R3 Printing
The R3 Printer.
The R3 Printer.
The Defense Innovation Lab (DiLab) has announced it is to assist R3 Printing in the development of its extrusion-based additive manufacturing technology.
DiLab, an accelerator programme championing collaboration, has been awarded a Manufacturing Technology Assistance grant from Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation. It will now join New York-based R3 Printing to carry out advanced manufacturing research and tech development with the AMPrint Center for Additive Manufacturing and Multifunctional Printing at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Leaning on the expertise and leveraging the expertise at the AMPrint Center, DiLab will support R3 Printing’s design, prototyping, and testing efforts.
R3 Printing is working to commercialise its R3 Printer platform, hoping to give manufacturers the tools they need to achieve mass customisation. The printer has a large build platform, is said to boast quick building capabilities, and will be supported by an open materials programme. Both plastic and composite materials can be processed on the system, while Active Overheat Prevention technology ensures the printer won’t jam, reducing downtime and overall maintenance of the machine. R3 Printing is also set to offer to market the R3 PrintGrid, which is a pre-configured rack of its printers connected to a shared water cooling and power delivery system.
The company will do so with the help of DiLab, an organisation that helps start-ups get off the ground and into a position whereby they are able to provide technology to the US Department of Defense. It does this by incorporating know-how from start-ups, laboratories, academia and industry to make sure the company understands the regulations and processes required and the technology meets manufacturing readiness criteria, as well as safety requirements.
“We are incredibly excited to work with the AMPrint Center for the development of the R3 Printer,” commented Tommy Hendrix of the DiLab. “As an organisation, DiLab’s true north is providing support to early stage technology companies who are developing technology with a strong defence industry use case. Empire State Development has a great team and we’re honoured to work with them and their network in helping New York defence start-ups.”
“Faster 3D prints, increased bandwidth, monitored 3D printers mean more money made each day by on-demand manufactures – the companies that produce 3D printed goods,” said Dan Downs, R3 Printing co-founder and President. “For the US military, these features mean the R3 Printer is a tool that helps our servicemen respond to equipment failure immediately and at the source with new operational components that otherwise may take months to arrive via traditional supply chains.”
