Sunday, June 19, 2022

3D Printing Media Network – The Pulse of the AM Industry

3D Printing Media Network – The Pulse of the AM Industry


Axle Box 3D prints fire-fighting drones

Posted: 19 Jun 2022 06:07 AM PDT

Axle Box Innovations, a public safety technology developer, is using Essentium HSE 3D printing technology to support the development of US-made, 3D printed, fire-fighting drones – for management and protection. …

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Taking Basque manufacturing to the world and into the future at ADDIT3D

Posted: 19 Jun 2022 01:01 AM PDT

The first edition of ADDIT3D, now the leading trade fair for additive manufacturing in Spain organized by ADDIMAT, took place in Bilbao in 2015 and enjoyed significant success, with a …

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ITT finalizes investment in CRP Technology and CRP USA

Posted: 18 Jun 2022 11:04 AM PDT

CRP Technology and CRP USA, two leading AM service providers and part manufacturers, have signed an investment agreement with ITT Inc., a diversified leading manufacturer of highly engineered critical components …

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Ingersoll and MELD are developing a metal 3D printer for vehicle-size parts

Posted: 18 Jun 2022 07:25 AM PDT

Norbert J. Kott, US Army DEVCOM-GVSC Materials, Additive Manufacturing (Detroit Arsenal, Warren, MI) reports in an article that appeared on the SME’s website that they US Army is working with …

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Paul Maloney named as SPEE3D’s new Chief Sales Officer

Posted: 18 Jun 2022 02:00 AM PDT

Paul Maloney has been named as SPEE3D’s new Chief Sales Officer. Maloney will be based out of the company's Boston headquarters and will be responsible for leading the global sales …

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Continuous Composites selected by NASA’s SBIR Program

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 06:00 AM PDT

Continuous Composites, an advanced composite 3D printing technology company, has been selected by NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program to additively manufacture low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) open …

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New Sapphire XC 1MZ enables metal 3D printing up to 1m in height

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 03:30 AM PDT

Velo3D, a leading metal additive manufacturing technology company for mission-critical parts, has added the new Sapphire XC 1MZ large-format printer to its Sapphire family of printers. The Sapphire XC 1MZ …

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EVO 3D and CEAD offer customized pellet 3D printer package

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 12:54 AM PDT

EVO 3D is set to offer CEADs technology components as part of one of their customized pellet 3D printer packages. The partnership will mainly be geared towards end-part applications for …

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Prototek acquires ProtoCAM

Posted: 16 Jun 2022 12:48 PM PDT

Prototek Holdings LLC ("Prototek"), a leading North American provider of industrial 3D printing and other digital manufacturing services for low-volume production, completed the acquisition of ProtoCAM, a premier industrial 3D …

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StrongHold AM, the first ever 3D printed nuclear fuel debris filter

Posted: 16 Jun 2022 09:46 AM PDT

Westinghouse installed its StrongHold AM 3D printed nuclear fuel debris filters in two Nordic Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) units – Olkiluoto 2 in Finland, and Oskarshamn 3 in Sweden – …

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TCT Magazine | Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing Intelligence | News, Interviews, Features | Additive Manufacturing | Product Development Technology

TCT Magazine | Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing Intelligence | News, Interviews, Features | Additive Manufacturing | Product Development Technology


Q&A: GKN Additive President John Dulchinos calls for AM industry to think outcomes, not just parts

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 10:08 AM PDT

Senior Content Producer Sam Davies speaks to new GKN Additive President John Dulchinos about his decision to join the company, the opportunities he sees with AM and why it's important to focus on outcomes, not just parts.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

For more sustainable, efficient consumer products, additive manufacturing Syngs

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 10:08 AM PDT

HP and Syng discuss the application of 3D printing in the product development process for the world's first triphonic speaker.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

E3D acquires nozzle and aftermarket FDM solutions firm ZODIAC

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 06:38 AM PDT

E3D, a leading supplier of hotends, nozzles and extruders for 3D printing, has announced the acquisition of ZODIAC.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Success of TCT 3Sixty 2022 promises bright future ahead for UK 3D printing and additive manufacturing sector

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 12:57 AM PDT

The UK additive manufacturing and 3D printing community gathered on 8-9th June at the NEC, Birmingham for two incredible days of innovation and collaboration.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

3D Printing

3D Printing


UCLA Reveals Printed Piezoelectric Meta-bots

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 09:30 AM PDT

Piezoelectric Meta-botsEngineers at UCLA have unveiled a new method of printing functional miniature robots that can be manufactured with a single printing process. The little fingernail-sized robots, dubbed meta-bots are printed with their mechanical and electrical systems complete, and this is achieved by use of piezoelectric metamaterials. Typically, piezoelectric actuation only has a single degree of […]

Printed Swiss Robot Aiming for Space

Posted: 16 Jun 2022 10:45 AM PDT

robotWe've said it before and we'll say it again. 3D printed space stuff is cool. It's just as well because this year is turning out to be a boon for 3D printed space hardware stories, and this one is no exception. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich has teamed up with composite engineering […]

NASA Selects Continuous Composites for Space Isogrid Printing

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 06:20 AM PDT

isogrid-featuredSpace hardware needs a lot of panels. Be it for rocket bodies, satellite structures, and even space stations. In particular, space hardware needs strong, stiff and lightweight panels. This can be in the form of honeycomb structures, or in the case of this article, in isogrid panels. An isogrid panel is like a solid panel, […]

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

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


3D Printing Webinar and Event Roundup: June 19, 2022

Posted: 19 Jun 2022 05:30 AM PDT

It’s another busy week of events and webinars coming up, starting with the AM Industry Summit in Long Beach. 3D Delta Week and the Silicone Expo are also taking place, and Velo3D takes its Seeing is Believing tour to Germany and Japan, while Stratasys continues to travel the U.S. with its Experience Stratasys tour. Webinars will cover metal 3D printing, 3D printing Hollywood props, Materialise Magics software, and more.

