Executive Editor Joris Peels recently did a deep dive into the existing and possible role of 3D printing in the cycling industry. A disruption could be imminent, if industry players recognize the opportunity and leverage it in the appropriate way. One such entry point is through the use of 3D printing for high-end bikes, such as specialty consumer bicycles and racing bikes.

Italian manufacturer Pinarello is now using Materialise (Nasdaq: MTLS) technology to optimize and manufacture a seat component with metal 3D printing at scale. Working with Materialise’s Metal Competence Center, the company was able to cut the weight of seat clamps for its new Dogma F racing bike by 42.5 percent.

“The design and engineering were done in close collaboration with Pinarello,” said Tim Hermanski, Design Engineer at Materialise. “With each design iteration, we first completed virtual simulation tests. The seat clamp needed to be lightweight, but its purpose requires enough strength to hold the weight of the cyclist. These internal tests saved a lot of time ensuring printability and reliability of the final part.” Virtual tests were followed by physical trials, such as fatigue testing on a test bench and in the field, performed by the Pinarello team.

The 3D printed seat component. Image courtesy of Materialise.

Using a custom workflow, the Materialise team was able to manufacture the necessary number of parts in a short period of time. Specifically, the bike maker needed to make some 2,000 parts in less than a month on a monthly basis. Materialise developed a custom production setup that included labeling and quality inspection to tackle the goal. This included the use of the Materialise Process Tuner, a soon-to-be-released product that tailors product development to a given application. In turn, parameter setup is sped up, while mistakes are reduced and key data are stored in a central databased for projects down the road.

Materialise was able to 3D print 2,000 bike seat parts per month. Image courtesy of Materialise.

“We had to introduce industrialization within our production chain,” says Philip. “We did so by designing a part and a process that needed no support structures or manual post-processing steps. Eliminating these steps saved us a lot of time during manufacturing. We also created a custom printing parameter set that sped up printing time, met the required material properties, and made the project feasible by optimizing costs,” said Philip Buchholz, Technical Project Manager at Materialise. Due to the use of the new Process Tuner software, Bucholz said that printing parameters were optimized “in a matter of weeks instead of months.”

The final titanium component was 3D printed using laser powder bed fusion. Not only was the piece lighter than its traditionally made aluminum counterpart, but Materialise was able to manufacture 20,000 units more quickly than would have been possible with conventional processes.

Maurizio Bellin, Chief of Operations at Pinarello, explained that 3D printing has opened up the possibility of offering performance bikes to a larger number of people:

“Thanks to Materialise and our attention to detail, we saved 35 grams just on the small seat post clamp. To put that into perspective, that’s 8 more grams saved than the final weight reduction of the seat post itself. The details make the difference. And thanks to 3D printing, we can really prove that. But it’s not only about the weight savings. With 3D printing’s accessibility, we can offer this technology to more than just the top cyclists competing in the Tour de France. We can offer it to everyone around the world.”

Every little bit of weight savings can aid a racing cyclist, so naturally we’d see 3D printing come into play increasingly in this space. With a hefty $6,950 for the frameset alone, the Dogma F is geared toward high-end consumers, for whom cycling is more than just a hobby. However, by demonstrating the ability to manufacture 2,000 units on a monthly basis, Materialise is opening the door to an increasing number of lightweighted parts making it into more mainstream bikes in the future.

As devastating as the effects of COVID-19 were on the global economy, the economic slowdown resulted in a 6.4 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, the planet is still headed toward 3.2°C of warming. The United Nations has found that even 1.5°C will have irreversible, calamitous effects. This means that we will need to find innovative methods for replacing most aspects of our lives.

This includes such overlooked building features as ducting systems and the materials from which they’re made. To address this one aspect of a building’s carbon footprint, architecture group BVN and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) set about creating a more efficient air ducts for HVAC systems.

While the construction industry is responsible for 40 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions, 33 percent of an office building’s embodied emissions come from services. That can be further broken down to show that 15 percent of the total services footprint comes from redundancy and oversizing. Moreover, because of the materials used, metal ductwork in air conditioning systems makes up 22 percent of the embodied carbon emissions in a building’s services.

