3D Printing News Briefs, May 18, 2020: Fraunhofer, Formnext, Visagio & DiManEx, BCN3D Technologies

In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, Fraunhofer will soon discuss adoption of Industry 4.0-related technologies in a webinar, and we’ve learned that Formnext 2020 is still planned for this November. Moving on, Visagio and DiManEx have announced a partnership. Finally, BCN3D’s technology was used to make an interesting event installation.

Fraunhofer’s Industry 4.0 Webinar

Tomorrow, May 19th, the Fraunhofer Project Center (FPC) at the University of Twente will be holding a free webinar called “The Road to Digitalisation” that explains some of the challenges in adopting technologies related to Industry 4.0, such as 3D printing, as well as the solutions. Industry 4.0 is about optimization, and can offer companies many benefits, such as increased revenue, better quality, and reduced cycle times and costs. But, it can be a tough journey to start, and companies looking to start could use some help.

“Industry 4.0 is all about optimization; from managing big data to efficiency in the production line. All this aims at enabling businesses to make quicker, smarter decisions while minimizing costs. This webinar sets out to explain the challenges and to offer solutions in the adoption of I4.0 related technologies.”

The webinar, featuring Join Biba Visnjicki, Managing Director of FPC, and Thomas Vollmer, Head of Production Quality Dept. from Fraunhofer IPT, will last 60 minutes; register for free here.

Formnext 2020 Still a Go in Frankfurt

As many places in the world are cautiously reopening after recent mass shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to look to the future. In that vein, Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH is still planning to hold the AM industry’s biggest event, formnext 2020, this November 10-13. Recently, the Federal Government and the Federal States of Germany ruled that trade shows are no longer under the ‘major events’ category for health risks, but the health of all the employees, exhibitors, and visitors are still considered the highest priority if the event does indeed take place this fall. That’s why the exhibition organizer is working around the clock to develop an updated health concept, such as introducing contact tracing and decreasing visitor density, along with a supplementary digital/virtual program.

“We remain convinced of the unique value and advantages of a physical exhibition. And although digital interaction will never be able to replace face-to-face contact, it does offer more scope than previously thought possible only a few weeks ago,” stated Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President of Formnext, Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH.

“Ultimately, even in these challenging times, we want to organize a trade show that is as responsive as possible to the current situation and the needs of participants and the market.”

Visagio and DiManEx Partnering to Improve AM Supply Chains

(Image: DiManEx)

Management consultancy Visagio Ltd and DiManEx BV are partnering to strengthen end-to-end 3D printing usage in supply chains. Companies are looking to conquer supply base disruptions, and by pairing Visagio’s supply chain services with DiManEx’s end-to-end 3D printing platform, they can do so by digitizing their inventory and 3D printing parts on demand, which can delivered all over the world. The collaboration is a representation of how both companies address market needs, especially in these challenging times as COVID-19 disrupts the global supply and demand process.

“Companies are increasingly looking for ways to optimize their supply chains and mitigate risks, such as those brought about by pandemics or geo-political tensions. Our platform embeds 3D printing in supply chains easily, realising the concept of ‘Digital Inventory at your Fingertips, Ordered at a Click of a Button’. Coupled with Visagio’s industry and management expertise, this is a winning combination for supply chain optimization,” said Tibor van Melsem Kocsis, the Founder and CEO of DiManEx.

3D Printed Cisco Live 2020 Installation

Thanks to 3D printing, it was possible to quickly iterate not only the main design, but also all the smaller parts of the internal mechanisms.

Speaking of collaborations, Barcelona data interpretation firm and design studio Domestic Data Streamers pairs data and arts with storytelling to develop “participatory projects” for community building and education. Its workshop has long used 3D printers from BCN3D Technologies, and recently turned to the technology again to create an installation for the Cisco Live 2020 event. The studio wanted to give attendees “a better experience” by displaying the event schedule on an interactive Recommendation Wall of clickable screens; once clicked, the animated image turned into a QR code, which visitors could scan for more information. The screens had to be custom-made, and so Domestic Data Streamers turned to its in-house printer farm, and the BCN3D Epsilon 3D printer. They used PETG to print over 40 of the main covers in just four weeks, which equaled major cost savings.

“The printers work very well, we count on a very high success ratio, and the support from the team is always quick and helpful,” said Pol Trias, the Head of Design at Domestic Data Streamers.

“It gave us great agility when it comes to functionally and aesthetically validating the designs at a very low cost…our processes were more efficient and much faster thanks to our BCN3D Epsilon.

“This could not have happened without 3D printing. For a project like this one, where you want high-quality results in a short time and within a limited budget, there is no better option than 3D printing.”

You can learn more about the project here, or check out the video below.

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3D Printing News Briefs: July 6, 2019

In this installment of 3D Printing News Briefs, we’re sharing some business news with you, along with a case study about a 3D printer farm. First up, AMUG just installed its new board for 2019-2020. Then, Print Parts Inc. has launched its new additive manufacturing website. Finally, BCN3D is showing the world how it produces parts assembled on its 3D printers at the company’s Print Farm.

AMUG Installs New Board Members

The 2019-2020 AMUG Board. Front row (L to R): Leslie Frost, Gary Rabinovitz, Jamie Cone, and Todd Grimm. Back row (L to R): Andrew Allshorn, Vince Anewenter, Tom Sorovetz, Carl Dekker, and Paul Bates.

The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) has installed its nine-member board for 2019-2020. The new board, made up of appointed and elected positions, will build and oversee the next AMUG Conference, as well as develop an organizational structure to support the continued growth of the annual 5-day event, which will next be held in Chicago from March 22-26, 2020. Each member of the board serves as an AMUG officer, and the industry professionals were elected during this year’s AMUG Conference. Carl Dekker of Met-L-Flo has replaced Paul Bates of UL as the new AMUG President; Bates has now taken on the role of Past President.

