Friday, July 8, 2022

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3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing

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3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing

Nano Dimension Buys Ceramics and Metal 3D Printing Firms Admatec and Formatec

Posted: 08 Jul 2022 11:01 AM PDT

Nano Dimension (Nasdaq: NNDM) announced that it has bought Admatec and Formatec, both formerly part of Precision Surfacing Solutions. This is a brilliant move by the company and extends its reach into ceramics and metals 3D printing. Formatec is a Netherlands-based ceramics 3D printing service. Admatec is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of stereolithography (SLA) machines that 3D print with metal and ceramic-loaded resins—which I refer to as “slurry SLA.”

Admatec’s conveyor belt SLA technology allows users to 3D print parts at high speed and throughput. These green components can then be sintered to create dense, technical ceramic or metal parts. The resulting detailed, yet relatively inexpensive items are great candidates for heat sinks, as Holo AM is trying to prove. The new Admaflex 300 has a larger build volume that, combined with the tape conveyor system, means that users can produce a number of accurate, low-cost parts very quickly.

In 2021, Admatec and Formatec brought in $5.3 million in revenue at a nice gross margin of 56%. In total, Nano Dimension paid $12.9 million for the firms. This is an extremely good deal—not only because of the super sweet low valuation, but also because the company has revenues already. Moreover, this is very good technology that it is acquiring and an excellent extension to Nano Dimensions’ existing technologies. The company should easily be able to find customers to whom it can cross-sell its new ceramic and metal machines.

 "The teams across Admatec and Formatec are excited to become a part of Nano Dimension. We are proud of how we have developed this business and are convinced that we shall be able to expand and accelerate our growth based on our present technology and services. We expect that the combined expertise with Nano Dimension will further establish a leading position in the high-mix-low-volume metal 3D-AM production markets,” said Jaco Saurwalt, Chief Operating Officer of Admatec/Formatec.

"Admatec/Formatec's scientists, engineers and other team members, all of whom joined Nano Dimension upon closing of this transaction, are experts and industry veterans in AM 3D-industrial processes. They are going to continue to be led by their present management team. Admatec/Formatec's products and services expand Nano Dimension's Fabrica Division, adding volume manufacturing capabilities to the high precision micro-mechanical Fabrica 2.0 systems,” said Yoav Stern, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nano Dimension.

Stern went on to describe how its other recent acquisitions, including DeepCube and Nanofabrica, would fit into its larger vision. As an artificial intelligence company, DeepCube would develop the “robotic brains” for Admatec’s technology. In turn this would “improve yield and throughput and drive a more seamless integration with Nano Dimension's Fabrica systems.”

“Admatec/Formatec's machines and services fit the larger picture of Nano Dimension's vision, aiming to establish ‘Industry 4.0’ solutions, which entail building an AI-based ‘distributed digital manufacturing application’ rather than just machines as capital equipment. The end goal is to reach a capability for maintaining digital inventory of high-end printed mechanical parts in digital form: print them as you need them, where you need them, only the quantity you need, in the best quality at competitive prices, with the highest yield and throughput possible for that point in time, specifically for high mix/low volume scenarios,” Stern said.

As a long term plan, an AI-based “distributed digital manufacturing” platform seems like the most sensible goal to work towards. Additionally, this acquisition gives Nano Dimension a great technology to help achieve that goal. Of all the 3D printing acquisitions I’ve seen to date, this is either the most astute or one of the most astute at the very least. This is a brilliant deal at a fantastic price that will bring benefits for Nano Dimension and its shareholders for years to come.

The post Nano Dimension Buys Ceramics and Metal 3D Printing Firms Admatec and Formatec appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

No, Shinzo Abe’s Murder Weapon Probably Wasn’t a 3D Printed Gun

Posted: 08 Jul 2022 08:48 AM PDT

Amid the assassination of Japan's longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, one detail stood out: the weapon used was homemade. This has led to speculation about whether it was a 3D printed gun. While details about the firearm and the murder itself are still trickling out, initial footage seems to suggest that the gun was not 3D printed.

Japanese Gun Laws

According to a 1958 Japanese law, “The possession of firearms and swords is prohibited.” Handguns are banned, but weapons can be obtained for hunting after passing mental health, drug, and criminal records checks. To receive the necessary three-year license, a day of weapons training, including a written test and firing range evaluation with a 95 percent score, is required. Additionally, the police must be told where the gun and ammunition are stored (located separately from one another and under lock and key). The authorities inspect these weapons once a year.

