A team of researchers at the National Institute for Materials Science and Osaka University Graduate School of Engineering in Japan, has successfully demonstrated the fabrication of single crystal nickel with additive manufacturing, and they are hoping it finds applications in aerospace. Single crystal metals are highly prized for applications undergoing high stresses and strains and […]
Carl Zeiss Meditec, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies, and Precise Bio, a regenerative medicine company advancing the use of bio-printed tissues and organs, have entered into a …
Forward AM, a BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH company, in partnership with IAM3DHUB, International Advanced Manufacturing 3D Hub, is hosting the Forward AM Innovation Award 2022 for startups using additive …
Formlabs, the leader in professional-grade SLA 3D printers, reported that its machines have been used to 3D print 100,000,000 parts since the company was founded about ten years ago. This …
Fortify, a provider of 3D printers for advanced photopolymer composites, and polySpectra, a supplier of highly durable photopolymer resins, have received strategic funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) …
Impulse Space, a leading company in the development of in-space transportation services for the inner solar system, has entered into a groundbreaking partnership and launch mission with Relativity Space, the …
MakerBot, a company that forms part of the Stratasys portfolio, has released CloudPrint 2.0 – a major upgrade to its print preparation and management solution, MakerBot CloudPrint. MakerBot CloudPrint now …
Los Angeles-based 3DEO, one of the world's highest volume metal 3D printing companies, has added design and engineering services to its portfolio of offerings, to better support its customers throughout …
3D printing is finding increasing applications in the space sector, particularly when it comes to producing rocket engines and satellite parts. Meanwhile, the technology is also making its way into the construction of antennas, both for on-world and off-world use. Demonstrating the possibilities in this promising niche is 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD), which announced a partnership with Australia's Fleet Space Technologies that led to the 3D printing of radio frequency (RF) patch antennas for its Alpha satellite constellation.
Radio frequency (RF) patch antennas were printed by 3D Systems' Application Innovation Group in both LaserForm AlSi10Mg and A6061-RAM2 materials for Fleet Space Technologies' Alpha satellites. Image courtesy of 3D Systems.
To do so, Fleet Space worked with 3D Systems' Application Innovation Group (AIG), which has been involved in such innovative use cases as 3D printed semiconductor equipment and turbomachinery. With Fleet Space, the AIG team was able to develop a complete additive manufacturing (AM) solution for its RF patch design, including process development and bridge production on its DMP Flex 350 metal 3D printer. In turn, Fleet Space was able to move to small batch production of its RF antennas in just three weeks.
3D Printing Satellite Antennas in Just Three Weeks
Fleet Space became aware that AM would be essential to the production of its patch antennas due to the fact that they were designed to meet the size, weight, and performance of the firm's Alpha satellites, all while limiting the need for post-processing. One major accomplishment from the design is obtaining ten times more throughput per kilo of spacecraft capacity for satellite communications.
The AIG team developed print processes to 3D print the antenna using two different materials: LaserForm AlSi10Mg and Al6061-RAM2. 3D Systems suggests that the unique vacuum chamber of the DMP Flex 350 was critical for the project. This is because the low oxygen environment (<25 ppm) results in a good surface finish and fine feature detail necessary for minimizing signal losses. An added benefit was the reduction in argon gas consumed. With 3DXpert software able to efficiently transition from 3D model to printed part, the partners were able to 3D print 55 RF patch antennas per build on the DMP Flex 350 system.
In-house Metal 3D Printing
To execute in-house production, Fleet Space has acquired its own DMP Flex 350 for use at its headquarters in Beverly, Adelaide. There, the Aussie company will use the laser powder bed fusion (PBF) system to 3D print its RF patch antennas for its 140 Alpha satellite constellation, currently in development. Using ambient noise tomography powered by its constellation of satellites, the company suggests it can look for natural resources with minimal ecological destruction.
"Our work with Fleet Space Technologies is yet another example of how 3D Systems helps our aerospace customers accelerate innovation and de-risk their additive manufacturing application development," said Dr. Michael Shepard, vice president, aerospace & defense segment, 3D Systems. "We do this by partnering with customers to provide an application solution with the right hardware, materials, software, and services for their needs. In this case, we've been able to help Fleet Space Technologies bring a qualified production process for their satellite hardware in-house in a very short amount of time."
"Fleet's Alpha constellation represents a significant leap forward in our mission to unlock the potential of truly global connectivity, in doing so creating global benefits for applications like making the search for critical minerals more sustainable and viable," said Flavia Tata Nardini, founder and CEO, Fleet Space Technologies. "To achieve this, we constantly strive to find more ways to manufacture our technology to deliver exceptional quality at scale and in a way that is economically viable. Together with 3D Systems' AIG, we are unlocking the remarkable potential of additive manufacturing at our world-class facility in Adelaide, South Australia. This technology will enable our people to create the production processes that will deliver on Fleet's ambition to launch more than 140 low earth orbit satellites in the Alpha constellation."
