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Velo3D and Plasmos to Discuss Space 3D Printing Industry in October Webinar https://ift.tt/O4SURuz On October 13, 2022, at 2 pm ET/11 am PT, 3DPrint.com is hosting a webinar on the emergence of the private space industry. The presentation, titled “How Advanced Metal AM Can Provide the Space Industry with a Galaxy of Innovation,” will explore how space companies are taking advantage of the latest breakthroughs in additive manufacturing (AM). Attendees will hear from industry experts Ali Baghchehsara, Founder and President of space propulsion startup Plasmos, Velo3D’s Brent Hansen, an experienced metal additive manufacturing engineer, and 3DPrint.com Executive Editor and webinar moderator Joris Peels. 3D Printing Propels the New Space IndustryAs an ally to many manufacturers in the space industry, Velo3D has helped create plenty of 3D printed parts that have gone on to fly in rockets, engines, and other space-bound craft. With the emergence of new companies in the last ten years, space has become a new area of expansion for AM. Even though the currently estimated $350-billion private space economy is still primarily dominated by several large aerospace and satellite firms—mainly serving government-funded projects—thousands of space technology businesses are broadening the industry’s scope. For example, according to the “Additive Manufacturing For Space Industry Applications – From Earth To Orbit And Beyond: An Opportunity Analysis And Ten-year Forecast” from SmarTech Analysis, at least 180 launch vehicle developers and nearly 100 satellite manufacturers are already doing the most with additive technologies in their facilities or outsourcing part production to 3D service bureaus. For space companies, weight reduction is a decisive factor in their work. So, as the competition for investment funds intensifies and the pressure to move beyond the whiteboard and manufacture real working parts increases, the most successful companies will be those that take advantage of the latest breakthroughs in metal AM to design, test, and manufacture with unprecedented speed and agility. 3D Printing for the COMET Space TugIn this webinar, attendees will join Baghchehsara, Hansen, and Peels as they discuss the advancements in metal AM and explore how the Velo3D end-to-end solution can provide the innovation in part manufacturing and supply chain flexibility to enable the required advances in the emerging entrepreneurial space sector. Space technology has vast potential, and as the market moves forward, we will witness more startups using 3D printers, including more collaborations between space firms and 3D printing companies. One such case is Plasmos, a company focused on building a reusable space tug called COMET for low-cost last-mile space payload delivery in low Earth orbit (LEO). To create the COMET space tug capable of carrying up to four small satellites to orbit, Plasmos has partnered with Velo3D. Together they have 3D printed the spacecraft, which is powered by CLEPS Gen 1 engines, and are leveraging Velo3D’s progressive metal AM solution to manufacture the electric/chemical hybrid engine, which could one day significantly reduce the cost of placing satellites into orbit. Starting in late 2024, the Plasmos team will offer affordable custom orbital delivery anywhere in LEO or Equatorial in combination with the SpaceX Rideshare program. Intended to deliver double impulse compared to current engines used in space and 1000 times more thrust compared to traditional Electric Propulsion systems, the CLEPS design by Baghchehsara and his team could help this company become the “UPS for Space.” Space 3D Printing Webinar – October 13: 11 am PT/2 pm ETAs an entrepreneur and corporate leader, Baghchehsara has a deep understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems. He has applied the technology in the automotive, aerospace, and cognitive science fields. He was even designing the first Autonomous System for Distress Tracking for commercial aircraft while working at Airbus in 2018. His efforts have been recognized by the Royal Aeronautical Society and American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and he has founded three companies utilizing AI for the aerospace industry. Additionally, Baghchehsara started a venture capital (VC) firm to fund disruptive companies that generic VCs won’t. On the Velo3D side, the webinar will feature Brent Hansen, who has a background as an engineer and demonstrated a history of working with some of the biggest companies in the medical, aviation, and aerospace industries, like Lockheed Martin Space Systems and NuVasive. In addition, attendees will learn from his professional background in metal AM, primarily since some of the parts 3D printed by Hansen can be found in space and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Since Velo3D’s foundation in 2014, it has additively manufactured complex geometric structures used by industry giants like SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, and newcomers like Astra and Launcher to print rocket engines and other mission-critical parts for orbit. This webinar is a great resource for industry practitioners to improve their understanding of 3D printing for space, and how businesses can create supportive partnerships and become allies in this incredible New Space ecosystem, which Joris Peels has described as a “race between companies rather than states.”
