U.S. Postal Service Went to Extraordinary Lengths to Deliver Ballots During Historic General Election Season https://ift.tt/3hrgb6G Dec. 29, 2020 U.S. Postal Service Went to Extraordinary Lengths to Deliver Ballots During Historic General Election SeasonOn Average, Ballots Delivered From Voters to Election Officials in 1.6 Days 122 Million Ballots Processed and Delivered Amid Historic Political and Election Mail Volume; Extraordinary Measures Underway to Deliver Ballots Currently in Mail System WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Postal Service today released a new 2020 Post-Election Analysis that outlined the steps the agency took to deliver a historic number of ballots and Election Mail. Read the full report here: about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2020/USPS_PostElectionAnalysis_12_28_20.pdf. “Throughout the 2020 election, the Postal Service faced unprecedented challenges, but the commitment of our 644,000 men and women to deliver the nation’s ballots securely and in a timely manner never wavered even in the face of the pandemic,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “We take great pride in the Postal Service’s performance which is thanks to our hard-working men and women who went to extraordinary lengths to fulfill our public service mission, meet the public’s high expectations and uphold the Postal Service’s promise to deliver the nation’s Election Mail securely and in a timely manner.” With two runoff elections for the United States Senate in Georgia scheduled for January 5, 2021, the Postal Service remains laser-focused on fulfilling our essential role for the election officials and voters who use the mail as part of the voting process. This report will be supplemented following the completion of the Georgia run-off elections. Key General Election Performance Statistics:
1The total may greatly exceed 135 million, as the figure includes only those ballots that were properly identified as ballots using the correct electronic identifiers, and does not include many of the ballots that the Postal Service diverted from its processing network or otherwise handled outside of normal processes in an effort to accelerate delivery. ### Printing via USPS News https://ift.tt/2hH9aDC December 29, 2020 at 01:02PM
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Riding the Rails with Wabtec into the 21st Century with 3D Printing https://ift.tt/3pvAdjf Rail transportation is key to our global infrastructure and, in some ways, could be the future of that infrastructure in the face of climate collapse. For those reasons, it’s crucial that the rail industry stay ahead of the curve in terms of adopting new, potentially leaner manufacturing technologies. Among the businesses that is crucial to that industry adoption is the Wabtec Corporation, who has become an early adopter of 3D printing for the manufacturing of end parts for trains. To learn more, we spoke to Jennifer Coyne, Wabtec’s global additive manufacturing (AM) leader. With a market cap of $13.96 billion, Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) is a maker of locomotives, as well as freight and passenger transit solutions. The firm has its roots in the Westinghouse Brake Company (WABCO), founded in 1869. After a long history as WABCO, Wabtec was eventually founded as its own company in 1999, with the merger of WABCO and MotivePower, and had its next big corporate move in 2019, when it merged with GE Transportation. As it enters a new era in rail manufacturing, Wabtec has begun producing locomotives with up to 4,000 horsepower (3 MW) and explores fully electric trains, as well. Coyne, who was also featured recently on the 3DPOD, noted that 3D printing entered the picture in 2015-2016 as a prototyping technology, with metal AM becoming a part of the company’s strategy in 2017.
The team has labs in the Northwest Pennsylvania region, where the majority of Wabtec’s plastics and prototyping occur. In Grove City, the company focuses on steels and other metals using binder jetting and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). In particular, Wabtec has become an early customer of GE Additive’s H1 binder jetting technology. The newest North American facility will be Neighborhood 91 in Pittsburgh, which will focus on delivering aluminum LPBF parts to transit customers. In Bangalore, India, Wabtec is using HP’s Multi Jet Fusion to 3D print industrial parts for customers, as well. Coyne may be understating Wabtec’s additive strategy by saying it is “pretty aggressive.” Compared to most industries, aside from possibly aerospace, the growth of 3D printing at Wabtec matches only GE itself. This makes sense since Coyne came from GE Transportation. With similar expectations for additive as GE has had, Wabtec has set a goal of 3D printing 25,000 parts by 2025. 2019 was the first year that the firm had production parts on trains. This came out to 1,200 individually printed copies of a variety of 12 different parts. Coyne said that prototype parts came out to a similar quantity. To achieve this, Coyne says that she wants to gradually increase the number of serial parts produced with 3D printing. Last year, it was 12 unique production components. This year, it was bumped up to 25. The firm will then aim to double that number so that, by next year, the additive department at Wabtec will be “a well-established well-oiled machine so that we can really scale from there,” as Coyne puts it. Obviously, COVID-19 has slowed nearly every industry down, but Coyne says that there are also some challenges in integrating GE Transportation with Wabtec in that she previously dealt only with freight and now, has to tackle transit, too. Additionally, the former business had customers mostly based in North America but has more located abroad with the Wabtec merger.
Coyne was able to elaborate on the different value propositions 3D printing offers freight compared to transit. In freight, weight is actually necessary to keep the wheels on the rail so that it can pull harder and grip the rail. In turn, 3D printing has been improving production efficiency as well as the reliability of the engine, rather than lightweighting. The company was able to shrink the size of heat exchangers, while making them remove waste heat from the engine more efficiently and reliably. The benefits of using additive technology in serial production of parts for heat exchangers and turbochargers has been a reduction of lead times by 80 percent and inventory reductions by 75 to 80 percent. In contrast, transit is more focused on reducing weight. Among the parts that are being influenced by 3D printing are pneumatic valves and components that feature a great deal of internal passages that would typically require a lot of machining and finishing. In preparing a part for transit trains, Wabtec was able to reduce weight by 75 percent, from seven kilograms down to two and a half. Given the overall size of parts in the industry, Wabtec has had to begin investing in larger 3D printers, with Coyne saying that, initially, standard sized systems couldn’t produce big enough components. For that reason, at Neighborhood 91, Wabtec has an SLM 800 machine, one of the largest LPBF systems on the market. Neighborhood 91 is itself an interesting project, in that it’s meant to be a complete 3D printing ecosystem. The site is located adjacent to the Pittsburgh airport, allowing for easy access to air transportation, and it features one business dedicated entirely to argon gas recycling and manufacturing at 60 percent of the typical cost. In turn, printed parts should be significantly cheaper to make, as well. Wabtec aims to be moved in by March of 2021 and will be one of the first anchor tenants for the neighborhood before others move in. Wabtec is also a member of the Mobility Goes Additive organization in Europe, which has been so successful in the formalization of a 3D printing industry for rail that it has expanded to create a medical 3D printing network as well. According to Coyne, European adoption of 3D printing is very mature compared to the U.S., in part because additive has fit product lines better for transit than for freight. In particular, European companies seem to have a desire to perform lightweighting via part consolidation. One large difference between the U.S. and Europe is the use of rail for transit overall, including long distance transportation. Proponents of a Green New Deal-style approach to making U.S. infrastructure more sustainable have advocated for the use of high-speed rail (HSR) in the country. When asked about the development of HSR in the U.S., Coyne suggested that rail transit will continue to evolve in urban areas, but less so for long-distance national travel.
