We’re covering a software release and new composite materials in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, followed by 3D printing used in Formula Student racing, to make metrology components, and to make bollards. Read on for all the details!

CAD Exchanger 3.10 Released

Solid Edge import

CAD Exchanger announced that it has released CAD Exchanger 3.10, the latest and greatest toolset for 3D CAD end-users and software developers. Some of the new features in this release include a Solid Edge import, which means that the software now supports Solid Edge files from versions 17-21, and a mesh colors import in SOLIDWORKS to improve the usability of scenarios where standalone SOLIDWORKS assemblies that have missing components are converted to mesh. Additionally, there are some new features for CAD application developers, such as a universal reader and writer API and Unity integration enhancement. Other features include broader versions coverage for CATIA, Parasolid, JT, and SOLIDWORKS, read and write PMI options for STEP and JT, and more.

“Our only regret in this CAD Exchanger version is that being released during the low season, it competes for your attention with such a stronghold as summer vacations. But when it comes to two new native formats and an all-formats reader and writer, none of the sunny routines can beat us,” the website states.

3D Printable PCM Composites Regulating Temperature

New phase-change material composites can regulate ambient temperatures inside buildings. Image courtesy of Dharmesh Patel.

Moving on to research out of Texas A&M University, a team there published a study on their work creating novel, cost-effective 3D printable phase-change material (PCM) composites that can actually regulate ambient temperatures inside a building; the study was funded by the National Science Foundation’s Division of Materials Research Career Award. HVAC systems are often used to regulate interior temperatures, but they’re not very energy-efficient, and also use greenhouse materials. Depending on the temperature of the surrounding environment, PCMs can change their physical state, and regulate temperature without any external electricity required. These composite materials can also be added to building materials like paint, and even fabricated as decorative accents, using the team’s new method to combine light-sensitive liquid resins with a phase-changing paraffin wax powder to create a 3D printable ink composite.

“We’re excited about the potential of our material to keep buildings comfortable while reducing energy consumption. We can combine multiple PCMs with different melting temperatures and precisely distribute them into various areas of a single printed object to function throughout all four seasons and across the globe,” explained Dr. Peiran Wei, research scientist in the university’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Soft Matter Facility.

3DPRINTUK Sponsors Formula Student Team in Competition 

London-based 3D printing service 3DPRINTUK is a big supporter of next-generation automotive designers and engineers, and as such is a sponsor of the Team Bath Racing (TBR) Formula Student team, which recently raced at the Silverstone Race Circuit to compete for the title of Formula Student 2021. The company has been working with the team to 3D print final car parts for them; each of the 25 core team members is involved in the design and manufacture of the car, as well as working with the sponsors. 3DPRINTUK used MJF technology to print the plenum—a performance part that ensures the engine is taking in air efficiently—out of Nylon 12 material, and used SLS printing to create several Nylon 12 components for the front wing of the racecar, such as aerofoil sections.

“Being part of TBR is an incredible opportunity. There is real value in being involved in this competition because it provides us with real-world skills and experience of high-end engineering — an essential requirement for potential employers. These days automotive / F1 team employers actively look for ‘Formula Student’ among graduate candidates,” said Conor Smith, the Outboard Suspension Designer & Sponsorship Coordinator TBR21, who is in his fifth and final year as an Undergraduate in Mechanical with Automotive Engineering (MEng) at the University of Bath.

“3D Printing really is the most cost- and time-effective way of manufacturing complex parts. Other processes cost an order of magnitude more, and there are some parts on our car that we just wouldn’t be able to manufacture any other way (they are designed specifically for 3D printing). Also, for certain applications — particularly for prototyping — the speed of 3D printing means that we can turn things around in a few days, which really speeds up our design process.”

MCE Metrology Using BCN3D’s 3D Printing

French company MCE Metrology, a dimensional metrology manufacturer, has upped its productivity and creativity, and savings, by using in-house 3D printing from BCN3D Technologies to create customized measurement machines for its customers. Specifically, the company installed a Epsilon W27 printer and a Smart Cabinet on-site, which is now helping MCE Metrology save €10,000 annually. These types of metrology machines offer exact precision and quality control to the customers using them, and MCE Technology provides training, consulting, maintenance, service programming, and more to customize the experience for each client’s particular needs. The company needed a better prototyping method that offered reliable materials, like PLA and carbon fiber, and quick productions, and chose 3D printing due to its ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and ability to shorten the production timeline. BCN3D in particular was chosen because of its IDEX technology, large print volume, filament runout sensor, and auto-cleaning nozzle, among other features.