June 18 – 21: ASME Annual Meeting

First up, ASME is holdings its Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona; it started yesterday and ends on Tuesday, June 21st. Held at the Fairmount Scottsdale Princess, the meeting is a way to celebrate the major developments of members and honor outstanding contributors. A few special events will take place, including a Ralph Coats Roe lecture on Sunday, followed by the opening reception that night. The business meeting will be on Monday afternoon, and that night, the ASME Leadership Celebration will be held.

“The ASME Annual meeting provides a forum for ASME members and other engineering professionals to assemble for personal and professional growth, to meet with other members and exchange information on how they are dealing with common challenges and learn about trends and developments affecting the future of the profession.”

If you’re an ASME member, you can register for the Annual Meeting here.

June 20 – 22: AM Industry Summit

If you’re in Long Beach, California this week, you don’t want to miss ASME’s AM Industry Summit, June 20-22. This event, created by engineers for engineers, is a hybrid one, so you can attend virtually as well. Focused on leveraging 3D printing capabilities within the aerospace and energy industries, the conference includes three days of technical sessions and keynotes across three tracks, a hands-on Technology Showcase, and an exhibitor hall. Attendees will have the chance to network with hundreds of cross-industry AM engineers, manufacturers, product designers, and technology professionals about everything from materials to quality and processes.

“AM Industry Summit brings together the global additive manufacturing aerospace and energy industries for a unique, hands-on interactive event. Discover the latest materials, metals, and polymers, while uncovering design and technology solutions across the AM and 3D printing industry.”

You can register for the summit here.

June 20, 21, & 23: Velo3D’s Seeing is Believing in Japan & Germany

This week, Velo3D is bringing its Seeing is Believing Roadshow to Japan and Germany. On Monday, June 20th, the tour goes to Nagoya, Japan, and then to Augsburg, Germany on the 21st. On the 23rd, there will be two sessions in Tokyo. These tours are a great opportunity for visitors to learn how Velo3D's end-to-end AM solution is pushing the boundaries of what the technology can achieve in important industries like aviation, space, oil & gas, and energy. The presentations will highlight Velo3D’s process all the way from design and printing on the Sapphire XC system to quality assurance and post-processing, and attendees will get to see real-world examples of parts printed by customers.

“When we talk to prospective customers who have experience with additive manufacturing, the first thing they want is to see the parts for themselves to witness whether the geometries we offer can truly be achieved. In our pilot of the Seeing is Believing roadshow we made amazing connections between engineers, technology influencers, and executives in the additive manufacturing industry to learn from and inspire one another. We look forward to achieving this same community building in Europe,” said Renette Youssef, Velo3D CMO.

June 20, 21, 23, & 24: The Experience Stratasys Tour Continues

This week, Stratasys continues its Experience Tour in the Midwest, starting at Pinstripes in Oak Brook, Illinois on June 20th. The tour moves on to CATI HQ in Buffalo Grove, IL on the 21st, and then moves on to Indiana. On June 23rd, Stratasys will be at the Boathouse Restaurant in Winona Lake, IN, and then at Upland Brewing in Columbus, IN on the 24th. CATI will be hosting all four of these stops.

"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 20 – 24: 3D Delta Week (3DDW)

Next up, from June 20-24, the first edition of the 3D Delta Week (3DDW) events series is taking place in the Benelux (Delta) region, specifically Belgium and the Netherlands. Organized by Brainport EindhovenFlam3D, Mikrocentrum, and Jakajima, the week is meant to be immersed in 3D manufacturing, including PLM, software, VR, 3D printing, model-based definition, VR, and more. According to the founders, the Benelux Delta is “a top region in terms of 3D printing,” with many promising startups and lots of academic and applied research going on, but the region’s AM ecosystem needs a better podium. 3D Delta Week involves several 3D manufacturing-centric events, including Additive Manufacturing R&D Day, a masterclass in scalable production for high-volume AM healthcare applications, the Materialise Open House: VIP Day, and the 3D Delta Dinner, and attendees can put together their own program.

“3D Delta Week creates value for users and providers along the 3D Manufacturing Value Chain. It is the 3D manufacturing meeting point for expert and layman, inside or outside the Benelux region.”

June 21 – 22: HI-AM Conference

The 5th annual gathering of the NSERC Network for Holistic Innovation in Additive Manufacturing will be held from June 21-22 in the form of the HI-AM Conference, the only academic conference in Canada that’s focused solely on metal 3D printing. Co-hosted by McGill University and the University of Waterloo, HI-AM 2022 will be held in Montréal and welcome hundreds of AM experts and decision-makers from research institutes and academia, government, and industry to disseminate and discuss AM research results with HI-AM Network members and the scientific community. The main conference features will be keynote speeches, oral research presentations, and poster presentations

“The focus of HI-AM Conference is to provide a platform for the presentation of recent R&D advancements in the field of metal additive manufacturing under 4 research themes: (1) material development, (2) advanced process modeling, (3) process monitoring and control, (4) innovative AM processes/products.”