Without understanding the economics, as well as the likely relationships between air and rail transport companies, oil giants, and members of the U.S. government, it does not seem completely out of the question to develop HSR in the U.S. After all, China has a larger total land area than the U.S. with large urban centers that are also spread out from one another, yet it has more HSR than any other nation. Andy Kunz, president of the U.S. High Speed Rail Association, suggested that it may be more an issue of oil interests thwarting HSR and public transportation in the country. Even if HSR doesn’t become the long-distance solution for transit in the U.S., some environmental urban planners believe electrification to be crucial to a transition to renewable energy. In this regard, Wabtec has developed a 100 percent electric battery powered freight locomotive made up of 20,000 battery cells and featuring a trip optimization system that allows for optimizing energy distribution. In a pilot program taking place in Q1 of 2021, the battery locomotive will work with diesel locomotives in hybrid consist running on a 350-mile route across California’s San Joaquin valley. Coyne isn’t sure if any 3D printed parts will end up on the next generation locomotive but says that her additive team has been instrumental in prototyping and design for the train’s FLX Drive engine. Given the potential for all-electric freight trains, this writer wouldn’t be surprised if at least a couple of 3D printed components make it onto some future version of the FLX Drive system. If that’s the case, we’ll hopefully have some more news on the project in the near future. Regardless, it’s exciting to know that Wabtec is invested in AM for the long haul. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 29, 2020 at 08:02AM
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Top 10 3D Printing Software Stories of 2020 https://ift.tt/3hxzKuf This summer, SmarTech Analysis published a new report, titled “Opportunities in Additive Manufacturing Software Markets 2020,” which was its first study of the AM software segment since the inaugural report in 2017, and it had some interesting things to say. Extremely rapid growth is anticipated for the AM software sector, with revenues increasing from $460 million in 2020 to $3.7 billion by 2027, mainly due to the fact that 3D printing software is becoming less of a niche section in the industry and more of a significant one. AM software is continually becoming more advanced, and being integrated into leading CAD/CAM and PLM software solutions as well. In the report, SmarTech analyst Scott Dunham suggests that AM software will “bring order to manufacturing,” while also helping to diversify supply chains. With that in mind, we’ve compiled some of the year’s biggest stories in the 3D printing software sector for you, putting everything together in one article to save you time. Read on to learn what we found most exciting this year in AM software! 3DEXPERIENCE Connects to XometryAt 3DEXPERIENCE World 2020 in February, software company Dassault Systèmes made several announcements regarding both its 3DEXPERIENCE and SOLIDWORKS CAD software solutions, but one of the biggest was its MAKE Marketplace integration with Xometry. The Xometry manufacturing platform was tied into Dassault’s SOLIDWORKS and CATIA applications, so that users can directly access Xometry price quotes, without having to manually upload and check part pricing through other online service bureaus. This saves time, and, most importantly for a software developer like Dassault, clicks to perform an action. Hexagon Integrates Senvol Databasee-Xstream announced it was integrating the Senvol Database to its 10X Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) solution. Part of Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division, e-Xstream offers ICME solutions so customers can see fresh design models, with new materials, as well as manufacturing processes. With the integration of the Senvol Database, R&D teams and engineers have access to even more AM data, and its “shortlist” option makes it quick and easy to narrow down the options. Hexagon had a pretty busy year overall: its MSC Software subsidiary, well-known in the engineering world for its simulation software, released a generative design tool that allows users to rapidly create highly-optimized, print-ready designs from a laptop. Additionally, Hexagon partnered with the IMDEA Materials Institute in Spain, the result of which was models developed by IMDEA for metals being incorporated into e-Xstream software at both the microscale and macroscale. Dyndrite’s Geometric Kernel Powers HPA partnership between HP and Seattle startup Dyndrite was announced this summer, in order to combine HP’s end-to-end manufacturing management expertise with Dyndrite’s breakthrough additive technology. By doing so, HP has licensed Dyndrite’s geometric kernel technology to power a software solution of cloud and edge-based digital manufacturing solutions. The partnership builds on an existing relationship that began when HP became one of the inaugural members of the Dyndrite Developer Council, and this fall, the two companies announced the first commercial application they developed together: HP’s Universal Build Manager Powered by Dyndrite, an advanced additive manufacturing software solution built on Dyndrite’s core Accelerated Geometry Engine. Siemens Tags Sintavia and Evolve for 3D PrintingSiemens announced two big partnerships this year, and the first was with Tier One metal additive manufacturer Sintavia, for the purposes of creating an end-to-end AM software solution as part of Siemens’ Xcelerator AM software portfolio. Siemens is providing all the testing and technical feedback on pre-released software that will be part of future solutions, while Sintavia will become a preferred AM partner of Siemens, with access to and technical support for the resulting AM software ahead of the commercial market. Its second major partnership of 2020 is with Evolve Additive Solutions, as the two work to grow Evolve’s automated Selective Thermoplastic Electrophotographic Process (STEP) technology and optimize it for high-volume 3D printing with Xcelerator. Stratasys and nTopology Partner for DfAMNot long ago, Stratasys announced a collaboration with 3D printing and engineering software startup nTopology, in order to make 3D printing easier by offering several customizable, accessible Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) workflows. The reusable workflows and topology optimization provided by nTopology’s software will form the base of the new DfAM workflows, which are meant to be used with multiple Stratasys FDM 3D printing systems. The first workflow resulting from this partnership is the FDM Assembly Fixture Generator, which makes it easier to fabricate jigs and fixtures by automating their design. Desktop Metal Unveils Live Sinter SimulationIn simulation software news this year, unicorn startup Desktop Metal made headlines when it launched its Live Sinter solution this fall. The software solution replaces the lengthy trial and error process that often occurs with bound metal printing, such as its own binder jetting technology. Live Sinter, which runs on a GPU-accelerated multi-physics engine, accounts for many common issues, like shrinkage, cracks, and deformation, by simulating and automatically compensating for shrinkage and distortion by creating “negative offset” geometries. Once a part is 3D printed and sintered, these geometries should result in the as-designed component.
