Swinburne’s state-of-the-art Factory of the Future has been equipped with a a first-of-its-kind 3D metal parts printer capable of creating industrial quality metal parts in just minutes.
Developed by Australian 3D metal-printing company SPEE3D, LightSPEE3D is the first 3D metal parts printer to apply supersonic deposition, where metal particles are fired faster than the speed of sound.
Swinburne advanced manufacturing researcher, Associate Professor Suresh Palanisamy, says that in addition to being cheaper than other 3D metal manufacturing methods, supersonic deposition also significantly reduces the time needed to manufacture a part.
“Unlike traditional 3D printing technologies, supersonic deposition does not use heat to melt the metal particles,” Associate Professor Palanisamy explained.
“Instead, the metal particles are sprayed at a support plate, layer by layer, through a rocket nozzle using high velocity air, allowing for a much faster build.”
He said the technology can be used to print complex geometric parts without the need for specialised tools such as fixtures, jigs, gauges, moulds, dies and patterns.
“The only inputs required are computer-aided design (CAD), compressed air and metal powder,” he continued.
“This not only reduces the time needed to manufacture a part, but also the cost.”
Supported by the Victorian state government and its Future Industries Sector Growth Funding Program, the new installation will help local manufacturers create new products and become more globally competitive, and will be made available to Swinburne students to further develop their manufacturing abilities.
Image credit: http://www.swinburne.edu.au