You can register for HI-AM 2022 here.

June 21 – 23: Silicone Expo USA

If you’re part of the manufacturing or extended silicone supply chain of elastomers, fluids, resins, or gels, you don’t want to miss Silicone Expo USA, taking place from June 21-23 at Huntington Place in Detroit. This free, one-stop-shop for all things silicone will feature over 100 exhibitors displaying a range of services and products that support silicone applications in many fields, including automotive and medical, in addition to more than 28 sessions and over 35 speakers. The two track conference and trade show will also offer networking opportunities, international exhibitors, thought leadership discussions, the chance to learn the latest industry developments, and more.

“Industry peers from around the world will be providing key insights, innovation, R&D, education and thought leadership discussions for one of the world’s most important and adaptable materials.”

You can register for the expo here.

June 21 – 23: SPEE3D at CSAT & LSAAT

The Cold Spray Action Team (CSAT) 2022 meeting is delivering a two-day hybrid session on June 21st and 22nd, while the inaugural Large Scale Additive Action Team (LSAAT) conference meeting, which is an in-person extension of CSAT 2022, will be on the 23rd, and SPEE3D will be at both of them. The theme of CSAT 2022, which will be held both virtually and at the DCU Center in Massachusetts, is “Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing or CSAM,” and will feature several topics, including machine learning, feedstock powders, non-destructive testing, cold spray at the point of need, and, of course, 3D printing. LSAAT 2022 will be at nearby Polar Park, and offer a community platform to discuss large format Solid-State and Direct Energy Deposition (DED) AM processes like Laser, Electron Beam and Plasma, Wire Arc, Friction Stir, and Cold Spray.

“With the successes of cold spray technology continuing to build, we are excited to once again bring the CSAT Meeting to the cold spray community. Scheduled for June 21 & 22, 2022 back again in the heart of Massachusetts with an additional extension day for wire arc additive manufacturing and friction stir additive manufacturing on June 23, 2022 introducing the Large Scale Additive Action Team (LSAAT); this event promises to be our biggest yet with more applications, exhibitors, and new commercial success stories than ever before.”

You can register for the CSAT + LSAAT 2022 Action Team Meetings here.

June 21: Tools to Implement AM with GE Additive

At 10 am EST on Tuesday the 21st, GE Additive is holding a webinar on “Beyond the Machine: Tools Needed to Successfully Implement Metal Additive.” The presenter, GE Additive Project Manager Halima Iqbal, will look into the available ancillaries for achieving success in metal AM, and also introduce the available capability packages for the company’s M2 Series 5 DMLM printer, which can be customized to a customer’s specific needs.

“Metal additive manufacturing offers numerous benefits for producing innovative parts, whether you intend to use the technology for prototyping or low-scale production or full industrialization. While important, the metal additive machine you select is only part of the equation when it comes to implementing additive manufacturing. A variety of tools are necessary to help you achieve success, whether it's software, hardware or qualification assistance. And the tools you need can vary depending on what your manufacturing goals are (prototyping vs. production) and the industry for which you are producing parts (regulated vs. non-regulated).”

You can register for the webinar here.

June 22 & 23: Materialise Magics Training in the UK

Materialise offers training courses throughout the year, both online and in-person around the world. This Wednesday the 22nd, a one-day Magics Update training course will be offered in Bangalore, India, and another one will be held in London on Thursday the 23rd. Attendees will get an update on all the latest features of Magics 26, and learn how to optimize their workflow with the new Part and Platform scenes, how to improve the accuracy of editing operations by introducing BREP functionalities during data preparation, how to use the Sinter Module with fixed height supports for metal binder jetting and EBM, and more.

“Take full advantage of the newest version of Magics with the Magics 26 Update Training. All Materialise Magics maintenance customers are eligible for free online or in-person training sessions to discover the latest updates and features.

“Join this one-day course and significantly optimize your use of Magics 26.”

June 22: Nexa3D Live at HQ

If you’ve ever wanted to see the inner workings of Nexa3D, you’re in luck! At 12 pm EST (9 am PT) this Wednesday, June 22nd, you can virtually visit the team at Nexa3D’s headquarters in Ventura, California. Sarah Goehrke, Senior Director, Strategic Communications and Ecosystems, and Avi Reichental, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO, will take you on a live visit for a look around the company’s offices, NextFactory, and its new Customer Success Center.

Both our team and our product portfolio have doubled over the last year — join us for a look inside and see where the magic happens, meet a few more of those magic makers, and go behind the scenes with Nexa3D.”

June 23: 3D Printing Hollywood Props ultraFAST

Speaking of Nexa3D, it’s joining ASME this Thursday, June 23rd, at 1 pm EST to discuss how to make “Hollywood Props with ultraFAST Desktop 3D Printing.” Nexa3D’s Mike Currie will talk with Rob Wiggins, a 3D designer and Hollywood prop maker, about how Nexa3D’s ultraFAST AM technology is used in Hollywood to increase throughput and manufacture accurate one-off parts fast and at less cost, how Wiggins designs and produces full-scale props and characters with 3D printing, and the prop maker’s recent discovery of how 3rd generation resin 3D printers can help him print projects in just hours, using a variety of performance materials.

