Now that we have realized the potential of AM through a period of (still very much ongoing) experimentation, we are now starting to employ the technology on grand challenges never before considered. We’ve made AM flexible and adaptable enough to be used on very large, very demanding scales. Some of these projects have been in the works for quite some time, others have only as of lately become feasible as the technological basis supported the effort. Remember the 3D printed bridge by the MX3D people in 2015? It was finally completed, after a few hurdles and change of plans. Not 3D printed on location as it was originally planned, but the result is stunning nonetheless. In other news, CEO of Relativity Space affirms that the company is capable of 3D printing every part of a rocket, in just 60 days, cutting the number of total parts to 1/10 in the process. Sounds out of this world, but the company already raised $45M to prove its claims. In the racing world, they are accustomed to AM raising the performance metric. LEHVOSS Group wants to take it up a notch by 3D printing an entire sailboat.
Welding robots complete 3D-printed steel bridge
Back in June of 2015, we heard about how Dutch 3D-printing firm MX3D was planning on printing a steel footbridge that would go across Amsterdam’s Oudezijds Achterburgwal canal. Well, construction of that bridge is now complete – although it still has to actually be placed over the water. The finished bridge is 12.5 meters long (41 ft), and took six months to print. It’s composed of 4,500 kg (9,921 lb) of stainless steel, along with 1,100 km (684 miles) of wire. Originally, MX3D hoped to print the bridge on location, with the robots starting at one side of the canal and then building their way across. This turned out to be impractical, however.
Read more about MX3D’s bridge at New Atlas.
A Fully 3D-Printed Rocket Is Not as Crazy as it Seems. Investors Agree.
60 days. That’s how long it will take to produce and launch a rocket if the parts are 3D printed, according to the CEO of Relativity Space, a startup that seeks to do just that. Flying something made completely of 3D-printed parts into space sounds, frankly, pretty bonkers. But investors are on board. The Los Angeles-based startup recently secured $35 million to go ahead with its plan to produce a fleet of spacecraft using one of the largest 3D printers known to man, known as Stargate.
Read more at Futurism.
Lehvoss partners with Liverea Yacht to build 3D printed sailboat
The LEHVOSS Group announced March 14 it is partnering with Livrea Yacht (Palermo, Italy) to build the world’s first 3D printed sailboat. Since work began on the design in 2014, LEHVOSS Group has supported the process development and engineered its LUVOCOM 3F customized 3D printing materials specifically for the application.
According to Francesco Belvisi who is the CTO of OCORE, “The yacht will be highly competitive thanks to the light and strong 3D printed parts. 3D printing dramatically reduces the build time for the yacht and also makes it more economical. We are looking forward not only to building the first 3D printed boat but also to winning the competition in 2019.”
Read the full article here.
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