Palari Group, a Beverly Hills-based technology-driven developer of sustainable master-planned communities, and SML (Sinarmas Land) Limited, the largest property developer in Indonesia, have entered into a strategic partnership in the …
We have another busy week of webinars and events, starting with an international conference on powder metallurgy. In addition, Stratasys is continuing its Experience Tour, TriMech will discussing managing data in the cloud, HP is offering another one of its popular virtual tours, America Makes is holding a workshop for members, Formlabs will offer a demonstration of its Form 3+, and much more. Read on for all the details!
June 12 – 15: PowderMet2022 & AMPM2022
First up, from June 12-15 at the Hyatt Regency in Portland, Oregon, PowderMet2022, the International Conference on Powder Metallurgy & Particulate Materials, will be taking place, co-located with AMPM2022, the Additive Manufacturing with Powder Metallurgy Conference; both are sponsored by the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF) and APMI International. There will be more than 200 high-level technical presentations from industry experts around the world on particulate materials, powder metallurgy, and metal 3D printing, in addition to a large tradeshow floor with over 100 booths, including one by 3DEO, and industry networking events like the PM Evening Alehouse.
“The Metal Powder Industries Federation is a federation of six trade associations representing various aspects of powder metallurgy (PM), metal powders, and particulate materials. Our mission is to advance the interests of the metal powder producing and consuming industries.”
You can register for PowderMet2022 and AMPM2022 here.
June 13, 14, 16, & 17: The Experience Stratasys Tour Continues
Stratasys continues its Experience Tour in Wisconsin this week, with a stop at the Startup Hub in Green Bay on Monday the 13th, hosted by AdvancedTek. CATI will host on the 14th at Fox Valley Technical in Oshkosh, and AdvancedTek hosts again on the 16th at the UW Madison Engineering Mall. Finally, on Thursday the 17th, Stratasys heads to Milwaukee for a stop hosted by CATI at the Eagle Park Brewery.
"Our mobile showroom offers a local, convenient way for you to talk with 3D printing experts and see the latest 3D printers, materials and solutions from Stratasys. Learn about additive manufacturing services from Stratasys Direct and discover how your organization can benefit from 3D printing applications."
You can register for the Stratasys Experience Tour here. Stay tuned for more dates and locations in the future!
June 13 – 17: Addit3D
At the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) in Spain from June 13-17, the sixth edition of Addit3D, the International Additive Manufacturing and 3D Fair, will be taking place as part of the BIEMH-International Machine Tool Biennial. Over 100 firms from 15 different countries have confirmed that they will be attending as exhibitors, including Markforged, with the exhibition area featuring nearly 230 products and services. Exhibitors will be from main sectors like advanced systems, industrial applications, 3D printing services, software, 3D scanners, and training, and sub-sectors like consumables, AM associations and publishing companies, and more.
“Today, additive manufacturing is advancing rapidly and being integrated into traditional production processes. There are therefore major challenges and cross-cutting concepts that encompass all areas of industry. ADDIT3D is thus a combination of exhibition, conferences and a networking space. It also boasts a full programme of content, including the ADDITIVE TALKS to be held on 17 June in the Conference Room in Hall 6. The fair will include in the exhibition area a meeting point where the fair's exhibitors will give short commercial and technical presentations: Innovation Workshops. The purpose of this space is to establish direct contact with visitors who are seeking bespoke solutions for their manufacturing needs.”
The largest Defence & Security Global Event in Paris, Eurosatory 2022, takes place every two years, and will be held June 13-17 at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center. This international exhibition for land and air defense and security welcomes important defense leaders and stakeholders from around the world, and offers visitors and exhibitors the chance to develop new partnerships and strengthen existing ones, exchange views, and see equipment and systems from international organizations that support defense goals. One of the 1,800 exhibitors is SPEE3D, which will be located at the Team Defence Australia Pavilion.
“Eurosatory is an event that supports the exchange of views about the evolution of Defence and Security between all the players within the global Defence domain. Bringing together key Defence leaders for debate and discussion on Defence and Security matters as well as help strengthen existing and new relationships in the Defence industry. Many conferences are available to attend throughout the exhibition.”
You can register for Eurosatory 2022 here. No badges can be obtained onsite.
June 14 – 16: IME South Shows
From June 14-16 at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina, six different trade shows will share the expo floor during IME South. ATX South focuses on innovations in assembly, 3D printing, and robotic accessories for the purposes of reducing downtime and streamlining operations. D&M South is all about the latest in design engineering, from 3D printing and injection molding to CAD/CAM, software, and more, while MD&M South will focus on medical design and manufacturing, including innovations in biocompatible materials and 3D printing. Plastec South is about next-gen materials, moldings, and manufacturing solutions, and Powder & Bulk Solids (PBS) South features new equipment, processes, and safety solutions for the powder and bulk solids handling and dry processing sector. Finally, SouthPack gives you the opportunity to connect with suppliers offering the latest in packaging technology and labeling equipment.
“From medtech and robotics to packaging, design plastics and processing, our six-in-one design, engineering, and manufacturing event connects you across multiple verticals and industries.”
You can register for any of the IME South shows here.
June 14 – 16: OMTEC 2022
OMTEC 2019
From June 15-16, OMTEC 2022—the Orthopaedic Manufacturing Technology Show—will be taking place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago. The mission of the expo is to educate, empower, and connect with the people who build orthopedic products. There will be plenty of interesting presentations, as well as networking opportunities, and lots of exhibitors, including 3D Systems. Additionally, Ben Johnson, the company’s VP of Product Portfolio and Regulatory, will be participating in a panel discussion on the 15th about how personalized, patient-specific implants can become the norm.
