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USPS issuing Edmonia Lewis Black Heritage Forever stamp Jan. 26 https://ift.tt/3effGvK The 45th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Edmonia Lewis, the first African American and Native American sculptor to earn international recognition. Printing via USPS News https://ift.tt/2hH9aDC December 21, 2021 at 09:32AM
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SpaceX 3D Printed Building Under Construction in Texas https://ift.tt/3eeXOBa SpaceX has already established itself as a pioneer in the 3D printing of rocket parts, even seeing one of its engineers launch his own successful rocket 3D printing startup. Additionally,... The... View the entire article via our website. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 21, 2021 at 07:33AM
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The TBGA In-Person Events Survey – “Things That Make You Go Hmmm…” https://ift.tt/3phYL2e The AM industry is special. Where else could we get away with writing articles, usually technical ones, peppered with our Spotify playlist titles? So here we go again with a TBGA spin to close out 2021. As we began the year and tried to put 2020 as far as possible in the rearview mirror, the AM community began to emerge from its home office, possibly with fuzzy slippers but with a perfect Zoom coif. New questions emerged. Is it too soon to gather? Should we? Will we go back to pre-COVID conditions? Could we say “Bye, bye, bye” to quarantining? The emergence from our cocoons started with AMUG in May with a smaller but highly energized crowd. It then continued its momentum at RAPID in September (albeit without our international colleagues), and then exploded recently at Formnext with half the crowd but double the enthusiasm. There was no doubt the industry was thrilled to be reunited but we wondered as we looked towards 2022, would this enthusiasm continue with the day-to-day reality of living in this ongoing pandemic world? Had our attitudes changed about travel? What was the main motivation to being together in person: networking, technical content, or touch and feel new equipment? What about the number of conferences – Too many? Too few? We developed the TBGA In-Person Event Survey with two hypotheses in mind:
As is consistent with our technical endeavors at TBGA, we took a data-driven approach and were able to confirm some assumptions, but new questions arose. You could say the survey response brought us back to our “dance hall days” with “things that make you go hmmm….” We’re Meant to be TogetherThe data stands with Shakira, who rightly said “Whenever Wherever we’re meant to be together.” Over 70% of respondents said they have returned to in-person events [Figure 1]. Respondents were from a wide variety of industries, but all were connected to additive manufacturing in some way. The majority came from the machine world, with post-processing, materials, and software coming in just behind. The reasons for not returning might be more interesting to delve into at some point as it comprises a significant section of the AM population, where their company has restricted travel or citing personal safety. Consolidation of Conference ActivityThe data showed two emerging populations when we began asking about how they make customer connections and where they preferred to get technical information. Trade shows are the best for the person-to-person exchanges [Figure 2] and you simply cannot replace the ability to touch the machines, hold some parts, and ask questions that just don’t seem to work in an online chat or e-mail exchange. Bruno Mars would have us “Leave the door open” but the industry has adopted new ways to deliver and digest technical exchanges. Respondents prefer to focus on technical conferences, journal articles, and webinars [Figure 3]. Looking down the list, it’s interesting to note that less than 1/3 of the respondents attend Trade Shows to look for technical information. This piece of information seems to support the theory that technical data is better served in a focused environment, not co-mingled with the “show” associated with trade show activity. Another important theme that emerged from the data is that most people attend less than 5 events per year, suggesting that there are too many AM shows. Independently, the survey authors did a separate assessment on the volume of additive manufacturing trades shows and found that there are more than 30 AM industry trade shows and technical conferences just in North America/Europe over the course of a year. Event promoters are essentially competing to become one of the 4 or 5 preferred conferences, thereby only having less than 10% of the opportunity. Just as we are seeing consolidation commercially, the current saturation of AM conferences is not sustainable. More than 60% indicated there were either too many and/or that the conferences don’t differentiate enough from each other. Virtual Versus