3D Printing Materials Archives - Page 2 of 43 - Perfect 3D Printing Filament

3D Printing Webinar and Virtual Event Roundup, August 9, 2020

We’ve only got four online events to tell you about this week—a summit and a few webinars, one of which is on-demand. Read on to learn more!

AM Industry Virtual Summit

From 8 am until 6:30 pm EST this Tuesday and Wednesday, August 11th and 12th, the AM Industry Summit, powered by ASME, will welcome 3D printing professionals working in the aerospace and defense and medical device manufacturing fields. The summit is free to attend, and there will be 50 sessions on the medical device track, with 58 on the aerospace and defense side, and more than 30 total speakers. The summit will also include brief product demonstrations called Demo Jams by 3D printing solution providers like 3D Systems, Arburg, and Protolabs, in addition to the InnoZone where various vase studies will be presented, a scavenger hunt, Lunch & Learn activities, and time for virtual networking in multiple Chat Rooms.

“The event will focus on their shared challenges and unique opportunities in Additive Manufacturing. Find answers in materials, processes, equipment, regulatory issues, quality, repeatability and more. AM Industry Summit bridges the gap.”

Nexa3D’s New xCLEAN Eco-Friendly Solvent

Nexa3D recently announced the commercial availability of xCLEAN, its new eco-friendly cleaning solvent for 3D printed parts. Now this Thursday, August 13th, at 1:30 pm EST, the company will host a 3D printing leadership forum online to explain how the material, which is said to have three times the saturation limit of isopropyl alcohol with less waste, can be used to enhance series additive manufacturing. During the webinar, attendees will learn how the cleaner was developed, along with some of its best qualities, such as eliminating greasy residue and the ability to work with most resin cleaning systems currently on the market.

“When necessity breeds invention, we find ourselves discovering game-changing products and services. When PPE production increased due to Covid-19, additive manufacturing stepped up to help meet demand but the need for isopropyl alcohol (IPA) couldn’t be met, threatening to bring Nexa3D’s operations to a halt. With no suitable alternatives on the market and the determination to continue production, the company developed xCLEAN – an eco-friendly, effective cleaning solvent for all resin-based 3D printers.”

There will also be a live Q&A session at the end. You can register for the webinar here.

On-Demand Webinar: EOS M 290 System

Even with the added benefits, it can be risky for companies working on qualified serial production to adopt a new technology, such as additive manufacturing. That’s because qualification is of the utmost importance for regulated industries, such as aerospace, automotive, and medical, that require large amounts of high-value, high-quality parts made with consistent repeatability. EOS has published an on-demand webinar, which includes a section on FAQs, titled “Repeatability & Reliability of EOS Ti64 ELI on the EOS M 290,” on the topic of its EOS M 290 3D printing system, and the 6-Sigma repeatability it offers, which makes the printer a good fit for machine shops fabricating parts in serial production.

“While Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) and Installation Qualifications (IQ) for machines are standard practice at EOS, our latest machine capability study provides further qualification support for a machine that has quickly become a benchmark for metal AM, the EOS M 290. Featuring hundreds of thousands of data points on everything from part roughness and density, to machine sensors and set-up, this new study offers a comprehensive intel package to shorten your Operational Qualification (OQ) process and get you ready for serial production.”

You can register to view the webinar here.

ASTM’s AM General Personnel Certificate Program

The ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) recently began offering its AM General Personnel Certificate course, which continues through August 27th. The online course, taught by 17 industry experts, is made up of eight modules—two modules per week for four weeks—covering all the general concepts of the AM process chain, such as terminology and process overview, design and simulation, post-processing, safety issues, qualification and certification, and more.

“This course will equip attendees with core technical knowledge related to common AM practices and will allow them to earn a General AM Certificate that will serve as the foundation and pre-requisite for earning future specialized role-based AM certificates through the ASTM AM CoE. Attendees will complete a multiple-choice exam upon course completion.”

It will cost ASTM members $1,199 to purchase this online course, while the cost is $1,300 for non-members. You can learn more about this online learning opportunity by looking at the Course Flyer or the Information Pamphlet. Register for the class here.

Will you attend any of these events and webinars, or have news to share about future ones? Let us know!

The post 3D Printing Webinar and Virtual Event Roundup, August 9, 2020 appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Nexa3D Acquires NXT Factory, Introduces Eco-Friendly 3D Printing Washing Solvent

While Nexa3D may specialize in manufacturing super-fast stereolithography 3D printers, the company has been branching out recently, and narrowing its focus on the materials side of things. It launched the high-performance polymer xCE-Black in May, followed soon after with the announcement of a partnership with Henkel to commercialize xMED412, a high-impact material for printing biocompatible medical and wearable devices. Now, Nexa3D has announced that xCLEAN, its new eco-friendly washing solvent for resin and photopolymer 3D printers, is commercially available.