Powering the Industrial Internet of Things
55 antennas per build for a constellation of 140 satellites is a remarkable breakthrough for a technology previously thought capable of only one-off parts and prototyping. It is exactly in these niche applications, where costs would be high otherwise and components geometrically complex, that AM is first breaking through into production. Whereas Arcam was able to apply its technology for the serial manufacturing of hip implants, stacking parts into a single build, we're now seeing similar strategies applied in increasing sectors.
Fleet Space Technologies is commissioning their DMP Flex 350 printer to produce RF patch antennas for more than 140 satellites in their Alpha constellation. Image courtesy of 3D Systems.
The private space industry, in particular, has proven lucrative. According to the "3D Printing in Commercial Space: The AM Ecosystem in the Private Space Industry" report from SmarTech Analysis, the overall value of 3D printed parts for private space is projected to reach $2.1 billion in 2026 and $5.4 billion by 2031.
We hear a lot about 3D printed medical devices like models, implants, prosthetics, surgical tools, and even medical device packaging, but how about a 3D printed surgical fracture table? Researchers from Western University and Michigan Technological University collaborated on a project to develop the table, which was created for far less money than it would usually cost to build one. The team summarized their findings in a study, which explains how the accessible open source table was built using common hand tools and materials, and a desktop 3D printer.
A surgical fracture table is used to help position a patient during procedures, so additional healthcare workers aren’t needed to hold them in the proper position the whole time. It’s a helpful tool, but a costly one: it’s estimated that the capital cost of a conventional surgical fracture table is upwards of $250,000. This 3D printed table cost less than $4,000 to make, which saves more than 98% in comparison to a commercially available version.
“We want everyone in the world to have cost-effective medical care and this is one step on the path to getting us there. And if we help those who are financially less fortunate with acquiring high-performance medical equipment, we will also be making better medical tools for ourselves at a lower cost, so really, everyone wins,” said open source advocate Joshua Pearce, the John M. Thompson Chair of Information Technology and Innovation at Western.
Final Table Assembly without cover and straps.
According to Western, the team’s work on this open source table could be very impactful in developing countries, where universal access to healthcare is low due to many reasons, including the high cost of medical equipment. Additionally, nine priorities laid out by the World Bank for cost-effective surgeries that should be globally available are orthopedic procedures, such as trauma-related amputations, treating fractures, repairing clubfoot deformities, escharotomy/fasciotomy, draining septic arthritis, and more. In addition to many orthopedic procedures, this open source table can also be used by surgeons to complete general surgical procedures, gynecological ones, and for childbirth.
The study’s abstract reads, “With the advent of 3-D printing, a new way to reduce medical equipment costs is to use open source hardware licensed designs to fabricate digitally-distributed manufactured medical hardware. That approach is applied here to make surgical tables more accessible. This study describes the design and manufacture of an open source surgical fracture table that uses materials that are widely available worldwide with specialty components being 3-D printed. The bill of materials and assembly instructions are detailed and the fracture table is validated to perform mechanically to specifications.”
Because the low-cost table is open source—meaning its design is freely available—it can be improved upon for different surgical procedures, and potentially built at an even lower cost, which would be very helpful for hospitals that may not be able to afford this kind of table otherwise. Surgeons and other healthcare workers could make the design of this table even more functional by designing their own modifications, or bringing their idea for a modification to a designer or engineer who can help make it a reality. According to Pearce, everyone can have access to superior medical equipment this way.
“Medical technology is absurdly expensive. One way we can help reduce costs is to enable all manufacturers to build these, sell them directly, and to integrate some of the innovations, like the use of the radiolucent 3D-printed parts we made into their own designs. This is in no way the final fracture table,” Pearce continued. “I'm sure any decent engineer could look at it and make it a little bit better and that's exactly what it's meant to do — to be a starting point for other people to build on.”
Design flow chart for open source surgical fracture table.
The modular table in its current form features several components 3D printed out of PETG and TPU on a desktop FFF 3D printer—specifically the LulzBot Taz 6—while other parts were manufactured from high density polyethylene (HDPE) sheets. It’s mechanically adjustable, so electricity is not required, and the table also has a weight capacity of over 130 kg (286 lbs), geometric flexibility for multiple common surgeries, and is radiolucent in surgical zones, meaning it’s permeable to X-rays.
“Using an open source desktop RepRap-class 3-D printer, the components can be printed in a little over a week of continuous printing. Including the 3-D printed parts, the open source fracture table can be constructed for under US$3,000 in material costs, representing a 98.5% savings for commercial systems, radically increasing accessibility. The open source table can be adjusted 90–116 cm in height, tilted from +/-15 degrees, the leg height ranges from 31 to 117 cm, the arm supports and foot holder both have a 180-degree range, the foot position has a 54 cm range, and the legs can be adjusted from 55 to 120 degrees,” the researchers wrote.
According to Pearce, we’re at the beginning of “a decentralized manufacturing revolution,” where designs can be digitally shared and replicated using technologies like 3D printing.
“As of now, most things that you have around your house, from toys to kitchen gadgets, already have CAD (computer aided design) models freely available for you to download and replicate with the right tools,” he continued. “You can make the economic case to 3D print your own toys and gadgets, but this study takes it up several notches, to provide a path to high-value medical tools.”
