of 15.88kg/day.
“This is an outstanding result for Aurora Labs and one that underlines the potential of our metal 3D printing capability,” stated David Budge, Managing Director of Aurora Labs.
“Our RMP1 machine has the ability to produce high-quality parts, in a timeframe of hours – as opposed to traditional parts manufacturing than can have lead times of months. The technical development of our Rapid Manufacturing Technology is occurring in parallel with some exciting progress in our market development activities.”
Speeding up metal 3D printing
In early 2018, Aurora Labs announced plans to introduce a new large-format metal 3D printer designed to manufacture parts up to a size of 1.5m x 1.5m x 2.5m (L x W x H) at a rate 100 times faster than existing systems. According to Budge, this would address the demands of major industrial groups such as automotive and aerospace.
Similar to Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), Aurora Labs’ Multi Concurrent Printing (MCP) is integrated within the RMP1. This process lays down multiple layers of powder at the same time whilst an area behind each powder gate allows for multiple spaces for 3D printing.
This summer, the company reached a milestone for the commercialization of its RMP1 3D printer by finalizing the construction and commencing live beta testing. Budge added, “When you consider that we recorded print speeds of 15.8kg per day on the Alpha Printer last September, this equates to a greater than 2000% speed improvement in 12 months.”
Piloting the RMP1 3D printer
Presently, Aurora Labs is fielding interest from a number of undisclosed potential customers. This includes firms within the U.S. medical sector, two major global industrial groups, a U.S. aerospace company, a global steel manufacturer and global international car manufacturers.
Budge continued, “There is no doubt the global resources, industrial and manufacturing sectors are aware of the potential of Aurora’s 3D metal printing to reduce costs and free up capital that is currently locked away in spare parts inventories, and today’s news will add to that interest.”
“We are excited about the progress we are making, both technically, and commercially with potential partners who want access to our world-leading 3D metal manufacturing capability.”
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Featured image shows the Aurora Labs RMP1 Beta Printer. Image via Aurora Labs
