Ulendo Awarded $1M Grant to Expand Access to Its Ulendo VC Software
Ulendo Awarded $1M National Science Foundation Grant to Advance Additive Manufacturing Software
Ulendo’s vibration compensation software doubles the throughput of 3D printers.
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES, April 5, 2023 – Ulendo Technologies, Inc. expands the commercial use of its patented vibration compensation software, thanks to a recent $1 million grant from America’s Seed Fund powered by National Science Foundation (NSF). Now, industrial organizations who are already using a large number of 3D printers in their business can access Ulendo VC.
Previously, Ulendo VC was available only to manufacturers of 3D printers that would implement it on a specific set of printer models. The grant, known as Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer, will cost-effectively increase the productivity and speed of more 3D printer types.
“With the help of NSF, we can significantly improve the existing set of algorithms to address more 3D printer types and, more importantly, retrofit a 3D printer already in operation with our software, doubling its capacity,” said Brenda Jones, CEO of Ulendo. “For 3D printing service bureaus and contract additive manufacturers, this enables them to squeeze more value out of their existing investment in additive manufacturing machines.”
This project is motivated by the needs of the $11 billion additive manufacturing industry that is critical to national security, supply chain resiliency and economic prosperity. The software algorithms developed through the grant will not only benefit 3D printing but will also apply to a wide range of advanced manufacturing machines, like machine tools and robots, whose speed and accuracy are limited by vibration.
The adoption of 3D printing for mainstream manufacturing has been hindered by pervasive quality problems caused by vibration of the machines when operated at high speeds. Historically, end users have printed slowly to avoid or limit the impact of vibrations, which significantly restricts outputs. This project addresses the need for accurate calibration of the changing vibration behavior of 3D printers under varying operating conditions.
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About Ulendo Technologies, Inc.
Founded in 2018 by Chinedum ‘Chi’ Okwudire, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ulendo is a software company spun out of the University of Michigan. The company’s first product, Ulendo VC (Vibration Compensation), uses an advanced set of algorithms to double the throughput of extrusion-based 3D printers by enabling them to operate at twice the speed without degrading the quality. The software is available for 3D printer manufacturers, 3D printing service bureaus and contract additive manufacturers. The company’s overall goal is to deliver a collection of revolutionary software products to the advanced manufacturing industry (i.e., 3D printers, industrial robots). For more information, visit www.ulendo.io.
About the U.S. NSF's Small Business Programs
America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards more than $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million to support research and development, helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $8.8 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. For more information, visit seedfund.nsf.gov.