Revolutionary? Aurora Labs Reveals Their S1 Metal 3D Printer For Under $4,000

IMTS

Share this Article

au2After reading the title of this article, many of you probably are thinking that this post must be some kind of extremely early April Fools joke. After all, most laser sintering machines, which work with metal alloys, cost upwards of $1 million, some even much more than that. Back in July of this year, we saw a company called MatterFab announce their entrance into the realm of more affordable powder bed fusion metal 3D printers. Although a price was not announced, speculation still has these printers priced well above what most individuals could afford (likely $80-$120k).

Today, a Perth Australia-based company, called Aurora Labs may have just opened the metal laser sintering 3D printer space wide open with the launch of a Kickstarter project for their S1, S2, and S2+ 3D metal printers.

There is no doubt that if the cost of metal 3D printers were to come down in price to under $10,000 that the world would change as we know it. There are only so many applications one can use printed plastics for. The ability to fabricate metal objects at the push of a button, from one’s own garage could be transformative, not only for the manufacturing industry, but society as a whole. This is why, if legitimate, the Aurora 3D printer Kickstarter project may be one of the most exciting projects we have seen yet.

Aurora Labs' S1 Metal 3D Printer

Aurora Labs’ S1 Metal 3D Printer

The company is working on three different printers, starting at just $4,499 AUD (approximately $4,000 USD) for the S1, if you are one of their earliest backers. All three printers are capable of printing with a variety of metals, including:

  • 316 Stainless Steelau4
  • 420 Stainless Steel
  • Inconel 625
  • Inconel 718
  • Hastelloy C
  • Brass
  • Bronze
  • Mild Steel
  • Over a dozen others

The main difference between the various printers, the S1, S2, and S2+, are their sizes, number of powder rollers, and price. Below is a quick comparison:

  • S1 – Build Envelope: 150mm x 150mm x 200mm, 2 powder feeders – Kickstarter Price: $3,998 USD
  • S2 – Build Envelope: 150mm x 150mm x 200mm, 3 powder feeders – Kickstarter Price: $6,219 USD
  •  S2+ – Build Envelope: 180mm x 180mm x 500mm, 3 powder feeders – Kickstarter Price: $7,110 USD

Currently the printers can all use, both direct metal laser sintering, as well as powder bed fusion techniques. The S2 and S2+ will be capable of printing with multiple metals at once, and according to the company their internal testing showed that objects printed with these three machines had a 99.5% density level, similar to a high quality casting.

au3

“We see a time in the near future where every engineering workshop has a couple of these and most homes have one as well,” stated the company. “With this machine people can build a 10,000 pound (4,500 kg) thrust rocket motor – for about the price of a plasma TV ($500-$1,000) in materials.”

If this company does come through, it will certainly make waves within the industry.  They have also stated that they are working on a selective laser sintering system for these printers, as well as a capability to print with plastics and ceramics as well.  Let’s hear your thoughts on these incredible machines.  Have Aurora Labs, and their founder David Budge actually figured out a way to bring metal 3D printers into the home affordably?  Discuss in the Aurora Labs metal printer forum thread on 3DPB.com.  Check out the company’s Kickstarter pitch video provided below.

Share this Article


Recent News

Will There Be a Desktop Manufacturing Revolution outside of 3D Printing?

Know Your Würth: CEO AJ Strandquist on How Würth Additive Can Change 3D Printing



Categories

3D Design

3D Printed Art

3D Printed Food

3D Printed Guns


You May Also Like

Featured

Pressing Refresh: What CEO Brad Kreger and Velo3D Have Learned About Running a 3D Printing Company

To whatever extent a business is successful thanks to specialization, businesses will nonetheless always be holistic entities. A company isn’t a bunch of compartments that all happen to share the...

Würth Additive Launches Digital Inventory Services Platform Driven by 3D Printing

Last week, at the Additive Manufacturing Users’ Group (AMUG) Conference in Chicago (March 10-14), Würth Additive Group (WAG) launched its new inventory management platform, Digital Inventory Services (DIS). WAG is...

Featured

Hypersonic Heats Up: CEO Joe Laurienti on the Success of Ursa Major’s 3D Printed Engine

“It’s only been about 24 hours now, so I’m still digesting it,” Joe Laurienti said. But even via Zoom, it was easy to notice that the CEO was satisfied. The...

Featured

3D Printing’s Next Generation of Leadership: A Conversation with Additive Minds’ Dr. Gregory Hayes

It’s easy to forget sometimes that social media isn’t reality. So, at the end of 2023, when a burst of doom and gloom started to spread across the Western world’s...