Posted on

Sigma Labs to Introduce PrintRite 4.0 at formnext

Sigma Labs is known for its PrintRite3D quality assurance system for additive manufacturing, which combines PrintRite3D SENSORPAK multi-sensors and hardware with PrintRite3D INSPECT, CONTOUR and ANALYTICS software modules.

  • SENSORPAK features multi-sensors and affiliated hardware to collect real time data on additive manufacturing processes
  • INSPECT is software for in-process inspection of metallurgical properties
  • CONTOUR is software for real time monitoring or in-process part geometry
  • ANALYTICS is software for manufacturing intelligence – trend, correlation, exploration

Both CONTOUR and ANALYTICS are still under development.

In a couple of weeks, at formnext 2018, Sigma Labs will be launching the latest edition of the product suite: PrintRite 4.0.

“Our latest PrintRite3D® suite of products presents a significant value proposition to OEMs and manufacturers, as it is designed to increase production yield of 3D metal manufactured parts and to shorten time to market, removing a major hurdle that has been affecting manufacturers,” said John Rice, CEO of Sigma Labs. “We believe our IPQA® technology is transformational and our team looks forward to demonstrating at Formnext how Sigma Labs is bringing the industry from prototype to industrialized manufacturing.”

IPQA technology is Sigma Labs’ system for optimizing melt pool conditions during the additive manufacturing process, using sensor data and establishing in-process quality metrics. It also provides part quality reporting using statistical analysis of process data to validate repeatability.

The upgrades to PrintRite3D come mainly in the form of upgrades to SENSORPAK and INSPECT. SENSORPAK 4.0 hardware eliminates sensors within the build chamber; all sensors are now coaxial to the laser optics, eliminating concerns over gas flow disruptions or space limitations within the build chamber. A new client-server architecture allows multiple machines to be connected to the system as clients, so that one server can run multiple machines. The data acquisition and data processing hardware has been upgraded to provide faster processing of data, and results are now displayed in real time during the build. Finally, the new hardware has a smaller footprint with no floor space requirement.

The new INSPECT 4.0 software has melt pool spectral data evaluation capability. Sigma Labs developed a physics-based methodology for characterizing and analyzing spectral data and optimizing optics hardware and sensors to monitor spectral regions of interest and validate thermal
signatures of interest. New software features also allow the measurement and reporting of melt pool relative temperature as well as Thermal Energy Planck (TEP) in-process quality metric used for thermal signature identification. Customers looking to identify thermal signatures of process anomalies and their coordinate locations will also benefit from the software’s updates.

Sigma Labs will be officially unveiling the new upgrades to PrintRite3D at formnext, which is taking place in Frankfurt, Germany from November 13th to November 16th. If you will be attending, you can stop by and visit Sigma Labs at Booth 3.0-H77.

Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.

 

Posted on

3YOURMIND Demonstrating Updated Version of Additive Manufacturing Part Identifier System at formnext

Last spring, EOS and 3YOURMIND worked together to develop the Additive Manufacturing Part Identifier (AMPI), a system that will scan a company’s existing parts inventory, and then identify which ones are suitable for 3D printing. This helps the company determine which parts could potentially be replaced by 3D printed versions, which in turn increases adoption of the technology. Identifying the components and parts that could be 3D printed is still a big challenge, which is why systems like AMPI are so helpful.

formnext 2018 will begin in just a few weeks in Frankfurt, and Berlin-based 3YOURMIND, which provides software for additive manufacturing workflows, will be there to present a totally revised version of AMPI.

“Working closely with customers, we added two new ways to find AM suitable parts: first, it’s now possible for any employee to suggest items for AM by feeding them directly into AMPI,” said 3YOURMIND’s CEO Stephan Kühr. “Second, by enabling newly arriving print orders to be screened prior to being placed, companies can ensure the items are a definite fit for AM before moving into production. AMPI, alongside our other platforms, enables companies to fully exploit the advantages of additive manufacturing and ensures a significantly more efficient production workflow.”

AMPI makes it possible for organizations to find 3D printing use cases in their existing inventory, which in turn helps save on time and money. The software will automatically check large part databases in order to detect which parts would be good for 3D printing, in addition to determining if it’s better for any given part to switch from traditional to additive manufacturing to fabricate it. AMPI’s analysis, based on metadata of components like material section, production requirements, CAD specs, and quality, utilizes both economic and technical aspects to figure out if a part is right for 3D printing.