Additive Works Releases Amphyon 2021 Simulation for Metal LPBFJust a few weeks ago, Additive Works released the latest version of its Amphyon software, which offers simulation-based process preparation solutions for laser beam melting (LBM) technology. The software solution has multiple modules, including a new Thermal Adaption Module for job preparation in Amphyon 2021. In laser-based printing, temperatures can rise high and fast as the component gets taller, which can lead to poor quality prints, so it’s important to find the correct temperature range and keep the lower speed constant. This new module help users solve these issues through the use of thermal process simulation data: instead of relying on fixed minimum layer times, it adapts the layer times, and makes it possible to set a target temperature, in order to ensure thermal stability. Sigma Labs Launches Production Series of PrintRite3DThis spring, Sigma Labs launched the new Production Series of its PrintRite3D quality assurance software for metal 3D printing. The Production Series features a new intuitive Production Dashboard, which provides managers with important AI-driven metrics; offers high-resolution IPQM medical-grade 3D forensic analysis; and helps to speed up 3D printing qualification, as well as decreasing the amount of time the design and development process takes. Because PrintRite3D software is machine-agnostic, manufacturers are able to achieve standardized QA processes, even with a supply chain that uses different 3D printers. This launch by Sigma Labs was followed a few months later with the release of its PrintRite3D Lite IPQA solution, which was created to provide compact, smaller, entry-level 3D printers with in-process quality assurance. Desktop 3D Printers Connect to the Cloud2020 saw several other important software launches, starting with a summer announcement of the new Ultimaker Essentials paid subscription-based platform, which is meant to help customers overcome some of the key barriers to AM adoption. The platform makes it possible to streamline the process of integrating Ultimaker 3D printing into a company’s IT infrastructure, as well as update its existing 3D printing software, and also includes new eLearning to help customers learn more about Ultimaker’s technology. Soon after this announcement, MakerBot had one of its own, regarding its new MakerBot CloudPrint software, formerly known as MakerBot Cloud. The new workflow is meant to make remote 3D printing collaboration easier by ensuring that all teams and individuals can seamlessly use 3D printing across multiple devices both remotely and onsite. Then, just two weeks later, Zortrax launched its own remote 3D printing management software, inCloud. Through the use of access cameras, this new service enables the remote control and management of one or more Zortrax 3D printers from anywhere in the world. The company actually had its own staff members manage about 200 3D printers at Zortrax headquarters in order to test the solution before its public release. Markforged Launches the Digital ForgeThe final story in this 2020 AM software roundup is about Markforged, and the launch of its 3D printing software, The Digital Forge. The cloud-based software uses machine learning to connect all the company’s products for on-demand 3D printing of production-quality components, as well as sidestep any supply chain issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Digital Forge collects data from over 12,000 networked Markforged 3D printers, and works to make more accurate parts by correcting the course of the print jobs live. Additionally, because Markforged says the cloud-based software behind the platform is updated consistently, its customers should be able to quickly take advantage of any new developments. That’s it for the 2020 roundup of 3D printing software news. We can’t wait to see what new and exciting announcements will come in 2021! Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 29, 2020 at 07:32AM
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3D Printing Market Outlook 2021: Desktop Vat Polymerization (SLA, DLP) https://ift.tt/3pwTZeh Vat polymerization (SLA, DLP) has unexpectedly become a hot spot over the past year due to the effects of material companies and new startups entering the market. In this series, we will look at the general outlook of the vat polymerization market for 2021. We’ll examine different segments of the market, what the market is doing, what kinds of systems are being sold and what is likely to happen over the course of 2021. In the interests of brevity, I’ll use the term stereolithography (SLA) to address the market as a whole. I know it is not technically correct, since we have other technologies, light sources and methods now, but it will save all of us a lot of time. I also believe that vat polymerization is a particularly ugly term. Desktop SLA systems range from $160 to $1,500 and provide access to the technology for many first-time users. Pro SLA systems range from around $3,000 to $12,000 and provide consumers and businesses with prototyping and, in some cases, manufacturing. Production systems start around $30,000 and reach up to $200,000 and are exclusively used for production. The keen observer will note that these categories do not seamlessly fit but by focusing on the dedicated areas in the market, we will learn more at this point. This first post will focus on desktop systems. Desktop SLA SystemsMarketThis market has grown to be developing very quickly over the past several months. Entrants such as the Anycubic Photon, Phrozen Sonic, Elgoo Mars, Peopoly Moai, Longer3D Orange and other similar systems have shown that you can make a finicky but credible SLA system for next to nothing. Other companies, such as XYZ Printing and Flashforge, have made more complete systems (the Noble and Hunter respectively) from $1,000 to $2,500 in order to also enter the market. The biggest news generally, however, has been Prusa’s entry with the surprisingly good SL1. The market has greatly expanded from non-existence only a few years ago to several vendors selling tens of thousands of units. SalesSome resellers are involved in this, but, by and large, the low-cost SLA boom has passed them by completely. Sales are direct and often Kickstarter is used to launch new systems. Also used by toys for businesses, these systems up and till now are mostly consumer-based. We are seeing artists and jewelers start to use them for business however. SystemsHigher up in the segment, we get quality linear rails and adequate light sources. Generally, many firms have realized that a focus on these two elements, in particular, will quickly get you a credible machine. Software is rudimentary as is support generally. One interesting development is that firms used to offer their build tanks with optical film as a whole consumable. Now, thanks to Prusa, companies are offering build tanks that can be disassembled. Then, one can replace the FEP film itself. This will save users a significant amount of money in the long run. In some cases, depending on part placement on the film, you’d have to replace the build tank with every 1.5 liters of resin and tanks could cost $150. FEP film is $10 per cycle. Systems are generally open and third party resins can be used as well. DLP and SLA are mainly used, with light sources ranging the gamut from off-the-shelf DLP, LCD, PicoLED and lasers from smoke