NUBURU successfully completes contract awarded by U.S. Air Force

NUBURU, Inc., a leading innovator in high-power and high-brightness industrial blue laser technology, announced the successful completion of the AFWERX Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract awarded by the U.S. Air Force to the company in 2022. NUBURU, supported by GE Additive, a world leader in metal additive manufacturing, successfully demonstrated blue laser-based 3D printing solutions with area printing technology as set forth in the contract as the goal for the project.

This first-ever demonstration of using a blue laser beam shaped with a digital micromirror device (DMD) to print a part in stainless steel marks a milestone in the development of a 3D printing light engine for incorporation into large scale additive manufacturing systems. NUBURU and GE Additive also signed a joint development agreement in June of 2023 to accelerate the development of print engine technology that may result in improved speed and accuracy for laser-based additive manufacturing.

“We're excited to announce we’ve successfully demonstrated the ability to print in metal with a scalable blue laser DMD architecture that will allow much faster printing speeds, as well as lower defect density than today’s 3D metal printers," says Brian Knaley, CEO of NUBURU. "Achieving this milestone is critical to accelerate the implementation of blue laser technology into large scale additive manufacturing systems for defense, aerospace and several other critical markets.”