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Formlabs & Hasbro Commercially Launch Selfie Series of 3D Printed Action Figures https://ift.tt/cg7ZnCv Earlier this summer, Formlabs announced that it was teaming up with global play and entertainment company Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) to launch a new series of action figures featuring the faces of their owners, made possible with 3D printing. The time has finally come, and this week, the two companies announced the commercial availability of the 3D printed Hasbro Selfie Series starting this Friday, September 30th. This is exciting news, not only because nerds like me can get a 3D printed Ghostbuster featuring their own face, but also because of the positive implications for mass customization. Hasbro Realizes its 3D Printing DreamsWe’ve seen 3D printed action figures before, and in fact, this isn’t even Hasbro’s first attempt at personalized 3D printed toys, 3D printed action figures, and 3D printed figures of characters from other brands to which it has the rights. The toy and game giant’s portfolio includes roughly 1,500 brands, including such iconic names as Power Rangers, Monopoly, Magic: The Gathering, Nerf, My Little Pony, Transformers, Dungeons & Dragons, and more, so it definitely had the content. But, as Chief Business Officer for Formlabs Luke Winston told me at IMTS 2022, there were some important things Hasbro was lacking until now.
Winston explained that Hasbro and the Formlabs materials science team worked together for quite a while to customize the resins, the foundation of which is “based off one of our Tough Resins” and works with the Form 3. Then the team had to figure out the proper print settings to customize the colors of the 3D printable action figures. This is the first product introduction of Hasbro’s new personalization platform and, according to a press release, “represents the realization of a long-term goal for Hasbro.” Launching at Hasbro PulseCon 2022 and exclusively on the Hasbro Pulse mobile app tomorrow, fans can create a customized, collector-quality, 6″ action figure that features their face on the body of different popular comic, TV, and movie heroes, including Power Rangers, Marvel, Ghostbusters, G.I. JOE, and Star Wars. Hasbro is using Formlabs’ proprietary software and fast, precise, on-demand resin 3D printing to create what’s been coined the “ultimate consumer experience” at scale. I mean, who wouldn’t want a mini Iron Man or Snake Eyes that looks just like them?
How the Selfie Series WorksSo how does it work? Simple: just scan your face from different angles with a mobile smart device, and then upload the photos to the Hasbro Pulse app, available on iOS and Android devices; however, if you’re in the U.S., you have to be 16 or older to partake in this one-of-a-kind fan experience.
You can also add additional personal details, like glasses or a beard, to your action figure lookalike. Hasbro has its own Formlabs print factory, which receives the configuration for the head from user orders, and automatically adds it to the queue. Once printed, the customized heads are added to a standard, mass produced, injection molded action figure body, and then shipped right to your door. By using hybrid manufacturing, Hasbro can keep costs down, but deliver what customers want most, which is their own face on a hero’s body. Winston said turnaround on the action figures will “hopefully” be within weeks, but this will obviously depend on how many people order them. This brings me to the price: fans can purchase these customized, 3D printed action figure lookalikes for $79.99. That’s right—these cost less than $100 each, which, while perhaps a tad costly for something that is, for all intents and purposes, a toy, is actually pretty good considering it’s a toy with your face on an action figure from a legitimate, popular, copyrighted franchise. I know what I want for Christmas this year. The post Formlabs & Hasbro Commercially Launch Selfie Series of 3D Printed Action Figures 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/kAjEUWC September 29, 2022 at 08:33AM
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BASF’s New Catalyst 3D Printing Tech to Speed up Chemical Production https://ift.tt/1BXlz93 As the world’s largest chemical company, Germany’s BASF has the experience and the need to improve its own production capabilities. With the release of its new X3DTM, the conglomerate has implemented additive manufacturing (AM) to do just that. By 3D printing catalysts for chemical manufacturing, BASF is able to improve the performance of the materials for overall better output. What Is a Catalyst?Catalysts are essential materials for speeding up a chemical reaction without themselves experiencing permanent chemical modifications. Roughly 90% of chemical products, from bulk materials like ammonia and methanol to fine chemicals for drug production, are made commercially rely on catalysts during some step of the manufacturing process. Beyond these, catalysts are also key for energy production, such as petroleum refinement and