Titomic, is unveiling what they claim to be the largest titanium 3D printed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at over 1.8 meters in diameter (almost six feet). Created at Titomic’s research and development facility in Melbourne, Australia, the UAV was printed on the TKF 9000, with their proprietary technology, Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF), using titanium as the material for a rugged vehicle prototype meant for future applications in the military or law enforcement.
The UAV, benefiting from all the advantages of 3D printing with metal, is both strong and lightweight and can be easily fortified for live combat situations offering both durability and protection for soldiers. Drones are a common type of unmanned vehicle, often directed by remote control or a computer which may be located on board.
Potential is expanding for UAVS rapidly, although their uses have been primarily military. With metal 3D printing, companies and organizations like the military can make armaments on demand, and quickly. With the use of titanium for this endeavor, Titomic is demonstrating how their new technology can integrate materials historically known to be challenging due to affordability issues and size limits.
“Besides a relatively high melting point, titanium’s corrosion resistance and strength-to-density ratio is the highest of any metallic element. Titanium is also 60% denser than aluminum and twice as strong,” states Titomic on their website.
This should be encouraging to other companies interested in taking advantage of this material, although they may have been previously restricted to the use of more fragile plastic or heavier metal. With TKF, titanium powder particles are sprayed at supersonic speed, fusing together and consequently, forming enormous 3D printed parts.
“We’re excited to be working with the global defense industry to combine Australian resources, manufacturing and innovation which will increase our sovereign capability to provide further modern technology for Australia and its defense force,” said Titomic Managing Director Jeff Lang.
TKF came onto the industrial market a couple of years ago, and in that time, Titomic has not only continued to expand commercialization, but they have also secured patents in both the US and Australia. Co-developed and licensed with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), this unique process is behind the manufacturing of metal parts, and also surface coatings like nickel, copper, scandium, and other alloys like stainless steel. Numerous metals and materials can be melded into singular, high-performance parts.
3D printing brings something to nearly every industry today, from furthering aerospace endeavors to helping fashion designers and creators around the world break artistic barriers. But when it comes to fabrication with metal, users—often larger industrial companies—are looking forward to power. And this is demonstrated in the additive manufacturing hardware, a vast array of metal powders offering strength, as well as new techniques allowing companies to produce strong yet lightweight parts that may not have been possible previously.
What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.
Titomic, an Australian metal 3D printer manufacturer, has developed what is said to be the largest 3D printed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The 1.8 meter (in diameter) titanium UAV was created using Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF), the company’s proprietary additive manufacturing process to be at a military standard. “We’re excited to be working with the global […]
In this week’s edition of the 3D Printing Industry News digest, Sliced, companies such as BigRep, Senvol gear up for the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG), and Nanofabrica strategically prepares for Hannover Messe. Additional conferences related to additive manufacturing such as MECSPE Parma, in Italy, and Amerimold: The Event for Mold Manufacturing, are presenting the […]
CSIRO’s Keith McLean, Titomic’s Jeff Lang, and FTT’s Peter Mews sign agreement
Renowned for its metal Kinetic Fusion (TKF) technology, Australian 3D printing company Titomic recently signed an MoU with China’s largest manufacturer and global exporter of titanium powder in order to secure a high quality supply of low-cost, commercially pure titanium powders. It’s clear that the company is continuing to focus on titanium resources – it has licensed two new patents from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) for the production of titanium pipe and continuous pipe. This Exclusive License Agreement with CSIRO gives Titomic global rights to the patents, which will significantly open the company’s revenue opportunities in several industries, like defense, marine and mining, and oil and gas.
Additionally, Titomic has signed an Acquisition Agreement with Future Titanium Technologies (FTT). The company is now entitled to over eight years of exclusive 3D printing techniques and background IP relating to the production of pipes and their components.
“This is a significant expansion of Titomic’s IP and associated revenue opportunities. By adding these two new patents we are broadening our footprint in the Titanium and Titanium Alloys Additive Manufacturing space to firmly secure our future market segments,” said Titomic’s Managing Director Jeff Lang.
“Our fundamental strategy has been well timed and managed to perfectly combine the securing of cost-effective metal powder supply chain, with the expansion of our IP portfolio positioning Titomic as the global leader in viable metal Additive Manufacturing.
