Rosotics has unveiled its new metal 3D printer, the Halo, designed for manufacturing rocket tanks and other large aerospace structures.
“This system is designed for demanding applications as well as the more commonplace ones,” said Christian LaRosa, founder and CEO of Rosotics, based in Mesa, Arizona. “You can use it to print a first or second stage tank. You could use it for domes or engines.”
In 2023, the company developed Mantis, a 3D printer that heats feedstock with a magnetic field in the nozzle. However, Mantis is now obsolete, as the new Halo platform is designed for production.
Aerospace constitutes the majority of Rosotics’ business, with customers also focusing on naval and energy applications for the additive manufacturing technology.
First Customer for Rosotics
Phantom Space, a startup based in Tucson, Arizona, manufacturing satellites and launch vehicles, is Rosotics’ first customer.
“We’re pretty impressed with the capability they’re building,” said Jim Cantrell, Phantom Space co-founder and CEO. “Small-format 3D printing is ideal for things with complex internal structures like rocket engines. The true limitation is speed, cost of the machine, and the cost of facilities.”
In contrast, the company’s technology is “ideal for industrial-scale production of things like rocket tanks,” Cantrell said. “We’ll see how we can implement their technology here in the shop, and we’ll be buying one of their machines.”
The retail price for Halo machines is $950,000. Rosotics plans to begin delivering Halo to customers in the United States and Europe in late August.
Future Applications
Looking ahead, Halo could have space-based applications.
“This platform was developed from the ground up to consume a lot less power than any other form of production in metals,” LaRosa said. “We take the space market very seriously, beyond what it is today.”
