As a 3D printing enthusiast, you may be very focused on what the technology can do for you at the desktop—as well as being continually wowed by all that is happening in a wide range of industries. There’s so much happening behind the scenes though. And while that often seems to be the case in the world of science, it’s always fascinating when we are able to catch a glimpse of what researchers are working on.

Currently, scientists at EPFL’s Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering are putting 3D printing to the test for furthering spectroscopy, a method of splitting beams of light and then measuring them. For research, better tools are needed for splitting those molecule beams. Using 3D printing and electroplating, the team has created a new type of electrode that can manipulate the movement of the molecules while they are in a vacuum.

(a) Side view of the beam splitter. Molecules are injected from the right. (b) Electric field distribution in the guide as a top view and for cross sections of the hexapole (bottom) and quadrupoles (top), respectively. (c) Cross section through the beam splitter. Red and green designate two electrically isolated regions. (d) Guide and detector arrangement. (e) Complete guide assembly.

Sean D.S. Gordon and Andreas Osterwalder discuss their research in ‘3D-Printed Beam Splitter for Polar Neutral Molecules,’ recently published in Physical Review Applied. They explain that the new electrode is created by 3D printing a plastic piece and then electroplating a metal layer on top. While electroplating is a technique used for many other applications (automotive, plumbing, jewelry), this is a first for this type of unique scientific application.

“Our beam splitter is an electrostatic hexapole guide that smoothly transforms into two bent quadrupoles,” state Gordon and Osterwalder in their abstract. “We demonstrate the correct functioning of this device by separating a supersonic molecular beam of ND3 into two correlated fractions.

It is shown that this device can be used to implement experiments with differential detection wherein one of the fractions serves as a probe and the other as a reference. Reverse operation would allow the merging of two beams of polar neutral molecules.”

Galvotec, headquarted near Zurich, worked with the scientists by taking the 3D printed pieces and pre-treating them with a conductive layer so they could then be electroplated—with some areas of the devices being metallic and conductive, and other parts insulating. Many of the benefits of 3D printing are at play in this project, creating low-cost surfaces that are smooth and allow for precise alignment, offering much faster production time (at speeds of 50-100 times faster), and a progressive workflow that is completely digital.

The 3D printer used in this study. [Image: A.Osterwalder/EPFL]

The method that the EPFL team is using is expected to apply to many other experiments and applications as well.

“This fabrication method opens a plethora of avenues for research, since 3D printing imposes practically no limitations on possible shapes, and the plating produces chemically robust, conductive construction elements with an almost free choice of surface material. It has the added advantage of dramatically reduced production cost and time,” state the researchers in their paper.

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NEU Robotics Lab and the 3D Laboratories of Near East University, an international higher education institution based in Turkey, led a collaborative project to create 3D printed prosthetic hands that could potentially be used commercially in the future.

Engineers and researchers from the two departments of Near East University utilized Cura software to accurately convert 3D models into 3D print files to 3D print prosthetic hands proportionally. Various screenshots and images provided by the engineers of Near East University revealed that the Ultimaker 2 Extended 3D printer was utilized throughout the testing phase to create the team’s first prototype.

Near East University noted that the engineers from its Robotic Lab and 3D Laboratories led a long design phase to ensure that each component of the prosthetic hand was created and developed to mimic various activities of the human hand. However, the engineers explained that the working prototype of the team’s prosthetic hand was not designed specifically to replicate the movement of the human hand in all aspects. The team plans to evaluate their latest prosthetic hand prototype and come to a consensus as to which component of the device should be enhanced, improved or replaced.

Structurally and conceptually, the prosthetic hand designed by Near East University is close to being complete. Mechanically, the device still requires a considerable amount of changes and improvements in order to be actually utilized commercially, by a patient. The engineers revealed that the entire project is a long-term challenge which the team aims to achieve over time. They further emphasized that transforming the prototype into a fully functional hand prosthesis will be the most difficult aspect of the project.

