Jul 13, 2016 | By Tess
Russian State Corporation Rosatom has just unveiled the nation’s first domestic metal 3D printing system. The additive manufacturing machine, which is capable of producing heavy-duty industrial parts from titanium, copper, aluminum, or iron metal powder, was presented at International Industrial Trade Fair Innoprom 2016, which is being hosted in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
According to a team of Russian scientists, both the hardware and software for the metal 3D printing system are being developed domestically, which will help the Russian additive manufacturing industry move into a new end-to-end stage for digital production. The development of the metal 3D printer is credited to experts from the State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation JSC in partnership with the Scientific Division of Rosatom.
As presented at Innoprom 2016, the Russian metal 3D printer is made up of nearly 75% domestically produced parts, including a unique laser system from the Moscow region. Parts that have had to be imported include the optics and pneumatics of the machine, but the 3D printer’s developers are confident that they will be able to eventually manufacture the 3D printer from 90% domestically produced parts. In terms of specs, the printer is reportedly equipped with 1000W laser power, a three-axis scanning optical system, and a print speed of 15 to 70 cubic cm/hour (comparable to other existing metal 3D printing systems).
The software for the 3D printer, also developed domestically, is designed to deal with and even solve such issues as information security, industrial espionage, and unauthorized data transfers. No details have been divulged as to how exactly the software accounts for these issues, however. Once market ready, the metal 3D printer is expected to retail for about 30 million rubles (approx. $469,483), reportedly about half the cost of imported systems.
Andrew Nikipelov, the General Director of JSC, explains the significance of the project saying: “Working on this project allows maximum use of the scientific potential of the division and provides a solid basis for the further development of not only our company, but also the entire engineering sector. In the future development direction of 3D-printing of metal products should significantly reduce the cost, time and production as a whole will increase the competitiveness of Russian companies on the global market.”
Indeed, as manufacturing sectors, especially within the automotive, aerospace, and biomedical fields, begin to adopt 3D printing technologies at a growing rate, countries from all over the world are innovating and developing their own systems to remain competitive with foreign industries. While there is no word on when the new Russian metal 3D printing system will be available on the market, its development seems to be advancing steadily.
Posted in 3D Printer
Maybe you also like:
- Pollen’s ‘Pam’ multi-material pellet 3D printer offers 40 μm precision for €8,000
- Aether 1 $9,000 3D Bio-Printer impresses with beautiful time-lapse video demonstration
- The most interesting 3D printers introduced at Additive Manufacturing Europe 2016
- Filamet lets you 3D print pure metal objects with your desktop 3D printer
- XYZprinting announces $229 da Vinci miniMaker designed for schools and education
- WACKER to unveil world's first industrial silicone 3D printer at K 2016 Trade Fair in October
- Zortrax reveals bigger and better M300 3D printer in Amsterdam
- Sharebot launches Voyager Warp jewelry DLP 3D Printer, '8-times faster 3D Printing'
- Ricoh makes metal injection molding obsolete with new highly efficient metal 3D printer
- OESH Shoes to develop pellet-based shoe 3D printers with National Science Foundation grant
- Italian company purchases two massive concrete 3D Printers 1063 from Swiss manufacturer Imprimere AG