Velo3D’s new product enables a pathway to migrate additive manufacturing knowledge to a fully integrated system.
FREMONT, Calif.— A new offering in Velo3D’s Flow print preparation software is reported to unlock full transparency and control of the parameters used in the 3D printing process.
The additive manufacturing technology company recently released Developer, which gives users the flexibility to transfer their experience and knowledge from previous projects, develop new material processes, and control their optimization objectives. This greatly simplifies the migration of additive manufacturing projects to Velo3D’s fully integrated offering.
Velo3D’s unique approach to additive manufacturing is said to differ from competitors’ offerings by providing a fully integrated system that includes hardware and software, which come together to ensure machine-to-machine consistency. Velo3D’s integrated offering includes Flow print preparation software, the Sapphire family of printers, and the Assure quality control system—all of which are powered by Velo3D’s Intelligent Fusion manufacturing process, the company said in a release.
Developer is available for users of Flow 7.0, the latest version of Velo3D’s print preparation software that is said to seamlessly turn traditional design files into print files. Developer grants editor-level access to print parameters, giving companies maximum flexibility and control when working with their Velo3D additive manufacturing technology.
With this access, users can import proven parameters they have developed, optimize default parameters for specific application needs, and develop parameter sets supporting new material development for novel solutions and specific applications. Once a part that was produced using Developer has been qualified, users can scale production leveraging the control, quality, and repeatability of Velo3D’s additive manufacturing technology, the company said.
“It can be a challenge to produce repeatable results across different metal 3D printers—even when they’re the same model of printer,” said Thomas Pomorski, additive manufacturing manager at Ursa Major, in the release. “However, Velo3D’s solution can consistently produce parts within spec across any of its printers, which provides huge benefits for companies looking to scale production of their parts.”
Prior to its general release, Developer has been made available to select customers for feedback. One of the customers is Ursa Major, a privately funded company focused on developing rocket propulsion technology. During this phase, engineers have been able to directly transfer their custom parameters into their Velo3D solutions with exceptional results, according to Velo3D. Developer gave early-access customers the ability to easily scale production of their parts as their applications matured from development to production.
“When our team first tested Flow Developer, we transferred parameters we developed on a non-Velo system, hoping we could easily produce the same part on Velo3D’s system and then take advantage of the scalability it provides,” Pomorski continued. “On our first try, we imported a part with highly complex, sensitive features and achieved incredible results that were within specification. Since then, we’ve accomplished the same process with other parts and, in some cases, have been able to reduce print time by nearly 50 percent without sacrificing accuracy or quality.”
Velo3D CEO Brad Kreger said that Vel3D’s mission “has always been to provide an additive manufacturing solution that delivers repeatability from machine-to-machine, which is still a big shortcoming with legacy metal 3D printers.”
“Previously, we did this by providing pre-defined parameters within the system, which left customers wanting to know what’s inside our ‘black box’ and looking for more flexibility,” Kreger said in the release. “When you combine Flow Developer with our ability to produce identical parts using the same print file, we strike the perfect balance between usability, repeatability, and flexibility. This has allowed these early access customers to think outside the box of conventional additive manufacturing to progress beyond their current limitations and realize true production scalability for their parts.”