Equispheres and Fieldmade bring non-explosive aluminium Additive Manufacturing to the field
April 1, 2025
Equispheres, Inc, based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and Fieldmade, headquartered in Oslo, Norway, have announced that Fieldmade’s NOMAD03 mobile Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) Additive Manufacturing machine can now process non-explosive aluminium NExP-1 powder from Equispheres.
Featuring tunable parameters for a wide range of applications, Fieldmade will use the NExP-1 powder in field operations when fast build speeds, high part quality and repeatability are required.
“There has always been demand for aluminium parts in the field. By collaborating with Equispheres, we are now able to meet that demand,” shared Svein A Hjelmtveit, Chief Technology Officer at Fieldmade. “Equispheres NExP-1 non-explosive powder simplifies the transport and operation of the NOMAD03 system while optimising performance, giving customers portability, speed and superior quality without the need for specialised handling, storage or extensive post-processing.”
Shipped in a fully self-sustained and climate-controlled container, the NOMAD 03 incorporates AM technologies that have been customised and ruggedised for mobile applications. The potential for point-of-need aluminium Additive Manufacturing spans a wide range of industries, from defence and energy sectors to remote communities where it’s cost-prohibitive to ship aluminium parts.
“The NOMAD03 system is a game-changer for any remote operating environment that requires a rapid supply of spare parts. Instead of waiting for weeks for replacements to arrive, aluminium parts can be produced onsite in a few hours, often at a lower cost, using technologies that aren’t currently accessible for remote operations,” Sascha Rudolph, Chief Operating Officer at Equispheres, stated. “We’re excited to collaborate with Fieldmade in breaking down the barriers for Additive Manufacturing while opening up a whole new landscape for the industry.”
Equispheres NExP-1 aluminium powder is dust-free and non-explosive per ASTM E1226, Standard Test Method for Explosibility of Dust Clouds. The AlSi10Mg powder is said to provide high layer thickness processing rates, melt pool stability and consistent melting behaviour to improve machine performance and the mechanical properties of finished parts.
Part of the Equispheres aluminium powders portfolio, NExP-1 is sourced and produced in North America using the company’s patent-pending technology, providing a secure supply chain for the mass production of aluminium AM.
Fieldmade’s NOMAD 03 System with Equispheres NExP-1 aluminium powder is undergoing final verification testing. The validated machine is expected to be available from Summer 2025.
