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3D Printing News Briefs May 31, 2020: M. Holland, Nexa3D, Formlabs

We’re sharing materials and business news with you in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. First up, M. Holland is distributing Braskem polypropylene filament, and Nexa3D has launched a new high-performance polymer material, in addition to partnering with 3DZ. Finally, Formlabs is expanding its APAC management teams.

M. Holland Distributing Braskem’s Polypropylene

Thermoplastic resins distributor M. Holland Company is partnering with Braskem to exclusively distribute the petrochemical company’s new high-performance 3D printing polypropylene (PP) filament, enhancing its own material offerings in order to better support clients with applications development and prototype creation. Polypropylene typically has high failure rates with 3D printing, so M. Holland’s AM engineers tested out Braskem’s PP material first, and found that it generates clean surfaces, great layer adhesion, and better surface performance in support material. It features a proprietary formula, which allows users to achieve low warpage, consistent extrusion, and high stability, in addition to less stringing and more repeatable outcomes.

“The 3D printing market has seen increased adoption of additive manufacturing technologies and applications due to machinery commoditization and expanded material offerings. Our partnership to distribute Braskem’s 3D printing polypropylene products will enable injection molders to finally use genuinely 3D printable and easy-to-use polypropylene, opening up a world of applications,” said Haleyanne Freedman, Market Manager, 3D Printing at M. Holland.

Nexa3D Launches High-Performance xCE-Black Polymer

Belt pulleys 3D printed on NXE400 with xCE-Black

This week, stereolithography 3D printer manufacturer Nexa3D launched its new high-performance polymer material, xCE-Black, which is meant for high-speed printing of injection molding tools, heavy duty parts, and end-use plastic components, such as belt pulleys. Extensive testing by the company found that the single cure polymer exhibits long-term environmental stability and great isotropic properties, which makes it perfect for electronics, industrial, and automotive applications. xCE-BLack also has excellent thermal stability and higher flexural strength.

Brent Zollinger, Customer Success Lead at Nexa3D, stated, “When I needed to produce thousands of belt pulleys in our flexible factory overnight, I selected our new xCE-Black material for the job because of its high flexural strength and long-term stability. Within the first 2.5 hours into the project, I was able to print 2,000 pulleys in a single build or 13 parts every minute. That’s really fast and extremely practical for serial production of industrial parts.”

Nexa3D Announces Reseller Partnership with 3DZ

More news today from Nexa3D, as the company is entering the southern European 3D printing market thanks to a new reseller partnership with 3DZ Group, the largest AM value-added reseller in that region and an authorized dealer of 3D printers and scanners for some of the industry’s biggest names, including Artec 3D, Formlabs, HP, Markforged, Materialise, and 3D Systems. 3DZ has offered AM services and consultancy to the industry for several years, and will be able to help grow Nexa3D’s global reseller network so the company can increase the distribution of its flagship NXE400 3D printer.

“It is full speed ahead for us at Nexa3D as we continue to expand our global reseller network, and we’re honored to partner with a company with the vision, reach and proven performance of 3DZ. Manufacturers are adapting processes to become much more agile in their design and resilient in their supply chain in the face of changing circumstances. We believe that our products are at the heart of enabling customers to make that adjustment by converting current 3D printing speeds from dialup internet to broadband-like productivity,” said Avi Reichental, the Executive Chairman and CEO of Nexa3D. “We’re very excited to build together with 3DZ the future of design agility and supply chain resiliency for the benefit of our mutual customers.”

Formlabs Expanding APAC Management Teams

L-R: Jiadong Sun, Yoshinori Hasebe

This week, Formlabs announced that it is expanding its management team for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region by appointing two new hires, in order to continue growing its global operations and scale its growth in these markets. Jiadong Sun, with broad experience leading global sales and marketing at top tech companies across several industries, will be joining the team as the China General Manager, while Yoshinori Hasebe, who brings over 20 years of management experience at multinational companies to the table, will serve as the Japan General Manager. Together, they will help guide the company’s business strategy in these new markets, so that Formlabs users in the APAC region can continue to localize manufacturing and reduce costs and lead times with 3D printing and rapid iteration.