Principals of AM Ventures Holding GmbH. Image courtesy of Tobias Hase.
The company has seen investment from family offices, founders and asset managers.
"The fact that portfolio company founders are now investing in our fund is a great validation of our exceptional effort. We are proud of the high-level commitment and trust from prime investors that support us on our mission to leading sustainable additive revolutions,” said Johann Oberhofer, managing partner at AM Ventures.
Arno Held, managing partner, added, "The additive manufacturing industry has shown steady and strong growth over the last decade and startups have played a crucial role during this time. We are convinced that startups will continue to be key in providing the innovation required to finally bring the digital world to the real world, and that they will help to produce industrial goods in a sustainable manner and thus strengthen supply chains and tackle climate change."
Exmet’s Bulk Metallic Glass Materials
AM Ventures as a 3D Printing Boon
AM Ventures is a boon for our industry. By judging them on their performance and progress, institutional and private investors can be exposed to and get excited about 3D printing. If AM Ventures does well, then we will do well as a whole industry because, aside from payouts to staff, these investors are going to plough money back in and raise more when their startups do well. In that way, they can be an engine for our industry and help accelerate our growth.
It’s difficult to judge the firm’s success in capital allocation thus far. If you would have given me a pot of money, I would have loved to spend it on Conflux, Spectroplast, Additive Drives, Exmet, Dye Mansion and Headmade. I love Spectroplast‘s technology team and go-to-market. I appreciate Conflux as a company and its technology, as well. Additive Drives could power a number of cars if it can industrialize the 3D printing of electric motor parts. Dye Mansion may be an integral part of everyone firm’s powder workflow. Exmet could use its bulk metallic glass materials to make very long-lasting parts with a great deal of IP protection, while Headmade may be a new path to low-cost metal components.
In that way, it seems as though AM Ventures is enthusiastic about the startups that can both accelerate 3D printing while growing to become very large businesses. Only time will tell how successful the fund is.
A Financial Life Raft for 3D Printing
In a few short months, the sector has gone from cash sloshing around aplenty to a money drought. This means that the capital raise by AM Ventures is now more important than it was a half a year ago. Amid a dearth of money, the company could supply crucial funding to a group of companies worldwide at an important stage of growth.
Money is now more precious and dear to obtain, but also less valuable, so this makes for a rather delicate time to be running a VC fund. Future money is more circumspect still, with less enthusiasm and lower returns expected on future cash. However, if AM Ventures continues to delve down deep into 3D printing and perform the ultimate smart money play, then the firm’s fortunes will rise along with the industry’s.
I hope that we will in the future see more strategic investment and more players similar to AM Ventures. Dumb money has really gotten us somewhere, but perhaps not laid the groundwork for a sustainable AM future for everyone.
In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, starting with business, manufacturing company Fast Radius recently cut 20% of its workforce. Then, Xometry has introduced new digital sourcing tools and more. A Formula Student racing team is using Eplus3D’s metal powder bed fusion system to improve the performance of its electric race car. Finally, Smart-Ship used Hubs’ quote builder to speed up product development.
Fast Radius Cuts 20% of Workforce
Cloud manufacturing and digital supply chain company Fast Radius (FSRD) joined several other 3D printing companies in going public via a SPAC deal last year. The goal was growth, and last month the company appointed Patrick McCusker as President and Interim Chief Financial Officer and John Nanry as Chief Operating Officer, so things seemed like they were rolling right along. But then we started seeing LinkedIn posts from Fast Radius employees announcing that they had been laid off due to a cost-cutting initiative, and found that the Board of Directors had approved restructuring actions—including cutting 20% of its workforce—in order to reduce the company’s operating expenses.
The restructuring actions, which are expected to be mostly completed by the end of Q3 2022, are meant to help the company execute its strategy, which is focused on four main priorities: enhancing its software tools, user experience, and digital workflows; increasing customer acquisition efforts; building out and optimizing its marketplace and supplier network; and securing additional capital. While the cuts did include getting rid of open positions, approximately 40 people were ultimately laid off from the Fast Radius workforce. The company is also taking other operational expense management actions, such as consolidating its facilities, in an effort to save over $10 million.
Xometry Unveils New Digital Sourcing Tools, MES Supplier System
In an effort to bring buyers and suppliers even closer together, global online marketplace Xometry introduced new digital sourcing tools for enterprise buyers on Thomasnet.com, in addition to a new cloud-based manufacturing execution system (MES) for suppliers that will be open to third-party developers for building integrated applications. The Xometry Instant Quoting Engine, Job Board, and financial services features from the Xometry Marketplace have now been integrated into Thomasnet, which will enable Xometry to more quickly scale its network of active suppliers and buyers. Its new Industrial Buying Engine digitizes and condenses the old, lengthy request-for-quote process, while the new cloud-based Workcenter system makes it easy for suppliers to manage their Xometry and non-Xometry work in a centralized project management and payment solution. The API-enabled Workcenter will also be opened up to third-party developers.