“Upon acceptance, we launch the product by means of prototyping for assurance. After we validate it is working to its full potential, then we proceed with working on the final product,” explained Claire Teulier, the Marketing Manager at MCE Metrology.

“A big print volume combined with the Independent Dual Extruder (IDEX), means we can fulfill all types of requests, totally on-demand. 3D printing offers us more creativity, reactivity and the ability to test all prototypes quickly and efficiently.”

3D Printed Bollards in Port of Rotterdam

Recently, the Port of Rotterdam Authority announced that it was installing the “world’s first” 3D printed steel bollards on a new quay in the Sleepboothaven at Rotterdam Heijplaat, which is an incubator for the manufacturing industry. The typical bollards at the port are made from cast steel to a set design, but by using Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) instead, the bollards, which will be used to moor vessels for Broekman Project Services, can be fabricated more quickly and sustainably. These six bollards, part of a series of twelve, were co-developed by the Port Authority and RAMLAB as part of an infrastructure innovation program to improve and increase sustainability in manufacturing and using hardware on the quay, and testing shows that the 3D printed bollards match the quality of the cast steel ones.

“3D printing allows us to produce parts locally and on demand. For example, in 2017 RAMLAB produced the first 3D-printed and certified marine propeller,” explained RAMLAB’s Managing Director, Vincent Wegener. “This year we are printing the first bollards, which is a useful test case that shows that you can produce small series relatively quickly when compared to casting and importing the parts from China.”

Next steps involve investigating the possibility of using 3D printing for hydraulic engineering applications, and possibly setting up on-site 3D printing for repairs on nautical objects like mooring posts and bollards.

Bay Area startup Sakuu Corporation has reached the first step in fulfilling its promise to 3D printing solid-state batteries (SSBs). The company has announced that it has produced a 3Ah lithium SSB that “equals or betters current lithium-ion batteries”.

Sakuu has developed a unique multi-material binder jetting process that can combine such materials as ceramics and metals for a variety of applications. The first demonstrator application will be the production of lithium SSBs, which the startup suggests can be manufactured at scale using its multi-material multi-method (4M) technology.

The first-generation batteries unveiled by the company is made up of 30 cells, which combines lithium with a proprietary ceramic separator. The startup says that it uses standard cathode materials, but could feature even higher voltage cathodes in the future with the potential for 25 percent more energy.

In our recent interview with the firm, we were told that “the platform will be able to print solid state batteries. We, we have been able to print batteries in the past. We’re not advertising the fact that we’re in the market to print batteries at the moment. We’re focused on finishing the platform that can do it. We are working in parallel with all of the battery chemistry and everything else.”

In those case, the first generation SSB battery was not 3D printed using its 4M platform. In the company’s press release, it notes, “Sakuú has been developing its first generation SSB battery technology alongside its flagship additive manufacturing platform, set for commercial launch by the end of this year.”

Sakuu’s first generation solid-state battery. Image courtesy of Sakuu.

Nevertheless, the release of a battery is evidence that Sakuu is on its way to achieving its promises. It will be delivering batteries to “strategic” partners in late Q3 2021 and “earl access” partners in Q4. Volume production is targeted for early 2022, as Sakuu CEO and Founder Robert Bagheri said:

“We developed this first generation of SSB’s to prove the viability of our battery technology in anticipation of the Sakuú 1000 advanced AM platform. Over the last year, we have improved our battery energy capacity by a factor of 100 and our volumetric energy efficiency over 12 times and are planning to begin volume production of the batteries in early 2022 to meet the needs of our strategic partners.”

3D printed SSBs could have strong potential for a variety of sectors, due to the ability to feature greater energy density in smaller spaces with unique geometries. One could imagine batteries integrated directly into the products they serve, particularly once Sakuu introduces polymer 3D printing to its platform.

I think it’s safe to say that last year, we all missed the industry juggernaut that is RAPID + TCT, North America’s largest, most important additive manufacturing event. But now it’s back, and promises to be better than ever, as this year marks a major milestone: the annual event’s 30th year! Produced by 3D technology event leaders SME and Rapid News Publications, RAPID + TCT 2021 is coming to Chicago from September 13-15, featuring a comprehensive education lineup focused on the themes of Evaluation, Adoption, and Optimization.

