How to Win at 3D Printing Acquisitions: the Sandvik Example https://ift.tt/M1UTaEi As the 3D printing market continues a new phase of growth, this time fueled more likely by large, existing holders of capital, we will see more interesting plays by larger companies inside and outside of the additive manufacturing (AM) sector. These could be performed by the likes of global tech giants, like Meta; unique financial entities, like Crestview Partners; or chemical companies, like Braskem. To understand a well-executed entry into the 3D printing industry, readers might consider the story of Swedish metals company Sandvik (Nasdaq Stockholm: SAND). The post How to Win at 3D Printing Acquisitions: the Sandvik Example 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/7HWa9A6 January 26, 2023 at 09:10AM
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DWS Addresses Dental Consumer and More with Novel 3D Printers and Materials AMS Speaker Spotlight1/26/2023
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DWS Addresses Dental, Consumer, and More with Novel 3D Printers and Materials – AMS Speaker Spotlight https://ift.tt/g4LQERB DWS is an expanding Italian company, globally active in the design and production of professional 3D printing systems in the dental, manufacturing, jewelry, and fashion design industries. DWS’ mission is to develop 3D printers and materials to produce parts of unrivaled quality and performance, enabling businesses to embrace digitalization and become increasingly innovative and competitive. Quality and continuous innovation are the distinguishing features of a company that has filed more than 250 industrial, technological, and design patents since 2007. DWS exports 80% of its production to more than 60 countries worldwide, helping its customers become more competitive by reducing their development times for new products. Join the DFAB world: open the doors to the digital dentistry revolutionIn the dental field, DWS develops processes to help dental clinics and laboratories undertake or complete digitalization, effectively deploying resources, reducing costs, and increasing competitiveness. DWS holds ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016 certifications, which attests to its compliance with all regulatory and quality requirements in the medical device industry. DWS’s main dental offering is the DFAB technology that helps the dentist by completing digital workflow through integration with intraoral scanning systems and CAD software, allowing the printing of 3D permanent or provisional restorations, in just one appointment. The advantage of this novel workflow lies in the consistent realistic and esthetic reproduction of the patient’s natural teeth, both in shape and color gradient, thanks to its certified and biocompatible materials. The secret of DFAB’s speed lies in its TSLA (tilted stereolithography) technology, which allows viscous materials such as hybrid ceramics and composites to continuously re-circulate and flow combined with the unrivaled precision of SLA blue-laser photopolymerization. This is why the entire chairside printing steps can take as little as 30 minutes and less than an hour from preparation to cementation, within a minimally invasive procedure. Photoshade technology for truly natural restorations:DFAB operates with .stl CAD restoration files and its novel Photoshade technology allows complete control over prosthesis color and shade gradient and achieve the most natural and esthetic result. The operator selects the required shade range within the A1 to A3.5 boundaries followed by the desired position and width of the color gradient, in the apical, middle and cervical thirds of the restoration. The wide range of biocompatible medical devices certified in class II a allows the production of long-term provisional restorations with Temporis and permanent restorations with Irix Max or Irix Plus. The unique disposable cartridges, are studies for the operatory environment (no dirt, no mess) and incorporate the vat and are an important element of the speed factor. Accessory materials for quadrant sized dental models and surgical guides are also available. A new way of thinking about the industrial processFrom now on, DWS 3D printing meets all production needs, from the sketch to the final product. Invicta Digital Sketch is the resin that fulfills the tests done on the first sketch, answering the market need (e.g. in the footwear industry), for a convenient material to rapidly test the executive design. Flexa Digital TPU is the answer to the needs of a constantly evolving market, (particularly in the fashion world, where trends are ever-changing) and where production has to match tight timing. Flexa Digital TPU is a functional material, ready for fit tests, fashion shows, and printing runs ranging from pre-series to full production. Besides the footwear industry, Flexa Digital TPU is offered for automotive, gaskets, racing, fashion accessories and for different industrial applications. What are the advantages in DWS’s proposal?