“Recent global events have underscored the need for the vital role that Xometry plays in the rapid digital transformation of the manufacturing industry, from the procurement process to the shop floor. With our large and growing network of suppliers, expanding set of manufacturing capabilities and new software to integrate with our customers' internal systems, Xometry is an enterprise-wide solution. We work across the supply chain and are deeply embedded with procurement managers, buyers and engineers on the one hand, and thousands of manufacturers on the other,” said Xometry CEO Randy Altschuler.
“We are scaling quickly to be the technology solution that drives efficiency for the $2.4 trillion manufacturing industry, and we are becoming the de facto rails through which buyers procure services and the thousands of small- and medium-sized suppliers across the country deliver it. With our new integrated Industrial Buying Engine and Workcenter offerings, we're leveraging the strategic acquisition of Thomas with the power of our AI-driven Xometry Marketplace and Instant Quoting capabilities to deliver on our promise of advanced technology solutions benefiting buyers and suppliers. The new products align with our mission of championing manufacturing, the backbone of our economy here and abroad.”
Eplus3D Supports Formula Student Racing Team
3D printed cooling jacket
The Formula Student Racing Team E.Stall of the Esslingen University of Applied Sciences is designing and building an electric race car to compete in the Formula Student competition, and is improving the car’s performance with 3D printing support from Chinese 3D printer manufacturer Eplus3D. The global competition is won by the team not only with the fastest car, but also with the best overall package of design, construction, performance, financial planning, and sales presentation. The E.Stall team looked at previous seasons and decided to improve the cooling system of their current car by making it more reliable; their previous polymer cooling jacket, which is meant to regulate drivetrain temperature and prevent the motor from overheating, was prone to leakage. Eplus3D’s EP-M260 Dual-Laser powder bed fusion system was used to print a cooling jacket, cooling plating for the inverters, and a steering component out of aluminum, which can easily dissipate generated heat to improve the race car’s performance.
Eplus3D’s accurate 3D printing allowed the team to create complex structures and reduce the wall thickness of the components, which also helped reduce their size and weight. Additionally, 3D printing enabled functional integration of cooling system, connectors, and mounting, which adds up to what Eplus3D calls a “failsafe design” that won’t leak. Both of the 3D printed heat exchanger parts were able to keep the motors and inverters below 65°C, which the team said is a great result, and the components can also operate more efficiently because of their low temperature. E.Stall won 4th place in Formula Student Engineering Design Competitions in the Alpe Adria region and the Czech Republic, and won first place in the Efficiency Category of an Endurance Event in Croatia—a major milestone for the team.
Hubs & Smart-Ship Developing Haptic Navigation Systems
Hubs recently published a case study about a project it completed with Dutch maritime tech startup Smart-Ship to develop haptic navigation systems and advanced training simulators for maritime vessels. Operators on these ships have a ton of information to process, usually through visual and audio input, but Smart-Ship uses haptic (tactile) feedback in levers and consoles to send signals, which makes operations safer and more efficient at high speeds and in choppy waters. The idea was born as an academic concept and transformed into a functional prototype, with Hubs serving as a partner for all of it. The original plan was to install haptic consoles and levers directly onto marine vessels, but there are a lot of regulations involved, so while the team waited for the necessary certifications, it decided to first integrate its hardware and software into maritime training simulators. The parts for the levers and simulator have to be very precise in order to give proper haptic feedback, and Hubs was able to help with this using its rapid prototyping portfolio, including 3D printing and CNC machining. FDM technology and PLA were used, but the parts that convey sensory information were made with SLS 3D printing, to ensure high tolerance and robustness. Smart-Ship used Hubs’ quote builder to efficiently iterate designs for the optimal price throughout, and earlier this year was able to successfully test its products with operators on Royal IHC's dredging simulator; the company also installed one of its throttle levers on an inland ship for its integral locking assistance system. Having reached these milestones, Smart-Ship is now testing other levers and getting ready to sell them to shipping companies, as well as producing integrated training modules, in order to give the maritime industry a robust, safe solution. The company is still working with Hubs as it prepares to scale up its production.
“You really have to be able to assure that you can supply constant quality and everything complies with the rules and regulations. We want to show that a small company, in collaboration with a manufacturing partner like Hubs, can provide this quality,” said Smart-Ship’s CTO Jelle Tiemensma.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced 30 projects that have been selected to receive a total of $57.9 million in grants from the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO). Among the recipients were Fortify and polySpectra: the two additive manufacturing (AM) firms received $3 million, for a joint project to develop tooling used for the automotive sector.
Image courtesy of polySpectra
Several other entities — National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), MPI Systems, RePliForm Inc., and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) — are involved in the project as well, and thus will also benefit from the funding. Specifically, the money goes toward the development of solutions for lightweighting automotive tooling, using Cyclic Olefin Resin-based composites. Cyclic Olefin Resin (COR) is polySpectra's proprietary, printable version of cycloolefin copolymer (COC).