“To capitalise on the significant $300+ Billion global interest Titomic has received from the Oil & Gas, Mining, and Marine industries to provide more sustainable and cost-effective AM manufacturing, these new TKF technologies enable Titomic to provide viable digital manufacturing capabilities leading to significant short, mid and long-term revenue opportunities.”
Titomic’s fast 3D printing technology, which is actually the result of a CSIRO study, can now be used by industries looking to access next generation, dual-wall materials to 3D print metal pipe without having to worry about profile or size constraints.
For instance, the oil and gas industry is uses plenty of valves, but their lifecycle can be negatively impacted by abrasive matter like rock, sand, and sediments that run through pipes during extraction. Using these newly licensed patents, Titomic can use its technology to produce metal pipes with higher corrosion and wear resistant properties; additionally, the process can also fuse dissimilar metals together to make fitting components and pipes.
“Working with companies like Titomic shows that manufacturing remains a key driver in the Australian economy,” said Stefan Gulizia, Research Group Leader at CSIRO. “We are pleased that Titomic are licensing the rights to utilise and further commercialise CSIRO research in developing new products and processes that go towards supporting productivity gains, boosting sustainability and helping capture emerging opportunities in local and global markets.”
Thanks to the important performance factors like cost, quality, scale, speed, and sustainability, Titomic will now be able to commercially exploit its TKF technology. Pipe and fitting component consumers will be able to save on both time and money, as maintenance costs and down time will decrease and parts will have longer life cycles. Additionally, TKF can also be used to 3D print valves, fitting components, and pipes with new superalloys, and can even combine them with polymers, composites, ceramics, and alloys to achieve high performance properties.
McLean, Lang, and Mews holding the sprayed pipe section.
The most important transaction terms of the new Acquisition Agreement with FTT include Titomic allotting $400,000 worth of its shares to FTT shareholders for $2.00 per share, half of which will be escrowed for a year. For every two shares, Titomic will also issue one new option to FTT shareholders, at an excerisable price set at a 130% premium to the share price with a two-year life.
In terms of its Exclusive License Agreement with CSIRO, Titomic will pay the following minimum annual royalties to CSIRO:
$50,000 for 2018-2019
$75,000 for 2019-2020 and 2020-2021
$150,000 for 4th year of agreement, and each subsequent agreement year until the end of the license term
CSIROs Keith McLean, Titomic’s Jeff Lang, and FTT’s Peter Mews celebrate the collaboration.
Additionally, Titomic will pay CSIRO an upfront fee of $125,000 cash for licensing the technologies.
Starting with fashion news, moving to automotive, and finally on to business, we’ve got a short but interesting 3D Printing News Briefs for you today. An Israeli fashion and shoe designer just introduced a 3D printed collection at a San Francisco museum, while Bugatti just tested out its 3D printed brake caliper. Roboze has three new points of contact for customers in North America, and Titomic has signed its second MoU of the week for metal powders.
3D Printed Fashion Collection on Display
Ganit Goldstein, an Israeli fashion design student at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem whose work we’ve admired before, recently collaborated with Stratasys on her graduation collection, titled “Between the Layers,” which consists of six pairs of 3D printed shoes and seven 3D printed outfits. The high-end, haute couture collection was inspired by her time in Japan learning a traditional weaving technique called ‘ikat’ at the Tokyo University of the Arts, and all of the pieces were 3D printed on the Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer by Stratasys. The 3D printed shoes from Goldstein’s collection were unveiled earlier this week at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum as part of the “Arts of Fashion Foundation” International Student Fashion Competition, of which Goldstein is a finalist.
“Stratasys’ advanced 3D printing technology has opened up endless possibilities for my designs, enabling me to print any design at the voxel level in vibrant colors and a range of materials – all in a single print. This capability to control any voxel for any pattern has enabled me to design without boundaries and to combine 3D printing with traditional weaving techniques to create ultra-realistic shoes. For aspiring designers, the ability to fuse cutting-edge technology with traditional crafts is very exciting, unlocking the freedom to design without limitations of past years,” said Goldstein.
“With the knowledge I’ve gained while working with Stratasys, I’ve come to realize that 3D printing is increasingly becoming an integral part of design thanks to the unique design freedom achievable. For me, the key to good design is to first get an understanding of the traditional design methods and foundations, and then explore how I can enhance the essence of the traditional method with new technology. Not only does 3D printing accelerate the design process and enable reduced production costs, it also affords designers total freedom of design.”
