Due to its highly reactive nature, aluminum is usually not part of the top list of materials that can be used in remote locations, especially in a military context. To address this limitation, material producer Equispheres includes in its portfolio the NExP-1 non-explosive aluminum powder.
Through an initiative launched with mobile AM solution provider Fieldmade, this material can now be processed by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) on Fieldmade’s NOMAD®03 micro factory—a mobile, deployable AM system—.
Equispheres NExP-1 aluminum powder is dust-free and non-explosible per ASTM E1226, Standard Test Method for Explosibility of Dust Clouds. The optimized AlSi10Mg powder provides high layer thickness processing rates, melt pool stability and consistent melting behavior to improve system performance and the mechanical properties of finished parts.
“There has always been demand for aluminum parts in the field. By collaborating with Equispheres, we are now able to meet that demand,” says Svein A. Hjelmtveit, Chief Technology Officer at Fieldmade. “Equispheres NExP-1 non-explosive powder simplifies the transport and operation of the NOMAD®03 system while optimizing performance, giving customers portability, speed and superior quality without the need for specialized handling, storage or extensive post-processing.”
Shipped in a fully self-sustained and climate-controlled container, the NOMAD®03 system incorporates AM technologies that have been customized and ruggedized for mobile applications. The potential for point-of-need aluminum 3D printing spans a wide range of industries, from defense and energy sectors to remote communities where it’s cost-prohibitive to ship aluminum parts.
“The NOMAD®03 system is a game-changer for any remote operating environment that requires a rapid supply of spare parts. Instead of waiting for weeks for replacements to arrive, aluminum parts can be produced onsite in a few hours, often at a lower cost, using technologies that aren’t currently accessible for remote operations,” says Sascha Rudolph, Chief Operating Officer at Equispheres. “We’re excited to collaborate with Fieldmade in breaking down the barriers for Additive Manufacturing while opening up a whole new landscape for the industry.”
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