RPM Innovations relocates to new facility as demand for Laser Deposition Technology increases
January 25, 2018
RPMI’s new facility in South Dakota, USA (Courtesy RPM Innovations)
RPM Innovations, Inc. (RPMI) has relocated to a new 50,000 ft2 facility in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA. According to RPMI, the new facility will provide the space necessary to nearly triple its current capacity in Laser Deposition Technology (LDT) production services and in manufacturing some of the industry’s largest LDT systems. It was stated that the new facility also boasts the necessary infrastructure to meet the security requirements associated with the technology’s commercial, aerospace and defence applications.
RPMI provides specialist powder-based Additive Manufacturing services for part manufacturing, metal part repair and the fabrication of critical features on parts or forgings. Typical applications include the construction and repair of components associated with turbine engines, ducting, hypersonics, satellites, rocket engines, aerostructures, oil and gas processing, chemical processing and power generation.
According to the company, increasing demand for its services has resulted in its five LDT systems running “nearly 24/7.” Relocation to a larger facility will enable the installation of additional machines and allow the company to maintain machine availability and quick turnaround times to meet its customers’ delivery requirements.
According to RPMI, relocation to a larger facility will enable the installation of additional machines and allow the company to maintain machine availability and quick turnaround times to meet its customers’ delivery requirements (Courtesy RPM Innovations)
Robert Mudge, RPMI President, stated, “First, I must say thank you to our customers for challenging RPMI and giving us the opportunity to employ LDT in solving your manufacturing and repair problems. We are very excited and proud of this new facility as it provides RPMI with the space and tools necessary to offer the highest quality and most cost effective solutions available in the Additive Manufacturing world.”
RPMI is AS9100 and ISO 9001:2008 certified and also ITAR registered in order to support nearly any application, from one-off to serial part production. In addition to its production services, RPMI offers a complete line of CE registered LDT systems which include a Model 222, a Model 535 and a Model 557 (with a work envelope of 5 ft x-axis, 5 ft y-axis and 7 ft z-axis) which employ up to 4 kW fiber lasers.
The company began offering its LDT systems for purchase in the latter part of 2014. Since then, it states that it has delivered LDT systems to corporations and institutions in North America, South America and Europe, for use in research and development, prototyping, industry qualifications and production. In July 2017, the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University, USA, reported that it had expanded its metal AM capability with the addition of RPMI’s Model 222 system.