“RAPID + TCT is the must-attend event for anyone implementing or exploring additive manufacturing. See the latest innovations, network with like-minded peers and industry experts, and gain insight into the countless possibilities of additive manufacturing, all at one place. The future of additive manufacturing is created here. Don’t be left behind – join us September 13-15, 2021 in Chicago, IL to help build it,” the website states.

Over three days, attendees will get to hear from industry leaders about how they’re implementing 3D printing, and how it’s changing the face of traditional manufacturing, during three keynote presentations, more than 70 conference presentations, 11 thought leadership panels, and 14 medical AM-specific presentations. Experts will share the latest AM applications, processes, and research during these presentations, and there will also be plenty of time to network with these leaders, buyers and sellers, and your industry peers throughout the event as well. The result of all of this? You can learn what you need to help plan and execute your own AM strategy!

There are three amazing visionary keynote speakers lined up for RAPID + TCT this year, each of whom will offer their own unique perspective on the industry. The first is Melissa Orme, PhD, Vice President of the Boeing Company, who will discuss what’s required to scale additive manufacturing, challenges associated with the technology disrupting manufacturing in the aerospace sector, the circumstances in which AM will provide value, and more. Terry Wohlers, FSME, Principal Consultant and President of Wohlers Associates, Inc., will focus on the impact additive manufacturing has had on startups and the economy in general, as well as recognizing what obstacles prevent businesses and organizations from realizing the benefits of the technology. Finally, Mark Wehde, Chair of Mayo Clinic Engineering, will talk about how 3D printing, and other Industry 4.0 technologies like AI, robotics, data analytics, and more, are changing the healthcare industry.

Speaking of 3D printing in healthcare, there will be an area on the RAPID + TCT exhibit floor just for companies that are using the technology to impact medicine and patient care, called the Medical Enabling and Emerging Technologies (MEET) Showcase. One of the fastest growing applications in our industry is medical/biomedical, and if this is what interests you, keep an eye out in the show guide for exhibitors with the MAM (Medical Additive Manufacturing) logo, as well as the MAM Classroom.

“RAPID + TCT is where the additive manufacturing community convenes, and where industry-accelerating products are launched. The expansive show floor and conference are unparalleled in the industry. It’s where you’ll see the newest 3D technologies from hundreds of exhibitors, including 3D printing, 3D scanning, CAD/CAE, metrology & inspection, and related technologies. It’s also where you’ll find solutions to your toughest manufacturing challenges, straight from the most respected experts,” the website explains.

What else will RAPID + TCT 2021 offer, you ask? Plenty of featured technologies will be showcased on the show floor, including Product Development, 3D Scanning/Imaging, Additive in Plastics and Metals, Molding, Software, Tooling, Peripheral Technologies like EDM, adhesives, and laser cutting, Services, and more. Additionally, exhibitors will be showcasing some brand new products and solutions, like AM-Pick, the CeraFab Lab 3D printer, DNG Resin, the FM WaterJet 4.0, and many more. Check out the Exhibitor Directory and Floor Plan to find out where all of your favorites will be located, and find some new names to visit as well.

Other event features at RAPID + TCT are the ever-popular SME ZONE and SME ZONE Theater, a Career Development Forum targeted to college and university students and faculty members, a Startup Zone, and a Student Summit. Additionally, the RAPID Live! Digital Experience & App is new this year, and offers attendees access to exclusive content, industry resources, livestreaming, and networking tools to make connections that go past the show floor. Plus, you can compete with your fellow attendees to unlock codes and make it to the top of the leaderboard, where you’ll be eligible to win prize bundles during the show!

For all of these reasons and more, you definitely don’t want to miss RAPID + TCT 2021. So what are you waiting for--register today to start receiving event updates for the show. You can also register for free as the guest of a featured exhibitor or partner. To save the $100 expo admission fee, use the promo code beneath one of the company logos when you register; in exchange for complimentary registration, your contact information will be provided to the partner or exhibitor you choose.

