3DPOD Episode 121: Inkjet 3D Printing High-Performance Materials with Quantica Co-Founder Ben Hartkopp https://ift.tt/X6BoJZN Quantica Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer Ben Hartkopp invented a method of inkjetting extremely viscous, high-performance materials. Moreover, the startup’s print heads and materials can provide voxel-level control over a printed part’s properties, potentially revolutionizing the dental, medical, printed electronics, bioprinting markets and more. Quantities is producing its own inkjetting technology itself, which is a huge challenge. Not only will the company have to commercialize a novel piezoelectric process, but it has to do so with an overwhelming world of possibility. The opportunities for Quantica are enormous and we discuss with Ben which ones the firm is tackling first and how. The post 3DPOD Episode 121: Inkjet 3D Printing High-Performance Materials with Quantica Co-Founder Ben Hartkopp 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/Tqoc6wu September 26, 2022 at 08:04AM
0 Comments
https://ift.tt/7IvxsNX
Agnikul Cosmos Patents 3D Printed Rocket Engine Ahead of Test Launch https://ift.tt/elIEM7J Indian space startup Agnikul Cosmos was granted a patent for the design and manufacturing of its single-piece, 3D printed rocket engine. Comprising the main five components of a rocket engine and produced as a single part in one run, the higher stage semi-cryogenic liquid propulsion engine can be built in less than 96 hours and was designed to support the company’s satellite launch vehicle called Agnibaan but could also serve satellites and other space exploration vehicles. Under conventional manufacturing practices, a rocket engine has at least 100 assembled carefully using techniques such as welding, where the workforce, equipment and cost requirement is high. Like many space technology companies, Agnikul believes that assembling the engine components using traditional processes can be tedious and cumbersome, so it identified the need for a single integrated propulsion engine with an optimized design manufactured with 3D printing effectively used in space vehicles. This led the Chennai-based small rocket company to apply for a patent for its 3D printed engine in late 2020. Almost two years later, the Indian patents office issued the patent for the invention, which aims to provide a highly reliable single-piece, a lightweight integrated engine for space vehicles. According to the company, the engine comprises a combustion chamber to burn the fuel, an injector plate to inject the fuel into the combustion chamber, an igniter to ignite the fuel mixture, a nozzle to pass the hot gas to produce thrust, and cooling channels for regenerative cooling. However, in the original document published by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, Agnikul doesn’t specify whether the single-piece engine also includes other subcomponents of rocket engines. And while Agnikul’s founders have been posting information about their latest milestone on social media, fellow space industry experts have also inquired whether the engine is really “fully” 3D printed, as the company states. In particular, Tim Berry, head of manufacturing and supply chain at California space startup Launcher, asked in one of Agnikul’s posts whether “tubing, valves, electronics, etc. are all fabricated as one piece?” Adding that if it’s just the nozzle, chamber, and injector, then “it’s not a full rocket engine and is also not a new discovery.” Berry might be alluding to the fact that in the last few years, other space startups have also publicized the creation of 3D printed rocket engines. For example, last April, Launcher demonstrated the full thrust of its E-2 engine––which boasts a fully 3D printed chamber––for the first time; Rocket Lab has also been known to use 3D printed engines, while rocket engine manufacturer Ursa Major focuses solely on developing 3D printed rocket propulsion systems and UK-based startup Orbex has even commissioned AMCM to build a large-volume 3D printer for manufacturing its rocket engines in one piece. With so many companies turning to 3D printing for their rocket propulsion and space agencies like NASA and ESA advancing their own rocket engine technology through additive manufacturing, it seems like there is tough competition ahead. However, Agnikul is sure that it can offer a rapid turnaround on its rocket engines since “everything is 3D printed in one shot.” The startup, incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Research Park, has already hit impressive goals thanks to its one-piece 3D printed rocket engines. Since 2019, the company says it has “automated” the process of engine making, with zero assemblies involved in its creation, and has already tested its 3D printed engine in 2021. By using laser powder bed fusion and high-grade aerospace materials, like copper and its alloys, Inconel, Monel, and titanium, all of the engine’s components can be integrated during the build process, specifies Agnikul. Since there are no bolts, screws, or welds, the engine is extremely light (between five and six kilos) compared to engines of similar thrust rating, which can weigh up to 25 kilos. So by utilizing 3D printing, Agnikul believes it will help reduce the mass of space vehicles, the cost of the launching vehicles, and even the cost of the mission. Furthermore, manufacturing the engine as a single piece helps identify errors much easier when compared to traditionally assembled multiple-component engines. Therefore qualification is easier and quicker, described by the startup in its patent specifications section. As it happens with just about every industry leveraging additive manufacturing, batch production becomes much quicker, and the time required to assemble a multi-component part decreases. Also, Agnikul stated that with the machining work and human intervention reduced, they managed to speed up the turnaround time of the manufacturing process to three days and qualify the engine for flight within a week. This quicker turnaround time in engine fabrication could make the assembly process quicker and eventually help increase the launch frequency.