“I am very proud of our entire team for stepping-up during this unprecedented pandemic, and quickly pivoting internal developments and external collaborations to adeptly support our growing customer base and communities. “Throughout this challenging period, we’ve continued to expand the range of our high impact, durable photoplastics, and we are rolling out new productivity tools for the additive manufacturing industry,” said Nexa3D’s CEO and Co-Founder Avi Reichental. “Together with our growing partner network, we are committed to helping our customers improve their design agility, and supply chain resiliency by reducing the time required to produce functional prototypes and production parts from hours to just minutes.”

xCLEAN, compatible with most photopolymeric resin printers, including close loop systems, automated cleaners, and washing units currently on the market, and is safer to handle than other popular cleaning solvents, though it’s not been cleared to use in the cleaning of parts 3D printed out of biocompatible resins.

This material is easy to recycle, as well as recover with the help of a vacuum-assist distillation unit, and doesn’t need any of the typical adherence to shipping regulations or special storage that most post-processing photopolymeric parts require.

“xCLEAN’s development is a powerful reminder that necessity is the mother of invention. We were forced to explore alternatives to isopropyl alcohol (IPA) during the initial Covid-19 surge as IPA became extremely scarce and costs skyrocketed,” explained Nexa3D’s Head of Customer Success Brent Zollinger. ” After considering dozens of candidates, we zeroed in on xCLEAN and quickly embraced it as our go-to cleaning solvent. Having processed thousands of serial production parts in our flexible factory with superior results, we decided to share this incredible cleaner with our customers and invite the entire photopolymer 3D printing community to give it a try.”

Made from molecules that are smaller than DPM and TPM, xCLEAN is extremely effective, and doesn’t have any of the gross, greasy residue that you get with these two alternative materials; just rinse it off with water. It’s also sustainable, with three times the saturation limit of IPA, which means that it lasts three times as long and requires fewer changeovers and generates less waste.

xCLEAN can be ordered for immediate delivery here, or from one of Nexa3D’s authorized resellers. A single 5-gallon container will cost you about $320. To see the material in action, check out the video below:

But materials haven’t been the company’s only focus during COVID-19—the company just announced that it has acquired NXT Factory, which manufactures ultra-fast selective laser sintering (SLS) production systems powered by its proprietary Quantum Laser Sintering (QLS) technology.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Nexa3D and together unleash the power and potential of our products. COVID-19 propelled both of our companies to demonstrate the unique capabilities of our complementary additive manufacturing power as we quickly ramped into full production of personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers. This crisis has helped showcase the incredibly rapid and flexible nature of our combined additive manufacturing capabilities compared to traditional manufacturing and demonstrates how vulnerable the global manufacturing supply chain is to unexpected disruptions,” stated Kuba Graczyk, the Co-Founder and CEO of NXT Factory. “Together, we are committed to taking additive manufacturing to the next level and realizing its full potential.”

The two companies have entered into an agreement that states Nexa3D will acquire all the outstanding shares of NXT Factory, and the stockholders and boards of directors of both companies have approved the transaction, the details of which were not disclosed publicly.

By combining NXT Factory and Nexa3D’s high-speed technologies, the company is strengthening its capabilities and portfolio of production-grade materials. Nexa3D will now have access to NXT Factory’s range of powder fusion, supply chain-approved plastics, which will essentially double its addressable market and strongly position it for increased growth in the industry.

Leveraging its relationships with other key material suppliers, Nexa3D will be able to diversify its revenue streams by offering access to 100% of currently available polymer applications

“Stereolithography (SLA) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) are the cornerstones of additive manufacturing of plastics, so I am honored and proud to be part of the team that is uniting the two companies that are taking both technologies to their full potential. Having worked side by side with the Nexa3D team over the past four years in Ventura, California, sharing facilities, exhibiting jointly at tradeshows, witnessing untold technological breakthroughs and rapid expansion, there is no doubt in my mind that this is the perfect match for both of our companies. I am excited to join this dream team and contribute towards the creation of a leading fourth generation additive manufacturing powerhouse,” said Tomasz Cieszynski, Co-Founder and CTO of NXT Factory.

Subject to customary and other deal-specific closing conditions being met, the transaction should be completed as soon as practically possible.

(Source/Images: Nexa3D)

The post Nexa3D Acquires NXT Factory, Introduces Eco-Friendly 3D Printing Washing Solvent appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

3D Printing News Briefs, August 5, 2020: Titan Robotics & Braskem, 3DPRINTUK

Today’s 3D Printing News Briefs is about materials and a 3D printed version of a real building. Titan Robotics and Braskem are partnering up to offer new solutions in 3D printed polypropylene, while 3DPRINTUK is expanding its materials and post-processing capabilities. Finally, the Coit Tower House in San Francisco now has a 3D printed miniature replica.

Titan Robotics & Braskem Announce Partnership

Braskem Polypropylene pellets for 3D printing

Production AM solutions provider Titan Robotics and petrochemical company Braskem have announced their strategic partnership, which has resulted in the launch of a new polypropylene (PP) resin that’s been optimized for 3D printing large-format production parts. The two companies spent over a year researching and developing the new material, which is the first commercially available grade of unfilled PP engineered specifically for 3D printing on Titan’s industrial Atlas 3D printers with pellet extrusion. The features of PP include chemical resistance, dimensional stability, impact strength, low density, recyclability, and thanks to this new partnership, Titan and Braskem will be able to offer improved industrial AM solutions.

