Equispheres, innovator in optimised aluminium powders for Additive Manufacturing (AM), and mobile AM innovator Fieldmade, have announced an initiative to move aluminium part production on laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) beyond traditional manufacturing environments by providing point-of-need access to 3D printing in remote and field locations where safe handling and performance are paramount.
Fieldmade’s NOMAD03 micro factory – a mobile, deployable AM system – is now capable of producing aluminium parts using Equispheres NExP-1 non-explosive aluminium powder, expanding the range of metals that can be processed in the field. Featuring tunable parameters for a wide range of applications, Equispheres NExP-1 powder will be leveraged for field operations to achieve rapid build speeds, exceptional part quality, and repeatability in onsite production, significantly reducing the time and cost of delivering replacement parts.
“There has always been demand for aluminium parts in the field. By collaborating with Equispheres, we are now able to meet that demand,” says Svein A. Hjelmtveit, Chief Technology Officer at Fieldmade. “Equispheres NExP-1 non-explosive powder simplifies the transport and operation of the NOMAD03 system while optimising performance, giving customers portability, speed, and superior quality without the need for specialised handling, storage or extensive post-processing.”
Shipped in a fully self-sustained and climate-controlled container, the NOMAD03 system incorporates AM technologies that have been customised and ruggedised for mobile applications. The potential for point-of-need aluminium 3D printing spans a wide range of industries, from defence and energy sectors to remote communities where it’s cost-prohibitive to ship aluminium parts.
“The NOMAD03 system is a game-changer for any remote operating environment that requires a rapid supply of spare parts. Instead of waiting for weeks for replacements to arrive, aluminium parts can be produced onsite in a few hours, often at a lower cost, using technologies that aren’t currently accessible for remote operations,” says Sascha Rudolph, Chief Operating Officer at Equispheres. “We’re excited to collaborate with Fieldmade in breaking down the barriers for Additive Manufacturing while opening up a whole new landscape for the industry.”
Equispheres NExP-1 aluminium powder is dust-free and non-explosible per ASTM E1226, Standard Test Method for Explosibility of Dust Clouds. The optimised AlSi10Mg powder provides high layer thickness processing rates, melt pool stability and consistent melting behaviour to improve system performance and the mechanical properties of finished parts.
System Availability
Fieldmade’s NOMAD03 System with Equispheres NExP-1 aluminium powder is undergoing final verification testing. The validated system will be available from Summer 2025.
Part of the Equispheres aluminium powders portfolio, NExP-1 is sourced and produced in North America using the company’s patent-pending technology, providing a secure supply chain for the mass production of aluminium AM.