Agnikul is looking forward to the test launch of its Agniban rocket by the end o,f 2022, which will carry around 100 kg of payload into a 700-km-high orbit for clients sometime next year. In the meantime, the startup partnered with 3D printing technology firm EOS India to expand the potential of its 3D printed rockets and sub-systems and opened a new facility, the Rocket Factory -1, to 3D print its rocket engines at scale, and has already set up EOS’ 3D printers on site, allowing it to create the hardware it needs in-house. The post Agnikul Cosmos Patents 3D Printed Rocket Engine Ahead of Test Launch 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/Tqoc6wu September 26, 2022 at 08:04AM
https://ift.tt/Do2bK5U
Dyze Design Releases Orthus™, a New Ultra-precise Filament Monitoring Sensor https://ift.tt/KWAdskT Dyze Design, Canadian manufacturer of high-performance extrusion systems and components for professional and industrial 3D printers, is now officially releasing its new filament monitor, Orthus, an ultra-precise filament monitoring sensor enabling instantaneous detection of both filament runout and jam. Filament detectors are a pretty common thing nowadays. Most recent 3d printers are often equipped with some kind of filament sensing systems to ensure hassle-free printing, especially for prints lasting several hours. However, some of those filament detectors are limited by the type of filament they can detect (i.e., clear filament) or they can only detect a runout, not if there’s a jam in the extrusion system. “The polymer industry is moving really fast. More and more new filament types are available each week and we realized that optical sensing technology is not able to keep up. And it’s hard to maintain” says Philippe Carrier, Dyze Design’s Chief Technology Officer. “It’s the problem we start seeing with our own filament presence sensor, the Sentinel.” In 2016, Dyze Design released on Kickstarter the Sentinel, one of the first filament sensors on the market, which enabled a printer to detect the end of a filament spool and pause the print to let the user change the filament. “Having a bit of history with filament detectors, we learned that hassle-free printing also is not only a matter of detecting a runout, it’s also important to catch any problems in the extruder, like a jam or a clog.” says Philippe. “Orthus is not some kind of upgraded version of the Sentinel to detect a larger spectrum of filament type. It’s a brand-new technology that detects both filament runout and jam. And the magic with Orthus is that detection is instantaneous. There’s no buffer or delays.” Orthus is one of the most precise filament detectors on the market. With a standard resolution of 9µm, it can provide detection and pause your print almost instantly. On top of that, you can manually adjust the sensitivity. The physical switch lets you choose between a resolution of 9µm, 148µm or 1,229mm, more than enough for any type of filament. And Orthus excels with any type of filament, either in 2.85 mm or 1.75 mm. It is designed to work with all the filaments currently available on the market, such as PLA, TPU, TPE, PVA, PC, PETG, NYLON, PEEK, PEI, to name a few. “Being an OEM for more than 25 printer manufacturers and having a lot of customers in industrial fields, it was really important for us to design a product that would not only work with actual but also upcoming polymers.” says Dyze CTO. “Orthus provides instant detection for all filaments: flexible, transparent, reinforced or filled filaments, you name it. And we know for sure that it won’t be obsolete in a year or two,” adds Philippe. This new filament monitoring sensor is compatible with all open source firmware (i.e., Marlin, Repetier, RepRap firmware, etc.) and can be easily mounted on your 3d printer frame using only two screws. On October 8, 2022, Orthus will be available for purchase at the price of CA$125. You can buy it online on the Dyze Design website. About Dyze DesignDyze Design has been in the 3D printing industry since 2015 developing and manufacturing cutting-edge high performance, reliable, and innovative extrusion systems and 3D printer components for professional, industrial and large-scale 3d printers. They are renowned for their Typhoon high-flow extruder, Pulsar pellet extruder, DyzeXtruder GT and DyzeXtruder Pro extruder line, their SENTINEL filament detector or Tungsten Carbide Nozzles. Today, many 3D printer brands such as Roboze, Sharebot, Blackbelt, Dynamical 3D, Aon3d, Trideo, 3DPlatform, Filament Innovations, Mark One and Cincinnati have chosen their hotends, extruders, and nozzles as OEM parts for their industrial or high-end printers. The post Dyze Design Releases Orthus™, a New Ultra-precise Filament Monitoring Sensor 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/Tqoc6wu September 26, 2022 at 07:16AM
https://ift.tt/J3Vx2tm