“A loyal contingent of product development, procurement, supply chain, operations, R&D, and C-level attendees as well as business development, regulatory, and QA professionals trust OMTEC to provide access to the people and expertise required to keep their product development initiatives moving forward.”
If you can’t make it to the expo in-person, you can view the livestream here.
June 14: Managing Data on the Cloud with TriMech
TriMech is holding a webinar at 10 am EST on Tuesday the 14th about “Why You Should Manage Your Product Data on the Cloud?” Taught by Wayne White, 3DEXPERIENCE Solutions Consultant, and Alissa Podgorny, 3DEXPERIENCE Product Sales Specialist, attendees will learn how the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform can improve productivity, and safely and efficiently safeguard intellectual property, with hardly any IT overhead needed. Topics will include understanding current data management possibilities, IT requirements, the potential of the platform, and more.
“Has your team shied away from a typical on- premise solution or maybe your team is looking to transition to the Cloud? Has your team grown to all parts of the world? With the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform, these are now immediate capabilities for your team. Touting all the benefits of Cloud technology, Dassault Systems has spared no expense in creating an easy-to-use, out-of-the-box data management system that can grow with your team.”
SME is holding a Voices AMplified webinar, called “Views from the Top – Perspectives from AM Industry Leaders,” at 2 pm EST on June 14th. Hosted by Senvol President Zach Simkin, the webinar will look at the AM industry’s 30+ year history, and focus on historical perspectives and personal stories and anecdotes from three people who really helped shape the industry into what we see today: Terry Wohlers, the Founder of Wohlers Associates; Brent Stucker, Chief Scientist at 3D Systems; and Jason Jones, the Co-Founder and CEO of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies. Attendees can expect to gain new perspective on where the AM industry is going, and how they may be affected.
“This webinar will explore the 30+ year additive manufacturing (AM) industry history. It was not that long ago that the AM "industry" was just a handful of folks in a room sharing ideas. Through the hard work and vision of the technology's early adopters, however, the AM industry has blossomed over the past three decades. We are at a fortunate time in the industry's history in that most of the industry's early founders are still around to tell their stories.”
June 14: HP Presenting Virtual Tour of 3D Demo Center
HP is holding another virtual tour of its 3D Demo Center, focused on medical devices and equipment, at 2 pm EST on the 14th. During the live tour, attendees will hear about HP’s Multi Jet Fusion workflow, how its end-to-end process is used to print medical and healthcare applications, get some questions answered, and more. HP’s speakers will be Carolina Rubio, 3D Printing Customer Program Manager, and David Johnson, Application Engineer, HP 3D Printing, and they will be joined by Carl Douglass, the CEO and President of DI Labs.
“Discover the latest innovations in healthcare and medical applications.”
June 14: ASME & 3D Printing High-Performance Plastics
Also at 2 pm EST on the 14th, ASME will have its first webinar of the week, “Selecting 3D Printing Production and High-Performance Plastics.” Applications and print process expert, Marty Johnson, Technical Fellow and Director of Print Process at 3D Systems, will explain how to evaluate AM materials to make sure that your choice best meets the requirements of your specific application. There are over 100 production and high-performance plastics you can use for AM, which can be overwhelming, and Johnson will discuss how to use data sheets to determine the best material, talk about production performance properties for AM materials, and more.
“Marty will explain how to assess the performance and suitability of various materials based on properties like flexural modulus, heat deflection temperature, and elongation at break, as well as longevity and chemical resistance considerations. With the understanding that having data and a base of comparison is critical to informing engineering decisions, Marty will review how ASTM, ISO, USCAR2, and other industry standards apply to AM production and high-performance materials, what data is available, and where to find it.”
On Wednesday, June 15th, America Makes is holding a Membership Model Virtual Workshop at 11 am EST. Registration is free, but required to attend, and the virtual workshop is only for members of America Makes, and will help define what it means to be a member and improving the value of the organization’s membership model. The agenda will include creating a vision board of what a new membership model might look like, and attendees will also work on concept models. All the results will be taken into consideration for the next iteration of the America Makes membership model.
“During this workshop, members will engage with activities that will drive the vision for our membership model.
“Participants will be focused on questions regarding membership benefits, the annual cost and terms, and the overall value of America Makes membership.”
Together, 3D Systems and nTopology are holding a webinar at 11:30 am EST on the 15th about how to “Increase throughput and quality of semiconductor lithography equipment with optimized wafer table thermal management.” Scott Green, Principal Solutions Leader at 3D Systems, will be the speaker for this webinar, and topics will include the benefits of 3D printing to advance the performance of semiconductor capital equipment, how nTopology’s software can help optimize wafer table design and the benefits, how to integrate AM, and more.
“During the lithography process, keeping temperatures within milliKelvin (mK) ranges is critical as any system disturbance has an impact at the nanometer scale. Through design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) techniques such as topology optimization software, it is possible to enhance cooling channels and surface patterns, thus dramatically improving surface temperatures and thermal gradients while reducing time constants. With unique designs attainable only with additive manufacturing, it is possible to efficiently dissipate heat, enhance system throughput and accuracy, and improve overall performance.”
June 15: ASME on Efficient, Flexible Design Optimization
ASME’s second webinar of the week will be held at 2 pm EST on the 15th, about “Efficient and Flexible Methods for Design Optimization.” This Mechanical Engineering webinar will explore optimization possibilities enabled with COMSOL Multiphysics software. The presenter will be Kristian Ejlebjærg Jensen, COMSOL’s Technology Manager – Optimization, who will discuss efficient and flexible optimization methods in the context of heat transfer, acoustics, structural mechanics, and electromagnetics.
