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3D Printing News Briefs, May 20, 2023: 4D Printing, Sustainability, Inclusivity, & More https://ift.tt/Kjf5PHx Starting with space news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, a Kansas City startup is building 3D printed re-entry capsules for on-demand cargo return from space. In research, a 3D printed biodegradable seed-robot, which can change shape in response to humidity, was created by researchers in Italy. Materialise completed its first materiality assessment and matrix, and Canadian Filaments and Oco created a new carbon captured filament. Finally, an MIT hardware startup with a focus on inclusivity launched a 3D printed device that allows people to control devices with their tongue, and Earfab’s custom in-ear products are live. Raven Space Systems 3D Printing Re-Entry Capsules for Space CargoKansas City startup Raven Space Systems is one of 14 companies chosen for a technical, business, and mentorship program from Amazon Web Services that will work to transform the future of space. Raven’s automated factory is building 3D printed re-entry capsules for on-demand cargo return from space for less money, at a faster pace, and with adaptability for missions, and the 2023 AWS Space Accelerator is helping it, and the other startups, speed up their growth and advance their solutions. Participants get AWS training, business development and strategy support, mentoring from AWS space domain and technical subject matter experts, and up to $100,000 in AWS Promotional Credit, as well as opportunities to work with AWS customers and AWS Partner Network (APN) Partners. Raven initially focused on material formulations to 3D print aerospace-grade thermoset composite materials at scale, but the co-founders realized that no one was improving the production of re-entry vehicles.
3D Printed Biodegradable Shape-Changing Seed RobotResearchers from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the University of Trento were inspired by the seeds of the South African geranium, or Pelargonium appendiculatum, in their creation of the I-Seed, a biomimetic robot 3D printed out of biodegradable materials, in the shape of a seed, with the ability to change shape and autonomously explore the soil in response to changes in humidity, which makes it a 4D printed artificial seed prototype. The I-Seed project, funded by the EU and coordinated by IIT, is working to create robots that can be used as sensors to monitor soil quality parameters and air metrics. The group studied the movement and dispersal features of seed-carrying structures in these plants, and found that, under the right environmental conditions, the seeds detach and, “exploiting the hygroscopic properties” of the materials that compose them, change shape and move on their own to penetrate the soil. The seeds exploit dead cellulose-based tissues that have no metabolism and can deform through humidity changes, and after histological analysis of these tissues, the team was able to mimic the seed design through the use of 3D printing and electrospinning.
Materialise Releases Materiality Assessment and MatrixAs a signatory of the UN Global Compact, Materialise has been annually reporting on its sustainability initiatives and progress since 2017, and says that sustainability is a major element of both its mission and shared vision to create a healthier, overall better world. But what’s new with its sustainability strategy is the completion of its first materiality assessment and matrix. In it, Materialise identifies six priority topics for sustainability: carbon footprint; material use efficiency and waste reduction; eco-design and innovation for sustainability; sustainable procurement; diversity and inclusion; and employee engagement and well-being.
In addition to finishing its new materiality assessment and matrix, Materialise is also in the middle of developing a new sustainability dashboard, which should be published soon. Canadian Companies Create Carbon Captured Filament for 3D PrintingCanadian Filaments, which manufactures high-quality 3D printer filaments, and fellow Canada-based company Oco, a climate ambassador that offers businesses the chance to upcycle collected Co2 material, have partnered to create a unique carbon captured filament for 3D printing. The two wanted to provide other AM companies with a more climate-friendly production material to help lower their carbon footprint, and the partners have also begun a take-back and recycle project, in which they will give 3D printing companies the chance to transform printed material back into reusable filament. Their new carbon captured filament has been released under the CUT product name, and is made from Co2 emissions and recycled graphite, processed through Oco’s CUT mechanism. The sustainable, engineering-grade PLA and PETG filaments feature high resilience and durability, and the first company to implement the material is Canadian company CleanO2, which will be 3D printing parts for its CarbinX device that captures carbon and transforms it into materials used to produce other products, like fertilizers, glass, and soap.