Katya Slobodskaia | Rave Culture https://ift.tt/LZEob6O Katya Slobodskaia’s self-directed practice is a combination of “emotional/intuitive” design, mixing concepts of the graphic diary, art therapy, and visual poetry. “For me, this is the most natural way to process my emotions and feelings ‘on the tip of my fingers’, and reflect on everyday events,” says the designer. Currently, Katya is working on an ongoing personal project where she aims to create a poster everyday. She tells us; “It is my way of allowing myself to process my day visually and to let myself have an hour every evening just for myself to do something that I truly enjoy doing.” One of her most recent personal projects is Rave Culture. The starting point of the project was a series of posters, but as Katya has recently been working with branding, it soon evolved into an experimental identity concept. The series reminisces of summer memories, aiming to translate the emotions she felt during that summer into graphics. Rave Culture is a dance experience/music festival concept that transports the visitor to the epicentre of the very essence of a rave party. Essentially, it is an attempt to transform the feeling one gets at such events into visual language and invite the viewer to experience the feelings through graphics. “One of the boldest memories from Rave Parties is always a string of faces that are right up in one’s space, always moving, never stopping. The curious thing is that one usually never sees these people again, and after a number of such nights, strangers start to morph together, forming curious images stripped of their identity, and the memories blend into a single night.” The main characters of the identity – much like the main characters of the parties – are people, constantly on the move, in action, distorted by the lights and their own movement. The original portraits were generated by AI based on certain keywords that are associated with such parties, eg. ‘happy’, ‘smile’, ‘woman’, ‘man’, ‘person’, etc. Then, through a series of experimentations, distorted through a scanner and digital software to mimic the memories left from the parties. Rave Culture’s visual language is bold and emotional, messy and multilayered, filled with complex imagery, and overall resembles a chaotic moment frozen in time. The identity takes the form of posters, merchandise (hoodies, t-shirts, stickers in form of distorted faces), flyers with artists, and social media imagery. The starting point for Katya’s work is often a reflection on whatever piece of information evoked any kind of special emotion in her that day or week. It could be a phrase from a passing stranger that made her laugh, song lyrics that made her cry, or a quote that annoyed her etc. Visual material also inspires Katya’s projects, anything from an oddly shaped puddle, to some strange letterspacing on a random street sign. She comments; “I like to strip off all design decisions and work with what’s left. The main goal of which is to challenge and surprise myself”. However, the designer tell us that most often the starting point of a project is “the need to express a kind of emotion that cannot be translated into words or a desire to talk about something that I cannot express. It’s always about this feeling at the very tip of your fingers, a phrase on the tip of your tongue, something that you can almost put into words but not really, so I do the next(or first) best thing and talk about it through visuals.” Katya graduated from BA (Hons) British Higher School of Art and Design, and recently took a Creative Direction class at Central St.Martins, UAL. She currently works on self-directed personal projects, including the ongoing poster diary, as well as teaching a graphic design course at BBE (art & design online school) and working as an Art director at BBDO Branding studio. The designer is hoping to organise a small collective/studio where she can collaborate with like-minded people and create interesting and unexpected work; “In all honesty, it’s quite a selfish desire to have a space to do silly things, challenge myself, and have fun with my artists-friends.” www.slobodskaia.work
Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/iv9bdLD September 26, 2022 at 05:10AM
https://ift.tt/BEe1odt
3D Printing Webinar and Event Roundup: September 25, 2022 https://ift.tt/xVBUQEH We’ve got a busy week of 3D printing webinars and events ahead! Nanoscribe is attending the Biofabrication Conference, Stratasys, Velo3D, and Markforged continue their tours, and Formlabs will hold a webinar on mass customization. Other webinar topics include starting a 3D printing business, advanced DfAM, the live launch of SOLIDWORKS 2023, and more. Read on for all the details! September 25 – 28: International Conference on BiofabricationThis week in Pisa, the International Conference on Biofabrication 2022 will be held in-person from September 25-28. The idea is to bring together the top academic researchers and scientists to share their knowledge and results on all biofabrication aspects. There will be five plenary sessions, an oral and poster presentation, networking opportunities, and more. More than 500 participants from over 20 countries are projected to be there, including Nanoscribe.