Image courtesy of Fortify
Compared to other polymers, COC has come into widespread use fairly recently. Its increasing popularity in commercial applications over the last couple of decades is thanks to its translucence and durability, making it optimal for use in the production of anything with a screen. Along with polySpectra's COR, the participating companies will be using Fortify's unique magnet-driven, DLP series of printers, FLUX.
In a press release, the principal investigator for the award, polySpectra's founder, Raymond Weitekamp, commented, "Olefin-based thermoset composites have been used for many decades in extremely demanding applications such as wind turbine blades and fuel cell components, because they are among the most durable materials on the planet. Under this research grant, we will leverage Nobel-winning chemistry to directly 3D-print [COR]. The goal of the DOE project is to bring unprecedented materials durability to [AM], which will provide the industry with immense leverage for the decarbonization and reshoring of the US manufacturing sector."
Additionally, the grant money will be used to help bring more individuals from underrepresented groups into the industry, by way of training and recruitment programs. This is at least the second AM project in the last couple of weeks to mention this same objective.
Image courtesy of polySpectra
Although the initial R&D will focus on automotive parts, it is of course likely that, should the effort succeed, COR will start to be used in more applications. This is especially likely, considering the steadily growing interest in AM applications for electronics. As part of a larger AM carbon strategy, the potential to print screens close to the point of sale could be a huge asset in lowering the emissions created by the global production of consumer goods.
Finally, it's worth emphasizing the amount of money pouring into the AM sector lately from the DOE, in particular. To be sure, the US government has long been one of the principal funders of AM. Nevertheless, there's something at least symbolically momentous, about the fact that the energy-use considerations are overtly starting to factor into more and more projects.
We are currently looking for speakers for each of our nine tracks for the sixth ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING STRATEGIES (AMS) conference and exhibition, taking place February 7-9, 2023: https://additivemanufacturingstrategies.com. We are seeking both panelists and individual talks. The entry deadline is August 15, 2022
AMS is the leading event in the Northeast where stakeholders come to New York City to learn about emerging business developments and new technologies in AM. The event is also a great place to network and conduct business deals. We are particularly interested in talks from established technologists and senior industry executives in the areas of (1) new materials, (2) AM software, and (3) AM in the automotive, aerospace, or marine sectors. We especially welcome end user firms in all these sectors.
Please submit your suggested presentation by email to Lawrence Gasman at lawrence@smartechpublishing.com
In addition to your abstract/proposal, please provide the following information:
· a. Name
· b. Email address
· c. Telephone number
· d. Affiliation
(speakers receive a full registration [in-person/online; no expenses are provided])
As a concept, the metaverse is gaining ground. After being popularized by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, countless articles have been written about it. A cynic may very well think that, after Facebook became an online wasteland and Instagram lost out in relevance and growth to TikTok, the metaverse may be a desperate play to maintain some relevance and stave off the collapse of the firm now called “Meta.” Facebook achieved over $100 billion in revenue in 2021 before the stock dropped by over half and the company posted lower revenue results. A new dream would seem to be a timely thing for a company destined to crater.
However, given Meta’s size and the firms and talking heads that have jumped onto the metaverse bandwagon, the concept could still have legs. It is a seductive dream for Wall Street—if they buy it—and could be a vision of the future of the internet. So, what is the metaverse? From the tea leaves, can we distill its impact on 3D printing? Let’s have a go at it.
What Is the Metaverse?
The metaverse is a series of interconnected 3D worlds, accessed via virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). The former, VR, represents a synthetic environment made up of images, video, sounds, and other sensations that pass to a user’s body to make them believe that they are inhabiting or interacting with a computer program that indistinguishable from the physical world. In contrast, AR represents a layer of digital information, interaction, or sensation overlayed onto a user’s immediate physical environment.
VR can make you believe that Zombies are chasing you while you’re on the moon, while AR puts the zombies in your living room and lets you shoot them using a paperweight. The AR application that you may have tried is Pokemon GO, in which digital Pokemon are superimposed onto the world through your smartphone. By looking at your phone, you could see a Pokemon at your local fountain. Your VR experience has probably been an awkward stumble at your local mall while playing a game.
Currently, both of these digital interfaces are accessed using headsets, of which millions are being distributed. Applications in AR and VR are rather crude, however, and there is a great deal of fragmentation between these different apps, headsets, developers, and experiences.
Dr. Gideon simulates the surgery using VR. Image courtesy of Mike Gideon.
These competing and sometimes complementary display and experience methods are both in development by Microsoft, Meta, HTC, Samsung, and many other firms. Currently, standards are few and far in between. Whereas, there are rigs or VR treadmills to simulate movement in a game, most of the work is focused on the headsets themselves and assumes that the user is either ambulatory or sedentary. In addition to games, the primary focus areas of these technologies are in training, especially for work, flight, medical or military training. There are many other possible industries and applications out there, but the industry is still pretty nascent.
Having said that headset shipments reportedly surpassed 11 million units last year. Estimates on the total revenue of the industry surpass $60 billion. However, if you delve deeper into stories, reports, and analyses, no one seems to be able to articulate very well what we will actually do all day in the metaverse.
