#3DExpress: Eplus3D Announces New Metal 3D Printer

We are back with #3DEXPRESS to show you all the highlights of the news from the additive manufacturing sector this week! First up, Eplus3D presents its new metal 3D printer, incorporating 36 lasers with the capability to add an additional 26. Next, the European Space Agency announced the launching of the new Ariane 6 rocket, which aims to demonstrate the potential of 3D printing in space, as well as to build infrastructures on the moon and Mars in the future. Moving forward, AM Craft has announced that it has successfully raised €600,000. Next up, the Politecnico di Torino, in collaboration with TÜV Italia and other partners from the aerospace industry, has presented the first results of the European MIMOSA project. Lastly, researchers from the University of Birmingham have recently presented their findings on a new photopolymer resin developed from lipoic acid, enabling the printing of 3D parts from recycled prototypes. Enjoy!

A New Metal Machine from Eplus3D

We start this 3DExpress with Chinese manufacturer Eplus3D. This week, it presented its new 3D printer for metal, based on powder bed laser melting. It incorporates no less than 36 lasers and can be modified to add 26 more. Named EP-M2050, it offers a generous print volume of 2050 x 2050 x 1100 mm and a layer thickness of between 20 and 120 microns. Eplus3D notes that this industrial machine is particularly suitable for the production of parts for the aerospace industry, thanks to the quality and precision it offers. Finally, the machine’s fiber lasers have a power of 500 or 700 W, depending on the user’s needs.

The Chinese manufacturer’s new machine. (Photo Credits: Eplus3D)

Ariane 6 Rocket Set to Launch With 3D Printer Onboard

The European Space Agency has just announced the imminent lift-off of the new Ariane 6 rocket, whose flight will have a number of objectives, both in terms of space exploration and the testing of new technologies. The Replicator mission, launched by start-up Orbital Matter, aims to demonstrate the full potential of 3D printing in orbit and, ultimately, to build infrastructures on the Moon and Mars. The technology developed by the startup operates in microgravity, without generating heat during the printing process. During the Ariane 6 flight, its CubeSat 3D printer is expected to print a 50 cm-long beam at an altitude of 580 kilometers – a first for this machine, which has so far only proved its worth on Earth.