Velo3D
A cross-sectioned thrust chamber printed on a Velo3D Sapphire system in GRCop-42. The chamber walls contain internal channels for regenerative cooling.
Velo3D has announced the qualification of the copper-chromium-niobium alloy GRCop-42 for use on its Sapphire metal 3D printing systems.
The company will showcase the first GRCop-42 demonstration parts at RAPID + TCT next week.
Developed by NASA in 1987, GRCop-42 has been used to manufacture parts which require high-strength and high conductivity, such as rocket engine combustion chambers. In 2017, NASA developed parameters for GRCop-42’s use in additive manufacturing at its Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama and Glenn Research Center in Ohio.
By enabling the alloy to be processed with its Sapphire systems, Velo3D says its users will now be able to produce mission-critical parts with oxidation resistance and high creep strength at temperatures as high as 1400°F. Contract manufacturer Knust Godwin – who already runs three Velo3D 3D printers – will receive the first Sapphire machine to process GRCop-42, which has been validated to ensure it delivers the same expected outcomes and part quality as other materials offered by Velo3D.
Velo3D says the introduction of GRCop-42 is the ‘natural next step’ in its materials offering, while Knust Godwin expects it to widen its scope in terms of applications.
“Our end-to-end solutions have seen extensive adoption in aerospace because of their ability to deliver part consolidation, lighter-weight systems and unique geometries, and adding GRCop-42 to our growing list of available materials enables us to support more end use cases across the aerospace industry,” commented Velo3D founder and CEO Benny Buller. “We’ve had extensive demand for Sapphires and Sapphire XCs that can print GRCop-42 and we’ve tested it to ensure it can achieve the same high-quality builds as our other offered materials. I’m looking forward to seeing how customers unlock new use-cases for additive manufacturing with this amazing alloy.”
“Our team is always looking for new ways to differentiate our business and because of that we were an early adopter of additive manufacturing technology, which has helped us grow our business and better serve our customers,” offered Mike Corliss, Knust Godwin VP of Technology. “Additive manufacturing allows us to build parts for our customers that could not otherwise be manufactured using conventional, subtractive manufacturing. These new, powerful alloys, like GRCop-42 – that provide added capabilities and benefits for our customers – allow us to expand our addressable use-cases.”
Velo3D will be exhibiting at RAPID + TCT from Booth 1508 between May 17-19 in Detroit.
