UTEP gets $2.1 million to develop next-generation 3-D printer

UTEP has received a $2.1 million grant to develop a next-generation 3-D printer.

“This technology is going to be unique and different from everything else on the market right now, providing tremendous opportunities for small and large manufacturers to explore 3-D printing for their unique electronics applications,” said David Espalin, who manages UTEP’sW.M. Keck Center for 3-D Innovationand will oversee the project.

Over the next 18 months, UTEP will lead a group that includesDraper Laboratory, Northrop Grumman, Stratasys and Applied Systems and Technology Transfer (AST2) to complete the project. The team expects to have a prototype of the system in less than one year and anticipates commercialization of the technology by the end of the 18-month project.

The new grantis funded in part byAmerica Makes, orthe National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, which is working to revitalize manufacturing in the United States through 3-D printing.

It will be an all-in-one printer that’s capable of printing industry-quality parts, including electronics formed out of plastics, and assembling metals and electronics during the fabrication process, according to a statement by UTEP.

3-D printers in use now are only capable of printing a single material, such as plastic or metal.

If the final product requires several materials, then engineers have to combine the materials separately. This results in slow assembly of the item.

UTEP’s all-in-one 3-D printer will help resolve this issue through its multi-faceted capabilities, earning it the nickname the “factory of the future.”

The new 3-D printer also will have the ability to print and place wires, foils, conductive inks and other components for electronics and will be able to perform common manufacturing processes like micromachining.

The compact system will be able to produce fully-functional electronics, such as a cell phone or satellite, without the need for assembly or additional processing.

The new system, Espalin said, is similar toanother ongoing UTEP projectthat’s working to speed up 3-D printing manufacturing processes. That project uses a robotic arm to move items from one 3-D printer to another, bypassing the need for an engineer or operator to get involved.

But this newly funded technology will be a single printer and more affordable once it hits the market, Espalin emphasizes.

Keck Center Director and project-leadRyan Wicker, Ph.D., said, “We are very pleased to be building on our previous work and developing a lower-cost solution that requires less space to operate for building fully-functional 3-D electronic devices. We believe this technology will be affordable for small companies and universities, but will also be very attractive to large companies for development and production of next generation electronic components.”

“The development of the next generation of additive manufacturing technology is underway at The University of Texas at El Paso,” said Wicker. “To gain wider adoption of 3-D printing technology, a more compact and low-cost approach is necessary — and UTEP is hoping to solve that issue sooner than later.”