Recently, the Memphis School of Excellence (MSE) brought in STEM/Project-based learning curriculum developer Mehmet Gokcak to the school to build a prosthetic arm for an 8th grade student basketball player named Dontavius. Within a three-month period, researchers at MSE in collaboration with Gokcak and the Enable Community Foundation built a fully functional prosthetic arm with the LulzBot Mini 3D printer, which is similar to the Ultimaker 2 Extended in concept. The LulzBot 3D printer is a high performance printer which can utilize all types of filaments, including industrial-grade materials, metals and plastic.

The Ultimaker 2 Extended also supports an open filament system, which can support a wide range of filaments including PLA, ABS, CPE, CPE+, PC and Nylon. More importantly, the Ultimaker 2 Extended features a swappable nozzle, which would allow engineers at Near East University to pursue their projects without any issues with materials. Some parts that need a robust frame or internal component may require a metal-based filament while the rest can simply be printed with plastic.

Ersin Aytac, Engineer at Near East University Innovation and Information Technologies Center, announced that the university’s researchers are actively collaborating with local hospitals to test the applicability of their 3D printed prosthetic hand. Aytac further noted that the team is also creating prostheses based on MRI and CT scans of patients at local hospitals.

“We used the images of the patient’s MRI, CT and the organ models reproduced by the 3-dimensional printer in the field of child surgery. Now we are working on a robotic hand in addition to the studies we are conducting with our hospital. First, this hand will work as a robotic hand, and then can be used as a patient prosthesis,” said Aytac.

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In this week’s second edition of 3D Printing News Briefs, we’ve got information about the latest partnerships in the additive manufacturing business world, a company launching a new branding identity, and some news on 3D printers, materials, and enclosures. PARC has been chosen by DARPA for a partnership that involves 3D printing, Dassault Systèmes teams up with Sogeti, and Spatial Corp. joins the ADAPT consortium, while Arcam unified its three businesses with a new branding identity. Shapeways announced that early access is now available for the HP MJF 3D printer it’s been testing, Zortrax announced that its 3D printers now support external materials, and 3D Platform introduces some new enclosures for its WorkSeries machines.

PARC to Advance Product Design and Digital Manufacturing for DARPA

DARPA has chosen PARC, a Xerox company, to develop and deliver a whole new computational paradigm, in order to equip engineers and designers with new integrated analysis and feedback tools, and remove the limitations from existing design platforms. The project, called FIELDS (Fabricating with Interoperable Engineering, pLanning, Design, and analysiS), will change the computer-aided engineering (CAE) field, as well as how the next generation of complex engineered systems are designed. PARC, along with Oregon State University and Intact Solutions, will create the computational design paradigm, which will utilize high-performance computing capabilities and be adapted to specific manufacturing processes, including additive manufacturing.

Ersin Uzun, Vice President and Director of PARC’s System Sciences Lab, said, “PARC and its partners will bridge the gaps between CAD, CAE, CAM and new innovative manufacturing techniques. Today’s fragmented approach has been holding digital manufacturing from enjoying what technology can provide today. The team is set to transform design and manufacturing by maintaining four in-depth views of an artifact (as-designed, as-planned, as-manufactured, as-analyzed) as it passes through the computational workflow from synthesis to fabrication. At each view, the structure of the physical artifact will be modeled representing shape, topology, and heterogeneous anisotropic material structure at six size scales. This computational framework will automatically provide manufacturability and performance feedback for synthesized designs and will compile design requirements into a valid design with fabrication instructions. This paradigm will alleviate the burden on the designer to integrate computational and practical expertise from diverse disciplines, which is a significant bottleneck in today’s product lifecycle management systems. The framework will be adapted to specific manufacturing processes such as combined metal additive manufacturing and machining, and manufacturing with graded materials.”