Augmental’s Device for Hands-Free Computing Using the TongueHardware startup Augmental, an MIT Media Lab spinoff, is pushing the limits of hands-free computing with its MouthPad^ device, which allows people to interact with and control their devices using only their tongue, which the startup considers “the 11th finger.” There are options for disabled people without the use of their hands to access the digital world, such as eye-tracking technology and lip-controlled joysticks, but the MouthPad^ is a far better option. This smart intraoral interface, customized to each user’s mouth, converts the user’s tongue position and pressure into cursor actions by processing signals through a machine learning algorithm and sending them via Bluetooth to the connected device. Plus, users can seamlessly switch between speech and tongue-driven screen navigation. Intraoral scanning is used to generate a 3D model of the user’s mouth, which helps to create a custom design that’s 3D printed using dental resin. The personalized MouthPad^ encapsulates a processing unit, Bluetooth radio, and flexible circuit board with sensors inside a watertight casing, allowing users to do everything from turning on the lights and sending an email to playing a video game. The goal is to scale up the device so it can be used by the broadest audience—not just disabled people, but also astronauts, surgeons, factory line workers, and more.
Earfab’s Custom In-Ear Products Now Available to OrderDanish company Earfab has officially gone live with its custom in-ear products. The company offers custom products for traveling, sleeping, and hearing protection for activities like hunting, racing, industry work, and concerts. Earfab developed its earfabSCAN app and associated production technology, which are used to digitally create custom in-ear plugs. The process is quick and simple: first, purchase your preferred product, and you will then receive a unique QR code, along with instructions. Next, download the earfabSCAN app (products only work with iPhone x Series, 11 Series or 12 Series), and then scan your ears with your phone and complete your order. In less than ten days, you should receive your custom ear plugs, 3D printed out of biodegradable TPE resin.
The post 3D Printing News Briefs, May 20, 2023: 4D Printing, Sustainability, Inclusivity, & More appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/z8UBAsZ May 20, 2023 at 08:17AM
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U.S. Postal Service launches service performance dashboard https://ift.tt/JrywO7U WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today launched an online service performance dashboard, consistent with one of the operational reforms included in the Postal Service Reform Act. Printing via USPS News https://ift.tt/jnafUFH May 19, 2023 at 05:04PM Postal Service Commemorates 50th Anniversary of Endangered Species Act with New Stamps https://ift.tt/xmfM3QD WALL, SD — Nearly 50 years ago, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed into law. Under the ESA, more than 1,670 U.S. and nearly 700 foreign species are safeguarded to increase their chances of survival. With the release of the new Endangered Species Forever stamps today, the Postal Service is celebrating not only the law, but also the people, organizations and agencies who have worked so hard to protect and save so much. Printing via USPS News https://ift.tt/ysEd2LY May 19, 2023 at 12:08PM
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3D Printing News Unpeeled: MetalWorm & Alloy Enterprises https://ift.tt/hOt1C2k Alloy Enterprises raised $26 million in a Series A funding round bringing their total raise to 37 million. This is heating up the battle between them and various firms such as Vulcan Forms and Seurat to usher in service based 3D Printing at volume. Alloy Enterprises specializes on aluminum and uses LOM. It stacks laser cut layers of aluminum sheet. This limits design freedom but is very low cost. The company says that it has done ten tonne production runs and that it is targeting automotive, industrial and heavy equipment markets. The last one could especially benefit from this process to make parts that were before not made with additive. Turkish spin out MetalWorm Additive Manufacturing Technologies is launching two WAAM machines. This shows us that competition can not just come from China. The firm is offering steel and will work on armor steel. Indeed MetalWorm has clients including Roketsan, Otokar and FNSS the last two being armored car manufacturers and the first one an artillery and missile company. WAAM could provide military with novel lower cost better performing composite armor, this could be huge. This is a big step for solidifying Turkey´s manufacturing base around additive, it already has powder bed fusion companies, on the back of the success of its weapons in Ukraine. Senvol has gotten a US Army Contract “Applying Machine Learning to Ensure Consistency and Verification of Additive Manufacturing (AM) Machine and Part Performance Across Multiple Sites.” The post 3D Printing News Unpeeled: MetalWorm & Alloy Enterprises appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/z8UBAsZ May 19, 2023 at 11:21AM