“3D printing is becoming ubiquitous in Hollywood. The flexibility to manufacture one-off parts quickly and cheaply makes the technology an invaluable tool. Rob Wiggins is one such Hollywood prop maker who has worked on the Transformers, Star Wars, and Marvel film franchises as a contractor for Hasbro, as well as designing and producing props and characters for major TV shows and Movies.”

You can register for the webinar here.

June 23: Stratasys Talks Large Geometry Prints with DLP

Also at 1 pm EST on the 23rd, Stratasys will hold its latest webinar, “Overcoming Large Geometry Challenges in DLP 3D Printing.” Marshall Ling, Process R&D Manager at Stratasys, will teach attendees how a programmable print process allows for new applications that were previously nearly impossible due to the inherent challenges of DLP. You’ll also get to see real-world examples that show how the Origin One printer can produce advanced geometries, like smaller densely-nested parts or solid molds.

“A lesser-known challenge for many if not all 3D printing technologies is the ability to print large bulky parts without sacrificing part quality. Whether it be thermal gradients, internal stresses, or throughput hurdles; most 3D printing technologies must overcome at least one of these factors. In the case of DLP printing it's all the above.”

You can register for the webinar here.

June 23: Nondestructive Evaluation Services with America Makes

From 2-3 pm EST on the 23rd, America Makes is holding a TRX Webinar called “Good Vibrations: Process Compensated Resonance Testing for Additive Manufacturing Inspection.” New Mexico-based Vibrant Corporation provides nondestructive evaluation (NDE) services to aerospace, automotive, and power generation maintainers and manufacturers, using a whole-field Process Compensated Resonance Testing (PCRT) inspection to scan a component’s resonance frequencies; then, the data is analyzed with machine learning and statistical analysis tools. Vibrant uses PCRT for parts with traditional forms of manufacturing, as well as additive, and parts with structural flaws will have a different resonance signature. During this webinar, Vibrant will give technical background on PCRT, discuss its work in the America Makes Maturation of Advanced Manufacturing for Low-Cost Sustainment (MAMLS) Program, and provide examples of PCRT applications for additive manufacturing.

“In production testing, the PCRT scan and analysis is performed automatically, requiring no operator interpretation of the results. Inspections with PCRT typically require less than 10 seconds to scan the part and return a Pass/Fail result. The whole field nature of PCRT enables inspection of highly complex part geometries. An America Makes report determined that PCRT is one of only two NDE methods than can inspect the full range of complexity expected in additively manufactured components. Vibrant and PCRT have established a stellar track record of eliminating field failures in critical components. Vibrant's inspection services reduce costs, accelerate customer inspection throughput, and offer statistically rigorous tools for monitoring and controlling production processes.”

You can register for the webinar here.

June 24: TechBlick Innovations Festival for Electronics

Finally, TechBlick, the home of additive electronics, is holding a one-day, virtual Innovations Festival on Friday, June 24th, about Printed, Hybrid, 3D, InMold, and Textile Electronics. The global audience will enjoy more than 55 live exhibitors and 42 speakers, all focused on major electronics advances from around the globe. Topics will include everything from e-textiles, smart packaging, and printed sensors and displays to nano-scale wafer printing, printed batteries and hybrid circuits, perovskites, additively manufactured electronics (AME), and more.

“In this innovation festival, the speakers will present the latest advances and innovations in compact technology-focused 5-min speeches. To continue the discussion, the participants can then visit the speakers in their virtual speaker corner or at their virtual booth.”

You can register for the festival here.

Do you have news to share about any future webinars or virtual and live events? Please let us know!

The post 3D Printing Webinar and Event Roundup: June 19, 2022 appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

3D Printing News Briefs, June 18, 2022: Awards, Standards, Research, & More

Posted: 18 Jun 2022 05:30 AM PDT

We’re starting off with some awards news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, as Additive Industries and 3DEO both won big at the TCT Awards. Also at TCT 3Sixty, Roboze finalized an agreement with Matsuura Machinery Ltd. Then, we’ll move on to standards, as ASTM International is working on a new one that will help with the use of powder bed fusion technology in medical device manufacturing. Speaking of the medical sector, Sanwa is bringing 3D printing to the field of dentistry in Japan. Finally, researchers in Australia are using intersecting light beams to control chemical reactions in a next-gen 3D printer.

Additive Industries Win TCT Transport Application Award

At the recent TCT Awards, Dutch metal 3D printer manufacturer Additive Industries won the TCT Transport Application Award for its work on a tooling nozzle for the Volkswagen Tiguan, in addition to being a finalist for the TCT Hardware Award – Non-polymer systems. Working with Additive Industries, Volkswagen achieved a 650% cost reduction in fabricating the nozzle, which was used for automated deposition of a rope in the vehicle’s chassis flange. The automaker used the MetalFAB metal 3D printer to manufacture the nozzle in a single piece, rather than two, out of 316L stainless steel – a cheaper option than its original titanium alloy.

Also at the TCT Awards, which are produced by The TCT Group in conjunction with the TCT 3Sixty additive manufacturing event in Birmingham, high-volume metal 3D printing company 3DEO won the TCT Consumer Product Application Award. The company, which launched its new Saffron platform and patented Intelligent Layering technology earlier this year, won for a 3D printed production razor it manufactured for Blackland Razors. The double-edged safety razor, called the Era, was 3D printed out of stainless steel, and is fully customizable.

