Medusa launch event — Martin Jewell, Chief Technical Officer at Rapid FusionA breakthrough in large-format hybrid 3-D printing has been successfully unveiled by Exeter-based
Rapid Fusion. The company attracted more than 100 industry specialists, potential customers and funding partners for the launch and live demo of Medusa at its ‘state of the art’ research and design (R&D) centre.
Benefitting from a £1.2 million grant from
Innovate UK, the firm has created what it believes is a first for the UK, an industrial 3-D printer that is three-times faster than conventional machines, twice as accurate, and will reduce training and maintenance costs by 30%.
Delegates saw the machine, which has a 1.2m
3 volume build and movement speeds of 1,200mm/sec, print a complex mould for use in the construction sector in under 5hr. They also had the opportunity to listen to Guy Brown (AiBuild), Dickon Walker (National Manufacturing Institute Scotland), Chaco Van Der Sijp (Innovate UK) and Ravi Toor (Filamentive), who all gave a personal insight into the project, some of the 3-D printer’s unique selling points and what this new technology will mean for the UK.
Jake Hand, Rapid Fusion’s managing director, said: “It was a fitting launch event for Medusa, the culmination of 18 months of hard work, innovation and pushing the boundaries of what 3-D printing can do. Thanks to the commitment of our team, led by Martin Jewell, and our partners we have created something we believe is truly special and which has never been done on these shores - if in fact anywhere else in the world before!”
He continued: “The reaction from visitors was very special and we are already having conversations with potential customers about taking receipt of future machines. This is really promising and will help us push the button on scaling-up production.”
Paul Rowe of
Applied Automation (UK) Ltd added his support: “It really was a fantastic morning at Rapid Fusion. Medusa is the first UK-built large-format 3-D printer — and wow — these guys are truly redefining large-format AM. Exciting times lie ahead, and we are excited to support them as they look to serialise the build.”
Backed by project partners
Rolls-Royce,
AI Build and the
National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), the gantry-style machine combines pellet extruder, filament and CNC machine tool to provide a single-source solution for large moulds and tooling that is used in a range of industrial sectors including aerospace, automotive, marine and construction.
The latest AI technology has been integrated into the design, with Medusa boasting a 1.2m
3 volume build and able to move at 1,200mm/sec speeds. Rapid Fusion has already received significant interest from Tier Ones and several primes for the £500,000 machine and are predicting a potential £5 million revenue return in the first year following launch.