machines. Wash and cure stations are often offered as well. RecommendationsSoftware is the main challenge here and is likely to be the particular path to better consumer experiences and results ultimately. A focus on software will bring outsized benefits. On the whole, it seems as if resin knowledge in OEMs is rudimentary at best. A solid grasp of photopolymers will lead to many more functional materials. Hiring materials scientists and chemists will therefore bring outsized benefits. The markup on resins is huge, greater than 700% in some cases. This is where the money is to be made. Partnering with a resin firm to deliver and sell proprietary resins that will work well on everyone’s systems is the prize here. Application focus would seem to be the fastest way to go from this segment to a higher one (e.g., the Flashforge Dental 100). Critical IssuesGenerally, the safety considerations are insufficiently highlighted. Some resins may be toxic and all will cause skin irritation and perhaps contact allergies. Some may be carcinogenic. Touching wet uncured parts, the resins themselves, and having droplets land on one’s body is a hazard, especially long term. This needs to be more explicit in both marketing literature and user information. These materials can not be recycled in any meaningful way. This is an issue long run. With consumer sentiment squarely against wasteful polymers, wait till they find out about thermoplastics! Recommendation for CompetitionI wouldn’t enter this market right now, as it is very stormy and subject to change. If you have a system that significantly reduces mechanical stress on the part as it is pulled off of the screen or have a completely new way of doing DLP, then perhaps think about it. Another me-too machine right now, however, will be a tricky thing to position. I’d rather put my money in a direct-to-consumer resin startup that delivers safer materials at a reasonable cost. At she same time, offer white-label resins in partnership with OEMs and you’ve got a wonderful business. There is remarkably low activity in resins when compared to machines. 2021 OutlookWe would still expect growth in units and in overall material sales in this segment for the year. Many users are getting into stride and seem to have increased their usage rates recently. The first students and others are unlocking these systems for entrepreneurial activity. Yes, some players are bound to get pushed out very soon, but I would expect continued growth in the near term. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 29, 2020 at 07:06AM
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Klaus Kremmerz https://ift.tt/3oayP5H Klaus Kremmerz is (or was, pre 2020) a nomadic kind of illustrator. Working mostly using his iPad or Wacom, he’s taken advantage of the fact he doesn’t really need to carry around too much to make his office anywhere. While he’s currently based in Italy, according to his agency, Dutch Uncle, his lifetime ambition is “to be invited by Elon Musk as the first illustrator to draw on Mars.” The self-taught illustrator’s process has certainly evolved over the years, even if his characteristic smart use of bright colours, simple forms, nose- and mouth-less faces, and thoughtful shadowing has remained constant. Around 2016, he was still creating all his work using felt-tip pens. “I loved that technique,” he says, but it became “too slow” as he began picking up projects with tighter deadlines. His felt-tip works would take a day or two just to colour a single image. “Moreover it is complex to harmonise from a tone-hue point of view,” he adds. “In short, making an image with felt-tip pens took too much time. In any case, it’s not goodbye: I would like to go back to making something with felt-tip pens, but only for ad hoc projects.” Now that he’s moved into computer-based processes (namely the markers in Photoshop), Kremmerz says that he’s not wedded to either side of the analogue/digital coin. “For me, they remain two somewhat different things,” he says. Now, hand-created images are reserved for personal projects that don’t carry the pressure of paid commissions. “I like to think that manual work is more suited to my artistic expression, and digital work more suited to my professional work,” he says. However, he finds balancing personal and commercial work tricky. “Fortunately, during my career I’ve always had a lot of work, and after that I struggle to find the creative resources to develop a personal project. Every now and then I try, but then a series of projects come along that fill up my schedule, and then my private life eats up the rest of my time.” But as he points out, he’s still young, and if he gets an urge to work on a particular project he reckons sooner or later he’ll carve out more time for personal projects too. Kremmerz’s client list is impressive, and varied: he’s worked with The New Yorker, The New York Times, Apple, Credit Suisse, Die Zeit, Esquire, The Village Voice, Savannah Music Festival , Stanford University and WeTansfer, to name just a few. The commissions he most enjoys are the editorial pieces that he finds to be interesting articles in their own right: “the more something interests me, the more I like the idea of illustrating it,” he says. “That applies to every type of project from editorial for a magazine, to a book cover, to a poster or an animation.” In broader terms, he’d rather work on newspaper and magazine commissions that start and end within a week, that projectects that end up dragging on for months. If anyone’s reading who commissions illustration work, Kremmerz has some advice for brief-setting: “It’s great if it’s clear,” he says, advising concise, straight-to-the-point instructions, bullet points, and examples of images to demonstrate the mood they’re looking for. A summary of the piece that needs illustrating is also very helpful: “It’s harder to work on a five-page article without a summary, but I understand it’s more a problem of time than goodwill.” Trust and understanding on the side of the art director is also crucial: “if this trust is lacking, it means that dozens of sketches will be needed before you get to the colour phase,” says Kremmerz. “Art directors know how to give you suggestions that improve the image…they know how to see your work with a different eye.” As the, er, rollercoaster of 2020 judders to a stop, Kremmerz reflects that for illustrators, maybe 90% of their work since the pandemic began have had something to do with Covid-19 since the media was so dominated by the subject. “The good thing is that people in our profession are used to being locked away working remotely. That’s what we’ve always done,” he says. “I think the world will be very different when all this will be behind us, and I don’t mean just economically but structurally: social relations, ways of working and family relations will be deeply modified by the pandemic. It’s like the foundations of a house will be remodelled—I can’t say now if that’s for the better or worse, but being optimistic I would say for the better.” Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/2DhgcW7 December 29, 2020 at 05:18AM