“3D printing large parts using polypropylene resin has been a challenge for many years,” stated Rahul Kasat, Titan Robotics’ Chief Commercial Officer. “In collaboration with Braskem, a global leader in the polypropylene market, we have now solved that challenge. Our industrial customers will be able to print functional parts with this first of its kind polypropylene grade. We are also excited to continue to develop new polypropylene based solutions for our customers in collaboration with Braskem.”

Titan is also an authorized distributor of Braskem’s 3D printing pellet products.

3DPRINTUK Expanding Materials & Post-Processing

PEBA Dyed Close Up

SLS low volume production specialist 3DPRINTUK is branching out with its introduction of the flexible PrimePart 2301, a polyether block amide (PEBA) material with good chemical and water resistance, rubber-like characteristics not dissimilar to TPU, excellent detail resolution, and a higher melting point than most other resin-based elastomers. The material would be a good fit for batch production runs and rugged end-use applications, including handles, sports equipment, air ducts, and gaskets. Additionally, the company has invested in DyeMansion’s PowerShot S system, which uses a proprietary PolyShot Surfacing (PSS) process that allows 3DPRINTUK to offer a shot peening post-processing service that can improve the surface finish of 3D printed parts.

“At 3DPRINT UK we have honed and optimized the SLS 3D printing process over many years to achieve the best possible results off our machines for a wide range of relevant applications, that continue to grow in scope. However, the post processing of parts — from cleaning through to further optimised surface finishes — has always been a necessity for many of our clients. Expanding our post processing capabilities is a vital part of the business, and the DyeMansion PowerShot S system is an important next step in our expansion, enabling us to offer our many and varied clients the benefits of shot peened 3D printed parts from a single source,” said Nick Allen, the CEO and Founder of 3DPRINTUK.

3D Printed Coit Tower House

The 210′ tall Coit Tower was built in the early 1930s in San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill neighborhood as a way to beautify the city. The art deco tower, a recognizable sight on the city’s skyline, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in early 2008, and 12 years later, Yuriy Sklyar, the founder, CEO, and head of design & marketing at design studio Threefifty, has 3D printed a replica tower that stands over 7′ tall…a 1/20 scale. Utilizing a Creality CR10S5, a Replicator 2, and a MakerBot system, Sklyar, who has been utilizing 3D printing since 2013, called this unique project a “great opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the best city in the world – and its art community.” It took a month to create the base of the tower, as he had to redo a lot of it, eventually installing a heated silicone bed and heat enclosure to reduce the amount of warping. The next month was spent printing “the 4 giant sections of the fluted tower design.”

“Each one of these four sections, just like the real tower, consists of 4 sub-sections – I wanted to be very accurate with such details. At first these were limited in height by the 3rd party 3D printer, so only 2 sub-sections were supposed to be printed at a time, and then joined together with metal plates and nuts/bolts, but since I was now working on my own terms, I decided to reduce the amount of work for myself, and at the same time reduce the number of bolts/nuts/plates to just 4 sets, instead of 8,” Sklyar wrote.

“Each one of these sections takes about 3.5-4 days to print using a single 1.1mm shell @ 10% infill, which created for a surprisingly strong structure, since I instructed the infil to have a 45% overlap with inner and outer walls.”

You can check out his post for the very specific details of the project, but I’ll leave you with just a few – including all of the hardware used, the 3D printed Coit Tower weighs a total of 24 kg, and took over 7.5 km of ColorFabb’s nGen filament, SUNLU PETG and Gizmo Dorks PETG filament to print. Sklyar designed the whole thing from scratch, and the columns are joined by steel plates secured by bolts and in-printed nuts.

The post 3D Printing News Briefs, August 5, 2020: Titan Robotics & Braskem, 3DPRINTUK appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Lubrizol Buys into 3D Printing Parts and Services via Avid Acquisition

The Lubrizol Corporation has purchased Avid Product Development, a 3D printing and engineering services company, marking a significant development for additive materials and the larger industry as a whole.

While it may be best known for its engine oils, Lubrizol is a roughly $6.5 billion specialty chemical company owned by Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway. As such, it is one of a number of chemical producers that have been increasing their stakes in the 3D printing materials space, the biggest of which is BASF. The Ohio-based firm has already released its own additive feedstocks (specifically thermoplastic polyurethanes for fused filament fabrication and Multi Jet Fusion), but this acquisition marks a strong move for Lubrizol, as it expands from a material manufacturer to an engineering, 3D printing and post-processing service provider.

Samples demonstrating Avid’s post-processing capabilities. Image courtesy of Lubrizol.

Based in Loveland, Colorado, Avid offers design for additive manufacturing, as well as prototyping and production using selective laser sintering, Multi Jet Fusion, fused filament fabrication and stereolithography. Additionally, the company provides post-processing for 3D printed parts. The company serves the footwear, consumer goods, industrial and medical segments and won the 2019 Colorado Company to Watch award. According to a press release sent to 3DPrint.com, Lubrizol plans to combine its expertise in materials, applications and testing with the aforementioned offerings from Avid in order to accelerate 3D printing adoption in key industries.

Gert-Jan Nijhuis, General Manager of 3D Printing Solutions at Lubrizol Engineered Materials, said of the deal:

“Lubrizol continues to invest in opportunities that bring new differentiated solutions to our customers. The acquisition of Avid Product Development greatly enhances our ability as a 3D printing solution provider, offering complete product solutions from material development to printing and post processing services, delivering end-use products for our key markets.”

