Oct 14, 2015 | By Kira
Back at the 2013 Maker Faire NYC, a young father-and-son led startup called Vader Systems introduced a never-before-seen liquid molten jet 3D printing technology that they named MagnetoJet Printing. Even in its prototype stage, industry players recognized the potential for this low-cost, high-volume metal 3D printing solution to disrupt the global metal manufacturing landscape as we know it, and have since been waiting for the company’s first 3D printer, the Mark 1, to reach the market. Now, Vader Systems has announced an exclusive manufacturing partnership with Rochester-based Aurora Machine to manufacture components for the final 3D printer, which is expected to be available as early as next year.
In order to get this highly promising machine into the market, New York-based Vader Systems is outsourcing some of the manufacturing to third party companies. Aurora Machine is a contract manufacturer that specializes in precision machining, sheet metal, fabrication, powder coating welding and assembly machines, and has been brought on to produce ‘non-critical’ components of Vader’s products. These include the outer covers and brackets. As for the ever-so-important printer head, Vader will be manufacturing it themselves in Western New York area manufacturing facility.
With the Mark 1 3D printer, the company is targeting large-scale manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers, with alleged talks with Lockheed Martin and General Electric underway. Due to an unexpected amount of interest in the pioneering technology, the company has ramped up efforts to manufacture their first batch of machines. They expect the initial production run (limited to just 20 machines) to be delivered in mid 2016, and are accepting development customers on a case-to-case basis.
Vader Systems co-founders Zachary and Scott Vader
What makes Vader System’s patent-pending 3D printing technology so distinct is that it offers a dramatically more affordable alternative to the sintered powered metal machines that are currently available. Their liquid metal jet printing alternative is also said to double existing printing speeds. The printer uses a single nozzle, drop on demand, high-temperature metal printhead on a precision motion platform. It is capable of dispensing 500 um molten aluminium droptlets at 1000 Hz for a build rate of 1 lb per hour. It is expected to cost roughly one third of the price of current industry products, with one tenth of the current part cost.
Mk1 production model concept:
“We believe we are the world’s first commercial molten metal 3D inket printer manufacturer,” said co-founder and President Scott Vader, alongside his son (and other co-founder) Zack Vader. “Our method of printing will unlock manufacturing possibilities that have only been imagined until now.”
Though the machine itself has yet to prove itself on the market, the pioneering technology it is based on could have metal manufacturers all over the world rethinking their relationship to 3D printing technology. We’ll just have to eagerly wait through to 2016 to find out.
Posted in 3D Printers
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Great news Scott & Zac! Keep up the good work.
pizzaslice wrote at 10/15/2015 3:40:01 PM:
It is a nice presentation, there are several parties active in this field. ETH Zurich, a university in the UK and some Western European companies. Most is still classified :). That's why I like the presentation.
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