Roboze & Matsuura Machinery Finalize Agreement

The awards aren’t all that happened at the recent TCT 3Sixty. At the show, Roboze announced that it had finalized an agreement with Matsuura Machinery Ltd to be its representative in the UK. Matsuura offers OEMs, subcontractors, and SMEs with fully engineered manufacturing processes, like automated multi-axes CNC machining solutions and metal and plastic 3D printers. Now, Matsuura has increased its 3D printer portfolio by adding the large-format ARGO 500 by Roboze, its industrial super polymer system. The printer will be on display in Matsuura’s show room in Coalville.

“Roboze 3D printing technology has demonstrated its ability to transform manufacturing and be a valuable asset in the armoury of progressive manufacturing companies. Adding Roboze to our portfolio line-up makes us a formidable player in the additive manufacturing supply chain in the UK, offering class leading technology, creating components from a myriad of materials,” said Roger Howkins, Managing Director of Matsuura Machinery Ltd. “We look forward to customers seeing the Roboze product range installed and demonstrating their prowess at our brand-new Additive Manufacturing Centre in Leicestershire in the near future.”

New PBF Standard Guiding Medical Device Manufacturers

ASTM International has a new standard, developed by its additive manufacturing F42 committee, which will offer guidance to medical device manufacturers about reusing powder in powder bed fusion AM processes. The new F3456 standard explains what ASTM refers to as the “seven broad reuse schema” that will offer manufacturers pertinent information for regulatory bodies that want a better understanding of how powder reuse schemes can affect the performance of medical devices. This is the actually the first standard developed by the F42 subcommittee on medical and biological standards.

“Additive manufacturing manufacturers of medical devices and regulatory bodies will find this new guide to be useful. The guide may also be useful to AM manufacturers to generally describe their reuse process to customers without having to give away specific manufacturing process information,” said ASTM International member Matthew Di Prima.

Japanese Sanwa Dental Adopting AM Technology

Tokyo-based Sanwa Dental is bringing 3D printing to dentistry in Japan, as it’s announced the successful adoption of additive manufacturing in its Thailand dental laboratory. Sanwa believes that if the Japanese dental industry witnesses more widespread adoption of the technology, more patients would have easier access to high-quality dentures, implants, and other dental applications, so it’s leading the way in expanding the use of the technology in the region. The new printer Sanwa has installed was supplied by manufacturer Profeta, which is based in Nanjing Zijin, China and specializes in metal 3D printers for dental laboratories.

Sanwa explained some of the many benefits of additive manufacturing, including creating designs that would be nearly impossible with normal casting methods. One example was designing and printing dentures with thinner, smaller metal frames, so that the wearer can speak more easily and clearly. Another benefit was reducing the number of steps in creating these titanium denture frames from ten to just five steps, which resulted in an increase in productivity.

QUT Publishes Research on Next-Gen 3D Printers

A team of researchers from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Australia published a paper on their work using intersecting light beams to control chemical reactions in an advanced material that can 3D print entire layers, rather than single points at a time. According to Dr. Sarah Walden from the QUT Centre for Materials Science interdisciplinary research team, the precision that light offers in starting a reaction makes it a great tool for activating chemical processes. She explained that in this case, two differently colored light beams are used, causing a reaction only where the two intersect, and ARC Laureate Fellow Professor Christopher Barner-Kowollik noted that two such color-activated materials are very rare. He said that the team’s research was about proving how viable the ink is for the next generation of 3D printers.

“We use one colour of light to activate one molecule, and the second colour of light to activate another molecule. And where the two light beams meet, the two activated molecules react to form a solid material,” Dr. Walden explained. “Normally, in a 3D printer, the inkjet moves around in two dimensions, slowly printing one 2D layer before moving up to print another layer on top. But using this technology, you could have a whole two-dimensional sheet activated, and print the entire sheet at once.”

The post 3D Printing News Briefs, June 18, 2022: Awards, Standards, Research, & More appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Essentium Materials & High-Speed 3D Printing Used to Develop Drones to Fight Wildfires

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 06:30 AM PDT

Every year in the U.S., thousands of wildfires burn millions of acres of land, cause billions of dollars worth of damage, and often result in human casualties. Public safety technology developer Axle Box Innovations is helping enable and support the development of rugged 3D printed drones to manage and protect against dangerous wildfires, and it’s using Essentium AM technology to do it.

While wildfires can occur naturally from lightning strikes and excessive heat from the sun, NC State professor Joseph Roise, who studies wildfire behavior and prevention, says that, unfortunately, the leading cause is “human carelessness,” such as leaving campfires unattended or discarding cigarettes where you shouldn’t. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), there were an average of 61,289 wildfires a year from 2012 to 2021, and as of June 1st, over 27,800 wildfires have impacted roughly 1.9 million acres nationwide in 2022.

Wildfires scorch the land in Malibu Creek State Park. As the wind picks up, the fire begins to spread faster. National Geographic photograph by David McNew.

3D printing has been used before to help detect and fight wildfires—exactly what Axle Box Innovations wants to do. By using Essentium’s High Speed Extrusion (HSE) 3D printing platform and high-performance, heat-resistant materials, the goal is to create lightweight yet structurally rugged drone bodies that can withstand the harsh conditions and high heat encountered when fighting fires.