“Simulation and optimization have long been used to develop better products and reduce time to market. These tools provide the foundation for a systematic approach to simulation-led design. Heuristics and application-specific know-how can be formalized and reformulated in objective terms that are stabilized over time.”
Formlabs is hosting a brief, live demonstration of its Form 3+ workflow at 11 am EST on Thursday, June 16th. During the webinar, Joshua Niman, Sales Engineer Lead at Formlabs, will demo the printer setup, available materials, how to remove IPA in the Form Wash, and how to cure the part. Afterwards, he’ll stick around to answer questions about the hardware, materials, and the rest of the Form 3+ ecosystem. Attendees will learn how to prime a Form 3+ for printing, remove parts from the BP2, post-processing, and more.
“Join us for a live overview of the Form 3+, launched earlier this year. We'll highlight the printer, as well as the Build Platform 2, the Form Wash, and Form Cure.”
June 16: Calibrating Advanced Material Models with Dassault
Later that day, at 4 pm EST on the 16th, Dassault Systèmes is holding a webinar on “Calibration of Advanced Material Models.” Deepak Patel, SIMULIA Industry Process Consultant, will present about calibrating advanced material models, from both physical and virtual test data, and how they enable complex, physics-based and high fidelity simulations. Highlights of the webinar will include FE-mode calibration, importing material test data and exporting materials for Abaqus simulation, calibrating advanced material models, and more.
“Calibration of advanced material models, from physical or virtual test data, enable complex, physics-based simulations. However, a robust and high fidelity material calibration tool will inevitably increase the fidelity of simulations.”
Finally, on Friday, July 17th, ASTM is holding a webinar on “Design for AM: Understanding Value” at 10 am EST. Olaf Diegel, an additive manufacturing educator and practitioner, is a professor of AM at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and will present this webinar. Attendees will learn which AM production factors most affect costs, how to use design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) to add functional value and reduce costs, and more.
“AM is one of the most expensive manufacturing methods in the known universe. Therefore, for it to be usable, it must add enough 'value' to overcome those high costs. This talk will focus on the main factors that affect AM cost and how these can be transformed into value adding features. It will demonstrate how a basic understanding of the economics of AM can help companies to design parts in a way that truly take advantage of what AM can offer while, at the time, adding enough value to make AM production not only possible, but desirable. It will show real world examples showing how good design for AM practices can transform products that would, otherwise, be uneconomical to produce using AM.”
In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, Meltio has announced two more new sales partners. On to materials, Sisma has validated Henkel’s Loctite resins on its Everes DLP 3D printer. Watermark 3D now supports 3D files with color. Finally, could fast, cheap 3D printed homes solve South Africa’s housing crisis?
Meltio Announces Two New Sales Partners
Laser metal deposition 3D printer manufacturer Meltio has been busily expanding its sales network all over the world by adding new partners in places like Singapore and Argentina, Sub-Saharan Africa, North America, Brazil, Japan, and the Benelux region. Now, the company has announced that its low-cost metal DED technology, which is built around safe and affordable welding wire, will be even more widely available with the addition of two more official distribution and sales partners.
The first new Meltio partner is machine builder One Off Robotics, which specializes in advanced robotic AM hardware and software. The company will work to distribute, integrate, and support Meltio’s metal 3D printing solutions for robotic systems in the North American market, specifically in the US. Digital supply chain solutions provider 3D Printing Corporation (3DPC), the company’s second new sales partner, will build an ecosystem for Meltio’s technology in the Japanese metal AM market, and work to drive business opportunities for Meltio with tooling machine companies, academia, robotic integrators, industry, and technology centers.
Sisma Validates Henkel’s High Toughness Loctite Resin
Sisma Spa laser marking machine part manufactured with Loctite 3D 3843 HT60 High Toughness resin on Everes DLP printer
Italy-based Sisma, which manufactures DLP 3D printers, announced that it has validated Loctite resins by Henkel on its Everes DLP 3D printer, specifically the Loctite 3D 3843 HT60 High Toughness material. Sisma recently switched its Everes printers from a closed to an open system, so users can now have access to third party resins directly from the manufacturers themselves; in the last year, Henkel also began to offer an open material platform to 3D printer manufacturers like Sisma.
Loctite develops unique, high-performance photopolymers for 3D printing functional, durable parts. Its Loctite 3D 3843 HT60 High Toughness resin, now compatible with Sisma’s Everes DLP system, is semi-flexible, with great surface finish, impact strength, temperature resistance, and durability, making it a good material choice for tools, fixtures, and finished products. The material comes in Matte Black, White, and Clear.
Watermark 3D Compatible with Colored 3D Files
Watermark 3D is a software application for embedding hidden information within a 3D file with no visual marks or structural changes. Millions of 3D files are shared online every day, and the models are subject to copy, theft, and unauthorized commercial use. This application places a hidden watermark on a 3D file without interfering with its mesh and geometry, and while the mark is nearly impossible to detect or duplicate, it can prove a file’s IP rights.
The tool is constantly in development in order to expand its accessibility, and one of the new features in its most recent update is compatibility with colored 3D files. This means that three new formats—OBJ, GLB, and DAE/Collada—in addition to STL can be protected with watermarks through the application’s tool. This update is currently in open testing mode, as 3D model files with color are more complex, and during this time, Watermark 3D is asking users to try it out and offer feedback. The tool is free for personal use with up to ten watermarks per day, and companies can purchase a commercial subscription.
UJ Researchers 3D Printing Homes to Solve South Africa Housing Crisis
A 3D printed home nearly complete. Image sourced from the Twitter account of Tshilidzi Marwala, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the University of Johannesburg.