As a result, Japan has the lowest level of gun ownership per capita of the G7 group of wealthy nations, at only 0.3 per 100 people. This compares to the U.S., which has an overwhelming 120.5 per 100 individuals. Japan also has the lowest rate of gun deaths at 0.03 per 100,000 people, compared to the U.S. at 7 per 100,000 people.

A Homemade Shotgun

So, while the suspect arrested in the assassination, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, was a member of the navy's Maritime Self-Defense Force for three years, where he received weapons training, it may not have been easy for him to obtain a professionally manufactured gun. Yamagami reportedly told authorities that he made the firearm. In addition to explosives, Japanese police have found more elaborate versions of the murder weapon at his home.

There have not yet been many details about the gun itself, but images seem to show two metal barrels, possibly aluminum, attached to a wood base, all wrapped in black tape.

"I think the first interesting observation is that it's clearly electrically fired," N. R. Jenzen-Jones, an arms and munitions intelligence specialist and Director of the U.K.-based Armament Research Services (ARES), told the Daily Beast. "There's electrical wire passing through each of those end caps that you can see in one of the images. That indicates to me that it's an electrically-fired firearm. My hunch is that it's probably a muzzle-loading design. It's probably a smooth-bore weapon—by which I mean unrifled, like a shotgun—but again, that's not a certainty."

The weapon alleged to have been used in the assassination of former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. Image courtesy of NHK/Facebook.

There didn't seem to be any 3D printed parts unless they were hidden beneath the tape. However, because the rest of the device was so crude, it's difficult to imagine the need for a 3D printer to make any of it. Delhi Television. Former Chief White House Correspondent for CNN Jessica Yellin was one journalist who speculated about whether the gun was 3D printed. The Daily Beast also brought up the use of 3D printed weapons as a growing threat in its coverage of the murder.

 

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A post shared by Jessica Yellin (@jessicayellin)

3D Printed Gun Arrests Are Growing

Given the nature of the event, the topic of 3D printing as a means of producing weapons is already being brought up. We can go through the regular arguments made by the additive manufacturing industry about why the technology is not exactly ideal for gunsmithing:

  • Cheap, accessible printers would not make a firearm sufficiently strong for practical use. It would likely shatter upon firing.
  • There are other, likely easier methods for fabricating a gun

Regardless of their threat level, arrests for 3D printed weapons are on the rise, as 3DPrint.com Senior Analyst Vanesa Listek recently reported, tripling in number in less than two years. She has also noted that fully 3D printed guns are not likely to be the norm. Instead, hybrid firearms are where the segment is headed. This would typically include weapons made up of a combination of 3D printed and traditionally made or off-the-shelf parts, and market-bought weapons with 3D printed receivers.

In one instance, 3D printing was used to make a device that could convert an AR-15, legal in the U.S., into an automatic machine gun. These were then sold online disguised as a portable coat hanger by an associate of the far-right wing boogaloo group. Similarly, 3D printed guns were found at a terrorist attack at a synagogue in Halle, Germany. Because high-temperature 3D printers are becoming less expensive and metal filaments have arrived on the market, we may see more capable parts being made for this application.

With that in mind, the topic will certainly not going to go away as much as anyone would like it to. What the case of Abe's assassination raises is the fact that gun control can reduce gun deaths to the point where they are very rare, but it obviously cannot eliminate violence altogether.

The post No, Shinzo Abe's Murder Weapon Probably Wasn't a 3D Printed Gun appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

High Temp 3D Printer’s Filament Diameter Control Ensures Consistent Quality

Posted: 08 Jul 2022 07:00 AM PDT

French custom 3D printer manufacturer QUALUP has been in operation since 2011. The firm was previously associated with the high-temperature delta Spiderbot 3D printers, but it now makes its own gantry-style, high-temperature systems. Its new system, the Qu3-HT, has a number of exciting features, including a filament diameter and print flow control system. That is, it senses filament diameter and then adjusts the material flow rate accordingly. This improves prints significantly.

Filament Variation

Many may not realize it, but, when it comes to filament diameter, 1.75mm is not actually 1.75mm, and 2.85mm is not 2.85mm. Filament vendors often have problems with tolerances and ovality. A lack of process control results in feedstock that is too thick, too thin, lopsided, and not sufficiently round. In Bowden systems specifically, this can lead to stoppages and clogged filament tubes.