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Alloy Enterprises Secures $26M for Novel Aluminum 3D Printing Tech https://ift.tt/TZofXR5 As recently reported by 3DPrint.com Senior Analyst Vanesa Listek, private investment into additive manufacturing (AM) startups has generally decreased from 2022 to 2023. However, there are notable standouts that have almost made up for the lack of numerous funding instances with their own large rounds. Fabric8 Labs was the last to take in a substantial chunk of money for its unique electrochemical AM technology. Now, another metal AM firm, Alloy Enterprises, has announced the completion of a $26 million Series A led by Piva Capital and joined by new investors Unless, Flybridge Capital, MassMutual Catalyst Fund, Robert Downey Jr.’s Footprint Coalition, and existing investors Congruent Ventures and Riot Ventures. This brings the total raised by the startup to $37 million. Alloy’s Aluminum 3D Printing ProcessAlloy Enterprises has developed a novel metal 3D printing process similar to laminated object manufacturing with rolls of aluminum sheets. The technique first uses laser cutting to trace the outline of a part onto a sheet of aluminum. An inhibiting layer is then deposited to create in-situ supports. This process is then repeated with new layers of metal sheets that are then stacked and bonded under heat and pressure. Thanks to the inhibiting agent, the excess material can then be easily removed without specialized tools. The process bears some resemblance to Impossible Objects’ composite-based AM (CBAM), only CBAM produces fiber-reinforced polymer parts, rather than metal. It also boasts similarly quick print speeds, claiming 25 times the rate of component production, from file to part, of other metal AM processes. Alloy relies on its own specialty feedstock, meant to be less expensive than the costly powders made for laser powder bed fusion, the dominant metal AM technique in the industry. According to the startup, it has its feedstock production scales to be able make 10 tons at a time. This summer, Alloy will be delivering production volume parts, already looking into qualifying new customer applications to meet its capacity.
Upon receiving a Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard, Forsyth previously led engineering teems at Desktop Metal and Open Water Power, acquired by L3 Harris. Her co-founder and CTO, Nick Mykulowycz, also hails from Desktop Metal, where he led development of the Studio System and its bound metal deposition technology.
Aluminum 3D Printing’s It MomentSince material supplies like titanium are already heavily saturated in the industry, aluminum has become one of the most in-demand metals in AM, particularly as adoption for automotive end parts increases. This metal has twice the strength-to-weight ratio of steel, while remaining much less expensive than titanium, making it ideal for lightweighting in the transportation sector. As a result, it is a perfect partner for AM in vehicle electrification, with 3D printing able to produce optimized components for any number of automotive operations.
Alloyed Enterprises notes that the U.S. has dropped a third of its foundries. The investment round comes at a perfect moment in U.S. history, as the Biden administration and associated Congress implement a series of measures for revitalizing and reshoring the country’s manufacturing supply chain, with a heavy focus on transportation. Funding through the CHIPS Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act have already kicked off numerous projects across the U.S., while signaling to other nations that the country is finally serious about decarbonization. In turn, Canada, Australia, China, and members of the E.U. have pursued their own versions of advanced manufacturing programs and funding in the name of supply chain resilience and sustainable production.
Founded in 2020, Alloy was already making parts within a year of getting off the ground. Its growth has been extremely rapid as it targeted a perfect material and verticals for its technology. Just as aluminum has become if the industry’s “it” metals, Alloy Enterprises has become one of 3D printing’s “it” startups. Images courtesy of Aluminum Enterprises. The post Alloy Enterprises Secures $26M for Novel Aluminum 3D Printing Tech appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/z8UBAsZ May 19, 2023 at 09:20AM
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SPEE3D’s Cold Spray 3D Printing Wins DoD Point of Need Challenge https://ift.tt/ZOLl4hk SPEE3D, the Australian 3D printing original equipment manufacturer (OEM), announced that the company was one of six winners of the Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology (DoD ManTech) “Point of Need Challenge”. SPEE3D specializes in providing cold spray metal additive manufacturing (AM) solutions that work under extreme conditions. Thus, the company was a fitting choice to compete for one of the Point of Need Challenges, which paired contestants with designated Manufacturing USA institutes. SPEE3D and LIFT — a Manufacturing USA institute headquartered in Detroit — won the “Staying in the Fight Challenge”, which comes with a $2.5 million investment from DoD ManTech, and another $700,000 from private industry partners. (The other two categories were the “Warfighter Medical, Health, and Nutrition Challenge”, and the “Cyber Challenge”.) Contestants presented their proposals to a panel of judges from various agencies within DoD, at the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute in Pittsburgh. The award money will fund execution of SPEE3D’s winning proposal: realizing the capability to successfully 3D print metal parts “in sub-freezing environments equivalent in quality to the same parts printed” on the same machines under