Rapid Fusion lands with £500,000 Apollo system launch

Innovation is shaking up the world of large-scale 3D printing. A South West engineering firm is making waves in the sector with a bold new launch that could reshape manufacturing. Rapid Fusion has unveiled ‘Apollo’, a cutting-edge 3D printing system poised to change the game for industries such as automotive, aerospace, and furniture manufacturing. And they’re just getting started.

Rapid Fusion has invested over £500,000 to develop and bring its latest product, Apollo, to market. This fully integrated 3D printing solution leverages advanced robotics to produce large components and moulds with unprecedented efficiency. According to the company, this product is set to revolutionise how manufacturers in various sectors approach large-scale builds.

Jake Hand, the founder of Rapid Fusion, is confident in the system’s potential. “I’ve been involved in the sector for some time, and companies were continually asking for a product that offered them an automated large format solution,” said Hand. “Nobody was doing anything like this in the UK, so we thought…you know what, let’s see what we can do, and our Apollo system represents a massive innovation that promises to disrupt the status quo.”

Apollo’s design combines an award-winning pellet extruder, an advanced control system, and a robotic Kuka arm with a reach of nearly four metres. The machine’s print bed, measuring two by three metres, is optimised for large-scale production. Whether it’s bespoke furniture, automotive parts, or complex aerospace components, Apollo promises rapid, high-quality builds at a fraction of the cost.

Hand expects Apollo to achieve strong sales, estimating over £4 million in revenue in the first year. The company has already hired seven new employees and invested in a purpose-built research and development centre at Skypark, Exeter, to support ongoing innovation and client demonstrations.

Priced at £250,000, Apollo is designed to outperform traditional FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) printers, offering speeds nearly 200 times faster and the flexibility to use hundreds of different polymers. Clients can also benefit from significant cost savings, as the system’s use of pellets can reduce material costs by up to 90% compared to standard filament.

Interest in Apollo is already surging. Rapid Fusion has secured reseller agreements with international partners, including CNC World in the UK, Hyperion in Australia, Maptec in Dubai, and ACCUFACTURE in the United States. Domestic opportunities are also on the rise, and Hand says this is only the beginning. “Our R&D team is already working on the next generation of systems, which have the potential to push innovation even further,” he added.

One exciting development on the horizon is the integration of CNC machining into their future products, along with the Innovate UK-backed launch of a new system, Evo 1. As the company prepares to open its Skypark facility in October, Rapid Fusion looks set to continue its expansion. With a strong pipeline of orders, the company aims to create seven additional jobs in the South West over the next year.

Apollo represents more than just an ambitious engineering project; it could be the catalyst that drives significant change in large-format additive manufacturing.