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9 Incredible Personal Brand Examples You Should Learn From https://ift.tt/37S07rF Elon Musk has one of the most powerful personal brands in the world. Since the time he unveiled his latest product, Cybertruck, his company (Tesla) has booked 713,000+ reservations for it. Where did all that sales come from? Several sources, but a major one of those sources is his personal brand. Elon has over 36 million followers on Twitter — many of whom are die-hard fans; his tweets get over 20,000 to 100,000 likes and retweets. You may not be selling a product as expensive as Elon’s, but there’s a lesson here: personal brands are a goldmine for marketing and sales. So we want to show you 9 examples of personal brands you can learn a few lessons from. But before that, let’s get on the same page on what a personal brand is. What’s a personal brand?Your personal brand is who people know you to be online. Period. It’s the topic they know you for, the personality they see you have, the ideas they associate you with, the industry they know you’re an expert in, and the work they know you do. As we’ve gotten that definition out of the way, let’s dig deeper into the personal brand examples we promised to share. 9 personal brand examples worth learning fromBesides Elon Musk who we mentioned early on, here are nine other awe-inspiring examples of personal brands we’ve seen: 1. Amy PorterfieldAmy Porterfield has built a brand known for online marketing. And she has a specific market: business owners and entrepreneurs. She teaches them how to build highly engaged email lists, create online training courses, and market with ease. Amy has built a 7-figure business out of helping over 250,000 online entrepreneurs. And she’s able to spend quality time with her family while doing it. Or as she puts it: “I discovered how to optimize and automate those efforts so that I would never have to explain to my son Cade why I missed another football game.” What’s there to learn from Amy’s brand? A couple of things:
2. Ramit SethiPersonal finance is a huge, huge industry. And that’s where Ramit Sethi chose to build his personal brand. As the name of his blog implies, I Will Teach You To Be Rich, Ramit shares all his ideas about personal finance, career development, personal development, and many other topics that’ll make his audience get rich. Besides the blog, he also shares highly engaging content on Instagram and Twitter, mostly sharing on personal finance. Here are three key lessons you can learn from Ramit:
3. Huda KattanIn the world of beauty and makeup artists, Huda Kattan is a force to reckon with. She kick-started Huda Beauty in 2010 as a blog and now she has over 45 million followers on Instagram. That’s a lot of influence in one industry. What personal branding lessons can you learn from Huda? Here are two key takeaway from Huda’s personal branding:
4. Neil PatelNeil Patel is widely-known for a topic similar to Amy’s — online marketing. Although he has a broader audience than Amy’s since he does marketing for not only small businesses but also enterprise-level companies. There’s hardly anyone working in the marketing industry today who doesn’t know Neil. While he is a bit controversial, the numbers speak for themselves. With these numbers every month, it’s hard to be in the marketing industry and not have heard about Neil at least once or twice. There’s a lot to learn from Neil’s personal brand but here are a few key lessons:
5. Marie ForleoMarie Forleo is a superwoman. She creates content that inspires people to do what they need to do to achieve success. And she’s built a brand that touches millions of people every month. In her own words: “I’m proud to have created a socially conscious digital empire that touches millions.” Oprah also named her the “Thought leader for the next generation.” Marie’s success sprouted out of her curiosity about the potential of human beings. She wanted to know why some people succeed while others don’t. So she built a career out of creating programs and resources that help people use their full potential to achieve what they want. There’s one key lesson in Marie’s personal brand example: Build your brand not only around a topic you know well but also around what you’re also passionate about. 6. Vera WangVera Wang is 71 years old but somehow she still looks 28: But her age isn’t the reason she’s on this list, her brand is. From her days starting out as a writer for Vogue magazine in the ’90s to when she started her own fashion brand, Vera Wang has built a personal brand that has become a world-known fashion empire. Two major lessons to learn from Vera’s personal branding:
7. Dave GerhardtDave Gerhardt is a talented marketing leader who got his big break from sharing valuable content on LinkedIn — where he’s grown to over 64,000 followers. He led marketing at Drift from 2015 to 2019, where he helped the company create the category of Conversational Marketing, grow from 0 to 8-figures in revenue, and become one of the fastest-growing SaaS companies of all time. And as of the time of this article, he’s the CMO at Privy. There’s a lot to learn from Dave’s personal brand, but here are three major lessons here:
8. Marie KondoAs you’d see in the image above, Marie Kondo is an influential design expert. She’s built her entire brand around “tidiness and joy” — a concept that cleaning is not just about tidiness; it’s about creating a space that sparks joy. Marie has built her entire personal brand on this concept and it’s the message she pushes out all the time. What to learn from Marie Kondo:
9. Seth GodinIf you’ve spent any amount of time in the marketing industry, you’d have heard of Seth Godin at least twice. Seth has spent thirty years of his life working on several different projects, all of which has now led to him being regarded as a prominent marketing leader. Watch one of his educational videos and you’ll get loaded with so much information. But here are three important lessons from him:
Now that you’ve learned a few things from these giants, let’s answer one common question you may be having with personal branding: What is a good personal brand statement?A great personal brand statement is a clear narrative or description of what you do and the people your brand serves. Here a few examples of a personal brand statement? “Facebook Ads for B2B businesses.” “I help manufacturing companies train their content teams.” In the end, what makes a good personal brand statement is clarity in what you do and who you help. ConclusionSo we’ve shown you personal brand examples that can inspire you to go out and build your own empire. But while we’ve shared many takeaways from each example, here are the key lessons you should never forget if you’re looking to build a strong personal brand:
Printing via GetResponse Blog https://ift.tt/2Xap2TD December 28, 2020 at 02:52PM
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Dafi Kühne: Turboblock Nr. 8 https://ift.tt/2M5I8p4 Turboblock Nr. 8 is a letterpress printed exhibition poster by graphic designer and letterpress printmaker Dafi Kühne. The project examines and interpolates the two most produced chairs of all time; the Thonet bentwood chair, and the Monobloc chair. The Thonet bentwood chair was the most produced chair worldwide before the 1960s. It was exported from Germany, but also produced all over the world in many variations. Since the 1960s, the Monobloc chair has been the most produced. Originally a designer piece and expensive to buy, today it only costs €2.50 to make, and takes approximately 2.5kg of plastic and 2 seconds to produce. The exhibition worked with the traditions of the two chairs, but used recycled PVC to 3D print a new piece.
