Valcun took an interesting step into a new market with their new REMUS toolhead.
Valcun is a Belgian company that has developed a unique system to 3D print aluminum. This isn’t a green part/sintering setup — their Minerva 3D printer accepts pure aluminum filament (wire) and literally prints objects.
They were able to accomplish this through very precise thermal management. There’s a fine line between solid and liquid aluminum, and Valcun’s technology has found the right balance between the two. They call their process “Molten Metal Deposition”, “MMD”. Their Minerva system puts down layers of aluminum to quickly produce pure aluminum finished parts.
This week they announced “REMUS 1.0”. It’s a new toolhead, but it’s not for their Minerva 3D printer. Instead it’s designed as a standalone unit for attachment to robotic systems.
Why do this? It’s because it opens up their MMD technology to a vast number of possible clients. Anyone with an existing robotic arm system or CNC setup could potentially print aluminum objects by attaching a REMUS 1.0 toolhead to their equipment.
This is quite interesting: MMD was previously confined to the build chamber of the Minerva system, a hex build volume of ~120mm diameter x 200mm tall. However, by attaching REMUS to a robotic system the build volume could potentially become much, much larger. How big is a robotic build volume? As far as it can reach.
This suggests that enormous aluminum objects could be printed in a REMUS / CNC configuration.
It’s not just a toolhead, as there are a number of functions involved. Valcun explains:
“Equipped with ValCUN’s patented MMD technology, REMUS 1.0 incorporates innovations such as high-throughput wire feeding, localized preheating and oxidation cleaning, toolpath following, and non-planar motion control. Future extensions will include real-time process monitoring for closed-loop control and in-situ quality assurance, ensuring consistent performance with both standard and high-strength aluminium alloys (6xxx and 7xxx series).”
Valcun has organized an integration program that can assist customers in setting up such systems. It also appears they are building a network of integration partners to enable use of REMUS in multiple regions.
This is quite an important move for Valcun, and it’s possible that REMUS business might exceed sales of Minerva systems.
Via Valcun
