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Intellegens and Ansys Partner to Empower 3D Printing with Deep Learning https://ift.tt/3qHF1mI Machine learning solutions company Intellegens announced a collaboration with engineering simulation leader Ansys to accelerate the development of reliable and repeatable additive manufacturing (AM) processes. The integration of machine learning methods is expected to accelerate AM workflows. Combining the two companies’ technologies will make it quick and easy for AM project teams to analyze data from experiments, simulations, or production generating models that capture vital insights. These models optimize process parameters and powders, improving AM parts’ quality while cutting time to market. A University of Cambridge spin-out, Intellegens provides a unique machine learning toolset that can train deep neural networks from fragmented, corrupt, or noisy datasets. Its first commercially available product, the trade-marked Alchemite, is a deep learning platform that offers accurate models for predicting missing values, finding errors, and optimizing target properties. Created at Cambridge’s world-famous Cavendish Laboratory, Alchemite has demonstrated to be very helpful for AM, offering scientists and engineers a tool to get more from their AM project data. It also enables users to break through data analysis bottlenecks, reducing the amount of time and money spent on research and supporting better, faster decision-making. A key focus for Alchemite has been engaging problems in discovery and development, particularly where there is a need to focus or apply results from experimental programs to innovate faster and at a lower cost. Intellegens’ deep learning technology can be embedded in third-party platforms to help with problems related to data that is sparse (with many empty values) and noisy (with a large amount of additional meaningless information). After successfully using its algorithms on aerospace applications, formulation design, chemicals, drug discovery, materials, batteries, and optimizing manufacturing processes, the company began working with Ansys to integrate Alchemite tools within Granta Material Intelligence (MI), Ansys’ AM data management solution. This new collaboration will empower additive technologies with material intelligence through machine learning. According to the Cambridge-based development team, Alchemite deep learning algorithms very rapidly find relationships within complex datasets, even when it is sparse. The technology makes Alchemite ideal for AM teams seeking to exploit data brought together from multiple sources. It is expected to extract all possible knowledge from the data to identify the critical combinations of factors that ultimately control AM parts’ performance. Excited about the new collaboration with Ansys, Intellegens Co-Founder, and CEO Ben Pellegrini said in a LinkedIn post that he was looking forward to embedding Alchemite into Ansys AM workflows to deliver better quality parts and processes quicker. Similarly, Ansys’ Product Manager Sakthivel Arumugam anticipates that the new partnership’s outcome will lead to increased adoption and use of AM within companies. Alchemite needs no prior knowledge of the parameters that are likely to be necessary, which the company claims is a significant advantage in this emerging technology area. Applications throughout the AM workflow include process parameter optimization, computational design of AM materials, failure analysis and quality control, data validation and gap-filling, and assisted Design of Experiments (DoE) for AM.
Like Intellegens, Granta MI originated from a University of Cambridge spin-out company founded in 1994 called Granta Design. Now a subsidiary of Ansys, Granta has remained focused on offering support in materials information management for engineering enterprises. The company’s Granta MI software provides a comprehensive materials data management system that enables engineers to swiftly select materials, reduce errors and drive team collaboration. “Granta MI is the de facto standard for materials data management in engineering enterprises and is applied in AM applications to capture, in a single place, all of a company’s AM data,” suggests the company. This includes data on the properties of powders and raw materials, machine build parameters, post-build processing data, test results for AM parts, and simulation data from the Ansys AM simulation suite. Moreover, integrating Alchemite into this holistic system “will make it straightforward to analyze the full range of this data in the search for key process and property relationships and to continuously improve models as the data is updated,” indicated the company. Intellegens Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Gareth Conduit, described that “merging the data management capabilities of Ansys’ Granta MI with the machine learning prowess of Alchemite is a perfect fit,” promising to deliver deep insights to AM workflows. In recent years, data-driven machine learning software initiatives for AM have garnered a lot of attention. Targeting easier processes and more accurate results, machine learning technologies help accelerate application developments. Alchemite’s deep learning algorithms can see correlations between all available parameters resulting in accurate models that can unravel data problems that are not accessible to traditional deep learning approaches. These unique deep learning solutions that extract valuable information from existing processes and data can become game-changers for the 3D printing community. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com February 22, 2021 at 08:32AM
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SMS Marketing: Definition, Strategies, & Examples https://ift.tt/3umi9eR If you knew there was a marketing strategy that has a 98% opening rate on your messaging, would you try it out? Of course, you would — because a 98% open rate means almost all your potential customers are paying attention to your marketing. In fact, it would be “marketing malpractice” not to at least try SMS marketing for your business. And the good news here is that you don’t have to be intimidated by this marketing strategy. It’s possible to learn the ropes in one sitting. First, here’s what SMS marketing is, so you never have to wonder again. Table Of Contents What is SMS marketing?SMS marketing is what happens when you take your advertising efforts directly to the text message inboxes of your potential customers. This can include a few different strategies:
Why is SMS marketing important for business?Put most simply? Because SMS marketing is really, really good at getting people to engage. Just look at the stats:
As you can see, people like engaging with businesses via text. So SMS marketing is important for businesses not only because it’s a cheap and affordable way for you to send out mass messages, but also because, sometimes, it’s what your customers prefer. An example of SMS marketing in actionThe statistics sound almost too good to be true, right? Possibly. But it’s completely possible to see these statistics happen to your business in real life when you try SMS marketing on your own. Take, for example, Kopari. Kopari is a specialty retailer selling beauty products. When they realized in 2017 that they were relying too much on email to generate sales, they thought to try out a text message campaign. In only four months, 10,000+ shoppers signed up to receive Kopari’s SMS and 65% more got on their SMS list every month. After this campaign, the retailer attributed 14% of their sales from their website to SMS. So if you’re not sure where to get started with SMS marketing, here’s what you can do to create an SMS marketing campaign that’ll get you more revenue: A 7-step SMS marketing campaign (with examples)Step 1. Pick the right text messaging softwareGiven how effective SMS marketing is, you might be wondering why you can’t just grab any type of text messaging software and use it. And you’re right, to a degree. Text message open (and even conversion) rates are high across the board. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a few moments to select the right text message software. Here’s why:
Now let’s dwell on text message templates a bit more — because they’re pretty important. Why? Well, templates make it super easy to create and send text messages as often as you need to. And you’ll need to send texts quite often. Fun fact: 64% of customers think that companies should text them more often. The bottom line here is, if you choose the right SMS marketing software — it’ll be easy to use and easy to scale. And if the price is right, then you’ll be more likely to send out more texts. Speaking of SMS marketing software, here are some of the tools worth of your consideration:
And if you’re a GetResponse user, you’ll be happy to hear that all of them seamlessly integrate with the platform via Zapier. And SMS marketing is that rare style of marketing in this day and age that many people actually want in their inbox — from brands they’ve given consent, of course. But that’s not all. Let’s talk about one of the most important aspects of starting a new SMS marketing campaign: testing. Step 2. Send a test-SMS message to your team/family/etc.NASA doesn’t send a rocket into space without a thorough testing campaign. Neither should you. Granted, an SMS marketing campaign isn’t exactly rocket science; it’s much easier. But you are still dealing with something that deserves a quick test before you send out your marketing messages. You need to know what your SMS will look like when it lands in your customer’s inbox and make sure it works properly. And testing will help you do that. So how do you run a test SMS campaign?