The laser precision of the DWS XPRO SL 3D printer combined with the new Flexa Digital TPU material allows an attitude change towards the industrial process, because it is now possible to go straight to production even with functional parts. For more information, visit: https://flexadigitaltpu.dwssystems.com 2023 EventsDo you want to find out more about all our new 2023 products? Visit us at the following exhibitions (stay connected for updates):
DWS is the vertical sponsor for Session 2: 3D Printing in Dentistry at Additive Manufacturing Strategies, taking place in New York City from February 7-9, 2023. DWS CTO Maurizio Costabeber will participate in a panel on “The Future of Composites and Polymers in AM” on February 7 before providing the Keynote: 3D Printing in Dentistry on February 8. Register for your ticket to attend here. The post DWS Addresses Dental, Consumer, and More with Novel 3D Printers and Materials – AMS Speaker Spotlight 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/7HWa9A6 January 26, 2023 at 07:22AM
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Printed and Pink | Begin Again https://ift.tt/5t0Okpe Since 2018, Sarah, owner of Print and Pink, has been carving stamps. With much love and appreciation for the slow printmaking process, Printed and Pink has now shifted to printmaking, finding a new voice within this community. “My previous practice as a stamp maker was filled with tremendous support and so much joy. It was hard work and so satisfying. I very quickly became part of such a beautiful community of makers who understood the value in eco friendly packaging and handmade goods. I will never forget the people and businesses that invested in my time and business. All that I have learned during this time will help me in becoming the printmaker and artist I want to be.” Having always admired the printmaking process, it was always in Sarah’s plan to shift to print work from stamp making, but she just didn’t know when. “I really needed to slow down and create work without pressures or deadlines. I also wanted to be in a space to create things that tell more of a story or that are personal to me,” says the printmaker. Printmaking encourages her to try new things, make mistakes, and connect with others; “I find the entire process so beautiful”. The change in practice has been a transitional and slow process for Sarah. She tells us; “I am really enjoying this part, being able to pause and really think about the things I want to create. I feel inspired to begin again on this new path and I hope the way I feel about it will show in my work.” Her prints are predominantly inspired by plants and people, and how they interact with each other, as well as small moments that feel big; time with family, friends and her sweet dog. Currently, Sarah is working on some ideas to print flat cards for a Valentine’s Day market, with the hope of making cards part of her regular work. She has also just finished her new print, Everything is Temporary. The piece marks her switch from stamp making to printmaking. Sarah comments; “It’s my reminder that the people, things, and the moments I get right now are temporary. Being present will create the seeds I will get to carry with me throughout my life.” Looking to the future, Sarah plans to continue experimenting with contrast within her prints, hoping to add in and play with more colour. She is excited to continue to share her plant-inspired prints, and would love to work on drawing and carving more people, as well as sell at more markets throughout the warmer months. www.printedandpink.ca Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/gOK2mDi January 26, 2023 at 07:15AM
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GetResponse’s year in review: a look back at 2022 and ahead to 2023 https://ift.tt/8XJ7an2 Get ready to reflect on a year of empowering online marketers with new solutions and enhancements to the GetResponse platform. Join us as we look back on a year of progress and growth. The focus is always on our customers, and we strive to equip them with the tools they need to effectively engage and grow their audience, propelling their business forward. 2022 summaryOur mission in 2022 was to make reaching, communicating, and selling to your audience faster and easier. We’ve added new tools, improved integrations, and expanded analytics capabilities to help you do just that. This article will take you through a chronological overview of all the enhancements and improvements released in 2022. We’ve also included a sneak peek into what’s coming in 2023. We’re excited to share this journey with you and look forward to continuing to help our customers achieve their marketing and business growth goals. Let’s get into the mood with a video recap of our 2022 highlights: Table Of Contents January: Shutterstock imagesWe started the year strong with an exciting new addition to our platform – 2 million free stock images from Shutterstock. These images are now available to use as part of any GetResponse plan across the entire platform (including all email editors, the landing page editor, website builder, funnels, files, and images manager.) This allows our users to easily add high-quality images to their marketing campaigns without the need to purchase additional image licenses. Thanks to the Shutterstock images, our customers can streamline their design process and save both money and time. February: Ecommerce reportsIn February, we introduced new ecommerce reports to help you better plan your marketing and communication strategies based on your ecommerce results. This feature gives you an overview of all the critical metrics that ecommerce businesses need to track to understand their store’s performance and make informed, data-driven decisions about how they want to communicate and market their offers to their customers. With these insights, ecommerce store owners can build lasting relationships with their customers and turn one-time buyers into returning ones. They can do this by sending relevant communication, establishing what type of content works best, and incorporating that with the ecommerce data directly from the store. GetResponse won’t even be a center for tracking the store’s performance. We want to be the center of marketing and communication around the store – it may sound similar, but for ecommerce owners, there’s a big difference. So thanks to ecommerce data gathered inside GetResponse, they can plan, execute, and adapt their marketing strategy. One of the key elements of ecommerce reports is real-time data. Users can see their sales as they happen inside GetResponse, allowing them to make quick and accurate decisions. The bird’s-eye view helps users see the total number of orders, the average order value, and the total revenue generated by their store in a single glance. This helps them understand the overall performance of their business. The reports also provide a breakdown of orders and revenue over time, allowing users to identify patterns and trends. This helps them understand their business’s seasonality, detect anomalies, and adjust their strategy accordingly. ? Learn more about the ecommerce data you can send to GetResponse from our Help Center March: Quick transactional emailsQuick transactional emails arrived at GetResponse in March to help businesses streamline their email communications even further. This feature allows for a one-click setup for automated order confirmations and abandoned cart emails. The customized automated order confirmations help you match your brand’s identity throughout all your marketing communication and let you start building a strong relationship with your customers from day 1. To make them even more impactful, you can enrich your messages with upsell offers or add bonus content to help your customers get more out of your offer. On the other hand, the abandoned cart emails will help you drive more revenue from people who’ve visited your store but didn’t complete the order. This helps you run your marketing campaigns more efficiently, and it’s done on autopilot. Quick transactional emails are vital for building trust and providing transparency to customers. Also, they’re super easy to create with GetResponse’s drag-and-drop email creator, which allows users to create engaging emails