In-PersonJust as the Buggles sang how “Video killed the radio star”, it appears that the technical community would say Zoom disrupted our waiting for a conference to hear about the next great technical achievement. When the world went online over the course of the last almost 2 years, our data shows that some aspects, like technical exchanges, could still occur and in fact, became the preferred media. Rest assured, the overwhelming response was to get back together as in “Reunited, and it feels so good”. Almost 60% suggested in-person events are worth it. A solid 30% however, indicated they would trade going to an event for online technical content. There are definitely two populations that have different needs and can be satisfied differently. Finally, it was no surprise that the most valued trade shows were the usual players, Formnext, RAPID & AMUG, but there were also a significant number of write-ins, indicating that more trade shows are entering the already over-saturated playing field in 2022. Things That Make You Go Hmmm…As the Alan Parsons Project asked, “Where do we go from here”, we ask, what are the takeaways from this? The industry wants and needs in-person trade shows. They provide value in making connections and building relationships, which ultimately benefits everyone in further taking the additive manufacturing industry to maturity. But do we really need so many or would Dua Lipa have us believe “We’re good”? Is there a case to be made for consolidation? With over 30 AM-specific trade shows and technical conferences per year, budgets and time constraints will dictate this. Consolidation of shows is inevitable. We see a future where the industry moves to one major trade show, supplemented with smaller, regional technical exchanges. A vast majority of technical content will move to online platforms, enabling a more engaged and specialized audience with plenty of opportunities to digest complex ideas. The Weeknd would advise you to “Save your tears” for another day. Like anything in life, adversity breeds character, and absence makes the heart grow fonder. When we do get together, make the most of it. Reduced travel might mean your Delta Diamond status is in jeopardy, but there will be less CO2 emissions and more nights spent at home with family. In addition, the budget for travel can be redirected to the product. It is daunting to think about, but the world has changed and our industry has changed with it. The effects of the pandemic are likely to go on for many years to come. As we deal with a tremendous amount of uncertainty but as Jack Johnson would say, we’re “Better Together” and we should embrace when we get together and make the most of it. Can you see it too? Want to share your opinion? We’re keeping the survey open until 31 Dec 2021: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NBV6YWS Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 21, 2021 at 07:33AM
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Rotterdam Art Prints | RAP Christmas cards https://ift.tt/3mpkMKC Meet Rotterdam Art Prints, aka RAP! A new printmakers collective based in the buzzing city of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Now with 13 members, they promote local artists, run a webshop with affordable prints, and host networking events to share their love of printmaking with each other and the world. The collective joined forces last year during lockdown to keep themselves busy and reach a wider audience to sell their artwork. Initiated by Fenna Schaap and Sophie Balch, the collective has now grown to 13 members, including; ST–DUO, Fenna Schaap, Hilde Speet, Arjan Elenbaas, Turbogrid2000, Lino Nyno, Chris Idema, Sketchy Rotterdammer, Roderick van Hasselt, Laura Aranda, Conform Cox, and Teuntje Fleur. RAP is open for members, join the club! This Christmas, the collective have produced a series of Christmas cards. The pack contains 8 Risograph printed cards, each one designed by a different member of the collective. The cards were printed collaboratively during the first RAP network event. The cards are available to buy through the webshop, and were also sold at Christmas markets throughout Rotterdam during December. Through the collection, RAP hope to spread some joy, wit, and raise some funds to go towards further promoting the collective. RAP’s aim is to promote the art of printmaking and share knowledge. Most of the members are self-taught which means everyone has their own specific techniques, tricks and tips to getting the most out of ink and paper. They hope to support and share this knowledge; beautiful things happen when you collaborate and learn from each other. They are currently working on bringing a printmaking exhibition to their city. By using Rotterdam as the gallery; shop windows, homes, and cafes will become the exhibition space. Locals will be able to navigate the city via the RAP map, a guide to visit the city through the eyes of Rotterdam printmakers. It will be extra special as they will commission specific works to react and interact with the environment in which they are exhibited! Watch this space. www.rotterdamartprints.nl Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/2DhgcW7 December 21, 2021 at 05:08AM