As industrialized nations purportedly strive to shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, oil companies may be looking to supplement demand through petrochemical markets. ExxonMobil admitted as much in a 2018 investor report, stating an expected 30 percent increase in petrochemical demand by 2025.

A flexible TPU part 3D printed by Avid. Image courtesy of Lubrizol.

In turn, not only are we seeing an increasing number of major chemical companies enter the 3D printing industry, but we are seeing them diversify within that space as well. BASF has made the biggest movements, putting money into three different 3D-printed parts makers by partnering with Shapeways, investing in Materialise and acquiring Sculpteo. Mitsubishi Chemicals is also trying its hand at 3D printing parts through a pilot program with AddiFab.

By purchasing Avid, Lubrizol gets out ahead of a number of other chemical companies not described so far, including Dow/DuPont, Eastman, SABIC and more, who seem to be more focused on making materials at this point than using them. However, we have also witnessed a number of investments by companies like DSM and Arkema into new technologies and startups that could greatly expand their foothold in 3D printing once those startups take off.

All of these players are changing the landscape of the 3D printing industry, likely into a more industrially focused space. How that will look in the years to come is anyone’s guess, particularly given the uncertainty of global events at the moment, but the impact will be impossible to overlook.

The post Lubrizol Buys into 3D Printing Parts and Services via Avid Acquisition appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

3D Printing Webinar and Virtual Event Roundup, August 2, 2020

It’s another busy week in the 3D printing industry that’s packed full of webinars and virtual events, ranging in topics from medical materials and flexible electronics to polypropylene and market costs. There are four on Tuesday, August 4th, two on Wednesday, August 5th, and the week will end with the last KEX webinar on Thursday, August 6th.

ASTM’s AM General Personnel Certificate Program

Last week, the ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) training course all about additive manufacturing safety. Now, the AM CoE is starting its AM General Personnel Certificate course, which will begin August 4th and run through the 27th. One of its key focus areas is promoting AM adoption, and helping to fill the knowledge gap with training for the future AM workforce is a major way that the AM CoE is doing this. The online course is made up of eight modules covering all the general concepts of the AM process chain, and attendees will learn important technical knowledge that will allow them to earn a General AM Certificate after completing a multiple-choice exam.

“This course will feature 17 experts across the field of additive manufacturing to provide a comprehensive course covering all of the general concepts of the AM process chain to its attendees. The course will occur over the month of August consisting of two modules per week for four weeks. More information can be found in the course flyer.”

Online registration will open soon. This is not a free course—you can learn about the fees here.

Nexa3D & Henkel: Medical Materials Webinar

Recently, SLA 3D printer manufacturer Nexa3D and functional additive materials supplier Henkel announced that they were partnering up to commercialize the polypropylene-like xMED412, a durable, high-impact material that can be used to 3D print biocompatible medical and wearable devices; in fact, it’s already been cleared to print nasal swabs. Now, the two are holding a virtual leadership forum on “Advances and Breakthroughs in 3D Printed Medical Equipment and Device Materials,” like xMED412. Topics to be discussed will include new possibilities for 3D printing medical equipment and devices, the benefits of using AM to fabricate these products, and the advantages additive manufacturing has over medical materials made with traditional manufacturing. Panelists will engage with attendees after the discussion in a live Q&A session.

“3D printing has introduced all kinds of new possibilities for developing stronger and lightweighted equipment but we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible. These past few months have driven the industry to new realms of creativity with the need to quickly deliver medical supplies, devices and materials. With new lightweight, sturdy materials designed to withstand impact, moisture and vibration, access to lower cost medical equipment is becoming more widely available thanks to 3D printing.”

SOLIDWORKS Design Solution Demonstration

Also on August 4th, at 11 am EST, Dassault Systèmes will be holding a brief demonstration of its 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS design solution. This demonstration of the platform’s capabilities will last just 22 minutes, and will teach attendees how to collaborate and stay connected to data while creating new designs with SOLIDWORKS when connected to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, exploring the latest tools available on the platform, and design a model using both parametric (3D Creator) and Sub-D modeling (3D Sculptor) tools with the help of complementary workflows.

“SOLIDWORKS is the design tool that has been trusted by engineers and designers around the world for decades. Part of the 3DEXPERIENCE WORKS portfolio, SOLIDWORKS is now connected to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform with cloud-based tools that enable everyone involved in product development to collaborate on real-time data. Doing so enables you to efficiently gain the insight needed to create revolutionary new products.”

You can register for the demonstration here.

NextFlex Innovation Days

The last August 4th event in this week’s roundup is NextFlex Innovation Days, the flagship showcase event for the consortium of academic institutions, companies, non-profits, and local and federal governments that make up NextFlex and are working to advance US manufacturing of flexible hybrid electronics (FHE). The event will run through Thursday, August 6th, and will include panel discussions on how FHEs are continuing to transform the world, including a panel featuring a special guest speaker from the US Senate. FHE innovations that will be highlighted during the event include a wearable biometrics monitor from Stretch Med, Inc., flexible skin-like sensors from Georgia Tech, a flexible UV sensor out of the NASA Ames Research Center, miniaturized gas sensors that GE Research integrated into wearables and drone formats, and Brewer Science’s integrated FHE solutions in a brewery application.

