(Renishaw: West Dundee, IL) – Renishaw has collaborated with Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) to support groundbreaking research into additive manufacturing (AM) for novel aerospace materials. This collaboration is part of a Disruptive Technology Innovation Fund (DTIF) project led by mBryonics, a leading manufacturer of free-form optics for the space industry.

A Renishaw RenAM 500Q Flex system at IMR’s facility near Dublin is helping researchers to develop advanced process parameters for metal 3D printing of free-form optical components used in laser-based satellite communications. By shifting from conventional machining—where parts are cut from large metal blocks—to near-net-shape AM, the project aims to improve production speed and efficiency.

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