fuel cell operation, and food processing. Moreover, by speeding up industrial operations, they can reduce those operations’ impact on the environment. However, they may negatively impact the environment at the same time through the release of toxic byproducts, like free radicals. BASF’s Catalyst 3D Printing TechnologyThe use of AM makes it possible to produce catalysts with unique geometries. By 3D printing them with open geometries, BASF is able to improve the performance of catalysts by increasing their surface area and thereby reducing the pressure drop across a reactor. The specific shapes—including infill pattern, fiber diameter and orientation—can all be tailored to a customer’s specific needs with the potential to increase reactor output, improve product quality, and lower energy consumption. BASF has demonstrated the viability of these 3D printed catalysts by running them in commercial plants both outside and inside of the business for several years. The company describes them under operating conditions as “mechanically robust and proven.” Now, BASF is ready to supply them at commercial volumes, beginning with BASF’s sulfuric acid catalysts O4-111 X3D and O4-115 X3D. BASF’s technical service team will collaborate with its customers to tailor these products to their specific projects.
What is Sulfuric Acid Used for?BASF’s sulfuric acid products were first patented in 1913, before the company had created IG Farben to support the Nazi war effort. Sulfuric acid itself is a material that is essentially intrinsic to industrial civilization, with about 60 percent of the world’s supply used to produce fertilizer and 20 percent dedicated to manufacturing chemicals ranging from detergents and pharmaceuticals to pesticides and antifreeze. It’s also used as a catalyst for the manufacturing of other chemicals, such as Nylon, to make nylon, an important polymer for the AM sector and BASF. By designing its O4-111 X3D and O4-115 X3D for the production of sulfuric acid, the company not only supports its customers but its supports itself. The Impact of 3D Printing Sulfuric Acid CatalystsWhile we might like to say that improving the efficiency of the catalyst would improve the ecological impact of a number industries, that would be a challenging argument to make. Sulfuric acid’s role in the production of phosphate fertilizers and the refining of petroleum, for instance, suggests that the material is actually fueling environmental destruction. At the same time, because industrial civilization doesn’t seem to be slowing its use of these materials, we might consider an improvement in their efficiency to be marginally less negative than the alternative. Regardless of the ecological pros and cons of 3D printed catalysts, the real story here may be how far BASF is going to adopt and promote AM. This is an entirely unique application of the technology that demonstrates the use cases for 3D printing that have yet to be discovered across a wide range of fields. If BASF can manufacture these two catalysts at scale, they are adopted widely, and have the sort of impact the company suggests, then we could see that trickle across not only BASF’s range of products, but the entire chemical industry and beyond. In other words, we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of what AM is capable of and in what industries. The post BASF’s New Catalyst 3D Printing Tech to Speed up Chemical Production 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/kAjEUWC September 29, 2022 at 08:33AM
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3D Printing News Briefs, September 29, 2022: Crowdfunding a 3D Printed House & More https://ift.tt/3Zk4FgE We’re kicking things off with business in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, as a Dallas construction startup is looking to raise $2 million to 3D print homes. LÖMI joined the ColdMetalFusion Alliance, Stratasys has added Evonik as its latest AM materials partner, and Exaddon appointed AXT as a distributor. Moving on, a YouTuber 3D printed a jet engine prototype. Finally, a MyMiniFactory company offers affordable, high-quality, full-color 3D printed tabletop models to hundreds of indie creators. Von Perry Crowdfunding to 3D Print Homes in TexasDallas-based startup Von Perry wants to build 3D printed homes across Texas, but it needs funding to do so, which is why it’s kicking off a $2 million fundraising campaign on the StartEngine crowdfunding platform. The startup should finish the first 3D printed proof of concept for its AM homebuilding technology next month, and is already planning six other custom projects with its geopolymer concrete material and hardware from Total Kustom. With the funding, Von Perry will hire two new construction teams, fuel ongoing research and partnerships with three Texas universities, and launch its proprietary Arcus software platform, which uses AI to modify custom home designs and consolidate the construction process. Despite interest from other parts of the world, Von Perry is doubling down on Texas, which has codes and regulations that make construction easier.
