Curtin University buys AML3D wire additive manufacturing system

AML3D Limited has announced it has sold a medium-level enterprise ARCEMY Wire Additive Manufacturing metal 3D printing system to Curtin University (Curtin). The system will complement existing small-scale R&D capabilities in Curtin’s new Additive Manufacturing Microfactory Facility. Under the sale contract, AML3D will provide three years of software licensing and technical support.

The sale, valued at $1 million, supports the growth of advanced 3D wire additive manufacturing at leading educational and research institutions, which will play a critical role in upskilling Australia’s defence manufacturing capabilities. In addition, the Curtin Microfactory will act as a satellite R&D platform for AML3D to demonstrate ARCEMY’s capabilities to potential customers across Western Australia’s mining, agriculture, oil and gas, defence and maritime industries.

Under a separate partnership agreement, AML3D will collaborate with Curtin on a research program utilising the new ARCEMY system, including contributing $100,000 per annum over three years to support a full-time Research Fellow and a PhD candidate. The research activities undertaken as part of this AML3D-Curtin collaboration will focus on new alloys and materials science with a bias towards the needs of new defence customers utilising AML3D’s WAM proven technology through various accreditations.

“AML3D is delighted to be able to support Curtin University in expanding its wire additive manufacturing capabilities with the purchase of an enterprise-level ARCEMY System,” said AML3D Interim CEO Sean Ebert. “This sale represents AML3D delivering against its strategic objectives and is an excellent opportunity to partner with Curtin to expand the applications for our Wire Additive Manufacturing technology in Australia and globally.

“We look forward to collaborating with Curtin on research that will enhance the capability of our ARCEMY systems for our customers, especially in defence and maritime. Over the longer term, this research program should help to position AML3D to benefit from an expected expansion of defence manufacturing that AUKUS and other demand signals will drive.

“Our ability to use this new ARCEMY system for satellite manufacturing is also [expected to help AML3D develop] new customer relationships across Western Australia’s oil and gas, defence, maritime and mining industries, and expand the market for on-demand metal 3D-printed products and spare parts.”

The AML3D WAM process combines an electric arc with certified welding wire as feedstock, to produce medium- to large-scale, free-form parts using direct energy deposition. It can be used to print metal parts in an open free-form fabrication environment using localised inert gas. With localised gas shielding, the need for an enclosed chamber of any kind is eliminated, which therefore does not limit the component build size.

With the broad range of metals available, WAM can either repair or create a new 3D model to manufacture an entirely new component without relying on the current series of supply chain involvement.

Image: AML3D