Project description
3D printing of hybrid components made of metals and polymers is on the horizon
Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is often associated with inkjet printers. Powder bed fusion 3D printing technology relies on selective consolidation of powders into 3D objects using heat or pressure. Today, both metal and polymer powder particles can be joined, but not in the same piece, and there is a huge market for such components. The Belgian SME Aerosint is changing the rules of the game. The EU-funded Aerosint project is supporting the team in developing the business plan for its multi-material powder bed 3D printing process, which is the first to enable polymer and metal combinations.
Objective
Powder bed 3D printing was invented over 30 years ago, has not changed since and is only able to print single material parts.
Aerosint intends to change that. Aerosint invented a 3D printing technology capable of printing truly multi-material parts with the ultimate goal to be able to combine metals, polymers and ceramics. This capability paves the way to unique parts optimization and functionalization and will bring 3D printing in a new era.
Aerosint is the first multi-material powder bed 3D printing process enabling unique polymer and metal combinations. Our patent-pending technology can print parts that are made of different materials by melting powder layers composed of more than one powder. To achieve that, the Aerosint patterning drums selectively deposit fine powder voxels line by line. The result are powder layers composed of more than one material and ready for sintering. What best illustrates Aerosint unique approach to multi-material. Aerosint’s multi-powder dispenser achieves material change between and within layers. No other existing technology is today capable of doing this.
We will have two streams of revenue upon market entry: royalty incomes from licensing our technology to 3D machine manufacturers. To help us with revenues faster and to invest in further improvements, we are also considering retrofitting old machines. Considering the sales of 7,000 SLS units worldwide at an average price of €200,000 (current price of SLS printer), our serviceable obtainable market would be €98M (7% of the total sales price). There is no competition in terms of technology but there are substitutes such as printers without Aerosint technology.
The Phase 1 funding will help us determine the best way to progress and Phase 2 to upgrade the technology. We will benefit the EU helping advanced manufacturing techniques with the new 3D printing technology, creating more jobs in manufacturing and reducing energy consumption and waste in the process.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
4040 Herstal
Belgium
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.