“As first responders gear up for fire season, firefighters need nimble remote-controlled drones to achieve visual oversight of wildfires in virtually every type of environment – from urban areas to rural deserts,” said Blake Teipel, PhD, the CEO of Essentium. “We are excited Axle Box Innovations has chosen our 3D printing platform to enable the development of structurally rugged drones that can withstand these extremely harsh conditions.”

Typical commercial drones aren’t robust enough to survive the extreme environment of a wildfire, but it can take a long time and a lot of money to develop bespoke, fire-safe drones for firefighting purposes. Using Essentium’s HSE platform, Axle Box hopes to get past these issues to create drones that can support first responders during wildfires.

“The speed, scale, and economics of the HSE 3D Printer combined with Essentium's array of advanced 3D printing filaments are changing the game for the design and development of drone platforms,” stated Madison Jones, the Director of Additive Manufacturing at Axle Box Innovations. “The HSE has transformed our manufacturing floor, and we typically go from design to production in under four weeks. If we need a new part, we can have one printed and up in the air in a couple of hours. Our first responder customers will benefit greatly from this innovation agility.”

Essentium’s HSE 3D printing platform offers the flexibility that Axle Box needs to ensure total design freedom and a faster drone development process. According to Essentium, Axle Box engineers can design new parts for the firefighting drones in a CAD program, print them, and deploy them within a few hours.

Essentium’s HTN-CF25

The drone’s mid-body is printed using Essentium’s high-temperature HTN-CF25, a nylon material with a 25% carbon fiber-reinforced core. As a result, the company says it offers flexural and tensile strength, in addition to the highest heat deflection temperatures compared to PA 603-CF. In addition, Essentium’s carbon fiber-infused polyamide PA-CF filament is being used to print side covers for the drone, which are apparently “designed to fail before the mid-body without sacrificing thermal stability.”

Thanks to the HSE 3D printing platform and Essentium’s tough materials, with their excellent mechanical and thermal properties, Axle Box’s lightweight, rugged drone platform was said to exceed expectations for functionality and high-speed impact during demo flight tests. Now, they should soon be able to deploy to capture real-time images for wildlife management teams on the ground.

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Velo3D Announces Q3 Release for Its Largest Volume 3D Printer Ever

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 06:00 AM PDT

Velo3D, one of the leading manufacturers of metal additive manufacturing (AM) systems for aerospace and space, has announced the release date for its new Sapphire XC 1MZ, which will be the largest volume printer the company produces. Currently, that title belongs to the original XC, released at the end of 2021.

Velo3D says that it plans to deliver the first XC 1MZ systems to several aerospace companies sometime late in the third quarter of 2022. Quite straightforwardly, the "1M" in 1MZ refers to the fact that the machine can handle objects up to one meter in height. This gives it twice the build volume of the XC, as well as, according to the company, the largest build volume of any laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) printer on the market.

In a press release, the founder and CEO of Velo3D, Benny Buller, said, "Without advanced metal [AM], it would be difficult to impossible to build many of the technologies that are shaping the future of our world. Our innovative customers have a clear understanding of how the technology can unlock new capabilities for their businesses and transform their product offerings. New systems, like the Sapphire XC and Sapphire XC 1MZ, support that transformation by significantly increasing throughput up to 400% and lowering costs by up to 75% compared to the original Sapphire."

Given its niche as a leading provider of AM hardware in the aerospace and space sectors, specifically, it makes sense that Velo3D has started to focus on higher build volumes. Combining that with the company's emphasis on automated quality control should solidify its position in aerospace and space, and give it an advantage in any sector with high production volumes of large, heavy parts. This is especially significant, all the more so because the automotive industry continues to scale up its incorporation of AM into production lines. Honda is already a Velo3D customer, and the company will likely attract more automakers in the near future.

This matters far beyond quarterly and yearly sales numbers, because of the specific juncture where the AM industry currently exists. The next few years could very well determine the fates of what have been, thus far, the industry's best-known companies, in particular on the hardware side.

The hardware manufacturers that benefit from both the automotive and aerospace sectors' scale-up of AM usage will not only sell more machines and make more revenue, but will also be creating the standards for the entire ground floor of 3D printing’s use as a mass manufacturing technology. This has a multitude of implications for the role of those companies — like, potentially, Velo3D — in the industry's evolution, perhaps the most notable among those being control over the supply chains for AM materials.

It's still of course hard to say to what extent large-scale industry will end up adopting AM, let alone which companies may have real staying power, aside from the ones that have already been around for decades. But I think you could certainly do worse in terms of a potential formula for general success than a combination of large build volumes and automated quality control.

Images courtesy of Velo3D

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EPlus3D Customer 3D Prints Metal Cochlear Hearing Aids

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 05:30 AM PDT

3D printing is the dominant technology in the hearing aids industry. But so far not a lot of people have thought about cochlear hearing aids as a potential market. Cochlear implants are a series of devices working in concert that pick up sound, organise these sounds, turn them into electric impulses, and then interfaces with the auditory nerve. They can in part give someone a semblance of hearing in cases where it is absent or difficult.

