3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing |
- Stealth CT Startup Lumafield Could Aid 3D Printing Quality Assurance
- Medieval Italian Tower Reborn as Hotel Suite with 3D Printed Furniture and Decor
- Siemens Discusses Industrialization of 3D Printing at New CATCH Lab in NC
- Milk Cartons Get Second Life as 3D Printed Bench in Tuscany
| Stealth CT Startup Lumafield Could Aid 3D Printing Quality Assurance Posted: 15 Apr 2022 06:30 AM PDT Startup Lumafield emerged from stealth mode and announced that is has over $32 million in funding from Kleiner Perkins, DCVC, Tony Fadell, Jason Calacanis´ Launch and Lux for its computed tomography (CT) and 3D scanning tool. Currently, CT tools are very expensive, but Lumafield will lease you its kit for $3,000 a month. The company claims that the tool can be operated in an office environment and is easy to use. Lumafield’s platform combines software, 3D scanning, and CT to allow engineers to map and understand internal features of products in an accessible way. Using the firm’s Voyager software, the tool will also segment a part by combining CTs automatically and making them easy to decipher. 
Moreover, Lumafield’s “powerful automated analysis engine that pinpoints voids, pores, and cracks before they turn into critical problems.” Desktop Metal is reportedly already a user. For many 3D printed parts, quality assurance (QA) is problematic. So far, if it has to be critical, then a CT step is necessary for QA. Only with CT can you really make sure that your metal 3D printed part does not have any voids or cracks. It would be very valuable to be able to CT scan every single part coming out of a service bureau in a cost effective manner. As a result, it would be possible to have a better handle on QA issues earlier on, even for non-critical components. A company can learn faster and more quickly discover a print or post-processing error somewhere. This could really allow a firm to master its existing processes much more rapidly than otherwise possible.
So far, however CT has been beyond the means of most service bureaus. Lumafield could change this by making CT accessible to smaller players and more parts. With Lumafield, one could perform more QA on more parts and do so more inexpensively. Now, of course, QA costs will go up due to increased part handling. So, it may not make sense for everyone. However, in a market where individual parts can cost $3,000 and the economic impact of those components can far exceed that, this could be a huge help for the 3D printing industry.
I’ve said before that we need to do individual QA for every 3D printed part that we make. I’m pretty alone on having this opinion, but I’ll keep repeating it none the less. We make each component differently with a different orientation, tool path, and residual heat all on a different area of the build platform. Therefore, we should 3D scan and CT scan every single part we put out. Yes, I know that this will be expensive, but every component is made uniquely. We are not cutting away from a known block of material with a tool. We’re building something up in an entirely different way. In order to make sure that this item does what it should, we need to scan and CT that item. So far, this has been cost prohibitive, aside from the aerospace, defense, and medical markets. However, with an automated Lumafield package, this could become a reality. Now, I know what you’re thinking. They’re a startup, Joris. They’re going to move fast and break things, namely me. They’re going to get their growth hacker hats on, sling these things out the door, and we’ll all get cancer. In these, very well made, videos they explain the safety of the device saying that they’ve met FDA requirements. They also say that the “machine has extensive lead shielding to block stray X-Rays.” The equipment also has a number of features that mean that the machine only works when the door is closed. I still remember when people used to photocopy their butts at office parties so lets hope that everyone uses this thing correctly. The post Stealth CT Startup Lumafield Could Aid 3D Printing Quality Assurance appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. |