Settings Drift

Moreover, if you’re heating more or less material than you think you are, this will radically change the optimal settings that you should have. Flow rates, extrusion, and temperatures should be adjusted as your filament changes, but hardly anyone does this. This is even more problematic because, in some cases, feedstock from the same vendor varies batch to batch. So, you’ll then need to adjust settings for each spool, something else that no one does.

The result is what I call settings drift. Imagine walking ten steps forward, six sideways, and two forward to get to your front door. But, sometimes, instead of starting with six steps, you take eight or four. You’re going to end up all over the place.

Users often change all sorts of settings, but don’t sufficiently take into account filament changes. To make matters even worse, filament vendors know this and don’t want their filament to clog printers. So, they under-dimension a lot of their materials so that it will always fit. This means that 1.75mm filament is really 1.72mm, so enjoy that delightful tidbit, if you were unaware.

QUALUP’s Filament Control

Now, the nice people at QUALUP have come up with a solution that can compensate for these variations. I think that this is fantastic!

"The filament control, integrated into the printer, continuously measures the diameter and ovality of the filament with an accuracy of 0.8μm.The triple objective of this instrument is to continuously compensate for variations in filament diameter in order to have a constant flow rate, the same as that calculated by the Slicer, to guarantee the repeatability and the quality of the parts by means of a print report supplied with each part,” said Myriam Boichut, president of QUALUP.

Boichut continued:

¨Filament manufacturing tolerances generally vary by +/-0.05mm, which in reality gives a 12% variation in volume between the maximum and minimum tolerances. For technical filaments: PEEK, PEKK, PEI, PPSU… Some manufacturers even announce tolerances of +/- 0.10mm, the filament can therefore vary by 24% in volume! These volume variations are generally well supported when using standard filaments (PLA, ABS, PETG,…), but pose major problems with technical filaments. All filament extruders control the flow rate in "mm equivalent", so it is impossible to achieve consistent quality and reproducible prints with such volume variations. The variation of the printed volume causes under-extrusions or over-extrusions systematically degrading the inter-layer bonds, and thus the strength of the parts. But also, the dimensions of the part, filling rates, the surface conditions, the mass of the part, missing material, porosity or residual material on the nozzle.

The team has been working on these improvements for two years, triggered by issues in printing metal-loaded filaments like BASF's Utrafuse 17-4. Qualum wanted 100% fill rates for parts because ¨the filament, highly charged with metal 85/15 ratio, did not tolerate any over or under-extrusion, either there were gaps and porosity, or the nozzle became fouled and caused marks on the part.” The team now hopes to guarantee quality of parts by adjusting parameters and logging this as well.

page2image1493926544 page2image1493926848

 

The sensors in the system also continually check ovality and compare it with the extruded length of filament at that point. This becomes a basis for volume compensation and when this compensation should occur.

Other Features

Filament control is brilliant, but the Qu3-HT system has a lot more to offer. It can be customized for pellet extrusion, including high temperature pellets, or even for paste or thermoset materials. The printer has quick change nozzles, as well as a 270°C chamber that can be programmed for annealing, which is crucial for PEEK and the like.

The chamber of this printer is also adaptive, and can adjust to the size of the part being printed. Most of the machine components are completely isolated from the heated chamber. A bugbear of high temperature 3D printed parts, the electronics, are at the back of the machine and ventilated.

The firm has print beds for PEEK, PEI (ULTEM), ceramics or metals.

 

QU3 imprimante 3D haute temperature lit d impression chauffant

 

The print heads are liquid-cooled and quick-change. Featuring a large radiator, the heads circulate 500 liters of fluid per hour. The printer also has an on-board thermal FLIR camera as an optional extra.

QU3 imprimante 3D haute temperature vue en camera thermique

I really think that this printer has a lot of really relevant features that can be very useful to companies who are looking to 3D print parts in a reliable and repeatable manner. FLIR and the variable dimensional control are features that every high-end system should have, if you ask me. It’s lovely to see that a relatively small, family-owned business can continue to make innovative printers that lead the way in exciting features and capabilities.

The post High Temp 3D Printer’s Filament Diameter Control Ensures Consistent Quality appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Divergent Secures Up to $80M in New Financing for 3D Printed Car Operations

Posted: 08 Jul 2022 06:30 AM PDT

3D printed supercar startup Divergent Technologies announced that it has successfully completed two new financing agreements, for a total of up to $80 million. This follows the Southern California-based company's $160 million Series C investment round, announced in April of this year.

