Knust-Godwin additive manufacturing grows with VELO3D’s metal 3D printer

Texas-based high precision machining services provider Knust-Godwin is expanding its additive manufacturing parts production services. After acquiring four Renishaw SLM systems last year, the company has just acquired a Sapphire metal 3D printer from VELO3D. As a new and very young player in the metal AM sector, every single system sold is a significant step forward for VELO3D, and the company has so far been more successful than most new entries in the metal AM arena, especially in targeting serious industrial AM adopters. Its unique support free AM process is faster and more intuitive to implement since it does not require complex redesigns in order to reduce support removal and post-processing.

Known for its capabilities to consistently produce high-quality parts with low-angle geometries without support structures, the VELO3D solution consists of Flow advanced pre-print software, Sapphire printer, and Assure quality management software. The VELO3D solution will join Knust-Godwin’s existing fleet of seven metal AM machines in Katy, Texas. Knust-Godwin will take delivery of the Sapphire printer in the first quarter of 2020 and has already secured customer orders to print end-use parts for the oil service industry.

Michael Corliss, VP of Technology for Knust–Godwin states, “We see so many parts that have been manufactured with traditional methods that could take advantage of the benefits from AM. Our new Sapphire system provides the accuracy and low-print-angle capabilities that enable the recreation of those parts via AM without having to go through a complicated redesign process. We can finally print parts as-is, offering valuable cost-savings to our customers and improved turnaround time for delivery.”

With over 100 years of combined manufacturing experience, AM has been part of Knust-Godwin’s offer since 2013, when the company began developing additive manufacturing as the new alternative solution to developing and manufacturing products. Knust-Godwin has recently achieved AS9100 certification and is now expanding its capabilities to address the needs of the aerospace industry. Oil and gas and aerospace share requirements for intense thermal management of extreme temperatures, complex geometries, and expectations of cost-control and rapid delivery of parts. Knust-Godwin is adding SupportFree capabilities to expand its total addressable market and enable them to be more competitive across a wider range of industrial applications.

“The oil and gas industry is one of the largest emerging market segments to adopt metal AM, and I’m thrilled to partner with oilfield leaders like Knust-Godwin for direct-part production,” states Benny Buller, Founder and CEO of VELO3D. “Their extensive background of over fifty years in precision machining, combined with their additive production experience, means that they understand what it takes to close the gap between prototyping and serial manufacturing.”