| Medieval Italian Tower Reborn as Hotel Suite with 3D Printed Furniture and Decor Posted: 15 Apr 2022 06:00 AM PDT A team of architects, designers, and 3D printing experts joined forces to create a unique suite experience in an ancient Italian tower dating back to 1161. Overlooking the Ligurian Sea, the three-floor suite has been refurbished and is now ready to welcome tourists. At the heart of the project are dozens of 3D printed pieces of furniture and decor that beautifully contrast with the flair of the medieval Capitolare Tower in the ancient fishing village of Porto Venere, just south of the Cinque Terre region on the Italian Riviera.  3D printed exterior furniture at Capitolare Tower suite in Italy. Image courtesy of Capitolare. Reimagining a Medieval TowerIt was a unique undertaking for Andrea Borlenghi, the founder and CEO of the Capitolare Suite Tower. His vision was to turn his love for Porto Venere and the Liguria region into a concrete project that would significantly impact tourism and local residents. After an in-depth conservative restoration, carried out using recycled materials and following the principle of eco-friendly architecture, the Capitolare team has returned the thousand-year-old tower to the community. For centuries, the Capitolare tower – which translates to "surrender" in English – has been a rampant defense for the city. Adjacent to the city gate, this twelfth-century staple is "a wonder that has been hidden for too long," according to Borlenghi.  The Capitolare Tower in the ancient fishing village of Porto Venere amid three-year restoration. Image courtesy of Capitolare. Large Scale 3D Printing from CaracolAfter having imagined, thought, and planned for three years, Borlenghi's Capitolare suite was finally inaugurated on April 9, 2022. Born from an idea to create a space that welcomes travelers into a truly exceptional environment, Capitolare demanded Borlenghi team up with local 3D printing company Caracol, designers Federica Cristaudo and Pietro Bonu, and architect Michele Bassi, who restored the antique tower. Visually stunning, the exposed bricks of the structure are an ideal backdrop for the 3D printed furnishings, as the historic and modern technology find a unique balance. According to Cristaudol, all the furnishings were made using environmentally-friendly 3D printing and integrated precious raw materials such as Portoro, a golden veined black marble from the Liguori region, and gilding dating back to the same century of construction of the tower itself.  Dining room with 3D printed chairs at Capitolare Tower in Italy. Image courtesy of Capitolare. All the interior and exterior pieces were designed, engineered, and manufactured with Caracol's robotic additive manufacturing technology. For the task, Caracol chose an integrated solution that works with a patented extrusion head, six-axis robotic support, proprietary software platform, and automation control system. Caracol's proprietary Scalprum 13800 proprietary AM robotic system is seen crafting some of the most visually stunning centerpieces of the suite. The six-axis technology and free-form slicing possibilities provide no limits in scale and complexity. These features enable the production of large monolithic parts, complex and organic geometries, and manufacturing with nonplanar slicing (at 45 or 60 degrees).  Caracol’s 3D printed robot creating furniture for the Capitolare tower suite. Image courtesy of Caracol. Bespoke DetailsAt the tower, the space is evenly equipped with unique 3D printed creations that "recall the movement of the sea" and were inspired by the design concepts provided by Cristaudo. Each and every bespoke detail has been premeditatedly incorporated into the room, from the indoor chairs to the headboard and even the fixtures on the walls. The result is an eye-pleasing environment as inviting to tourists as the town's charm.
 Cutting ribbon ceremony of Capitolare Tower in Italy. Image courtesy of Capitolare via Facebook. The heart of this project was to save an ancient tower from decadence, but the result is a perfect blend of tradition and innovation. In its new guise, Capitolare stands as a staple of tourism, history, and beauty. Borlenghi, who now works as Territory Business Manager for 9T Labs – a Swiss developer of the unique Additive Fusion Solution for manufacturing carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) composite parts – and previously worked at Roboze, views 3D printing as an innovative technology that can even be at the service of the most ancient history. In fact, his undertaking is a huge testament to the potential of 3D printing in countless applications and a wide range of industries. At the suite, travelers can take advantage of the spa center and room service and indulge in a balcony with a unique sea view. Tourists can now book a stay in the Capitolare tower here and experience the world’s first 3D printed luxury suite in one of the most ancient towns in Italy. The post Medieval Italian Tower Reborn as Hotel Suite with 3D Printed Furniture and Decor appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. |