The financing comes from Horizon Technology Finance Corporation, and Bridge Bank, which is a division of Western Alliance Bank. Horizon, along with its financial adviser, Horizon Technology Finance Management LLC, have together loaned Divergent an initial sum of $20 million. The terms of Horizon's deal with Divergent stipulate that the latter may receive up to $40 million in additional loans, contingent upon its hitting specific performance milestones. Bridge Bank, through its Technology Banking Group division, will be providing Divergent with a $20 million revolving line of credit.

Image courtesy of Divergent Technologies

In a press release, Divergent's founder and CEO, Kevin Czinger, commented, "DAPS [Divergent Adaptive Production System] makes it possible for the first time for manufacturers to forego the capital-intensive static design system they have been accustomed to for over a century, and utilize a variable cost flexible design system that is significantly more efficient." Mike Lederman, senior managing director of the Technology Banking Group at Bridge Bank, added, "Divergent is radically transforming auto manufacturing economics and environmental impact, and it is exciting to see Divergent delivers a solution that addresses system level challenges."

In an article in which he interviewed Czinger back in March, 3DPrint.com's editor-in-chief, Michael Molitch-Hou, wrote — about DAPS, specifically — "…Divergent is creating a microcosm of auto's adoption of additive on the global market scale." Along these lines, the present moment is an appropriate time for increased investment in, and financing of, Divergent. Additive manufacturing (AM) in the auto sector seems to be finally hitting its stride, and this is further evidence of that trajectory.

Image courtesy of Czinger Vehicles

Moreover, in a fiscal environment wherein lines of credit generally seem to be tightening, we can take Divergent's announcement as a sign concerning where the financial community sees realistic potential for ROI. This is especially exciting, considering how complex the DAPS system is. Revolving around a suite of six 12-laser metal 3D printers from SLM Solutions, the signature of the system is total automation from end-to-end.

Thus, this signals financial faith being shown not just in the AM sector, but, more broadly, in the technology's ability to deliver wholly automated production lines. That has significance far beyond its implications for one company, as it is precisely what AM will have to display it can achieve, in order for the industry to scale up to the point where it is capable of handling mass production.

The post Divergent Secures Up to $80M in New Financing for 3D Printed Car Operations appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

3D Printed Bone Graft Made Commercially Available in World First

Posted: 08 Jul 2022 06:00 AM PDT

Based in Leige, Belgium, Cerhum is now offering its hydroxyapatite 3D printed bone product to surgeons in order to treat facial deformations. These MyBone products are 3D printed by Cerhum under ISO 13485 and Medical Device Regulation 2017/745 (MDR), and registered with the Belgium Competent Authority (FAMHP, registration number BE/CA01/1-72228). This means that this is no lab project or an exciting possible future application but something that surgeons can use today. MyBone is the first approved 3D printed bone graft that is commercially available. Targeted at maxillofacial and orthopaedic surgeons, MyBone implants can also be made patient-specific.

Typically facial reconstruction surgery relies on autografts, whereby a part of a patient’s ribcage is extracted and implanted elsewhere. These operations are cumbersome, involve more procedures, and can take a great deal of time to treat a patient. Cerhum, a spinout of Belgian research organization Sirris, has achieved an impressive world first here. 3D printed bone made out of hydroxyapatite, which is very similar to our natural bone, will be a boon to patients and surgeons alike.

Before the product reached commercial availability, MyBone was part of a controlled release phase, which included one particularly complex surgical case. Through the use of MyBone, the medical team was able to perform facial reconstruction with a 3D printed implant that looked “exactly like natural bone on a recent CT scan.” Dr Christophe Ronsmans, Head of Department Plastic surgery, CHR Liege, said about the patient, “Given the complexity of the defect, it would have been impossible to achieve such perfection from an aesthetic point of view and such a functional result with current methods.”

"We are very proud to have successfully gathered vital clinical data and passed all the regulatory hurdles with a synthetic bone graft that is safe and effective. Our 3D printed bone implants offer a unique, patented porous structure that allows ingrowth of blood vessels. This process, called vascularisation is key to achieve successful bone ingrowth. As a result, MyBone has shown 7x faster bone ingrowth than currently available bone graft granules. Due to extremely positive feedback of maxillofacial surgeons so far, Cerhum is expanding its portfolio into the dental and oncological market,” said Cerhum Founder Grégory Nolens.

