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Additive´s Tip of the Iceberg Problem, Part 2 https://ift.tt/sktYTP8 We lack a complete and thorough understanding of the Additive market. Often essential, important or very profitable applications, procedures or knowledge is not shared. This means that the true extent, direction and nature of the market is obscured. This in turn means that the 3D printing market as a whole does not allocate capital well, does not devote the right resources to the right things and replicates a lot of effort without a lot of success. Previously we looked at how NDA´s and strategic replication retard our growth and understanding. Now we´re going to look at the other main contributors to the Iceberg Problem: Universities who are more interested in IP than sharing knowledge, government work, successful things being kept secret and niche things being much more prevalent than industry actors could possibly think. Universities who are More Interested in IP than Sharing KnowledgeWe’ve gotten a lot of frankly embarrassing press releases from Universities at 3Dprint.com. In several cases we ignored lies and over claim only to get criticized for not covering important stories. Well in fact there isn’t a story, its just a lie told over and over again. We’re also seeing several universities play a game of IP land grab in several technologies. Rather than refining a new technology with successive papers we´re seeing people blithely ignoring the fact that they’re all working on the same thing under a different name. IP licensing and commercialization departments at universities often try to guard IP and commercialize it more aggressively nowadays as well. Often a paper is being written as foreplay to a startup rather than for academic reasons. The hunt for citations and impact factor also means that rather than refining something important a bombastic thing is promoted as being wholly new. A lot of universities also make significant amounts of money from paid research work that is either kept secret or makes them dependent on corporates or other actors. This creeping commercialization of universities and knowledge work means that a lot of information gets locked behind closed doors. Also rather than seek academic debate and the expansion of everyone´s knowledge over time innovations and work is packaged into bundles of IP. Of course researchers and universities are free to commercialize their work. But, as a whole this kind of thing retards humanity’s progress at the behest of narrow interests. Government WorkEspecially in the US a lot of research, especially cutting edge stuff is sponsored by the government. This means that research is often narrowly directed at the objectives of funding bodies. However enlightened they are this will limit the beauty of randomness. At the same time a lot of national lab and military work is secret. Obviously I understand that you don’t want to go out there and in a press release say that you’re making a new alloy expressly for a new ICBM. Nor would you want to disclose exactly why you need this material and how you´re using it. A free society needs secrets to survive. Government abuse, corruption and incompetence should be exposed. But, in the realm of the military and intelligence forces secrets must abound. A great example of this is the May incident in the Second World War. Andrew May, a member of the US House, revealed that the reason that US submarines were doing so well against Japan at the start of the war was that Japanese depth charges were not deep enough when they were set to explode. After disclosing this in the press the Japanese adjusted the charges and were estimated to have killed over 800 US personnel and sunk 10 submarines as a result. In our case however we can still conclude that government work obscures needs, developments, requirements and opportunities. Successful Things Being Kept SecretThere are people making bundles of money in service bureaus. If they do they’re almost never a ¨open for all business¨ regular service bureau however. Maybe through blundering into it or maybe through exploring a lot of options they´ve found a niche. And if you’d visit them you’d see the same Arcam machines or the same P110´s you’d see elsewhere. You’d see the same gallery of molds, awards, arm braces and prototypes that you´ve seen before but there’s a difference. In actual fact the profit of that place may just come from one very lucrative contract. One super profitable part may actually be keeping those floors shiny and the cars nice. Obviously they’re not going to tell you about this. But, this is much more prevalent than one would think. There are a lot of things out there which are the perfect business case for 3D printing as long as no one else knows about them. It is not always obfuscation however. I opined once at a meeting that 3D printed housings were one of the most prevalent parts in 3D Printing. Prototypes, bridge production, iterations, quick fixes and whole production runs of housings are being made. But, no one talks about it. In a meeting I was challenged and people severely doubted that this would be a good business case because after all its just a box. Yes, but a specific box at a specific time. Housings is huge but we don’t discuss it because its boring. Niche Things Being Much More Prevalent Than Industry Actors Could Possibly ThinkHousings therefore is an example of both this and the preceding paragraph. But, there are many more clear examples of niche products that are not in actuality very niche. Hushed slurred tones at AMUG sometimes lead to shrugs. ¨Oh we do a tonne of watch parts too.¨ ¨Nuclear, oh yeah super big for us as well.