Finally, South Africa has a major housing crisis, and researchers from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) are showing how 3D printing can be used to construct a six-room home in less than a day, which, if enough investments can be made, could be a potential answer to the housing problem. In 1994, once the ANC took power, the South African government launched a reconstruction and development (RDP) program, as many people were forced to live in ill-made settlements. But, due to poor management and corruption, the program has hurt more than it has helped, and the government currently has a backlog of about 2.6 million RDP homes, so it’s begun looking into other inexpensive, quick methods for creating housing for the millions of South Africans living in crude, informal homes.
UJ had a quantity surveyor carry out a cost analysis, which found that the 3D printed wall plates and block work the researchers used to build the structure cost about 32% less than conventional building materials. The money saved from 3D printing these small homes could be used to build even more, or reinforce the structure of existing ones, which were built out of concrete in less than a day, with wood used to mark a door and windows. Of course, the main issue is that while the building supplies themselves are less expensive, large-scale concrete 3D printing systems are not, so this idea only has a chance of working if the government invests enough money and support.
Three US companies were sanctioned for sending defense blueprints to China. They are accused of transferring files of technical drawings and blueprints used to 3D print satellites, rocket technology, and other defense-related prototypes just so they could save on costs. These unauthorized exports resulted in a penalty known as a temporary denial order (TDO), which is described as one of the most severe civil penalties applicable.
The decision comes after the US identified that all three companies were collectively using the same rental mailbox in Wilmington, North Carolina, to receive export-controlled drawings from their domestic customers to 3D print aerospace and space parts. However, without their customers' consent or knowledge, these drawings were sent to manufacturers in China to 3D print the items without the required US government authorization. Once the components had been printed, they were shipped back to the US and the ordering customers.
According to BIS' 11-page TDO document, an investigation by the Commerce Department's Office of Export Enforcement (OEE), revealed that the first alerts of suspicious activity were informed back in February 2020, when an unnamed US aerospace and global defense technology company alerted of an export-control violation committed by a third-party supplier involving the unauthorized export of controlled satellite technology to China.
OEE revealed that around July 2017, satellite parts were ordered from Quicksilver in Wilmington. As part of the transaction, Quicksilver received roughly a dozen technical drawings and 3D CAD files to manufacture the specified components, which the customer would then use in a prototype satellite.
Even though Quicksilver advertises its 3D printing services on its website, the company ordered the parts from a Chinese firm. Both the shipping label and the pro forma invoice provided within the parts shipment identified Quicksilver as having an address in China and indicated that the products had been shipped from that country, even though no export license had been sought or obtained for the transaction.
A similar violation was discovered in 2021 at Rapid Cut – which is related to Quicksilver by location, ownership, and operating personnel – also involving controlled technology exported to China without the required BIS export license. Except for this time, it was specially designed parts intended for a rocket platform's ground support and test equipment. The OEE's inspection into the dubious behavior of the three companies produced evidence that there was a "clear disregard for export controls" that extended beyond just items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) but also encompasses the unlicensed export of defense articles to China, designated in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and listed on the US Munitions List, to China.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a recent statement that the new TDOs are the "first enforcement actions taken by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security under the stringent export controls imposed by the US."
Commenting in this particular case, US Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, Matthew S. Axelrod added that "outsourcing 3D printing of space and defense prototypes to China harms U.S. national security. By sending their customers' technical drawings and blueprints to China, these companies may have saved a few bucks—but they did so at the collective expense of protecting U.S. military technology."
Due to its sensitivity and importance to US national security, the information shared by the three companies is subject to strict export controls. That is why the TDO signed by Axelrod denies Quicksilver, Rapid Cut, and U.S. Prototype export privileges to prevent any imminent violations of the EAR and also encourages former customers of the three 3D printing service bureaus to review their records to determine whether intellectual property or export-controlled technology was provided or potentially compromised.
One of the most striking discoveries is that all three companies are highly interconnected. Not only do they use the same mailbox address, but US Prototype's president has been a senior process specialist at Rapid Cut since 2010, while his wife is also listed as US Prototype's vice president. Additionally, both Quicksilver and Rapid Cut have duplicate websites; the only difference between them is the name on the top of the site (see comparison below). Considering the irregularities in the businesses and the TDO issued for the illegal export of technology to China, we will be following up on any upcoming BIS decisions about the companies.
London-based software as a service (SaaS) company, Ai Build, announced that it has raised $3.2 million from its most recent round of funding. Along with SuperSeed, one of the company's existing investors, the funding round was led by new investor ACT Venture Partners, an international venture capital fund based in Turkey.
In a press release, Daghan Cam, Ai Build's co-founder and CEO, said, "Since our product launch last year we onboarded over 20 hardware partners on AiSync as well as a customer base that is growing on a daily basis including several Fortune 500 manufacturers. The new investment will allow us to scale our teams across the board to continue onboarding new partners and customers rapidly." Nichola Bates, Head of Global Accelerators and Innovation Programs at Boeing, added, "We are excited to support Ai Build on their journey towards enabling sustainable factories of the future. Combination of a unique, AI-powered software platform and a world class team of experts in their fields makes Ai Build a company that we can trust to accelerate our transition into a more sustainable aerospace industry."
In addition to its versatile ability to work with a variety of different technologies across a range of widely-used hardware systems, AiSync's main selling point is that it's easy to use. Rather than manual coding, the platform relies on visual programming. This is more or less the idea with all workflow management platforms, which are going to be especially vital over the next decade to the success of new technologies like AM. For the foreseeable future, the industry is going to continue to depend on workers who have little or no experience with AM in order to add to its labor pool. It's hard to envision this happening without some significant simplification to the user experience of operating AM-based production systems.
