Wayland Additive, the inventor of the Calibur3 metal additive manufacturing (AM) system, powered by the completely new and patented NeuBeam process, successfully launched its technology via a virtual event in March 2021.
For obvious reasons, while the Calibur3 machine was very prominent at the launch, all the presentations on the day, and all the questions fired at the Wayland team were concerned with what was inside the attractive and imposing white and blue box, and what made this impressive next generation metal AM technology tick.
But what about the box itself?
For an industrial machine like the Calibur3, which contains an electron-beam based technology hot enough to melt metal powder, it is reasonable enough to assume that any enclosure has safety as its primary consideration. Beyond this however, a lot of hard work and thought went into the design of the Calibur3 enclosure, merging the required health and safety considerations with an ergonomic aesthetic, optimized functionality, ease of maintenance, and branding.
Wayland chose to work on the enclosure with Amcanu based in Burry Port, UK. Since 1975, Amcanu has specialized in building world-class industrial enclosures and technology cabinets, designed for effective sound attenuation and to maintain optimum performance of technology. Each enclosure is customized to help clients overcome operational challenges and comply with regulations.
For Wayland, Amcanu designed and built a totally bespoke enclosure for the Calibur3 which optimised the performance of the innovative AM manufacturing equipment housed inside. The modular design successfully protects the technology and the individuals working it.
Designed to be ergonomically-friendly for both the operating user and also the service engineer, the Calibur3 enclosure’s modular design enables gradual assembly, and to give the customer greater build flexibility, sections can be sub-assembled to fit specific end-user build programmes.
The Calibur3 enclosure is designed with lift-off doors and hatches to enable easy access to all major components. Each part of the enclosure is easy to remove and replace if damaged, and customers are supplied with a technical manual with exploded views and numbered parts, which means they can easily order and replace panels themselves, including all surface panels, corner posts, doors, and access hatches.
The distinctive curved edges, and careful use of colour soften the appearance of the large Calibur3 metal enclosure, giving it a sleek, modern appearance. The quality and workmanship of the enclosure compliments the cutting-edge technology it protects, allowing it to fit seamlessly into a high-spec advanced manufacturing environment.
The enclosure is finished using a high quality and robust electrostatic powder-coating process, ensuring durability over time. Using a combination of different cutting-edge technologies the surface is chip and scratch resistant, and significantly tougher than a traditional paint finish.
Will Richardson, CEO at Wayland Additive said, “Having spent so much time working with the Wayland team on the nuts and bolts of the NeuBeam technology that is housed inside the Calibur3 system, it was extremely refreshing to focus on the look, feel, and functionality of the enclosure with Amcanu. After all, the enclosure would be the first thing any prospective customer would see. Our metal AM technology is a next-generation technology, truly ground-breaking because it opens up a broader range of metal AM industrial applications for our customers, so it became extremely important for us to use an enclosure that reflected this. To say we are delighted with the result is an understatement, and we feel that the team at Amcanu has perfectly balanced the requirements for safety, ease-of-use, maintenance, and aesthetics in an extraordinary way.”
Owain Davies, MD at Amcanu said, “As soon as the Wayland team approached us and explained what the Calibur3 machine was capable of, we were keen to get stuck in! We’re a team of technical engineers and designers so it was a real pleasure to work with a ground-breaking, new technology. The level of interest following the virtual launch has been impressive. It looks like the Calibur3 is set to be a huge success and we hope that our partnership with Wayland will continue long into the future.”
You can view a short video HERE that is based around the virtual launch of the Calibur3 in March, which features views of the Calibur3 enclosure and describes the technology that it houses.
www.waylandadditive.com
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