optimal conditions. The project is set to culminate later this year in a live exercise at the US Army’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CREEL), in Hanover, NH. As former deputy secretary of defense David Norquist recently pointed out, in a speech about the US’s desperate need to strengthen its defense industrial base, the DoD lost a fairly shocking 43.1 percent of its small business vendors between 2016 and 2022. Presumably, much of that was due to consolidation, decoupling from China, etc., but no matter the explanation, the end result remains that the US military has to both broaden and diversify its supply chains at a record pace. This sheds light on another theme from Norquist’s speech: the US’s need to embrace economic unity with its allies and partners around the world. And both considerations, in turn, provide context for why the US military is so interested in a company like SPEE3D, which can help shore up military infrastructure for NATO and its partners in the Pacific, close to the point of need. Add to that the fact that the company’s platforms are explicitly designed for forward deployment, and it becomes easy to see how SPEE3D could go through the stages of scale-up mode very quickly. That would be important not only for the company itself, but also for anyone paying attention who is trying to guess where the AM sector is headed over the next few years. The post SPEE3D’s Cold Spray 3D Printing Wins DoD Point of Need Challenge appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/z8UBAsZ May 19, 2023 at 09:20AM
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In the Crosshairs of the Law: Arrest, Bail, and Sentencing for 3D Printed Gun Offenses https://ift.tt/zmAf0Eu Recent incidents involving 3D printed firearms have underscored the growing concern over the illegal production and distribution of these ghost weapons. In the Canadian city of Winnipeg, a man was accused of participating in a criminal partnership for manufacturing and selling 3D printed guns. Similarly, in Victoria, Australia, charges have been filed against an individual who possessed a cache of 3D printed firearms, weapons, and drugs. A Mississippi man received a federal prison sentence in the United States for producing semi-automatic guns using 3D printers. Finally, two men were imprisoned in West Yorkshire, England, for their involvement in a plot to manufacture and supply firearms made at home using a 3D printer. According to officials involved in one of the cases, incidents like these highlight the need for law enforcement to address the illicit use of 3D printing technology in firearm production. The legal landscape surrounding 3D printed firearms varies across jurisdictions, with some countries strictly regulating or prohibiting their possession, manufacturing, or distribution, while others face challenges due to limited or unclear legislation in this area. Additionally, ghost guns, including 3D-printed firearms, pose a significant challenge to law enforcement and public safety due to their unserialized nature, making them difficult to trace. Countries such as the United Kingdom and Japan have taken measures to ban the creation of unregistered firearms produced with 3D printers. However, the issue of homemade untraceable 3D printed guns or gun parts remains controversial. Governments and law enforcement agencies worldwide are grappling with this evolving technology, seeking to balance innovation, public safety, and preventing illegal activities related to 3D printed firearms. Data from 3DPrint.com reveals a concerning trend, with a tripling of 3D printed gun arrests in less than two years. North America leads the arrest statistics, followed by Europe and Oceania. As recent cases of arrests, charges, and sentences continue to emerge, they contribute to a growing criminal niche. Here are more details about the latest 3D printed gun busts. Printing CriminalsIn March 2023, the Winnipeg Police Service Firearms Investigation and Enforcement Unit (FIEU) conducted a search warrant at a Winnipeg residence, resulting in significant seizures. Among the confiscated items were twenty partially assembled 3D printed Glock-style lower receivers, drugs, a 3D printed AR-15 style firearm designed to resemble a Nerf child’s toy, three 3D printed magazines, a 3D printed drum magazine, and a Creality Ender Pro Plus 3D printer with multiple filament spools. As part of the investigation, 18-year-old Jackson Prince was charged with nine offenses, including unauthorized possession of a firearm and two counts of weapons trafficking, but was subsequently granted bail. During a recent media conference, Inspector Elton Hall from the organized crime division discussed the unique characteristics of the seized 3D printed receivers. He highlighted that they were durable, made with good-quality filament, and featured identifying markers that he called “marketing poise.” Notably, one of these markers is a “Gucci” logo found on the handgrip of some receivers. The detective appealed to the public for information regarding any blue, orange, or “Gucci”-logo 3D printed guns. While 3D-printed receivers are currently legal in Canada, Hall expressed his desire for increased control over these items and said amendments are underway to prohibit the trafficking of plastic receivers, slides, and barrels. Hall emphasized that the demand for 3D printed guns primarily comes from gangs, trafficking networks, and organized crime elements in Winnipeg rather than law-abiding citizens.