“This multi-day virtual event will feature over 50 customer, partner and member company presentations online available at no cost. If you watch live, you’ll have the chance to interact with presenters and flexible hybrid electronic (FHE) experts from the comfort of home via webinars and virtual labs, or you can watch video demonstrations at your availability.”

Additive America & HP AM Webinar

HP is currently sponsoring a webinar series highlighting business in the AM industry that worked to transition their production processes in order to help fill the supply chain gap that’s been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This week’s episode, which will take place at 1:30 pm EST on Wednesday, August 5th, will feature a discussion with Additive America on “the lasting impact of COVID-19 on additive manufacturing.”

“Listen in on conversations with our customers to learn how they have adapted to the change in business climate, whether it be a shift in production workflow to address supply chain gaps, enabling a faster product development cycle to support changing customers’ needs, or bridge production.”

You can register for this webinar here.

Prodways, BASF, & Peridot Talk Polypropylene

Also on August 5th, Prodways, BASF, and full-service product development company Peridot Inc. will be holding a free webinar together called “Rethink Additive Manufacturing with Polypropylene.” Led by Lee Barbiasz from Prodways, Jeremy Vos from BASF, and Peridot owner Dave Hockemeyer, the webinar will focus on how PP 1200, a tough, chemically resistant, low density polypropylene enabled by BASF for selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing, is being used to bridge the gap between additive manufacturing and injection molding, as well as growing opportunities and applications in short run manufacturing. Hockemeyer was an early adopter of the material, and will share a variety of use cases for PP 1200. There will also be a chance for attendees to ask questions about the material.

“3D Printing with Polypropylene is here! After more than three decades, 3D printing technology has evolved the ability to 3D print polypropylene material. Polypropylene enables scalability in manufacturing, reduces barriers to entry in 3D printing and reduces manufacturing costs by 25-50%!”

You can register for the webinar, held on Wednesday, August 5th, from 1-1:45 pm EST, here.

KEX Knowledge Exchange on Market, Costs & Innovation

The last entry in this week’s roundup will take place on Thursday, August 6th. KEX Knowledge Exchange AG, a former spinoff of Fraunhofer IPT, held webinars in July about powder bed fusion technology and post-processing, and the last in its series will be an online seminar on Market, Costs & Innovation. Sebastian Pfestorf from KEX and Lea Eilert, the project and technology manager for the ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing, will be the speakers for this webinar.

“In this online seminar, you will learn:

Current AM market and industrial trends
What markets the technology has penetrated the most and why
How to go about implementing AM, including risks and uncertainties

You can register for the hour-long webinar here. It will take place on Thursday, August 6th, at 8 am EST.

Will you attend any of these events and webinars, or have news to share about future ones? Let us know!

The post 3D Printing Webinar and Virtual Event Roundup, August 2, 2020 appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

3D Printz to Distribute Bondtech 3D Printing Extruders

UK-based 3D printing specialist 3D Printz continues to expand with partnerships and product offerings, now working with Bondtech, a Swedish company that develops and produces novel dual drive extruders for improved digital fabrication.

Currently, Bondtech extruders and other 3D printing products are being sold in over 50 countries through their network of resellers focused on a wide range of users. 3D Printz will be one of a select few in the US acting as a distributor for Bondtech, well-known for its unique and popular extruder design, featuring two counter-rotating gears for a powerful grip in pushing the filament through from both sides.

Tried and true throughout the 3D printing industry, the Bondtech extruding system is fast, precise, and high-performing. Users benefit too from lack of under-extrusion, headaches with filament, and prevented risk of grinding and slipping.

Bondtech extruder technology (Image: Bondtech)

Delivering some of the greatest benefits of 3D printing, Bondtech extruders allow for better 3D prints, greater efficiency during production, and savings on the bottom line.

Martin Bondéus, Bondtech founder (Image: Bondtech)

Founded in 2014 by Martin Bondéus, Bondtech achieved wide acclaim by 2015 for the V2 Extruder, often purchased by users who wish to upgrade their existing 3D printers. Affordability and the potential for improving performance have attracted thousands of buyers over the years—along with propelling Bondtech into the international spotlight.

3D Printz Limited currently offers numerous quality products, but they continue to reach out for other distribution opportunities from around the globe. This includes working with Antclabs, the South Korean manufacturer of BLTouch—an auto-bed leveling sensor developed for semiconductors. 3D Printz also sells the popular 3D Gloop! adhesive product, meant to be used with 3D printing of filaments like ABS, PLA, and PETG. They distribute products for US company Micro Swiss LLC, offering nozzles, hotends, and other adhesives like Magigoo.

Even more importantly, they are now also distributing one of the best-selling and affordable 3D printers worldwide: the Monoprice. Made in California, these printers have garnered enormous attention due to their $200 pricepoint and ease in use. Filaments made from high-quality raw materials also play a large role in 3D Printz distribution activities, from PLA to PETG, ABS, and other alternative materials.

While some 3D printing industry leaders already offer one-stop shops and turn-key systems—on every level—supply and demand continues to allow resellers unlimited opportunity, with experts on one level complementing others on another. With this latest partnership between 3D Printz and Bondtech, the hope is that they will be able to offer their UK customers innovative, comprehensive systems—a goal 3D Printz has been working even harder to achieve in recent months.

