News

The November 2021 International Journal of Molecular Sciences online article “3D Printed Cobalt-Chromium-Molybdenum Porous Superalloy with Superior Antiviral Activity” reviews research investigating the novel use of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) to additive manufacture (AM) a porous Cobalt-Chromium-Molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo) superalloy with potent antiviral activity (100% viral inactivation in 30 min). The Co-Cr-Mo material, commonly used in industrial AM medical and aerospace applications, exhibited superior antiviral properties, outperforming common antiviral metals such as silver and copper.

Development of the metal AM Alpha satellite. (Courtesy Fleet Space Technologies)

Fleet Space Technologies, Beverley, Australia, announced the planned development of a ‘constellation’ of metal AM satellites within the year. Aided by a recent $26.4 million Series B investment, the startup has expanded the scope of its dedicated R&D to create the Alpha satellite. The company believes this to be the world’s first entirely additively manufactured satellite, and it integrates Fleet’s advanced beamforming technology and patented antennas.

Desktop Metal, Burlington, Massachusetts, opened a new in-house manufacturing facility in Massachusetts that will more than triple the final assembly space currently dedicated to the Production System metal 3D-printing platform. The facility is part of a strategic plan to accelerate the production ramp of Desktop Metal’s flagship Production System P-50 printer, for which the company is engaged in component procurement and assembly of initial builds targeted for shipment in the fourth quarter of 2021.

GKN Additive successfully adapted and enhanced DP600-like material – a widely used low-alloy, dual-phase steel in the automotive industry – for additive manufacturing (AM). The development will enable diverse designs and applications in automotive and other industrial sectors.

America Makes, Youngstown, Ohio, USA, has announced the winners of the recent Rapid Innovation Call (RIC) for projects which further advance the maturation of Additive Manufacturing technologies. The call was worth $500,000 in total funding from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Manufacturing and Industrial Base Technology Division.