Dassault Systèmes and Sogeti High Tech Negotiating Additive Manufacturing Alliance Partnership

3D design software manufacturer Dassault Systèmes and Sogeti High Tech, a Capgemini Group subsidiary, have entered the negotiation phase of an additive manufacturing project development and management alliance partnership. The goal of the partnership is to accelerate the industry adoption of additive manufacturing, and help companies, from aerospace and defense to energy and transportation, reach new innovation milestones. More and more, global companies are examining the possible benefits of additive manufacturing, beyond short manufacturing runs and building prototypes. Sogeti will leverage Dassault Systèmes’ additive manufacturing business experience platform, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, and use it to deliver engineering and deployment services, integration, and consulting to its customers all over the world, so they can implement additive manufacturing into industrial workflows.

“Our forthcoming alliance partnership with Dassault Systèmes will bring a disruptive offering of technologies, knowledge, methods, processes, support, services and workforce training to business needs in the digital manufacturing era. By leveraging each company’s core capabilities, we can help customers to integrate the necessary manufacturing requirements from the early stages of design and make additive manufacturing accessible at an industrial level,” said Jean-Pierre Petit, CEO, Sogeti High Tech.

Spatial Corp. Joins ADAPT 3D Printing Research Consortium

Speaking of Dassault Systèmes, its subsidiary Spatial Corp., which provides 3D software development toolkits (SDKs) for design, manufacturing, and engineering solutions, is the newest member of ADAPT, the Alliance for the Development of Additive Processing Technologies in Colorado. Spatial’s various SDKs, including 3D visualization, 3D modeling, and 3D interoperability, allow its customers to keep costs and time-to-market down, while keeping the focus on core competencies. The company will be a welcome addition to the R&D consortium, and thinks of its new ADAPT membership as “a valuable extension to the company’s additive manufacturing market strategy.”

“Spatial will use its membership in ADAPT to bolster our technical expertise in additive manufacturing and strengthen our relationships in the industry,” said Ray Bagley, Director of Product Management for 3D Modeling and Additive Manufacturing. “We also believe that our existing partnerships with many AM hardware and software providers can expand ADAPT’s capabilities.”

Arcam Releases 2016 Annual Report, Launches New Branding Identity

Just a few months ago, metal additive manufacturing solutions provider Arcam AB released its 2016 financial results and was looking ahead to its future with GE Additive, which began the process of acquiring the company back in September, and now holds 76.15% of all Arcam shares. That future really begins now, as the company has launched a new branding identity for the Arcam Group, effectively uniting Arcam EBM, AP&C and DTI under a common mark and endorsing the operations as a part of GE Additive.

“Arcam and the industry have evolved considerably since our original brand more than 20 years ago. Bringing together our offerings in industrial additive manufacturing systems through Arcam EBM, metal powders through AP&C and contract manufacturing through DTI under one common brand structure will make it easier for us to efficiently address the market,” said Magnus René, Arcam CEO. “With the endorsement from GE Additive we can communicate the power behind our new brand and the solutions we can provide customers.”

Arcam has also released the first document under its new branding structure, the company’s 2016 Annual Report, available in full on its website.

HP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D 4200 Printer Available for Early Access Signups

Bracelets by Shapeways designer mulderendevries

In 2014, Hewlett Packard unveiled its Multi Jet Fusion technology, and we’ve been eagerly following its progress since then. Shapeways has also been on board since the beginning, testing and refining HP’s breakthrough Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D 4200 printer. The printer itself offers greater precision, at faster build speeds, and an 80% post-printing material reusability. Shapeways announced that, after months of 3D printing trials, customers can now sign up for early access for HP’s MJF 4200, and for its new nylon plastic 3D printing material, which is dense, smooth, and super strong.

In a Shapeways blog post, Angela Linneman wrote, “Thanks to your always-expanding variety of designs, we’ve been able to work with HP to drive the evolution of the MJF printer. We’ve tested a huge array of geometries and print orientations, and we’re excited to invite you to further test the MJF printer and refine how we use it. So, give us your most complex, innovative, mind-bending 3D models. Push your imagination (and this material) to the limit. We can’t wait to see what you come up with.”

External Materials Now Supported by Zortrax 3D Printers

3D printing hardware, software, and materials manufacturer Zortrax is introducing the newest version of its Z-SUITE software, and it now supports external printing material profiles, so Zortrax M200 and M300 3D printer users will have the freedom to try materials other than the original seven for Zortrax’s M series.