with minimal effort! ? Learn more about how Quick Transactional Emails work and get inspired by these high-converting abandoned cart email campaigns. April: Video libraryWith our tools and features constantly growing, we wanted to help our customers learn and improve their skills with an easy-to-access video library inside their accounts. This handy solution allows users to quickly find and follow tutorials without having to leave their accounts. The tutorials cover a wide range of topics, from beginner to advanced level, and are designed to help our customers get the most out of our platform. With the video library, users can quickly learn new features, troubleshoot any issues they might have, and discover new ways to improve their marketing campaigns. May: Forms and popupsOur forms and popups got an extreme makeover and a brand-new creator in May. This feature is essential for all businesses with an online presence. Forms and popups convert more website visitors into email subscribers you can nurture with your email communication, turning them into loyal customers in no time. The creator allows you to make automated popups, banners, and bars, and it came packed with powerful features like smart targeting, with which you can show your offers at the perfect moment when your visitors are most likely to convert. Plus, the tool features a variety of different popup types like exit-intent, scroll-triggered, timed, and more to ensure your visitors don’t leave without subscribing or won’t miss out on any of your amazing offers. Creating popups has never been easier. With our drag-and-drop editor, you can easily build beautiful popups that fit your brand in no time. What’s more, their installation is a breeze! Just one line of code is enough to launch hundreds of popups on your website. Just like it takes no time to create the popups, it took no time for our users to start recommending products, growing their lists, showcasing new additions, collecting feedback, and so much more. ? Learn more about how the forms and popups from GetResponse work and how to create the perfect popup. June: New mobile appEvery marketer needs a sidekick, and in June, we released one – our new mobile app. Whether you have an iOS or Android device, you can now manage your campaigns with just a few taps on your phone. And what better way to stay on top of your business than to have it all in your palm? We’ve made it super user-friendly and easy to navigate, so you can find what you need quickly and easily. Plus, we’ve added a customizable dashboard, so you can check in on how your business is doing at a glance. You can even send drafts, plain-text messages, and resend existing newsletters all from your phone. And let’s not forget, you have instant access to customer data, so you can see how your list is performing, add new contacts and manage tags on the go. If you need to check on your newsletters or autoresponders, we’ve got you covered. In short, the new mobile app is the ultimate sidekick for your business. No matter where you are – on the train, at the beach, or just out and about – you can always keep your business running smoothly. Want to download the mobile app right away? Just scan the QR code below: ? Learn more about what you’ll find inside the GetResponse mobile app. Honorable mention: YouTube Shorts format support in email creatorIn June, we also launched YouTube Shorts format support in email creator. This allows our customers to easily embed YouTube Shorts videos in their emails, providing them with a new and engaging way to communicate with their audience. Customers can now use Shorts in emails to showcase products, provide tutorials, or share any other videos they see fit – it’s an excellent way to make email campaigns more interactive and dynamic. July: Promo codesJuly was a hot month, and so was our update! We launched the promo codes feature, available in GetResponse for most types of emails, quick transactional emails, and forms and popups. This feature seamlessly synchronizes with your Shopify store and allows you to use codes to promote an ongoing or upcoming sale, or to reward your loyal customers. Want to promote seasonal deals? Use a popup with a promo code to promote events such as Black Friday. Want to reduce abandoned carts? Show your popup with a promo code when a cart is about to be abandoned. Want to offer limited-time discounts? Combine the promo code with a timer in your popups to drive urgency. Since the launch, our promo codes have been used thousands of times to reward loyal customers, drive conversions, and make sales soar. Update: As of January 2023, we’ve launched another enhancement to our promo codes: making them unique. This unique promo code provides a more personalized experience and is ideal when running loyalty programs. Moreover, it helps you create a sense of urgency within your audience. August: New integration with affiliate panelAugust was all about making connections (and earning some extra cash ;).) We launched a new integration that makes it super easy to spread the word about GetResponse and earn affiliate commissions. With the new integration, you can sign up for a GetResponse account, combine your GetResponse and Affiliate accounts, check your progress, and grab your unique affiliate links all in one place. Plus, it’s now even more convenient for our non-English speaking users with the option to change the panel language to English, German, Spanish, Italian, and Polish. September: Shopify MarketplaceSeptember was a month of accomplishments, as our app was officially added to Shopify’s Marketplace. And we didn’t stop there. Over the last year, we introduced and improved a set of ecommerce tools so you’ll have everything you need to convert more visitors into customers:
Think of it as your own personal sales team, always working hard to help you drive sales. Now with the added convenience of being available on Shopify’s Marketplace. ? Learn more about the GetResponse for Shopify integration. October: Web ConnectOctober was about making things simple and efficient; that’s why we launched Web Connect – a powerful feature that allows you to connect multiple GetResponse features to your website with just one line of code. With Web Connect, you can easily add forms, popups, web push notifications, and more to your website, ultimately increasing conversions and driving sales. One of the key benefits of Web Connect is that it allows you to personalize your communication with your website visitors by targeting them based on their behavior. For example, you can use it to target people who visited a specific URL and offer them tailored communication. Show different forms and popups to different groups of visitors, or send personalized web push notifications to people who have abandoned their shopping carts. Web Connect also allows you to upsell your items with automated post-purchase communication. ? Learn more about what Web Connect is and how you can use it in our Help Center. November: Ad audiencesIn November, we made the way you create your Google Ads more precise by introducing Ad audiences, a new feature that allows you to target or exclude a specific segment of people, resulting in lower costs of advertising and better-targeted campaigns. We also introduced a new way to create your Google Ads, focusing on your goal. With this new feature, you can create ads tailored to your specific needs, ensuring they reach the right audience. We’re proud to say that GetResponse is one of the first partners in the EU to offer this integration, and we’re excited to see the impact it will have on our customers’ advertising campaigns. With Ad audiences, you’ll be able to create more effective ads and drive conversions. ? Learn more about how to create Google Ads in GetResponse. Honorable mention: A/B test reportsNow you can see exactly where your subscribers are clicking with a dedicated click map for each variant. Compare key metrics between variants at a glance and view who opened or clicked on each variant. Plus, download a complete report to your computer for further analysis. A/B test reports give you a deeper understanding of your subscribers’ behavior and help you optimize your email campaigns for better performance. ? Learn how to create an AB test in GetResponse and email campaign AB testing best practices. December: New templates, custom domain emails, and Chats updatesDecember was a big month for GetResponse, with the launch of 38 fresh email templates, the option to create an email on a custom domain, as well as new updates to our Chats feature. 