Tethon 3D
Tethon 3D is to embark on a project to produce and commercialise a desktop digital light processing (DLP) system that is designed to print ceramic and metal materials.
The company has been awarded a grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to fund the project which, if successful, will bring to market what Tethon believes will be a unique product.
There are more than a dozen DLP and stereolithography (SLA) machines that are compatible with Tethon’s ten ceramic and metal materials, according to the company, but all of those machines have been designed primarily for plastic polymers. By developing a printing system which is optimised for its own ceramic and metal materials, Tethon 3D believes users can benefit from better quality parts and increased scalability.
“Our printer will create new opportunities for designers to develop complex ceramic and metal components and will enable higher volume manufacturing of 3D printed ceramics and metals,” commented Karen Linder, Tethon 3D CEO. “We are passionate about creating new markets, fabricating designs that were previously impossible and disrupting existing manufacturing approaches.”
Tethon 3D will create a new hardware division within the company to concentrate efforts on the metal and ceramic DLP 3D printer project. This division will work side by side with the University of Nebraska, and specifically engineers Bai Cui. PhD and Prahalada Rao, PhD from the university’s Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering. Dr. Cui holds expertise in ceramic materials for additive manufacturing, while Dr. Rao has a wealth of knowledge in 3D printing hardware.
“The Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering is excited for this opportunity to work with Tethon 3D on developing 3D printing technology,” commented Jeffrey E. Shield, Chair of the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering and Robert W. Brightfelt Professor of Engineering at the Univeristy of Nebraska. “Profs. Rao and Cui have the complementary expertise to contribute to this project in a number of ways, and Tethon 3D is a recognised leader in developing outstanding technology. It will be a great opportunity for our faculty and students to interact with such an outstanding company.”