One of the latest features in the updated AMPI is Use Case Screening, which allows nearly every employee in a given company, whether they work in production, procurement, or design, to use a clearly structure, digitized process to check specific parts and components for what 3YOURMIND refers to as “their economic and technical AM-feasibility.”

“The value the new Use Case Screening directly affects employee’s workflow,” explained Dominik Lindenberger, AM Part Identifier Product Manager at 3YOURMIND. “Designers, for example, can run new parts through our screening process and check whether they are potential AM parts before they even open a CAD program. They can then create an AM optimized design, avoiding costly redesigning of parts. And this is just one example of how departments can benefit from Use Case Screening. With the new version of the AM Part Identifier, we’ve stripped back the preparatory work and the expertise needed during the whole process of part identification for AM to make it even faster and even to be usable by average employees.”

The revised AMPI platform allows users to directly access the world of 3D printing by performing Use Case Screenings on possible 3D assemblies and parts with the touch of a button. AMPI can transfer relevant 3D models into 3YOURMIND’s other tools to enter an end-to-end AM workflow…making AM adoption automated and seamless.

Moving past AMPI, 3YOURMIND’s complete suite of software tools makes it easy to optimize components, material selection and price calculation, along with facilitating print job placement in the production workflow, automated printability analysis, and comprehensive data analysis for optimizing 3D printing. All of these tools have been integrated into the newest version of the company’s Enterprise platform for industrial 3D printing.

Visitors to formnext, which takes place at the Messe Frankfurt from November 13-16, can see live AMPI demonstrations at 3YOURMIND’s booth G70 in Hall 3.1

Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the comments below. 

Posted on

Dassault Systèmes launches SOLIDWORKS 2019 for enhanced 3D design and engineering

Today 3D Printing Industry attended the launch of Dassault Systèmes’ SOLIDWORKS 2019, the 27th edition of its portfolio of 3D design and engineering software. Within the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, SOLIDWORKS 2019 has been integrated with new capabilities, such as SOLIDWORKS Extended Reality (XR), eDrawings 2019 and Large Design Mode, to better support the design to manufacturing […]
Posted on

3D Printing News Briefs: October 20, 2018

We’re starting with some information about a couple of upcoming shows in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, followed by some business and aerospace news. Sinterit is bringing its newly launched material to formnext, while Materialise has announced what products it will be presenting. Registration is now open for AMUG’s 2019 Education and Training Conference. Moving on, Sciaky sold its EBAM and EB Welding System to an aerospace parts manufacturer, while final assembly has been planned for the Airbus Racer, which features a 3D printed conformal heat exchanger. The Idaho Virtualization Lab is a leader when it comes to 3D printing dinosaurs, and the recently released movie First Man used 3D printed models during filming.

Sinterit Launches New PA11 Powder

Military glass case 3D printed with PA11 Onyx

Desktop SLS 3D printing company Sinterit has launched a new material – PA11 Onyx – which it will be bringing to formnext next month, along with its Lisa and Lisa 2 Pro 3D printers. According to Sinterit, this is first powder that’s ready for use in desktop SLS 3D printers, and it delivers excellent thermal, chemical, and abrasive resistance, along with better flexibility and impact resistance. PA11 Onyx is a high performance, lightweight, polyamide-11 bioplastic produced from plant-based renewable resources. In addition, the material also has high elongation at break, which means that durable finished products, like a military glass case and custom casings, can be opened and closed thousands of times without getting damaged.

“Our clients use a lot of electronic devices, like Raspberry Pi, that need a proper, individually made housing that can endure in unfriendly conditions. They are looking for durable materials but also require some elasticity and high-temperature resistance,” said Sinterit Co-Founder Konrad Glowacki. “PA11 Onyx delivers that.”

Come visit Sinterit at booth G41 in Hall 3.1 at formnext, November 13-16, to see its 3D printers and newly launched powders, which also include Flexa Black and Flexa Grey TPU materials.

Materialise Announces formnext Product Introductions

Materialise Magics 23

Speaking of formnext, 3D printing leader Materialise will also be attending the event in Frankfurt, and has just revealed what new product introductions it will be displaying at its booth C48 in Hall 3. Some of the highlights include new plastic and metal materials, like Inconel, Polypropylene, and Taurus, automotive applications, and the Materialise Magics 3D Print Suite; this last includes a new Simulation Module, the E-Stage for Metal 1.1 automatic support structure generation upgrade, and Magics 23, the latest software release.