The colours of the poster were inspired by the recycled PVC material. Dafi used a bright poppy red, on top of a green matte recycled paper (Forever smaragdgrün 210g/m2), and needed 14 print runs to get full coverage and a full gloss result. “I know in silkscreen this would have been much easier. But then again, I am interested in the hand-cut linoleum for the outlines of the chairs” states the designer. He printed 60 posters on a Grafix GX4N in spring 2020, and is currently finishing a second edition, due to popular demand. The posters work in both orientations and can be rotated by 180°. They were hung up (and sold) in the Turboblock Nr. 8 exhibition in Paris last February. Dafi concludes; “In my opinion, the posters look anything but letterpress printed – and that’s what I am interested in: to push the boundaries of an old technology, connect the analogue quality with modern design, and be able to autonomously produce everything from the first sketch to the final print.” Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/2DhgcW7 December 28, 2020 at 11:35AM
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Relativity Space Secures $3M NASA Contract to Launch CubeSats in 2022 https://ift.tt/3mVZykI The U.S. space agency’s Launch Services Program (LSP) has allotted contracts to three companies on December 11, 2020, to launch small satellites (SmallSats) to space, including CubeSats, microsats, and nanosatellites. One of these companies, space manufacturer Relativity Space of Long Beach, California, was awarded NASA’s Venture Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 (VCLS Demo 2) contract, worth $3 million, to place CubeSats into low Earth orbit (LEO). Relativity Space continues to grow its customer manifest and public-private partnerships. This marks the startup’s eighth announced launch customer and the second publicly announced U.S. government launch services contract. It follows an award as the launch partner for Lockheed Martin’s NASA Tipping Point Mission, slated to test more than a dozen cryogenic fluid management technologies that will position them for infusion into future space systems. Under NASA’s newly announced firm-fixed-price contract, the CubeSats launch will take place by June 30, 2022, from Relativity Space’s orbital launch site in Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 16 (LC-16). According to the rocket manufacturer, this award will allow the company to demonstrate its unique capabilities and sector-leading momentum by launching Terran 1, the first entirely 3D printed rocket. Designed for the future of constellation deployment and resupply, this next-generation launch vehicle could be printed in just 60 days using the company’s patented Stargate technology. Stargate is the first aerospace platform to automate rocket manufacturing, vertically integrating intelligent robotics, software, and data-driven 3D printing technology. Co-founder and CEO of Relativity Space, Tim Ellis, indicated in a company statement that “NASA’s efforts to expand launch options are vital for the future growth of space access,” and that “we appreciate NASA’s selection of our 3D printing approach for our launch vehicle, Terran 1.” Furthermore, in a promotional video announcing the VCLS Demo 2 contract, the company suggested the launch will be a historic moment when NASA will become the first space agency to launch a satellite into orbit on an entirely 3D printed rocket. Relativity Space is disrupting 60 years of aerospace, building an entirely new value chain to integrate 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and autonomous robotics. Its 3D printed rocket factory in Long Beach—considered a futuristic vision by some—is a vertically integrated technology platform that enables company engineers to build and launch rockets in less than 60 days, with 100 times fewer parts and a radically simplified supply chain. This is one of the benefits that Relativity Space Senior Engineer Eliana Fu has reflected upon while participating in several forums and discussion panels in 2020. Quote request Are you looking to buy a 3D printer or 3D scanner? We're here to help. Get free expert advice and quotes from trusted suppliers in your area. Powered by Aniwaa During 2020 Formnext Connect virtual AM in aerospace forum, Fu said 3D printing will allow humanity to build “an interplanetary future.” She also said that Relativity Space’s proprietary Stargate AM technology “gives engineers full control of part manufacturing without depending on supply chains,” which turned out to be one of the most disrupted services during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, causing severe operational and financial consequences all over the world. Moreover, Relativity Space’s in-house production is moving at speeds that Fu claims are unprecedented. As a startup, the manufacturer is facing competition from all the big companies, which is why Stargate seeks to give access to space faster to its customers. In line with this concept, the company’s new headquarters and factory, its Terran 1 launch vehicle, and Aeon 1 engine are completely designed, built, funded, and operated in the United States, ensuring that critical infrastructure and part creation will not be disrupted or the value chain delayed, lest there be another national lockdown. The company’s software-defined approach also creates significantly higher reliability by introducing automation and reducing risk at every level of design, test, and build. To fund the VCLS Demo 2 contracts, the Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate partnered with LSP, which supports the agency’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) by providing launch opportunities to CubeSats that are awaiting launch. NASA has also awarded VCLS Demo 2 contracts to launch service providers Astra Space of Alameda, California for $3.9 million and Firefly Black of Cedar Park, Texas for $9.8 million. The three companies will launch CubeSats selected through the CSLI to demonstrate a launch capability for smaller payloads that NASA anticipates it will require regularly for future science missions. SmallSats, including CubeSats, are playing an increasingly larger role in exploration, technology demonstration, scientific research, and educational investigations at NASA. These miniature satellites provide a low-cost platform for NASA missions and VCLS Demo 2 launches of small satellites can tolerate a higher level of risk than larger missions and will demonstrate – and help mitigate – risks associated with the use of new launch vehicles providing access to space for future small spacecraft and missions. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 28, 2020 at 08:02AM
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RIZE Announces 2XC 3D Printer as Fifth UL GREENGUARD-Certified Product https://ift.tt/3rz17sw Early this summer, RIZE, Inc. debuted its professional desktop RIZE 2XC, an adaptive 3D printer developed collaboratively with South Korean 3D printer manufacturer Sindoh as part of the RIZIUM Alliance that’s working to drive safer, more sustainable 3D printing. This is something RIZE takes very seriously, as RIZE President and CEO Andy Kalambi previously told me that the company’s zero-emission 3D printers are “purpose built” for safety. Now, the company has announced that the RIZE 2XC has received UL GREENGUARD Certification for safety and sustainability, which is based on the ANSI/CAN/UL 2904, “Standard Method for Testing and Assessing Particle and Chemical Emissions from 3D Printers.” According to a study by the Georgia Institute of Technology and Chemical Insights, a Research Institute of Underwriters Laboratories (UL), emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ultrafine particles (UFPs) from desktop 3D printers are compromising the indoor air quality for, and the health of, millions of employees, students, and patients who work near 3D printers in factories, hospitals, schools, and offices. But products that are GREENGUARD Certified, like the RIZE 2XC, have been scientifically proven to meet extremely exacting chemical emissions standards, which means they can be used indoors without causing a negative impact on the air quality, or exposing the user to harmful chemicals. RIZE revealed in August that its industrial XRIZE printer, RIZIUM One inks, and RIZIUM ST, Carbon Fiber, and Glass Fiber composite filaments, had achieved UL GREENGUARD Certification, making it the first color, composite 3D printer to be certified for low emissions and safe usage by UL in any market, while the RIZIUM composite and inks are the first GREENGUARD-certified materials. So the RIZE 2XC is now the company’s fifth product or material to obtain this important certification, with the RIZE One being the first, and it’s also the first RIZIUM Alliance product to receive it. I had the chance to speak with Kalambi about this exciting news, and he reiterated to me that the company’s focus has been, and will remain on, safe, affordable, and full-color 3D printing, though the 2XC itself doesn’t print in color.