Another advantage that Ai Build has is its relative longevity compared to other AM software startups. Although its having been founded in 2015 still makes it a fairly new company, the fact that it has been growing and more importantly learning along with the industry itself gives it an enormous leg-up on companies started in the last couple years. As such, the company is also poised to continue growing as soon as the industry starts operating on a new, larger scale. Software startups that don't fail often end up getting acquired, but Ai Build is one that could remain as a standalone entity.
Dutch additive design firm Aectual uses 3D printing to create sustainable, customizable architecture products, like flooring, sound diffusion panels and room divider screens, canopies and pavilions, clothes hangers, and more. The company, which is backed by investment and advisory firm Future Shape, puts a high value on circular products, and some of the 3D printed pieces from its new Drink Carton Collection are currently on display at Milan Design Week. The concept line is a series of customizable 3D printed interior objects and finishes, including planter walls, partition screens, wall cladding, and seat poufs, made from recycled Tetra Pak drink carton material.
“Almost 200 billion beverage cartons are produced every year and there are an estimated 5 billion buildings in the world. So, what if we were to turn those cartons into high-value architectural material and decrease the need for virgin material used for building and furnishing our daily living and workspaces?” asked Hans Vermeulen, the CEO and Co-Founder of Aectual. “I'm positive that our collab with Tetra Pak marks a future where reclaimed and circular materials will become the standard in interior design.”
Aectual creates circular, made-to-measure, customizable architecture products with its zero-waste, on-demand digital production network, and, through its take-back service, will reuse materials up to ten times. Together with its partner network, the firm is committed to speeding up the global transition to a 100% way of fabricating buildings, and making beautiful, smart design easy, while also reducing its use of CO2 up to 80%. Its products are 3D printed using Fused Granular Fabrication (FGF) technology, which is based on pellet extrusion via a robotic arm 3D printing system.
The firm’s mission shines through in its Drink Carton Collection, which demonstrates what Aectual refers to in a press release as a “second-life value” for commercial, living, and work environments. Tetra Pak has committed to using Aectual's interior furniture and finishes in its offices, and other partners also appreciate the firm’s values and aesthetics.
“We love custom architecture, but it's typically slow, costly and can generate lots of waste. Aectual's proven technology lets designers and architects develop unique interior objects and finishes in a matter of weeks, using fully recyclable materials,” said Tony Fadell, Principal at Future Shape, Founder of Nest, and inventor of the iPod. “This technology takes the circularity and sustainability of interior design to a whole new level.”
The products in this collection come from the Aectual X Tetra Pak Drink Carton concept line, which uses fully circular materials; at the end of their life, the products are shredded and 3D printed into new ones. One of the pieces is the Planter Screen by Aectual Studio, which features 3D printed patterns that also serve as pockets for plants—instead of just putting a potted plant on your desk or counter, you can place it in one of these attractive pockets. In addition, the screen can be made-to-measure for use as a feature wall, or used as a self-standing divider. The Planter Screen resembles ceramic due to its terracotta color and matte look, and is 3D printed out of PolyAl. This material is a mixture of polymers and aluminum that comes from the recycled inner foils of drink cartons.
The House of DUS, another Aectual partner, designed the Gradient Curve Screen. The system, which is made up customizable cells that open or close gradually for an interesting gradient effect, can be used to create window screens, feature walls, room dividers, or furniture panels. The 3D printed partition casts some interesting shadows, and depending on where you place it, offers a good amount of privacy.
Finally, the Puff Poufs by Aectual Studio, also printed out of PolyAl, can be used as coffee tables or seating elements, and are fully configurable. They’re available in 17 colors, and even though they kind of resemble a cactus, they’re apparently much more comfortable than the spiky plants. I’m in the middle of redoing my home office—I just got a new desk, and I’m looking for a rug and a comfy chair to turn the other half of the room into a reading nook—and I think one of the small pink poufs would be just perfect for the space I’m envisioning.
You can see 3D printed pieces from the Aectual X Tetra Pak Drink Carton Collection during Milan Design Week at the Masterly Milano, Palazzo Francesco Turati, Via Meravigli 7, until June 12th.
Los Angeles 3D printed rocket company Relativity Space is getting closer to a Summer launch as promised by its VP of Business Development Joshua Brost during this year's Additive Manufacturing Strategies (AMS) event. Ahead of its demo launch, the company has announced that all hardware, including Stage 1 and Stage 2, for Terran 1 small-lift launch vehicle arrived at Launch Complex 16 (LC-16), the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station pad in Florida operated by Relativity Space.
Terran 1's two stages reached Cape Canaveral after a cross-country trek. Both flight stages made their way to the sunshine state from the firm's current Long Beach, California headquarters to prepare for the demo launch, which has been assigned the mission name "Good Luck, Have Fun" (GLHF).
Company co-founder and CEO Tim Ellis revealed the news on June 6, 2022, on social media, explaining that the 115-foot Terran 1 is, by far, the largest metal 3D printed product ever made and that he is "stoked" for the upcoming testing ahead of launch.
This milestone is significant in many ways. This is primarily because Terran 1's launch will mark the world's first entirely 3D printed rocket to go to space and because GLFH will be the first launch from LC-16 since March 21, 1988. The site was one of four launch complexes built-in support of Titan missile testing and previously supported 26 missions, spread between Titan I, Titan II, and Pershing launch vehicles. However, in the wake of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with the U.S.S.R., Launch Complex 16 was abandoned until 2019, when the Air Force turned it over to Relativity Space.