Will the Metaverse Succeed?
Right now, we don’t know if this market will be a success. We also don’t really know what applications will actually pull people into the metaverse. What equivalents to email will there be that can act as handy anchor applications to keep users returning to the metaverse? This we do not know either.
Some apps seem to point to some future utility. Take Nightsky, which superimposes labels for stars and constellations onto the sky above a user’s head. Meanwhile, Inkhunter makes it possible to visualize how tattoos look on a user’s body seem to point to many potential commercial uses of AR. AR especially positions itself at the shoreline between bits and bytes, or the virtual and the real. Undoubtedly, there will be very many potential touch points there—whether it be you setting your thermostat, checking the number of footsteps you’ve taken today, or buying new products. The virtual goods industry is also very large, perhaps even reaching $38 billion. So, there seems to be a lot of potential there.
Having way too much fun in the metaverse!
However, this does not address the core issue: will we ever really see a unified interoperable—or even remotely powerful—walled garden-like experience that would qualify as a “metaverse.” Perhaps, we are witnessing the growth of apps that enrich the world with deeper content using smartphones, while a subset of gamers now wear a headset to playing a XBox.
The online games industry is also a fantastical affair, but it is not an island. It depends on the likes of Samsung and Apple for most of the gaming hardware, as well as Google and Apple for operating systems and app stores. Obviously, Meta and the rest want to be the App Store for the coming 3D world.
This is an obvious play. But if the metaverse does happen, it doesn’t have to be a huge shift for everyone on the world. 7.62 billion people already have a cellphone. Will that number have a headset? I think not because the utility is lower. Even if headsets did become popular, all of the cellphone makers would pile from handset to headset—and what would change? Would someone be able to supplant Apple OS and the app store faster than it would take the wealthiest company in the world to play catch up?
Even if the metaverse doesn’t become ubiquitous, it could still very well be profitable. There are only about 117 million PlayStation 4 consoles in the world, and only19 million Playstation 5s. Seen in this way, console gaming is a rather marginal activity compared to apps played via cel phones. However, even with walled gardens set up by the likes of Nintendo and Sony, there’s still a great deal of money to be made.
On the whole, I’m intensely skeptical about the emergence of a complete metaverse. Immersive escape will be an activity for some sometimes. I just can’t believe that humanity will be entering the Wall-E scenario completely. I also don’t find the immersion compelling outside of pure gaming. The more you spend immersed ,the less exciting it will be and the more humdrum the details of that virtual world will be. So, to me, the major impact will be through AR interaction with our information sources and with the world around us. In effect, we could add an optionally-viewable layer of context—and advertising—over the intensely populated parts of our world.
Should 3D Printing Have a Metaverse Strategy?
You may be old enough to remember Second Life, a world where you can parade around a virtual avatar and interact with other users. At one point, people were spending thousands of dollars buying real estate and goods in Second Life and other platforms. IBM, Accenture, and other firms opened virtual offices in the platform, while no one was really about to articulate why it would be useful. I remember, in an old job, we tried to organize a meeting in Second Life to check out the possibilities and we were simply unable to because we couldn´t get everyone’s fantastical outfits to render. Second Life was supposed to be a virtual world where we’d all work. Now, work is still a combination of Zoom and email.
FundamentalVR’s Fundamental Surgery software as a service VR platform. (Image courtesy of FundamentalVR)
The universe will explode, implode, shatter, and stay the same in ways that we will scarcely be able to imagine. On the whole, we’ll be continually surprised at how similar the future is to the past and just how little new futures affect core human behavior. Augmenting existing activity, such as conversing with family members via online phone calls, is the kind of thing that will always function even if they doesn’t function well, while completely new modes of being and interacting that change us tend to not function altogether. It is 2022 and my fridge still doesn’t buy my groceries. Yet I pay with my cellphone and it is the ultimate guardian and colander for my privacy.
I think that there is currently enough substance to AR and VR that we should have a metaverse strategy, but I would council you to please not write a metaverse white paper or jump on the potentially silly bandwagon of profiteers. First, hug a crypto kid. Then focus on your future.
What about 3D Printing and the Metaverse?
So, our metaverse strategy should be complementary and maximizes any and all possible deployments of the metaverse, whether they be big or small, niche or all encompassing. For that, we have to look at the key element that the metaverse is likely to provide, whichever level of success it has. The metaverse is likely to become a barrier to the digital and real worlds, a line where both those environments interact, yet are somehow distinct. There’s a vanishing point to where the real becomes virtual and vice versa. This will be surrounded by the metaverse.
3D printing is ideal for this beachhead. Generally, I’d advise you to not to try to be too opportunistic, rather than to exclaim from an ivory tower the wonders of a new world.
Headset Prototypes
One very concrete opportunity is in prototyping the myriad headsets and other devices that are in development. It would be an excellent business opportunity for anyone to be the scalable manufacturing partner for the many startups in the hardware arena. Most will fail, but it will allow them to pay you in order to gain experience in the meta market. I would actively seek partnerships if I were a materials supplier, OEM, or service in this space in order to find out what is real.