Bugatti Tests 3D Printed Brake Caliper
Last year, super car manufacturer Bugatti revealed that it had created the world’s first 3D printed titanium brake caliper, which was also the largest brake caliper in the automotive industry, as well as the world’s largest 3D printed titanium pressure functional component ever produced. Bugatti worked with Laser Zentrum Nord, part of the Fraunhofer research organization, to develop the caliper, and vehicle trials for the part in series production were expected to start in early 2018.
Earlier this week, the Volkswagen Group posted a YouTube video showing an impressive test run of the 3D printed titanium brake caliper developed by Bugatti. See it for yourself below:
Roboze Announces Three New Customer Points of Contact
Italian 3D printer manufacturer Roboze is continuing its expansion, and this week announced the names of its three new points of contact for its customers in the US, Canada, and Colombia, which will help it create direct channels in the North American market. This news comes right after the company announced that it had closed its first funding round of €3 million to further develop its R&D department and continue its EMEA and USA market expansion.
Its first new partner is ImageNet Consulting, based in Oklahoma City with a total of 18 US offices. The company chose to work with Roboze because of its high quality 3D printed parts and ability to use flame retardant materials. Ontario consulting company TM3 is working with Roboze because it provides the best opportunity for its customers to use a true industrial platform. Based in Medellin, Colombia, i3D is an expert in FDM technology and was impressed with the high quality of parts that were exhibited by Roboze at RAPID 2018.
Titomic Signs MoU with Sino-Euro
L-R: Sino-Euro’s Cristina Cao and S.J. Liang, Titomic’s Jeff Lang and Vahram Papyran, and Sino-Euro’s Alex Zhao
The day after announcing its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China’s Lasting Titanium, Australia metal 3D printing company Titomic announced that it had also signed an MoU with Sino-Euro Materials Technologies of Xi’An Co. Ltd, a Chinese company that specializes in producing spherical powder for the plasma rotating electrode process (PREP). According to the terms of the MoU, which is effective immediately, Sino-Euro will be appointed as Titomic’s Chinese sales distributor and customer support for its Kinetic Fusion systems. It will also provide Titomic with an exclusive supply of its aerospace grade titanium PREP process powders, and develop new metal powder for the Titomic Kinetic Fusion systems.
“We chose to execute this MoU with Sino-Euro for supply of their high-quality Aerospace grade PREP titanium powders aligned with their 50+ years of material science research in titanium and super alloys,” said Jeff Lang, Titomic’s Managing Director.
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Titomic, a top metal 3D printing company in Australia well known for its innovative Kinetic Fusion technology, announced that it has just signed its latest Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), this time with Shaanxi Lasting Titanium Industry Co. Ltd, which is China’s largest manufacturer and global exporter of titanium powder and titanium alloy products.
The new MoU, which will commence immediately, will allow Titomic to secure a high quality supply of low-cost, commercially pure titanium powders from Lasting Titanium for use with its Kinetic Fusion technology, which includes benefits such as the ability to join dissimilar metals and composites for engineered properties in a single structure and a decreased time to market, thanks to its high deposition speeds.
“This MoU will provide exclusive supply of large volumes of price point titanium powder for use in Titomic’s TKF systems to create new commercial opportunities for titanium in traditional industries in a more efficient and sustainable way for industrial scale manufacturing,” said Jeff Lang, Titomic’s Managing Director.
Headquartered in Xi’An, Lasting Titanium has spent the last two decades supplying titanium products to multiple industries around the world, including aerospace, automotive, defense, medical, and 3D printing. In addition, Lasting Titanium, which has achieved international ISO, AMS, ASTM, and MIL standards across multiple industries, is also involved in research regarding rare metal production, forging, finishing, rolling, smelting, non-destructive testing, and both physical and chemical analyses.
The new partnership between Titomic and Lasting Titanium will, according to a Titomic press release, “enable the cooperative development of new titanium powders for Titomic Kinetic Fusion,” as well as attain an exclusive supply of new price point powders for Titomic’s technology.
Titomic’s unique Kinetic Fusion can be used to manufacture large parts with heat-related distortion or oxidation issues, so there are no size or shape constraints when it comes to the rapid 3D printing of large, complex parts. The process works by spraying titanium powder particles at supersonic speeds of about 1 km per second, using a 6-axis robot arm, onto a scaffold. These particles move so fast that when they collide on the scaffold, they fuse together mechanically to produce huge, load-bearing 3D forms.