In addition to being the only 3D printing company this year that was selected as a Technology Pioneer for the World Economic Forum, RIZE is also the top provider of GREENGUARD-certified products in the AM industry, and Kalambi believes that it’s the only company that has announced a GREENGUARD-certified 3D printer as well.
With the RIZIUM Alliance, third party FDM 3D printer makers—like Sindoh with the 2XC—work with RIZE to adapt their existing printers for use with its safer, more sustainable materials.
Right before the COVID-19 crisis was declared a pandemic in March of 2020, RIZE began working with Sindoh on the 2XC, and employees then completed the entire project mostly from home. In Kalambi’s words, the team “took an existing FDM machine and through material science eliminated some big problems.”
Kalambi explained that the first step was to get rid of the typical FDM dry box, because it isn’t offering “a controlled, dry shelf life.” Then, they needed to add venting. Many printers feature a hood or a HEPA filter, but they only trap some of the harmful emissions, not all of them. The most important step was eliminating all chemicals in post-processing, such as water-soluble supports that need to be removed with chemicals.
Kalambi reminded me that the “C” in the printer name stands for composite, “for the materials we use.” He explained that RIZE machines can print using common AM materials, such as nylon and ABS, but that the technology “can have its own quirks” and change the material properties during printing, “which can lead to all kinds of issues.”
The last thing that RIZE needed to do with FDM printers through the RIZIUM Alliance was add color, and make sure that materials could be impregnated with its ink while being printed. Kalambi explained that its inks have to interact very gently with the material, and that it’s “more like dying, not painting.” The color won’t fade, or react to other chemicals…another example of RIZE’s excellent material science expertise.
I asked Kalambi what RIZE has planned for 2021, and he said that the company will be building on two themes, the first of which is safe, affordable colors. He showed me a 3D printed model of a human hip, and explained that the color wasn’t just to make it look nice, but that it comes from data about the body part, such as bone density. An implant like this could cost upwards of $1,000 to make using other manufacturing technologies, and that’s not even counting CT segmentation.
He mentioned that next year, the company will be introducing new versions of its colors in order to enhance the fidelity and “expand the application suite past life sciences to more urban lifestyle applications.” As an example, he showed me a 3D printed piece of sushi that looked so real, I had the urge to grab a pair of chopsticks and order lunch. Even through the computer screen, I could see just how vibrant the reddish color of the “tuna” was, which was pretty impressive. The second theme RIZE will focus on in 2021 is safe, available manufacturing.
Kalambi also mentioned that, as it is a Technology Pioneer, the company is currently working with the World Economic Forum on several projects regarding new business models. We should learn more about this next month, but he did say that the focus is making 3D printing more inclusive.
Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 28, 2020 at 07:32AM 3D Printing Market Outlook 2021: Industrial Material Extrusion Systems and Market (FDM FFF)12/28/2020
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3D Printing Market Outlook 2021: Industrial Material Extrusion Systems and Market (FDM, FFF) https://ift.tt/2MerBiQ We’re going to take a look at the industrial material extrusion 3D printers market for 2021. This includes the segments in this part of the industry, the market, sales channels and the types of systems this market has. We’re also going to examine some critical issues for competitiveness and give some recommendations to players inside and outside these segments. We’ll also specifically address the market outlook for each segment for 2021. Overall this is meant to be a high level view of the coming calendar year for Industrial material extrusion (FDM, FFF) printers. Essentially we can divide this market up into the pro segment, entry-level industrial 3D printers/high-temperature 3D printers/medium format 3D printers, and large format systems. Due to the unwieldy nature of the “entry-level industrial 3D printers/high-temperature 3D printers/medium format 3D printers” category, we will refer to it as the “mid-market industrial” segment from here on. The pro segment desktop 3D printers has already been covered in a previous article on desktop systems. I include it here so that readers are cognizant of the fact that there will be pressure from below from the pro segment and other desktop systems in manufacturing and commercial use over the coming years. The mid-market industrial category covers a number of different segments that I believe should be joined together into one industry segment. The reason for this is that essentially all of these players are making systems from $5,000 to $150,000 that accurately want to 3D print reliable parts in the 20-40-cm-squared range. Entry-level industrial systems try to be reliable and have high repeatability with better components than other systems. High-temperature 3D printers do the same thing, but with smaller parts that must capable of withstanding temperatures of about 400°C. Medium format systems are focused on having larger build volumes of up to a meter, but typically are also dependent on reliability and are often used for the same parts. I’d be happy to reverse course and consider them different segments, but in comparing them I’ve found them to be very similar technically, in their construction, and in terms of their key differentiators. In terms of applications, the medium format systems are more likely to be used for outdoor advertising and the high-temperature machines will be applied to smaller aerospace parts, but overall they seem to be doing almost exactly the same things with a lot of the same considerations and strategies. I think that it would be helpful for people to know just how similar the architectures of these systems are to understand new potential printers and competitors. Large-format 3D printers have build volumes of 1m-cubed or more. These large systems are used for big tooling, mold or construction components, and usually work with industrial robotic arms or large gantries. Examples of printers in this segment come from CyBe, Thermwood, Cincinnati, CEAD and more. Mid-market IndustrialIn this segment, customers are using systems to manufacture certified parts or reliably make thousands of parts. At the same time, most of these systems are now likely to be used for prototypes or by engineering groups to haphazardly print components. MarketThe market for these printers is lead by Stratasys. Especially in the high-end portion of this segment, their machines are the gold standard. High-end Stratasys systems continue to sell, but they are currently closed, limited in the number of materials that can be used, and the cost per part is high. Due to this, more and more inroads are being made with industrial systems from companies such as 3NTR and high-temperature machines such as those from Roboze and MiniFactory. Generally, reliability and repeatability are high here, as compared with the rest of the FDM market. Customers are often industrial firms, design labs, machine builders, aviation companies, transportation companies and SMBs working in engineering in the broadest sense. ABS, PC, PA, PET, ASA, PEI, PEKK and PEEK are some popular polymers with glass- and carbon fiber-filled variants often relied on for end-use parts. SalesMany smaller players sell in the low hundreds or thousands of units. Regional companies or industry-specific solutions are quite present in this market. Channel dominates sales mostly and many companies in this segment have put in the time building a good worldwide channel. Alternatives can be powder bed fusion systems, or pro FDM/FFF systems in clusters. Most often though, people in this segment want something that feels industrial, tough and can perform to spec. With relatively low-cost parts, low post-processing and high toughness and dimensional accuracy, FDM wins in those applications where looks are secondary to functionality. With regards to powder bed, FDM wins when larger