Kingston University has installed a £450,000 Rapid Fusion Zeus Robotic Cell at its Roehampton Vale for researchers and students within the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment.
The Zeus Robotic Cell combines 3D printing with integrated CNC milling in one modular system. Kingston University expects the system to reduce outsourcing, streamline production and improve repeatable quality, making it ideal for prototyping work and low-volume complex components.
In addition to the installation, Rapid Fusion has also made a long-term commitment to offer work placements, potential Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) opportunities, and input into the future curriculum, to further its support for Kingston University.
"This is a real show of intent from our partners at the university and gives them access to one of the most advanced LFAM robots in the world,” said Jake Hand, CEO of Exeter-based Rapid Fusion. "Zeus will provide staff, partners and grads with the opportunity to ‘print, scan and mill’ in one solution, removing a whole host of secondary ‘ops’ and, importantly, guaranteeing exacting tolerances, as you are removing manually inputting the CNC toolpath.
"This is the first time we’ve put this system into a university, but this is just the start. There’s a real skills gap in the UK for robotics and 3D printing experts, so we need to do our bit to train budding engineers on equipment and tech that is going to be used in the real world now and during the next ten years."
Lesley Stigling, Operations Manager at Kingston University, added: "We are always exploring the latest technology and how it can add value to our industrial, research and educational offer. One of our graduates, Raghav, went to work with Rapid Fusion and insisted we meet. That quickly led to us acquiring the Zeus system, which gives us a competitive edge in large-format additive manufacturing and machining.
"I fully expect it will help us attract new research projects and cement existing relationships with industrial partners who are keen to push the boundaries of innovation and performance. This equipment will also help drive our efforts to future-proof the faculty. Our undergraduates and postgraduates will learn on this state-of-the-art robot, giving them the hands-on experience and skills that employers want, and a head start in the graduate job market."