¨ Something which may be niche or exotic to one actor may in fact be replicated across the world. All the nuclear power plants are trying to 3D Print spare parts. There is a tonne of research in 3D printing for nuclear as well. With huge part life, high criticality and real advantages due to specific geometry nuclear is a great application. We’ve discussed that here. But, often a country has few researchers studying nuclear. They’re generally not really a chatty bunch and don’t do much in PR. There are few companies active in the nuclear industry and they tend to be large. They’re part volumes seem small until you realize just how expensive these plants are and how long they have to last. You’re probably spending way too much time thinking about cars and way too little time thinking about nuclear. And there is so little work going on in materials and qualification for this application that it doesn’t attract more people to it. Nuclear is a notable example because I can actually mention it. There are many more that I can not. ConclusionIn summation, the Iceberg Problem means that we do not really know what some of the key profitable, successful and critical applications are. Through secrecy we also don’t know what is being invented, commercialized and what has been done already. We all herd like follow each other over a few well trodden paths. We parrot each other as well, whilst not having an adequate understanding of what is going on. This means that people are not investing in critical areas, not making the right machines, not making the right materials and not spending their time chasing the right opportunities. In Additive, the best applications are always a secret, always hidden, never shared. If we want to all advance we should share these procedures, ideas and skills. Or perhaps we don’t. The post Additive´s Tip of the Iceberg Problem, Part 2 appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. 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How to get coaching clients: 11 expert tips https://ift.tt/Q4I2jO6 Saying that the coaching business is on the rise is like not saying anything. Imagine 20 billion dollars. This is the market value of the coaching industry. Yes, $20B! Now, picture that the US coaching market alone has grown by 30% during the last five years. Pretty lucrative perspective, right? Yes, running a business based on coaching services strikes as a way to thrive in 2023. But, to do that, you need a solid marketing strategy. After all, according to ICF Global Coaching, we can expect the global number of certified coaching practitioners to be a whopping 93,000! To help you navigate this red ocean, we’ve curated a list of 11 expert tips to help you drum up your coaching business in 2023! Let’s roll! How to get coaching clients:
1. Zoom in on your nicheAs in every business, if you want to become a successful coach, you must narrow down your expertise. Being a jack of all trades might be tempting for new coaches, but your ideal clients will be much less eager to gravitate to a generalist than an expert specializing in a specific field. So, before landing your first coaching client, you must return to the drawing board and select your coaching niche. Are you a:
Each category of the coaching market is worth billions of dollars, so it’s fundamental to:
The last part is a milestone for building your marketing strategy. Understanding the profile of your ideal coaching clients will influence your value proposition, messaging, and your marketing tactics. Whether your ideal clients are executives in large tech companies or professionals at the crossroads of their careers, it’s best to tap into their social media groups, run online surveys, or — even better — online interviews. ? Pro tip: Developing a detailed persona profile will help you better understand and target your audience. 2. Build a websiteOnce you connect the dots between the most promising coaching area and your expertise and translate the insights from your potential clients into your value proposition, you can move on to your next step — building your website. To get your first coaching clients, you must own your digital land, which will be the center of your organic marketing universe. It requires some work and investment upfront, but it will pay off:
If designing and building a website seems overwhelming or too time-consuming, try GetResponse’s AI-driven, code-free website builder! You can choose one of the predesigned or blank templates: Or let the AI work its magic: ? Pro tip: To learn more about this process, read our article on building a website from scratch. 3. Share thought-leadership contentNow, launching a website is table stakes for every online entrepreneurship, including a coaching business. But, even with the most stunning home page, your new coaching clients aren’t going to fall on your lap. The ball is on your side. And one of the principles of a rock-solid marketing strategy is to create unique content that will drive you visitors that will turn into leads and — eventually convert into paying clients. And creating content means something other than churning out a blog post occasionally and calling it a day. Regarding the format, it can be a blog, but it can also be a podcast, a webinar, or an ebook. Here’s an example of how Sahara Rose, a spiritual life coach, promotes her highly-popular podcast on her website: What matters is delivering insights and valuable tips that will make your potential clients follow you:
4. Provide value on social mediaIf the content is the king, then the distribution is the queen. As soon as you hit the “publish” button on your coaching website, you must spread the word about it. As Garrett Moon, the CEO of CoSchedule, said in his “10x Marketing Formula” book: “If you create good content, never shut up about it!”. And what most successful coaches do, is be super active on social media. If you know that Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, or LinkedIn is your cup of tea, maximize your efforts in that channel. If not, experiment with different platforms and formats. To attract first-paying coaching clients, play around with the following:
Many seasoned business coaches and life coaches highlight the importance of being active and consistently present. It will require much commitment, but you will slowly build your brand and generate sales conversations from social media interactions. Successful coaches recommend posting every day, sometimes three times a day. Especially when you tap into promising Facebook groups where prospective clients hang out. Or — when you roll out your own Facebook group. Then, there’s no excuse — you have to post, comment, and engage like a rock star! To get inspired, have a look at how J.T. O’Donnell, a career and professional development coach, shares thought-leadership content and engages her audience on LinkedIn. Live videos: LinkedIn newsletters: 5. Use email marketingBuilding a stellar email marketing program is a cornerstone for your online coaching business. Of course, there are many organic marketing strategies out there, including social media and SEO. But email marketing and content on your website are things you own. This is the playground where you set the rules. Unlike social media and Google, where everything depends on Big Tech companies doing what they want. And every change in their algorithms can influence your client acquisition results. But not in the email world! Here’s how you can make it a vital part of your marketing strategy: Start building your listOnce you select a robust email marketing platform and connect it to your website, it’s time to populate your email list with subscribers! There are several marketing strategies to get potential clients to opt in:
And here’s an example of a quiz offered by previously mentioned, Sahara Rose:
? Pro tip: Speaking of webinars, here’s Sean Smith from Elite Coaching University explaining how you can get coaching clients using webinar funnels. Deliver high-end quality newslettersThe emails of your potential new clients keep coming in — awesome! Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and send relevant and quality content to folks who just invited you to their inboxes. Start with crafting a compelling welcome message, that will:
If you get stuck writing your emails, you can always use AI generative tools. Just provide them with your offer’s details and industry, and they’ll come up with creative subject lines and even build your email’s design. And if you prefer to follow the traditional way, you can use good-looking welcome email templates available in email marketing tools, like GetResponse: Next, you need to strategize and plan out sending your newsletter. The trick is to balance delivering helpful tips and how-to’s and pushing commercial emails with sales pitches and discounts. Being too salesy might scare people away, but offering only free content won’t translate into more clients. In this article, you’ll find plenty of newsletter ideas that’ll help you keep providing value to your audience. Have a look at these two emails from John Maxwell promoting their free webinar. While many of his emails are focused on paid offers, these two are purely about providing value: How to know if your email marketing program is working? By keeping your finger on the pulse when it comes to metrics, such as:
But the list of KPIs important for your business doesn’t end here! Check out our detailed guide about email marketing metrics and learn how to manage your email channel like a pro. Test your messagingSpeaking of results — to get people to engage with your emails, visit your landing pages, and subscribe to your webinars (more on those later), you must combine resonating messaging, exceptional copywriting, and design. It’s somewhere between art and science, but fortunately, you can eliminate the guesswork with A/B testing. Forget wondering which subject line or content will drive more opens and clicks! A/B testing will show you which element is more successful on a given audience sample. This way, a winning message will automatically go out to the rest of your subscribers. Here’s a preview of how split testing looks like in GetResponse:
Save time with marketing automationPicture this — thanks to your activity on social media, your organic marketing efforts on your website, and your regular newsletters, you generate a growing stream of new coaching clients. Kudos! And it looks great — proposals, closing deals, coaching sessions, regular communication with your new clients, and you keep growing. But there is one downside. You don’t have enough time to look after your email marketing. And this is where marketing automation comes into play! With a drag-and-drop tool, you can build numerous workflows that will automate your email communication based on the outcome you want to achieve, such as:
This way, you save dozens of working hours and focus on the quality of your service and relationships with people who hired you as a coach. Follow this guide to learn how to get started with marketing automation. Strategic Email Marketing CourseJoin this free 9-lesson course to learn how to use email marketing for your business. 6. Invest in paid adsOK, so you have social media, organic marketing, and email marketing. But the list of marketing strategies doesn’t end here! If you are lucky enough to have an additional budget, you can allocate it to paid digital advertising. Let’s break it down. Paid socialLet’s face it, the days of high organic reach on Facebook or Instagram are far behind us. TikTok still has massive organic potential, but at some point, all social media platforms start to change their algos to push businesses to pay for ads that users will see on their feeds. So if you want to play offense to garner legions of life-coaching clients, consider those ad formats: Facebook adsPPC specialists are fond of Facebook ads because of their precise targeting capabilities and detailed performance tracking. Here, you can capture your potential clients with formats like image ads, video ads, carousel ads, and more. Instagram adsNext, you have Instagram — an ideal environment to promote a life coaching business. As a visual medium, by definition, you can go for image and video ads. Plus — story ads and explore ads. Twitter adsSuppose you know that ideal prospects for your coaching niche hang out on Twitter. In that case, your next paid advertising campaign can include:
LinkedIn adsAnother space to get coaching clients fast is LinkedIn, especially if you’re after business clients and mentoring top management. Here, you can start with publishing organic posts first and then use sponsored content format to boost their reach. But the list of options goes on:
YouTube adsWhile LinkedIn is a natural environment for business-oriented ads, people watching YouTube can be an audience for more coaching types: personal, relationships up to finance, and health. This online video mammoth has a vast array of paid ads options in its inventory:
TikTok adsAnd, finally, the video game-changer — TikTok, which can be your goldmine for life coaching clients, primarily if you target Gen Z. There are many ad formats to juggle with:
Paid searchSo, that was paid social. Now, let’s look at another type of digital advertising — paid search. If you go to Google and type in whatever keyword with commercial intent, the first thing you will see in the search results (above the top organic positions) is text ads. For instance, if you enter a “life coach” keyword, you will most likely bump into sponsored positions of other coaches that successfully bid on that keyword and managed to be displayed at the top. A winning paid search tactic plan combines smart bidding and copywriting skills. After all — it’s a short text ad, so you need to be persuasive and concise when offering — for example — a free coaching session. Follow these posts to learn if Google ads are still worth it and how to craft compelling Google ads copy. Display adsAnother commercial way to entice a prospective client with your coaching services comes down to advertising with Google Display Network. It works like this — you create static banners, animated, video, and responsive ads with Google’s ad builder tool. Then, you set up and optimize your campaign based on specific keywords related to your coaching niche, demographics, interests, and website placements. You can also use display ads for retargeting people who have visited your website. Once you sort it out, your ads will be displayed on websites that partner with Google. They usually generate many clicks because of the vast reach and are relatively cheap, but the low quality of those leads can be a significant downside. 7. Attend networking eventsNot all ways to attract coaching clients boil down to digital marketing programs (paid and organic). It’s worth implementing offline strategies in parallel to online ones. One of the activities that you should practice is showing up at networking events. Again, the event types will depend on your niche and ideal client profile. If your target is white collars and executives, clubs such as the Chamber of Commerce, Lions, or Rotary should be on your radar. But the landscape will be different if your coaching practice is about health and personal development. If that’s the case, look for conferences, meetups, or festivals solely or partially dedicated to those topics. And if your expertise is coaching teams to refine their collaboration and work quality, bookmark all tech and startup conferences. Wherever you go, be active, start conversations, and provide value before pitching your offer. Some networking events also take place virtually, reducing your travel and accommodation costs. Check out the Meetup, packed with soul-searching and professional events and groups, and start building your personal network. 8. Actively ask existing clients for referralsPeople will always seek confirmation that the product or service is trustworthy before making the final purchase decision. The social proof dynamics apply whether they are about to buy a new pair of shoes, select a hotel, or hire a coach. That’s why getting testimonials from satisfied clients is essential. Placing them on your website or using them in your social media and paid ads will deliver proof that you are a verified and solid player. You can learn more about the importance of earning trust and building authenticity in the coaching industry from the following webinar recording with Sean Smith: Another powerful tactic is referral programs. It’s about stimulating a word-of-mouth flow that will generate more clients. The idea is simple — your happy, paying client recommends your services across a network of friends, family, or business partners. Please bear in mind that while referrals come naturally due to providing quality services for many clients, new coaches have to start from scratch. And incentivizing clients is the best way to go. You can offer a commission on every new coaching client from a referral or a discount for your future services. 9. Run webinarsWe’ve mentioned webinars as a proven tactic to generate leads, build a personal brand, and close deals. While webinars are still a goldmine, you must do a lot of homework before starting. Behind every successful webinar campaign, there is a magic sauce with the following ingredients: A compelling topicYou should look for a sweet spot between what your target audience’s searching for and your specialization. Here’s an example of a webinar registration page promoting an event with a compelling topic aimed to help women get more success in their personal and business endeavors: A reliable webinar platformTo conduct a webinar, you need software that will enable you to schedule your event, send invitations, run the event itself (with options to share your screen, showcase a slide deck, draw on a whiteboard, interact with your attendees on chat), and send follow-up emails afterward. Here’s a sneak peek of how it looks like in GetResponse: Solid hardwareA laptop and a stable Internet connection are table stakes. And while you can get away with a built-in webcam and a microphone at the beginning, becoming a professional webinar host will require some equipment investments: an external webcam (we recommend Logitech), a microphone, and an additional light source (for example, a ring light). Make your online events as pleasant to watch as possible. Valuable contentIt’s not 2015 anymore. People expect quality. And if you talk for 45 minutes about nothing and then come out with a sales pitch, you will only upset your attendees. Make the webinar worth attending, and provide some free value before displaying your Call-to-Action. A promo campaignYour webinar needs an audience. Leverage all channels under your fingertips: email, organic social, word-of-mouth, video, and paid social to gather dozens of attendees. Webinar promotion blueprintWant to make sure your next webinar is a success? Promote it in 9 easy steps. In this guide, you’ll find our best webinar promotion strategies plus tips on how to sell more with your online presentations. 