The Kinetic Fusion process is also versatile enough to use both spherical and irregular morphology metal powders to 3D print industrial scale metal products, which provides the company with additional opportunities in industries like automotive, marine, building, and oil & gas that previously could not apply titanium due to a lack of economic viability.
L-R: Lasting Titanium’s Gloria Wang, Cai Longyang, Zheng Xiaofeng, and Wang Qi Lu, and Titomic’s Jeff Lang and Vahram Papyan.
Lasting TItanium’s irregular powder morphology is the perfect fit for industrial scale 3D printing with Titomic’s Kinetic Fusion systems. By using this irregular titanium powder, Titomic’s customers will be able to access “a price point alternative” that will go well with the company’s additional range of aerospace-grade and mid-end titanium powders; other 3D printing methods can’t use this price point irregular powder in the same way, which will set Titomic apart in its field.
The new MoU between Lasting Titanium and Titomic will open up new commercial opportunities for 3D printed titanium products over multiple industries, and will specifically create a viable way for Titomic’s Kinetic Fusion systems to compete with traditional methods of manufacturing.
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Australian metal 3D printing company Titomic, known for its innovative Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF) process, has plenty of big news to share this week. First, CEO Gilbert Michaca, who was responsible for implementing a series of governance and operational structures to support Titomic’s next growth phase, has resigned from the company.
“I have enjoyed my time with Titomic and the additive manufacturing sector, but I am moving to pursue other commercial opportunities more aligned with my interests,” said Michaca. “I look forward to witnessing Titomic’s growth and prosperity in the future.”
Jeffrey Lang
In addition to Michaca’s resignation, Titomic announced that its founder and former Interim CEO Jeffrey Lang, who led the company through its IPO, and the establishment of its cold spray facility in Melbourne, has now been appointed as the Managing Director, effective immediately.
“Following our whirlwind IPO and unprecedented growth phase, the Titomic team has delivered a lot in a very short period of time,” said Titomic Chairman Philip Vafiadis. “With Jeff stepping into his new role as the Company’s Managing Director we are excited that his significant knowledge and networks across industry sectors, his deep understanding of the technology, his experience, his passion and his understanding of investor needs bodes well for future growth and shareholder value.”
Moving on from news about its executives, Titomic has just signed a $1.8 million, year-long MoU with fellow Australian company TAUV Proprietary Limited (TAUV), which integrates electronic technologies into solider protection for the purposes of improving safety and performance. Together, the two will begin an exclusive defense program for Titomic to manufacture soldier systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and soldier sensors for TAUV.
Recently, TAUV completed a successful launch of the first ruggedized titanium tactical UAV at Land Forces 2018, which was manufactured by Titomic and caused great excitement in both the additive manufacturing and defense industries. This launch was Phase 1 of the partnership between the two companies, and the MoU was signed after the prototype drone launch. TAUV and Titomic agreed to a two-phase extension to their existing relationship, so that TAUV can license the TKF technology, patented in both the US and Australia, in order to make next-generation soldier systems.
According to Research and Markets, “The soldier systems market is projected to grow from USD$9.78 billion in 2018 to USD$14 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 7.65%.”
TAUV Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle at Land Forces, 2018.
TAUV worked hard to secure exclusivity with Titomic for the manufacture of its UAV and other soldier system products, like body armor and helmets. Under Phase II of the partnership, Titomic will deliver a feasibility report, which outlines mechanical properties, performance parameters, and product cost advantages of its technology, to TAUV. TAUV must outline the Specific Products on or before November 30, at a total Phase cost of $300,000, in order to execute Phase II and maintain exclusivity.
“This MoU with TAUV provides the first significant revenue for Titomic,” said Lang. “The granting of an exclusive license to TAUV for the production of solider systems further validates Titomic’s licensed CSIRO patents as a viable additive manufacturing process that enables Australian companies to manufacture cutting-edge products with competitive advantages for the global market.”
For Phase III, Titomic will design and engineer a manufacturing process for TAUV’s next-generation soldier system for up to five products, at a cost of $300,000 each, to add up to a total revenue of up to $1.5 million. Once the production and evaluation trials in this phase have been completed, the two companies will finalize product licenses so that TAUV can use the automated TKF production line systems to fabricate soldier system products…with continuing royalty payments going to Titomic for the use of its technology.
