HP Additive Manufacturing Solutions‘ Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology, combined with Materialise’s certified additive manufacturing services, has enabled Avular to enhance the design, customization, and production speed of its mobile robotic platforms.
The integration of HP’s MJF process into Avular’s production has allowed the company to create lightweight, highly functional drone components with precise material characteristics. The technology enables engineers to consolidate multiple functions into a single part, achieve thinner wall structures, and deliver a consistently refined surface finish.
Albert Maas, CEO and Founder, Avular, stated, “Using HP MJF for our drones really made a difference because we could make lightweight parts, incorporate different functions into one part, and we had better material specs. This gave us the competitive edge.”
Prior to adopting additive manufacturing, Avular relied on traditional molding for drone production, which resulted in long lead times of up to two months per prototype. Testing and subsequent redesigns extended development cycles even further. With HP’s MJF technology, prototype turnaround has been reduced to just two or three weeks, and fully realized end solutions can reach the market within four months.
Avular’s partnership with Materialise, a certified HP partner, further streamlines this process. Through the Materialise online ordering system, which is available 24 hours a day, Avular can upload digital designs, order parts at any time, and iterate quickly based on test results. This digital workflow allows for efficient low-volume production runs, providing a new level of customization that was previously unattainable with conventional manufacturing.
“We created the base design and when a customer gets to us with a specific business case we can alter the design, we upload it into the Materialise portal and within weeks we have the part and it’s all available through the portal of Materialise and through the process of the HP printing technology,” added Maas.
The combination of HP’s additive technology and Materialise’s digital manufacturing platform exemplifies how 3D printing as a service can streamline production, reduce costs, and enhance design agility across the drone sector. For developers like Avular, this model transforms manufacturing from a fixed asset into a flexible service, supporting rapid innovation in unmanned systems.
For more information, visit HP Additive Manufacturing Solutions website.
