ValCUN celebrates first sale of its molten metal Minerva Printer
October 23, 2023
ValCUN, based in Gent, Belgium, has announced the first sale of its Minerva Printer to Sirris, a Belgian industrial innovation centre. The sale is seen as a significant milestone for the company and the adoption of its proprietary Molten Metal Deposition (MMD) technology.
“We are thrilled to announce this collaboration with Sirris. Their expertise in technological research and development perfectly complements the groundbreaking capabilities of our Minerva Printer and its MMD technology,” stated Jonas Galle, CEO of ValCUN. “Together, we aim to push the boundaries of what’s achievable in the world of Advanced Manufacturing. The industrial network of Sirris will be of the first ones in the world to explore and benefit this technology”.
The MMD process is a single-step metal deposition method that uses metal wire as feedstock. The aluminium filament is fed into a heating chamber where it is melted. The chamber has a nozzle at the bottom through which liquid metal is extruded, fusing with the previous layer to build up the part.
The Minerva Printer reduces or eliminates multiple pre- and postprocessing steps and eliminates the need for debinding, sintering, powder removal, or HIP.
The team at ValCUN will support Sirris in adopting the Minerva Printer, after which, ValCUN and Sirris will collaborate on research projects to further enhance the technology, with the goal of tackling specific industrial challenges and unlocking additional value for the industry.
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