10. Guest post on relevant sitesWritten content is not only about publishing an occasional blog post on your website. Guest posting has been a popular SEO tactic, loved by bloggers and brands across the board. The trick is to convince the website’s editor to publish your piece on their blog. Most of the time, publishers have editorial calendars and need to see value upfront to squeeze your article into their tight schedules. Here’s the game plan:
11. Answer questions on Quora and RedditThe last activity to find coaching clients is to tap into two online communities that have been on each marketing drawing board for a long while — Quora and Reddit. For the last couple of years, Quora was a go-to place for all the people who were seeking answers, but their questions were too advanced for Google to understand. By providing in-depth answers on Quora, other coaches were able to find clients. It’s hard to say what the future of Quora will be regarding the ChatGPT revolution, where users can instantly generate answers to their — even the most tricky — questions. But it doesn’t hurt to try. The other space is Reddit, with a gazillion topics and groups (subreddits), where you can play full out and share your know-how related to your niche. The challenge with those two platforms is that their admins can be ruthless if you try to promote yourself and be too salesy. They can delete your post or even block your account if you cross that line. So, the rule of thumb is offering free value without pushing sales. Your potential client will notice that. Streamline your coaching businessOK, great! By now, you know how to get coaching clients online! Connecting the dots between your experience and what drives your ideal client is essential. Once you find that sweet spot, you can craft your own business with a stellar coaching service. As for the marketing channels, gradually build your digital presence and generate a growing stream of leads. As for the technical part, GetResponse can help you with the following:
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Elizabeth Xi Bauer | Phantom Dance https://ift.tt/9IG6uKl London gallery, Elizabeth Xi Bauer, are presenting Phantom Dance; an exhibition of new works by Theodore Ereira-Guyer and For the show, which will take place from 21st April through to 3rd June 2023, the two artists’ works dialogue through varying mediums. Theodore Ereira-Guyer’s work is an ongoing investigation into the subject of memory – what is kept and what is left behind. In a metalinguistic operation, his process of printmaking emulates the mechanism of memory, as it necessarily involves a loss of information between the plate and the paper. Thiago Barbalho uses art as a visual language as a medium to explore his creative output. His works are the results of facing the limits of rationality, keeping the same hand gesture of writing to explode its own borders. Having published short stories, novels and poetry, the artist began to develop a pictorial language. Barbalho’s work is rich in shapes and materials, choosing to work in such mediums as graphite, coloured pencils, ballpoint pen, permanent marker and acrylic, oil and pastel paints. Phantom Dance, the title of this exhibition, derives from both artists, as they explain, displaying their works together evokes the spirit of dancing. Paradoxes are the focus of the show; absences and presences within the works as well as between the works. Negative spaces are the phantoms in this exhibition, that dance between each other. Phantom Dance will run from 21st April to 3rd June 2023, open Wednesday through to Saturday, 12 – 6 pm or by appointment. A Private View will be held on 20th April 2023, 6 – 8 pm in the presence of artists. Fuel Tank, 8-12 Creekside, London, SE8 3DX. Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/RFOjrqM March 29, 2023 at 05:21AM
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Victoria Yahara https://ift.tt/MK1VE0l Victoria Yahara is inspired by motherhood, her local Canadian wildlife, and the botanical symbolism of the Victorian language of flowers. These influences are reflected in her linocut series that use flowers to depict different themes including friendship, motherhood, and remembrance. Victoria grew up on little Bowen Island, off the west coast of Canada, where she spent much of her childhood beach combing, forest exploring, and drawing from nature. She studied Art and Graphic Design at Capilano University, and now lives in beautiful North Vancouver, Canada with her husband and two young sons. She tells us; “My husband is Japanese, so I have had the privilege of traveling to Japan many times and I always return home full of inspiration from their beautiful culture. I appreciate the Japanese philosophy of 侘寂 wabi-sabi and how it is reflected in the slow-paced, handmade nature of printmaking. I find beauty and serenity in the little imperfections of each one-of-a-kind print.” As a mum of a 5-year-old and 2-year-old boys, Victoria doesn’t get a whole lot of time to herself, and printmaking is her way to recharge. She comments; “It’s my “me” time and my creative outlet”. Victoria conducts most of her printmaking at night after her kids are in bed; “This way I don’t get interrupted. I like to work with a cup of tea and I’m always listening to the Swish and Flick podcast while I work.” Planning out a new project begins with a lot of daydreaming. Victoria mulls ideas over in her head long before they reach paper. She draws out ideas mentally as she goes about her day, that way when she does have the time at night when her sons are asleep, she can get to work and a lot of the planning has begun. “I think time restraints make me more productive,” says the printmaker. Victoria’s favourite printmaking tools and materials include Woodzilla hand press, Flexcut Premium Micro carving tools, Cranfield and Speedball Professional oil-based ink, Speedball easy carve blocks, and watercolour paper for printing. www.victoriayahara.ca Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/RFOjrqM March 29, 2023 at 04:56AM
