Ulendo Technologies, Inc. is expanding the commercial use of its patented Ulendo VC vibration compensation software thanks to a recent $1 million grant from America’s Seed Fund powered by National Science Foundation (NSF). This will provide access for industrial companies already using a large number of 3D printers.
Previously, Ulendo VC was only available to 3D printer manufacturers. The Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer grant will cost-effectively increase the productivity and speed of multiple 3D printer types.
“With the help of NSF, we can significantly improve the existing set of algorithms to address more 3D printer types and, more importantly, retrofit a 3D printer already in operation with our software, doubling its capacity,” said Brenda Jones, Ulendo CEO. “For 3D printing service bureaus and contract additive manufacturers, this enables them to squeeze more value out of their existing investment in additive manufacturing machines.”
The $11 billion additive manufacturing industry, which is critical to national security, supply chain resilience and economic prosperity, motivates this project. The software algorithms developed not only benefit 3D printing, but can also be applied to advanced manufacturing machines such as machine tools and robots, whose speed and accuracy are limited by vibration.
The adoption of 3D printing in mass production has been hindered by quality issues caused by machine vibration at high speeds. In the past, end users* have printed slowly to avoid or limit the effects of vibration, which limited performance. This project addresses the need to accurately calibrate the changing vibration behavior of 3D printers under different operating conditions.
Find out more about Ulendo at ulendo.io.
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