ExOne Company, The SBIR Phase II Award, July 2020

In Phase I, ExOne successfully demonstrated the feasibility of 3D Printing Silicon Carbide Optics for High Energy Laser weapon systems. Feasibility was proven by optimizing printing and post processing furnace parameters for two silicon carbide powder feedstocks, completing material characterization, and printing 4 mirrors of varying geometric complexity in the 10cm size range. One mirror was ground, and polished.  In Phase II, ExOne will scale up its printing process to a larger machine platform (X1 160PRO), produce 30-40 cm diameter optics, complete material characterization, and provide a finished mirror prototype to the Army for evaluation.