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Ollie Cooper | Exhibition at The Holy Art Gallery https://ift.tt/uETgdcZ Lettering artist Ollie Cooper is taking part in The Holy Art Fair at The Holy Art Gallery, Oxo Tower in London from Thursday 30th March to Sunday 2nd April 2023. Ollie will show some brand new pieces alongside over 100 other artists all exhibiting a range of styles. Ollie will be exhibiting Don’t Be A Dick, Perfectly Imperfect, and Let It Grow as part of the show. These 1/1 limited edition original pieces are part of his Uplifting Letters series which comprises hand-lettered and hand-painted designs on vintage glass frames using lettering enamel, 23ct gold leaf and glitter. He tells us; “I strive to always brighten up blank walls or dull spaces with bold and playful signwriting commissions, passion projects or murals. It’s great to get these into the wild for this exhibition so that art lovers can enjoy all the shimmer, shine and glossy reflections that are hard to pay justice to on camera.” As a lettering artist, Ollie’s work is bold and playful, providing commentary on subjects such as language, social, and environmental issues. Combining his branding background with a love of typography, Ollie fuses language with bespoke lettering to create tongue-in-cheek, impactful pieces. Pre-book your exhibition tickets here. www.olliecoopersigns.com Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/RFOjrqM March 28, 2023 at 10:07AM
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3D Printing News Unpeeled: Silicone Support and Concrete in New Zealand and Saudi https://ift.tt/vgCXkS3 Support material for silicone has been difficult to do. Now a team at the University of Florida has developed a material that has low interfacial tension between itself and the silicone 3D print material. This let the team print with both RTV and UV cured off the shelf silicone materials. They can print details of 4 nanometers and parts 8 nanometers across. This could be a considerable step towards 3D printed medical devices and components.
3D Printing firm QOROX 3D printed walls for a day care center in New Zealand. Refreshingly the company is hoping to 3D print commercial structures such as safety barriers, planter boxes and stormwater collection systems rather than housing. This is exactly the point I tried to make in my 3D printing concrete article where I point to other components being potentially more profitable. The printer used is one by CyBe construction. The team is also interested in using textures to change the look of structures. In Saudi Arabia a COBOD 3D printer has been used by developer Al Arkan to print a 9.9 meter 330 square meter three story villa. The firm says that it is the tallest 3D printed building and was a 26 day 3D print. The print was successful despite the desert heat (and nightly cold) and the villa is compliant with local building codes. The Al Arkan team hopes make tailored homes pursuant to clients´ wishes using 3D printing. Now this is the very interesting part to me, Al Arkan used CEMEX D.fab material which it said used 99% Saudi materials and 1% imported material. Meanwhile QOROX stated that it could use 80% local New Zealand materials while it had to import 20%. To me its notable that both companies would mention this in their press releases. Also could this potentially be a significant advantage for COBOD? Could less overseas material mean that they have a cost advantage? The post 3D Printing News Unpeeled: Silicone Support and Concrete in New Zealand and Saudi 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/yAUSmwg March 28, 2023 at 09:50AM
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“World’s Largest On-site 3D Printed Building” Completed in Saudi Arabia https://ift.tt/ipJoULa If there were any doubters about the viability of additive construction (AC), their doubt has likely shaken by now. Not only has the sheer number of AC firms that have taken root demonstrated the emergence of a cottage industry, but the projects themselves are becoming more complex. This is showcased by the latest structure made using COBOD’s concrete 3D printing technology, “the tallest on-site 3D printed building in the world.” Located in the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Riyadh, the three-story villa measures 9.9 m tall and 330 m2 in area. It was erected by the largest property developer in the nation over the course of 26 days, meeting all building codes. Thanks to the use of D.fab, from CEMEX and COBOD, it was possible to 3D print the structure using 99 percent local materials and only one percent from a centralized location. While the ability to deposit concrete only where necessary can be a resource saver, the ability to rely on locally sourced aggregates cuts down on shipping emissions and costs significantly. Features include nine solar panels to power the villa’s heating and lighting and a series of IoT/smart tools for doors, locks, air conditioning, and more. Heat-reflecting “nano-technology” was used to coat the exterior of the structure, rendering it up to 40 percent more heat-resistant than traditional buildings. COBOD also claims that “the exterior of the house is four times stronger that any regular-built one.”