In a direct message to potential criminals watching the press conference, Hall assured them of the police department’s capabilities in tracking 3D printed guns: “We are a fierce unit, our firearms analysis section is cutting edge in Canada, we spent a lot of money on this, and a lot of training.” Busted: 3D Printed FirearmsIn other news, a 27-year-old Torquay man was charged after 3D printed firearms were found among a stash of weapons and drugs at a home in Victoria. According to the Australian Associated Press, police searched a property in early May as part of an investigation into a non-fatal shooting that occurred earlier this year. During the operation, law enforcement uncovered five 3D printed firearms, a handgun, an imitation firearm, a silencer, and various illicit substances. In another significant development, two men were sentenced to prison for their roles in a scheme to manufacture and distribute homemade firearms, also using a Crealty 3D printer, following raids conducted in the U.K. cities of Bradford and Hull last year. The case, believed to be the first of its kind, involved 41-year-old Sibusiso Moyo and 35-year-old Christopher Gill. During the police operation, homemade guns, ammunition, and gun-making equipment were discovered on a kitchen worktop and in a domestic garage. The weapons, described as hybrid 3D-printed guns with metal components, were intended for use within organized crime networks. Further investigations by the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YH ROCU) unveiled two nearly complete semi-automatic 3D printed FGC9 carbines concealed in a holdall found in Gill’s loft. Additional evidence included various tools and parts, such as springs and screws, along with instructional materials and visual documentation illustrating the firearms at different stages of construction. During the trial, compelling evidence was presented, including rigorous testing performed by forensic firearms experts from the Royal Armouries in Leeds, confirming the viability of the seized items as firearms. As a result, Moyo and Gill received sentences of 18 years and 13 years in prison, respectively. Furthermore, a close criminal associate was found guilty of distributing one of the functional FGC9 firearms containing eight live rounds of ammunition.
CaughtA Jackson, Mississippi felon was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for using 3D printers to manufacture machine guns. According to a statement by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), ATF Special Agent Anthony Spotswood uncovered the felon’s activities in July last year through a confidential informant. It was revealed that the individual, Kent Newhouse, was using 3D printers to create auto-sears, which are firearm components designed to convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. Under federal law, auto-sears themselves are classified as machine guns. Upon executing a warrant, law enforcement discovered a cache of firearms and auto-sears at Newhouse’s residence. Newhouse pleaded guilty on September 1, 2022, and U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is a collaborative program involving all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve, aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The post In the Crosshairs of the Law: Arrest, Bail, and Sentencing for 3D Printed Gun Offenses appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/j5tzTaD May 19, 2023 at 07:42AM
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Luminoom https://ift.tt/xFrPvJe Casey Williams, otherwise known as Luminoom, is a printmaker and self-taught artist based in Boston, Massachusetts. She primarily creates linoleum block prints, with some mixed media elements, such as watercolour and gold foil accents. Recently, Casey has begun mixing her own inks in order to print in the iridescent hues she loves so much. Currently, Casey works as an Operations Associate for an academic publisher (but sometimes also finds opportunities to lend her art skills to designing covers), and Luminoom is what she does outside of work and on the weekends. Casey first learned about printmaking during her undergraduate program at Washington College. The college’s literary centre had a printmaking studio where staff and students could print limited editions of chapbooks along with a rotation of broadsides inspired by the current year’s visiting writers. “I was very fortunate to spend a summer interning with the literary center, and even helped print an edition or two of their broadsides,” says the printmaker. She continued her printmaking journey by taking a joint broadside design and creative writing workshop, and was quickly hooked. Casey continued creating prints after graduating and moving to Boston in 2018 to attend Emerson College for graduate school. While she doesn’t have a formal art education, Casey took graphic design courses that specialised in editorial design, and worked a for a few years as a graphic designer for a nonprofit. Her set-up at that time was very modest; “I would hand burnish all my designs with a wooden spoon an old roommate had left behind and would lay out prints on empty tables and whatever wall space I could find”. It wasn’t until 2021 that Casey would decide to take the