| Siemens Discusses Industrialization of 3D Printing at New CATCH Lab in NC Posted: 15 Apr 2022 05:30 AM PDT Siemens has already had a substantial role in the additive manufacturing (AM) industry for some time. Not only has the German technology company seen its industrial controls integrated into countless 3D printers, but its software is involved in everything from design to production to quality control. However, more recently, the company's moves in AM have become bigger and much more visible. The latest is the opening of the Charlotte Advanced Technology Collaboration Hub (CATCH) in Charlotte, NC. Led by Siemens Digital Industries (DI), Siemens Technology and Siemens Energy, the site is a new research and development facility meant to aid customers in the industrialization of AM. To learn more about the location, we spoke to members of the Siemens team, Dr. Hallee Deutchman, Head of Research in Materials and Industrialized Manufacturing (US) for Siemens Technology, and Tim Bell, Additive Manufacturing Business Manager, Siemens Digital Industries.  Pictured alongside Tim Bell on the right are CEO of Siemens USA Barbara Humpton and congresswomen Dr. Alma Adams (NC-12). Image courtesy of Siemens. Siemens itself is the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe, with about 303,000 employees around the world and €62 billion in revenues, as of 2021. Siemens Energy, however, is a separate corporation that was spun off in 2020. It employs 91,000 people globally and boasted revenues of €28.5 billion in 2021. The CATCH center demonstrates that the businesses still work together and both continue to have increasingly important roles in 3D printing. Bell acknowledged that, as AM matures, no single party will be able to advance it sufficiently for serial production. Instead, multiple stakeholders will need to collaborate to industrialize various aspects of various AM processes.  From the CATCH grand opening, a Xerox ElemX machine in operation. Image courtesy of Siemens.
CATCH is the latest of Siemens' six AM centers, but it is the only one located within a working factory. The larger Siemens Charlotte Energy Hub is a million square feet of industrial operations dedicated to repairing the multinational's massive turbines. CATCH is located within a tiny sliver of that area, where it acts as an R&D lab meant to drive the cutting edge of manufacturing. In turn, Siemens is working with companies that fit into that vision. Putting the "collaboration" in CATCH so far are OEMs ExOne, Xerox, and Roboze.  Xerox ElemX liquid metal 3D printer equipped with Siemens SINUMERIK CNC control system. Image courtesy of Xerox.
Bell pointed out that these partners are often chosen to tackle a specific project either for internal or external customers, whether related to material or process development or because the existing manufacturing method isn't sufficient. The Siemens DI team then builds up the process and hands it off for a production application. That was the case for binder jetting from ExOne. Siemens is in the process of developing material for the process, then scaling it up to hand off to a customer to produce large parts. With Roboze, Siemens is tackling the problem of long lead times for steel components. Obviously, PEEK polymers can replace metal parts at a lower cost with a faster turnaround due to its high strength and resistance to extreme temperatures and volatile chemicals.  Roboze’s Argo 500 3D printer. Image courtesy of Roboze. How this works from a business standpoint varies depending on whether clients are within Siemens or outside of the business.
As for outside clients, Siemens will typically develop its own products to sell to others. However, it may license its more sophisticated tools, such as a physics-based simulation tool that is currently in development. Whereas most simulation software offers a visual representation of a 3D printing process, this program will incorporate multiple levels of physics of a machine. This builds off of not only Siemens' expertise in software, but nearly 20 years of experience as a user of AM. The company has been relying on powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition for its turbine engine business. In turn, the company has been able to apply its manufacturing expertise across the entirety of the production workflow.