You can register for the conference here. September 26, 27, & 29: The Experience Stratasys Tour ContinuesThe Experience Stratasys Tour continues across the U.S. this week, first at the ReUnion Brewery in Coralville, Iowa on Monday the 26th, hosted by AdvancedTek. The tour stays in Iowa on the 27th but moves to Bodine Electric Co in Peosta, again hosted by AdvancedTek. On Wednesday the 29th, the tour heads to Topgolf in Kansas City, Missouri, hosted by CATI.
You can register for the Stratasys Experience Tour here. Stay tuned for more dates and locations in the future! September 26 – 30: 3D Printing News UnpeeledOur Executive Editor Joris Peels, who’s also the Vice President of Consulting at SmarTech Analysis, launched a daily news livestream called 3D Printing News Unpeeled. Each weekday at 9:30 am EST, Peels gets on LinkedIn Live and tells us, in 20 minutes or less, what he considers to be the top news stories from the 3D printing industry that day, and why they’re important. Some of the stories in his roundup are ones we’ve covered at 3DPrint.com, and some are not, but they are all equally interesting and impactful. The next 3D Printing News Unpeeled livestream will be this Monday, September 26th, at 9:30 am EST, and will continue the rest of the week at the same time. You don’t want to miss it! September 27 – 29: Forged Tour Part DeuxMarkforged continues its global Forged Tour Part Deux tour, featuring the Digital Forge, pints, and snacks, across the Americas and in the EMEA and APAC regions this week. Things get started in Europe on the 27th, first with Sicnova in Zaragoza, Spain at 10:30 am CEST, and then on to Exeter in the UK with Mark3D at 9:30 am BST. On the 28th, the tour heads to Indianapolis, Indiana in the U.S. with GSC at 10 am EST, to Bangkok, Thailand with X3D TECHNOLOGY at 1:30 pm ICT, and also to Pontevedra, Spain with 3DZ at 10:30 am CEST. The tour stays in Spain on the 29th, heading to Barcelona with Sicnova at 10:30 am CEST, and ends back in the UK, in Nottingham, with Mark3D at 9:30 am BST.
Stay tuned for more dates and locations in the future! September 28 – 29: Design-2-Part ShowFrom September 28-29, the New England Design-2-Part Show is coming to the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts. It’s the largest and longest-running design and contract manufacturing show in the Northeast, and will welcome over 225 exhibiting companies in more than 300 service categories, including castings, machining, forming, and 3D printing.
You can register for the free show here. September 28 – 30: GMIS SummitThe Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS), held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh September 28-30, is the first cross-industrial, cross-functional platform for leaders to transform manufacturing and use technology as a tool for global collaboration to encourage greater investment in capabilities, foster innovation, and drive skills development. Delegates from international manufacturing and technology communities, including expert industry CEOs, government leaders, and specialist researchers, will attend GMIS America this week to discuss and shape the future of the manufacturing sector. Topics will include autonomous systems and robotics, open source manufacturing, additive manufacturing, and more.
You can register for the summit here. September 28 – 30: Advanced DfAM Certificate CourseAlso from September 28-30, Wohlers Associates is offering a three-day, hands-on Advanced Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) Certificate Course, hosted by America Makes in Youngstown, Ohio. Taught by Olaf Diegel, Terry Wohlers, and Ray Huff, topics to be covered include topology optimization, part consolidation, designing custom products, DfAM for tooling applications, growth trends and the future of AM, and more. The course provides foundational information, hands-on practice, presentations, and more.
You can register for the in-person course here. America Makes members can attend with an exclusive discount. September 28: Velo3D’s Seeing is Believing Tour ContinuesVelo3D continues its Seeing is Believing Roadshow Tour with a stop in Salt Lake City, Utah this Wednesday, September 28th, at 8:30 am MST (3:30 pm EST). The roadshow will visit the GoEngineer headquarters, and visitors can learn how to advance their AM knowledge, whether they’re new to the technology or not, by having 1:1 discussions and Q&A sessions with Velo3D technical experts about how its end-to-end solution can help reduce costs and supply chain risks. There will also be real-world examples of parts 3D printed by Velo3D customers on hand.
You can register for the tour stop here. September 28: Making Mass Customization a Reality with FormlabsIf you’re interested in using 3D printing to quickly and cost-effectively achieve mass customization, you’ll want to tune in to this Formlabs webinar, “How to Make Mass Customization a Reality,” at 5 pm CEST (11 am EST) on the 28th. Formlabs experts Jessie Bergau, Applications Engineer Team Lead, and Gary Rowe, Global Head of Business Development, will discuss real-life case studies with in-house 3D printing, how 3D printing enables mass customization, material recommendations, and more.