[Source: 3D Printz]

The post 3D Printz to Distribute Bondtech 3D Printing Extruders appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

INTAMSYS: First Distributor of New PAEK 3D Printing Filament from Victrex

The world of 3D printing materials alone is vast, wondrous, and inspiring—and it continues to expand in parallel with the exploration and innovation of users who often refuse to accept limits for their designs. High-performance polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyaryletherketone (PAEK) polymer solutions are materials being used more often for industrial applications too in additive manufacturing, adapted from their initial uses in traditional technology like machining and injection molding.

Now, the UK-headquartered Victrex, a leader in developing and supplying both PEEK and PAEK, has announced the release of VICTREX AM 200 filament. This PAEK filament will be distributed by INTAMSYS, China, as they continue to widen their range of offerings to customers engaged in using 3D design software and AM processes. As a manufacturer of 3D printers centered around using materials like PEEK and PAEK, INTAMSYS will be the first company to play a role in the Victrex filament fusion network.

INTAMSYS is known for working with clients in a variety of applications, to include the following:

Automotive
Aerospace
Oil and gas
Medical sector
Jigs
Fixtures
Education

The new PAEK filament is meant to be versatile and able to hold up in rigorous environments, featuring:

High-wear resistance
High-temperature resistance
Fatigue resistance
Corrosion resistance to fluids and chemicals
Design freedom
Greater efficiency and affordability in production

Although Victrex has been a leader within the materials industry for almost 30 years, we have followed their dynamic process in research, enormous investment into new technology, and ongoing development of stronger PAEK materials. Over time, their goal has been to produce a new line of materials able to stand up to the needs of customers creating parts (not just prototypes) for critical applications where there often is no room for error.

“This new generation of Victrex additive manufacturing PAEK filament represents an important step forward for Victrex and we are excited now to work closely with INTAMSYS,” said Jakob Sigurdsson, Victrex CEO. “Due to excellent cooperation with companies and institutions that pursue innovation in additive manufacturing, such as INTAMSYS, as well as Victrex´s continued research, we have been making sustained progress toward creating truly innovative components based on the design freedom of additive manufacturing, combined with the high performance of PAEK polymers.”

Specifically optimized for AM processes, the PAEK material is meant for high-performance parts. And while previously PEEK material meant for injection molding may have presented challenges with bonding and adhesion, the new filament offers up to 80 percent greater strength and impressive FFF 3D printing adaptability.

“Our test results to date have shown that the VICTREX AM 200 filament has a better interlayer adhesion than other PAEK materials on INTAMSYS´ machines. Compared with unfilled PEEK, it is designed with slower crystallization, lower melt temperature, and a viscosity finetuned to the filament fusion process, such as easier flow in the build chamber after leaving the nozzle. Higher flow in open air (low shear rates) also promotes interlayer bonding and stability during printing,” said Charles Han, Founder and CEO at INTAMSYS.

“All of this contributes to an improved interlaminar adhesion, easier printing (less shrink and warp), and a better suitability for FDM 3D printing, compared to other similar options, based upon the testing we have done at INTAMSYS up to this point.”

Testing has been performed by INTAMSYS engineers on a variety of 3D printers, including the smart dual nozzle FUNMAT PRO 410 3D printer—able to print with PEEK, PEEK-CF, PEKK, PC, PC-ABS and other high-performance materials. See the data from the tests below.

[Source: Victrex/INTAMSYS; Images courtesy of INTAMSYS]

The post INTAMSYS: First Distributor of New PAEK 3D Printing Filament from Victrex appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

3D Printing News Briefs, July 25, 2020: MakerBot, ANSYS, Sintavia, Nexa3D & Henkel

We’re all business in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs! MakerBot has a new distribution partner, and ANSYS is launching a new product. Sintavia has acquired an additional Arcam 3D printer from GE Additive. Finally, Nexa3D and Henkel are introducing a new material for 3D printing medical and athletic devices.

MakerBot Welcomes New Distribution Partner

MakerBot announced that it has expanded its distributor network by entering into an agreement with the Distrinova division of the Unitum Group, which will distribute the MakerBot METHOD 3D print platform throughout Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. This partnership will increase the availability of the entire platform, which offers industrial capabilities and engineering-grade materials, to more customers in the Benelux region who need professional, powerful 3D printing solutions. The METHOD platform consists of the METHOD and METHOD X printers, various accessories like an experimental extruder, METHOD Carbon Fiber editions, and materials like Nylon Carbon Fiber, ABS, ASA, SR-30, and PC-ABS FR, and Distrinova’s network of channel partners will distribute all of them, in addition to MakerBot’s educational 3D printing solutions.

“We are very proud to introduce MakerBot and the METHOD technology into our product portfolio,” said Guy Van der Celen, CEO of Unitum Group BV. ” With the METHOD range we can provide our resellers network not only reliable, state-of-the-art 3D printers, but also the opportunity to offer their customers high value-added solutions for a broad range of new application areas. In addition, the introduction of MakerBot corresponds perfectly with Distrinovas’ strategy to develop strong partnerships with the leading innovative global manufacturers of 3D printers.”

