Blog

Apr 05, 2025

Bringing non-explosive aluminum AM to the field

Equispheres, a developer of optimized aluminum powders for AM, and Fieldmade, a pioneer in mobile AM, have partnered to move aluminum part production with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) beyond

Equispheres, a developer of optimized aluminum powders for AM, and Fieldmade, a pioneer in mobile AM, have partnered to move aluminum part production with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) beyond traditional manufacturing environments by providing point-of-need access to 3D printing in remote locations where safe handling and performance are paramount.

Fieldmade’s NOMAD03 micro factory – a mobile, deployable AM system – is now capable of producing aluminum parts using Equispheres NExP-1 non-explosive aluminum powder. Featuring tunable parameters for a wide range of applications, Equispheres NExP-1 powder will be leveraged for field operations to achieve rapid build speeds, exceptional part quality, and repeatability in onsite production – significantly reducing the time and cost of delivering replacement parts.

“There has always been demand for aluminum parts in the field. By collaborating with Equispheres, we are now able to meet that demand,” said Svein Hjelmtveit, Chief Technology Officer at Fieldmade. “Equispheres NExP-1 non-explosive powder simplifies the transport and operation of the NOMAD03 system while optimizing performance, giving customers portability, speed, and superior quality without the need for specialized handling, storage or extensive post-processing.”

Shipped in a fully self-sustained and climate-controlled container, the NOMAD03 system incorporates AM technologies that have been customized and ruggedized for mobile applications. The potential for point-of-need aluminum 3D printing spans a wide range of industries, from defense and energy sectors to remote communities where it’s cost-prohibitive to ship aluminum parts.

“The NOMAD03 system is a game-changer for any remote operating environment that requires a rapid supply of spare parts. Instead of waiting for weeks for replacements to arrive, aluminum parts can be produced onsite in a few hours, often at a lower cost, using technologies that aren’t currently accessible for remote operations,” said Sascha Rudolph, Chief Operating Officer at Equispheres. “We’re excited to collaborate with Fieldmade in breaking down the barriers for Additive Manufacturing while opening up a whole new landscape for the industry.”

Equispheres NExP-1 aluminum powder is dust-free and non-explosible per ASTM E1226, Standard Test Method for Explosibility of Dust Clouds. The optimized AlSi10Mg powder provides high layer thickness processing rates, melt pool stability, and consistent melting behavior to improve system performance and the mechanical properties of finished parts.

Fieldmade’s NOMAD03 System with Equispheres NExP-1 aluminum powder is undergoing final verification testing. The validated system will be available from Summer 2025.

Part of the Equispheres aluminum powders portfolio, NExP-1 is sourced and produced in North America using the company’s patent-pending technology.