Velo3D Inc., a provider of metal additive-manufacturing (AM) technology, delivered a 3D printer to Knust-Godwin, a precision contract manufacturer. The acquisition of a laser powder-bed fusion printer further expands Knust-Godwin’s AM offering by unlocking high-volume production and lower costs for its largest customers. The Sapphire XC will be installed in the company’s Katy, Texas facility, and is calibrated for Inconel 718. It is capable of producing prints that are 600 mm (23.5 inches) in diameter and 550 mm (21.5 inches) high, and it uses eight 1-kilowatt lasers to produce parts.

According to Velo3D, the Sapphire XC can lower production costs by up to 75% and produce parts that are 500% larger in volume compared to its Sapphire system. Knust-Godwin is the first of Velo3D’s network of contract manufacturers to receive a Sapphire XC. With the addition of its Sapphire XC, Knust-Godwin now operates six Sapphire metal 3D-printing systems from Velo3D.