As Saudi Arabia shifts from a fossil fuel-based economy to tech, like the neighboring United Arab Emirates, through its Vision 2030 strategy, AC is meant to be a part of this economic and infrastructural overhaul. As noted in a previous article on Dar Al Arkan’s foray into AC, 3DPrint.com Macro Analyst Matthew Kremenetsky highlighted a $10 billion called the Global Supply Chain Resilience Initiative, which will surely feature 3D printing. More than that, we’ve already seen some of the country’s largest businesses adopting AM. This includes Saudi Aramco, which tapped 3D Systems for a new 3D printing center, and Al Seer, which has used “the world’s largest polymer 3D printer” to additively produce a drone watercraft. Advanced manufacturing is obviously going to be key to cultivating an economy that isn’t entirely based on fossil fuels, so we’re currently witnessing the birth of a new era for the middle eastern kingdom. All images courtesy of COBOD. The post “World’s Largest On-site 3D Printed Building” Completed in Saudi Arabia 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/yAUSmwg March 28, 2023 at 08:56AM
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Construction 3D Printing Company Mighty Buildings Opens Factory in Mexico to Scale Climate-Resilient Homes https://ift.tt/yzDkMRw Mighty Buildings, the Oakland-based additive construction (AC) company, announced that it has opened a new factory in Monterrey, Mexico, to scale up production of its prefabricated, climate-resilient homes. Last October, Mighty Buildings completed what it referred to as “the world’s first” 3D printed, zero net energy (ZNE) home. In addition to the use of proprietary, concrete-free building materials, Mighty Buildings’ design achieves ZNE through the installation of solar panels on the roofs of its prefabs. The Monterrey facility will produce parts for 1-2 homes per day, for Mighty Buildings’ development projects in Southern California, the first of which is in Desert Hot Springs. For geographical perspective, Monterrey is just under a three-hour drive away from the US border town of Laredo, TX, which, in turn, is about a 20 hour drive from Desert Hot Springs to its west, and a 14 hour drive from northern Florida to its east. Thus, the location allows for rather quick shipping from factory to build-site in Desert Hot Springs. Theoretically, a customer could order a home on demand, and once the parts start being made, it could go from production to delivery within 72 hours. Moreover, the new facility also puts Mighty Buildings within what is even more favorable striking distance of the southeastern US. Not only that, but Texas, itself, has become something of a hotbed for AC projects. For a company that’s specifically targeting customers on the premise of climate resilience, establishing a perch right at the midpoint of the Sun Belt is an inspired strategic move. Beyond a long-term business advantage, the siting of the factory should also play no small role in augmenting Mighty Buildings’ ambitious emissions targets. Should Mighty Buildings catch on in the areas of the US most immediately in need of broad-sweeping climate resilience solutions, the company has put itself in position to maintain or even improve the carbon footprint created by its shipping operations as it expands. That is, the more homes that it sells between Monterrey and Southern California, and between Monterrey and Florida, the more sense it will make to eventually create additional facilities located equidistantly between each US coast, and central Texas. Already, that hypothetical next step in the process would add another, even more significant aggregate reduction of Mighty Buildings’ distance from its likeliest points-of-sale. It is a subtle detail, but this is the sort of move that illustrates a company that is thinking about how to put itself in the position where success can realistically breed more success. Images courtesy of Mighty Buildings The post Construction 3D Printing Company Mighty Buildings Opens Factory in Mexico to Scale Climate-Resilient Homes 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/yAUSmwg March 28, 2023 at 08:56AM
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Anisoprint Unveils New Office At BASF’s Shanghai 3D Printing Center https://ift.tt/UcaJklm Shanghai’s newest 3D printing hub, the Additive Manufacturing Technology Center (AMTC), is rapidly growing, increasingly attracting businesses to its innovation-driven environment. One of its latest additions is Anisoprint, a Luxembourg startup specializing in composites and continuous fiber 3D printing. Anisoprint announced today the opening of its new office at the AMTC. This will serve as a hub for the brand’s ongoing expansion into the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, which began with the opening of a branch in Japan in 2020. By providing local customers access to its 3D printing solutions and services, the new location will support Anisoprint’s existing partners in the region and facilitate the development of new partnerships with companies interested in leveraging the power of 3D printing to innovate and optimizing their operations, especially since the office ensures novel opportunities for R&D activities and further technology development with the support of local institutions.