In particular, this means that Siemens can actually execute the use of digital twins. The company is able take the operations of physical machines and create digital twins of the process simulation, in addition to simulation of the actual component. This is becoming increasingly essential to the industrialization of AM, as predicting and compensating for the physics of 3D printers ensures that finished parts actually match their intended designs. Naturally, this is only a small piece of the large workflow that Siemens plans on tackling. Beyond simulating the machines themselves, the company can simulate entire factories. Using edge computing, it is possible to capture the data coming out of a powder bed system and filter out the unnecessary information. This could be scaled up to multiple machines and entire factories using MindSphere Cloud. Beyond edge and cloud computing, the German giant has access to other advanced tools. Siemens DI's Future Factory team can also introduce new methods of non-destructive testing, inspection, and quality control to further industrialize additive technology. Augmented, virtual, and mixed reality can be applied to examine AM in new ways. All of this is driven by a massive tech company that has the industrial clout that few others could introduce to 3D printing. This includes the support of Siemens Financial Services (SFS), the multinational's financing arm. SFS supplied CATCH with the financing solution necessary to lease several of the 3D printers in the lab. The financing group sees AM as a strategic priority as digital manufacturing continues to evolve. According to the Siemens team, CATCH already has its hands full with additive work. The facility only just opened, but it can't take on much work for the quarter. This bodes well for the future of the site, which, in turn, bodes well for Siemens and the 3D printing industry at large. The post Siemens Discusses Industrialization of 3D Printing at New CATCH Lab in NC appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. |
| Milk Cartons Get Second Life as 3D Printed Bench in Tuscany Posted: 15 Apr 2022 05:00 AM PDT As one of Italy's "città d'arte"' (or art towns), Lucca is encircled by its intact Renaissance-era city walls and a highly preserved historical center that makes this Tuscany location one of the most beautiful in northern Italy. Labeled the "land of princes and poets," Lucca's charm is the substance of century-old stories. Now thanks to a new 3D printing project, the old meets the new, as a team of architects, engineers and designers have installed a one-of-a-kind bench printed with recycled plastic from milk cartons and other similar container plastics. Adorning the landscape of this traditional city, the 3D printed bench is much more than what it seems. Not only is it a symbol of the potential of 3D printing technology but a testament to what can be achieved with upcycled materials. Furthermore, this project, which is called Urban Safety Everyday or USE, is the result of a master's thesis by architect Giulia Del Grande and her collaboration with R3direct, a local startup that designs and 3D prints furniture; Lucart, one of Europe's largest producer of machine glazed paper for flexible packaging; and the city of Lucca.  3D printed public furniture with recycled plastic was installed in the Italian city of Lucca. Image courtesy of R3direct. Inaugurated in time for world recycling day on March 18, 2022, the 3D printed public furniture has a functional feel as it can seat up to four people but maintains the town's local charm thanks to its central arrangement of flowers on both sides. On top of that, the original purpose of the furniture is to cleverly disguise traffic blockades (otherwise known as "Jersey barriers") that are used to keep cars in their lanes and prevent car bombs and other terrorist threats. Italy has stepped up security in recent years, installing concrete barriers between pedestrian areas and motor vehicle traffic in many cities. The USE is the first prototype of a bench that slides on top of the barrier, and since it was installed in the city's historic center, it has already become part of the everyday life of its residents. Concrete barriers hidden under a bench
The USE is made from 3,300 Tetra Pak beverage cartons sourced at the Lucart paper mill in the city and then recycled to create a material for 3D printing. Even though Tetra Pak is a recyclable material, it is not the easiest to repurpose. Separating the plastic, paper, and aluminum layers require specialized plants and processes. Luckily, Lucart's mills process beverage cartons by separating cellulose fibers from polymers and aluminum, which can then be reused as raw material for manufacturing.  3D printed public furniture with recycled plastic was installed in the Italian city of Lucca. Image courtesy of R3direct. Once the plastic was recovered from the processing of the beverage cartons, R3direct used 3D printing technology to transform it into an innovative bench that "coats" and hides the shatterproof concrete barrier in Lucca's historical center. USE designer and co-founder of R3direct, Stefano Giovacchini, said this local circular economy project could become an example for global actions. However, this is not a new concept for Giovacchini, who has been focused on a mission to recover post-consumer plastic and use it to make beautiful and durable objects. Specializing in product design and 3D printing throughout his entire career, Giovacchini created a startup that would leverage the technology to develop flexible, economical, and scalable solutions. The results are objects like USE, precious, durable, and sustainable. Products that could become what the company describes as "icons of a contemporary concept of value and luxury." According to R3direct, the team was the first in Europe to use this material for 3D printing. Still, the result has been so good that the town has already commissioned and plans to install more 3D printed benches just like USE to cover other bollards and serve as seating during city events.  3D printed public furniture with recycled plastic was installed in the Italian city of Lucca. Image courtesy of R3direct. The post Milk Cartons Get Second Life as 3D Printed Bench in Tuscany appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. |
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