In 3D printing, orthopedic implants made from cobalt chrome and titanium have been the norm. Now, we are seeing a lot of firms get clearances for titanium implants from toes, to feet, knees, fingers and skulls. What is perhaps not realized sufficiently is that Cerhum and companies like it could very well disrupt a lot of the existing metal implants with material that is more similar to our natural bone.

Cerhum claims that its implants limit pain, and speed up rehabilitation and healing. The company also has a unique control over porosity, which could see them make hydroxyapatite 3D printed bone structures with different properties, depending on what is needed where. Cerhum has reportedly printed tens of thousands of bone grafts for orthopedic implants, as well.

Hydroxyapatite is already the main constituent of bone and, so far, it has been problematic to make hydroxyapatite implants sufficiently strong to work well. If the company can continue to prove that its bone autografts perform adequately, Cerhum could perhaps expand into trauma, oncology, and other areas where plastic surgery is needed.

We can’t tell if the firm’s technology could replace knees or other parts of the body, but even if it could not, the scope could be enormous. Allografts, in which tissue from a donor is used, are performed 1.5 million times a year in orthopedics.  Cerhum is a very exciting startup that could really revolutionize how bone grafts work in patients, expanding the efficacy and use of 3D printing further into medicine.

The post 3D Printed Bone Graft Made Commercially Available in World First appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

X-Ray Vision: New 3D Printing Material Designed for Visibility in Medical Imaging

Posted: 08 Jul 2022 05:30 AM PDT

Polymer 3D printing leader Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ: SSYS), fresh off reporting what it calls its strongest quarter in six years, has announced the latest 3D printing material for its Digital Anatomy 3D printers, and it’s a doozy. The 3D printing stalwart calls its new Stratasys RadioMatrix material the first radiopaque option for its Digital Anatomy systems, which can be used to print anatomical, radio-realistic models that show up as white or nearly white on X-rays, and are visible under X-ray images or CT scans.

Technically, radiopaque refers to a tissue or material with a bone or near-bone density that blocks the passage of X-rays. According to Stratasys, its new RadioMatrix offers “unprecedented visibility” of 3D printed implants, medical devices, and anatomical structures under medical imaging, which will be a major improvement for surgical training, testing, and navigation. The company says the PolyJet material offers controllable values, repeatable results, and freedom of geometric design.

“This new material is allowing our customers to print radio-realistic models that exhibit defined and predictable radiopacity properties under medical imaging such as CT or X-ray. This material development was driven by customer requests to create radiopaque anatomic models, ones that can mimic human anatomy visualization under X-ray. We continue to push the boundaries of medical modeling with multi-material printing,” Ben Klein, Director of Product Management – Healthcare Solutions for Stratasys, stated in a press release.

Jacobs Institute expert removing a vascular model from Stratasys J750 Digital Anatomy printer.

Jacobs Institute expert removing a vascular model from Stratasys J750 Digital Anatomy printer. Image courtesy of Jacobs Institute/Stratasys.

Stratasys first released its Digital Anatomy solution in 2019, which combined custom software and three materials with its multimaterial J750 system to print realistic 3D printed anatomical models for surgical planning and training purposes. The solution was upgraded in 2020 to allow the PolyJet printers to create better bone models, and late last year Stratasys introduced its Digital Anatomy Creator software for easier creation of patient-specific anatomical models.

Using GelMatrix, BoneMatrix, TissueMatrix, and now RadioMatrix PolyJet materials, the Digital Anatomy 3D printers are able to fabricate full-color, functional models that are “biomechanically realistic” and can be used for the aforementioned planning and training applications, in addition to medical device development. Radio-realistic anatomic models printed out of the new RadioMatrix material, in addition to being viewable under CT and X-ray, have a range of radiopacity values from -30 to 1,000 Hounsfield Units (HU).

So far, Stratasys is receiving good reviews for the latest Digital Anatomy material.

“The ability to 3D print models with controlled radiodensity is expected to ultimately improve visibility and traceability of medical devices, improve our production of bespoke and patient-derived phantoms for training and educational purposes, and enable new methodologies for improving CT image quality,” said Justin Ryan, PhD, Director of the Helen and Will Webster Foundation 3D Innovations Lab at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, California. “This novel material opens the door to new applications and research opportunities, ultimately improving patient care delivery.”