Additionally, there will also be presentations from Materialise partners and the company’s own experts, like Lieve Boeykens, the Market Innovation Manager for Materialise Software. Boeykens will be presenting on the TCT Stage about “Reducing Costs and Speeding Up the Validation of AM Parts” on November 15 at 4 pm. Visit the Materialise formnext site for updates.

AMUG Conference Registration Open

The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) just announced that online registration is now open for its 2019 Education & Training Conference, which is now in its 31st year and will be held in Chicago from March 31-April 4. The conference is open to owners and operators of industrial 3D printing technologies for professional purposes, and welcomes designers, educators, engineers, plant managers, supervisors, technicians, and more to share application developments, best practices, and challenges in 3D printing. The program has been adjusted to include more hands-on experiences and training, and will include workshops, technical sessions, and even a new Training Lab. There will also be networking receptions, catered meals, the two-night AMUGexpo, a Technical Competition, and the fifth annual Innovators Showcase, featuring special guest Professor Gideon Levy, consultant for Technology Turn Around.

“As the AM community evolves, so will AMUG,” said Paul Bates, the President of AMUG. “We are excited to present the new program with the goal of continuing to act on our mission of educating and advancing the uses and applications of additive manufacturing technologies.”

Sciaky Sells EBAM and EB Welding System to Asian Aerospace Parts Manufacturer

VX-110 EBAM System

Metal 3D printing solutions provider Sciaky, Inc. has announced that an unnamed but prominent aerospace parts manufacturer in Southeast Asia has purchased its dual-purpose hybrid Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) and EB Welding System. The machine will be customized with special controls that allow it to quickly and easily switch from 3D printing to welding. The system will be used by the manufacturer, remaining anonymous for competitive purposes, to 3D print metal structures and weld dissimilar materials and refractory alloys for said structures, as well as for other aerospace parts. Delivery is scheduled for the second quarter of 2019.

“Sciaky is excited to work with this innovative company. This strategic vision will allow this manufacturer to reduce operating costs by combining two industry-leading technologies into a single turnkey solution,” said Scott Phillips, President and CEO of Sciaky, Inc. “No other metal 3D printing supplier can offer this kind of game-changing capability.”

Airbus Plans Final Assembly for Racer

Scale model of the Airbus Racer on display at Helitech International 2018. The manufacturer is aiming for a first flight of the demonstrator in 2020. [Image: Thierry Dubois]

Together with partners of its Racer demonstration program, Airbus Helicopters explained that it definitely expects to meet performance targets, and complete the first flight of the compound helicopter on time in 2020. The 7-8 metric ton aircraft, in addition to a targeted cruise speed of 220 knots and 25% lower costs per nautical mile compared to conventional helicopters, will also feature several advanced components, including a three-meter long lateral drive shaft. Avio Aero was called in to 3D print a round, conformal heat exchanger for each later gear box, which will help achieve reduced drag.

The preliminary design review was passed last July, with final assembly targeted to begin in the fourth quarter of 2019. The flight-test program will likely be 200 flight hours, with the second part focusing on demonstrating that the Racer will be able to handle missions like search-and-rescue and emergency medical services. The program itself is part of the EU’s Clean Sky 2 joint technology initiative to help advance aviation’s environmental performance.

Idaho Virtualization Lab is 3D Printed Dinosaur Leader

The Idaho Virtualization Laboratory (IVL), a research unit housed in the Idaho Museum of Natural History on the Idaho State University campus, has long been a leader in using 3D printing to digitize and replicate fossils and skeletons. Museum director Leif Tapanila said that IVL’s 3D printing program has been ongoing for the last 15 years, and while other labs in the country are more driven by research, the IVL is operated a little more uniquely – it’s possibly the only program in the US that goes to such great extent to 3D print fossils.

Jesse Pruitt, lab manager of the Idaho Virtualization Lab, said, “Everybody does a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but no one really does [everything we offer].

“We do our own internal research, we digitize our collections and we also do other people’s research as well.

“It’s not something you see at a smaller university. For this to exist at the level that it exists here is pretty remarkable in my mind.”

The IVL is also one of the only programs to have a large online database of the 3D models it creates, and works to spread knowledge about its 3D printing processes to students and researchers.

