Interview with Fried Vancraen on 30 Years in 3D Printing

Being such a young industry, we have only a few giants. One of them is Friend Vancrean. The soft-spoken Fried started as a research scientist before starting Materialise over thirty years ago. Quiet, analytical, and wise Fried has guided Materialise through three decades of 3D printing development. Over that time, the Belgian firm has become a large 3D printing service that is also the de facto leader in 3D printing software. To disclose my biases, I should point out that I’ve worked for Fried, and I admire him. No one else in 3D printing has proven to be as gifted at identifying new business opportunities in 3D printing and avoiding perilous markets. With a long track record, Materialise has pioneered the production and software chain in hearing aids, dental guides, surgical guides, CMF implants, prototypes, car parts, aircraft parts, and functional prototypes. Magics is the default file preparation and planning tool for industrial 3D printing, while software such as 3Matic and Mimics let cutting edge researchers practice their craft. As one of the few publicly traded 3D printing companies, Materialise is closely watched. 3DPrint.com caught up with Fried at formnext to discuss the past three decades of 3D printing as well as the next ten years.

An in-hospital 3D printing lab at the University of Utrecht facilitated by Materialise

Fried says that he and the firm are proud of their financial results, and that “in all three segments..software, medical and manufacturing..the firm has shown growth” with “positive EBITA in all three segments.” Materialise must now “maintain growth and yield” while “3D printing value.” The main method that the firm has had in creating and maintaining value is to “invest in technology” and then to “develop technology that delivers enough value so that people will pay you for the service.” This seems rather simple, but the devil is in the details. “Materialise has proven to be able to deliver value for over thirty years.” In regards to BASF’s Sculpteo acquisition, he says that the firm was well informed ahead of time and “had decided to invest in certain materials and applications together with BASF,” “outside of these BASF wanted to do other market development on its own.”

Materialise’s three segments all require different levels of investment and product development. The firm is “active in many vertical markets as well” in such diverse areas as “eyewear, polymer aircraft interiors, and medical software.” In all of these segments, a common thread is to “adhere to the right quality systems for the right application and vertical” production of a highly regulated aircraft part is very different from a similar part as a medical implant or prototype. Each vertical “has completely different tolerances, needs different environments, and entirely different product lines.” “A CMF implant part is very different and has a very different quality system than an orthopedic implant.” Choice across its broad portfolio is, therefore, a defining characteristic for Materialise. “We don’t just say everything; we don’t just do everything.”
Currently, Fried sees the market as “evolving” with manufacturing taking over from prototypes and concept models. New applications such as “motor and power train components” are now existing next to a “concept and prototypes.” In some sense, many of Materialise’s technologies are complementary, but in others, new methods will have to be discovered. Materialise must, therefore, in a “conscious and determined way make choices in manufacturing.”

A patient specific model can be used to plan or understand surgeries

In some sense, this is what the firm has always done. Fried divides up the last thirty years into three distinct segments “in the first ten years it was a question of proving that it works,” then the “second period was about scaling up,” and the third is “manufacturing.” In 3D printing’s first decade, “we had to prove that prototyping was a viable business,” and it became essential to see to it that “CAD systems and print systems were combined.” “Proven software,“had to be able to produce the parts that customers needed. In the second period, a “scale up” was required, “we had to go from prototyping to manufacturing” and had to “organize manufacturing” in a traceable and documented way. The third period “meant that the firm has to upscale manufacturing” and “cost down.” That period was all about “productivity and connectivity,” and “advanced software was needed to optimize processes and results.” Now we enter the fourth period in the history of 3D printing where “next-generation tools” become part and parcel of the “industrial future.” In keeping with this Materialise is introducing New Product Introduction tools stemming from its own NPI focussed efforts in 3D printing.