38 new templates were designed to help our users create beautiful, professional-looking emails with ease. They cover a wide range of industries and styles, from ecommerce to event invitations, and are fully customizable so that you can make them your own. The Chats feature received several updates throughout the year, including the ability to add contacts to a specific list through the chat, improved performance, new sound notifications to choose from, more stats, email notifications about new conversations, and the ability to add chat guests as subscribers to user lists in GetResponse. Additionally, we added the option to have a mandatory capture form before the first message, allowing users to obtain customers’ details before starting a conversation. We also integrated Chats with consent fields and introduced “open chat” triggers that automatically open the chat window after a specified time or page scroll. Creating an email on a custom domain also became available – it helps with getting your emails to the main email inbox, authenticating your email with DKIM, DMARC, and SPF, looking professional, increasing trust in your brand, and promoting brand awareness. ? Learn more about using GetResponse chats on our blog and Help Center. 2023 sneak peekIn 2023, we’re focusing on optimizing core GetResponse solutions that will help you become a more effective communicator (so your audience sees and engages with your content more often) and increase your business’s online visibility to grow your audience, keeping your marketing funnel full from top to bottom. What can you expect in 2023?While we can’t give all the details away, we’re thrilled about what’s to come and want to let you in on our plans.
Bonus resource: Looking for new ways or fresh reasons to connect with your audience in 2023? Download our Global Marketer’s Calendar for 2023 to discover new opportunities, start planning campaigns, and prepping touchpoints with your customers this year.
A look back at our progress and a glimpse into the futureIt’s been an incredible journey in 2022, and we’re proud of the GetResponse platform evolution. We grow to support the growing businesses of our customers. By providing our 100,000+ customers with the tools they need to engage and grow their audience, we’ve seen the incredible results they’re able to achieve:
Our customers have had great success with GetResponse, and they’re excited to share their stories with you. Check out our customer success stories to see how we’ve helped businesses like yours reach their full potential. But we’re not resting on our laurels – we’re not done yet! We know that the digital landscape is constantly evolving, and we’re committed to staying ahead of the curve. Our team is excited to see what 2023 has in store for us and confident that the new solutions we’re working on will take our users to the next level. We’re not just providing you with the tools – GetResponse is providing you with the means to stay ahead of the competition and to make your business thrive. We’re in this together, and we can’t wait to see where the next chapter of our journey takes us. Did you know? You can share your thoughts and suggestions to help shape the direction of GetResponse in 2023. Your feedback has a direct impact on our future developments. Thank you for being a part of our story. And if you haven’t joined us yet, why wait? Join us today and start your journey toward success. Sign up for a free GetResponse account and see for yourself how our solutions can help your business thrive in the coming year and beyond. Printing via GetResponse Blog https://ift.tt/7qkBpS2 January 25, 2023 at 11:20PM
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Realize Medical Gets 510(k) Clearance for VR Surgical Planning Software https://ift.tt/hp4g2XO Previously, we wrote about how Ottawa, Canada-based Realize Medical partnered with Logitech to use its stylus in Elucis VR software, which tool allows doctors to present CT and MRI files in VR, enabling surgical planning and education and with fellow doctors and patients. And for those who don’t have VR headsets, it’s possible to interact with Elucis via regular using regular computers. Now, the company has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Elucis, opening it up for mainstream medical use. You can take the software for a free spin here.
The company hopes that surgeons and other physicians will use the platform to share and experience medical files. One could see how an immersive environment could really aid in surgical planning. Rather than doctors simply imagining a procedure based on the slices of an MRI or CT, more realistic VR models could elicit better understanding. It would also be possible for physicians to collaborate across borders, with a remote technician in India aiding a U.S. surgery to reduce costs. A remote site could aid in understanding a specific pathology with specific knowledge. The ability to see relevant scans for a complex procedure in VR could allow a patient to really understand their issue and the operation. In a competitive medical field, hospitals and surgeries could win clients by giving them better choices. A more informed choice made by a patient who has a better grasp of the options could aid medical efficacy and overall contentment. Many CTs and MRIs are shared on compact disks or through cumbersome file exchange programs. As a patient, I don’t have access to the sum total of my medical information. Different doctors maintain portions of my medical info in a piecemeal fashion, as well. The whole balkanized file landscape is flawed and terribly expensive. We sorely need a new level of infrastructure and display technologies. With more scans and laws requiring that records are kept for many years, the storage capacity for these things is also exploding while access and control are fragmentary. We are at the cusp of spending way too much money on a terribly leaky and inefficient way to store, control and access files. So any investment such as that from Realize and Medical IP should be applauded. However, there is something else here, as well. 3D printing medical models is quite the business for additive manufacturing (AM). With reimbursement now possible, the 3D printing of surgical planning models is growing. Stratasys and others are making specific medical 3D printers and materials to aid in medical training and surgical planning. This whole segment will stop in its tracks if VR is widely adopted. That is crucial to the AM sector because these 3D printed anatomical models are gateway drugs for the adoption of 3D printing by hospitals. Many in-hospital 3D print labs are being set up worldwide. One way to get buy-in, visibility, and relevance in hospitals quickly is to print medical models for everyone. The AM sector should, therefore, pay close attention to AR and VR in medicine because it may seriously inhibit our own growth in that segment. The post Realize Medical Gets 510(k) Clearance for VR Surgical Planning Software 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/Inlh1MJ January 25, 2023 at 09:58AM
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Snapmaker Named CES 2023 Innovation Awards Honoree for Artisan 3-in-1 Printer https://ift.tt/1GlBXsv There were more than 3,200 exhibitors at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is one of the most influential technology events in the world and serves as a proving ground for exciting, cutting-edge technologies and global innovators. Lots of companies and organizations make big announcements at the event, including Formlabs, HP Inc’s gaming subsidiary HyperX, the Automotive Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA), and more. Digital manufacturer Snapmaker was another of the many 3D printing companies attending the show, and brought two of its systems to CES 2023—the Snapmaker Artisan and the Snapmaker J1. But even more exciting is the fact that the tech startup was named a CES 2023 Innovation Awards Honoree for its Artisan 3-in-1 3D printer.
