In October 2019, the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, in Orono, unveiled the world’s largest 3D printer a $2.5 million exquisitely calibrated machine that can turn out objects as large as a boat in a matter of days.
Manufactured by Ingersoll Machine Tools in Rockford, Ill., the printer is capable of running along a 100-foot bed and extruding printer filament at a rate of 500 pounds per hour. Tolerances are within 6,000th of an inch.
Additive manufacturing is rapidly becoming a go-to technology for companies in the marine industry, and while some choose to outsource, others are taking advantage of the rapidly dropping price of 3D printers.
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