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Farsoon Ends 2021 with Record $15M in November 3D Printing Sales https://ift.tt/3qbxhdR It’s been a pivotal year for Farsoon Technologies, which, in addition to having a well-established presence in 3D printed plastics, is also perhaps China’s largest metal additive manufacturing (AM) firm. First off, back in May, Farsoon — which already had a significant presence in North America and western Europe — announced its expansion into the Japanese market. Also in May, at the TCT Asia exhibition in Shanghai, Farsoon introduced two new machines: the 403P powder bed fusion (PBF) platform, and the FS721M large format metal system; the display at TCT included an eight-laser version of the latter model. Then, this fall, Farsoon made significant announcements related to its partnerships with other companies, including investments in the HT403P from BASF’s 3D printing division and Xuberance, as well as a new phase in its strategic partnership with the German firm Covestro, involving plans to develop new engineering powders. Now, Farsoon is capping off a momentous 2021 by announcing record monthly orders for November: over $15 million in business, which includes the sale of over 40 machines, and contracts for materials, services, and applications. Farsoon also expanded its number of employees globally from 300 to 450. Although Farsoon’s director notes that the company succeeded despite the pandemic, one could easily read the data in the opposite direction, and guess that the company’s success this past year was in large part because of it. After all, the machines and contracts ordered in November, 2021 will presumably not make an impact until 2022, so Farsoon’s record sales numbers are about the future. To the extent that the supply chain crisis is pandemic related, and that — with the emergence of the omicron variant and the continuing-to-mount disruptions to every facet of the supply chain across the planet — both issues will continue to be determining factors for every global industry in 2022, it’s probably looking like a smarter decision everyday for major industrial concerns to turn to AM at least as an insurance policy, if not as the fulcrum around which to build a whole new model for doing business. That said, it would make the most sense for companies like Airbus and BMW (both of which are Farsoon customers) to get on-board with a company like Farsoon, which doesn’t just produce printers, but runs the gamut across the whole AM-centered supply chain, from services to powders. Farsoon is setting itself up as something like a Chinese version of EOS, which means that, as big a 2021 as it had, 2022 will be even bigger. We can expect Farsoon not only to continue gobbling up more and more aspects of the Chinese market, but also to continue to make more partnerships with huge multinationals. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 20, 2021 at 08:06AM
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Wayland Additive to Distribute Calibur3 Metal 3D Printer in Japan, Taiwan, & South Korea https://ift.tt/3E8EqQR UK company Wayland Additive, born out of a high-precision engineering team with expertise in the semiconductor industry, recently signed a partnership agreement with Tokyo-based HTL Co Japan Ltd, which sells and services high-tech equipment for the semiconductor, additive manufacturing, and flat panel display markets. Per this new agreement, HTL Co Japan will be a Wayland Additive distribution partner for Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. Since introducing its proprietary NeuBeam metal 3D printing process in 2020, Wayland has had a lot of R&D and commercial success with the technology, which was launched in full earlier this year with the introduction of the Calibur3 printer, which is an open system. The company’s innovative electron beam (eBeam) technology was developed in-house by a team of physicists skilled in electron beam technology and industrial systems for the semiconductor industry, and is said to be more flexible than laser-based 3D printing methods.
The NeuBeam process makes this flexibility possible, and adds stability as well, by using its patented charge neutralization capability on the eBeam powder bed fusion (PBF) process. Basically, an electron beam is applied to heat the part while it’s printing, as opposed to heating the entire bed, which keeps away residual stresses. This metal AM method requires less post-processing because there’s only free-flowing powder and the 3D printed part at the end, and it also allows for the tailoring of metallurgical requirements to fit what an application specifically requires, which helps the Calibur3 deliver optimal results.