Snapmaker was founded in 2016 by mechanical engineer Daniel Chen to make fabrication tools like 3D printers, laser engravers, and CNC carvers even more accessible for ordinary consumers and makers looking to create their own DIY products. The company develops, manufactures, and sells 3-in-1 desktop machines, like the Artisan, that integrate 3D printing, CNC carving, and laser engraving and cutting, so that makers of all ages and backgrounds can turn their ideas into reality.
The startup’s flagship product, the Snapmaker 2.0 3-in-1 3D printer, made a record in 2019 as the most crowdfunded 3D printer on the Kickstarter platform, and it also won the IF Design Award 2022, so Snapmaker is no stranger to accolades for its systems. Now, it’s won a CES 2023 Innovation Award for the Artisan, which is the latest generation of its original 3-in-1 printer and became available for pre-order in August. The Snapmaker Artisan stood out to the judges due not only to its high performance and quality, but, as the startup explained, with its “idea of upgraded modular design.” The 3D printer features a pretty large 400 x 400 x 400 mm work area, quick-swap toolhead design, 300°C dual extrusion 3D printing module, 10W high power laser cutting and engraving module, and 200W CNC cutting module. It also comes with two hot ends with 0.4 mm brass nozzles, a laser-proof enclosure, and a one-year warranty. Other features include:
The annual CES Innovation Awards program, which is owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), honors outstanding design and engineering in a total of 28 consumer technology product categories. There were over 2,100 submissions for this year’s awards program, and the Snapmaker Artisan modular 3-in-1 3D printer’s upgraded functions helped the startup seal the deal and win the honor. While the Artisan was Snapmaker’s prizewinner, the startup also brought its J1 High Speed IDEX 3D printer to CES 2023 as well. With two extruders, 300°C hot ends & 100°C heated bed, and up to 10/000 mm/s² acceleration, the J1 has an ultra-fast print speed of up to 350 mm/s, easy-swap hot ends, built-in nozzle wipers, a 5″ intuitive touchscreen, a 300 × 200 × 200 mm³ print volume, and Copy and Mirror modes that double its productivity. Snapmaker says the J1’s “outstanding” performance and “elaborate hardware design” got the attention of thousands of visitors at CES. The post Snapmaker Named CES 2023 Innovation Awards Honoree for Artisan 3-in-1 Printer 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/Inlh1MJ January 25, 2023 at 08:20AM
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Northrop Grumman Brings Carbon Fiber 3D Printing to the Hypersonics Arms Race https://ift.tt/DKYFowf The U.S. is in the midst of a hypersonics arms race. Craft traveling five times or more the speed of sound in a guided way could change warfare. In a few hours, a surveillance platform or payload could be put over anywhere on earth. Hypersonic glide vehicles could outrun enemy defensive radar and response. Larger hypersonic missiles would have global reach without the need to travel in great arcs over the horizon. Without giving the enemy any heads up, these weapons could change the nature of a first strike and the concept of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Hypersonics are the new high ground. Key to enabling the technology are the optimization and weight saving structures needed for extremely high performance shapes and materials. That’s where 3D printing comes in. We’ve seen NASA make new oxygen dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys for hypersonics, as well as cases in which the U.S. working with Australia and the UK on hypersonics. There’s been research at Purdue University and the Air Force, too. So far, all the public work has focused around superalloys, intermetallics, ODS alloys, and other extremely high-temperature metals. Metals and ceramics are the only materials that can subsist under the extreme forces and heat of hypersonic travel. However, Northrop Grumman has revealed that 3D printing of polymers may play a role as well. Northrop has developed what it is calling Scalable Composite Robotic Additive Manufacturing Carbon/Carbon (SCRAM C/C), a patented process that relies on a robot arm featuring a combination of material extrusion and automatic fiber placement (AFP) to create carbon fiber structures with high-temperature materials. Northrop has been working on 3D printing for a long time with layered object manufacturing (LOM) patents going back to 2000 or so and a stereolithography die process from around the same time. It also has a method to repair carbon fiber components, as well. It even has a patent on how to manufacture a golf club head with insert. SCRAM and other similar technologies, such as that from Impossible Objects, can make very strong structures that are resistant to higher temperatures than other polymers. The part above is an inlet duct, made with a version of SCRAM C/C that was first mentioned in 2022. The technology was likely in use earlier and has been used for parts on the joint strike fighter and other aircraft. The company touts a 50% labor cost saving, as a significant advantage, but also suggests that quality can be increased. Check out the video below to see some Raise3D printers at Northrop alongside the SCRAM C/C process. What’s new is that now Northrop is framing SCRAM C/C as a way to achieve “hypersonic supremacy,” via weight savings and performance improvement, as well as faster production times.
