Huge WASP 3D printer and 45° angle pellet 3D printing
The Atomic Layers: S5E9 (00125)
Atomic Layer of the Day:
After a truly bleak streak of grim news about the collapses and struggles of various AM companies, I decided to write about something positive for a change today. Who knows, maybe tomorrow I can continue the trend and find something as well as optimistic to share?
Italian company WASP, a specialist in large-format 3D printers, has unveiled a new machine: the POWER WASP 45 HDP. This impressively large system operates based on FGF (Fused Granular Fabrication) technology, using granules instead of traditional filament.
Additionally, thanks to a unique kinematic system, the machine prints at a 45° angle, reducing the need for supports, minimizing material shrinkage, and ultimately improving surface quality. The 3D printer supports a variety of materials, including technical and recycled options such as ABS, PLA, PETG, and reinforced ABS-GF.
The POWER WASP 45 HDP can create objects up to two meters long. This takes place in a closed, insulated environment, with additional features like FIRECAP and an Active Vacuum System to support the production of large and complex components.
The system uses nozzles with diameters ranging from 3–5 mm, enabling layer thicknesses between 0.5 and 3 mm. The hotend heats up to 350°C.
This technology was employed by the Polimi Sailing Team to create the hull mold for their prototype Febe as part of the Sumoth Challenge competition. This approach eliminated the need for disposable molds, reduced costs and material consumption, and improved management of thermal deformations.
As always, the only caveat is the 45° printing angle. While it’s great for minimizing support structures, it introduces its own set of challenges. Primarily, it raises questions about the strength of printed parts, as the layers bond over relatively small surface areas. Certain geometries that would be straightforward with traditional Cartesian or CoreXY setups might not print well here, requiring careful consideration of their positioning on the build plate.
So overall, it’s an intriguing, though not perfect, solution. However, in terms of scale, the POWER WASP 45 HDP is undeniably impressive.
Atomic Layer from the Past:
12-09-2022: SyBridge Technologies acquired “certain assets” from the bankrupt Fast Radius.
News & Gossip:
Yesterday, I wrote a very long article about Nano Dimension. Coincidentally, Gennady Shafir from AM 4 AM also covered the same topic. I highly recommend reading his insightful yet sobering article, which clearly demonstrates the potential disaster that could result from the merger of Nano Dimension with Desktop Metal and Markforged.
Coming back to the topic of leaked Bambu Lab H2D photo, Kerry Stevenson of Fabbaloo, came with an interesting observation: this build volume — and possible high-temperature capability — would be comparable to Stratasys’ F190CR, F370CR, F170, and F370 industrial 3D printers. This could explain Stratasys’ sudden interest in Bambu Lab and the patent infringement lawsuit launched after Bambu Lab indicated they were to announce a new machine.
ADDMAN Group and Continuous Composites announced that they are working together to scale Continuous Fiber 3D Printing (CF3D) for aerospace and defence.