According to Wayland Additive, HTL Co Japan has a stellar reputation as an advanced manufacturing technology supplier. The company has plenty of experience with metal AM processes, and is also one of the world’s “longest established” resellers of eBeam technology around the world, though it is particularly knowledgeable about the market in Japan, so this is a good partner for Wayland; as it will be able to offer the innovative NeuBeam technology to its customers, this is an advantageous agreement for HTL Co Japan as well. The distribution agreement is indicative of the continued interest in, and adoption of, metal 3D printing for production applications. This growth is reflected in the Metals Market Data: Q3 2021 report released by SmarTech Analysis, which states that “additive manufacturing technologies and services continued a robust recovery in the third quarter of 2021,” with metals expanding about 18% compared to this time last year. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 20, 2021 at 07:36AM
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3DPOD Episode 88: Fabric8Labs 3D Printing for Copper Parts https://ift.tt/3p8WR3H Fabric8Labs is a startup that has turned to lithography and chip manufacturing processes to develop a unique 3D printing technology. Their method uses thin film and electroplating to produce very fine parts from copper. The team is very ambitious. We speak to CEO Jeff Herman and Director of Product Ian Winfield about their prospects. This is a startup that wants to grow big and its team thinks that their technology will give them enormous potential. We discuss funding, applications, and how to work with clients, and much more in this episode. Podcast (podcast-audio): Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 20, 2021 at 07:30AM
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Anna Ruiz | Lino Printing Weekend Course https://ift.tt/3GWKIF9 Join Official People of Print Member and linocut printmaker, Anna Ruiz, for a hands-on workshop that will get your creative juices flowing while you design and make your very own linocut print. With a background in the fast-paced fashion industry, Anna is now devoted to the slow and contemplative process of linocut, a relief printing technique, in which sight, sound, smell and touch play an integral role. As an experienced printmaker and print designer, during the course she will walk you through the entire process; from initial sketch, transferring that sketch onto lino, carving, and then finally printing. The workshop takes place over two days and is aimed at beginners. There’s no need to prepare anything and all equipment will be provided. You’ll take home your finished print and a new skill you can keep on practising at home. It would make a very thoughtful gift for a loved one, or simply a lovely present for yourself! Anna’s linocut printing workshop takes place at Arthub Studios, Building 28, Westminster Industrial Estate, Woolwich SE18 5TF on 19th and 20th February 2022, or 18th and 19th of June. More info: @arthublondon or @ms_anna_ruiz.
Deck the Halls with 3D Printing! https://ift.tt/3soPM1b It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and hopefully Santa Claus is bringing a 3D printer for under your tree this time. There are all kinds of fun holiday-themed prints you can make at home, and we’ve compiled a list of ten of our favorites to help you keep things merry and bright and 3D printed this season. First up is a 3D printed gift box with a hidden latch mechanism by Thingiverse user 3d-printy. The latch keeps the box closed nice and tight until the topper is twisted, revealing the present nestled inside. There are 3D files for square boxes, flat boxes, and rectangular boxes, none of which require supports to print, and assembly instructions are included as well.
Thingiverse user SyntaxNode remixed the Thin Band from 3d-printy’s Pop-up Gift Card Box and embossed it with a menorah so it can be used for a Hanukkah gift; the graphic is a free download from PNGWING with a non-commercial license. I know Hanukkah is already over for the year, but you can 3D print this and save it for next year! I’m a sucker for ornaments and Star Wars, so I had to include this snowflake-themed TIE fighter kit card from MyMiniFactory user fixumdude, which can also double as a Christmas tree ornament. You can choose either solid or hollow wings, and there’s a version with a ring to hang it, and one with no ring; there’s also a “loose” version of each file with wider gaps and larger holes. If the parts are too tight or loose coming from your printer, try adjusting the Z height a little, and remember that good adhesion is necessary for precise details.
MyMiniFactory user Slimprint says that it takes less than two hours to print one of these ornaments, with 0.25 mm layer height, 0.45 mm layer thickness, and a 0.4 mm nozzle at 35-40 mm a second.
