Thursday, May 9, 2024

University of Maine Builds A Big (very big) 3D Printer

From TechRadar, May 4:

US university creates world's biggest 3D printer ever and it can even use wood dust — named Factory of the Future 1.0, it can print objects almost the size of 40 standard containers
University of Maine has experience making giant 3D printers

The University of Maine has revealed the largest 3D printer in the world. Named rather grandly Factory of the Future 1.0 (FoF 1.0), the new unit is four times larger than the university's previous world record breaking 3D printer, MasterPrint, which it debuted in 2019.

This colossal printer can produce items measuring up to 96 feet long, 32 feet wide, and 18 feet high, at a rapid pace of 500 pounds per hour.

Factory of the Future 1.0 was revealed by UMaine to representatives from a number of agencies, including the Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy. It is not just a giant 3D printer however, it's also a multipurpose machine that can switch between various processes like additive manufacturing and continuous tape layup....

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