You can register for the webinar here. September 29: Metal PBF-LB Certified Operator OverviewTogether, ASTM international and EOS are presenting “ASTM Certified Operator for Metal PBF-LB: An Overview” at 11 am EST on Thursday, September 29th. Attendees will discover exactly what the operator program is, what it applies to, and why it’s important in this complimentary webinar, from Paul Bates of ASTM and Maryna Ienina of EOS. Other main takeaways will include why it’s important to qualify operators, what the certification means to a metal PBF-LB operator, how the program can support your QMS system, and more.
You can register for the webinar here. September 29: Live Launch of SOLIDWORKS 2023Also at 11 am EST on the 29th, Dassault Systèmes will hold a live launch event so everyone can learn about “What’s New: SOLIDWORKS 2023.” During this exclusive live stream event, a team of SOLIDWORKS experts will share the latest and greatest enhancements in SOLIDWORKS, which will help you work faster by accelerating large assembly design, work smarter by reducing the workload when modeling, and work together by enabling mechanical design, quality, electrical, and manufacturing teams to work better together.
Tune in live via SOLIDWORKS.com, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. September 29: AMNOW Metal Challenge WebinarAmerica Makes will hold an AMNOW Metal Challenge Webinar on the 29th at 2 pm EST. The challenge objective was to evaluate the repeatability and predictability of laser powder bed fusion technology, and maximize insights from the printing and post-processing data. Then, they had to apply AI and data analytics to the data set, including 39 316L builds across four machine models, six machines, three suppliers, two heat treatments, and more than 800 test coupons. Phase 1 focused on organizing, characterizing, and analyzing the data to create algorithms for predicting important results, and then comparing the predictions to the actual results. Then, participants had to list opportunities for improvement for the final two builds at one of three suppliers. Phase 2 was the collaborations between Applied Optimization/Innovative3D Manufacturing, Waterloo University/Penn United Technologies, and The Roux Institute at Northeastern University/ATI to validate the predictions, or improve the outcomes. Addiguru also organized all of the 316L data into a prototype schema and applied basic analyses. During this webinar, the project participants will each have 15 minutes to present on their approach, tools, challenges, results, and recommendations. You can register for the webinar here. September 29: Next Gen AM Design MethodsAlso on Thursday the 29th at 2 pm, HP is holding a Design World webinar on “Leveraging Next Gen Design Methods To Unlock The Full Potential Of Additive Manufacturing.” Attendees will learn how to use computational design tools to solve for design complexity in mass customization, while also respecting industrial process restraints, and hear about innovative case studies, from speakers Nathan Shirley, Lead Computational & Industrial Designer for HP 3D Printing; Wes Kramer, Application Engineer for HP 3D Printing; and Leslie Langnau, Editor, Design World.
You can register for the webinar here. September 30: New 3D Printing Business OpportunitiesFinally, on Friday, September 30th, Divide By Zero Technologies will hold a webinar focused on “Exploring New Business Opportunities with 3D Printing” at 3 pm IST (5:30 am EST). Topics will include the scope of 3D printing in different industries, factors to consider for a business, and more. Attendees will learn all about starting a 3D printing business from two entrepreneurs who built their own successful businesses in the AM industry: Swapnil Sansare, CEO and Founder of Divide By Zero, and Abhishek Shete, CEO and Founder of Positron Additive.
You can register for the webinar here. Do you have news to share about any future webinars or virtual and live events? Please let us know! The post 3D Printing Webinar and Event Roundup: September 25, 2022 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/2Og7mYQ September 25, 2022 at 08:15AM
https://ift.tt/JX1lkci
3D Printing News Briefs, September 24, 2022: Software, Metal 3D Printing, & More https://ift.tt/Fdl01CE We’re starting with software first in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then moving on to ceramic and metal 3D printing and business. We’ll end with 3D printing being used to make scientific data more accessible. Desktop Metal Upgrades Live Sinter SoftwareIn 2020, Desktop Metal first introduced its Live Sinter solution, a multi-physics simulation software application that automates sinter-ready, 3D printable geometries, supports, setters, and more to enable repeatable volume production of end-use metal parts. Now the company has announced significant upgrades to the tool, which is used by over a hundred companies around the world. After scan-based adjustments, Live Sinter makes it possible to correct complex distortion effects in as little as 20 minutes, so parts fall within 1% of target dimension and avoid warping, distortion, and other common sintering issues. Users can also fine-tune simulation results based on one or multiple scans to ensure further accuracy in metal binder jet parts production.