LÖMI Joins the ColdMetalFusion AllianceGermany-based LÖMI GmbH, which supplies solvent debinding machines, announced that it has joined the ColdMetalFusion Alliance. Members of this industry alliance are experienced in traditional industrial manufacturing, as well as sintering and additive manufacturing, and are working together to industrialize AM through common standards, as well as develop a common industrial mindset and culture. LÖMI’s systems are available in tabletop units as well as fully automatic systems, as well as 15 to 1,200 liters of batch-loading volume, and are also modular. This flexibility allows its customers to improve efficiency while also increasing productivity. Members of the alliance plan to demonstrate its industrialization mission at Formnext 2022, which takes place in Frankfurt, November 15-18.
Evonik is Latest Material Partner for StratasysStratasys announced that specialty chemicals company Evonik is the third material partner for its P3-based Origin One 3D printer, which offers excellent accuracy and surface finish, as well as a diverse, growing range of high-performance materials. Evonik will offer its expertise to help Stratasys develop and manufacture industrial-grade, ready-to-use photopolymer materials to enhance the P3, and the first one—P3 Deflect 120—is available for order by customers in the US and select European countries. The Stratasys-validated material has been tested by Evonik for reliability on the Origin One, and the results suggest a 10% strength improvement in comparison to a competing DLP system. Additionally, high-temperature P3 Deflect 120 can be used to print parts with a heat deflection temperature of up to 120°C, making it a good choice for applications in the manufacturing sector, like molds.
Exaddon Appoints AXT as Distributor in AustraliaSwiss metal additive micromanufacturing technology (µAM) manufacturer Exaddon has appointed AXT as the official distributor in Australia for its CERES µAM system. This printer uses localized electrodeposition to deposit metals, like copper, gold, nickel, silver, and platinum, in complex geometries onto conductive substrates in the 1 to 1000 µm range with sub-micrometer resolution. CERES is proven in sectors like microelectronics and neural interfaces, an emerging field that connects computers to the human nervous system with 3D printed needles or pillars, and can print materials with greater strength and durability than multi-stage lithography microfabrication is capable of achieving, and post-processing methods like etching aren’t required. Additionally, the system can operate in a standard laboratory.