“We have received signals from users who wanted to experiment with external printing materials not included in our current material range,” explained Rafał Tomasiak, Zortrax Chairman of the Management Board. “The newest software update is a response to those signals. Please keep in mind, only way to ensure the top quality and hardware reliability of our solutions is by using Zortrax materials.”

Z-SUITE users can already easily change 3D printing settings, model splicing, infill level, printing speed, and size control, but now it has separate settings related to the selected printing material. This way, the 3D printer can adjust the operating temperature that correlates with the chosen material properties in order to offer the top print quality. The Z-SUITE 1.10 version is now available for download on the company’s website.

3D Platform Releasing Machine Enclosures for WorkSeries Portfolio

Industrial 3D printer manufacturer 3D Platform, which recently announced several new offerings it would be demonstrating at the upcoming RAPID + TCT show in Pittsburgh, will also be releasing new enclosures for its WorkSeries portfolio. The new environmental enclosures will prevent shrinkage and warping, as well as provide stability, and can be easily installed in the field without the use of a 3D printing technician. Features of the new enclosures include air filter and heater add-ons and a filament warming box that fits two 5 lb filament spools while preventing moisture and pre-warming the material for printing.

Jonathan Schroeder, 3D Platform President, said, “The enclosures were designed to be backwards compatible. Meaning, they will be backwards compatible with every machine that we have produced and sold.”

Two sizes are available: one for the 400 series, and one for the 100, 200, and 300 series, which will also retrofit to the x1000 machines, though you’ll need an adapter kit. Visit 3D Platform at booth #937 at the RAPID + TCT show from May 8-11 to learn more about the new enclosures.

CTC GmbH is a subsidiary of Airbus, which we all know is a big fan of 3D printing. The CTC plays a large role in developing those 3D printed components for Airbus aircraft, as the leading research and development center in Germany for CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer) aerospace parts. Part of the CTC’s research involves testing and evaluating advanced 3D printing methods and materials – and when it comes to polymer materials, there are few that are more advanced than those provided by Roboze.

Roboze has announced that they will be working together with the CTC to assess how Roboze’s technology and materials can meet the needs of the aerospace industry, particularly through their advanced materials such as PEEK, PEI and Carbon PA, a carbon fiber reinforced polyamide. The CTC, which is working on next generation 3D printing technologies for the production of composite parts, will evaluate Roboze’s materials and provide feedback about any developments needed to best serve Airbus’ needs.

“In CTC we have always worked on consolidating the current production of aircraft components in composites and, above all, on anticipating future ones. 3D printing of engineering-grade plastics is one of them,” said Dipl.-Ing. Johannes Born, project manager leading the Additive Layer Manufacturing topics at CTC. “We were looking for an ideal solution to support our needs in terms of precision, technology and materials that offer high performance and high temperatures. By acquiring the new Roboze One + 400, CTC will assess its capabilities in order to accelerate the design and production of small series using advanced materials such as PEEK and PEI, thus enabling functional testing of real parts that might go into production in the coming years.”

Born is highlighting the importance of projects such as these along with M.Sc Sascha Backhaus, project manager in the Industrial Systems Department at CTC and an expert in mechatronics and digitalization.

The Roboze One+400 was officially launched last year, and was further improved shortly after its release. Roboze is a company that never stops improving, and welcomes feedback from clients – of which they’ve already had several in aviation, in defense, in research and development, and more. The Roboze One+400 has drawn a lot of attention for its ability to produce plastic parts that can withstand high-stress, high-temperature environments and thus lend themselves to high-performance applications – not just for prototyping, but for end-use parts.

“We are excited to collaborate closely with the Airbus group and in particular with CTC and with high level engineers such as Mr. Born and Mr. Backhaus,” said Alessio Lorusso, CEO of Roboze. “We spoke extensively about the current needs of the group, which should be the goal for Roboze’s products now and in the future. We also had the opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions on the future applications that we can develop together.”