Traditional ducting compared to optimized ducting. Images courtesy of SR2 project.

To replace the steel of which duct systems are typically made, the team used recycled PET plastic waste, cutting the embodied emissions by 90 percent. Additionally, they found that most ducts are laid out in a convenient manner, sacrificing efficiency for what is possible to achieve with conventional manufacturing and installation techniques. This, in turn, resulted in poor airflow.

For this reason, the team 3D printed an organically shaped structure to experiment with airflow in a 100m² portion of BVN’s 2000m² Sydney studio. An industrial robotic arm outfitted with a plastic extruder made it possible to build up organic shapes in midair, eliminating the need for support structures.

The 3D printed ductwork operating in BVN’s studio. Image courtesy of SR2 project.

The resulting Systems Reef 2 (SR2) replaces square corners with aerodynamic curves, as well as large vents with fine pores. Ducting cross sections were cut by 75 percent, while length was reduced by 33 percent and operating energy was dropped by 10 percent. All of the design work featured machine learning for the optimization of components.

The team believes that, if SR2 were installed across the entirety of the studio, it would use 13.21 tonnes of plastic waste to supplant 54 tonnes of traditional ductwork, thus eliminating a megaton of embodied CO2. Due to standardized connections, seals, and fixings, they also think that labor for installation can be cut by 50 percent.

This is just the beginning for the team, which believes it can apply a similar process to other use cases. Additives can easily be incorporated into the material production process in order to improve performance for specific tasks, such as flame retardants necessary for coding.

At the moment, the granulation of recycled plastics takes place in a separate step from 3D printing, but, given past work that Joshua Pearce conducted with Michigan Tech students, one could imagine coupling those two processes for greater efficiency. It would also be interesting to see if energy efficiency could be improved even further in order to warrant the need to replace existing ducting systems because, as it stands, the embodied carbon footprint of the materials used would only be relevant for the production of new ducts. It would be more materially efficient to work with existing ducts than replace them entirely and 10 percent energy savings may not be enough for a government mandate or subsidy for retrofitting office buildings with 3D printed, plastic replacements.

Redefine Meat, the food brand that promised a 3D printed plant-based “beef” revolution in Israel, announced the commercial launch of its first-ever series of five “New-Meat” products in local restaurants and hotels. Following comprehensive testing and validation with leading chefs and consumers, the startup’s premium hamburger, sausage, lamb kabab, meaty puff pastry, and ground beef are now available in 11 select establishments. Later in 2021, Redefine will extend the rollout of its first product offering to Europe and in 2022 to the U.S. and Asia. The company also revealed that it will launch its first whole cut range later this year, following pilot-testing success.

Although 2020 saw meat production decline for the second year in a row, livestock and meat market estimates still project continued growth in meat consumption, which is exactly the market Redefine is going for. A crucial part of the company’s growth is focused on attracting meat lovers. But to conquer this very solid market, Redefine is leveraging its initial 3D printed alternative meat formulation and working closely with global meat experts to 3D print a product that can compete with the real thing.

Defined by their motto “New Meat. No Compromise,” company co-founders Eshchar Ben-Shitrit and Adam Lahav want to make the experience of eating “fake” meats equal to the real animal cuts. That includes incorporating the sizzling sound of meat on the grill, a mouth-watering smell, and the unmistakable texture of the real product. Since 2018, Redefine has worked with leading butchers, chefs, food technologists and even closely collaborated with taste expert Givaudan to digitally map more than 70 sensorial parameters into its alternative meats, including premium beef cuts’ texture, juiciness, fat distribution, and mouthfeel.

Layer by layer, the company’s proprietary 3D printing technologies can create a new category of high-quality meat products made from plant-based ingredients. Having made huge strides in developing technology to replace the cuts in the entire cow, the company today brings to market its first product range.

Redefine Meat’s new product offering. Image courtesy of Redefine Meat.