3D Printed Models for First Man Movie

Lunar module miniature [Image: Universal Pictures]

While many movies swear by CGI to create special effects, there are some directors and production crews who still prefer to use old school miniatures and models. But old school meets new when 3D printing is used to make these models for practical effects. Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle used some 3D printed miniature model rockets for his new movie First Man, which was just released a week ago and is all about Neil Armstrong and his legendary first walk on the moon. The movie’s miniature effects supervisor Ian Hunter, who won an Oscar for Visual Effects for Interstellar, was in charge of creating and filming the models, which included a one-thirtieth scale miniature for the giant Saturn V rocket and one-sixth scale miniatures of the Command/Service Module and Lunar Excursion Module.

“We had banks of 3D printers running day and night, running off pieces. We also used a lot of laser-cut pieces,” Hunter said about the Saturn V rocket miniature. “The tube-like shape of the rocket came from PVC piping, with the gantry made of acrylic tubing, along with many 3D printed and laser cut parts.”

The 3D printed model of the Saturn V rocket even made it into one of the trailers for the film, and the film itself.

Discuss these stories and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

Posted on

Altair acquires SIMSOLID for additively manufactured lattice simulation

Altair, a 3D design and simulation software developer based in Michigan, has acquired SIMSOLID, a CAD software company developing simulation technology for designers, engineers, and simulation analysts. “We believe SIMSOLID is a revolutionary technological breakthrough which will have a profound impact for product design. It’s incredibly fast, accurate, and robust and we believe a game […]
Posted on

Renishaw Partnering with Altair to Bring Metal 3D Printing to Industrial End Users

UK-based Renishaw, one of the world’s top metrology and spectroscopy companies, is also well-known for its advanced metal 3D printers. The company works to make the technology more mainstream, and is now partnering up with enterprise engineering software provider Altair for a new series of projects with the end goal of bringing metal 3D printing to industrial end users for the purposes of serial production.

“Working closely with Renishaw benefits the development and application of our software to optimize designs for functionality as well as for printability, accuracy and suitability for its designated purpose,” said David Coates, Altair’s Senior Program Manager. “This collaboration helps ensure AM part development, print cycles and scrap rates are minimized for our customers.”

This isn’t the first time that Altair, headquartered in Michigan and serving 5,000 customers across broad industry segments, has collaborated with Renishaw over the years. The two companies – one focused on hardware and the other on software – have partnered up on several various projects, including a pivoting bell crank for a race car’s suspension system, a spider bracket for architectural glass panels, and a unique, customizable bicycle frame.

Now, Renishaw is able to leverage all of the software products that Altair has to offer, including its HyperWorks suite with Altair OptiStruct and Altair Inspire.

“Altair is a world leader in simulation-driven design. Research combining their software with our latest systems will give them practical insights that will lead to innovative improvements in their products,” said Stephen Anderson, the AM Business Development Manager of Renishaw Inc.

Altair applies simulation, optimization, and machine learning throughout a product’s lifecycle to transform design and decision-making processes. Using its broad portfolio of patented simulation software allows companies, like Renishaw, to confidently generate reliable, high quality designs that can achieve correct 3D printed parts the first time.

On the flip side, Altair is now using Renishaw’s wide range of metal 3D printers to manufacture products based off their customers’ specific concepts.

“With Renishaw’s help, we are learning about how to best generate and simulate products for multiple laser systems and are actively thinking about laser assignment strategies within our simulation models,” said Coates.

The two companies are now offering joint workshops, training events, and seminars to their customers. These collaborative events demonstrate nearly the entirety of the metal 3D printing process – all the way from powder to finished build – with special emphasis on both machine productivity and throughput.

Customers attending these joint events can also engage in 3D design projects with Altair, in order to develop designs that are well-suited for printability on Renishaw’s metal 3D printer range. In addition, any customers that want to design and test the manufacturing of their metal 3D printed parts at one of Renishaw’s Solutions Centers can instead use Altair’s expertise and software.

Anderson explained, “Together with Altair, we are collaborating on customer-focused productivity projects, particularly in the automotive sector, which will lead to significant improvement in part volumes and lower costs per part.”

What do you think? Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below. 