parts are necessary or because it has a much higher availability of many polymers. SystemsHigh-quality components, excellent reliability, traceability, monitoring, and repeatability are key for any and all printers in this segment. Better QA and monitoring is what is being explored at the moment, as is generally a tighter integration with print software and general business software, such as MIS or PLM. These systems are being more tightly integrated with software, overall have added QA features, and increasingly sport part traceability. Repeatability and the ability to produce certified components are key. RecommendationsTypically in this segment, the application fit is a key differentiator. Being able to meet a specific proposition for a particular market participant can bring outsized benefits. Where powder bed fusion systems are often sold as a catch-all or general solution, here market and application fit are key. Working together with resellers, polymer companies, software partners and end customers to provide ideal combined solutions for all applications seems like it is currently best practice. At the same time, there are a lot of individual segments that are completely unexplored. Everyone is making parts for cars and trying to woo Gero and like five other people, but there is this whole market out there. Rail, offshore, transport, packaging, food production, machine builders are all applications that are under-explored. Companies should look to consulting efforts in house or externally to accelerate adoption and try to engender systems integration capability with partners so that complete solutions can be made that include post-processing, for example. Being large ticket items, for now, new virtual ways of selling will have to be explored to move the interested parties down the sales funnel. For example, short-term free placements of machines is one way to build trust. Critical IssuesFDM players are often very focussed on each other and do not currently appreciate that, yes low-cost powder bed fusion is difficult, but that these players will emerge eventually and provide competition. Likewise, for many parts, some pro segment printers in clusters can deliver similar accuracies and surface quality, so this is an often overlooked threat. Most vendors in this space have no differentiation whatsoever. Players often do not realize that a high-temperature printer that can accurately print PEEK parts can then also print lots of other parts with a lot of process control. Even though there is strong growth in post-processing, not many companies here work with other people in the chain to finished part. Recommendation for CompetitionWhereas a lot of players in this segment have good channel partners, there are gaps. This means that there are countries and regions that are very poorly represented by many of the companies in this segment. This could provide for entries that would be much easier than trying to enter Germany or the big car companies. Some support by channel partners is exceptionally weak here, so this could be an interesting point to compete on. Many people want to be all things to all people, but a directed approach with a much more well-scoped value proposition for one particular application and one particular industry would let you get to revenue much faster. 2021 OutlookWith the car industry dormant, there will be some knock-on effects for these players. Medically certified or medically specialized machines seem to be doing quite well in contrast. General industry and machine building demand seems to be growing. There will be keen, new interested parties willing to look at supply chain solutions, spare parts, local manufacturing, and bridge manufacturing with these systems now. On the whole, a slow start to the year should accelerate in later quarters. Large Format 3D PrintersLarge format systems are now often corporate flags being placed in the ground. They more accurately represent posturing and executive excitement than real revenue now for many participants. These large systems can build parts that no one else can but will have a tough time finding a market. MarketIn concrete and polymer construction formwork, molds and mold tooling seem to be an application set that really seems to be working for these systems. Composites are generally also a great area. Often projects, customers, and applications are tough to find, but solutions in large-scale applications for marine (boat hulls, casts, metal casting), aviation (cabin interior parts, molds for aircraft interiors, large scale jigs, tooling), space (test rigs, tooling, packaging, mockups) and oil and gas (components for pipelines, casts, molds) have been found. Typical customers are companies that see a future that isn’t there yet or someone with a large-scale, high-value part that is too expensive to make currently. SalesSales are typically low and done with local partners. Sometimes systems partners (such as the robotic arm manufacturers) or materials companies provide the most leads. Compared to the other segments of the industry, this is the least mature segment and we can expect lots of learning by everyone in the coming years. SystemsSystems are typically comprised of industrial six-axis robotic arms with an extruder, sometimes mounted on a rail. Almost all seem to have issues with software as their main limitation. Lack of fundamental understanding of extrusion seems to be another limitation. For large multimeter components, accuracy and layer adhesion really are problems. Although positioning accuracy and other factors are often quoted, actual reliability and repeatability is currently low quite low. RecommendationsGood business development in establishing actual business cases will be much more important in this segment than in most others. Many firms in this segment have very little to no revenue. Some leverage from excellent marketing or business development would go a long way to making someone a leader here. In this segment, companies are often torn between doing fanciful systems integration/customization projects or sticking to selling standard systems. If you are making an application happen and they pay upfront, then perhaps this may be a useful path for you. Oftentimes, however, customers also don’t really know what requirements they need and these kinds of projects should be avoided. Sales cycles tend to be very long in this segment. Use your own technology to sell the system. Make a huge part before the first meeting for them, rent them the machine so they can try it out or produce parts on demand for them for a set value. Get to cash as soon as possible because more than any other segment, this is a real tire ticker affair right now. Critical IssuesMore than in other segments, over-claiming and unsubstantiated promises are being used to stave a lack of sales. This harms the market long-term. There seems to be a lack of service capacity with these large parts. This is an opportunity, but also a way to speed up tragically long sales cycles. Given the relative size of Fanuc, ABB, Yaskawa, and Co. if this market matures, it would be logical that these companies enter into it in full force since they master most of the key skills needed, except extrusion. Recommendation for CompetitionThere will be little in the way of direct revenue to be found in this market now. But, there are still many applications to be explored. With most market participants making general large machines suited for everything and nothing, producing machines that fit a vertical better than any others would seem to be the path forward. Turning PETG water bottles into large scale structures for the US Army is just something that looks tiny but could be a significant application area. Optimizing your system for PC-ABS and reusable formwork may make your market entry specific, but it will help you talk to the right people. 2021 OutlookThere is really very little data to go on in this market. Surprisingly, construction projects seem to be advancing, as are some pure innovation projects. Marine and even oil and gas projects seem to be progressing here, as well. Projects driven materials companies seem to be moving forward also. But, it is currently a case of projects, so long-term engagements with companies that will slowly grow this market. Overall market trends for the Industrial FDM Market
Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 28, 2020 at 07:15AM |
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