YouTuber 3D Prints Shockwave Jet Engine PrototypeYouTuber Integza, also known as Joel Gomes, makes videos about interesting science and engineering projects that teach people about scientific concepts in an entertaining way. In one of his latest projects, he used resin 3D printing to build his own detonation-powered pulsejet engine, otherwise known as a shockwave jet engine. Pulsejet engines are lightweight, valveless engines that inject fuel into a pipe, before being ignited in a series of pulses. They only require a few moving parts, if any, so these engines are easy to build and maintain, but not very efficient, so Integza decided to 3D print a valveless engine prototype capable of continuous detonations. These engines inject oxygen and propellants into long cylinders that are open on one end and closed at the other, and the contents of the pipes are ignited, which causes the fuel to burn and transition quickly into an explosion. The pressure of this shockwave then pushes the exhaust out of the pipe exit to create thrust. Pulsejet engines have complex geometries, but don’t enable continuous thrust, so Integza thought he could generate more power with this type of engine using detonations. He used a Prusa SL1S 3D printer and a Siraya Tech resin to create a combustion chamber that connected to a long acrylic pipe and oxygen intake and fuel valves, and ignited it with a high voltage generator, which he operated with an Arduino controller. But, he didn’t know if this was actually creating detonations, so he then injected pure oxygen into the chamber, which enabled him to achieve an output of 80 meters per second. Based on this resin prototype, the YouTuber machined a second version from metal, which he says can create “clean and consistent detonations,” while also hitting up to ten pulses per second. He’s made the 3D model design files for his prototype available to download for free via Onshape if you want to try one yourself, and you can watch his video below: Only-Games.co Launches Full-Color 3D Printing for Tabletop ModelsFinally, Only-Games.co was launched in 2021, as part of established manufacturer 3DC, to facilitate the fabrication and distribution of digital games assets for the countless tabletop game players who don’t have access to a 3D printer. Just a few months ago, it was acquired by MyMiniFactory and has been thriving, as hundreds of indie designers have chosen the platform to 3D print over 100,000 tabletop models for customers all over the world. Only-Games.co software automatically charges a manufacturing fee, based on how complex the design is, and the creator decides whether to design their own packaging, before setting a retail price; minus this manufacturing cost, these indie creators retain 90% of the final revenue for the models. Now, the company has announced the launch of full-color, on-demand 3D printing and distribution of these creations, with a lead time of less than five days. Not only is this great news for the company’s growing network of designers and tabletop gamers, but it also helps MyMiniFactory continue to build its MetaReverse universe, formed to use 3D printing to reconnect digital users in the physical world.
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Small Studio https://ift.tt/8BkXbxN Vincent Jacquin, who works under the name of Small Studio, has been established as a freelance artist since 2007. Trained as a graphic designer, Vincent’s practice covers various fields from printmaking to mural painting, graphic design and illustration. He has a strong attachment to printmaking, but also develops a lot of mural projects, aiming to create bridges between these two practices. Vincent is also part of the Superseñor Workshop, a micro-publishing workshop located in a small town in France that gathers approximately fifteen artists and designers around silkscreen and risograph printing. Through Small Studio Vincent works on commissioned graphic design work, creating logos, visual identities, and posters. With his mural paintings he operates with a much more free and artistic approach, creating works for clients including public authorities and private companies. Vincent also self-publishes and creates abstract graphic research work with a focus on the combination of shapes and colours. Vincent graduated in Graphic Arts in the early 2000s, and went on to partake in multiple internships to train himself to the professional world. His first real work experience was at a printing company. He tells us; “At that time, I was dreaming about big communication agencies and this job in a printing shop was just for food in my eyes. But it was thanks to this experience that I was able to acquire solid knowledge in the field of printing. I developed a real interest in these techniques, which I haven’t abandoned since.” He then landed a job at a communication agency where he became an Art Director. “After a couple of years, a certain routine started to set in. I didn’t really feel fulfilled in this job anymore, especially on a creative level,” says the designer. The opportunity to work as a freelance graphic designer then came to Vincent, and he has now been practicing for over 15 years. Vincent’s first missions were design works for communication agencies. He gradually developed a network of clients with whom he worked directly, which allowed him to detach from working for agencies. For several years, he had been considering his practice with a more artistic approach, notably through self-publishing (silkscreening and risographs) and mural painting. Today, printed artworks or murals represent the major part of his activity, and he is “very happy” to have succeeded in making these two passions his daily job. Each of Vincent’s projects starts systematically by hand, on paper, in a notebook. He has been accumulating for several years a large quantity of sketchbooks that contain the traces and starting points of all the projects he has worked on, and hopes to one day create an exhibition