A cross section of a lightweighted space craft part made by Materialise

Now, tools will help us go from prototyping all the way to a sustainable product.” With “NPI tools, we’re looking for process optimization” that let you develop a “fine-tuned product” that is “production-ready.” In a case with a customer, the firm has found that it can reduce some extremely long product introductions from years down to a month. Fundamentally he believes that “new tools and new inventions are required.” He sees that “many of today’s OEMs in the market are simply cheaper copies of existing technology.” So far, he contends that “if you want to manufacture, people will stay with EOS.” It is rare to see things like “HP’s MJF that brings some parts into a new cost category.” When asked, he says that he “believes in clustered manufacturing” through smaller desktop 3D printers for certain parts, “but only once those printers have improved significantly” in their build quality. “Consistent data is required..from consistent machines to get..consistent parts.” Once “know-how and competency” leads to “consistent printers..that work in quality systems,” we will see genuinely new developments.

The firm is now an orthopedic implant manufacturer.

If we look at the next ten years in 3D printing, Fried hopes that “Materialise will continue to create value while delivering” on the “next generation of tools” that focus on “bringing costs down and analysis.” At the same time, hopes that Materialise can continue to “strive for a better and healthier world” while remaining a “3D printing sector thought leader.” In the beginning, the company had no idea how to ” “in a systematic way have a positive impact.” Now with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals, there is a “global compact, in fact. a quality framework, a framework for a better world.” Helping the firm conduct itself according to this framework. “Every year, he hopes that Materialise is better not only as a business but also how to make products for a better world.” One of the ways the company is tackling this is “to create high value recycled products from waste products“, something it will showcase at the Materialise Summit in May.

The post Interview with Fried Vancraen on 30 Years in 3D Printing appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing in 2019

Additive manufacturing is changing the world. Another term for 3D printing, additive manufacturing differs from other forms of manufacturing in that, rather than removing material like machining, it adds material to create a product. This offers many unique advantages, from unprecedented customization and precision to a whole new world of shapes that are not possible with other techniques.

3D printing works by providing a carefully planned CAD file to a computer that runs a 3D printer. This machine prints the material layer by layer. There are a variety of materials and methods for 3D printing. You can 3D print plastic, nylon, metal, and more. Products can be printed through traditional 3D printing or through more specialized processes like selective laser sintering (SLS) or multi jet fusion (MJF), where there is no need for support structures to print complex designs. Between the design, material, and the process, no additive manufacturing job is quite alike.

These factors allow for some incredible customization of designs. You don’t have to modify an existing template or object. Additive manufacturing allows for strangely shaped spaces and corners. Weight can be more easily managed thanks to this kind of customization and the wide range of available materials. Some designs are incredibly delicate yet smooth. There is no need for support structures for these designs, allowing a lot of creative freedom that wasn’t previously available once you got off the drawing board.

Additive manufacturing already sees a lot of use. There are plenty of hobbyists out there, certainly, but it’s also being used by businesses to do things like produce prototypes or even their main product from custom parts for almost anything to modeling kits. Companies such as HP and Honeywell are developing 3D printing technology as we speak. They’re looking to improve quality and efficiency as well as allow for a new range of materials to be printed. These are not pie-in-the-sky ideas, but real developments that are already making a mark. 

This is because a company has a lot to gain from switching from traditional manufacturing techniques to additive manufacturing. 3D printing is a great way to save money. The ability to reduce weight can be a major factor, especially if you are looking to make parts. It’s possible to create hollow or honeycomb-structured parts that are just as strong and capable as solid ones, but much lighter.

You can also order to demand. other manufacturing techniques may require you to order a minimum number of products that is much larger than what you actually need. This is because there is a much larger start-up cost to these techniques for a product line and the company needs to make a profit, not a loss, on your order. Additive manufacturing does not work this way. You can order three or three-hundred products, whatever you need. The cost of an order largely comes from the material that needs to be used to make it.

This makes 3D printing an excellent choice if you do not need a massive, expensive order. The quality will still be high, but the price will be much lower and you won’t be stuck with stock you can’t sell, taking up room that can be better used for other things.

Additive manufacturing is less wasteful, too. Traditional manufacturing techniques are messy and leave a lot of scraps behind. Not so with additive manufacturing. It’s far more efficient with material. What scraps are produced are often recycled, melted back down to be used for more 3D printing. You are only charged for the material that is actually used to create the product(s), not what’s used plus the scraps that end up on the shop floor. 