So when you create your own test campaign, think of it as an investment in your future. A test campaign will give you a foundation upon which you can build your future success, optimize your strengths, and tweak your weaknesses. Pro tip: Whether you’re sending emails or SMS messages it’s worth creating a test segment that’ll include your team members or friends whom you’d like to review your message. To create such segment, you just need to make sure that your test recipients contain a distinctive piece of information, e.g. a custom field or a domain name. Just like in the example below, where I’ve searched for subscribers that have “getresponse” in their email address. Step 3. Start collecting phone numbers of customers (and/or potential customers)After running a successful test SMS campaign, what comes next? That’s right, you want to send a real one. But to do that, you need to collect the phone numbers of your customers and potential customers. And there are right and wrong ways to go about this. Do it wrong, and you’ll annoy your text recipients. But do it right and people will welcome and engage with your messages. We’ll share a simple two-step tactic you can use to collect phone numbers and build a contact list full of potential customers:
And the keyword here is “incentivize.” When restaurant chain Texas Roadhouse created a loyalty program for one of its first SMS marketing campaigns, they netted 60,000 new members almost immediately. They found out that the simple offer of a free appetizer was enough to engage people. Plus, SMS marketing ended up being more effective than email marketing — they discovered that SMS produced more loyal customers based on a higher redemption percentage of 16.6 compared to 3.3 for email. Simply put, the customers who opted into a text messaging campaign were more likely to eat at Texas Roadhouse. Now, this doesn’t mean SMS is a silver bullet for marketing. You need to do some research and find what you can do to create loyalty with your customers. And it starts with figuring out what you can offer them via text. Give them something worth signing up for, and you’ll have a list in no time. This leads us to step 4. Step 4. Research and understand the consumers you want to textIn step 3, we’ve covered how to collect phone numbers and build an SMS contact list. But in this step, we’re addressing what happens after you build your list. What exactly should you be texting subscribers — so they don’t start tuning out of your messages? Because while several statistics show that SMS is a powerful tool for businesses, keep in mind that customers will tune out of your messages if you don’t send them offers or content that are relevant to them. And it’s a reality: 88% of respondents, in one survey, said they often ignore texts and calls from businesses. So if you want to exploit the advantages of using SMS marketing, you have to research and nail down your target audience. This will ensure that every text message you send is relevant enough to your subscribers. Here are some ways you can do it:
Step 5. Create and promote sweetened dealsThe advantage of SMS marketing campaigns is that you’ll have customers on your list who have already given consent to be contacted. Don’t expect them to do that in exchange for nothing. Creating and promoting sweetened deals is one of the fastest ways to incentivize customers to sign up to receive your texts. It’s also a super-effective way to keep them subscribed. But “creating an incentive” is vague. Let’s talk specifics. What can you do to engage your audience into becoming and staying SMS subscribers?Contests: A contest is a great way to get customers subscribing and staying subscribed. Contests make it easy for consumers to sign up for the promise of a reward — especially if their reward is worthwhile. Coupons: The same logic that applies to contests applies here. It’s free for people to sign up for an SMS campaign. So if they’ll get a coupon on a product they’re interested in while they’re at it, they’d likely want to take the coupon. To customers, signing up for SMS updates from a brand and getting a coupon for it is well worth the little bit of time it takes to do it. In their mind, they’re saving money. On your end, you’re giving out a coupon that not every customer will redeem. And in exchange, you’re assembling a list of customers you know are “warm leads” for your product. Read more: 25 Best Lead Magnet Ideas Step 6. Know when to send your textsIt’s not just the “who” that’s important, it’s the “when.” When are your customers looking at your text messages? Because different demographics tend to check their phones at different times. Consider the following statistics:
So why is it so important to get the timing right? Well, because not all demographic groups check their phones at the same time. For example, if your customers are students, then you probably want to start sending your messages as early in the day as possible. Or let’s say that your target customer is a working adult with disposable income. You wouldn’t want to send out a text blast when they might be working. To do so might get your text lost in their inbox. If, on the other hand, you send out your bulk SMS blasts to that same audience in the morning, during lunch breaks, or in the evenings, you’re more likely to get your texts seen. They say that “timing is everything.” It’s true in show business and comedy. It’s true when finding business opportunities. And it’s just as true when you’re building your SMS marketing campaigns. So don’t treat timing lightly. Put in your research and discover the best time to reach your audience. Read more: What’s the best day and time to send email? 2020 study. Step 7. Make sure your in-text CTAs are clickable or visible enough (depending on what type of CTA you’re using)Let’s say you’ve done everything right so far. What’s the next step? Simple: it all comes down to the Call-to-Action (CTA). Without an effective CTA, your texts won’t generate the response you need. And the response you need might be:
You need to create your CTAs in a way that ensures you get the responses (results) you’re looking for. For example, if looking to drive traffic to a sales page and get customers, you’ll want to make a word stand out with all-caps against the more normal text surrounding it. On the surface, it might not seem like CTAs matter. After all, “A good text is a good text,” right? But they’re important. Since you’re spending your money and contacting people who will be opening your text messages, this is an opportunity you don’t want to squander. And your CTA will help determine whether you have an SMS marketing campaign with a high opening rate…or a high conversion rate. You want the latter. So here are some ways to make sure your CTA hits the mark: 1. Make sure your link is clickable. Send yourself a test message to make sure that the link functions properly.
