VELO3D Sapphire XC.
VELO3D has announced the launch of an ‘extra capacity’ large-format metal 3D printing system which is said to boast greater production throughput and a reduced cost-per-part than its standard Sapphire platform.
The Sapphire XC becomes VELO3D’s third piece of additive manufacturing hardware after the launch of the one-metre tall platform earlier this year and is set to be ready for shipping at the end of 2021. Following the launch of two larger capacity systems, VELO3D also plans to roll out the Sapphire Gen 2, which will comprise of a hardware and software upgrade that improves the productivity and part-cost metrics by 10-15%.
All three of the VELO3D metal 3D printing platforms are powered by the laser powder bed fusion process and patented capabilities that allow parts to be printed without support structures. However, the newest addition to the portfolio, Sapphire XC, is said to have a production throughput of up to five times better than the standard Sapphire system, while also reducing cost-per-part by up to 75%. The Sapphire XC has a build volume of 600 x 550 mm, compared to 315 mm x 400 mm in the standard machine, and is equipped with eight 1,000 W lasers, compared with just two in the Sapphire platform. It is also fully integrated with VELO’s Flow pre-print and Assure quality control software solutions; able to process materials like Aluminium F357, Titanium 6AI-4V, INCONEL 718 and HASTELLOY X.
VELO3D has already received 13 advance orders of the Sapphire XC system and expects it to deliver a high-quality output across many industrial sectors.
“Printing larger parts without the additive manufacturing constraints of support structures is highly attractive to many industrial end-users,” commented Benny Buller, founder and CEO of VELO3D. “For the first time, customers will be able to 3D print uncompromised geometries, with the highest confidence in part quality, in a large format system. Quality assurance with large scale components is critical because the economic impact of failed builds is very significant. We have demonstrated that our integrated solution is capable of producing a greater yield of high-quality parts and that foundational technology will transfer to our new Sapphire XC.”
The launch of the Sapphire XC comes just months after VELO3D's total investment received reached the $150m mark, with the company outlining then its intention to expand its product portfolio. Since then, the company has also received its largest order ever and seen the roll out of Boom Supersonic's XB-1 aircraft, which featured 21 flight components produced with VELO3D technology.
