Titomic, the Melbourne-based provider of Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF) metal 3D printing systems, has announced that it has been certified a Research Service Provider (RSP) by Innovation and Science Australia, the statutory body that advises the Australian Government on innovation, research, and science issues.
Reportedly the first additive manufacturing firm to receive the RSP status, Titomic will now be in a position to provide scientific or technical expertise and resources to perform research and development work for other companies.
Titomic Managing Director, Jeff Lang, states: “Being certified as an RSP further acknowledges the R&D work by Titomic to achieve the material science and technology validation of Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF).”
“More than ever, today’s investments in R&D breakthroughs by Australian companies will determine the size of future sovereign advanced manufacturing capabilities and commercial dividends being paid back into Australia’s future economy.”
Developments of TKF technology
TKF additive manufacturing technology is a process developed and patented by Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Using cold-spray fabrication, TKF enables the fusion of multiple dissimilar metals together within a single part. It, therefore, creates the possibility for introducing different, high-performance materials that can only be created with the technology itself. It has been used for various applications, from manufacturing rocket parts for the Australian space sector, to trialing 3D printed parts for the mining industry in Denmark, and for developing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Titomic was established in 2014 to commercialize the TKF process, with exclusive rights to the technology. On its path towards bringing CSIRO’s technology market, the company has engaged in various partnerships to develop and apply the technology. Its most recent development, earlier this month, revolved around a Purchase Order for a Statement of Work with international aerospace giant Airbus. The purchase order concerns near-net demonstrator parts for a targeted application 3D printed using the TKF process.
Around the same time, the company also announced that it had entered into a partnership with US-based global product development and technology company Triton Systems to implement TKF technology for validation through the US Department of Defense (DoD) R&D projects.
Research Service Provider
Registered RSPs in Australia are specialist organizations registered with the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science to perform research and development on behalf of, or under contract to other companies. RSPs are also entitled to resources offered by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).
Titomic’s newly awarded RSP status now means that it will be able to use its TFK process to provide certified validation of metal 3D printed prototypes and parts for high-technology industries such as aerospace and defense.
Additionally, the company plans to leverage its RSP title to attract R&D work through off-set credits from major defense primes. Offsets, as defined by the Australian Government, are requirements for a percentage of a contract’s value to be subcontracted to local firms or for other forms of benefit to be granted, such as R&D work.
Titomic is thus able to position itself as an R&D service provider for firms in the defense and aerospace sectors, providing its TKF additive manufacturing technology with the aim of reducing lead times. Its R&D expertise covers the fields of Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Materials Engineering. “Conducting R&D through an RSP provides considerable commercial incentives for companies, including the assurance that the RSP provides certified, quality R&D services without the company having to invest in the specialist staff or infrastructure required themselves,” adds Lang.
“We are proud to have met the stringent eligibility criteria from Innovation and Science Australia to achieve this RSP certification and will continue to add significant capability to Australian industry, working closely with government, research institutions, and our valued clients.”
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Featured image shows Jeff Lang (left), Nathan Kalisch, Founder of TAUV (center) with Titomic Sales Manager Elias Baini (right). Image via Titomic.