I thought this ornament by Cults3D user Lukes3D was just too pretty not to include in this holiday print roundup! The goal was to create a geometric ornament that didn’t require supports, and the answer was to print out the parts and assemble them. Not only are assembly instructions included for the 70 x 70 x 73 mm ornament, but Lukes3D also added the steps and products needed to bling it up: hair spray, a glass jar large enough to hold the ornament, and glitter.
Thingiverse user edgett remixed the original design for this cute reindeer print to make it a little easier; improvements include flat, even feet for more stability, and custom supports, though these need to be removed with an X-ACTO knife or Dremel instead of being twisted off. This reindeer remix does need supports, but not a raft, and was printed out of white PLA on a Creality Ender 3 with 20% infill, 0.16 resolution, using a 0.4 mm nozzle. Another reindeer 3D printed on a Creality system is this adorable miniature from MyMiniFactory user Lau3DeLucas, made out of Elegoo Water Washable resin with 9 second exposure times, 5 mm lifting distance, 150 mm per minute retract speed, and 0.04 mm layer height.
This mechanical, kinetic sculpture by Cults3D user JBVCreative is perfect for the Christmas season, relying on a spur gear system and bevel gear for rotation. Just stick an LED light or phone flashlight under the base to see it light up! It was printed in less than ten hours with a 0.2 mm layer height and 15-18% infill, using a 0.4 mm nozzle. The download includes all the necessary STL files for both the supported and non-supported versions of the tree.
Back to Hanukkah again, MyMiniFactory user coolthingsbyjacob created a menorah that “appears to inexplicably float in the air against the pull of gravity.” It was designed to be printed in one piece, with no supports, and fits standard Hanukkah candles, but beware—the Tensegrity Menorah is for decoration only, you should not use it with real flames. Finally, this last print, by Cults3D user TangibleCreative, celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas! It’s an ambigram, which is a calligraphic design that can be oriented in either of two ways to see a different message on each side; for instance, if you flip the word “mom” upside down, it turns into “wow.” This one, which prints with 0.2 mm layers and no raft, says “Merry Christmas” when you look at it one way, and “Happy Hanukkah” when you turn it on the diagonal. The model measures 277 x 268 x 22.2 mm, and only requires supports on the letters E, R, C, S, and T. Happy holidays from all of us here at 3DPrint.com, and as always, happy 3D printing! Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 19, 2021 at 07:42AM
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3D Printing News Briefs, December 18, 2021: Business, Research, & A Metal Benchy https://ift.tt/32c3B8d We’ve got business to share in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, as Freemelt and Etteplan have entered into a strategic partnership, EOS installed its 1,000th 3D printer in the North American market, and a digital metal casting startup raised $8 million in a funding round. Moving on to research, scientists in China are 3D printing triboelectric nanogenerators, or TENGs, for intelligent vehicle monitoring, while researchers in Australia are using 3D printing to grow skin. Finally, a maker attempted to build his own metal 3D printer, the results of which were pretty interesting. Freemelt and Etteplan Join Strategic Partnership First up, high-tech growth company Freemelt, which calls itself the “catalyst of the metal 3D printing world,” and engineering solutions provider Etteplan have entered into a strategic partnership for the purposes of jointly developing and industrializing Freemelt’s next metal 3D printer. Freemelt specializes in Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (E-PBF) technology, and plans for its next system to be tailormade for industrial purposes, with improved productivity, reliability, and robustness. The partnership, meant to deliver 3D printing capacity to manufacturers around the globe, will rely on Freemelt’s expertise in designing and building 3D printers, as well as Etteplan’s capabilities in engineering and software development.
EOS Reaches Milestone with 1,000th Printer Delivery in North America EOS recently reached a major milestone with the delivery and installation of its 1,000th 3D printer in North America, specifically the large-scale AMCM M 4K system. The four-laser printer, which is capable of printing parts up to one meter high, was installed at metal AM manufacturer Sintavia, which has 16 other 3D printers from EOS and fabricates advanced propulsion systems for the aerospace, defense, and space industries. EOS, which has been in business for more than 30 years, presented Sintavia with a special award that was designed by EOS Additive Minds Engineer Jorge Cisneros and 3D printed on the EOS M 290 out of Ti64, 316L, and Cu pure copper to commemorate the milestone.