or edition from them. He also likes to go back to old projects, partly for nostalgia but also to find forgotten ideas and sometimes reuse them when it’s relevant. Vincent aims to draw daily in a free way, without constraint of result or precise objective. He tests combinations of colours, shapes, and collages, which he describes as “a bank of graphic experimentation that I then reinvest in certain projects”. However, one thing that is central to Vincent’s work is the way he approaches form and colour. Vincent’s academic and professional training is closely linked to printing techniques, and most of the projects he develops, whether in a commissioned or free research context, question these techniques. More specifically, the overprinting of colours and the creative possibilities it allows to develop. Even in his mural work, Vincent approaches the colour under this angle and tries to reproduce in painting combinations which are revealed in serigraphy or Risograph. Currently, he is experimenting with transparent paints, or with low covering power, in order to work with this medium in a similar way. For a long time, Vincent was very inspired by the “monsters” of graphic design from the 50s and 60s such as Saul Bass, Paul Rand or Fredun Shapur, especially in my more figurative illustration pieces. His work has been evolving for several years towards a more abstract language and this very rich period continues to influence him. Today, Vincent finds himself more in the work of artists such as Barbara Stauffacher Solomon or Karel Martens. “For me, their work is at the border between art and design,” comments the artist. Among his contemporaries, Vincent admires the work of Jonathan Lawes, Jeroen Erosie, Jan Van der Ploeg or Cody Hudson, to name a few. More generally, his work is also quite attentive to the architectural environment and the urban universe, perhaps a legacy of his adolescence painting on walls. Currently, Vincent is developing a whole mural work around anamorphosis, in an abstract visual language. He states; “The place of an image in space and the resulting dialogue is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for me. In this logic of visual intervention in space, I’ve been experimenting for some time with a device mixing anamorphosis and augmented reality.” Vincent hopes to continue to develop his experiments in print and on walls in a very close way, applying the same creative process. He is also keen to combine his two practices on the same media by experimenting more on canvas using both printing and painting. Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/YrcTGkW September 29, 2022 at 05:51AM
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nicedamien https://ift.tt/ZY8k47y Damien Giudice, aka nicedamien, is a printmaker based in a small village in Luxembourg. Throughout his teenage years, Damien became increasingly interested in music and art, and finished high school specialising in art. He then went on to study Communication Design at the Hochschule Trier (Germany) where he discovered his love for graphic design and print techniques. Damien successfully graduated in early 2022, and has since been trying to make ends meet as a printmaker, graphic designer, and musician. He exhibits at many different creative markets, freelances as a graphic designer and photographer, and regularly plays concerts with Boy from Home or Creatures on Mars. As a musician, Damien takes it as an advantage to design and print his own posters and merch. Aside from his music-based prints, Damien’s work mainly takes inspiration from nature. He tells us; “If I hadn’t studied art, it would probably have been something along the lines of natural history. The layout is especially important to me. It should look clean and uncomplicated. Mistakes happen often, the trick is to integrate the mistakes into the work.” Damien’s approach to creating is fairly simple; he uses his iPad with the app ProCreate to sketch out his idea. Later, he prints it out on lime paper and transfers it to the linoleum plate. He then carves using his trusty Pfeil tools, printing onto different papers and textures using Cranfield Caligo Safe Wash Relief Ink in mainly gold and black. Looking to the future, Damien hopes to soon start hosting workshops for children and adults in schools, and also privately. He aims to continue to expand and grow as a designer, combining his skills as a printmaker and graphic designer.
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3D Printing News Unpeeled: General Atomics, SLA on Textile, Dyze Design https://ift.tt/QBGOaos General Atomics works with Conflux to 3D print Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger (FOHE) for the MQ-9B. The company also says that it saves $2 million on tooling and $300,000 in costs per aircraft by using 3D printing. The post 3D Printing News Unpeeled: General Atomics, SLA on Textile, Dyze Design 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/kAjEUWC September 28, 2022 at 10:15AM Quickparts Expands Manufacturing Capabilities with Xcentric Mold & Engineering Acquisition9/28/2022
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Quickparts Expands Manufacturing Capabilities with Xcentric Mold & Engineering Acquisition https://ift.tt/HfsgQA4 The 3D printing industry is continuing a trend of consolidation amid broader economic turbulence. The latest news on that front is the acquisition of Xcentric Mold & Engineering by Quickparts, formerly a large portion of 3D Systems’ on-demand production services. The purchase will allow Quickparts to expand its manufacturing capabilities. Quickparts Adds More CNC and Injection MoldingXcentric was founded in Clinton Township, Michigan in 1996, growing to employ nearly 100 individuals and operate a 60,000-sq-ft production facility. The site boasts injection molding and CNC machining, which now complement Quickparts own breadth of services. These include a range of additive manufacturing (AM) and traditional technologies.
