Vertex Manufacturing acquires Sapphire 3D printer
Meeting growing demand for metal final parts
Vertex Manufacturing, a Cincinnati-based business providing CNC machining and manufacturing services from development through production, has selected VELO3D to help meet the growing demand for 3D printed “impossible” metal parts.
Vertex was born out of the desire of AM pioneers Greg Morris, Steve Rengers and Tim Warden, previously of Morris Technologies Inc. (MTI), to leverage their advanced manufacturing and technology backgrounds to help companies solve some of their most difficult problems. Vertex is AS9100, ISO13485 and ITAR registered and certified.
At MTI, Morris and company were best known for their work with GE Aviation’s 3-D printed LEAP Engine fuel nozzle used in commercial aviation. In an industry with a reputation for having exacting standards for the safety and quality of manufactured parts, the LEAP Engine fuel nozzle was one of the first metal AM parts to be certified for flight by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Morris is also recognized for his early expertise in industrial metals such as titanium and for integrating AM with traditional manufacturing floor systems. MTI was acquired by GE Aviation in 2012.
“With unique technology providing the capability to create production parts that would be impractical or impossible using other methods, our new additive manufacturing solution from VELO3D means customers will have even more freedom to design and engineer some of the most complex geometries imaginable,” said Greg Morris, co-founder and CEO, Vertex Manufacturing. “This is the essence of why Steve, Tim and I started Vertex Manufacturing – to help customers leverage the most advanced manufacturing technologies and push the boundaries of what is possible.”
Where Morris Technologies primarily focused on prototyping use cases, Vertex was created with a mission to help customers who need advanced manufacturing solutions for both development and production programs. They offer a range of services including advanced multi-axis CNC machining, additive manufacturing, rapid castings and final inspection of manufactured parts.
Vertex will take delivery of its first full-stack VELO3D Sapphire solution later this month, which will be set up to print metal parts in Inconel 718 (PDF), a nickel-based superalloy known for its superb tensile strength when subjected to extreme pressure and heat. It will be installed alongside other advanced manufacturing systems such as a top-of-the-line Makino a61nx CNC machining center. Vertex said it plans to add additional VELO3D solutions in the future based on feedback from existing customers who value the quality, efficiency and productivity benefits.
“The intent is to have this first machine fully operational by the middle of July,” said Morris. “As we move forward, we want to leverage the knowledge and experience our team has in bringing products to market or taking them to production to bring a stronger focus on pursuing production programs, whether it’s traditional manufacturing, advanced metal AM, or a combination of both.”
In March, VELO3D announced plans to merge with JAWS Spitfire Acquisition Corporation (NYSE: SPFR) and become a public company.