Packing 170 grams of New-Meat with bulky grain sizes, first up in the new line-up is the Redefine Burger. This high-quality steakhouse meat was developed with feedback from leading chefs and butchers in Europe. As far as taste goes, the company claims it’s extremely juicy, with a firm, meaty bite. Before its local commercialization, the burger was successfully tested by carnivores in an exclusive behind-the-scenes launch at Tel Aviv’s premium-quality meat distributor, Best Meister, which had never served alternative meat until then.

Also available is the Redefine Ground Beef, an easy to cook New-Meat that adapts to several dishes, like finger food, empanadas, or Lebanese Kubba. Ideal for charcoal grill cooking, the meat addresses a major gap in the market, according to Redefine, providing the sufficient quality and cooking performance required by chefs as a culinary base for a wide variety of restaurant dishes. The brand states that it already has a wide list of early adopters in the Israeli market and a growing pre-order list in the US, Europe, and Asia for this product.

Redefine Meat’s ground beef. Image courtesy of Redefine Meat.

Redefine’s adaptation of the traditional pork sausage is the meaty alternative Redefine Sausage. This Mediterranean-style New-Meat is defined as plump, juicy, and meaty with a refined spiciness and the coveted “snap” of a casing. 3D printed with natural plant-based ingredients, it is expected to offer both vegans and meat lovers great meat-eating experiences without compromising taste, health, and sustainability.

Redefine Meat’s sausage. Image courtesy of Redefine Meat.

For a more Middle Eastern taste, Redefine created the Redefine Cigar, a classic treat “New-Meat-filled pastry with a delectable crust” that cooks up flaky. Ideal for catering events, the beef-filled pastry was designed with the hospitality industry in mind, allowing for simple cooking in ultra-large quantities, and is the first in a range of products targeting this segment.

Redefine Meat’s Middle Eastern cigar meat. Image courtesy of Redefine Meat.

Lastly, the company considered the Redefine Kabab the “most meat-like product” ever to be introduced in the past decade. Developed in stealth mode for over two years, it is described as an extremely juicy, minced meat designed to address the most common meat street food dish in cuisines that range from the Middle East to India. The signature product mixes lamb flavor with pine nuts and chopped parsley poised to satisfy vegans and meat lovers with an added cultural zest to any grilled shish kabab dish.

Redefine will commercialize its new line of alternative meats at Tel Aviv restaurants Hudson, NAM, 2C, Bodega American Kitchen, and Asif Culinary Center, as well as Eddie’s Hideaway in Eilat, Sinta-Bar in Haifa, Guesta in Karmiel, Gouje and Daniel in Bnei Zion, and The Lounge restaurant at the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem.

Redefine Meat’s lamb kabab. Image courtesy of Redefine Meat.

Having recently secured $29 million in funding – the highest ever Series A round for an alternative meat company at that time –, Redefine has used the funds towards finalizing production of a first-of-its-kind large-scale factory housing both meat pilot-lines and Redefine’s industrial-scale 3D printers. The technology is destined to produce New-Meat at scale for the Israeli market and beyond. In addition, the unprecedented rapid growth led the company to triple its employees to more than 100 and hire renowned chefs such as Assaf Granit, whose Shabour restaurant in Paris recently received its first Michelin star.

Redefine’s vision to replace the entire cow with tasty meat alternatives that could appeal to meat lovers is closer than ever to global commercialization. For Ben-Shitrit, launching the new product line in Israel represents a big step in a mission to become the “world’s largest meat company” and accelerates the brand’s innovation potential later in 2021. Each product combines the team’s knowledge of meat at the molecular level, extensive R&D and 3D printing technological innovation, and will help keep up with sustainable living in the future. As the alternative meat sector continues to advance the technologies needed to produce meatless products, we could witness a new 3D printed food revolution take off in the next decade.

Ahead of RAPID 2021, SmarTech Analysis and Stifel Global Technology Group will be hosting an event dedicated to investment in the 3D printing industry. The half-day online summit, AM Investment Strategies, will take place September 9, 2021 and see lively discussions about the investment environment in public and private additive manufacturing (AM) markets. Attendees can register for free here.