Comprehensive AMThe Shanghai rep office has been in the works for a while and is located at the AMTC, a world-class facility that provides access to the latest 3D printing technologies, materials, and expertise. Opened by BASF’s 3D printing solutions brand Forward AM in cooperation with Xuberance, an Austrian AM design company, the center is dedicated to driving innovation and helping companies explore the full potential of additive manufacturing. The partnership between Forward AM and Xuberance was supported by an investment of BASF Venture Capital in Xuberance. This investment was made to strengthen BASF’s place in the AM sector and enable Xuberance to accelerate its growth in the APAC region. With a prime location in the Lingang Songjiang Science Park in the Songjiang District – one of Shanghai’s high-tech and innovation corridors – AMTC has become a hub for AM solutions and materials aimed at the local market and the rest of Asia. In less than two years, Forward AM has installed more than twenty AM machines at AMTC, including powder bed fusion (PBF), fused filament fabrication (FFF), and selective laser sintering (SLS) technologies. Anisoprint shares this location with colleagues from BASF, Forward AM, BigRep, HP, Intamsys, and Farsoon, making it an ideal setting for potential AM synergies. According to the brand, the companies’ expertise aligns with their focus on innovation and sustainability and aims to drive the adoption of 3D printing in critical industries. According to the firm, the opening of the new office in Shanghai represents a significant achievement for Anisoprint. In addition, it underscores the company’s commitment to expanding its global reach and delivering innovative 3D printing solutions to customers around the world. Client influxIn 2022, Ansioprint witnessed its APAC sales grow 400% thanks to an incredible China team led by Ryan Liu, claims Antonov.
As a welcoming reception, Forward AM celebrated a joint customer event at the AMTC on March 25, 2023, with BigRep, Xuberance, and its newest addition, Anisoprint. As part of the occasion, the company invited customers and partners to “exchange with each other and to showcase our materials and latest innovations for different industries.” The successful get-together opens the playing field for a perfectly integrated service offering that includes consultancy, materials, component printing, and design services for an easy transition into 3D printing. The post Anisoprint Unveils New Office At BASF’s Shanghai 3D Printing Center 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/yAUSmwg March 28, 2023 at 08:26AM
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Micro Metal 3D Printing – the New Investment Magnet https://ift.tt/49YZM0C Just one of the promising startups profiled in my recent “Emerging AM Technologies Analysis: 10 Companies to Watch” report for SmarTech Analysis, Fabric8Labs announced a massive $50 million series B funding round to develop its Electrochemical Additive Manufacturing (ECAM) technology. Raising that much for a manufacturing hardware startup is not an everyday occurrence, and this round stood out even further for a few reasons: the current economic climate, in which many companies are struggling to raise significant funds; that Fabric8Labs is still pre-revenues; and the high profile of the investors, including NEA (which led the round), Intel Capital, Lam Capital, TDK Ventures, SE Ventures, and Mark Cuban. (Note: Fabric8Labs also previously raised $19.3m in 2021 and $4m in 2018). For those unfamiliar with ECAM, the process utilizes a water-based feedstock made from low-cost metal salts, to produce complex metal parts at the atomic level, enabling superior feature resolution and enhanced material properties. Fabric8Labs is reporting a 50-micron print resolution and is strategically targeting high-volume production of small parts (generally up to 100-150mm in size). The startup is currently focused on thermal and radio frequency (RF) applications, with liquid cooling in data centers as an early targeted use-case and sees future expansion potential for medical and other domains. Fabric8Labs is part of a wider industry trend of micro-metal 3D printing companies, including California-based Holo (Autodesk spin-off, backed by Lightspeed and Lam Research, among others), North-Carolina based Trio Labs (backed by VentureSouth, among others), and Germany-based MetShape (backed by AM Ventures), which offers parts via its technology partnership with Incus (the only firm with a commercially available printer in this list). While most of these companies are at pre-revenue stages, the amounts raised by them and the caliber of investors signals the strong potential of the micro-metal printing domain. What is also interesting is that all of these companies have a parts-focused strategy (compared to a printer-selling strategy). This is an interesting approach, which they believe will enable them to capture more financial value when compared to “selling the box.” Given most of these firms’ printers are not yet commercially available (and for most, they might never be commercially available, as the business model is focusing on part production), it is hard to perform a true comparison between the businesses. In addition, as the companies are targeting a parts business model, factors such as service levels (e.g. part delivery time) will be key customer considerations, which we can’t estimate at this time. (As a side note, the fact that customers will buy components instead of printers means that factors such as ease of use, safety, and even failed prints are “hidden” from the customer and the load is carried by the parts provider, making them essentially irrelevant to the customers). Therefore, the below comparison is caveated by reliance on relatively limited information at this stage.
To summarize, the micro-metal space is heating up with several interesting players about to launch their solutions. We believe the market is substantial enough to have more than one winner. We will continue to keep a close eye on this space and see how these players fair out. To learn more about some of these firms and more, take a look at the “Emerging AM Technologies Analysis: 10 Companies to Watch” report from SmarTech Analysis. The post Micro Metal 3D Printing – the New Investment Magnet 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/yAUSmwg March 28, 2023 at 08:26AM |
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