Sep 19, 2024

Exclusive Interview: Michael Kenworthy Discusses Joining Seurat as Chief Product Officer 3DPOD 217: 3D Printing Money with Danny Piper, NewCap Partners Printing Money Episode 21: Q2 2024 Earnings Analysis with Troy Jensen, Cantor Fitzgerald Search Contact us Contact us below to learn more Share this Article Seurat Technologies , inventor of a completely novel high-throughput metal 3D printing technology, has announced the appointment of Michael Kenworthy as its new Chief Product Officer (CPO). This pivotal addition comes as the company prepares to scale its proprietary Area Printing process, which promises to reshape the future of metal additive manufacturing (AM). Kenworthy, a veteran in manufacturing for aerospace, automotive, and metal 3D printing, brings strategic leadership and technical expertise honed through decades of experience in the sector. He leaves behind a successful tenure at Divergent Technologies, where he helped lead the development of digital manufacturing processes for the automotive and aerospace industries. His arrival at Seurat signals a new chapter for both the company and the AM industry, where scalable, mass-production 3D printing is now more feasible than ever—and greener. In an exclusive interview with 3DPrint.com, Kenworthy shared insights on his transition from Divergent, his motivations for joining Seurat, and his vision for the future of AM. The Potential of Seurat’s Area Printing Technology At the heart of Seurat’s disruptive potential is its proprietary Area Printing technology, which differs significantly from traditional approaches like laser PBF. Rather than relying on one or more lasers to selectively melt metal powder in a pinpoint area and raster each beam to generate the desired shape, Seurat’s system uses high-energy patterned laser beam pulses to  melt powder across a much larger area. This allows for significantly faster production times while maintaining high-resolution details. Scaling productivity in traditional LPBF involves trade-offs in feature resolution and material quality, compromises that Seurat does not have to make. “Area Printing is a fundamentally different technology,” Kenworthy emphasized. “It was completely built, developed, and matured here in the United States. We’re able to produce our own systems from the elemental materials, which provides a supply chain advantage for Seurat.” Kenworthy pointed out that Seurat’s technology is already demonstrating its viability for large-scale production applications. “We have purchase orders from industrial partners, and we’re delivering validation components against those orders. So, it is entering commercial service, on the cusp of several key technology validation points,” he noted. From Divergent to Seurat: A New Opportunity for Innovation Before joining Seurat, Kenworthy served as the Chief Technology Officer at Divergent Technologies, where he played an integral role in pioneering the firm’s Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS), designed to industrialize AM. Divergent’s focus on automotive and, later, aerospace applications proved the viability of 3D printing for high-performance, large-scale manufacturing. New Seurat CPO Michael Kenworthy. Under his leadership, Divergent achieved significant milestones, including the development of the first metal 3D-printed safety-critical automotive components and integrated unmanned aircraft system (UAS) structures. At the time, Divergent was also the joint development partner for Nikon SLM Solutions, resulting in the 12-laser NXG XII powder bed fusion (PBF) 3D printer. “Working at Divergent was an incredible experience,” Kenworthy reflected. “I was with the company for almost seven years, which is a long time in startup years—a lifetime, really. I was ready to try something different, get into a slightly earlier-stage company with a technology I truly believe in.” Kenworthy sees Seurat’s Area Printing as the future of scalable metal AM, addressing limitations that have traditionally held back the technology from becoming a mainstream industrial process. “Seurat’s strategy has always been industrial scale first, and that fresh thinking is embedded from the very beginning,” he said. “That’s really exciting to see—how it’s in the DNA of the equipment, how it was assembled and modularized.” His decision to join Seurat came after careful consideration of the company’s unique approach. “What we see from Seurat’s process compared to PBF is that it doesn’t have these gas interaction problems because of the unique dynamics of how the laser interacts with the powder,” Kenworthy explained. “That inherently makes it more scalable. So, when we want to move to meter-plus machines, it’s not going to impact our process.” Sustainability at the Forefront Beyond its technical innovations, Seurat’s vision aligns closely with Kenworthy’s commitment to sustainability. The company has set ambitious goals to decarbonize manufacturing, projecting the mitigation of up to 100 million metric tons of CO2 by 2030. Seurat’s Area Printing technology not only enables faster production but also significantly reduces waste and emissions by minimizing material usage and transportation​. “Throughout my career, I’ve seen how additive manufacturing can reduce waste and close supply chain gaps. At Seurat, we’re producing near-net shapes with minimal finishing, allowing us to better leverage capacity across the factory network and respond agilely to supply chain disruptions,” Kenworthy emphasized. Seurat powers its pilot facility with 100% renewable energy, underscoring the company’s dedication to a fully sustainable manufacturing model. Seurat’s Expansion and Partnerships Kenworthy joins Seurat at a time of rapid expansion. The company recently secured a $99 million Series C funding round, backed by investors such as NVIDIA, Honda, and Capricorn’s Technology Impact Fund, which is helping Seurat commercialize its Area Printing technology. The technology has already been validated for large-scale production, with Seurat landing a contract with Siemens Energy to 3D print 59 tons of metal turbine components​. This partnership with Siemens is just the beginning. Seurat’s plan to establish distributed factories globally, close to customer sites, allows the company to offer a turnkey solution for parts production which further simplifies the supply chain for customers. “We’re not asking companies to buy machines; we’re asking them to upgrade from existing suppliers, generally multiple,” Kenworthy noted​. This strategy aligns with his vision of scaling AM to industrial levels while offering customers a cost-effective, eco-friendly alternative to traditional manufacturing. Scaling for the Future As Chief Product Officer, Kenworthy will oversee Seurat’s product development and commercialization strategy, working closely with teams across the company’s engineering, marketing, and sales functions. His goal is to ensure that Seurat continues to innovate technologically while delivering products that meet the needs of its industrial clients. “Let’s focus on achieving scale,” Kenworthy stated. “We need to respond to the challenge by releasing better products that solve real problems and can be applied by our customers—not just technology for the sake of saying we’re doing 3D printing, but technology that genuinely addresses supply chain issues.” Looking ahead, Kenworthy’s primary focus is to accelerate the adoption of Seurat’s Area Printing technology across a broad spectrum of industries. He acknowledges that while the technology is already proving itself, the real challenge lies in scaling operations and ensuring that Seurat meets the stringent demands of its industrial customers. “I’ve always envisioned a technology trajectory culminating in printing whole areas rather than manipulating points,” he said. ” What the team has accomplished in the past 9 years is truly remarkable. The next generation of AM technology from Seurat is unlocking novel possibilities and reducing the friction of system performance improvement.” Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors. Enter your email address*