The event will feature two panels, in which CEOs and industry leaders will participate alongside experts from SmarTech and Stifel to examine the bustling market activity and project what the future of the industry looks like, relying on real market data. This includes the numerous SPAC mergers, equity offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital investments that have taken place.

VELO3D CEO Benny Buller is just one of the experts who will be participating in AM Investment Strategies. Image courtesy of VELO3D.

As discussed in a recent interview with Stifel, the investment banking firm has led nine of the most important digital manufacturing deals, representing $3 billion in value altogether. This included Fathom’s recent $1.5 billion merger with special purpose acquisition company Altimar Acquisition Corp, in which it served as Joint Placement Agent on the $80M PIPE associated with the deal.

SmarTech, a sibling company of 3DPrint.com, is the leading firm dedicated to AM research, market data and consulting. It has worked with the majority of the leading original equipment manufacturers and numerous multinational industrial and financial firms.

The event will feature the following speakers:

• Benny Buller, VELO3D, CEO
• Arno Held, AM Ventures, Managing Director
• Jos Burger, Ultimaker, Board Member
• Greg Kress, Shapeways, CEO
• Yoav Zief, Stratasys, CEO
• Max Lobovsky, Formlabs, CEO
• John Hartner, The ExOne Company, CEO
• Ryan Martin, FATHOM, CEO
• Mohsen Seifi, ASTM, Director of Global AM Programs
• Bryan Dow, Stifel, Managing Director
• Stephen Butkow, Stifel, Managing Director
• Scott Dunham, SmarTech, EVP Research
• Joris Peels, SmarTech, VP Consulting
• Michael Molitch-Hou, 3DPrint.com, Editor-in-Chief

“We are thankful to Sifel for their support, and to all the companies and panelists for their participation. AM Investment Strategies brings together an unparalleled gathering of CEOs and leaders from the 3D printing industry. It’s a great opportunity to gain perspective and insight on 3D printing investment and we are proud to present it,” said Alan Meckler, CEO of 3DR Holdings, SmarTech’s parent company.

“With record M&A and investment activity in 2021, now is a great time to take stock of where the market is today, learn from what worked and didn’t work historically, and be positioned for sustained growth and capital formation in the Digital Manufacturing market for many years to come. The AM Investment Strategies event brings together entrepreneurs, investors and investment bankers to discuss and debate this roadmap,” noted Bryan Down and Stephen Butkow, Managing Directors in Stifel’s Global Technology Investment Banking Group.

“It’s been thrilling to watch the spectacular growth of the additive manufacturing industry in recent years. SmarTech Analysis has been there all along with data and research to guide executive decision making in the industry. Stifel has been there with the finance to make the industry grow.  This first-of-a-kind event will point to how our organizations will bring even more success to the additive business in the future,” said Lawrence Gasman, President of SmarTech Analysis.

Register for the event for free at aminvestmentstrategies.com. For more information, contact [email protected].

3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) announced the sale of its medical simulation business Simbionix to Surgical Science, a Swedish supplier of virtual reality simulators for medical training. The $305 million deal will complete 3D Systems’ initiative to divest non-core businesses to focus exclusively on 3D printing, developing capabilities exclusively for industrial-scale additive manufacturing. The proceeds from this sale, combined with previously announced divestitures, leave 3D Systems with no debt and a total cash balance of approximately $500 million, which the company can use to invest in more profitable parts of its business, such as its healthcare segment.

Simbionix medical simulation and training products. Image courtesy of 3D Systems.

Since Jeffrey Graves joined the company in April 2020 as new CEO, his strategy has incorporated the sale of all businesses acquired in the last few years that are no longer considered central to the main additive manufacturing operations and revenues. The move is expected to accelerate the adoption of AM solutions for applications in growing markets that demand high-reliability products, like healthcare, aerospace, and defense.

