VELO3D and Lam Research Corporation announced a joint development agreement that includes collaboration on novel materials and designs in metal additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing applications for the semiconductor industry. Lam plans to significantly increase the volume of parts produced by AM over the next five years.
VELO3D will develop new metal alloys on its Sapphire printer that are critical to Lam designs and technologies. Lam Capital will also invest an undisclosed amount in VELO3D.
“Lam Research is leveraging additive manufacturing as a driver of the innovation that enables our customers to build smaller, faster, more powerful, and power-efficient electronic devices for everyday use,” said Kevin Jennings, senior vice president of Global Operations at Lam Research. “This joint development arrangement aligns well with Lam’s mission to continuously seek new technologies that push the limits of product design and manufacturing. We are excited to lead the semiconductor industry in delivering value to our customers from AM.”
Metal AM is a promising component of the digital transformation movement that is reducing reliance on analog manufacturing methodologies. Starting with a CAD file, AM builds production metal parts using lasers to fuse fine metal powder, layer by layer. 3D printing enables accelerated timelines, reduction in raw materials, and complex designs that are too difficult or costly to manufacture using conventional methods.
VELO3D recently closed a $40M round of funding, bringing total funding for the company to $150M. This new investment enables the company to expand its technology capabilities and reach profitability by mid-2022.
Lam Research
www.lamresearch.com
VELO3D
www.VELO3D.com