Hermeus has acquired Sapphire and large Sapphire XC printers from the company Velo3D, which it will use in the production of the Chimera and Quarterhorse aircraft. These aircraft will be able to fly at speeds of Mach 5, and Hermeus plans to make them available for civilian flights and airports.
The mentioned printers are designed to produce parts in large volumes. “Metal Additive Manufacturing is a key component in our vertical manufacturing integration plan. We are exploring the possibilities of this technology and looking for ways to increase performance, consolidate components, reduce the weight of our aircraft and minimize external dependence,” says Glen Case, one of the directors of the Hermeus company.
The development of hypersonic aircraft brings many challenges to the aviation industry. Velo3D company director Benny Buhler said the Sapphire and Sapphire XC printers won’t let the manufacturer down, even though the parts on an aircraft like the Hermeus will be subjected to unusual speeds, temperatures, and vibrations.
Velo3D is a company that deals with 3D metal printing technology. Its solutions are already used in space and aviation.
Hermeus was founded with one goal – to speed up travel. Thanks to the hypersonic jets, passengers will be able to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in just 90 minutes, thanks to the speed of Mach 5, which is twice as fast as the Concorde jets.
