The British company Rapid Fusion will present a large-format hybrid 3D printer later this month that could drive advancements in additive manufacturing in the UK. The machine, named Medusa, will be unveiled on February 26 at the Skypark R&D Center in Exeter.
The development was supported by a £1.2 million grant from Innovate UK. The goal was to create an industrial 3D printing solution that surpasses conventional machines in speed and accuracy while reducing training and maintenance costs. Medusa is designed to be three times faster and twice as precise as existing systems while lowering operating costs by 30 percent.
The system was developed in collaboration with Rolls-Royce, AI Build, and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS). The gantry-style machine combines a pallet extruder, filament, and CNC machining tools to provide an integrated manufacturing solution for large molds and tooling. Target industries include aerospace, automotive, marine, and construction.
“After eighteen months in the making, this will be a real landmark moment for additive manufacturing in the UK,” explained Martin Jewell, Chief Technical Officer at Rapid Fusion. “A factory-ready industrial 3D printer that is built in the UK and is faster than any international rival is a tremendous achievement and has only been made possible by our engineering expertise and the strong collaboration with Rolls-Royce, AI Build and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland.
The funding from Innovate UK made the extensive R&D possible, and we now have a machine that, thanks to features like a built-in tool changer, can produce large moulds faster, more efficiently and more accurately than anything currently out there. This could be the catalyst for many domestic companies to bring production back – it could have that big an impact on manufacturing performance and cost points.”
A key feature of Medusa is its 1.2 cubic meter build volume and print speeds of up to 1200 mm per second. Additionally, modern AI technology has been integrated to enhance process control and predictive maintenance models. Interest in the machine is already high, with initial inquiries from industry players, and Rapid Fusion expects first-year revenues of £5 million.
Jake Hand, Managing Director of Rapid Fusion, picked up the story: “The UK has traditionally been behind other major economies when it comes to large format additive manufacturing. What we have done through the development and launch of Medusa is to democratise high-value, environmentally responsible manufacturing to both large and small businesses. We saw during the pandemic how easily supply chains can crumble. That’s why it’s more important than ever to develop as much capacity and capability in the UK as we can, not to mention the economic and carbon reduction opportunities associated with having a thriving 3D printing sector implementing the latest available green technologies.”
Sampan, Seth, Additive Manufacturing Team Lead– Digital Factory at NMIS, added: “The conclusion of this project and the delivery of the first UK-built large format robust polymer 3D printer is a significant step forward in positioning the UK as a leader in this field. We were proud to support Rapid Fusion and the wider consortium with our range of specialisms during the project – it is a great demonstration of what can be achieved through collaboration between academic expertise and industry knowhow.”
The official unveiling of Medusa will be attended by more than 150 industry guests. A live demonstration will showcase the production of a large aerospace tooling component while highlighting new predictive maintenance, thermal modeling, and machine vision capabilities.
The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland also views Medusa as an advancement for the UK’s manufacturing sector. The project underscores how collaboration between industry and academia can lead to the development of highly capable additive manufacturing systems.
Chaco van der Sijp, Innovation Lead Manufacturing at Innovate UK, concluded: “The collaboration with industry partners and our High-Value Manufacturing Catapult has resulted in the creation of an impressive all-in-one additive manufacturing machine. This innovation aligns with our vision for a more adaptive and flexible UK materials and manufacturing sector. This has the potential to significantly accelerate the pace of innovation. By enabling rapid prototyping of large-scale components, it opens new opportunities for the sector and drives future advancements.”
The event on February 26 is open to professionals in the manufacturing industry. Due to limited capacity, prior registration is required.
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