Represented in the UK by Carfulan Group, the company’s patented NanoParticle Jetting (NPJ) technology allows production of ceramic or metal parts via inkjet printing. Carfulan was present at the opening event and caught a glimpse of its first XJet Carmel AM system, which will be shipped to the UK by the end of the year ready for Carfulan’s Open House event in early December.
NPJ produces remarkably thin layers of just a few microns can be achieved, compared to dozens of microns in powder-based ceramic and metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. Cavities and fine details can be created with no concern that they will be harmed in the support-removal process, as a separate material is used for support structures, a material that easily disintegrates post printing.
The new AM Centre represents an investment of over $10 million, with the 8,000 ft2 in Rehovot Science Park “home to the largest collection of metal and ceramic 3D printers worldwide, comprised entirely of XJet Carmel AM systems”.
The new center will support XJet in developing new 3D printing materials and applications. Says XJet CEO Hanan Gothait: “The new AM Center is a crucial part of our pursuit for wide-ranging multi-material printing. XJet Carmel AM systems are currently available with one of two printing materials, stainless steel or zirconia. Our vision is a platform that prints with a multitude of metals and ceramics on the same part. We will use the AM Centre to develop and demonstrate specialised applications, print test parts for our global customer base, and trial new metal and ceramic materials.
“We have very high goals and expectations for the AM Center and, as such, have placed our best resources here, led by Dr Ophira Melamed. Under her expert guidance I’m very excited to see what the AM Center will deliver.”
The AM Center inauguration follows less than a year on from the commercial launch of XJet’s first AM system.
“I’m extremely proud of the progress made by the XJet team over the last year. In addition to opening the AM Center, which will speed up operations at XJet, we also held our first Open House event at YBI in North America, and started working with a turnkey manufacturing company,” states Gothait, “NPJ technology delivers a step-change in metal and ceramic additive manufacturing, and with huge potential in each market we’re working hard to build an infrastructure to support the rapid growth we will drive for the business. We look forward to sharing even more progress with the wider community at Formnext next month [13-16 November, Franfurt].”Existing XJet customers include Syqe Medical, an Israeli manufacturer known for its revolutionary metered-dose medical inhaler, and Oerlikon Group, a prominent Swiss manufacturer and leading AM service bureau