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An Eplus3D customer used their EP-M260 powder bed fusion 3D printer to make Ti-6Al-4V titanium cochlear implant components.  The EP-M260 is a 266 x 266 x 390 mm³ build volume, dual laser PBF system with optimised powder feeding and recycling. The ear was scanned and a design for a hearing aid shell was made based on that. Then the 3D printer makes a total of 150 of these shells per build with a 30μm layer thickness. The print job takes 30 hours, using 450 grammes of material at claimed total material cost of $400. The prints are then wire cut off the build plate, smoothed, and in ten minutes each of the shell’s support structures is removed. A batch then takes 30 hours to be polished. The company claims that each shell costs 25 yuan, which would be less than $4. The price makes this exciting enough in and of itself. Although we must remember that we don’t know the labor rate and depreciation the company used to get to this calculation. But, all in all, lovely number.

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The company says that it can make 0.2 mm thin walls, making the implants half as thin as polymer alternatives. This makes the implant smaller. Eplus3D also says that the ¨matching success rate of the deep ear canal products is increased by 64%.¨ The internal hearing aid also has more space for receivers and the like.

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We usually think of 3D printed polymer replacing metal, but there could be other cases out there where 3D printed metal could replace polymers. It is notable that the wall thickness was the major reason why metal was chosen here. Larger internal volume is also a very important part of this, as it would really let companies do more inside of a similarly sized implant. Similar considerations could mean that for some wearables, headphones, and small electronic devices, metal 3D printing could be a real alternative. Assuming that Eplus3D can really make these shell components for less than $4 consistently, then the company could really expand what it could make.

We’ve always been focused on high end applications at high cost, usually for high mix low volume manufacturing. We haven’t minded paying more for machines that worked well. We also didn’t mind paying more for powder if we wanted it to work well as well. But, now that we’re looking at more high volume applications, price is increasingly becoming more of an issue for us. New technologies such as Seurat or binder jet promise to replace power bed fusion by being cheaper. But, what if lower cost machines are really the answer? I’m a big fan of One Click Metal and other inexpensive powder bed companies. I really think that for a lot of applications, powder bed fusion could become much more cost competitive through lower-priced machines and materials pricing. There is still of course a place for high volume systems with high reliability for crucial parts, but there could also be a market out there for machines capable of making customised titanium hearing aid shells for $4.

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Australian Teen Accused of Manufacturing Fully Functional 3D Printed Firearm           

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 05:00 AM PDT

On Monday, Western Australia Detective Senior Sargent Blair Smith announced charges against an 18-year-old man for illegally manufacturing and possessing firearms. The teen is accused of using a 3D printer and readily accessible material to manufacture a fully functioning, untraceable so-called ghost gun, a privately made firearm without serial numbers that is increasingly cropping up in violent crimes.

The 18-year-old man from Bayswater, in the Western Australian city of Perth, was charged with several firearm offenses after a search warrant was executed at his home on Slade Street. On June 3, 2022, detectives from the Western Australia Police Force's Drug and Firearm Squad, including Smith, arrived at the young man's home, where they located the fully-functioning 3D printed firearm (seen in the image below), along with a 3D printer, suppressor, ammunition, and a barrel manufacturing station. In addition, a number of gel blasters, also known as water pellets or splatter-ball guns, were also found during the search.

Australian detective with the 3D printed firearm seized from an 18-year old man.

Australian detective with the 3D printed firearm seized from an 18-year-old man. Image courtesy of Western Australia Police Force via Twitter.

Officials believe the man, who does not possess a valid firearms license, manufactured the weapon using a 3D printer and readily accessible materials. He is now facing eight charges, including unlicensed manufacture of firearms and ammunition, possession of prohibited weapons and a silencer, and is due to appear before the Perth Magistrates Court on June 20, 2022.

During a press conference, Smith said that this is the first time a fully functional 3D printed firearm has been seized in Western Australia.

"This firearm, although it resembles a toy, has the ability to cause serious harm in our community. It is deeply concerning that this man was able to manufacture this firearm at home with a 3D printer and readily available materials. These types of firearms are unregulated, unlicensed, and have no place in our community," highlighted the detective.

Now that the first 3D printed ghost gun has been discovered in the state, the Drug and Firearm Squad remains relentless in identifying anyone who will use a 3D printer to manufacture an unlicensed functional gun. Smith said his team would use available data to locate and prosecute any individual who prints these types of ghost guns with serious firearm offenses.

Growing concern

Although this may be the first offense of its kind in Western Australia, the country has already arrested at least 17 individuals for fabricating weapons with 3D printers, most of them in the last three years. Our own research on 3D printed gun arrests, published on June 8, 2022, revealed that Australia is one of the three countries with more 3D printed gun-related arrests worldwide, representing 17% of total arrests.

For example, in June 2021, two men were arrested after investigators seized two 3D printed submachine guns during the National Anti-Gangs Squad operation targeting the manufacture and supply of prohibited firearms. Another high-profile case that same year involved the arrest of an alleged right-wing extremist accused of possessing a blueprint to 3D print a gun and making "significant preparations" to manufacture a firearm.

Western Australia Drug and Firearm Squad Detective Senior Sargent Blair Smith during the press conference.

Western Australia Drug and Firearm Squad Detective Senior Sargent Blair Smith during the press conference. Image courtesy of Western Australia Police Force via Twitter.

For some time, Australian authorities have warned that the potential use of 3D printers to make firearms severely threatened community safety. The New South Wales (NSW) State Crime Commands Drug and Firearms Squad even established Strike Force Tamerang in 2021 to investigate the increase of 3D printed firearms, firearm parts, and firearm blueprints imported and manufactured in the state.