It is notable that Northrop is going for its own technology, bypassing vendors in the field. Also, one gets the distinct impression that the whole hypersonics arms race is going to cause an ungodly amount of money to rain down on defense companies.We will see a lot of investment and work spill over from hypersonics and the military. The race to develop high-end service bureaus in the vein of Sintavia and BEAMIT is underway to cater to this demand. At the same time, the defense community is sure to buy a lot of very large and very productive machines in the years to come. We do risk militarizing 3D printing and becoming a very defense adjacent technology in the process. The post Northrop Grumman Brings Carbon Fiber 3D Printing to the Hypersonics Arms Race 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/Inlh1MJ January 25, 2023 at 08:20AM
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High School Students to Send Micro Metal 3D Printed Experiment to ISS https://ift.tt/rMkIQmc A team of students from Valley Christian High School in San José, California, will send an experiment to the International Space Station (ISS) in February 2023. As part of the ISS Research Lab program, the students created 3D-printed millimeter-scale metal lattices needed for their experiment on capillary action in microgravity. Once in orbit, the results should provide detailed insights into the effect of microgravity on the water-absorbing properties of lattices. Led by senior and junior students Rohan Sachdeva and Daisy Zeng, the project is expected to open new technical possibilities in future outer space applications such as gas filtration, aerosol sample collection, and temperature management, as well as help control the location of the water in microgravity, which could be helpful for plant growth. As part of the ISS Research Lab program, high school students are encouraged to collaborate to conceptualize, create, and conduct their experiments for NASA approval. Each team submits draft documentation and data analysis for review to be installed on the ISS for 30 days. This hands-on experience offers students real-world situations to navigate using technical skills, creativity, and the latest technology. ISS for teensTo make sure their experiment on capillary action in microgravity works as planned in orbit, the Valley Christian High School group first tried to make the lattices from photopolymer resin but soon realized it was not an ideal match for the requirements of space flight due to their lack of resistance to vibrations, low temperatures, and heat. Instead, metal offered a better set of properties for the ISS experiment. Still, unfortunately, the lattice design was not printable with conventional metal powder-bed fusion and binder-jetting 3D printing technologies. Considering that the lattices had struts as thin as 0.5mm in diameter, the students turned to micro-stereolithography (SLA), which seemed to be the only process able to produce parts with sufficient accuracy. Attempting to get the thin structures printed using micro-SLA and resin, the group asked service bureau Qualified3D for help. However, metal remained the preferred material to meet all the needed requirements. The team soon discovered the potential of the relatively new Lithography-based Metal Manufacturing (LMM) technology, which is especially suitable for producing micro metal parts with high precision. Luckily for the team, Qualified3D has a partnership with German startup MetShape, the co-developer of the LMM technology and a spinout of Pforzheim University that last year became an AM Ventures portfolio company. To 3D print the lattices, the team used a combination of metal powder and a photosensitive polymer binder as the starting material. This so-called feedstock is applied to a building platform and selectively crosslinked from above using mask exposure to UV light. Layer by layer, a green part is created. This green part is then debinded and sintered. Aside from an extraordinary surface quality, LMM technology enables new applications that are currently not economically producible. Other advantages include high resolution and precision, resulting in parts with extremely thin walls (125µm) and smooth surfaces (2-5µm surface roughness before polishing) in various metals, including stainless steel and titanium. Orbital experimentsThe students in the ISS Research Lab received their stainless steel parts within a few weeks and are now looking forward to using them for their microgravity experiment. Sometime in mid-February, the project package should be launched up to the ISS and begin returning data by March. One of the team members, eleventh grader David Kou, said that even though they requested many changes to Qualified3D, the company always responded quickly to their requests and questions and delivered the parts on time. For Qualified3D and MetShape, this was an ideal opportunity to support the ISS Research Lab Program and contribute to realizing an innovative experiment destined for space, indicated the companies.
