PrintRite3D is suitable for the aerospace, defence, oil and gas, and biomedical markets and could reduce manufacturing expenses and eliminate costly post-manufacturing inspections, the company said. According to a press release, the overall 3D printing (additive manufacturing) industry is dominated by the making of plastic parts but the growth of precision-made metal parts is expanding rapidly at a pace of double-digit percentages (Wohlers Report 2012).
“It is much more difficult to 3D print metal parts than plastic parts because they must meet very demanding engineering specifications,” said Mark Cola, president of Sigma Labs. “PrintRite3D is a suite of quality assurance tools that we expect will enable AM manufacturers to meet the rigorous requirements of metal parts for critical applications, and allow end users to use AM metal parts with confidence. The PrintRite3D suite of software and sensors are designed to guarantee that part quality can be monitored in real time and to report any anomalies during production further enabling lights-out production or minimal worker presence on-site."
Sigma Labs is currently in discussions with a major 3D manufacturer of metal parts and is confident that by the end of 2012 that it will enter into an arrangement simultaneously with the roll out of our PrintRite3D(TM) suite of products, Cola stated.