plunge and officially launch her store, Luminoom. After several successful markets and an online store launch, she began to invest in more equipment, like a small printing press and oil-based inks. Casey has always been enamored by folklore, mythology, and fantasy, and as a child she hoarded collections of books spanning ancient mythology across the globe. She tells us; “What draws me to mythology as a subject matter is its ability to persist across time and culture: though these stories were written hundreds of years ago, they continue to capture the hearts and minds of people today. Whether it be Arthurian knights’ tales, Ezekiel’s writings, or American folk creatures, people from all walks of life not only recognize the imagery, but relate to it in their own personal way.” Nowadays, the mythos that primarily grounds her work is medieval literature. As an undergraduate student, she had a focus in medieval literature and art, and even wrote her thesis paper on medieval storytelling and symbolism. The aesthetics of that specific period continue to heavily inspire much of Casey’s work. She also gathers a lot of inspiration from pop culture she personally enjoys, particularly anime and manga, video games, and science fiction/fantasy books and shows. A customer once described Casey’s art as “fun”, and she came to realise that this is a core part of her working process too; “I love incorporating details that are vibrant and much of my subject matter leans into the fantastical: medieval bestiary art filled with outlandish creatures, biblically-accurate angels, and dragons. If my art doesn’t bring myself joy, how can I expect it to do the same for others?” As an artist, Casey is always looking to find ways to stretch herself. She hopes to one day create art prints at both extreme ends of the sizing spectrum: “a print so large I can hide behind it and a series of prints so small you could put them into a gumball machine!” She has also recently improved her process for registering multi-layered prints, and aims to create a print with more than 5 layers. Additionally, she’s love to participate in a gallery show with a group or independently. Casey recently participated in the Open Press Project 2023 Print Exchange, so hopefully will check this goal off soon! Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/6GOAvwZ May 19, 2023 at 06:01AM
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Saffron Prints https://ift.tt/fCPljuK Creativity and artistic expression have held a special place in Sonia, aka Saffron Prints’, heart from a young age, and have played an integral and cherished part of her life’s journey. While pursuing a Bachelor’s in Science, Sonia made sure to carve out time for art, using it as a means to balance out the technicalities of daily life. Her interest in creativity led her to earn a specialisation in design along with her degree, further fueling her passion for artistic endeavours. Indian textiles and block printing techniques had always captured Sonia’s admiration, but it wasn’t until a trip to India in 2022 that she finally took the plunge into printmaking. With the help of her family, she found herself immersed in the bustling textile markets and connecting with local artisans, discovering a treasure trove of inspiration. The vivid colours, age-old techniques, and storied history of the region became a wellspring of creative energy for her. Today, she channels this passion into her work, primarily using Cranfield Inks and Japanese paper, and eagerly anticipates the day she can expand her artistic horizons to encompass silk, cotton, and a broader spectrum of vibrant hues. Drawing inspiration from her upbringing, culture, and heritage as an Indian American, Sonia embarked on a journey of creating art that resonates with her identity and state of mind. She finds joy in every aspect of the creative process, from the initial spark of ideation and the intricate sketching, to the meticulous carving and the final act of bringing her designs to life through the printing process. Sonia’s ultimate dream is to let Saffron Prints grow organically, forging connections with fellow artists and patrons along the way. Her intention is to bridge cultural boundaries and touch the hearts of individuals from diverse backgrounds, fostering a sense of shared experience and appreciation for the beauty of hand crafted prints. She envisions a future where she has her own studio, a space where creativity flourishes, and her art evolves to incorporate the richness of Indian textiles. With each stroke of the brayer, Sonia is a step closer to turning this dream into reality. www.saffronprints.com Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/i8ykS54 May 19, 2023 at 03:21AM Postal Service Delivery Continues to Average 2.5 Days https://ift.tt/OnoSATl WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service reported new delivery performance metrics for the sixth week of the third quarter for fiscal year 2023 showing improved delivery performance across all mail categories. The average time for the Postal Service to deliver a mailpiece or package across the nation remained at just 2.5 days. Printing via USPS News https://ift.tt/ysEd2LY May 18, 2023 at 01:34PM |
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