US startup Origin introduces the Origin One. With this new 3D printer, the company aims to reduce printing times and thus production costs, while delivering materials with consistent accuracy. This should pave the way for mass production with additive manufacturing.
Origin is a startup that went public last year. The company was founded by Christopher Prucha and Joel Ong, who needed to print thousands of shoe labels in one week for a client. To meet this deadline, they had 3D printers operating 24×7. However, the pair ran into many challenges in doing so, including unreliable hardware, limited software and brittle materials. Based on this, Prucha and Ong developed a new platform for additive manufacturing called 'Open Additive Manufacturing' with Origin. This platform combines open materials, extensible software, modular hardware with a printing technology developed in-house by Origin called Programmable Photopolymerisation (P3).
Programmable Photopolymerisation
P3 is a technology that precisely controls lighting, heat and forces to print products with high accuracy and consistency. This involves a responsive printing process that collects polymerisation information and automatically adjusts the printing process accordingly to achieve the best end result. The printer can print with an accuracy of 50 micrometres (µm).
In doing so, Origin is committed to maximising the production capacity customers can achieve per square metre. The company therefore deliberately provided the Origin with a compact design of 400mm by 450mm by 1100mm. The printer can print objects of up to 192mm by 10mm by 350mm. Origin claims that one operator can manage a large number of Origin One's, allowing it to produce thousands of components per day, without the need for external automation such as a robotic arm.
Post-processing optimised
Post-processing has also been significantly optimised. For example, the Origin One is designed so that a minimal amount of support material needs to be printed during the printing process. This is an important advantage, as it means that less material needs to be removed during post-processing. The products only need to be cleaned and cured using UV radiation; there is no need to bake, polish or paint finished products. As a result, post-processing can be completed in just a few minutes, according to Origin.
Collaboration with ECCO
With the launch of the Origin One, Origon also announced a collaboration with ECCO. The two companies will jointly develop a new production method for shoes based on Origin's printing platform. This will use materials developed by chemical company BASF. "We expect Origin's open additive approach to enable us to shorten production time, reduce costs and accelerate time-to-market," explains Jakob Møller Hansen, vice president of research and development at ECCO.
To develop materials, Origin has set up the Open Material Network. Within this platform, the company develops materials for additive manufacturing in collaboration with partners. Among others, German chemical group Henkel, Dutch DSM and the aforementioned BASF are involved in this network.
"Until now, additive manufacturing has been dominated by closed and inflexible systems with material available only from the printer manufacturer. Even systems that are described as working with 'open materials' are limited. The materials are bound to existing chemical compositions and are significantly constrained by the printing process. Origin reshapes additive manufacturing, creating an open ecosystem with new chemical compositions that enable new choices and product customisation. This enables companies to scale and meet demand in their market with the material of their choice," wrote Origin in a press release about the launch of its 'Open Additive Manufacturing' platform.
Available from autumn 2019
The Origin One can be ordered immediately and is expected to ship to customers in autumn 2019.
