Velo3D announced that Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Technology (SBOT), an Austria-based provider of high-precision components for the oil and gas industry, purchased a large-format metal 3D printer to expand its additive-manufacturing capabilities. The Sapphire XC is calibrated to print metal parts in Inconel 718 and supports the printing of large-scale components up to 23.5 inches (600 mm) in diameter and 21.5 inches (550 mm) high.

“Through Velo3D’s Sapphire XC 3D printer, our team can scale up the production of parts for customers with the Sapphire XC’s 400% throughput increase over the original Sapphire,” said Campbell MacPherson, SBOT executive vice president of advanced manufacturing. “It will also increase the addressable use-cases for metal additive manufacturing by unlocking the capability of producing larger parts.”

SBOT’s subsidiary, Knust-Godwin, operates a fleet of metal 3D printers from Velo3D in its Katy, Texas, facility. The contract manufacturer also offers conventional manufacturing capabilities like heat treatment and material testing, which allows it to deliver finished, ready-to-use parts.