2. Make sure that your link is visible. Your link may be obvious to you. But if it lands in a customer’s inbox, how does it look? Here are the elements to make sure your link is visible:
Create a challenge: When Mike & Mike, a former talk show at ESPN Radio, created a text marketing campaign, they had listeners wait for a keyword. This is also common in iHeartRadio broadcasts. This way, your CTA is also a hook for encouraging more people to check out your content. Step 8. Follow upIf you don’t want to lose your audience, you have to follow up. Why is it important? Because even if you’ve done everything right so far, cart abandonment rates are about 70-80% globally. That’s right. You can do everything well with SMS marketing and still lose the majority of your customers to simple cart abandonment. So your SMS marketing software should have ways of creating automated follow-ups. The more sophisticated it is, the more you can target your content to each customer’s behavior. Here’s what you’ll want to do to make sure that you do it right: Craft your messages with specific outcomes in mind.Let’s say you’re specifically retargeting people who abandoned their cart. You should write your automated text messages to suit that need specifically. For one reason, it will get your reader’s attention. Whether or not they remember the abandoned cart item, the fact that your message is true will immediately call their attention. It’s also a vital way to build a long-term relationship with each customer. They won’t feel “talked at.” They’ll feel talked to. Following up can also be you retargeting people who have clicked through the links in your texts with ads relevant to what they clicked. This can be a powerful way to improve your conversion rates without expanding the size of your SMS audience. 2. Don’t forget the timing for followups, too.You can set your automated retargeting campaigns to send at the right time. And it goes without saying that you don’t want to send an “abandoned cart” text the instant someone bounces from your page. That kind of timing with a text campaign will only suggest to your audience that they can expect message after message from you. But if you space things out enough, you can send a gentle retargeting reminder a few days later. In many cases, you’ll find someone genuinely forgot about their interest. And they’ll be ready to take action again. 5 examples of SMS marketing campaigns you should learn fromIf you want to cut your learning curve short, the fastest way to do it is to study what’s worked for SMS marketers in the past. Let’s look at five specific examples of successful SMS marketing campaigns, and break down how they performed: Example 1. Carl’s Jr.Carl’s Jr. is a fast-food restaurant chain with over a thousand locations across the world. Since they’re an in-person business, they needed to tie their SMS campaign with an incentive to come into the store. The strategy: they would offer a $6 burger combination meal for only $3. They utilized their existing SMS list to generate foot traffic. Carl’s Jr. received $14 in revenue for every $1 they spent on the SMS campaign. The goal of attracting more foot traffic worked. Why it worked:
Example 2. Pizza Hut – United KingdomPizza Hut UK proved that timing is everything. Combining their text promotion with “geo-fencing,” their marketing campaign sent their users a promotional message when the consumer was within a certain radius of a Pizza Hut. Did it work? Of course. Their campaign was 4.4x as effective as TV ads and 2.6x as effective as online ads, proving that SMS marketing is a powerful way to customize a message to each consumer. Example 3. Dunkin’ DonutsDunkin’ Donuts was looking for more young adults in the Boston area to join its text message marketing lists. Rather than look for foot traffic right away, they needed to build the list up. They started off with ads during a local radio DJ’s show.
Why it worked:
Example 4. American Red CrossOne of the keys in an SMS campaign is that you have to make the barrier to entry as minimal as possible. The American Red Cross has made an art form out of this strategy. Simply texting a keyword to a text message number (like in their Text HAITI to 90999 program, for instance) gets a confirmation message from the American Red Cross. This donation then shows up on the individual’s billing statement. Contrast this to the other possibilities. If the American Red Cross asked people to visit their website, fill out a form, and then make a donation, it would likely have lower conversion rates because people are more likely to drop off if they have to jump through so many hoops. Example 5. Ford MotorsFord Motors got a 15.4% conversion rate when it created a new SMS marketing list. It created this list by taking out print ads and promising 0% APR financing, plus $1,500 toward the first three payments. With potential rewards like that, consumers had a clear choice. They could check out a free text messaging list and potentially find the car they were looking for. Why it worked:
Start taking advantage of SMS marketingSMS marketing isn’t going anywhere. If anything, the standard SMS inbox has replaced email. People love to look at their phones. As we’ve demonstrated, many people even prefer that businesses contact them via phone. And smartphones are ubiquitous so the level of customization possible with SMS marketing is uniquely suited to the information age. The only question is, what are you going to do about it? Printing via GetResponse Blog https://ift.tt/2Xap2TD February 22, 2021 at 08:11AM
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POP Member Showcase: 21 Relief Prints https://ift.tt/2ZE2dX7 This month, here at POP we’re excited to present a series of relief print projects from the talented members of our community. From woodcut, to linocut and 11-layered reduction prints, our members have used a wide variety of relief printing methods to bring their designs to life. Neu Haus Press: Neu Haus Press & Laser Relief Print Collab This past year Neu Haus Press have gained the capability to create their own laser engraved woodblocks in their studio; a new tool which has opened up opportunities to produce large scale wood blocks for their Vandercook 232P, both for their own work and artist collaborations. To start off 2021, they worked with MonicaArts Design for her Bauhaus Design Series thus far consisting of Bauhaus Botanical and Bauhaus Circle-Square. Monica created original designs which were then engraved by their large laser cutter on birch ply, sanded, shellacked and built-up to type high on a birch base to be printed on their large Vandercook proofing press. Christy Powell: Floating Boats & Dragons Christy Powell was asked by Broken Pencil Magazine, a Canadian mega-zine that focuses on independent indie arts, to participate in Canzine 2020 (a festival of zine culture and underground print). For the first time Canzine was to be featured on a virtual