The 3D printing industry loves titanium. This is largely due to the fact that the aerospace segment drove the development of metal 3D printing and prefers this metal for its great strength-to-weight ratio. However, compared to “steel, aluminium, cast iron or brass, the extraction of titanium alloys is associated with the highest carbon footprint. In extracting one kg of titanium alloy, 55kg of carbon is produced,” according to Rajemi et al. Japanese metal maker Toho Titanium suggests that “[p]roducing a tonne of titanium can emit around 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide gas in the current routes.”

If additive manufacturing (AM) wishes to maintain its sustainable image, it may have to confront the emissions associated with its favorite metal. One partnership seeks to tackle the carbon footprint of titanium powders for 3D printing through a novel production method. Powder bed fusion leader EOS has signed an agreement with Aussie company Hyperion Metals Limited (ASX: HYM) to develop “low cost, low-to-zero carbon titanium metal powders.”

Flowchart outlining the HAMR process. Image courtesy of Hyperion Metals.

Hyperion is working to scale up and commercialize a process developed Dr. Z. Zak Fang and his team at the University of Utah, with funding from the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E program. Dubbed hydrogen assisted magnesiothermic reduction (HAMR), the technology is a thermochemical process that exposes titanium oxides to hydrogen gas to create titanium metal. Overall, HAMR is said to reduce carbon emissions by removing workflow stages, eliminating manufacturing inputs, and cutting the overall energy consumption of titanium production. Another Fang/Utah process, called granulation-sintering-deoxygenation (GSD), is meant to be able to produce spherical titanium powders a much lower cost than typical methods.

A flow chart outlining the granulation-sintering-deoxygenation process. (Image courtesy of University of Utah.)

With EOS, Hyperion will perform a technical and economic evaluation of titanium powders made with HAMR and GSD, as well as the recyclability of titanium with those processes. They will further examine the environmental and sustainability aspects of the materials produced via HAMR and GSD to determine how they compare to conventional powder making processes for AM.

A350 titanium cable mount on the front spar of the vertical stabilizer made with EOS 3D printer. (Image courtesy of EOS.)

“Our goal is to create innovative product and process solutions that help accelerate responsible manufacturing and sustainable solutions via industrial 3D printing technology. What is exciting is the potential for new, low cost, low carbon titanium powders that will provide organizations with both significant economic benefits and more sustainable solutions. The HAMR and GSD technology has the potential to lower the barriers to entry for titanium into existing markets of more conventional materials and will enable completely new mass market applications where high strength to weight are critical – such as electric vehicles,” said Sascha Rudolph, Commercial Director Metal Materials at EOS. “Titanium alloys are very widespread and versatile high-performance materials in AM, used by our customers in ingenious part designs covering everything from hip implants to Formula One parts to aircraft components. One barrier to wider adoption of AM is material cost – caused on one hand by the scarcity of the raw material, but on the other hand by the extremely complex and resource-intense methods of extraction. Our partnership with Hyperion changes this landscape and allows us to deliver cost- and resource-efficient next gen methods of extracting the value form this extremely valuable and scarce natural resource all the while reducing the negative impact on our environment. This collaboration means more to us than two technology companies joining forces to drive development of AM, it is also another great step on the journey of realizing the EOS vision of sustainable manufacturing.”

As discussed recently, I have an initial skepticism about publicly traded mining companies, particularly those based in Australia, due to the fraud that has been found within mining that can often use the promise of new technologies as a cover for pump-and-dump trading schemes. In the case of Hyperion, the company seems to have established partners in the Department of Energy, Boeing and Arconic. Its technology has been developed by researchers at the University of Utah and it has mining concessions in Tennessee that are thought to have the necessary titanium deposits for its HAMR process. In other words, the company seems to be a serious and established firm.

If all goes well, we should know about the results of the project by June 2022, when the memorandum of understanding will either be terminated or extended by the partners involved.

The Italian national cycling team is going for the gold at this week’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and in order to improve their aerodynamic efficiency for competition, the athletes were all 3D scanned, using the Calibry scanner, by 3DiTALY, the Italian partner of Thor3D. The results of these aerodynamic studies were recently outlined in a case study by the scanning company.