Xact Metal Brings Affordable Metal AM to South Korea with PartnershipBased in Pennsylvania, Xact Metal is working to establish a new level of price and performance in metal AM, and make the technology more accessible for small- to medium-sized companies. Now, the privately funded company has just announced an exclusive sales and service partnership with Prototech that will bring its affordable solutions to South Korea. The professional 3D printer provider also partners with Stratasys, TRUMPF, Desktop Metal, and other brands in the AM industry, in addition to offering reverse engineering and prototyping services.
Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing Installs Two EOS M400-4 PrintersContinuing to speed up its integrated advanced manufacturing growth, Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing (KAM) has installed another two large-format printers from EOS. With the addition of the two M400-4 metal systems, KAM now offers five large-format EOS systems, in addition to 15 others, for a grand total of 20 3D printers installed at its North Carolina facility, in addition to 12 multi-axis CNC machine tools.
Divergent Technologies Signs SLA for SLM Solutions NXG XII 600 FleetDivergent Technologies and SLM Solutions have had a joint development partnership since 2017, working together to advance economical, serial production of complex 3D printed structures in automotive and defense applications. To secure its AM-based business model and resulting output, Divergent has now signed a long-term Service Level Agreement (SLA) for the entire SLM NXG XII 600 fleet of printers. This means that by the end of 2022, an installed base of six of these 12-laser systems will support the series production demands of the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS), the company’s end-to-end digital production system. SLM Solutions defined a new type of SLA that’s based on not only the secured technical availability of its NXG XII 600 printers, but also the residual machine portfolio. This availability-based agreement covers all six NXG XII 600 assets, with a dedicated Field Service Engineer onsite.
The Barnes Global Advisors Team Welcomes Two New MembersThe Barnes Global Advisors (TBGA), the largest independent AM engineering consultancy, has welcomed two defense and advanced manufacturing industry veterans to its ADDvisor team. Andy Davis, most recently the Deputy Program Director and Chief Technology Officer for the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program (IBAS) within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, is in the new role of TBGA’s Director of Government Programs. A founding member of the US Army’s AM Community of Practice, Davis will lead strategy and execution as the consultancy supports government customers with increasing resilience of the defense industrial base. Ethan Clare, who is joining TBGA as a Project Manager, previously held a distinguished role at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works to drive advanced manufacturing into production programs, and most recently worked at nTopology. He will focus on efficient execution of advanced manufacturing, government programs, and supply chain optimization.
3D Printed Lithophanes for Visually Impaired ChemistsA team of US researchers, led by Baylor University biochemist Bryan Shaw, is making it possible for blind and visually impaired chemists to “see” scientific images and charts. As they explain in a research paper, the team used 3D printing to convert the charts and images into lithophanes, which present this high-resolution data in a tactile way. Shaw’s son has tumors in both eyes, and while he can still see well, many of his friends don’t, which got Shaw thinking about how to make science more accessible. Starting out by converting pictures into tactile graphics using a home 3D printer, he eventually got his students involved as well, and they turned to 3D printing lithophanes of textbook illustrations, gel electropherograms of proteins, micrographs of a butterfly chitin scale, and more. Then, they compared how well groups of sighted, blindfolded students and researchers, and visually impaired ones, could interpret the data, and for the majority of the questions, the blind chemists scored at least as well as the sighted ones using the 3D printed lithophanes. Shaw hopes to improve the technology so visually impaired researchers can print the lithophanes themselves right from journal articles, but this is a great first step.
Youngstown Business Incubator Acquires XJet Ceramic 3D PrinterNortheast Ohio and ceramics making have long gone hand in hand, but in the traditional sense. Now, the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) is modernizing this tradition by acquiring an XJet Carmel 1400C ceramics 3D printer. Used to make small ceramic parts that are almost impossible to fabricate with traditional technologies, this is the first printer of its kind available for public use in the U.S. Barb Ewing, the CEO of YBI, called ceramics AM “the next frontier,” and says she sees this emerging technology as an asset to the city’s businesses, which can now commission the incubator to print ceramic parts. According to a delegation from Israel-based XJet, the Carmel 1400C can deliver great geometry and production materials at “no additional cost.” The system works by suspending ceramic material in liquid and printing one layer at a time, each about one-quarter the width of a single strand of hair.