Beginning with the divestiture of subtractive technology businesses Cimatron and GibbsCAM in November 2020, 3D Systems’ plans to refocus its core mission also resulted in the major sale of its On Demand manufacturing services for $82 million. According to Graves, these divestitures strengthened the balance sheet, enabling the company to pay off its debt and terminate much earlier than originally planned the at-the-market equity (ATM) program, which allowed the company to issue up to a total of $150 million of shares of common stock to the public from time to time.

Through this transaction, Simbionix will be integrated with Surgical Science to form a market-leading company to simulate medical procedures, including advanced robotic surgery. Under the leadership of Ran Bronstein, the company has secured a strong position in the medical simulation, training, and robotic surgery market and had reported sales of $40.8 million in 2020. Once the transaction is completed in August 2021, Simbionix is expected to complement and strengthen Surgical Science’s position with a broad portfolio of simulators in general surgery, endovascular procedures, endoscopy, urology, orthopedics, ultrasound, and robotic surgery. Simbionix also brings long-established collaborations with leading medical technology companies and academic institutions at the forefront of developing new robotic surgery technology and operating procedures.

Graves said that Simbionix will be the final asset divested under his reorganization and restructuring initiative, with priorities now targeting growth and margin expansion. “As the Simbionix team now joins forces with Surgical Science, I believe their future will be even brighter, with increased scale and an ability to leverage the core strengths of both businesses in a growing medical simulation market,” described Graves.

Training with Simbionix simulators for robotic surgery at a medical center in Brazil. Image courtesy of 3D Systems.

Early in 2021, 3D Systems announced initial investments to bolster its standing in the bioprinting market with the acquisition of Allevi and Additive Works to build its bioprinting and software portfolios, respectively. It has also announced planned expansions of its facilities in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Littleton, Colorado, to address rising customer demand for additive manufacturing technologies. Additionally, the company expanded its technology leadership team by welcoming Dr. David Leigh as its new Chief Technology Officer for Additive Manufacturing to expand and accelerate application development and product innovation, including all hardware, software, and materials development for production-scale additive manufacturing solutions. Leigh’s arrival has enabled 3D Systems’ co-founder, Chuck Hull, to increase his emphasis on biotechnology, leading the development of solutions that are creating exciting new opportunities in regenerative medicine. Something Hull is looking forward to.

“Having reorganized the company into two business units – Healthcare and Industrial Solutions – and restructured to drive operational efficiencies over the last year, we now move forward expecting strong organic growth and profitability, at both a gross margin and EBITDA margin level, and positive operating cash flow capable of sustaining the investments needed to meet increasing customer demand for additive technology. With our scale, our industry-leading breadth of technology, which spans polymer and metal solutions, and an applications focus that is proving successful in accelerating customer adoption of additive manufacturing, we are very well positioned to remain a leader in the additive manufacturing industry,” suggested Graves.

After the company announced the sale of Simbionix on July 28, 2021, and the end of its divestment initiative, 3D Systems stock saw an uptick of 5.3%. According to multimedia financial services The Motley Fool, 3D Systems stock is leading the pack so far in 2021 (along with ExOne), up 275%. With the company’s second-quarter earnings results now slated to be released in August, investors will surely be eager to know Graves’s expectations about the company’s performance for the rest of the year.

Around the globe, 422 million people have diabetes, which means many of them need to monitor their daily glucose levels by pricking their finger to test the blood. I can’t imagine this is all that fun, and I can’t believe that there doesn’t seem to be a better solution. But the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) is working with In-Vision and DIRECTSENS to try and make the process more comfortable by using a novel 3D printed microneedle solution for glucose monitoring.

Together, the three organizations have launched the NUMBAT research project, funded by the Austrian Ministry for Climate Change through the Research Promotion Agency FFG and with a mission to develop a proof of concept printer that uses high-resolution DLP 3D printing to create a polymeric microneedle array for less painful and invasive continuous glucose monitoring (CGM).

The NUMBAT team knew that in order to deliver, they would need microneedles, metallization to define electrodes for electrochemical measurements, and a biofunctionalization layer: a surface modification that ensures glucose detection with direct electron transfer to the electrode. These components are put on a flexible foil that can be applied to a person’s skin and provide real-time glucose level monitoring just below the surface of the skin, without reaching blood vessels or nerves—making the CGM process more comfortable. They could use a conventional metallization process, but novel solutions would be needed for the microneedles and biofunctionalization layer.