“I am excited to be AMUG’s 2020 president,” said Dekker. “We have an excellent and experienced team leading us on the path to the next event. The recent growth of AMUG has been astounding! This brings many challenges, which I am pleased to say the new AMUG Board is being very proactive in addressing.

Additional board members are:

  • Vice President: Jamie Cone, BD
  • Vice President: Andrew Allshorn, At 3D-Squared
  • Event Manager: Tom Sorovetz, FCA
  • Secretary: Leslie Frost, GE Additive
  • Chairman: Gary Rabinovitz, Reebok
  • Treasurer: Vince Anewenter, Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • AM Industry Advisor: Todd Grimm, T. A. Grimm & Associates

New Additive Service Website Launched

There’s a new additive manufacturing service in town for when you need on-demand, 3D printed performance and production-grade parts: New York-based Print Parts Inc. recently launched its new PrintParts.com website. The company’s mission is to help its customers achieve on-demand printed parts at an affordable costs, and it is also one of the first AM services that offers composite parts made on Markforged 3D printers. Clients can order flexible quantities – from 1 to 1 million – at competitive prices, 3D printed out of materials like carbon fiber, Kevlar, Nylon, and Onyx. The company helps its customers navigate the entire process from start to finish, including consulting, industrial design services, and even technology-specific feedback. PrintParts.com is celebrating its launch by offering a 25% discount on part orders during its first month of operation. In addition, the first 100 customers will receive a special gift package, including stickers, a branded operator’s apron, and a PrintParts t-shirt.

“Print Parts. That’s what we do,” explained company founder Robert Haleluk. “Our team creates functional prototypes, high quality concepts, and performance parts to help customers take on mission critical projects with confidence. We love what we do and put passion into every part we print.”

Video & Case Study: Producing Parts at the BCN3D Print Farm

Desktop 3D printer manufacturer BCN3D Technologies, based in Barcelona, uses its breakthrough IDEX (Independent Dual Extruder) technology at the BCN3D Print Farm to double its 3D printer production capacity. At the Farm, 63 printers are working 24/7 to manufacture 10,000 pieces per month. In a recent case study, the company explains how it produces 47 plastic Sigma and Sigmax pieces, which are assembled by its printers at the Print Farm.

“We think it will have a huge impact for those companies and users wanting to produce small series,” Marc Felis, the BCN3D Marketing Manager, told 3DPrint.com about the video the company produced about its Print Farm and IDEX technology.

IDEX allows BCN3D printers to control both toolheads independently, which makes it possible to double the production capacity for pieces like the Vertical Bowden, which holds the 3D printer’s Teflon tube in place and made with PET-G material at the BCN3D Print Farm. Customers who use IDEX technology can also cut labor, machinery, and maintenance costs in half, as well as decreasing printer downtime. Additionally, the technology is very clean, because it prevents molten plastic from dripping into printed pieces. To see how your company could speed up the production workflow while keeping costs reasonable, check out the video below:

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MakerFleet: A 3D Printer Farm That Offers Customers Easy Access and Remote Control

You may have heard of the concept of a 3D printer farm – multiple 3D printers set up in one location, all working together in a 3D printing factory that can generate hundreds of parts in mere hours. It’s a really cool concept, but not many people have access to that many 3D printers – certainly not the average individual. That’s what recent Harvard graduate Harnek Gulati wants to change, and he’s working to do so with his MakerFleet concept.

“I’ve always had the dream of building a factory that was connected to the Internet,” Gulati said. “Didn’t know how to build it, but I was, like, ‘I can learn all this stuff.’”

MakerFleet is based at Harvard Innovation Labs and consists of 18 3D printers that customers can rent for $2.00, plus $3.50 an hour. Users connect online to any of the 3D printers, and then have full control of the print job, from print settings to the position of the item on the print bed. They can then watch the print in process through MakerFleet’s webcams, and if the MakerFleet staff doesn’t catch a failed print first, the user can cancel it and start another.

Local customers can pick up their 3D printed items directly or have them shipped to them. Gulati hopes to eventually expand to a larger network of MakerFleet labs around the world so that they become more local for more people.

“The dream is to, actually, create modular factories, just like AWS has different data centers around the world,” Gulati said. “You have one in designated areas around the world, so when you print something, you print something that’s very local to you.”

MakerFleet isn’t the first service to offer print on demand capabilities; there are large companies like Shapeways that work with a network of manufacturing partners to be able to produce and deliver locally, for example, and of course there is 3D Hubs, which allows customers to order 3D prints from their closest participating 3D printer operator. In a way, MakerFleet is like a massive Hub, with one key difference: customers can watch and control their items being printed.

Gulati recently graduated from Harvard with a computer science degree, but MakerFleet is not his first entrepreneurial project. First he created a limited edition series of wooden watches that turned out to be immensely popular; he raised more than $75,000 in less than a month after setting an initial goal of $15,000 on Kickstarter. He realized how difficult it was to manufacture a product for hundreds of people, and that led him to the idea of setting up a factory that could be accessed online.

Many individuals who don’t live near Harvard will likely still turn to their local 3D Hubs for their 3D printing needs, but a project like MakerFleet could be useful to small businesses who need more than one 3D printer to produce a product but don’t have the funding or space to establish their own 3D printer farms. MakerFleet is still a new endeavor; Gulati started it in May of 2018 and has a far-reaching vision for reproducing the intitial lab in locations around the world. If he succeeds, MakerFleet could be another new aspect of a world of more distributed manufacturing.

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[Source: American Inno]