platform, and Christy was tasked with submitting an illustration for one of the landing pages. The requirements were to provide an artwork that would be placed in an area called “Shippers Sail” and to contain 21 individual elements that would be used as a clickable button for navigation to other pages within the festival. In keeping with her own style of artwork, Christy used linocut and produced a relief print with 21 individual boats/ships/junks in keeping with a ‘sailing’ theme, and interconnected them with floating mist and mountains. The piece was printed in Phthalo Blue ink, with red hand painted later to make each boat distinct. Stellabox: Carving a Piece of Norwich History St. Ethelbert’s Gate is an A3 linocut print based upon the archway motif at the entrance to Norwich Cathedral in Norfolk, close to where Haychley Webb of Stellabox is based. The inked up block was printed onto Japanese HoSho paper using her trusty wooden spoon, with the dark grey colour paying homage to the original stonework. The design also features a small lion and a phoenix in the tree branches beneath a sword-wielding knight and a fierce dragon. “The original archway has these two main characters facing each other but I felt it created a more playful note having them back to back as if to say he’s behind you!” says Haychley. Alexis Nutini: Harmonograph Optics The concentric spirals for this series of woodcut monoprints were generated using a harmonograph drawing apparatus. This tool employs pendulums to create a geometric image as it swings and looses momentum. With it, Alexis Nutini made freeform drawings focusing on concentric ovals, using different markers to achieve a range of line weights. The drawings were then digitised and milled into woodcuts with a CNC router. By overlapping the spirals, changing colours and printing order, Alexis was able to generate moire effects and unexpected optical results. Dave Lefner: The Music Goes Round and Round… (Treble Clef) Linocut printmaker Dave Lefner was honoured to be asked by Alice Clarke, creator of the IG Printmakers’ Showcase, im_printed, to be part of a 2021 print exchange with the open-theme of “Circle”. Dave’s entry was The music goes round and round… (Treble clef), a reduction linocut in 7 colour stages, printed in a limited edition of 12 on A4 paper. EneArtworks: The ‘Black and White’ Out of Space Enea Seregni specialises in the creation of horror-themed linocuts. Over time this has led him to illustrate horror literature classics, such as the novels of H.P Lovecraft. In this latest effort, Enea returns to the theme of cosmic horror with a print dedicated to The Color Out of Space. In the piece, he questions whether “it is possible to convey the idea of a weird, iridescent substance from another planet by working only in black and white”. He does this by focusing solely on the eldritch and strange shapes coming from the miasma of the well, looking at the effect they cause on the surrounding environment. Stfacatprints: Magic Castle Magic Castle is one of Stfacatprints’ latest linocuts which was printed in 2 colours; black and gold, on a natural Lokta paper in 20X40 format. Inspired by medieval and fantastic castles, the castle featured floats in the air on its rock, thus approaching the moon. “This engraving is an invitation to dream and to escape from this world which has become so complex but there is still hope” says the printmaker. She also printed it in white and gold on ultramarine blue paper. Margaret Mallows: Winter Shadows Winter Shadows was inspired by photographs of Finland, taken by Margaret Mallow’s daughter. The piece is an 11 colour reduction print, using just one piece of lino for the entire print. After drawing the print onto lino, Margaret first cut away all areas to remain white, then rainbow rolled the sky colour. After cutting away areas of sky she started adding more layers, carving areas to remain after each printing. Once all the blues were added to the print, the last layers were printed for the cabin, and finally the dark colour on the trees. Emil Underbjerg: Spirit War Spirit War is the culmination of almost 200 hours of work spread out over the last 2 years. It is the largest and most challenging linocut print Emil Underbjerg has ever made. Measuring 100x140cm, Emil printed it entirely by hand with just a bone folder. “The process of making this piece has been transformative for me, letting myself make this, without listening to my fears, has been such a great learning experience and has given me the courage to continue explore and to push myself and my art even further,” says the printmaker. L’Empressée: Going Back To It Through her work, Mlle Terite plunges the viewer into a dark and poetic universe where nature regains its rights and redefines its relationship with humans. Recently, Mlle has been developing a polymorphous artistic practice combining drawing, painting, wall sculpture, and installation. She hadn’t practised linocut in a long time and accepted the challenge for her first collaboration with the print-focused gallery, L’Empressée. Mlle states; “For this project I wanted to focus on the empty space becoming the subject of the artwork”. www.en.lempressee.com/mlle-terite Shelly Brown: Love Is All Around Love Is All Around was inspired by the opening (and closing) scene of love actually, where people are waiting at the airport for their loved ones to walk through arrivals. “That scene gets me every time… Maybe because my family are all over the world and that is a reality I have seen so many times . the huge emotional embrace when you finally have them within reach,” says Shelly. The linocut print is all about the joy to come after Covid; the embraces, the love, and the relief. www.shellybrownillustration.com Emily Woolford: Mary ShelleyEmily Woolford is a printmaker who is heavily inspired by literature and the Gothic. For this abstracted linocut of Mary Shelley, Emily spent some time exploring paintings of writers from the Victorian era, and was interested in how dark the clothing and backgrounds were in comparison to their skin. Emily often includes text in her work as she is passionate about letterpress and language, once again reflecting her love of books. Ridge + Roots: Grow or Go Grow or Go was created during the Relief Conspiracy print exchange with 376 printmakers across 26 countries and 5 continents. The concept was inspired by two trusted colleagues who would often say, “Grow or go” (with a shoulder shrug) in response to many events in life. The matter-of-fact response typically prompted reflection; “the idea being that we should always be surrounded by people and experiences that encourage and support our growth. If not, well, I suppose the answer is quite simple,” says Gina. This relief print was created as a message of encouragement to make decisions that support growth, instead of fitting into places you have outgrown just because it’s comfortable. Melanie Wickham: Hedge