- Aerospace 3D-printing market forecast to reach more than $3 billion in 2022
- Industry expert calls in-process quality control “one of the most promising developments in metal ALM production”
- SGLB technology represents paradigm shift in quality-control process for manufacturing of 3D-printed metal components
The additive marketing, or 3D printing, industry is flying high in the aerospace sector. A Research and Markets study reported the aerospace 3D printing market is expected to grow from $714.5 million in 2017 to $3,057.9 billion by 2022 — a CAGR of 27.42% (http://ibn.fm/ly23w). Those numbers could go even higher as quality-assurance obstacles that have impeded the full adoption of 3D metal printing are successfully eliminated by Sigma Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB), the only provider of in-process, quality-assurance software to the commercial 3D-metal- printing industry.
“Aerospace has a long history of latest technology inventions’ early adopter and ultimate trendsetter in manufacturing,” according to an article by Farinia Group – a manufacturing organization dedicated to material transformation using state-of-the art equipment, know-how and technical expertise (http://ibn.fm/qeUsL). “New materials, state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and sophisticated software were created and absorbed by this industry decades ago and are now common for other industries.”
The Farinia Group noted several advantages of 3D printing in the aerospace sector, including the following:
- Shorter development process and time to market
- Freedom to design complex geometries, leading to maximized performance, consolidated design, improved reliability, and improved fuel efficiency
- On-demand and on-site spares manufacturing
- Higher material efficiency
- Reduced costs for certain components
- In-process quality assurance reducing overall lead time
It is in this last area – in-process quality assurance – where Sigma Labs shines. The company’s proprietary PrintRite3D® software is the singular solution that enables real-time, in-process detection of manufacturing irregularities for critical metal parts. The technology then provides the operator with the information and ability to adjust and mitigate the developing anomaly. Sigma Labs’ software represents a paradigm shift in the quality-control process for the manufacture of 3D printed metal components. The company is the only provider of in-process quality-assurance software to the commercial 3D-metal-printing industry offering these capabilities.
“Aerospace, as an industry obsessed by performance and reliability, has since long performed quality-assurance downstream to manufacturing,” the Farinia Group article continues. “A critical stage for aerospace manufacturers in which any serial production often have to meet high specifications to satisfy stringent applications with high quality to ensure reliability. Insomuch that quality assurance can account significantly in the overall lead time and overall cost.”
In its report, the Farinia Group noted that “one of the most promising developments in metal ALM (additive layer manufacturing) production systems concerns the real-time and closed-loop in-process quality control…Monitoring the system settings and process parameters during the ongoing manufacturing permits to regulate and optimize conditions… In-process inspection of the material health and dimensional accuracy will surely unlock the power of ALM technology for serial aerospace production as qualification and consistency variation are now the main concerns.”
Founded in 2010, Sigma is a software company that specializes in the development and commercialization of real-time, computer-aided-inspection (CAI) solutions known as PrintRite3D for 3D advanced manufacturing technologies. SGLB’s advanced computer-aided software product revolutionizes commercial additive manufacturing, enabling nondestructive quality assurance mid-production – uniquely allowing errors to be corrected in real time.
For more information about Sigma Labs, please visit www.SigmaLabsInc.com
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SGLB are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/SGLB
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