Because Quickparts already offers CNC and injection molding, this purchase may be more about expanding the company’s throughput, equipment, and labor power, with Michigan being reborn as a digital production hub. Service bureaus like Materialise and FATHOM have major locations in the state. With supply chains now being reorganized to, potentially, allow for distributed manufacturing to withstand disruptions, placing sites at strategic points across important markets may be key to delivering on-demand parts quickly. Familiar Faces at QuickpartsInterestingly, as 3D Systems divested its 3D printing services business to private equity firm Trilantic North America, familiar faces took charge of Quickparts and its five European and U.S. sites. The new CEO, Ziad Abou, was formerly Senior Vice President and General Manager of Global Quickparts Solutions under 3D Systems. Thea board of directors also added Techniplas founder George Votis and Avi Reichental, the last of which was the CEO of 3D Systems when it originally purchased Quickparts in 2011.
Quickparts has since become a partner of Reichental’s 3D printer manufacturer Nexa3D and will use the firm’s new polymer powder bed fusion (PBF) system, the QLS 820, for its services. The machine is described by Nexa3D as being four times as fast as traditional polymer PBF 3D printers through the use of four lasers, rather than one or two. Stifel’s Digital Manufacturing 18th Transaction Since 2021Exclusive financial advisor to Xcentric on the deal was Stifel Investment Banking, which not only advised the firm on its sale to Riverside in 2017, but also guiding Trilantic on its purchase of Quickparts in 2021. The bank is playing a lead role in the consolidation activities for the AM industry, with this most recent deal representing Stifel’s 18th transaction for the digital manufacturing since 2021 alone. Other deals include:
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How Glidewell’s Micro-CT Scanner is Advancing Additive Manufacturing Workflows https://ift.tt/MJ0OLig Glidewell, the largest privately owned dental lab in the U.S., is poised to commercialize its proprietary micro-CT scanner for use in other industries. The California-based company has worked diligently to make an impact in computed tomography technology, effectively finding a balance of affordability, speed and size to help facilitate digital and additive manufacturing (AM) workflows. In an industry where AM is projected to reach a global market size of $16.4 billion by 2030[1], it was critical they get a jump on the competition and make a mark of their own. After buying and using CT scanners offered by other companies, it soon became clear that what they needed was not being fulfilled by those machines. Costs started to mount due to the steep price tag and constant repairs. The scanners were slow and cumbersome, unable to cycle through the substantial demands necessary for the lab’s production. It was at this point that the company decided to take matters into their own hands. “The superpower of CT scanning is that it’s not limited by line of sight,” said Glidewell Senior Vice President of Engineering, David Leeson. “In our manufacturing field, as well as many others, scanners are complimentary to additive manufacturing in that they can inspect complex geometry. Our scanners can accomplish that in a sped-up, high-demand workflow at a fraction of the cost of currently available scanners.” Because of Glidewell’s unique workflow in which every physical impression of teeth sent in by dentists is converted into a digital file, they are responsible for CT scanning hundreds of thousands of objects every year — a massive undertaking that is dependent on reliable equipment. The engineering team had to figure out how to make a scanner that reconciles speed with quality, while also making it small and affordable. They surely had their work cut out for them, but with the support and resources of the entire company, they were able to address the glaring deficiencies of the other commercial scanners:
Additionally, the success of the scanner is best exemplified in its versatility, especially in the field of quality control. As it is able to examine highly detailed tooth and product designs to ensure an accurate fit that both the dentist and patient could be happy with. The small footprint and high-resolution digitization capability make Glidewell’s CT scanners ideal for inspecting and discovering hidden defects, inaccuracies or errors from the manufacturing process. Glidewell is actively exploring new industries and applications for the CT scanners and is excited about the possibility of commercialization. Due to its precision and applicability, the new technology can be especially valuable in industries such as medical device manufacturing, automotive, industrial metrology and quality assurance, among many others. “Our goal was to democratize CT scanning,” said Leeson. “The vast majority of available scanners were intended for university