When creating Hedge, Melanie Wickham challenged herself to avoid a focal point (like a real bustling hedgerow), so that the viewers’ eye has to travel around the image and discover all of the different animals and plants within the image. The piece size is 31 cm x 27 cm in size and was hand burnished onto Somerset Satin paper. Blockforest: Spirit Guides With the ongoing pandemic, Mikey of Blockforest has been in search of guidance to help him through the trials the world is currently throwing at us all. “For me, that led to exploring themes of nature, renewal, and looking to more spiritual avenues, with this series being inspired by the concepts of spirit and animal guides” says Mikey. This short series of three such guides: The Fox, The Wolf and The Bear, was an opportunity for him to explore how to capture the beauty of these animals in linocut, as well as a meditation on how to explore and embody these guides characteristics as a way to combat the stresses of the modern world. Letterpress PLAY: Bandanas Letterpress PLAY use all types of printing mediums, from letterpress printing, to screen printing, and block printing. Their organic cotton bandanas feature both blocking printing and screen printing, and the team create their own natural dyes to give their bandanas a unique colour. Before COVID, they enjoyed interacting with their local community, particularly young children, and teaching them the art of relief printing. They can’t wait to resume this once COVID is over! Hannah Chiarella: Tiny Houses For the last couple months Hannah Chiarella has been working on a series of “tiny houses”. These homes might seem normal at first, but are shown to be diminutive, nestled in a larger-than-life garden. From a quintessential DC rowhouse, to a mission-style southwest adobe, these tiny houses live amongst the plants in a fantastical world. Are they home for fairies in a giant’s garden? The whimsy of the proportions make you wonder how they can exist. But regardless of the story each of these prints become an extraordinary garden refuge and the perfect little home. Strange Meadows: Snake and Poppies This relief print by Strange Meadows features a snake design with botanical elements. For the piece Megan started out by sketching each layer of the print on separate pieces of glassine paper, using reference images along the way. For the botanicals, she opted for poppies, feeling that their “wavy petals were excellent for adding lines and movement”. The piece was created from two lino blocks which were hand burnished with water based ink onto lokta paper. www.instagram.com/strange_meadows Coxswain Press: Luna Moth Luna Moth is a new limited edition block print from Coxswain Press. A combination of two separate reduction blocks, the piece was printed by Taylor Cox on a vintage Vandercook printing press using five separate colour passes in order to create a deep depth of colour. Alexandra Motiu: The Neverending Story Alexandra Motiu has recently been working on a new series based on the children’s novel The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. As an homage to the book, this collection will have prints primarily in dark red and dark green, inspired by the book itself where the writing alternates between the two colours; one representing the story in the human realm, and the other the story in Fantastica. This linocut print features Dame Eyola, who is a large, gigantic mother like figure, rotund like an apple. Mary Ann Testagrossa: Heart Centred Art Nestled in My Heart is a relief print Mary Ann completed late last year. It is the combination of two of her favourite images to work with; cats and hearts. “This piece in particular came after the loss of a very special cat of mine. It is a reflection of where he now resides” says Mary Ann. This was her first time using gomuban, or Japanese vinyl, as the plate. She used what she likes to call a “puzzle” method of cutting the carved image apart to create the two colours of the print. To print the piece Mary Ann used Calico Safewash inks on Stonehenge paper. Check out more projects by our members at www.members.peopleofprint.com. Anyone working with print can apply to join our community and benefit from a heap of perks here.
Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/2DhgcW7 February 22, 2021 at 08:03AM Senvol, ORNL Publish Report on Pedigreed Metal 3D Printing Data https://ift.tt/3aHd8We Senvol, which created the most comprehensive database of industrial 3D printers and materials, offers several products to help companies access, generate, and analyze AM data in order to implement the technology. Several American defense agencies, such as the US Air Force, US Army, and the US Navy, have used Senvol’s tools in the past. Now, the company announced that it recently teamed up again with the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to publish a technical report on on pedigreed additive manufacturing data. The report, “Collection of High Pedigree AM Data for Data Analysis and Correlation,” is the result of a two-year cooperative research and development agreement, which was all about the generation of—you guessed it—pedigreed AM data.
The two worked together to evaluate and execute Senvol’s proprietary Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) document, so it could be used to collect pedigree AM data specifically for a laser powder bed fusion 3D printer using an aluminum (Al-Si-Mg) alloy.
The overall goal here was for ORNL to evaluate Senvol’s best practices document specifically to check on the adequacy of the written procedures for powder bed AM technology data collection. ORNL conducted an independent evaluation of the SOP document, which, according to Senvol, “details how to generate pedigreed additive manufacturing data,” and then provided its feedback to Senvol. The company added the edits into the technical report, which was then used in the making of 3D prints on a Concept Laser XLine 1000r system in order to see just how successful the report was in collecting the pedigreed data. A variety of build parameters were used in the test prints, such as laser speed and layer thickness, and the 3D printed parts were subjected to tensile testing. The resulting data was then input into the Senvol ML software suite, which includes a machine learning algorithm that analyzes the relationships between process parameters and material performance. In this case, the data was used to figure out connection between the various print parameters and the resulting tensile strength.
In addition to making sure that Senvol is capturing the necessary data to extract good information, the company and ORNL concluded that the collection of pedigreed data is crucial to gaining a full understanding of AM material quality. You can download the technical report here and check out the project’s results, such as the ultimate tensile strength and elongation of the 3D printed Al-10Si-Mg alloy, for yourself.
Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com February 22, 2021 at 08:02AM
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Lena Yokoyama: Visual Translations https://ift.tt/3qVj1oo Lena Yokoyama is a Japanese/Austrian illustrator, printmaker, and ‘visual translator’. Having grown up mostly in Japan and Austria, with some time spent some in France and the US, Lena is now living in London, where she also completed her degree in Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts in 2020. Drawing her inspiration mostly from people, culture, languages, and translation, Lena is also a big fan of the Japanese concept of ‘Wabisabi’, which sees the beauty in the natural, incomplete, and imperfect. This is further reflected in her love for analogue print techniques that celebrate grain, imperfections, and mis-registration. As someone from a multi-cultural and multi-linguistic background – her dad being a translator of Japanese and her mum a German teacher – languages have always played an important role in Lena’s life. “I’m mostly interested in the differences between languages and how to create bridges between cultures through the art of translation” says the printmaker. She continues; “However, as I’m a visual artist who likes to communicate with images much more than with words, I’m looking at how translation may be performed visually, in a way that can go beyond what words can express.” Thus, this leads to Lena’s most recent self-initiated print and illustration based project, Visual Translations. The work explores the Japanese concept ‘Ma’ 間, which loosely means ‘pause’ or ‘in-betweeness’, yet the finer nuances of its meaning cannot easily be contained in the English language. Lena states; “My aim is to instead use an illustrative language that will allow this concept to become accessible to a wider audience”. The project is similar to the game of Silent Post. Lena asked her Japanese father to take an old point and shoot camera to Japan and take pictures of scenes he would consider to represent ‘Ma’ 間. She then asked him to describe the basic composition of these images to her without showing her the photographs. Lena’s illustrations are her further interpretation of his descriptions. She explains; “This creates a chain of reiterations of information and acts as an experiment to see whether meaning can be carried through different mediums, thus creating visual forms of translation.” Lena mostly works in Japanese calligraphy ink on paper, which she later digitally colours. Each of her illustrations consist of a limited colour palette with only 2-3 layers. Often using complementary colours, Lena creates additional colours by overlapping her layers without having to add more. This creates a kind of ‘faux-Riso’ effect. “I’ve developed my illustration process specifically in this way so that my work can be further translated into spot-colour printing, through my own Risograph (Roko Press), lithography, relief, and screen printing” says Lena. “Through my work I would like to build conversations around social values, cultural identity, and cross-cultural communication. By never having been from one place only, I spent a long time in my youth feeling like I don’t fully belong anywhere. But since moving to London 5 years ago, I now recognise the beauty in diversity and cultural differences and it’s a belief I want to share”. For Lena, illustration is a tool to bring together her own invention of a universe with a thematic context, enabling her to create a visual language which she can use to facilitate bridges between different cultures. “Print is closely connected to my practice as it enables me to bring my work to life and off the screen,” concludes Lena. www.lena-yokoyama.com Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/2DhgcW7 February 22, 2021 at 07:34AM 3DPOD Episode 50: DARPA and More with Ken Church, nScrypt CEO https://ift.tt/3pBDmOk I’m a huge nScrypt fan and love the firm’s technologies. The way they’ve defined their “line in a tool” approach to additive is really inspiring to me. With nScrypt machines, you can print electronics, polymers, micro dispense, mill and aerosol jet, all in one machine. The company is the only one that is working on combining bioprinting and electronics and is far ahead of anyone else in electronics 3D printing, as well. At the same time it leads in high-tech, rugged printers that can be used in austere environments and has worked on printers for use on board the International Space Station. I love the capabilities of nScrypt’s machines and think that they are criminally unknown. Talking with the CEO of nScrypt, Ken Church, was a blast. We discussed bioprinting from a realistic standpoint, as well as electronics 3D printing and the future of our industry. Ken’s a straight shooter and is as knowledgeable as he is opinionated, so you’ll learn a lot from him, I’m sure. We also surprisingly talked a while about the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), with nScrypt having been partially funded by them. Unsurprisingly, Max and I had a little to say about that, as well. This would be a great episode to give a listen to, especially if you’re thinking of applying for DARPA funding or have something that could help them. But, if you just want to be completely jazzed out about our technology and the possibilities, well then you should listen, too. Podcast (podcast-audio): Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com February 22, 2021 at 07:32AM
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Stratasys Announces First Carbon Fiber 3D Printing Filament for F123 https://ift.tt/3pOHVFe Stratasys has introduced a new carbon fiber material for fused deposition modeling (FDM). While the company has had a carbon fiber filament available on their industrial printers for several years, this is the first carbon-based option for their F123 series. In some ways, this release has been a long time coming. Stratasys founder S. Scott Crump filed the first patent for an FDM printer back in 1989, but copycat FFF-style printers have been printing with carbon fiber filaments for more than five years as a part of a larger development of carbon fiber 3D printing techniques, that also include continuous fiber reinforcement. Indeed, it was so popular that Stratasys put out an entirely new printer to deal with it. They released the Fortus F380mc, a pared-down version of the Fortus 450 that was only capable of printing in carbon fiber, back in 2018. With the new release, Stratasys is focused on applications in aerospace, automotive, industrial, and recreational manufacturing industries. “There is a reason why manufacturers are increasingly turning to 3D-printed carbon fiber materials,” said Dick Anderson, Stratasys Senior VP of Manufacturing. “It’s incredibly strong, versatile, and lightweight. We want to enable all our FDM customers to take advantage of those material characteristics.” F123 users can look forward to getting their hands on ABS-CF10 this April. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com February 22, 2021 at 07:00AM
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3D Printing Webinar and Virtual Event Roundup: February 21, 2021 https://ift.tt/3aCWkja This coming week is chock full of webinars, with three a day for three days running. So without further ado, let’s dive right in! TriMech on Sweeps and Threads in SOLIDWORKS First up, at 10 am EST on Tuesday, February 23rd, Stratasys and SOLIDWORKS reseller TriMech is holding a webinar titled “TriMech Tips & Tricks: Sweeps & Threads.” Michael Souders, a TriMech Application Engineer, will discuss topics related to the complex sweeps and threads models, such as how to create threads, use guide curves to create complex swept geometry, create and manage twist along a swept part, using the profile orientation to control the sweep, and more.
You can register for the webinar here. NVIDIA: Using Cloud Simulation Tools Architecture companies usually have tight deadlines in which to create and deliver their project concepts, and Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architects (AS+GG) validate their early design proposals using a CFD software, based on SimScale’s LBM method, that’s accelerated with a GPU (invented by NVIDIA). The cloud-based software helps the firm’s architects create their designs faster than before, and during a webinar, called “Optimizing Building Designs,” on Tuesday the 23rd at 12 pm EST, you’ll hear from SimScale co-founder David Heiny, AS+GG architect Anthony Violoa, and NVIDIA’s AEC Industry Marketing Strategy Lead Andrew Rink about just why that is.
You can register for the webinar here. Electromechanical Design with SOLIDWORKS At 1 pm EST on the 23rd, SOLIDWORKS ECAD Business experts will discuss how to help organizations use SOLIDWORKS Electrical to identify and fix inefficient communication bottlenecks through the use of an integrated mechanical and electrical engineering tool set, in a webinar titled “Electromechanical Design – The Business Case.” In addition to learning how to create a personalized ROI and some of the most common causes of lost time, attendees will also get to hear about business metrics and customer success stories as well.