All hardware, including Stage 1 and Stage 2, for Terran 1 have officially arrived at Relativity Space’s LC-16 launchpad in Cape Canaveral. Image courtesy of Relativity Space/Trevor Mahlmann.
For months, Ellis has reported on the progress of the company's rockets, engines, and in-house 3D printing manufacturing processes, as well as headway on Relativity's new one-million-square-foot headquarters in Long Beach, California. That is how we learned that before reaching the Cape Canaveral launch site, Relativity teams completed a successful Mission Duty Cycle (MDC), a full flight length test for the integrated second stage of Terran 1 at NASA's Stennis Space Center facilities in Mississippi. That means they are done with Stage 2 ground testing until the actual flight to orbit, in what the company considers a huge milestone for all of its teams, including avionics, software, test ops, propulsion, and additive.
Additionally, Relativity completed the acceptance testing for all nine Aeon 1 engines to power Terran 1's first stage. Like the other engines in Relativity's portfolio, Aeon 1 is 3D printed, enhancing mission reliability by reducing part count in engine combustion chambers, igniters, turbopumps, reaction control thrusters, and vehicle pressurization systems. Moreover, all Aeon engines use so-called "propellants of the future," that is, liquid oxygen and liquid natural gas, which the company says are best for rocket propulsion and easier to eventually make on Mars – where Relativity envisions an upgraded industrial base as one of its long term goals.
All hardware, including Stage 1 and Stage 2, for Terran 1 have officially arrived at Relativity Space’s LC-16 launchpad in Cape Canaveral. Image courtesy of Relativity Space/Trevor Mahlmann.
To learn and improve at an exponential pace, Relativity realized from the get-go that it needed 3D printing technology to speed up rocket production and catch up to other firms in the industry, namely SpaceX and Blue Origin. That is why the company prints 24 hours a day, resulting in what it describes as "unprecedented iteration and innovation." Relativity headquarters are equipped with direct-to-metal laser sintering (DMLS) printers as well as dozens of the company's proprietary Stargate 3D printers, the largest metal 3D printers in the world. With upcoming software changes, Relativity's Stargate printers can print both Terran 1, the world's first entirely 3D printed launch vehicle, and the fully reusable, altogether 3D printed rocket, Terran R.
To accelerate innovation in the industry, Relativity built what it calls the Factory of the Future, the first aerospace platform to automate rocket manufacturing, vertically integrating intelligent robotics, software, and data-driven 3D printing technology. Centered on Stargate, Relativity's Factory of the Future is disrupting 60 years of aerospace through its radically simplified supply chain, which allows the company to print its rockets with 100 times fewer parts in less than 60 days.
Due to its novel use of automation, Relativity's Factory of the Future was operational during Covid-19, working safely with key Stargate operators and keeping the company on track for the Summer launch of Terran 1. Relativity's Stargate 3D printers continuously optimize production by incorporating AI-driven controls, resulting in exponentially compounded quality and time improvements, lower costs, and product designs not possible in traditional aerospace manufacturing.
Relativity Space’s team with Terran 1’s Stage 1 and Stage 2, at LC-16 launchpad in Cape Canaveral. Image courtesy of Relativity Space/Trevor Mahlmann.
Created in Relativity's Factory of the Future, Terran 1 is designed for the future of constellation deployment and resupply. It is built using two types of 3D printing to produce over 90% of its dry mass. Its large format, proprietary 3D printing process, Stargate, can create primary and secondary structures for Terran 1 from a proprietary aluminum alloy – with printing, inspection, and the little post-processing required occurring all in a single print cell. Relativity then uses DMLS to produce geometrically small, high fidelity components for Terran 1. As the world's first 3D printed rocket makes its way to space, it will be exciting to follow its journey as it lifts off for the first time in 2022.
Altair Engineering Inc., the Michigan-based provider of software and cloud services for advanced manufacturing, announced that it has acquired Gen3D, a creator of additive manufacturing (AM) design software utilizing implicit modeling techniques. Essentially, implicit modeling is the next generation beyond what traditional boundary representation (BREP) in CAD can achieve, in terms of digitally representing the edges and surfaces of 3D shapes.
Manifold designed with Gen3D software. Image courtesy of Gen3D
Gen3D's two flagship AM design platforms, Sulis Flow and Sulis Lattice, will be directly incorporated into Altair's widely-used Inspire generative design platform. Altair is already significantly ahead of the curve concerning Inspire's ease of integration with conventional CAD platforms. The incorporation of Flow and Lattice gives Altair's software another clear advantage in the optimization of generative design software specifically for use with AM techniques.
In a press release announcing the acquisition, the founder and CEO of Altair, James R. Scapa, said, "In addition to a powerful technology that helps organizations navigate the challenges of design for [AM], the Gen3D team brings deep industry knowledge and experience in advanced additive design techniques such as generative design, topology optimization, and lattice structure generation."
Gen3D was founded in 2018 by academics from the University of Bath, in the U.K. In a 3DPOD episode from a few months ago, 3DPrint.com Executive Editor Joris Peels talked to one of the company's founders, Joseph Flynn. Flynn said that, most simply, the software is for any application where the user's goal is high surface area to volume (SAV) ratio. A high SAV ratio is perhaps most advantageous to any process involving the diffusion of heat and/or fluids: the higher the ratio, the faster that diffusion can occur. Thus, as Flynn also pointed out, users designing and printing heat exchangers have probably seen the most success with the software so far.
Concept motorcycle designed for Airbus with Altair software
For the same general reason, interest in the use of 3D printers to manufacture heat exchangers has been increasing lately. As is the case with many other production applications involving 3D printers, the technology allows heat exchangers to be made in shapes that can't be achieved using conventional methods. Beyond light-weighting, which is the most typical reason this is so advantageous, the nature of what heat exchangers are used for implies further potential increases in fuel efficiency by 3D printing them.