Foundry Lab Emerges From Stealth with $8 Million in Series A With more business news from the metal AM industry, New Zealand digital metal casting (DMC) startup Foundry Lab has come out of stealth with the announcement of an $8 million Series A funding round, led by Blackbird Ventures and joined by new investors GD1, Icehouse, and K1W1, with participation by existing investors Founders Fund, Promus, and WNT Ventures. The startup has developed microwave casting technology that can supposedly fabricate production-strength metal cast components from CAD files in less than eight hours. If the startup can do what it says it can, this could enable same-day turnaround and potentially make mass manufacturing industries not yet touched by metal AM very happy, as parts made with current casting systems like die casting and investment casting can take anywhere from one to six weeks minimum. Foundry Lab will use the funding to scale its team with new roles in software engineering, RF/microwave engineering, mechatronics, and more.
Intelligent Vehicle Monitoring with 3D Printed TENG A triboelectric nanogenerator, or TENG, is an energy harvesting device, and according to research, self-powered TENG-based sensing technology has a lot of advantages over traditional power supply technology. A team of scientists from various universities and institutes in China and the US have been developing a 3D printed bearing structural-(BS) TENG to use for intelligent vehicle monitoring applications; it will act as both a rotational mechanical energy harvester and a self-powered sensor system under a high rotational speed. A good way to improve the output power of a TENG is maintaining its high working frequency, which is what the 3D printed BS-TENG should be able to help achieve. In fact, the researchers concluded that using the BS-TENG, made up of a 3D printed rotor and stator, could enable the accuracy of self-powered vehicle speed monitoring by more than 99%.
Australian Researchers 3D Printing Full-Thickness Skin In order to repair injuries to the skin, which is made up seven tissue layers, scientists have been able to grow the epidermis in the lab, but full-thickness, functional skin containing blood vessels is another story. That’s why researchers at the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI) at Australia’s University of Wollongong, driven by collaborators at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne and the Fiona Stanley Hospital and Western Australia Burns Service, have been using 3D printing to create a skin-like structure that can support the growth of dermal fibroblasts found in the skin’s inner layers. In a published study, the team presented a 3D printing platform for engineering functional, full-thickness skin tissue using a custom-designed ink composed of alginate and catechol-hyaluronic acid (HACA). This ink balances mechanical properties and cytocompatibility (doesn’t harm cells) with structural support, and the resulting 3D printed hydrogel skin scaffold—with gelatin microchannels mimicking blood vessels— is highly elastic and tough, and can recover after bending.
DIY Metal 3D Printer with MIG Welder Finally, a maker named Lucas, who runs the Cranktown City YouTube channel featuring “escapades of messing around in the shop,” decided to try building his own metal 3D printer, which seems like a pretty tough project. As explained in a Hackaday post, his first attempt was basically adding a MIG welder onto a Creality Ender 3 system, which, as Hackaday blogger Dan Maloney explained, “in no way was ready for the abuse it was about to endure.” In fact, Lucas himself called it a “janky setup,” and he wasn’t entirely wrong when he bid adieu to his trusty Ender 3 at the start of his first video, figuring that the desktop printer wouldn’t make it through—that poor machine has definitely seen better days. However, he did learn from his first blobby, melted prototype prints, and set about adding improvements to his setup, including a better build plate, built-in current control with a non-destructive interface to the welder controls, heat shielding for the printer itself, a stepper motor in place of a servo, and an actual MIG welder wire feeder, which can push the wire through much more easily than the original spool gun he was using. In his second video, Lucas attempted to print a Benchy boat, which took seven hours and actually started out pretty well, though it looked rather droopy at the end. But you can at least tell what it’s supposed to be, even if Lucas did dub his metal Benchy attempt the “most high effort paperweight ever.” Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com December 18, 2021 at 07:42AM |
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