ANSYS Event to Launch Discovery Product

Engineering simulation software company ANSYS released its Discovery Live tool for real-time 3D simulation back in 2017, and will soon be introducing a brand new ANSYS Discovery product, kicking things off with a virtual launch event on July 29th. The company states that the product can help companies improve their product design processes, increase ROI, and provide answers to important design questions earlier, without having to wait for the results of a simulation.

“This reimagining of the Discovery line of products aims to maximize ease of use, speed and accuracy across thermal, structural, fluids and multiphysics simulation all from within a single consistent user interface (UI),” Justin Hendrickson, Senior Director, Design Product Management, wrote in a blog post about the new ANSYS Discovery.

“Traditionally, simulation has been used during later stages of design when making corrections can be costly and time consuming. However, with the new Ansys Discovery, every engineer will be able to leverage simulation early during concept evaluation as well as during design refinement and optimization. This means that they will be able to optimize products and workflows faster and on a tighter budget.”

The launch event will feature a keynote address from Mark Hindsbo, Vice President and General Manager, Design Business Unit, a product demonstration by Hendrickson, two customer success stories, and several interactive breakout sessions, including one focusing on thermal simulation and another exploring the tool’s generative design capabilities. You can register for the event here.

Sintavia Acquires Second Arcam Q20+ 3D Printer

Tier One metal additive manufacturer Sintavia announced that it has acquired a second Arcam Q20+ 3D metal printer from GE Additive, bringing its total number of electron beam printing systems to three and its overall number of industrial metal 3D printers to nineteen. This additional Arcam Q20+ will be installed next month in Sintavia’s Hollywood, Florida production facility, where the other Q20+ is located with an Arcam A2X, a Concept Laser M2, three SLM 280 systems, a Trumpf TruPrint 3000, and nine EOS 3D printers – six M400s and five M290s.

“Over the past several years, we have worked to qualify the Q20+ for aerospace manufacturing and now have several aerostructure product lines that depend on this technology. Electron beam printing is an excellent option for complex titanium aerospace components, and this business line will continue to grow for us. Even in a difficult overall manufacturing environment, the demand we have seen for EB-built components is very encouraging,” stated Sintavia CEO Brian R. Neff.

Nexa3D and Henkel Commercializing New Material Together

Nasal swabs

Together, SLA production 3D printer manufacturer Nexa3D and functional additive materials supplier Henkel are commercializing the polypropylene-like xMED412, a durable, high-impact material that can be used to print biocompatible medical and wearable devices. Henkel is the one manufacturing the medical-grade material, which is based on its own Loctite MED412 and was designed to offer high functionality and consistent part performance—perfect for printing products like athletic and diving mouth gear, respirators, orthotic guides and braces, and personalized audio projects. The lightweight yet sturdy xMED412 material, which can withstand vibration, moisture, and impact, has been tested by Henkel Adhesive Technologies on the NXE400 3D printer, and is now also cleared to print nasal swabs.

“We are thrilled to bring this product to market in collaboration with Nexa3D. We developed and tested with Nexa3D’s NXE400 3D printer a multitude of approved workflows designed to unleash the full potential of xMED412’s outstanding physical properties and biocompatibility,” said Ken Kisner, Henkel’s Head of Innovation for 3D printing. “Nexa3D and Henkel have provided a digital manufacturing solution for a growing number of medical devices, athletic wearables and personalized audio products. Especially with regard to the current Covid-19 pandemic, we are pleased that nasopharyngeal swabs manufactured with xMED412 on the NXE400, in accordance with our published procedures, have already been cleared through clinical trials and are in compliance with ISO 10993 testing and FDA Class I Exempt classification.”

The post 3D Printing News Briefs, July 25, 2020: MakerBot, ANSYS, Sintavia, Nexa3D & Henkel appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

3D Printing News Briefs, July 18, 2020: DOMO & RPD, AMPM2021, Alloyed

In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, DOMO Chemicals and RPD have announced a partnership related to a Sinterline initiative. The 2021 AMPM event is calling for technical papers related to metal additive manufacturing. Finally, Alloyed has won a prestigious award.

DOMO Chemicals and RPD Partnering

DOMO’s Sinterline PA6 powders combined with RPD’s SLS printer, modified and upgraded by LSS, enable OEMs to step up their 3D printed parts performance. (Photo courtesy of RPD)

Polyamide solutions provider DOMO Chemicals and Rapid Product Development GmbH (RPD), a specialist in prototyping and serial production of complex parts and assemblies, have formed a strategic partnership for the purposes of speeding up the growth of plastic materials for selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing. The collaboration will merge the continuing development of DOMO’s Sinterline Technyl PA6 SLS powder materials with a package of support services for SLS technology, benefiting from RPD’s expertise in application development and the SLS process. Sinterline PA6 powders are an oft-used nylon in the industry, especially by demanding markets like automotive.

“Sinterline® has pioneered the use of high-performance PA6 in 3D printing, and allows us to leverage the same polymer base that has proven so successful in many existing injection molding applications. Backed by the joint application development services of our companies, even highly stressed automotive components can now be successfully 3D printed in PA6 to near-series and fully functional quality standards,” stated Wolfgang Kraschitzer, General Manager and Plastics Processing Leader at RPD.

