Aeroprobe Spins Off Technology to Meld Manufacturing

Aeroprobe Corp. has announced that Meld, its proprietary manufacturing technology, is moving into a new phase of commercialization that includes the spinout of Meld Manufacturing Corp. These announcements come after more than a decade of research and development on the process.

The process can be used for a wide range of materials, including metal powders and rods. It can also be used with metal chips that would normally be discarded, making it a green alternative.

The process does not melt the material, which can introduce issues including weakness. Instead, it heats the material to the point that it is malleable but not melted, resulting in properties that meet or exceed similar processes, according to the company.

Meld is also an open atmosphere process, so the machine doesn’t require special chambers or vacuums. It also means that the process isn’t limited in the size of parts it can create.

“I was very excited the first time I saw the Meld technology,” says Paul Allison, assistant professor at the University of Alabama, which owns a Meld machine. “It was and still is obvious that Meld provides a breakthrough in manufacturing technology that overcomes the technical barriers of fusion-based processes.”

The process has potential for a range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, defense and turbomachinery.

The company will offer machine sales in addition to contract manufacturing and consulting services.