The post 3D Printing News Briefs, September 24, 2022: Software, Metal 3D Printing, & More 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/2Og7mYQ September 24, 2022 at 08:32AM
https://www.youtube.com/embed/JgkCr89QhGs
3D Printing News Unpeeled: Hexapod 3D Printing, CERN Smart Pipes, Smooth Elastomers https://ift.tt/DGxvthW Today we look at CERN´s EU funded smart pipes that embed sensors in 3D printed pipe components to better manage heat. swarms of drones being used to build objects, Fraunhofer IWU develops a hexapod based 3D printing method that moves the build plate. A new technology allows for smooth thermoplastic elastomers that can be used for bellows. The post 3D Printing News Unpeeled: Hexapod 3D Printing, CERN Smart Pipes, Smooth Elastomers 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/5E8zmho September 23, 2022 at 10:15AM Postmaster General DeJoy Addresses Nation’s Commercial Mailers https://ift.tt/hRSrH6k WASHINGTON, DC — In a keynote video address this week to partnership groups composed of Postal Service leaders and the nation’s commercial mailers, USPS Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy said the Postal Service is a different organization now than when he arrived more than two years ago. Printing via USPS News https://ift.tt/k2CWSo5 September 23, 2022 at 09:22AM
https://ift.tt/LYZS2IP
CT Scanning & 3D Printing Could Reveal New Dinosaur Species Inside Opalized Fossil https://ift.tt/YGmFTdC In order to get a closer look at, and learn more about creatures that died long ago, like dinosaurs, researchers and historians have turned to 3D printing and 3D scanning methods many times. The technologies have even helped reveal the discovery of a new species, like in the recent case of a small dinosaur that’s been preserved as opal in white sandstone rocks for over 100 million years. This opalized fossil is pretty rare, and paleontologists are using a micro-CT scanner at Flinders University, Tonsley in Adelaide, Australia, along with 3D printing, to study and reconstruct the dinosaur inside, and perhaps even discover a new species while they’re at it. Researchers have determined that the fossilized dinosaur, found in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, lived in forests not far from an inland sea, and is a plant-eating hypsilophodont—in layman’s terms, a small, running herbivore. According to the Palaeo Pictures documentary team, led by Flinders Associate Professor “Palaeo Paul” Willis, two miners found the fossil while they were searching for opal, which is Australia’s national gemstone; in fact, the country is said to be the world’s leading source of gem-quality opal. While opal miners find these opalized fossil shells often, they’re not seen as much in the rest of the world, and are chock full of important scientific data. This particular fossil was saved for scientific purposes back in 2019. Lightning Ridge fossils are often preserved as colorless, valueless potch (common opal), though some are made of precious opal, which is obviously high in value. But all of them are historically and scientifically priceless to paleontologists, so study is imperative to understand more about the ancient creatures inside these fossils.
Once CT scanning and 3D printing are complete, the reconstructed dinosaur will be “salvaged and revived” so that other researchers, and future generations, can see it for themselves.
The university researchers are working on the fossilized dinosaur reconstruction together with Palaeo Pictures and the Australian Opal Centre, a national museum in the opal mining town of Lightning Ridge to “preserve, display and research the greatest ever public collection” of Australian opal and opalized fossils. Only about 20% of the specimens have been scanned, so there’s still a long way to go, but recent scans of some of the pieces show that the bone inside the fossil has been preserved in extremely high detail. Associate Professor Willis says the team has already started 3D printing some of the most interesting specimens. Once micro-CT scanning is complete, the scan data will be used to help with a detailed study of the skeleton. Then, the team will be able to determine how it lived and died, as well as if it is actually a new species of dinosaur. The post CT Scanning & 3D Printing Could Reveal New Dinosaur Species Inside Opalized Fossil 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/5E8zmho September 23, 2022 at 08:41AM
https://3dprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Mantle-machines.png
Mantle Targets $45B Tooling Market with Unique Metal 3D Printing Technology https://ift.tt/YFx1f4D After six years of development, Mantle has finally released its commercial metal 3D printing system, which combines bound metal extrusion with CNC milling to achieve results so far unreached by the rest of the binder jetting segment. What’s more interesting than the technology, however, is Mantle’s business model, as the Bay Area startup is targeting first and foremost the $45 billion market for injection molding tools. To learn more, we spoke to Mantle CEO Ted Sorom, as well as Chief Commercial Officer Paul DiLaura and Director of Marketing Ethan Rejto. The P-200 3D PrinterAhead of IMTS, Mantle announced the commercial release of its P-200 3D printer, designed around a reliable CNC platform outfitted with an extrusion head for metal pastes. With a build volume of 200mm x 200mm x 150mm, the machine first prints a layer that is heated to dry the paste, evaporating some of the binder material. After 10 layers or so have been printed, a high-speed CNC mill trims the part, resulting in higher accuracy and smoother surface finish. Because it is machining dried paste, rather than solid metal, the cutting process is significantly faster. The green part is then