End-Use Parts
These headsets could potentially have polymer 3D printed end-use parts in them. Assemblies will tend to be complex. Light-weighting and a small form factor are at a premium because users will wear them for a long period of time. They are significantly heavier than the headphones and hats traditionally worn day-to-day. So, there could be opportunities to print complex, mass-saving assemblies at high volumes.
Mass-Customized Headsets
Comfort is also at a premium, so there could be opportunities to make more comfortable, mass-customised headsets that use 3D printing. Manufacturers might be able to offer technologically identical versions of existing headsets with more margin on them, allowing them to push for higher prices.
Heat Management
Heat management will be an issue for any electronics worn on the body, so 3D printed heatsinks may find a way into these kinds of devices. Additionally, heat management could benefit from 3D printed textures, grooves, or other structures that might make the devices fit better, while being cooler on the skin. This includes wicking geometries or devices.
User-Generated Content
User-created shapes, designs, products, and environments are sure to find a way into the mataverse´s commercial offering. These could obviously be 3D printed. This has been tried before in games but without much success. A user’s ability to create should be greater and more freeform through the use of VR tools. This may lead to more interest in 3D printing these creations.
Gaming Chairs
People have a lot of affection for gaming chairs, in which they spend many hours. They’ve also become a big product category. In VR and AR, what is the equivalent? Will people have a gaming box or area in which they play in which they spend many hours? This contact with the virtual world could also be customized via 3D printing.
On the whole, I’m intensely skeptical about the metaverse, especially as some sort of universal play land. However, enough money and interest is going to the metaverse that the additive sector can constructively engage that market to its benefit.
PyroGenesis Canada Inc.(TSX: PYR) has long been working to develop additive manufacturing (AM) feedstock using its own plasma atomization technique. Now, the company has announced that it has increased its powder production technology to industrial scale.
NextGen Metal 3D Printing Powders
PyroGenesis is a Montreal-based plasma technology company, which not only recycles waste, but also develops systems for converting that waste into something useful, including energy. The company claims to be the original inventor of plasma atomization, even inventing that term. Since at least 2015, it has also worked to develop metal powders for AM. P. Peter Pascali, CEO and Chair of PyroGenesis, explained that it took several years of research and development to push the technology beyond sample production:
"Over the past three years, PyroGenesis completed a series of intricate production steps as it readied the NexGen Plasma Atomization system. This has resulted in the most recent milestone, where the Company announced that it had moved from sample production to commercial size batch production," Pascali said. "With the ability to now produce titanium powder by the tonne, the Company is now in a position where it can provide additional perspective on status, and next steps, for both existing and developing opportunities."
The plasma atomization process from PyroGenesis. Image courtesy of PyroGenesis.
The result is the NexGen Plasma Atomization System, which advances on its previous plasma atomization technique by offering higher production rates, narrower particle size distribution ("PSD"), and the ability to distribute bulk PSD in a more desirable manner. In turn, PyroGenesis claims the ability to manufacture "a very targeted powder, with little to no waste, at higher volumes and lower cost."
Partners at Home and Abroad
In 2019, PyroGenesis partnered with French metal industrialization company Aubert & Duval to help develop the NextGen technology. A subsidiary of the world's second largest maker of high-power, press-forged parts Eramet, Aubert & Duval buys titanium powder exclusively from PyroGenesis to distribute it in Europe. Now, PyroGenesis is in the process of establishing full distribution agreements, including distribution planning, order planning, and logistics.
PyroGenesis’s plasma atomization system. Image courtesy of PyroGenesis.
Additionally, a tier one North American aerospace company has agreed to qualify of the titanium powder to set the Canadian plasma business to become an approved supplier. This will include evaluating PyroGenesis's manufacturing methods, powder samples, and mechanical and chemical properties before printing test coupons. Pyrogenesis believes they are nearing the end of this initial testing process before approval of non-manufacturing processes (e.g., quoting, handling, storing, shipping, logistics, etc.). Final approval is anticipated to occur in Q4 2022.
Now, PyroGenesis is in the process of producing stock titanium powder for storage as orders from Aubert & Duval, along with other customers, begins to take place. This may include the Asian market, where the company had previously initiated talks with a metal powder supplier to establish a distribution agreement.
So far, the plasma firm had achieved ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100D certification for aerospace. It is now ready to pursue ISO 13485:2016, which is focused on a quality management system that demonstrates the ability to provide regulated medical devices and related services. That will open up the company's powders to the medical market.
Expanding to Aluminum 3D Printing Powders
At the moment, the NextGen technology is capable of atomizing titanium powders; however, PyroGenesis is also developing aluminum alloys, such as AlSi10Mg, for the auto industry. This trends with aluminum 3D printing as a whole, which is currently being driven by demand by auto OEMs for this lightweight, corrosion resistant, mechanically strong metal typically used in casting. According to SmarTech Analysis, aluminum alloy 3D printing accounted for almost 10% of 3D printed metal in 2018, which led to a 43 percent growth in shipments of aluminum powder.