Valley Christian High School has a long-standing history with NASA and the ISS. Already in 2012, students designed four microlab anti-gravity experiments for the ISS. They reached orbit on March 2012, setting a new world record. Three years later, the high school made space history again when two of their designs were 3D printed using a manufacturing device from Made In Space (now part of Redwire) installed at the ISS, becoming the first students ever to 3D print objects in orbit. The post High School Students to Send Micro Metal 3D Printed Experiment to ISS 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/Inlh1MJ January 25, 2023 at 08:20AM Lens Free Optical Scanner (LFOS): Achieving Higher Standards in SLS/SLM 3D Printing AMS Spotlight1/25/2023
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Lens Free Optical Scanner (LFOS): Achieving Higher Standards in SLS/SLM 3D Printing – AMS Spotlight https://ift.tt/dINWLvT AbstractIn traditional Additive Manufacturing (AM) using selective laser sintering (SLS) and selective laser melting (SLM), the microstructural characteristics of the finished parts are determined by various process parameters, such as energy density, exposure time, part orientation, and specific part geometry. However, in subtractive material (SM) manufacturing, the microstructure of the material is already set and does not change during the manufacturing process. This makes the AM process more complex, presenting challenges in reducing the number of variables, especially for metal printing where thermal equilibrium must be maintained throughout the process. The Lens Free Optical Scanner (LFOS), also known as the ØgonTM, patented and manufactured by Tecnica, Inc (New York, USA), was designed to eliminate at least eight major parameters. It stabilizes the microstructural integrity of the resulting print by delivering the same amount of energy to each voxel across the work surface, making it the most viable option for SLS/SLM production. Unlike traditional Galvanometer-based systems, the LFOS uses an open loop system and delivers energy consistently to each voxel across the print area. In this paper, we will directly compare the galvanometer-based scanner and the LFOS. IntroductionBelow, we will describe the benefits of the LFOS in SLS/SLM Additive Manufacturing by evaluating solutions it offers in response to challenges posed by the traditional Galvanometer-based system (GS). Here are some of the ways in which the LFOS outperforms the GS. Galvanometer structure The GS suffers from multiple flaws where the core issues are derived from the focus positioning and the varying of the Optical Path Length (OPL). As a result, the beam striking the work surface is:
The effects (2) & (3) are illustrated in Figure 2. Each pixel absorbs different amounts of energy because of the varying beam parameters. An estimate for the energy absorbed by the voxel is expressed by eq (1). Where Pl is the laser power, Def the effective diameter (beam normalized diameter at the specific location of the hatch distance), v the beam speed, Lh the layer thickness, and θ is the angle between the normal to the surface and the beam. Eq (1) shows why parts printed away from the print center are receiving a reduced amount of energy. Eq (1) also demonstrates that printers with a large Field of View do not deliver sufficient energy to the far away from the center voxels. Beam normal to the surface is desirable:Consider a printing system where the targeted voxel absorbs the exact amount of energy needed for sintering with its neighbors, as illustrated in Figure 3 where maximum energy is absorbed by the surface (the beam is normal to the print surface). Please note: this is a simplified model to illustrate the beam interaction with the surface and subsurface. The voxel bonds laterally with the neighboring voxels by heat conductivity as the neighboring voxels are at a small delta temperature below the melting point, and therefore need a small amount of energy/heat to sinter or melt. The bonding of the top voxel(i, j) to the voxel below it (i, j-1) is helped by two heat components: heat conductivity and what is left from the beam energy. While the beam propagates through the layer it will deliver less energy because: 1. Some of the light has been transformed to energy 2. The beam travels out of its focus point (bed level), therefore the energy density decreases. The system needs to be in thermal equilibrium during the print process. In this ideal setting, it is more manageable to keep thermal equilibrium compared to a Galvanometer based system where the beam changes its angle with the surface. Consider now a print system where the beam is not normal to the voxel. In such a case, the beam will be propagating into the layer and deliver lateral heat to the neighboring voxels as illustrated in Figure 4. The voxel not only loses energy due to eq(1), but also because the heat gradient (the way heat is distributed) has more lateral components, as the beam spreads into the next voxel diagonally rather than vertically. This results in a significant loss of the vertical bonding energy. This thermodynamic model is more challenging than our first model, as the angle changes for every voxel, hence increasing the number of the parameters that need to be accounted for to achieve thermal equilibrium. Beam direction matters:In Figure 4 the next voxel in line (i+1) is preheated by the present beam aimed for voxel (i), while if the beam will be moving in reverse the next voxel would not receive preheat as in Figure 4. This is important, because the total amount of energy delivered to the voxel is varying if we change direction. Adding another parameter to the thermodynamic model. Lens Free Optical Scanner:Tecnica, Inc., developed and patented the Lens Free Optical Scanner for delivering a consistent amount of energy to each voxel. LFOS is composed of two mirrors, the first rotating mirror (M1) and second stationary mirror (M2). Figure 5 shows its working principle. Because M2 is a circular ring of radius R, it imposes a focus at a distance d = R/2 for a sphere and R for a conical ring on the x dimension of the beam (Fig. 5). The y component of the beam is focused by the M1 y surface component, and the M2 profile with the focus is selected to match the x dimension distance at R/2 from M2. The LFOS functions performed on the beam source are:
The LFOS delivers a consistent beam of light to the work surface, eliminating the errors that the GS experiences. As a lens-free system, it eliminates any distortion caused by lenses and makes installation easier because the optical axis is determined during production rather than by the printer’s design. Additionally, the mirror in the LFOS can sustain more energy, allowing the CASA II to handle up to 20 times more energy than a GS. Moreover, the LFOS’s constant rotational speed allows it to reach speeds comparable to a polygonal scanner, resulting in a scan speed that is 65 times faster than the fastest GS. FAQQ: Why is f-theta not mentioned, as it is known to fix some of the GS issues. A: f-theta mostly mitigates the speed, therefore reducing the cos^4 to cos^2 in eq (1). Additionally, it is not ideal, as the beam size and energy density vary. Moreover, f-theta is not scalable beyond a certain size. Q: Is the LFOS available for OEM, and how do you control it? A: Yes, we do offer the printhead as an OEM module to purchase. We provide the printhead with the embedded controller and modulator. Q: GS is used for scanning in the medical field with a