Since then, the initiative has resulted in several arrests, including a man in Sydney's western suburbs who was apprehended and charged after police located multiple unfinished 3D printed firearms, firearm parts, and other materials allegedly used to manufacture 3D printed ghost guns.

3D printed guns have become a major issue in other countries as well, particularly in the US and Canada, where, according to 3DPrint.com's research, there have been over 80 arrests combined. Blueprints for 3D printed guns are readily available online, and on the dark web, so gun regulators struggle to keep track of weapons. Governments are also trying to play catch up with 3D printed gun makers. In the US, the Biden Administration said it would introduce ghost gun reforms to the 3D printing industry, including "Final Rule 2021R-05F," which redefines firearm parts and bans the business of manufacturing the most accessible ghost guns.

In Australia, using a 3D printer for manufacturing a firearm without an applicable license is a serious criminal offense that can carry a maximum penalty of 10 years. Furthermore, the maximum penalty can increase to 20 years if the individual is caught unlawfully manufacturing a pistol or prohibited firearm. In NSW, legislation has been passed that even prohibits any blueprints or digital files that can be used to manufacture weapons. That means if someone is caught possessing this type of file, they could face 14 years in prison.

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Amnovis and BAAT Medical Collaborate to Make 3D Printed Medical Devices

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 04:30 AM PDT

Amnovis and BAAT Medical are partnering to quickly make medical devices together using 3D printing. The team can take a concept and bring it all the way through to engineering, manufacturing and approval. Amnovis is an ISO 13485 certified contract manufacturer, founded by former Layerwise and 3D Systems exec Peter Mercelis, while BAAT Medical is a 22-year-old company that specialises in the development, logistics and management of medical devices, helping companies turn ideas into FDA-approved products. BAAT has specialised so far in trauma and spinal fusion, making over 50,000 implants to date. The collaboration between the two firms will make it easier for medical device companies, doctors, inventors and startups to make their 3D printed device ideas come to life.

 

The team have a joint development roadmap for clients where they each contribute when their expertise is needed. They hope to shorten the time to market and offer more in-depth manufacturing, materials and development expertise than others.

Ruben Wauthle (also ex-Layerwise), Amnovis CEO, said:

 “We are extremely proud to collaborate with BAAT Medical. We see great potential in jointly innovating various AM medical device applications. We know each other for years, share the same innovative drive, and collaborate intensively to better align design and development with material selection and manufacturing. As preferred partners, our joint offering comprises of the complete process for customers and prospects to aim high and move fast, while removing hurdles in medical device development, validation and manufacturing. At Amnovis, we rely on our comprehensive AM workflow and production platform, which is entirely ISO 13485:2016 certified. Digital process automation enables us to provide full traceability and repeatability to flexibly scale up manufacturing of standard and patient-specific AM medical devices.”

Gert Nijenbanning, Managing Director of BAAT Medical, said:

“It is great to intensify our collaboration with the AM innovators of Amnovis, with whom we successfully worked with before. We believe that efficiency in development and production throughout the whole chain is essential to keep investments in innovations of medical devices feasible, especially for European markets where the MDR is a reality. Together we want to build on the complementary expertise of Amnovis and BAAT Medical to collaborate and take 3D printing of medical devices to the next level. As preferred partners, we are able to cover the complete process, from initial idea to a certified product. We partner to optimally use the possibilities of current and future AM technologies as part of new business models for medical devices with improved patient outcomes. Amnovis and BAAT Medical, together, push the innovative edge of medical device OEMs and move faster through the development, validation and manufacturing stages.¨

This is a very smart collaboration. There are a lot of approvals flying about at the moment and a lot of startups and large firms attempting to bring 3D printed orthopedic and trauma implants to market. But there are very few people with experience in characterizing materials, qualifying parts and manufacturing in 3D printing in general. There are fewer people still who can do these things for metal 3D printing processes. Throw in medical device manufacturing and the Venn diagram becomes even smaller. And those who do have that kind of experience will find it not much trouble to secure work with Stryker, J&J or some of the other firms working in this area.

Hopefully the team will be availing themselves of the services of a graphic designer soon.

There is a war for talent in 3D printing at the moment and the most difficult positions to fill are those of metal sales leaders, application engineers and true manufacturing experts. Letting people rent this valuable expertise is therefore a very valuable thing to do. Also, those who do have a track record in getting 3D printed products to market are usually kept around by incumbents because of their expertise and their use to competitors. Currently PrinterPrezz offers a one-stop shop to bring products to market, as do Precision ADM, Lincotek and SwissM4M. With a lot of potential not only in orthopaedics but also nascent areas such as trauma, any help will be sorely needed.

I asked Erik Boelen, who works at 3D printed medical device consultancy Qas3d and has extensive experience with quality management in 3D printed medical devices, what he thought of the collaboration. He said that,

“These are two companies that are very serious about quality in medical devices. If you would like to put a 3D printed medical device on the market than these are two of the best partners that you could find. BAAT really understands how you can take a product and turn it into a medical device and Amnovis knows how to do 3D printing in a controlled manner and consistently make high quality 3D prints.”

As Stryker and others seem to want to print millions of devices, this will whet the appetite of startups and other firms even more than is the case currently. 3D printed medical implants took 30 years of development to become successful, but we are at the dawn of a growth phase which will make it one of the largest and most profitable parts of our industry.

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