TKF uses a process similar to cold spray to build up titanium parts layer by layer, rather than simply coating a surface, and has no limits in terms of shape and size. The technology has unique additive manufacturing capabilities to offer to defense organizations for the production of lightweight, next-generation, high-performance products.
“The solider system products produced by Titomic’s TKF process will enhance the offering to defence and law enforcement agencies through improved strength, functionality and capability,” said TAUV Director Nathan Kalisch. “A new ruggedised UAV will be capable of deployment in dangerous, live combat situations to perform some of the direct combat roles we want to remove military personnel from, heightening their security.”
L-R: Titomic CTO Jeff Lang, TAUV Founder Nathan Kalisch, Titomic CEO Gilbert Michaca
This continuing partnership came about as the result from an increasing demand around the world for innovative new defense products. According to Variant Market Research, the market for combat helmets is estimated to grow to $3 billion by the year 2024, while Grand View Research states estimates that by the same year, the body armor market will be valued at $4 billion.
In the future, TAUV will be working closely with Force Ordnance to provide product innovation and advanced manufacturing solutions to some of the largest defense product manufacturers in the world.
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Titomic, an Australian industrial additive manufacturing company, has announced a defense agreement with TAUV, a manufacturer of lightweight military-grade armor, to produce “ruggedised soldier-enabled” Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) using its Titomic Kinetic Fusion technology. Following this agreement, a prototype 3D printed ruggedised soldier-enabled UAV created with Titomic’s technology has been shortlisted for the Land Forces […]
Less than a year ago, Australian industrial 3D printing company Titomic introduced its innovative Kinetic Fusion process for the first time. Since then, the company has been busy commercializing the technology with various MOUs and other agreements, and was able to secure patents for Kinetic Fusion in both Australia and the US. All of this activity culminated in May, with news that the company had introduced a new metal 3D printer, said to be the largest and fastest in the world. Now, the world is finally getting a closer look at Titomic’s new machine…and its unique technology.
Jeffrey Lang, the Founding Director and CTO of Titomic, told Manufacturers’ Monthly, “We are challenging the traditional core of manufacturing.
“While most metal printing processes use an electron beam laser to melt the metal, there is no melting involved in our process. Therefore there are no heat-related distortions and the materials retain their properties.
“This also means that we are not limited by size. Because melting metals in the conventional 3D printing processes causes them to oxidise, the conventional metal 3D printing needs to take place inside a vacuum chamber. Lack of melting in our process means that we are not limited by size.”
Titomic’s Kinetic Fusion process involves a 6-axis robot arm spraying titanium powder particles onto a scaffold at supersonic speeds.
Titomic’s new metal 3D printer has a build area that’s 9 m long by 3 m wide and 1.5 m high, though it’s not constrained to booth size and requires no gas shielding. The company’s Kinetic Fusion process sprays titanium powder particles at supersonic speeds of about 1 km per second, using a 6-axis robot arm, onto a scaffold. These particles move so fast that when they collide on the scaffold, they fuse together mechanically to produce huge, load-bearing 3D forms.
Kinetic Fusion is also far faster than other forms of 3D printing.
“Depending on the complexity of the metal parts, we can deposit between 20-45 kilograms of metal per hour. That’s just with one spray head. We are working on a new system where we could operate a series of robots that connect multi- head robots. That would enable us to deposit up to 200 kilograms of material per hour,” Lang said.
“To put that into perspective, the normal 3D printers can usually deposit about one kilogram in 20 hours. So we are really bringing volume into the additive manufacturing market.”
Titomic’s 3D metal printer.
This unique technology resulted from a Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) study, at a time when the country’s government was looking to capitalize on its titanium resources.
“The Federal Government did a IndustryFOCUS including putting linings on jet study in 2007 with this idea that while Australia is not a large resource of titanium, we have a large amount of mineral sands that contain titanium,” Lang explained. “The government wanted to find ways to utilise that resource instead of just selling it off, like we always do in Australia.
“I was invited to be a part of the project and look at the ways by which we could use large volumes of titanium powder. We started thinking about how to develop titanium powder from that vast resource and build a whole industry around it.”
Lang and his colleagues were finding that current AM methods were too restrictive for industrial-scale projects…and then they found the cold spray coatings process, which was developed in Russia 30 years ago for high-level metal coatings for aerospace engines; the method was also used in Asia to fabricate high-quality frying pans with copper-coated bases and scratch-proof rice cookers.