The new RadioMatrix material for 3D printed radiopaque anatomical models is already in many regions around the world, and will be coming to the United States sometime in Q3 of this year.

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Glidewell Launches 3D Printed Surgical Guides for Dental Procedures

Posted: 08 Jul 2022 05:00 AM PDT

Dental 3D printing is one of the unsung heroes of our industry, with tens of millions of crowns and bridges now made with additive manufacturing (AM). 3D printers are making their way into local labs and even dentists offices. We’re seeing companies come out with complete dental solutions, as well offering software, materials and printers that work in concert. Among the sector’s AM power users is U.S. dental company Glidewell, which  operates over 400 3D printers. Now, the company has launched a service for tissue- and bone-supported surgical guides.

This Digital Treatment Planning (DTP) product is a part of Glidewell Implant Solutions, complementing existing implant offerings such as crowns, abutments, prostheses, and dentures. The new service is available for all major guided implant systems, as well as for tooth-supported guides and provisional crowns.

“With our new service for fully edentulous cases, we use advanced 3D treatment planning software to produce surgical guides that position implants in the optimal location needed to support the desired restoration, be that an implant-supported overdenture or the BruxZir Implant Prosthesis,” said Ilan Sapir, manager of the Digital Treatment Planning department.

“Our goal has always been to make high-quality dental care available to as many patients as possible. Many dentists who choose to place implants for their patients follow this same philosophy, and we support them through education and innovative but cost-effective surgical and restorative solutions. The fully edentulous have the most to gain from implant treatment, and our new full-arch surgical guides will help more dentists place implants with the confidence they need to provide care for this important patient population,” stated Glidewell Founder and President Jim Glidewell.

Glidewell aims to be the 3D printing partner for many labs by making the process of obtaining 3D printed items derived from patient scans easy and affordable. By expanding its offering, the business makes it more compelling overall and also positions Glidewell as a one-stop-shop for the 3D printing needs of all dental labs.

When we spoke to Glidewell´s Ankush Venkatesh, we were already very impressed with the firm’s offering and capabilities. Ankush explained that Glidewell had essentially built its very own software toolchain to handle its own orders, file management, and customization. From a company that made only devices, it has developed into a software-heavy offering that converts unique files into 3D prints that go directly into patients’ mouths.

By owning the entire toolchain, it can reap rewards from automation. Additionally, developing software that is focused on the necessary design constraints and workflows for the dental industry allows Glidewell to become more efficient overall. It will be interesting to see if Glidewell leverages its vertical integration and in-house software to further dental 3D printing success.

Often we think of software firms making software, with 3D printing services then deploying this software to conduct business. That’s not always the case, however. At Materialise, for example, software and manufacturing have always cross-fertilized one another. Similarly, Glidewell is “eating its own dog food” in the extreme by making and deploying its own tools to execute its own orders.

In the future, Glidewell may very well deploy a lot of its software to partner labs as well to make these workflows easier. At the same time, it interacts with the common software packages in the industry, such as those from of intraoral scanner firms. I wonder if it will be this specialized firm that will develop the ideal software solution for laboratories just to make its service more seamless. What do you think?

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Prodways Adds onto Hearing Division with Latest 3D Printing Acquisition

Posted: 07 Jul 2022 07:00 AM PDT

Prodways, the French additive manufacturing (AM) original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and service bureau, announced that it has acquired Auditech Innovations. The latter company, also based in France, specializes in producing custom hearing protection devices, especially for individuals working in environments noisy enough to create health risks.

According to Prodways' press release, the third leading form of occupational illness in France is deafness. In turn, nearly 300,000 individuals in France purchase custom-made ear protection devices per year.

Image courtesy of Prodways

Although the cost of the acquisition was undisclosed, Prodways notes that it used its available cash to purchase the company, and that amount totaled €17 million at the end of 2021 (or $17.316 million). Auditech Innovations' sales numbers totaled about €3 million in 2021. Prodways own sales numbers were €71 million last year, and the company's revenue was up 37 percent in the first quarter of 2022, compared to Q1 of last year. Combined with the slowing global economic growth, all of these factors likely made the present an ideal time for Prodways to buy.

Prodways, founded in 2013, started making its entry into the audiology market via its 2017 acquisition of French hearing aid and hearing protection company Interson-Protac. This seems to have been a successful strategy for Prodways, as, prior to its latest purchase, the company acquired another hearing aid manufacturer, in 2019. Its hearing division accounted for nearly €10 million last year, so the addition of Auditech Innovations should increase the division's sales by at least 30 percent.