Typical glucose monitoring

In order to generate a signal when glucose is detected in a blood sample, traditional finger-prick glucometers, like the one above, use glucose oxidase, and the electronic signal is then delivered to the electrode through partially toxic mediators, which is generally not an option for less invasive monitoring. That’s why biosensor company DIRECTSENS is a part of the project: its technology can enable a safer direct electron transfer enzyme biofunctionalization, so the team can lower the necessary voltage to operate the biosensors, which in turn allows for a longer life and reduces interferences.

The 3rd generation DET enzyme biosensor provided by DirectSens compared to previous generations.

Conventional technology wouldn’t cut it for printing extremely small microneedles, specifically 500 micron (0.5 mm) high ones with a 2-micron wide tip. Micro-injection molding isn’t flexible or inexpensive enough to customize the microneedle layout multiple times for experiments, and TPP 3D printing is also pretty costly, as well as very slow. Instead, the team went with DLP-based microstereolithography for its flexibility, speed, and accuracy in both experimentation and substrate materials. Here’s where In-Vision comes in, as the Austrian startup, known for its industrial light engines, offered up its Firebird UV DLP Projector, which features a custom lens design, 2560 x 1600 micron native resolution, and a 2-micron pixel-pitch.

Drawing of the micro-stereolithography setup built for the NUMBAT project.

“The high resolution of the light engine was the critical factor. With its 2-micron pixel resolution and optical design, the projector was beyond the state of the art that we needed to enable and further the development process,” explained Giorgio Mutinati, senior research engineer, molecular diagnostics, in the Center for Health and Bioresources at AIT.

In-Vision’s Firebird projector was able to achieve the necessary customization and precision that NUMBAT needed, and the startup also helped AIT build the printer and program the software as well.

“In addition to the projector, the In-Vision LabVIEW-based software was a core part of the project. In-Vision worked with us to build up the system within our specifications and continue to support us in this project,” Mutinati continued.

View of the NUMBAT 3D printer showing the UV DLP projector above the print area.

If the proof of concept ends up being successful, it could pave the way to developing personalized microneedle arrays, and other applications like hollow needles for intradermal drug delivery. As NUMBAT has reached Technology Readiness Level 4, and the team prepares to demonstrate how capable its solution is at the biosensor level, they’re also getting ready to continue exploring the 3D printing process they created together.

“The high-resolution capabilities of this printer give us so many options, and we’re looking for partners to further exploit this technology through additional research on needles and various needle geometries. The competitive speed and flexibility of the technology open the door to many new and novel applications,” Mutinati concluded.

3D printed microneedles array fabricated on the NUMBAT printer.

(Source/Images: In-Vision)

Evolve Additive‘s high resolution and smooth parts blew me away when I first saw them in 2018. The company later took investment from LEGO and Stanley Black & Decker. They also deployed alpha systems in a few locations and Stanley kicked in more money. Their CEO Steve Chillscyzn was always clear that the company was targeting injection molding, but it’s a tough challenge to go from an alpha machine to something that someone will buy. Now, the company has achieved that step.

Evolve’s Selective Thermoplastic Electrophotographic Process (STEP, previously referred to as Selective Toner Electrophotographic Process) was incubated at Stratasys for years before spinning out in 2018. STEP “uses a laser printer engine to image a layer onto the surface of a drum, this imaged layer with positive and negative charges is rolled near 22-micron toner particles with the opposite charge, electrostatic force transfers the toner onto the charged areas. The image and toner is then rolled onto another roller and then onto a carrying belt. STEP places a voxel at a specific place in a layer, and can even place multiple voxels of materials at specific points.”

The first STEP machine, called the SVP (short for Scalable Volume Production),  was sold and installed at an undisclosed customer’s facility. Is it Stanley or LEGO or maybe German service bureau FIT, whose CEO Carl Fruth has a penchant for buying everyone’s first machine? We don’t know. Who do you think it is?

