Satellite Applications Catapult, a UK company focusing on promoting satellite services, has acquired a MetalFAB1 3D printer from Additive Industries.
The new 3D printer will be available for UK companies to use from July 2021 and is sited in Buckinghamshire.
‘Over the coming months, the Satellite Applications Catapult and Additive Industries will be demonstrating its capabilities to interested UK organisations and will showcase the potential for additive manufacturing for the space sector, with a specific emphasis on rocket engines,’ a press release said. ‘With thousands of parts built using additive manufacturing technologies in use across multiple disruptive sectors, including aerospace, maritime, energy and space, the technology is now vital for improved performance, reduction of waste and by-products. However access to additive manufacturing equipment which has the capacity to build large parts has to date remained prohibitively expensive for most UK SMEs.’
The technology will reportedly be available to companies on a pay-as-you-go basis, working either with researchers at the company or in an independent capacity.
‘Our collaboration with Additives Industries […] marks a significant milestone bringing weight saving, novel geometries, low volume production requirements and reduced part count solutions to any potential business wanting to manufacture aerospace parts,’ said Mike Curtis-Rouse, head of manufacturing for space at Satellite Applications Catapult.
This story uses material from Additive Industries, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