Lang said, “What no one had realised was the potential applications of the process in additive manufacturing.
“We haven’t found any scientists who can clearly explain the theory behind the process, but the technique is currently being reviewed at the army labs in the USA. The US Army has already validated the process for doing aluminium repairs on aircraft wings, etc. There are also a couple of big global companies using the technology for defence applications.”
Titomic founding director and CTO, Jeffrey Lang, and Titomic chairman, Philip Vafiadis, at the launch of Titomic’s 3D metal printer in Melbourne.
Together with Professor Richard Fox, Lang began working on how to build a 3D object by incorporating cold spray onto a scaffold, and the two co-inventors asked that CSIRO patent and licence the innovative technology to Force Industries, its composite sporting goods company. Thus, Titomic was founded four years ago and owns the exclusive rights to commercialize the proprietary process.
“These are exciting times. We started the whole project with the view of developing sovereign capabilities for Australia,” Lang said. “But the technology does not benefit just one country. It’s about securing a better future for all humanity and future generations on this planet.”
The technology does need to go through a validation process before being used in industries like aerospace, but the company is also working to 3D print parts for other industries, like defence, sports equipment, mining, and shipbuilding.
“The shipbuilding industry is currently using 50-year old technologies. Nothing much has changed in that area over the past years,” Lang explained. “Our machine can be installed on a gantry system to coat the whole hull of the ship. That shows the significant scale of what we can do.”
The technology is also not strictly limited to 3D printing and could be used to create advanced composite materials by fusing together dissimilar materials, or in the seamless coating of large industrial parts.
“Probably the most exciting advantage of Titomic Kinetic Fusion process is that it enables us to fuse dissimilar materials that could not be fused in any other way,” said Lang. “This puts us at the forefront of pioneering new smart materials that can be specifically designed for different components and parts.”
Lang believes that early adopters in any industry, but especially aerospace, can save on time and material waste with its Kinetic Fusion, in addition to gaining a competitive advantage. The aviation sector is one of the largest customers of titanium alloy products, and according to Lang, Airbus, one of the bigger fans of 3D printing in the industry, loses 50 tons of raw titanium each day to produce only 8 tons of traditionally manufactured parts…a materials loss of about 90%.
“If we could make those parts as near net shape components, that is to create the final shape of the part and then add just a little bit extra burden of the material on it, we could reduce that machining time in some instances by 80 per cent,” Lang said.
“We are not saying this technology can jumpstart now and replace the current aerospace process. But our process is currently one of the most significant processes that those aerospace companies are looking at. We have come up with additional solutions to remove a small amount of porosity to achieve aerospace grade.
“For one of the aerospace components, which can be up to $4 million in cost, we can reduce production time from 200 hours down to 6 hours.”
That’s why Titomic is currently working with a few Tier 1 aerospace companies that are interested in developing carbon fiber parts with a middle structure made of titanium.
However, Lang also says that, while 3D printing titanium is useful for making complex parts, the price will eventually start to go up and match conventional methods of manufacturing.
“The nitrogen and electricity costs for running the machines are not very high,” Lang said. “Our biggest cost restriction at the moment is the cost of metal powders. Titanium powder can be prohibitive for high volume, low value industries.”
But, as we continue to develop more applications for titanium and the demand increases, he believes the cost will go back down.
“When you look back at 150 years ago, the most expensive material in the world was aluminium. And that is now only $2-3 per kilogram,” said Lang. “Things change based on demand. The demand for titanium powder in Australia hasn’t been great until Titomic came along. Now we are in the position where we are securing the supply chain from larger suppliers.”
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Golf is a popular sport in corporate America and adds about $70 billion dollars a year to the American economy. Companies are always testing new products that will catch the attention of golfers. The 2018 PGA Merchandise Show displayed the latest and greatest from golf manufacturers; everything from top of the line golf clubs to 3D printed golf balls. These tech savvy products are aimed at bringing golf to the attention of the younger generation. Research and Development tax credits are available to companies that partake in the improvement of existing products or the creation of new ones.