and research institutes, not necessarily for factory lines. Our scanners are quick, reliable and relatively simple to use, allowing them to be operated by anyone and opening the door for many other industries to get in on the benefits without such a high barrier of entry.” As additive manufacturing continues to grow in the field of dentistry and other industries at large, there will be a greater demand for personalization in quality control and scalability of equipment. As exemplified by this CT scanner, the engineers at Glidewell have stepped up to the plate to address those concerns with flying colors. [1] Market Stats Ville: Dental 3D Printing Market 2022 [internet]. Cited 2022 June. Available from: marketstatsville.com/dental-3d-printing-market The post How Glidewell’s Micro-CT Scanner is Advancing Additive Manufacturing Workflows 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/TioNLfn September 28, 2022 at 07:45AM
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Seurat Sees Demand for 25 Tonnes of 3D Printed Metal Parts https://ift.tt/rOjyJAM U.S. metal 3D printing startup Seurat Technologies has reported that it already has demand for 25 metric tonnes of metal parts, filling the capacity for the firm’s pilot plant. This is more than they have capacity for. The company has signed Letters of Intent (LOI) with three manufacturers in tooling, energy and transportation. Parts are being qualified and the company hopes to start manufacturing parts in 2023. This is a validation for the firm’s go-to-market strategy, which consists of it deploying its area manufacturing powder bed fusion (PBF) technology in its own facilities and selling long-term capacity to large industrial firms. So, it’s not a service bureau and also not an OEM, but also not exactly an OEM that incubates a service before launching a machine. Seurat hopes to deploy its technology itself in an ever-expanding series of production plants that it will gradually expand. This kind of control and vertical integration is sure to appeal to investors. However, we were unsure if long-term deals on demand and continued production would be amenable and attractive to enough companies for Seurat to extend its production growth. It now seems that the firm has validated its approach, at least for now. This should be a wake-up call to 3D printing services and OEMs as it may mean that there is much more capacity out there in deals that could be attractive for them. For now, Seurat is expanding the pilot facility into a factory with 100,000 sq. ft in floor space, powered by 100% green energy and capable of producing 500 tonnes of parts a year. Again, these kinds of volumes should point to significant interest from players such as GKN, Oerlikon and EOS. Seurat CEO James DeMuth said of the development:
The company is positioning itself as a part of a green manufacturing revolution and sees itself as using the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS bill as a springboard to reduce emissions. The company also hopes to “competitively displace traditional manufacturing technologies like machining, casting, and forging, reducing GHG emissions related to waste material and related production energy requirements in addition to freight, transportation, and warehousing.¨ With $79 million in its coffers, the firm’s ambitions look distant. The company will need much more cash to make its complex, high-volume metal 3D printing technology a reality. However, with this milestone the company has at least demonstrated the logic of its approach. At the same time, positioning itself as a local manufacturing provider and a low green house gas alternative will be sure to attract government money as well as media interest. The US has a pressing need to manufacture more of its military kit in-house and more quickly than it has done previously. Reshoring is a definite trend, as well. Companies are looking to it because of nationalism, environmental concerns and supply chain resilience worries. This positioning could be a powerful one. Large firms could see Seurat as a way to solve many supply chain issues by making things greener, closer to home, and at lower volumes. If Seurat can maintain momentum and grow its business there will be an inexorable self-supporting wave of interest in the process. If it can lower costs per part, manufacture on-demand and locally, well then it could essentially autocatalyze its own development and growth. Seurat is one of the most exciting metal startups around today. Along with Mantle, Holo AM, Vulcan Forms and Velo3D, it could change the way that many things are manufactured. The industrialization of metal additive through automation and new technologies is the most important trend happening in our industry. Our future is being made now. The post Seurat Sees Demand for 25 Tonnes of 3D Printed Metal Parts 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/TioNLfn September 28, 2022 at 07:45AM |
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