CTC GmbH is recognized globally as a leader for its ability to ramp up production and support serial production, as well as its investigations into advanced materials and technologies such as 3D printing. The Roboze One+400 currently supports 13 different 3D printing materials, and collaborations like this one are often what lead to new, even better materials and composites for advanced applications.

A Sciaky EBAM 3D Printed metal part for the JSF.

We say it all the time, and if that’s not enough, the evidence surely speaks for itself: metal 3D printing is a pretty big deal these days, and growing bigger all the time. There are stories of new developments in metal 3D printing all the time, and the need is so great, Thrinno even introduced a worldwide sourcing platform for the metal 3D printing market. One industry that frequently uses metal 3D printing technology is the aerospace sector, whether it’s individual parts for commercial airplanes, military planes, or aircraft up in space. We’ve seen a metal 3D printed satellite bracket, a huge airliner door hinge manufactured on a powder bed 3D printer, 3D printed flexible metal space fabric, and 3D printed South Korean metal military jet parts.

So naturally, you’d assume that anyone working in the aerospace field would want to 3D print using metal, right? Wrong! One week ago, the MIT Rocket Team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) successfully fired a 100% 3D printed rocket motor, but instead of using metal, the team used plastic. In an MIT Rocket Team post, Charlie Garcia, the team’s Co-Outreach and Publicity Chair, wrote that the team believes this is “the first time anyone has done so.”

Plastic rocket cannon during burn

The Rocket Team has been around for 14 years at MIT, and is an independent student group focused on (you guessed it!) rocket-related projects, from developing lighter, stronger composite airframes and designing and building a custom centrifugal liquid engine. In 2015, the team’s Project Odyssey won first place in the basic category at the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition. The team’s personal lab was recently renovated, and now features dedicated work stations for a multitude of activities, from an avionics workstation with stocked components perfect for prototyping to flammables storage lockers, which hold ejection charge powder, flammable solvents, and of course, rocket motors.

The team tested its rocket motor case twice, and team members Garcia, Kelly Mathesius, and Matt Vernacchia used a less energetic propellant at first, as the lower heat and pressure would be easier on the motor case. The rocket motor successfully achieved supersonic flow and produced thrust, and while a few millimeters of plastic eroded from the case’s throat, it was in pretty good shape. You can take a look at the first test in this short video below:
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The team designed the motor case for single use only, but wanted to experiment with what would happen if it was fired a second time. A more energetic propellant was used for the second test, and the rocket motor case didn’t hold up quite as well. Since the throat was already a little worn from the first test, it eroded fast and was unable to maintain supersonic flow a second time. Little thrust was produced, and the rocket’s combustion quickly became unstable.

Garcia wrote, “While this unstable combustion is not useful for propulsion, it looks really cool in 240 fps slow motion!”

Only the first test of the rocket motor case yielded clean pressure data, and the falling pressure is indicative of the case’s throat erosion. The team has already started some follow-up work to explore more resilient, larger motors, and maybe even flight hardware, and will keep this data in mind for future designs, by “varying the propellant regression rate to match the nozzle erosion.”

Garcia, Mathesius, and Vernacchia spent two weeks working on the project together with Markforged, which supported the team’s efforts and helped them design and print the necessary parts for the two-piece 3D printed rocket motor, using a Mark Two 3D printer and the company’s high-performance Onyx material. The team said that the project would not have been possible without the company’s generous support.

“Printing rocket motors from plastic is a unique accomplishment. Several groups, including SpaceX and NASA, print rocket engines from metal,” said Garcia. “But metal printers are expensive, costing north of six figures. Our plastic motor is produced on an innovative, lower-cost plastic printer, which has a price accessible to hobbyists and small teams. We also designed our case to work with modern composite propellants.”

So while metal 3D printing is definitely a continuously developing and necessary technology, with many possible applications, the MIT Rocket Team shows us that sometimes, you need to go back to the basics for a project to really lift off.

[Source/Images: MIT Rocket Team]