More broadly, Altair's acquisition here reiterates what months of 3D printing press releases have been signal, which is that improved software could be leading to a huge momentum shift for the industry. A significantly enhanced user experience will make adoption of AM techniques more and more commonplace, which will only lead the user experience to continue improving in the long run. The existence of that feedback loop, finally, would also be an engine of growth for data regarding the utilization of AM.
Conflux has specialized in making heat exchangers since its inception. Previously, the company collaborated with GKN to make its technology available in Europe. We interviewed CEO Michael Fuller, including on the 3DPOD. We also saw how the startup obtainined a series A round. The next step in Conflux’s development is the mass customization of its heat exchange products.
So far, Conflux offers individually designed heat exchangers to order. Usually for F1 teams and high-end industrial applications, these high-value heat sinks have all been unique and made specifically for their applications. That’s all well and dandy, of course, but it won’t really scale.
Now. the company has developed an annular water charge air cooler (WCAC) heat exchanger. WCAC heat exchangers are all the rage in automobiles now because they can potentially be more efficient in engine cooling than plate or other heat exchangers. WCACs could potentially improve mileage, top speed, and reduce A/C consumption in passenger cars. In racing, they probably won’t focus too much on the A/C consumption, but would be very pleased with the other potential advantages.
Conflux’s 3D printed WCAC device is reportedly more efficient than conventionally manufactured counterparts. The annular design means that has a ring or cylindrical shape. Through Conflux Technologies´ proprietary algorithms and practices the company now says that its powder bed fusion WCAC heat exchanger outperforms conventionally manufactured ones with a:
15% smaller core volume
24% reduction in air-side pressure drop
82% reduction in coolant pressure drop
39% reduction in wet weight
31% reduction in dry weight
This is all very impressive.
"Customers were commenting on both the detail of the parts, and the surface finish. They couldn't believe the level of detail within the WCAC and how it was designed. It solidified their understanding that Conflux is a long way ahead of our competitors with what we showcased. Customers responded with amazement and disbelief as they held a part designed by our engineers embedding complex AM geometries into a production ready WCAC,” Ben Batagol, Conflux's Head of Business Development, stated.
¨I am really excited about the product roadmap for Conflux Technology’s AM heat exchangers. The team have made significant strides developing in-house tools that deliver very high performance without compromising quality. I am really proud of everyone at Conflux for launching the next phase of our business with the WCAC product line. Conflux has aggregated our expertise in first principles calculations, core engineering design and additive manufacturing into a set of tools that can rapidly inform a solution,” said Dan Woodford, Conflux's new Chief Product Officer.
The exchanger is also notable for its complex geometry and “micro features unachievable with traditional manufacturing.” This is exciting because it points to the team having developed unique textures and shapes to improve heat exchanger performance. Such designs could lead to more of an advantage for 3D printing in and of itself.
Conflux also states that the design and thin walls are optimized for “evolving thermal-physical properties of the working fluids throughout the heat exchanger.” This means that they can vary the design through the heat exchanger depending on what is needed at that exact point, which is easier to do with 3D printing than with another technology.
What I like most, however, is that the design is adaptable, so that it can be produced in lots of different sizes. The company also notes that, “the Conflux WCAC is designed to be configured. Conflux can deliver a test part to you quickly utilizing our rapid sizing process, based on your boundary conditions.”
This takes Conflux heat exchangers from a bespoke product, in which numerous labor hours are needed for customization to something that can very quickly be sent to a customer. The company can, therefore, generate much more cash per minute with less effort to boot. This makes the firm much more scalable and could make the difference in some cases between selecting a Conflux device and a traditionally made product. For racing, teams would find it much easier to order something to test it without exchanging any information that they’d wish to keep confidential. This kind of a development could really turbocharge Conflux´s fortunes and should be adapted by all players in this market.
Last month, Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS) launched the latest version of its J850 PolyJet system—the J850 TechStyle 3D printer—for 3D printing textiles, footwear, clothing, and accessories. Now, attendees of Milan Design Week 2022 are getting the chance this week to see just what the printer is capable of creating, as the company is debuting its SSYS 2Y22 Reflection Collection at the show, which has a theme of “Between Space and Time.”
“From decorative craft to creative engineering comes this hybrid machine from Stratasys, as an answer to a million prayers, allowing the ascension of embellishment for an inclusive following,” said renowned trend forecaster and fashion specialist Lidewij Edelkoort.
According to Naomi Kaempfer, Art, Design and Fashion Director for Stratasys, the Reflection Collection uses fashion and design pieces to bring the impact of the last two years’ changes around the world to life. She explained that the collection is focused on three main pillars, the first of which is personal space and the “intertwining” of a person’s public and personal spaces. This pillar is shown through fashion design that is a reflection of emotion, intimacy, and vulnerability, and soft, comfortable clothing and pieces we wear at home.
If we’ve learned anything since the beginning of the pandemic, it’s the importance of social inclusion—the next pillar in the collection, which is described by Stratasys as “a celebration of our shared humanity” and shows our increasing sensitivity towards social injustices like ethnicity, equality, and gender, as well as inclusion and community building. The third pillar in Reflection is mindful manufacturing, and being more intentional about reducing waste, respecting the planet, and creating products and designs that last for many years.