AMPM Conference Seeking Papers and Posters

The Additive Manufacturing with Powder Metallurgy Conference (AMPM2021) will be held in Orlando, Florida from June 20-23, 2021. While this may seem far in the future, the event’s program committee is looking ahead, and has issued a call for technical papers and posters that are focused on new developments in the metal additive manufacturing market. Stuart Jackson, Renishaw, Inc., and Sunder Atre, University of Louisville, the technical program co-chairman, are asking for abstracts that cover any aspect of metal AM, such as sintering, materials, applications, particulate production, post-build operations, and more.

“As the only annual additive manufacturing/3D printing conference focused on metal, the AMPM conferences provide the latest R&D in this thriving technology. The continued growth of the metal AM industry relies on technology transfer of the latest research and development, a pivotal function of AMPM2021,” said James P. Adams, Executive Director and CEO of the Metal Powder Industries Federation.

The submission deadline for abstracts is November 13, 2020, and must be submitted to the co-located PowderMet2021: International Conference on Powder Metallurgy & Particulate Materials.

Alloyed Wins IOP Business Award

Alloys By Design (ABD)

UK company Alloyed, formerly OxMet Technologies, has won a prestigious award from the Institute of Physics (IOP), the learned society and professional body for physics. The IOP is committed to working with business based in physics, and its Business Awards recognize the contributions made by physicists in industry. Alloyed has won the IOP Business Start-up Award, which OxMet submitted for consideration before merging with Betatype to form Alloyed, and recognizes the team’s hard work in developing its digital platform Alloys By Design (ABD). This platform is helping to set new metal material development standards, including the commercialization of Alloyed’s ABD-850AM and ABD-900AM alloys for additive manufacturing.

“Everything we do in every bit of our business rests on the foundations provided by physics, and we’re delighted that the judges believe we have made a contribution to the field,” Alloyed CEO Michael Holmes said about winning the IOP Business award.

The post 3D Printing News Briefs, July 18, 2020: DOMO & RPD, AMPM2021, Alloyed appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Mike Tyson Now Licensed to 3D Print Cannabis Drinks

3D printing, legalization of weed, and the often-outrageous Mike Tyson are a combination certain to gain worldwide attention, and especially for individuals indulging in cannabis for medicinal reasons. While you probably expect that edibles backed by the famous boxer will pack a power punch, his business collaboration with California-headquartered Smart Cups is meant to offer exactly the right dosage for consumers seeking either recreation or medication. Many seek to enjoy the benefits of marijuana, but not so much so that it ends in a trip to the ER—or well, just an unexpected trip.

(Image: Getty Images)

The benefits of cannabis are being expounded on for nearly every malady these days, it seems. If you visit a dispensary in a state where weed is legal, “budtenders” know their stuff and can point you to whatever strain is best for managing symptoms.

Patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and a wide range of serious illnesses may rely on smoking weed or ingesting edibles to relieve many different symptoms, to include nausea, joint pain, muscle spasms, insomnia, and much more. Many individuals prefer edibles, but they are well-known for offering surprising results in regard to potency.

The Smart Cups product was founded on a brilliant concept, 3D printing, and pressing the ingredients for energy drinks into the bottom of a plastic cup, just waiting to be brought to life by water. Even more brilliant is the versatility of the brand, allowing it to translate to medications and marijuana edibles, too. Tyson may have the license to print edibles, but Smart Cups is bringing the formula and technique. The “materials” will have to be supplied by experienced growers manipulating the different strains into cannabidiol (CBD).

“Printed actives and flavors are released when they come in contact with a liquid (i.e. water, soda, or saliva),” explained CEO of Smart Cups Chris Kanik in a recent interview with Forbes.

With the Smart Cups micro-encapsulation printing technology licensed to The Ranch Companies (owned by Tyson, founded with branding expert Rob Hickman), the goal is to eliminate “one of the systematic issues plaguing this industry.”

Leaving the knock-outs up to the former heavyweight champion, ultimately Tyson and Hickman want to offer cannabis products that consumers feel comfortable about eating, rather than worried about what they might be getting themselves into due to unpredictability in weed potency.

“We have partnered with top research universities to collect critical clinical data supporting CBD for medicinal purposes and pain relief. The Smart Cups Technology is a new delivery system which we believe will set new standards in this industry,” said Hickman. He added, “At the moment, the industry is lacking consistency. When an individual consumes 100 mg of aspirin, no matter where they are in the world, they are confident that they are consuming 100mg of aspirin. Smart Cups Technology can provide that same consumer confidence.”

Many states are still far behind the true pioneers in cannabis like Colorado and Washington, but the laws continue to loosen up elsewhere significantly—leading to a billion-dollar industry that just continues to expand. Other celebrities have thrown their hat into the ring also, including Snoop Dog, Tommy Chong, and Whoopie Goldberg.

Big corporate investors are also turning their attention to what is obviously a highly-profitable business opportunity, with 3D printing playing a role in numerous projects so far, from medical marijuana inhalers to child-safety devices, and even unusual recycling concepts.

[Source / Images: Forbes; Maxim]

The post Mike Tyson Now Licensed to 3D Print Cannabis Drinks appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.