Kevton Technologies buys seven Sapphire 3D printers from Velo3D – 3DPrint.com

Bike3D (NYSE: VLD) sold seven Sapphire 3D printers to Kevton Industries subsidiary Kevton Technologies, an emerging Houston-based leader in precision component manufacturing. announced during the IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) 2022 in Chicago, the purchase is one of the largest ever by a contract manufacturer and will establish Kevton Technologies as a leading supplier of additively manufactured parts leveraging the Velo3D laser powder bed fusion technology.

Kevton Technologies will rely on 3D printers to provide space, aviation, defense, and oil and gas customers with advanced manufacturing capabilities. In fact, the first two Sapphire printers delivered to Kevton’s factory in Houston, Texas are expected to begin producing parts for customers in the first quarter of 2023.

Due to a “strong trend towards additive manufacturing, particularly in the aerospace industry”, this move will help Kevton maintain its leading position as a supplier of manufactured parts in all of its key industries, said the president of Kevton Technologies, Kevin Nguyen.

“After meeting with many additive manufacturing technology providers, we understood how Velo3D’s fully integrated solution could transform our service offering,” Nguyen said.

Velo3D’s Sapphire laser fusion system. Image courtesy of Velo3D.

Introduced in 2018, Velo3D’s Sapphire system has been a strategic partner for innovators such as SpaceX, Honeywell, Honda, Chromalloy, Search Lam, Hermeus, Lockheed Martinand Aerojet Rocketdyne, using it to build some of their most complex designs. The Sapphire metal 3D printing system is assembled with a semiconductor mindset to ensure repeatability in mass production. In addition, it is coupled with a contactless recoater; its printing process can manufacture the high aspect ratios and extremely thin wall structures needed for flight-critical applications.

Significantly improving yields, Sapphire facilitates a printing process that allows for lower angles and overhangs down to zero degrees, tight thin walls, large diameter and tiny air chambers with little to no supports.

By creating the Sapphire 3D production printer – and the accompanying software and QA systems – the Velo3D team set out to raise the bar in high performance metal 3D printing and the ability to to create parts previously considered impossible, as well as the acceleration of industrialization. manufacturing as a whole.

Following the release of the Sapphire platform, Velo3D CEO Benny Buller said it enables “a new level of manufacturing beyond current metal additive manufacturing systems” while helping to solve “the problems the most complex customers with supportless metallic AM”.

Benny Buller, founder and CEO of VELO3D. Image courtesy of VELO3D.

With the purchase of the seven printers, Kevton now joins Velo3D’s network of contract manufacturers. This means that Kevton will join other experienced contract manufacturers in full production methods (like Star Hagen and Knust-Godwin) using Velo3D printers in-house to manufacture complex, high-value parts for some of the most demanding industries. Additionally, by providing these companies with additive manufacturing technology for their own in-house machine shops, customers can now obtain finished parts from their trusted subcontractors, who can integrate AM with other traditional technologies. to manufacture and finish parts under one roof.

Commenting on Kevton’s latest acquisition, Buller suggested, “Additive manufacturing is seeing significant growth right now, and we’ve only scratched the surface of the adoption we expect to see over the next decade. Companies planning to acquire additive manufacturing technology now will be in a much better position to grow their market share in the years to come. We are excited to work with Kevton Technologies to help them establish themselves as a supplier of critical additively manufactured metal parts.

Helping customers build their most complex parts without compromising designs is what Kevton Technologies wants to offer its customers. Founded less than three years ago, Kevton offers customers a range of manufacturing services, including CNC turning, CNC milling, coordinate measuring machine inspections, wire electrical discharge (EDM) machining and d other finishing services. Even more, the company has a long list of certifications, including ISO 9000/AS9100 –– a widely adopted and standardized quality management system for the aerospace industry.

Rendering of the new Kevton Technologies manufacturing facility. Image courtesy of Kevton Technologies.

As part of the company’s expansion plans, the new Sapphire systems will fit seamlessly into its new 20,000 square foot facility, with room for at least three 3D printing machines and 30 additional CNC machines. The printers will be part of the latest additive manufacturing division, which plans to work to continue the company’s legacy in its key industries.