Posted on

B9Creations launches material development toolkit for high-quality resin 3D prints

B9Creations, the South Dakota-based manufacturer of the B9 Core Series of DLP 3D Printers, has launched B9Captivate. The new tool is a software suite designed to optimize custom material settings for 3D printed models. “Our customers are transforming industries, changing the future of medicine and the nature of manufacturing, pioneering discoveries and delivering products unlike […]
Posted on

Frustum launches GENERATE, manufacturing-ready generative design platform

The 2018 3D Printing Industry Awards nominated software startup Frustum Inc. has launched its GENERATE design platform for Windows operating systems. Powered by the company’s patented generative design engine, TrueSOLIDⓇ, GENERATE is an intuitive program for creating topology-optimized components for additive manufacturing, milling and casting. Jesse Coors-Blankenship, CEO of Frustum Inc., comments, “We developed GENERATE on a multi-threaded architecture […]
Posted on

Materialise Introduces New Simulation Module for Metal 3D Printing at TCT

The TCT Show in Birmingham, England draws to a close today, but it’s been a packed few days with lots of new product announcements and presentations. One of those announcements came from Materialise, which introduced its new simulation software for metal 3D printing. Simulation software allows manufacturers to run through a build before running it for real, identifying trouble spots and reducing the risk of a failed print. On average, 15 percent of metal 3D prints fail, which can get extremely costly. Simulation creates a virtual prototype so that the first print can be the final print.

Simulation often requires expert engineers who work closely with manufacturers and designers, but Materialise’s simulation software requires no expert knowledge. It’s easy to use and accessible to anyone. Rather than needing engineers to give input about things like optimal part orientation and support structure design, the software offers that input, and users can apply the results directly to the support generation and orientation tools in a Materialise Magics environment, with which the simulation software works closely – it’s available, in fact, as a Magics module.

The software can be used on a standard workstation without the need for high-end processing power, and can be used in combination with other computer-aided engineering (CAE) solutions for highly certified metal production. The module also includes an integrated calibration feature which guides users to the correct simulation settings for their metal 3D printer.

“As more companies adopt 3D Printing as an alternative manufacturing technology, service bureaus are operating in a more cost-competitive environment than ever. As a result, they are looking for ways to scale their operations, increase productivity and reduce overall costs,” said Stefaan Motte, Vice President and General Manager of the Materialise software division. “Software, and especially simulation software, will help drive down the primary cost. Our software suite will enable greater access to simulation capabilities and help increase productivity and efficiency.”

The Materialise 3D printing simulation module is based on an OEM version of the Simufact Additive Solver, a powerful, scalable software tool for the simulation of metal 3D printing processes. The module combines the simulation expertise of Simufact with the familiar environment of Materialise’s data and build preparation software. The software is available immediately; Materialise also plans to release its Magics 23 software by the end of this year.

For companies that produce a large number of metal 3D printed parts, such as service bureaus, simulation is an invaluable tool. Any mistakes can be made in a safe environment, costing no money and wasting no time – and in metal 3D printing, errors are likely to happen, so simulation provides a way for those errors to be seen and addressed before the 3D printer is ever fired up. Simulation can be intimidating and complex, however, with multiple factors to address, which is why the expertise of experienced engineers is often required. Materialise’s new software takes away the intimidation factor and allows anyone to take advantage of the benefits of simulation, saving time, money and immense amounts of frustration.

Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below. 

 

Posted on

3D Printing News Briefs: September 27, 2018

We’re starting with some news from the ongoing TCT Show in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then moving on to webcasts and YouTube videos, finishing with an update on the upcoming Viaggio a Shamballa event by WASP. At the TCT Show, AMFG has unveiled its new Supplier Integration Network. An applications engineer from Fisher Unitech conducted a webcast about using Lean Six Sigma Manufacturing to optimize additive manufacturing, a Technical University of Denmark professor talked about the possibilities of topology optimization for 3D printing, and a Boeing engineer discussed 3D printing in the aeronautics industry. Finally,  we’re getting ever closer to the date that WASP will publicly present its Crane construction 3D printer, and the village it’s building, in Massa Lombarda, Italy.

AMFG Introducing Supplier Integration Network at TCT Show

At the TCT Show, which continues in Birmingham through this Thursday, AM automation software provider AMFG is unveiling the newest feature in its software platform: the Supplier Integration Network, which lets manufacturers coordinate their AM supply chain network and automate production. With the Supplier Integration Network, manufacturers can outsource production or post-processing to their suppliers, and suppliers and service bureaus can use it to give OEMs easier access to their services. The company believes that this latest feature will make its portfolio more attractive to manufacturers looking to invest in 3D printing.

“Manufacturers are looking to scale their additive production effectively and we’re committed to giving them the software infrastructure to do so. Facilitating greater connectivity between all players along the supply chain, through automation, is a large part of this,” said Keyvan Karimi, CEO of AMFG. “Our vision with the Supplier Integration Network is also to help companies achieve truly distributed manufacturing by providing a greater level of connectivity along the supply chain through our platform. Of course, the Supplier Integration Network feature is designed to be used in conjunction with our other AM solutions, from project management to production planning and more.”