The company doesn’t even disclose the industry, but does say that it will be used in manufacturing, including for multi-colored parts and a wide range of materials. This does possibly point to a service bureau using it for a wide variety of different applications. Evolve claims better time-to-market and cost savings as well as flexibility as advantages.

“Shipment of our first system to a global customer is a significant accomplishment for our organization. With the proprietary and proven technology that STEP brings we are confident in our ability to continue to provide solutions to additional clients world-wide,” said Steve Chillscyzn, CEO and Founder of Evolve

Evolve’s toner-based process is very rapid, but, up and until now, was a bit height-challenged in the parts that could be produced. However, components were very smooth and had a very high level of detail. They look oh-so-sharp, too. That coupled with high throughput and a system built for millions of components has always made this a very promising technology. And this is not fused deposition or stereolithography. This is a completely new technology stack that they’ve commercialized.

This is a remarkable achievement. I’d love to see more super creative repurposing projects make use of other high-speed industrial technologies and turn them into 3D printing processes. STEP lets you use colored ABS and PA. It lets you mix colors and even materials in the same build. One could imagine unique properties, also.

I also love the industries that they are targeting. No fancy aerospace stuff here. Evolves interested industries are beautifully mundane and humdrum, including housings, heat protection, building accessories, document handling, water treatment, filtration, as well as body protection, and lawn and garden. Lawn and garden. Is that an application area on your radar? Not at all, I’m guessing. You probably have never thought about calling up Gardena or have been thinking of parts for Stanley’s lawn mowers. But it is spectacular that we can do such mundane and new things. I’d love for new firms to open up our market to many more specific applications in many more industries. To the garden and beyond.

After unveiling the building in October 2020, the PERI Group announced that official opening of the first 3D printed home in Germany. Cutting the ribbon on the 160 m2, two-story structure was Minister for Construction, Home, Municipal Affairs and Equality of the State of North Rhine Westphalia. At the event, Scharrenbach noted:

“With the first 3D printed residential building in Germany, positive pressure is being generated in the construction industry: for innovative construction with new technologies, for greater attractiveness in construction professions and for modern architecture with new styles. Now we need to gain experience with the building and establish the manufacturing process on the market, because only more housing provides affordable rents.”

The exterior of the building. Image courtesy of PERI Group.

This is really a minor event in the additive history of a company that has being gaining significant traction with 3D printing globally. PERI acquired a stake in COBOD, a Danish construction 3D printer manufacturer, in 2018. It has used the firms BOD2 3D printers to produce structures in Europe and the U.S., including most recently a home with Habitat for Humanity in Arizona. It is also in the process of constructing a three-story apartment building in Germany.

The ribbon cutting ceremony. Image courtesy of PERI Group.

This, along with COBOD’s other partners, has led to profitable growth for the Danish company, which is worth highlighting given the niche nature of the additive construction segment. With support from PERI, COBOD has grown its footprint to Saudi Arabia.

The 3D printed building. Image courtesy of PERI Group.

PERI is an important supplier of form work equipment for the manual casting of concrete. By backing additive construction, PERI is aiming to automate and digitize what is an otherwise slow-moving industry in the midst of an upheaval. Thomas Imbacher, director of Innovation & Marketing of the PERI Group, explained why the home in Germany is particularly significant:

“Together with our Danish technology partner COBOD, the PERI team has shown that 3D concrete printing technology is ready for the market. The project in Beckum is a milestone that has set many things in motion in the industry. The house in Beckum was the first of its kind and for PERI and for all those involved, this project will always remain something very special.”

The interior of the home. Image courtesy of PERI Group.

Though 3D printing in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) space is quite small, often seems futuristic, and may seem to have limited utility, it is an important enough technology that not only is COBOD doing well financially, but large firms in the space, such as Saint-Gobain, LafargeHolcim, and Sika, are investing in it to some extent. Even GE has partnered with COBOD to 3D print platforms for wind turbines.