great degree of resolution. Why the same resolution cannot apply to AM? A: In sensing, only accuracy needs to be addressed when the data collected is post processed to render a layer with adjustments performed on the data. In marking, collecting the data could aid to quantify printing errors but not repairing errors by unmarking/erasing. ComparisonTable 1: Head-to-head comparison between the GS and the ØgonTM The head-to-head analysis in this paper has shown that the ØgonTM Lens Free Optical Scanner solves galvanometer scanners’ fundamental problem of inconsistent energy deposition. While the surface beam speed, optical path length, and angle of incidence (which affect the beam size and shape) vary as the galvanometers scan the work surface, these properties remain constant as the ØgonTM operates. The y-dimension of the ØgonTM print area can be increased by using a longer linear actuator. Although the x-dimension is limited by the size of the M2 mirror, the print head is portable so that it can be mounted on a robot to cover a larger print area in a sequence of stripes. This kind of scanning would have a repeatability error of 50 micrometers for a typical robot with a 2-meter arm. This is an easy adaptation of existing workshops utilizing their robots. The ØgonTM laser energy output can be modulated by pulse width and/or analog intensity and the scanner consistently delivers 100% of that energy to each pixel across the entire work surface. This precise control of energy deposition and surface temperature makes it the ideal platform for developing new algorithms for additive manufacturing metal printing. It would be interesting to use the ØgonTM to experimentally validate some of the temperature-prediction models for metal printing. For example, the ØgonTM modulator could incorporate the Mirkoohi model [1] coupled with machine learning to predict the z-axis of the melt pool, which would provide superior temperature prediction. Conflict of Interest StatementCharles Bibas, reports the following details of affiliation or involvement in an organization or entity with a financial or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this article. The author is the CEO & Founder of Tecnica, Inc. A corporation that is utilizing the Lens Free Optical Scanner (LFOS) in 3D printing technology. The author is also the inventor of the LFOS holding four (4) US patents and more than a dozen international patents in the field of Optics and Additive manufacturing technology.. More reading and referencesFor thermodynamic model for additive material
Galvanometer material:
Polygonal scanners:
Author’s references:
The post Lens Free Optical Scanner (LFOS): Achieving Higher Standards in SLS/SLM 3D Printing – AMS Spotlight 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/Inlh1MJ January 25, 2023 at 07:15AM
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Thermal Management: A Necessary Innovation for 3D Printing – AMS Speaker Spotlight https://ift.tt/Pcy0vGN In the manufacturing industry, the laws of physics are the great playing field leveler. Unconcerned with money, marketing, or good intentions, first principles innovation can create big leaps in performance and competitive advantage. Within the last 10 years, the 3D printing industry experienced one of these leaps with the proliferation of area-wide printing methods. Many companies found that fusing or curing an entire layer at once gave them a first principles advantage in speed and an improvement in consistency across a layer. This evolution cracked open the door for more mass production of end-use parts. But mass production isn’t just a speed race. Together with larger production runs comes the requirement of even tighter process control. For plastics, that means controlling thermal variation. The answer again lies in first principles innovation. Heat management can make or break 3D printing as a viable next step in high throughput manufacturing. Imagine injection molding but without the benefit of cooling lines. Manufacturers would attempt to run at the cycle times they’re accustomed to, but the increasing mold temperature would change the properties of the material, and their outputs would be subject to all manner of defects and variation in dimensions and properties. The inevitable result would be a slowdown, running the process at a fraction of the speed it is capable of. That’s the situation many 3D printing companies find themselves in today. When raster speeds became irrelevant and lasers were displaced by almost limitless framerates, the new barrier became the management of heat buildup. Like the injection molding scenario, slowing down became necessary to maintain control of the process. The effects become even more pronounced with larger build areas, further limiting that avenue for productivity increases. As progress stalled, the industry has seen an (long overdue) increased focus on software, automation, and applications as companies try to carve out a competitive advantage. The best ideas are often borrowed, and the decades of improvement in traditional manufacturing tell us that moving faster requires active heat management. While it is not the only engineering challenge to solve in the realm of additive manufacturing, it can confidently be listed as a necessary capability to push size, speed, and consistency to the next level of productivity for plastics production. It was this reality that led to the commercialization of the High Area Rapid Printing (HARP) technology from Azul 3D. To stand out in a crowded industry, full of confusing claims and diminishing differentiation, it was necessary to create a brand-new market space, starting from the very basics. Temperature control in production is most vital right where the printing and the networking of polymers occurs – in our case, where the UV energy reaches the resin. This is also where the heat from the reaction is released. This means that inevitably 1) the printing surface and the cooling surface are the same and 2) the cooling substrate must be clear to allow the energy to pass unimpeded. Further, to actively pull heat from the system and not be limited by thermal conductivity and passive dissipation, that substrate must also be fully mobile – such as a fluid. HARP is a revolutionary new process where the liquid resin floats directly on top of, but does not interact with, an optically transparent, chemically inert, and constantly flowing layer of cooling oil that absorbs heat from the reaction and carries it out of the system. The result is a stable build temperature no matter how large, high, or fast you go. An elegant answer to a fundamental problem. HARP is not a do-it-all solution. It’s a platform for printing products very fast for those with the flexibility to design for the process. But for the known and yet-undiscovered applications that are limited today by productivity, economics, and variability, it represents an opportunity to go bigger and faster than ever before and drive the next wave of industry growth. Azul 3D is participating at Additive Manufacturing Strategies, taking place in New York City from February 7-9, 2023. Azul 3D Chief Revenue Officer Tuan TranPham will moderate “Panel 2: The Future of Composites and Polymers in AM” on February 7. Register for your ticket to attend here. The post Thermal Management: A Necessary Innovation for 3D Printing – AMS Speaker Spotlight 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/Inlh1MJ January 25, 2023 at 07:15AM |
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