Image courtesy of Interson-Protac

Prodways has been expanding its dental division this year, as well, with its announcement last month of a distribution partnership with Dental Axess, a Swiss digital dental manufacturing software provider. In the post about that announcement, I noted, "Aside from hearing aids…[dental devices] are probably the most commercially prevalent application of 3D printers, at least at this point in the industry's history. …As such, developments in the dental sector can be viewed as potential leading indicators for other sectors in the overall 3D printing industry." The same can be said, and probably even more so, about hearing devices.

Moreover, it's notable that Prodways has been having such a successful year, at the same time that confidence in the global economy, overall, has turned so dour. Obviously, against such a volatile backdrop, things could change at any moment. On the other hand, it is also possible, as I said, that Prodways is a leading indicator of the AM sector's financial health, in which case the sector as a whole may have hit a bottom.

If that's the case, there are reasons to believe that it could start to turn around slowly throughout the second half of this year. Certainly, the problems plaguing the rest of the economy are problems AM has solutions to. Even more crucially, they're solutions that could likely be implemented without much short-term disruption to existing industries.

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Community for Electronics 3D Printing Started by Nano Dimension and Hendsoldt

Posted: 07 Jul 2022 06:30 AM PDT

Hensoldt and Nano Dimension have initiated a platform for designers of additively manufactured electronics (AMEs) through the partners' joint venture Jetted Additively Manufactured Electronics Sources (J.A.M.E.S.). The FrAMEwork will allow developers of 3D printed electronics to exchange expertise and overcome challenges in a global venue.

"Our mission is to provide a space where anyone across the globe can share stories and ideas about AME, exchange technical know-how and designs and enjoy the benefits of real-time communication with AME enthusiasts and professionals," said Andreas Müller, CEO of J.A.M.E.S. "AME enables new and visionary applications in electronics that cannot be realized with conventional electronics manufacturing, and we strive to enable members to explore new possibilities in 3D."

J.A.M.E.S. was formed in 2021 between electronics 3D printer manufacturer Nano Dimension and Hensoldt. With €1.47 billion in revenues, Hensoldt is the former electronics division of Airbus and has used Nano Dimension's DragonFly PRO to make printed circuit boards. Since then, the venture has added nanomaterials 3D printing startup XTPL and the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems. Now, through its new community platform, J.A.M.E.S. aims to advance inkjet electronics 3D printing further. Andreas Salomon, CTO of J.A.M.E.S, explained:

"However, this emerging technology can only be taken to a next technical readiness level if we are able to combine different processes, materials and design methods. This is exactly what J.A.M.E.S is ideally suited for: empowering members of the J.A.M.E.S Community to gain experience with inkjet, micro-dispensing, ceramic printing, aerosol printing and all other processes currently on the market. Merging technologies is the future of AME with a huge potential to completely change the traditional way electronics are manufactured."

The joint venture claims that it has exceeded the limits of 3D printed electronics, 3D printing fully electrified structures. For instance, the company combined a variety of electronics—including a flight controller, four motion controllers, and four motors—into a single drone frame.

"This drone also demonstrates the possibilities of miniaturization with AME," Müller said. "Since AME 3D printers can print in microns, the size of the electronics can be significantly reduced while maintaining or exceeding current effectiveness."

The 3D printed drone from J.A.M.E.S. Image courtesy of J.A.M.E.S.

Now, through the FrAMEwork platform, members at a variety of expertise levels can share ideas and insight into 3D printing electronics. On the J.A.M.E.S. site, you'll see projects 3D printed by the joint venture alongside ideas for potential 3D printable electronics, such as brushless motors. Members can also access tutorials and research articles dedicated to the technology.

Given the small size yet powerful applications of this niche sector, the community will be one to watch. The most comparable ventures would be the FlexTech Alliance and its Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) Manufacturing Institute (NextFlex), formed with the U.S. Department of Defense. While Nano Dimension has participated at NextFlex events, the institute seems to be primarily a U.S. endeavor, making the fledgling J.A.M.E.S. an AM-focused, European project by comparison. Both will advance electronics 3D printing in their own ways and may even converge at some point; however, we may also expect some rivalry to an extent.