placed in Mantle’s F-200 furnace, sintering them to near fully dense tool steel components. Due to the fact that some of the binder has already evaporated during the printing process, shrinkage during sintering is limited to below 10 percent, unlike traditional bound metal parts, which generally shrink around 20 percent. This makes it easier to predict the end result. The use of CNC also enables “best-in-class surface finish” of 1-3µm Ra. Even pre-sintering, the printed objects are extremely smooth. This not only means improved accuracy, but also little to no post-processing. So far, tool steels H13 and P2X (similar to P20) have been developed for Mantle’s TrueShape process. The future material road map features more tool steels because, as it stands, the startup is targeting the injection molding sector. By uniquely meeting the needs of precision tooling, the company is able to access the immense opportunity that lies in that sector. Dental Tooling: the #1 3D Printing ApplicationHighlighting a part on display at IMTS, Rejto noted, “This part from Tessy Plastics molds this piece for a deodorant core. It has been going for 1.4 million cycles and counting. It’s still in production.” The team couldn’t tell me which deodorant companies were using the parts injection molded with Mantle-made tooling, except to say that they were name brand products that could be found in any drug store. That immediately made an impact on me. Typically, additive companies are targeting mass manufacturers, but because they shoot for 3D printing end parts, the throughput and cost savings just aren’t there to see the technology used for all that many items that I might find in my daily life. By applying AM to indirect manufacturing, however, there is a butterfly effect that is undeniable.
Companies like Invisalign have created an entire industry through the use of indirect manufacturing with 3D printing. By 3D printing a model of a patient’s the teeth the way the orthodontist prescribes, it’s possible to thermoform clear aligners using stable, biocompatible materials. While firms are developing materials for the end 3D printing of dental aligners, they have only begun to hit the market. In the meantime, thermoforming models are being printed at a rate of 200 million units annually. Tooling: the $45B 3D Printing ApplicationTypically in the AM sector, machine salespeople are also application engineers and consultants. They don’t just try to unload a 3D printer onto a customer, but also have to co-develop a use case and aid the client in the design and production process. Mantle is trying a completely different approach. The tools presented at IMTS all looked like traditional tools. There were no lattice structures or consolidated assemblies. Instead, they were just as solid and sturdy as tools made with CNC machining. They were tools that a customer could trust, that operated like anything they’ve had their hands on in the past. To get 3D printing’s foot in the door of this legacy sector, which Sorom estimates to be worth $45 billion, Mantle isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. The biggest difference between TrueShape tools and something made conventionally was that they were designed and manufactured in the course of a couple of weeks instead of several months and at half the cost. Mantle doesn’t sell the geometric freedom of additive as a reason for adopting its technology. In many cases, the very mention of “conformal cooling,” which can speed up the heat dissipation of an injection molding tool, can make customers nervous. The fear of mold flow software is enough to send traditional manufacturers running for the door.
Mantle’s strategy raised the possibility that other metal 3D printing companies highlight conformal cooling and other unique design possibilities to justify the extremely high cost for their machines. Typically, a powder bed fusion system can range well over half-a-million dollars. In contrast, the entire Mantle system, including the P-200 printer and F-200 furnace, is $350,000. TrueShape 3D Printing in the Larger MarketWhen looking at the user landscape, there are several routes that Mantle could go and it is apparently pursuing all of them. Specifically, the firm is targeting toolmakers, injection molding providers, and vertically integrated businesses that have toolmaking and manufacturing performed in-house.
The TrueShape process may be complementary to other 3D printing technologies, including those directly targeting tooling, such as those from Addifab and Fortify. While Addifab’s Freeform Injection Molding is meant for temporary tooling for short run injection molding, Fortify’s technology is meant to produce longer-lasting molds using technical ceramic materials. These processes could potentially be used for bridge tooling or prototyping before a manufacturer turns to a final metal mold. Regardless of how they stack up against one another, these firms could all aid in the reshoring of U.S. manufacturing. Sorom estimated that about $8 billion of tooling is made in the United States, while $26 billion is performed in Asia. Because the expertise to make tools has been exported overseas, it’s possible that new digital processes could reverse the process. With students, designers and engineers in the U.S. focusing more on CAD than on traditional toolmaking, 3D printing with technologies like TrueShape could allow domestic production to be digitized. This would be particularly beneficial during supply chain crises the likes of which were exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
The post Mantle Targets $45B Tooling Market with Unique Metal 3D Printing Technology 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/5E8zmho September 23, 2022 at 08:41AM |
Categories
All
Archives
April 2023
|