I’m not what you’d call a big sports fan, but that changes when it’s time for the Olympics—when I’m watching Team USA compete in gymnastics, swimming, beach volleyball, and other events, I yell at the TV louder than my husband does when he watches football. There are numerous examples of 3D technologies being used to help Olympic hopefuls win gold medals, and even earlier this month we heard about a custom 3D printed grip made for a French pistol shooter, and 3D printed bicycle components created for a member of Great Britain’s cycling team. These last two examples were for the Summer Olympic Games taking place right now in Japan, after being postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In terms of cycling, good aerodynamics are critically important to help athletes keep performing at top speeds. The goal of this case study was to capture the most aerodynamic position while a cyclist is decked out in full gear, and then take those measurements and give them to engineers from bike manufacturer Pinarello so they can fabricate custom handlebars.

The biggest factor slowing down a cyclist is the air! Image courtesy of Hale Dynamics

Italian companies Hardskin and Pinarello, the latter of which is very familiar with 3D printing, supply the Italian national team with all of their cycling equipment; Hardskin is in charge of the sportswear, while Pinarello takes care of the bicycles. The two partnered up to figure out how to improve the team’s aerodynamic efficiency in time for the Tokyo Olympics.

Hardskin asked 3DiTALY to digitize both the Pinarello bicycles and the cyclists themselves, and the scanning process took place earlier this year at the Velodrome of Montichiari in Brescia—Italy’s first and only indoor facility fully dedicated to track cycling.

Because a 3D model file has all of the information required to analyze an athlete’s position, 3D scanning was chosen for the project, as the technology is a convenient and fast way to capture data. Fast is certainly right, as, according to the Thor3D case study, it only took 3DiTALY two minutes to make a series of accurate, high-resolution models using the Calibry 3D scanner.

Using the Calibry, the 3D body scanning first captured the athlete’s warm-up routine and preparation of “the mechanical medium,” followed by an imitation of an actual bike race in order to determine the most aerodynamic position for the cyclist. Finally, wearing a bodysuit and helmet to simulate the race, the athlete maintained race position on the bike while being scanned.

Calibry Nest software was then used to post-process all of the scan data, which was sent to engineers from Pinarello for the aerodynamic studies. Then, in time for this week’s Olympic Games, the bike manufacturer tailor-made a unique handlebar for the cycle, which fits the athlete’s arms perfectly.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology (Fraunhofer IWS) is experimenting with a new, high-powered metal 3D printing technology. Based on a technology called coherent beam combining (CBC), the institute’s dynamic beam shaping process can deliver varying levels of energy across a build area at once.

Fraunhofer IWS is now the first research facility globally to install a 13kW “Dynamic Beam Laser” from Israeli firm Civan Laser. The device is capable of delivering a variety of energy distribution patterns quickly by joining together multiple individual beams into a single ray of energy. Due to the phase shifts of the separate beams, it can create different patterns—such as a horseshoe, a figure eight, or a ring—with different energy intensities across the shape.

“The “Dynamic Beam” laser from Jerusalem has now been installed at Fraunhofer IWS in Dresden. The institute is thus the first research institution worldwide to utilize such a laser solution.” Image courtesy of Fraunhofer IWS.

While such techniques are possible with mirrors and other optics, oscillating mirrors require time to align energy patterns. Civan’s laser, however, can achieve this feat in just microseconds, making it a thousand times more rapid than an oscillating mirror setup.

As a part of Europe’s ShapeAM project, Fraunhofer IWS will work with Civan Lasers and A. Kotliar Laser Welding Solutions to explore how the technology can be applied to 3D printing. This includes the production of titanium and aluminum items for space, medical implants, and lightweight parts for mobility. Dynamic beam shaping is believed to produce higher quality parts through the elimination of defects.

“Thanks to ‘coherent beam combining’, the 13-kilowatt laser can generate energy distribution patterns thousands of times faster during operation compared to conventional mirror-based methods. This speed makes it possible for the first time to use dynamic beam shaping for additive manufacturing of metals.”

“This laser will push the limits of materials processing, for example in medical technology and aerospace,” said Dr Andreas Wetzig, head of the cutting and joining program at Fraunhofer IWS.

“We plan to use novel beam shapes and control frequencies that are not achievable with other methods to overcome challenges in crack-sensitive materials,” said Dr. Elena Lopez, head of additive manufacturing at Fraunhofer IWS.

The team will set about testing a variety of materials and beam profiles before exploring such applications as how to 3D print, cut, or combine workpieces made from difficult-to-work-with materials and composites. It is believed that the technology will offer faster and finer control over the melt pool to produce parts and cuts without burrs twice as fast as traditional fiber lasers.