In the race to push manufacturing into the future, Dr. Luis Izet Escano and Dr. Lianyi Chen are pioneering advancements in metal 3D printing. After earning his PhD in Mechanical Engineering under professor Chen, Luis spent the past year improving the printing production of complex parts for industries such as aerospace, biomedical, and automotive. This led to research focus on enhancing the testing and qualification of metal powders, which are critical materials for 3D printing, allowing for faster, more efficient production of high-quality, geometrically intricate parts.
The pair co-founded 3D Powder Tech to commercialize novel testing methods for metal powders, slashing testing times by 50%. Supported by Discovery to Product, the team has positioned 3D Powder Tech as a crucial player in the metal additive manufacturing ecosystem with a focus on quantifying the powders and their specific characteristics that can greatly increase the success rate of producing defect free 3D printed metal and metal alloy parts. Their innovations help enhance quality and efficiency all along the supply chain, including powder manufacturers, part producers, and testing facilities improve success rates and part quality in 3D printing. “Escano and Chen combine technical expertise with a drive to solve industry challenges” said Dr. Amar Anumakonda, the D2P mentor for these innovators. “They adapt quickly, leverage data and customer inputs to guide their strategy, and continually push the boundaries of what’s possible in metal additive manufacturing.”
The team aims to expand its marketing and research efforts, to develop the “perfect 3D printer” to deliver an even broader range of applications. Driven by a passion for additive manufacturing and its potential to reduce environmental impact, the 3D Powder Tech team believes 3D printing will continue to drive advancements in the most cutting-edge industries, from aerospace to biomedical fields.
We asked Dr. Luis Izet Escano and Dr. Lianyi Chen to discuss their experiences as the innovators behind 3D Powder Tech:
Where did the idea for your company come from initially?
Metal powder dynamics and fundamental physics under metal 3D printing conditions were actively studied during the doctorate program of Dr. Luis Escano under the advisory of his mentor, Dr. Lianyi Chen. Our goal was to study the technology from its deepest roots, and once it was well understood and predictable, learn how to adequately control it to reach the outcomes we require. One investigation led to the discovery of a novel testing methodology for powders used in metal 3D printing production that requires a fraction of the time and resources invested using the current state-of-the-art methods. We foresaw the benefits of metal 3D printing manufacturing activities and research and therefore, decided to patent and provide these capabilities to the 3D printing community through the commercialization of the testing method.
How has D2P helped you, and what have you learned?
D2P helped us learn the steps required to grow our company from scratch. Furthermore, we learned a more efficient approach to conducting the company’s activities, aligned with our business and commercialization goals. D2P also facilitated our attendance at a very important additive manufacturing conference, AMUG 2024, which helped us get in direct contact with potential customers and, accelerate our discovery activities and start marketing.
What other entrepreneurial resources/programs have guided you?
Besides D2P, we have carried out other moves towards the obtention of guidance and resources that may aid us speed up the growth of our venture. This includes WARF, which is helping us protect our technology with international patents, as well as information in regard to possible funding sources. We have received guidance from the Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic, the Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC), and the UW Technology and Entrepreneurship Office. Additionally, we participated in the 2024 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest and reached finalist level, awarding us with space for our company at ForwardBIOLABS.
What’s your current focus with the company?
We are focused on the intensive expansion of marketing activities, as we are currently launching our business webpage, through which we expect to accelerate customer attraction and have the means to show our value publicly at a larger scale. We are also looking towards accumulating funding to expand our production, technological research and testing, and advertisement capabilities. We intend to get ready and apply for NSF SBIR funding.
What are your hopes for the company moving forward?
We expect it to grow enough to expand to other 3D printing technology solutions. Our goal is to provide the “perfect 3D printer,” which requires a bigger team, more research, resources, and the implementation of other patents that we invented. The testing and qualification project is the initial step that presents the most provable conditions to produce immediate revenue. Once more resources are gathered, we will continue expanding.
What drives you/why is this project important to you personally?
3D printing is the future of manufacturing. With its implementation in the most advanced technologies (aerospace, biomedical, nautical, automotive), we see how the other fields will exponentially grow, pushing human capabilities forward while drastically reducing damage to our environment.
What advice would you give to other campus innovators who are just starting to explore the potential of their ideas?
Think out of the box and of your own experiences so that you can better detect what’s the true reach of your idea. Feel passion for your project. The work is difficult, but passion helps. Keep in mind that you already know your project is “cool and useful,” you need to find the best way to share this vision with others. This is achieved by constant interaction with customers and carefully listening to their problems and needs.
Is there an experience during the development of your project that surprised you or had a powerful impact on your direction? What did you learn, or how did it change your thinking?
The interaction with customers and other potential collaborators took a lot of work. It was hard for me to switch my engineering and researcher mentality to a more business/commercialization approach.
The campus is full of bright minds and amazing ideas, but people often do not self-identify as entrepreneurs. Do you connect with that term, and why or why not? Is there another term you’d use to describe what you’re doing with your project?
I do connect with the term. I have fully committed my focus and resources to this project instead of jumping into the industry or faculty positions after graduation. Our tech will be very beneficial to the field.