Rapidia launches steel extrusion expertise in Europe: technical specs and pricing

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Canadian 3D printer producer Rapidia has introduced plans to deliver its “revolutionary steel extrusion expertise” to the European market. 

Rapidia’s two-part 3D printer and furnace system allows the layer-by-layer deposition of a novel water-based steel paste into complicated components, which don’t require debinding earlier than sintering. Having given the compact machines behind its speedy manufacturing course of a bodily European debut at Formnext, the agency now plans to deliver it to market there throughout the first quarter of 2023. 

Rapidia’s steel extrusion expertise 

Because it was established in 2016, Rapidia has centered on growing a steel 3D printing expertise that’s quicker and extra accessible than present choices, however nonetheless yields prime quality components. What it has provide you with is a course of whereby a paste-like feedstock, made up of steel powder, water and a tiny quantity of binder, is deposited onto a heated mattress, on which its water content material is evaporated away. 

Versus most of the system’s opponents, which depend on steel powders sure by polymers, it produces inexperienced components that don’t want debinding. This not solely makes Rapidia’s course of a lot quicker, however ensures that its customers gained’t should spend money on massive, costly debinding gear, making it comparatively ‘office-friendly.’

Working with a water-based paste additionally gives design benefits. Components made out of such a feedstock might be mixed into extra consolidated, complicated builds. The expertise due to this fact creates alternatives for customers to print components into sections, which might be moistened and stacked on high of each other into full builds.

So far, the corporate has introduced this course of to market by way of the launch of each a proprietary 3D printer and a furnace, designed to supply partial strain sintering in argon and yield components with wonderful metallurgy. Collectively, these machines finally allow the printing and direct sintering of parts, via a course of that in lots of instances takes simply 16-24 hours from start-to-finish. 

Bringing Rapidia 3D printing to Europe 

Rapidia’s efforts to commercialize its expertise initially noticed it accomplice with ExOne throughout 2020, in a collaboration which yielded the Metallic Designlab and X1F furnace. Although barely greater than Rapidia’s authentic 3D printer, the Metallic Designlab remained sufficiently small to focus on the office-friendly area, whereas offering customers with one other technique of adopting its two-stage additive manufacturing course of. 

When the deal was signed, it additionally included a stipulation that ExOne would have first refusal over any future acquisition of its Vancouver-based accomplice. Nonetheless, following Desktop Metallic’s acquisition of ExOne, the 2 corporations have now parted firm and Rapidia has returned to the unbiased distribution of its {hardware} and feedstock. 

On the analysis entrance, Rapidia says its expertise’s open nature continues to permit for the event of recent sintering cycles and specialised pastes, and so as to capitalize on the curiosity that is serving to generate, it has given its portfolio a bodily debut at Formnext, forward of its first shipments to European shoppers in Q1 2023. 

Technical specs and pricing

Under are the technical specs for Rapidia’s materials extrusion system and furnace. Focused on discovering out extra? Potential clients can contact Rapidia for a quote right here. 

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Featured picture exhibits Rapidia’s 3D printer and furnace. Picture by way of Rapidia.