The post Community for Electronics 3D Printing Started by Nano Dimension and Hendsoldt appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

OPM and Fuse Medical Partner to 3D Print Interbody and Soft Tissue Implants

Posted: 07 Jul 2022 06:00 AM PDT

Materials and implant company Oxford Performance Materials, Inc. (OPM) is working with Fuse Medical so that the latter can make lines of cervical and lumbar spine interbodies, as well as soft tissue fixation implants. The devices are specifically for sports medicine, as well as other foot and ankle implants. Using the OPM’s intellectual property, the implants will rely on its OsteoFab PEKK technology and OXPEKK material.

Scott DeFelice, president of Oxford Performance Materials in South Windsor, CT.

The firm states that OXPEKK´s advantages are “bone like mechanics, bone ongrowth, radiolucency, and antibacterial + antiviral properties.” Formally, Fuse will be the original equipment manufacturer, but the parts will be made by OPM.

“As OPM focuses on providing advanced implantable polymers and contract manufacturing services, we look to work with industry leaders that are dedicated to innovative solutions that drive medical device technology forward in ways that reduce system costs and improve patient outcomes. Fuse clearly fits this mold, and we are extremely pleased to be making this important partnership announcement,” OPM CEO Scott DeFelice said.

“This new collaboration with OPM continues our mission to develop unique, differentiated products and technologies with breakout potential. Over the past year, Fuse has developed a deep scientific understanding of OPM's OsteoFab PEKK technology, and our team is extremely excited about developing new product lines in spine, sports medicine, and foot and ankle that feature OsteoFab's unique set of clinical benefits,” Fuse CEO Chris Reeg stated.

OPM´s PEKK formulations are high-performing and feature specific coatings for implants. OPM also manufactures its own line of implants across a number of areas. Fuse is focused on ortho and spine implants as well as wound care. Both firms would seem to complement each other well in this deal.

It would be tempting for OPM to hog all of the opportunities in PEKK implants for itself. However, it would at the same time also be very costly for the firm to do this. It must make the choice between not commercializing some implants and prioritizing some over others—thus giving up some territory somewhere—or seeking new funding through investment or loans. By giving up territory, the firm can make use of a partner’s capital and distribution, without taking on more risk or losing equity.

I’ve told friends that if you give away 20 percent of your company to an investor, then every Monday you’ll be working for him. Every Monday forever. if you want to play a patient long-game, that’s a lot of Mondays to accumulate.

PEKK is an extremely high-performance material and OPM has worked hard on the material, developing IP in the process. Its main direct competitor is Victrex, which supplies PEEK, another material from the PAEK family. In addition to selling PEEK, Victrex acts as a contract manufacturer for implants, reserving that space for itself. OPM is a smaller business but goes further developing its own implants with its materials. So, something has got to give eventually.

In that sense, this is an excellent partnership for OPM because the deal will give volume to its contract business while providing them a slice of a bigger opportunity that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive for them to exploit immediately anyway. Volume is especially important in this case because the cost of quality is so high with implants. Since OPM is using powder bed fusion (PBF) to make these devices, a lot of their costs are batch-based as lots of parts leave machines, are transferred, depowdered etc. Therefore, optimal batch sizes and high machine utilization are very beneficial to the firm.

At the same time, PBF with PEEK and other PAEK materials also have an inherent problem: recyclability rates are near zero for these materials. PEKK is more recyclable. In PBF, unused powder acts as a support for parts. Usually, this material can be recycled, but generally about half of it is discarded. Generally, recycling powder for implants is not tolerated, so only virgin material can be used. Specifically for PAEK materials and PBF, recycling is technologically problematic. As a result, unused powder cannot even be used for industrial parts, even as support.

This means that hundreds of dollars per kilo of this unused, expensive material has to be thrown away. Every millimeter of unused powder in the bed is prohibitively expensive. Any optimization in that regard would bring down costs and boost profits for all operations on the material and implants. Machine utilization and build optimization is nice everywhere, but it is crucial when it comes to PAEK implants. OPM therefore has an advantage due to its materials´ better recyclability and its now compounding this advantage through getting more volume.

In this way, OPM could be giving up a lot of territory and margin with the Fuse deal. At the same time, this may very well be free because it helps them optimize current builds and work towards greater profit per build. In that light, this is a great deal for Fuse and OPM both.

The post OPM and Fuse Medical Partner to 3D Print Interbody and Soft Tissue Implants appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

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