3D Printing Metal on the Desktop Marches Rapidly Forward
On the heels of introducing its flagship 3D Metal product, Filamet™, The Virtual Foundry lands contract for metal 3D Printed Kent State Football MVP Trophy
MADISON, Wis., Aug. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Created from an innovative material, a special 3D Print will soon take a place of pride in the home of a prize-winning athlete. The Virtual Foundry, a 3D printing materials manufacturer, is working in partnership with Kent State University Athletics and the Coast Guard Aviation Association (CGAA) to produce a unique object: a 3D printed trophy.
The Virtual Foundry makes a range of metal feedstock for the most widely used 3D printing process, FDM. Filamet™ is a product and process that lets existing printers create objects of up to 99.9% pure metal. It's currently available in Copper and Bronze. Brass and Nickel-Silver will be online shortly, then Glass and Ceramic.
Motorsport introduced the idea of 3D printed trophies in 2010 when the Italian architect Antonio Pio Saracino created prizes for the Sachsenring Moto GP and Formula One racings Grand Prix in Hungary. But unlike the Filamet™ trophy, these trophies were made using the most expensive type of 3D printer, SLS, which often cost around $1 Million. Furthermore, the SLS 3D printed trophies were separately lacquered, or painted, with gold, silver or bronze. The innovative material sold by The Virtual Foundry require no such treatment. Kent State University (KSU) must be pretty impressed with The Virtual Foundry's materials because this particular trophy is held in extremely high regard and carries the name of a KSU icon. Named after one of the university's sporting heroes, Jack Rittichier, this 3D printed trophy is destined for the football teams Most Valued Player (MVP).
The Virtual Foundry wears their Maker credentials proudly. The Maker ethos inspired founder Bradley Woods to not only develop Filamet™, but along with partner Glenn Prescott, also develop the production process and most of the machines that create it. "It's all controlled by a variety of Arduino's and PICs," says Mr. Woods. He continues, "By now we've replaced some of our equipment with industrial grade gear, but at one point all of our process equipment was home-built."
Producing the Jack Rittichier KSU MVP trophy is another step along the way for The Virtual Foundry in bringing 3D metal to a wider audience.
Media contact:
Bradley Woods
The Virtual Foundry, llc.
6082163574
http://www.TheVirtualFoundry.com
SOURCE The Virtual Foundry, llc.
Share this article