Helio Additive’s new Dragon software aims to improve additive manufacturing predictability by focusing on the physics behind the printing process. Founded by David Hartmann after leaving Covestro, Helio Additive is collaborating with Dr. Xiaofan Luo, co-founder of Polymaker, to develop this technology.
Luo identified the core issue in AM as the lack of understanding of the physics governing material behavior during printing. Accurate prediction of cooling, layer bonding, and stress relaxation can significantly enhance print quality and reduce defects such as warping. This insight led to the development of Dragon, a physics-based process optimizer.
The software, showcased at RAPID+TCT 2024, utilizes first-principles physics to simulate and optimize large-format additive manufacturing (LSAM). By optimizing G-code instructions generated by slicer software, Dragon ensures high-quality prints on the first attempt and often increases printing speed by 20-30%.
Helio Additive’s software charges users per optimized layer, making it cost-efficient by reducing material waste and labor costs. The cloud-native platform requires no extensive infrastructure, allowing users to run simulations and receive results quickly.
Dragon is positioned to benefit large-scale AM initially, with plans to extend to desktop and other AM types. Helio is also collaborating with material companies to integrate their materials into Dragon, enhancing its functionality and reliability.
Helio Additive offers a free trial of Dragon with complimentary Polymaker material to demonstrate its effectiveness. The company sees potential for similar advancements in consumer and industrial fused deposition modeling, indicating a broader trend across the 3D printing industry.
Source: designnews.com