You can register for the webinar here. TriMech Provides Intro to Polymer 3D Printing At 10 am EST on Wednesday, February 24th, TriMech is holding another webinar, this time called “An Introduction to Polymer 3D Printing,” which should be pretty self-explanatory. TriMech Additive Manufacturing Application Engineer Andrew Sink will discuss a variety of polymer printing techniques, such as Digital Light Processing (DLP), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), PolyJet (PJ), and Stereolithography (SL), and explain how they work and the differences between them, in addition to describing their strengths, weaknesses, and use-cases, such as prototyping and end-use parts.
You can register for the webinar here. GE Additive on Reusing Metal Powder The latest in GE Additive’s Webinar Wednesday series will be held at 10 am EST on the 24th, titled “Understanding Metal Powder Reuse and Effective Reuse Strategies for Additive Manufacturing.” GE Additive engineers Alfred Okello and Victor Samper will provide a holistic view of metal powder reuse, which is really important when it comes to a good business case for industrializing metal AM. Attendees will learn about different powder reuse strategy options, and the comparisons between them based on process quality, cost, and ease of implementation.
You can register for the webinar here. Essentium Talks 3D Printed Blow Molding For those who might now know, blow molding is a less costly manufacturing process that is used to create hollow plastic parts by inflating a heated plastic tube until it fills a mold and forms the desired shape, whether it’s an aircraft duct, a bottle, or a double walled part, to give a few examples. At 11 am EST on Wednesday the 24th, Essentium will hold a webinar, “An Introduction to Blow Molding Production Using Additive Manufacturing,” that will teach attendees to use additive manufacturing to enhance blow molding capabilities in three different use cases. The webinar will discuss the design, material selection, slicing, and post processing used to print good blow molding tools.
You can register for the webinar here. nTopology Automotive Applications Training On Thursday, February 25th at 10 am EST, nTopology will be holding a virtual workshop called “nTop Training: Automotive.” Attendees will learn how to use nTopology to their advantage for a variety of automotive applications, including design exploration, lattice structures and 3D printed foams, and design exploration. The training will be broken up into four sessions—Architected Materials for Seat Cushions, Surface Textures & Patterns for Car Design, Topology Optimization & Post-processing, and Recap & Live Q&A—and all eligible participants will receive a free trial license of nTopology, which will be issued the same day as the training.
You can register for the virtual workshop here. Registration closes on Tuesday, February 23rd, at 5 pm EST, so don’t wait! HP Experts About 3D Print Post-Processing At noon on the 25th, HP is holding a live session of “Ask the Experts,” focused on everything you want to know about post-processing 3D prints. Attendees will learn about HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology and how it works, as well as get answers to some of the most popular questions when it comes to post-processing, and explore some of the many different post-processing techniques out there.
You can register for the webinar here. AM Coalition on Neighborhood 91 The final webinar for the week is at 3 pm EST on Thursday, February 25th, and it’s a live Zoom forum, “A Case Study into the Additive Manufacturing Supply Chain Challenges,” with the national membership organization Additive Manufacturing Coalition. “Neighborhood 91: The World’s First End to End Additive Manufacturing Production Campus” is about Neighborhood 91, an end-to-end 3D printing ecosystem located at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Congressman Conor Lamb (D, PA-17) will open the forum, and there will be several speakers, including Christina Cassotis, Pittsburgh Airport Authority; John Barnes, The Barnes Global Advisors (TBGA); Philip Moslener, Wabtec Corporation; and Craig Blue, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
You can register for the forum here. Do you have news to share about any future webinars or virtual events? Please let us know! Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com February 21, 2021 at 08:41AM 3D Printing News Briefs February 20 2021: Massivit Romi BCN3D 1016 Industries Elevons.Design2/20/2021
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3D Printing News Briefs, February 20, 2021: Massivit, Romi, BCN3D, 1016 Industries, Elevons.Design https://ift.tt/3ugze9Q Business first in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, before we move on to other topics, like hybrid systems, new filaments, and interesting 3D printed products. Massivit is set to go public on the Israeli stock exchange. Romi introduced a line of hybrid manufacturing systems that feature both traditional machining operations and metallic 3D printing, and BCN3D is launching two new filaments. Finally, 1016 Industries has designed the first permanent 3D printed body kit for the Ferrari F8, and a designer is using 3D scans to create form-fitting N95 masks. Massivit3D Set to Go Public on Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Large-format 3D printing manufacturer Massivit3D, based in Israel, will very soon be going public on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) with an Initial Public Offering (IPO) valued at $200 million, based on its earnings and technological potential. Currently listed as a Candidate Company on the TASE site, this shows that Massivit is looking to speed up the commercialization of its technology and move into additional markets. The company isn’t publicly listed yet, so there isn’t a lot of readily available information about its finances, but it’s believed that the company is looking to raise $50 million in funding before the IPO moves forward, maybe with help from former investors Klil Industries and Stratasys. It has been confirmed, however, that equity firm Poalim IBI will underwrite the offering. Massivit holds 52 patents technology patents, and its massive 3D printers are often used for applications in the events, architecture, entertainment, retail, and engineering sectors. The Massivit3D 10000, which the company says is much faster than similar casting-based systems, is set to launch this fall, and will be marketed toward complex aerospace and automotive tooling.
Romi Launches Line of Hybrid Manufacturing Machining Centers Kentucky-based Romi Machine Tools Ltd (Romi USA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brazilian based Industrias ROMI S.A., introduced a full range of hybrid manufacturing machine tools that can switch back and forth between traditional subtractive machining and metallic additive manufacturing technologies. Featuring large build volumes, roller guides on all axes, sensor-monitored thermal compensation, these hybrid systems are good for intricate work, part repair, and adding features to parts. The company says it’s easy to make the switch from subtractive to additive on the machines, which are based on its its Generation D Series vertical machining centers: using an automatic tool changer, the additive head is brought into position, and the laser deposition can then begin, adding materials in the right amount, location, and profile. Romi partnered with Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies to develop the D Series Hybrids.