To see this new automation platform for yourself, visit AMFG at Stand J42 at the TCT Show.

Fisher Unitech Webcast: Optimizing Additive with Lean Six Sigma Manufacturing

3D printer and 3D product development software provider Fisher Unitech, a distributor of MakerBot and Nano Dimension 3D printers, is on a mission to advance manufacturing in America by supporting, delivering, and training customers on the best software and manufacturing solutions. Recently, Gerald Matarazzo, a 3D Printing Application Engineer with the company, as well as a Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, recorded a webcast all about using the Lean Six Sigma methodology to optimize additive manufacturing. During the webcast, Matarazzo introduces viewers to some Lean Six Sigma best practices, tips, tools, and tricks to help 3D printing companies stop getting hung up on costly delays.

“I want to be very clear – this presentation is meant for managers, not analysts,” Matarazzo explains in the webcast. “What that basically means is, once again, we’re going to be going over management tools, optimization, and tips and tricks on how to better manage a team or better manage a fleet of machines.”

Watch the 30-minute webcast below to learn more:

Topology Optimization Possibilities for 3D Printing

In a new YouTube video posted by Simuleon, a reseller of Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA products, you can see an interview with Ole Sigmund, a professor at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the keynote speaker at Dassault’s Additive Manufacturing Symposium, which opened this year’s popular Science in the Age of Experience event. Sigmund is one of the inventors of topology optimization, a mathematical approach that optimizes material layout within a given design space. It allows designers to take advantage of the geometrical freedoms possible through 3D printing. In the video, Sigmund discusses the possibilities of topology optimization, and infill technologies, for additive manufacturing.

“So essentially additive manufacturing offers ultimate freedom for manufacturing but they don’t know how to come up with these optimal parts. And on the other hand, topology optimization uses this ultimate freedom to come up with parts that are optimized for specific load cases and extreme situations. And so topology optimization provides the designs to additive manufacturing and additive manufacturing makes it possible to realize the designs coming from topology optimization, so that is an ideal marriage.”

3D Printing in the Aeronautics Industry

At this summer’s EAA Oshkosh AirVenture aviation event in Wisconsin, Boeing structures researcher Bernardo Malfitano delivered an hour-long talk about the use of 3D printing in the aeronautics industry. Understanding Airplanes recently published the YouTube video of the talk, along with the presentation slides. The Boeing researcher’s talk discussed the history of aviation companies using common 3D printing methods like SLA and FFF, how the the technology is currently used in the aerospace industry, and the ongoing research that will introduce even more applications in the future, such as surface smoothing and fatigue testing. The presentation also shows dozens of 3D printed parts that are currently in use on aircraft by companies and organizations like Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, and NASA.

“I should probably specify that this isn’t really 3D printing for home builders, because I’m mostly gonna talk about more advanced technologies and more expensive 3D printers,” Malfitano said at the beginning of his talk. “I’m gonna talk about 3D printers that can print metal parts that cost millions of dollars.”

You can watch the whole presentation in the video below:

Viaggio a Shamballa Event by WASP Coming Soon

The versatile Italian company WASP, or the World’s Advanced Saving Project, has spent the last two years developing a new large-scale construction 3D printer called the Crane, a modular system consisting of multiple print bodies that’s evolved from the BigDelta 12M. In less than two weeks, WASP will be presenting the Crane to the public in Massa Lombarda, which is where the village of Shamballa is being 3D printed. On October 6th and 7th, a program will be held surrounding the introduction of the WASP Crane 3D printer and the Gaia Module 3D printed earth house. The conference “A call to save the world” will open the event, focusing on future 3D printing construction developments and proposing themes for reflection on both design strategy and the technology’s potential in architecture.

“Knowledge applied to common good. If we use digital manufacturing techniques to respond to the basic human needs, we start up a real hope and this will be the guiding thread of “A call to save the world”. A home is undoubtedly a primary need and WASP’s mission has always been to develop processes and tools to allow men, wherever they are, to build 3D printed houses with material found on site and at a cost that tends to zero,” WASP wrote in a press release.

“The WASP call is addressed to all those who want to collaborate and spread the new construction techniques, with the final aim to create a better world. Representatives of international organizations involved in architectural research, such as IaaC (Institute Advanced Architecture Catalunya, ES), XtreeE (FR), D-Shape (IT), Emerging Objects (USA), will take part in the meeting.”

Check out the complete program here.

Discuss these stories and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.