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Xerox liquid metal printer
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) has purchased a Xerox ElemX 3D printing system for research and product development with their manufacturing partners.
The machine has been installed at RIT’s AMPrint Center in Henrietta, NY, where faculty staff have years of metal 3D printing experience and a focus on aerospace. It follows Oak Ridge National Labs’ installation of the ElemX system in March, and the Naval Postgraduate School’s installation in February 2021.
ElemX is powered by a Liquid Metal printing process, integrated into Xerox’s 3D printing operations via the acquisition of Vader Systems in 2019. It uses non-specialty metal wire and a magnetic field to build parts layer by layer, with Xerox suggesting the process is ideal for spares, repairs and low-volume production parts.
With the installation at RIT complete, Xerox will continue to work closely with the organisation to ‘scale the ElemX for new commercial and industrial applications.’
“RIT has already been a great partner in helping to advance our liquid metal AM technology and we believe the installation of the ElemX at the AM Print Center will be important to further refine our solution,” commented Tali Rosman, General Manager of Elem Additive, Xerox. “Partnering with advanced research facilities like RIT that collaborate with manufacturers will be key to scaling up the adoption of our technology within the industry.”
“Liquid metal AM is a technology poised to tackle on-demand production of replacement aluminium parts to minimise inventory costs,” added Denis Cormier, Director of RIT’s AMPrint Center. “Collaborating with industry partners like Elem Additive is an important part of our work here at the AMPrint Center to maximise the capabilities of AM technology. We believe the ElemX has the greatest potential for industrial growth and scalability.”