BCN3D Adds Two New Standard 3D Printing Materials As the result of continuing collaborations with Mitsubishi Chemical (MCPP) and BASF, Barcelona-based desktop 3D printer manufacturer BCN3D Technologies has made two additions to its portfolio of standard 3D printing filaments. The first is the stiff, impact-resistant Tough PLA, which features high strength, good surface quality, excellent layer adhesion, and is a good choice for tooling, end-use parts, and functional prototyping. It’s also easy to use and a good alternative to ABS for larger prints, and will be offered in black and white colors initially, with red and blue to come later. The second is BVOH (Butanediol vinyl alcohol copolymer), a thermoplastic optimized for FFF 3D printing and compatible with most of BCN3D’s other filaments. Thanks to its very fast dissolution, the water-soluble material is an excellent support material for sacrificial molds, partially enclosed cavities, and complex geometries, and is easy to remove from inside small parts, which also helps reduce clogging issues.
These new materials are both compatible with the new Sigma D25, Epsilon W50, and Epsilon W27, in addition to the old portfolio with the Sigma and Sigmax printers. The material profiles for Tough PLA and BVOH have been added to BCN3D Cura, and a new firmware update will be pushed automatically to all Epsilon and Sigma D25 printers for the materials. You can purchase them through BCN3D’s distribution network. First Permanent 3D Printed Body Kit for Ferrari F8 Aftermarket carbon fiber automotive design company 1016 Industries has announced its latest carbon fiber body kit for the sleek, high-performance Ferrari F8, and it’s reportedly the first 3D printed one for this particular vehicle. The kit, which plugs right in to the original body, subtly upgrades the design of the famous F8, and lets customers customize to their heart’s content, as all of the pieces are removable. The kit is first treated in house to test flexibility and durability of the material, before another treatment soaks into the material for no breaking or cracking when the kit is mounted; finally, each piece is painted. You can see the various aspects of this 3D printed body kit in the image above, and all have been upgraded for style and function. For instance, a suction inlet above the headlight duct helps promote airflow into the engine, and a blown spoiler on the back of the trunk optimizes downforce—without sacrificing drag—on the back end of the car. Additionally, the kit’s 3D printed exhaust X pipes and Downpipes are unique to the company, as mesh was laser cut into them to help reduce the weight.
The full 3D printed body kit, with a price of $46,640, will be ready for sale and same-day installation by the end of the month. 3D Scans Enable New Form-Fitting Face Mask 3D digital design firm Elevons.Design, founded by designer Jordan Elevons, specializes in combined digital and physical goods, distributed manufacturing, and 3D printing. Elevons reached out to let us know that he has launched a new 3D printed PPE product, called Mask^2, that uses a replaceable N95 filter, can be sterilized for reuse, and oh wait, is actually a respirator that uses a video-generated 3D scan to make it perfectly conform to your face! Pronounced Mask Squared, it creates a form-fitting seal between your face and the mask, which can help lower your risk of COVID-19 infection by keeping unfiltered air out of your lungs. Elevons says that beta testers report the Mask^2 is comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and it also features an anti-fogging design, adjustable elastic straps, a frame and filter that can be sterilized using household chemicals and oven heat, and behind-head or around-ear wear options. To get a Mask^2 for yourself, you need to create an account, and then purchase the mask for $35, shipping included. Then, you’ll need to follow the instructions on the website to take a video with your smartphone, which then generates a 3D scan of your face. You’ll then upload the video and measurement to the Elevons.Design website, which will be used to design a custom, form-fitting mask. It will then be 3D printed out of flexible TPU material, and mailed to your doorstep within two weeks. Additionally, you’ll get a link to your 3D scan so you can share it on social media. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com February 20, 2021 at 07:02AM RuPaul’s Drag Race Star A’Whora Struts Runway in 3D Printed Bone Couture https://ift.tt/3k3SmTU The British spinoff of RuPaul’s Drag Race is now on its second season and it is already pushing the envelope of drag. On the latest episode of the competition reality show, the typically prim and polished A’Whora stalked the runway in a formfitting, 3D printed exoskeleton. The theme for the runway that night was “Pre-Herstoric Drag”, which included one-too-many animal prints and a lot of bones, but there was nothing quite like what A’Whora donned—no bones about it. The drag queen wore a 3D printed mask and corset designed using 3D scans of her face and body and then wrapped herself in a fur coat. The result was a look that screams Queen of the Stone Age.
The work was created by U.K. designer el_samu.obj. According to the artist, he had just one month to design and create the entire look. First, A’Whora’s face and body were scanned using a Sense 2 3D scanner before modeling was performed in Mudbox and Maya. Sam let us know that it took a total of 300 hours to print, on his CR-10s 3D printer using FormFutura Extrafill PLA, and then sanded the look to completion.
3D printing has made its way into fashion consistently, particularly through the work of Iris van Herpen, who has been fabricating high fashion looks for more than seven years. On a related note, competing drag queen, Bimini Bon-Boulash, dressed as bacteria for her pre-herstoric look alongside A’Whora, claiming inspiration from van Herpen, though no 3D printing was involved. It has also walked the runways of reality TV before via Project Runway, where contestants had to make 3D printed textiles using now-defunct Cube 3D printers from 3D Systems. Former contestant Justin LeBlanc also used 3D printing in his final collection on the 12 season of the show. This also isn’t the first time 3D printing has been used on RuPaul’s Drag Race, as season 10 winner Aquaria wore a skeleton mask 3D printed using selective laser sintering by Shapeways. This author also enlisted the help of a 3D modeler to attempt a 3D print of Manila Luzon, with mixed results.
We may see future queens on Drag Race UK take on 3D printed accessories because el_samu.obj has been printing up a storm for queens in the area. He say he got into this niche in part through his friend, drag queen Stella Marbles, for whom he makes masks (see above).
el_samu.obj is still working on his website. COVID-19 has impacted his business, naturally, as it has limited live drag performances, an issue that Scottish drag queen Lawrence Cheney also mentioned on the show. So, while drag has faced a downturn, el_samu.obj has been designing animatronics for non-drag clients with a goal of one day making movie props. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com February 19, 2021 at 05:26PM |
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