Summary of the LASeeeR project in collaboration with the University of Malta
In 10-15 years additive manufacturing promises to disrupt the whole manufacturing and distribution eco-system with 3D printers destined to become ‘mini-factories’. Before this can come true, 3D printers have to see some major developments. Currently, one of the few barriers in front of its wider adoption in the manufacturing industry are the unsatisfactory mechanical properties. Significantly increasing the strength of printed objects would therefore be a major market driver contributing highly to the growth of the sector.
Laser Engineering & Development Limited is an engineering company specialized in the development of laser equipment for industrial applications. We have been working on the LASeeeR concept that has the potential to bring a fundamental change to the currently used Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printers. The concept uses state of the art laser technology in an innovative way to preheats the top layer of a print during printing, thus significantly enhancing the bond between layers that leads to superior mechanical properties of the final printed object. This can significantly extend the field of application of 3D printed objects.
Accordingly, LASeeeR has a good commercialization potential, since it offers a clear value to the users of 3D printers. Our target users come from the industrial sector where they use 3D printers for product design, development, prototyping and also for producing finished goods. The market is already substantial and is growing. It is estimated that more than 2 million 3D printer units will be shipped in 2018 by the end of the year.
In the frame of this FUSION project, we aim at bringing the concept to the Technology Readiness Level 7 from the currently estimated 4 by developing a functional prototype that can be integrated into a regular FFF 3D printer. The development is planned to be realized through the collaboration with the University of Malta.