This incredible and increasing cost efficiency of 3D printing means additive manufacturing making waves in manufacturing. It’s not just for custom phone cases and graduate student research projects anymore. More and more businesses are choosing to use 3D printing to make their products.  This has prompted new technological developments as the possibilities of 3D printing have been explored. 

Check out these major developments in 3D printing for 2019 (which is only half over!):

  • HP just opened its 3D Printing and Digital Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Barcelona, Spain. HP has been on the leading edge of 3D printer development. HP has just released new materials like Nylon 11 and TPU (a material that is highly flexible like rubber). This facility is a center for testing and collaboration between industry experts and customers alike. Expect to see a lot of additive manufacturing news to come out of here. 
  • Photocentric introduced its Liquid Crystal (LC) Magna system. This is their second largest LCD printer.This new 3D printer is 10 times faster than its predecessor. It has 23.8 inch 4K Ultra HD screen with a custom backlight. These allow for an average print accuracy of within 50 µm and model tolerances of less than 100µm. It takes only a few hours to produce batches of custom products. 
  • Autodesk, one of the major players in the additive manufacturing software world, released new add-ons for its 3D modeling software Fusion 360. This entry-level platform now provides cost-estimation and generative design. It’s a popular choice for those looking to start getting into 3D printing design and it is now an even better choice.

  • EOS and ALM have just released HT-23, a new PEKK carbon fiber material that is a high-performance polymer that is extremely chemically resistant, has a high melt point, and is inherently flame retardant.


At Jawstec, we are ready to help your business take advantage of 3D printing. We keep track of the latest developments in the industry and our experts can leverage them to help you create the product you want. Whether you’re looking to produce a prototype or a whole product line, our 3D printing services offer an efficient, budget-friendly option. Contact us today to get a free 3D printing design quote so we can help you move your business forward with additive manufacturing.

The post Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing in 2019 appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Free IP Protection and Quality Control Solution – GROW

GROW is a software company founded several years back with the aim to enable secure distributed additive manufacturing. They have developed a suite of cloud and desktop solutions enabling a secure end to end AM workflow which is now available for free!

In order to understand more about the solution, we have asked some questions of Dr Siavash Mahdavi, Founder and CEO of GROW.

What challenges in additive manufacturing is GROW solving today?

At GROW we have carefully listened to our partners which are maturing from simple prototyping through to serial manufacturing and have realised that they face several challenges around ensuring the quality of manufacture and the protection of their intellectual property.

At GROW we have developed a range of tools that allow designers to secure their design files and ensure that they are only manufactured to their desired specifications with complete traceability.

Can you tell me about GROW’s offering?

As you may have heard, we have now made our encryption technology both for the designers as well as the manufacturers entirely free. This means that anyone interested in secure quality distributed manufacturing can sign and download our software from www.grow.am.

Users can encrypt their intellectual property including design files, manufacturing processing instructions and anything else that they find valuable, send it directly to the manufacturer of their choice and be assured that their parts are only manufactured to their specification with complete traceability.

Why have you decided to provide your solution for free?

We really believe that this is what the industry needs to unblock distributed manufacturing. Moreover, there will be a layer of services that I can reveal more about later which sits on our encryption technology and we charge for that. The services will include insights that we can generate for the designers and engineers enabling them to further optimise their designs for the AM processes. On the other hand, there will be a set of tools that can enable manufacturers to optimise their AM machines.

Who would benefit from this technology?

A typical user would include someone that cares about quality control with valuable intellectual property which requires protection. Industries that we tend to work with include medical, aerospace, automotive and tooling.

Your last word?

We would love to have even more people try out our technology as it is very simple to use. We have integrated our technology with the most popular additive manufacturing machines and can enable an end to end security and quality control.

If anyone is interested, I highly recommend them to visit our website at www.grow.am, sign up and download our software for free or request a demo.   

Website: www.grow.am

Email: info@grow.am

The post Free IP Protection and Quality Control Solution – GROW appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.