PyroGenesis anticipates the need for a stand-alone aluminum atomization system in order to prevent cross-contamination, individualized research and development, and large-scale production of the material. As a result, this is a medium-term goal for the firm. It is also exploring regions in Europe in which to establish a powder factory in Europe.
"As we have stated in the past, given the sheer size of this market and our unique manufacturing process – which improves exponentially on the world's existing leading metal powder production process (which we invented 25 years ago) – we expect to capture a significant share of the overall titanium powder market," said Massimo Dattilo, Vice President of PyroGenesis Additive. "With our NexGen system reaching the commercial scale production milestones of the past month, combined with the attention that these achievements have attracted worldwide, we are even more convinced that not only has the Company's systematic and painstaking approach been the correct path, but that this strategy will result in unique additional opportunities. As a result, we are continuing to announce new products, new markets, and additional manufacturing avenues as indicated above, all with the goal to help additive manufacturers improve their processes & margins, by offering the highest quality metal powders at the lowest cost."
Analysis
It is interesting to hear these updates from PyroGenesis all at once. The company must have been eager to share the progress on its AM powder technology, particularly as numerous newcomers enter a space which it had begun exploring much earlier.
Given the French background of Quebec, it is not surprising that it has partnered with a French metals company for distribution. It also wouldn't be surprising if those French-Canadian synergies continued, perhaps leading to a collaboration with AddUp, just across the border in Ohio and with a headquarters in France. Canada's AM ecosystem has not yet caught up with those of other first world nations, so we can likely expect PyroGenesis to further cultivate, if not lead, the 3D printing sector in the country.
It would be particularly interesting for a company like Eramet to acquire PyroGenesis or even its additive division as the relationship progresses. Founded with funding from the Rothschild banking family in 1880, the company has grown to a $3.7 billion mining giant, in terms of 2017 revenues. Large metals businesses—such as Kennametal, GKN, Carpenter, Sandvik, Rusal, Höganäs, and ThyssenKrupp—have been increasing their footing in AM for some time. While ThyssenKrupp is the largest in terms of revenues, it is not producing AM powders for sale. Instead, it is working with shipping giant Wilhelmsen to 3D print marine parts. Sandvik may be the most comparable in terms of activities, given its large mining business. For a French firm to take out a slice of the metal AM powders segment, it might very well need to purchase its own division rather than develop it internally.
“Heat treatment operations are just as important as the 3D printing phase itself, both to reduce the internal stresses generated during the "lasering" phase and to adapt the microstructure of the material and its properties. This is why, within AddUp, we are seeking to strengthen this expertise with one of the market leaders; both to reinforce our internal production capacities and to offer a complete solution to our customers wishing to integrate the production of parts made in 3D metal,” explained Jean Rivoire, Parts Production Manager at AddUp.
Heat treatment is an important part of the overall metal AM process, in which parts are fabricated by fusing consecutive layers of powder. The material is rapidly heated and then cooled due to how fast the laser moves, and this can cause either expansion or shrinkage, which can have a negative impact on the printed part. Applying thermal treatment to the metal 3D printed parts can not only decrease the internal stresses in order to achieve the proper mechanical properties, but also improve the material’s homogeneity.
Because it’s important to AddUp to provide its customers with a complete additive solution, including quality post-processing, the OEM turned to the ECM Group, which has plenty of expertise in thermal treatments. ECM has experience in controlling gases, atmospheres, and thermal applications, and provides vacuum furnace knowledge and equipment for a variety of advanced manufacturing sectors, including renewable energies, medical, e-mobility, and aeronautics. Now, AddUp and ECM will combine their knowledge to create a high value-added heat treatment solution for metal additive manufacturing.
“At ECM, we are convinced of the potential of metal additive manufacturing, some applications of which will lead to mass production. Our alliance with the French company AddUp, a key player in this market, will allow us to bring our know-how for the development of innovative thermal solutions to this market, as we have been doing for more than 20 years in the international market of thermal treatment of conventional parts,” said ECM Sales Director Yvan Trouillot. “Together, our ambition is to develop these technologies to help our customers progress by offering them the best solutions on the market.”
Together, the two companies will come up with heat treatment solutions to help customers lower manufacturing lead times and costs, as well as improve the performance of their 3D printed parts. First, AddUp and the ECM Group will focus on a development program that will lay out the proper specifications for a heat treatment solution adapted specifically for metal AM. Then, ECM will design a vacuum furnace system that meets these specifications.
In February of 2023, 3DPrint.com and SmarTech Analysis will once again be holding our Additive Manufacturing Strategies summit in New York City. This event will include keynote presentations and panels focused on nine vertical topics that are critical in the continually-growing world of additive manufacturing, including large-format and industrial AM and post-processing. Register now to join us in these important discussions!
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A team of researchers at the National Institute for Materials Science and Osaka University Graduate School of Engineering in Japan, has successfully demonstrated the fabrication of single crystal nickel with additive manufacturing, and they are hoping it finds applications in aerospace. Single crystal metals are highly prized for applications undergoing high stresses and strains and […]
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