You may have discovered their technology before they became an official company… The spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) founded in 2015, Rapid Liquid Print (RLP), has completed a Series A funding of USD 7 million led by HZG Group. The latter was joined by existing investors BMW i Ventures and MassMutual.
RLP has developed a process where a liquid object is “drawn” in three dimensions within a gel suspension. A gantry system injects a liquid material mixture into a container filled with a specifically engineered gel, drawing the desired object into three-dimensional space via a nozzle. The gel holds the object in suspension – as if in zero gravity – while the object cures during printing. The entire printing process takes minutes and requires no additional support structures to be printed. The printed objects can be used immediately without post-processing.
RLP’s technology is not restricted by the size limitations that apply to most additive manufacturing processes. It enables the creation of complex and large-scale geometries using well-established materials that have been used in industry for decades. The technology also scores highly in terms of sustainability: the gel can be reused multiple times, and in the case of the current focus material silicone, the print material can be recycled at the end of the product lifecycle.
So far, the machines are used to print customer orders across many industries, including but not limited to medical, automotive and consumer goods sectors. In addition to the innovative printing technology, the company has developed a novel software platform to control the print head within the three-dimensional gel space.
Schendy Kernizan, co-founder and CEO at RLP, says: “In the HZG Group, we have found an investor who recognizes the full potential of our technology and has its own track record of setting standards with the introduction of metal 3D printing on an industrial scale. Together, we will take RLP’s technology to the next level. RLP will benefit greatly from the HZG Group’s engineering expertise and network at its high-tech location in Bavaria.”
To date, RLP is the seventh company that receives a capital from HZG Group – after xolo, AMECOS, AMSIS, trinckle, Axtra3D and Q.Big 3D.
Featured image Copyright: Rapid Liquid Print Co.. Remember, you can post job opportunities in the AM Industry on 3D ADEPT Media free of charge or look for a job via our job board. Make sure to follow us on our social networks and subscribe to our weekly newsletter : Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Instagram ! If you want to be featured in the next issue of our digital magazine or if you hear a story that needs to be heard, make sure you send it to contact@3dadept.com.