Velo3D, a metal additive manufacturing technology company for mission-critical parts, announced that Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Technology (SBOT), a provider of high-precision components for the oil and gas industry, has purchased a Sapphire XC large-format printer to expand its additive manufacturing capabilities.
The new Sapphire XC printer is calibrated to print metal parts in Inconel 718 and will support the growing demand for 3D-printed parts from SBOT customers. The company's latest printer enhances production capabilities, delivering high-volume parts at a reduced cost. Furthermore, it supports the printing of large-scale components up to 600 mm in diameter and 550 mm in height.
SBOT has experience in manufacturing high-quality components for the oil and gas industry, including more than a decade of experience offering its customers additive manufacturing capabilities. In addition to its operations in Europe, the company’s subsidiary, Knust-Godwin, operates a fleet of printers from Velo3D in its Katy, Texas, facility.
After seeing the print capabilities and adoption of Velo3D’s technology in the U.S., SBOT became the first Velo3D contract manufacturer in Europe in November 2021 with the purchase of a Sapphire printer calibrated to print in Inconel 718. By adding a Sapphire XC printer, SBOT can easily scale the production of parts previously printed and qualified on the Sapphire printer.
"Additive manufacturing continues to see growing adoption and 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, SBO EVP of Advanced Manufacturing. “It will also increase the addressable use-cases for metal additive manufacturing by unlocking the capability of producing larger parts, allowing us to maintain our position as a leader in the industry.”
The Sapphire XC 3D printer offers SBOT geometric design freedom, enabling the production of highly complex, mission-critical parts with precision and efficiency. The contract manufacturer also offers conventional manufacturing capabilities like CNC milling and turning, heat treatment, material testing and polishing. This allows SBOT to deliver finished, ready-to-use parts to its customers.
With a deep-rooted background in the oil and gas industry, Velo3D is well-versed in the unique challenges faced by this sector. The company's expertise in additive manufacturing technology enables the production of complex geometries, improving the efficiency and reliability of critical components in the oil and gas field.