SSYS 2Y22 Design by Ganit Goldstein
The Stratasys-curated collection features exclusive 3D printed bespoke accessories, luxury goods and packaging, footwear, high-end garments, including daywear and dresses, and more, which, according to the company, “reflect on the social impact of the recent past.” Stratasys collaborated with seven different design groups to create the SSYS 2Y22 Reflection Collection.
“Our partnerships with designers and fashion houses have allowed us to bring to the world an innovative collection created using 3D printing technology,” said Shamir Shoham, Vice President of Design for Stratasys. “We believe that 3D printing is the future of innovation in fashion and design and that it will open up unlimited possibilities for fashion designers and manufacturers to personalize and customize 3D-printed fabric pieces.”
SSYS 2Y22 Design by Karim Rashid
The first collaboration for the collection is prolific designer Karim Rashid, who has won 400 awards, operates in more than 35 countries, and has over 4,000 designs in production. All of his pieces reflect geometry and art graphics, and Rashid’s line of luxury dresses and handbags are fashionable for both elegant and casual occasions.
Multidisciplinary design lab FORÆVA, co-founded by architect Vlad Tenu and fashion designer Lana Dumitru, delivers cross-cultural digital embroidery in its “classic ethnic Romanian designs for modern day living.” The 3D printed pieces, while bringing wearers closer to this culture, also reveal a hidden meaning when someone looks at one up close.
SSYS 2Y22 Design by Jasna Rokegem and Travis Fitch
Travis Fitch swatch book
Award-winning fashion studio Jasna Rok Lab focuses on the physiology of feelings in its work, which combines fashion and technology. To make the Trypophilia Collection, Jasna Rokegem worked with designer and previous Stratasys collaborator Travis Fitch to translate EQ to 3D algorithmic structures using CLOD3D and Rhino software. The pieces reflect both the language and physical location of emotions like anger, fear, happiness, and sadness.
Genderfluid fashion label KAIMIN, which is active in the LGBTQIA+ community and has worked with icons like Lady Gaga and Björk, also collaborated with Fitch to design three new pieces for the Stratasys collection. The dress, jacket, and body suit reflect inclusivity, and are inspired by the urban architecture of New York.
Ganit Goldstein's "GnoMon" collection represents a novel approach to textile customization.
Fashion designer and smart textile researcher Ganit Goldstein, who specializes in 3D printed fashion, also worked with Stratasys on the Reflection collection. Her GnoMon collection was inspired by the textures found in all four seasons of nature, such as spring flowers and autumn leaves, and in her jacket designs, you can see how she’s mimicked the way that natural light plays with the elements. Additionally, Stratasys explains that Goldstein’s collection reexamines what makes up a trend, and “represents a novel approach to textile customization.”
Illusory Material are known for their work on lenticular effect, which they bring to life with this new refillable perfume bottle design, the first of its kind.
Co-created by Jiani Zeng and Honghao Deng, the Illusory Material design studio focuses on optics and software research. Their focus is on lenticular effects, which is seen in the studio’s 3D printed refillable perfume bottle design, which Stratasys calls “the first of its kind.”
Assa Ashuach's innovative 3D printed Evolve shoe contains a personalized midsole 'Evolve Sensor' that studies its wearer while recording their movement data.
Finally, Assa Studio has been using 3D printing for more than ten years, and founder Assa Ashuach created multiple designs for the Stratasys collection, including the 3D printed Evolve shoe with a personalized midsole sensor; the footwear, currently on exhibit at the Museum of the Future in Dubai, studies the person wearing it and records their movement data. Another piece is a customizable clutch, inspired by Origam, that’s 3D printed on Dinamicamiko plant-based leather.
Assa Ashuach created this Origami-inspired customizable clutch bag, printed on Dinamicamiko plant-based leather.
The rest of the SSYS 2Y22 Reflection Collection will be on display at booth 7 in the SuperStudio Piu during Milan Design Week, which ends June 12th.
In the world of consumer products, speed is the name of the game. The faster products get to market, the faster they can be purchased by consumers. To maintain a true-to-factory-appearance and superior product quality for their exterior automotive panels, OAM needed durable and flexible tooling. Steel, composite, or wood tools required constant maintenance while aluminum tooling was cost and time prohibitive.
OAM turned to ExOne 3D printed thermoforming tooling after traditional methods proved to be unsustainable for business. Zach Kowalik, CEO and Co-Founder, explained the challenges of the original tooling made of steel, composite, or wood. "They required a lot of repair and maintenance, and we often struggled to place vacuum holes in precise locations due to the material and design constraints." Although seen as the gold standard of thermoform tooling, OAM avoided aluminum because it was cost and lead time prohibitive.
With speed to market front of mind and in need of a tooling option that increased durability while also offering more flexible vacuum-hole routing, the company researched binder jetting. "When we finally discovered 3D printed tooling, we felt like we struck gold," Kowalik said.
ABS plastic vacuum forming.
OAM typically receives its X1 ThermoForm tooling delivery about two weeks after finalizing its design. After the shape 3D printed on ExOne sand binder jetting machines the tool is infiltrated and coated to provide the durability to withstand vacuum forming production. Compared to past aluminum tools ordered by the company, the X1 ThermoForm tool was half the cost and saved over three months of lead time.
"This is a game-changer for the industry," Kowalik said, emphasizing the role rapid tooling plays in speeding time to market. "Our product launch times are an order of magnitude faster than we could have ever dreamed of before." The previously targeted one launch per quarter, but Kowalik now sees the company launching a product each month with the speed and cost-effectiveness of sand tooling while making product volumes not previously viable profitable and product variations an opportunity for expansion.
With quality standards akin to Class A automotive, OAM requires precision tooling that delivers consistently high results. Download the complete case study with durability results as OAM scans its 3D printed sand tool after several production runs.