The Research & Development Tax Credit
Enacted in 1981, the federal Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit allows a credit of up to 13 percent of eligible spending for new and improved products and processes. Qualified research must meet the following four criteria:
New or improved products, processes, or software
Technological in nature
Elimination of uncertainty
Process of experimentation
Eligible costs include employee wages, cost of supplies, cost of testing, contract research expenses, and costs associated with developing a patent. On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed the bill making the R&D Tax Credit permanent. Beginning in 2016, the R&D credit can be used to offset Alternative Minimum Tax and startup businesses can utilize the credit against $250,000 per year in payroll taxes.
3D Printed Callaway Golf Clubs
Callaway Golf recently announced a collaboration with Titomic, an Australian additive manufacturing company. Callaway plans to bring additive manufacturing into the golf world while also improving performance and efficiency. Titomic developed a new process for 3D metal printing called Titomic Kinetic Fusion. This process uses cold gas spraying to apply titanium particles to a structure to create parts that can withstand a great amount of force. Research and development of the prototypes will be produced at Titomic’s Melbourne facility which houses the world’s largest 3D metal printer. This isn’t the first instance of additive manufacturing in the golf industry, as last year Krone Golf created a 3D printed golf club.
Krone Golf
Krone Golf and CRP Group designed a club that was created by using a mixture of additive manufacturing and subtractive manufacturing. Designing the perfect golf club is a difficult task. Some aspects to take into consideration include swing, impact and follow-through. Restrictions such as size and weight of competitive golf clubs make it hard to develop new clubs. The miniscule characteristics of a club need to be altered in order to improve performance and additive manufacturing provides a way to make the changes needed for the development of new clubs. The body of the KD-1 driver is made from a Windform SP carbon composite that is resistant to shock and vibration, while the face is made of Ti 6AI-4V, a durable titanium alloy that is CNC machined and sanded for smoothness. Krone Golf is fascinated with how well the CNC machined parts and the Windform material work together exactly as designed. The performance test and computer simulations show the KD-1 to outperform any driver on the market today.
Grismont Paris
Golfers who want to separate themselves from the crowd will want to look to Grismont Paris. Grismont Paris produces 3D printed, custom-made golf clubs that can be finished in gold, copper, or metal. Clement Pouget-Osmont, a passionate golfer, started off making club heads for himself and friends out of his apartment in France. Now Grismont collaborates with engineers, artists, craftsmen, and clubmakers to create custom tailored 3D printed golf clubs unlike anything else on the market.
3D printing artists work together with engineers to create a harmonious balance between style and performance. Several aspects of a golf club can be adjusted to better fit the customer including center of gravity position, lie, loft, offset, club head weight, weight distribution, and handedness. You have the option to either put in your specifications online or you can arrange a fitting session where experts will tailor your golf clubs to your every demand.
3D Printed Golf Ball
Nike is prototyping a 3D printed golf ball that is engineered to last longer and outperform even the best of golf balls on the market. Nike isn’t new to producing top of the line golf balls. The athletic company still uses elastomeric material for an inner core and a rigid material for an outer core, but 3D printing improves this process by conducting smoother transitions between materials and adding a new type of geometric configuration called a void, which could lead to performance enhancements. Nike is prototyping with different configurations, such as forming each shell layer away from the work surface, a type of assembly that is unattainable through traditional methods. Lastly, golf balls would be fused with DuPont Surlyn by using a 3D printing technique called fused deposition. While the golf ball is not on the market yet, expect Nike to announce the product in the near future.
3D Printed Accessories
For the golfers who want to 3D print on their own, Thingiverse has creations available to anyone. Makerbot, the company behind Thingiverse, designed a golfing kit that anyone can print. The kit includes CAD models for golf tees, golf forks (divot repair tool), and ball marker. The golf fork and ball marker can even be customized to display your initials or logo on the face.
Conclusion
The golf industry is constantly trying new methods of manufacturing in the quest for better performance. Club manufacturers, even brand names such as Callaway, are utilizing 3D printing in the production process in order to improve the smallest technical aspects of the golf club unattainable using traditional manufacturing methods such as injection or compression molding. Grismont is taking 3D printing to the next level by 3D printing custom-made heads and fine tuning them into top-of-the-line luxury golf clubs. 3D printing has a strong future in the golf industry and as more companies research the potentials of additive manufacturing, expect 3D printed products to become widespread in the golfing world.
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Charles Goulding and Ryan Donley of R&D Tax Savers discuss 3D printed golf equipment.
(TKF), using titanium as the material for a rugged vehicle prototype meant for future applications in the military or law enforcement.