“As Formlabs continues to expand our global operations, Jiadong and Yoshinori will provide strategic guidance as we expand and scale in the important APAC region. These appointments will enable Formlabs to remain at the forefront of 3D printing as needs for additive manufacturing in major industries, including healthcare, continue to grow,” said Luke Winston, Chief Business Officer of Formlabs.

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3D Printing News Briefs: December 15, 2019

In this edition of 3D Printing News Briefs, it’s business, business, business, and then an upcoming event, 3D Alliances signed a collaboration agreement with Xact Metal. Sigma Labs has appointed a new Executive Chairman to its board of directors. Finally, mark your calendars – NAMIC Summit 2020 is coming to Singapore in May.

3D Alliances Teams Up with Xact Metal, Welcomes Team Member

Israeli consulting company 3D Alliances has announced a new collaboration agreement with Pennsylvania startup Xact Metal, which develops metal powder bed fusion systems. 3D Alliances will be supporting Xact Metal as it works to deploy channels and find new sales partners in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.

“No doubt, metal 3D printing solutions are on the rise as professional and industrial users are looking for new solutions that will help them integrate metal technologies in their research and development, prototyping and short run manufacturing processes. Xact Metal answers these exact needs offering professional systems in a very attractive entry point,” stated Gil Lavi, the Founder and CEO of 3D Alliances. “Once the price barrier is no longer a big issue, the acceleration in the adoption of metal systems is inevitable. We look forward working with Xact Metal team bringing it’s great products to the Asia Pacific market.”

But that’s not the only news 3D Alliances is sharing – Scott Hill, a veteran in the 3D printing industry, is joining the company as a senior consultant for North America. This completes its global coverage, as 3D Alliances also has teams in APAC and the DACH region of Europe.

Sigma Labs Names Mark K. Ruport New Executive Chairman

Speaking of new additions, 3D printing quality assurance software developer Sigma Labs has appointed Mark K. Ruport as its executive chairman, and a member of its board of directors. Ruport is an accomplished software executive, with over three decades of experience in both public and private companies, and will work with fellow board member, and the company’s CEO, John Rice to help drive the formation of strategic relationships and sales strategies, increase shareholder value, and speed up growth.

Ruport said, “The ability to have an immediate, tangible impact on Sigma Labs with the apparent adoption of its incredible technology in the marketplace is a unique and exciting opportunity. My focus will be on accelerating our commercial adoption with strategic partners and amplifying the recent success John and his team have achieved. This blueprint is something I am very familiar with given my experience with disruptive companies in the software sector and I look forward to working with the entire team at Sigma Labs to drive forward its strategic initiatives.”

As an inducement award outside of its 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, Sigma Labs granted Ruport non-qualified stock options, in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

Save the Date for NAMIC Summit 2020

NAMIC (National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster) is hosting its AM Summit 2020 at the Marina Bay Sands EXPO and Convention Centre in Singapore, May 11-15. In addition to a full conference, featuring more than 1,000 local and international delegates and industry leaders, the summit will also include workshops and certification courses, an industry showcase, behind-the-scenes tours at several industry facilities, and the NAMIC Start-up Innovation Forum, held at SGInnovate on the last day of the summit.

“Presenting a variety of activities and programmes with the NAMIC Conference anchoring the summit, this will be a unique experience for global 3D printing experts, adopters, innovators and professionals to interact for knowledge sharing and discussions on the latest 3D printing innovations, designs and process development as well as wide-spread industrial adoption,” the NAMIC AM Summit 2020 states on its website.

You can register your interest in attending the latest summit by NAMIC here.

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Bralco and GE Additive Sign MoU for Increased Development of 3D Printed Magnetic Components in APAC Region

Singapore-based metal Bralco Advanced Materials, a research, product development, and commercialization company specializing in metal 3D printing, just announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GE Additive in order to speed up the development and manufacturing processes for 3D printed magnets and electromagnetic components in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.

Bralco often collaborates with academic research institution Nanyang Technological University of Singapore (NTU). The company works to leverage the power of 3D printing to provide quicker, less expensive solutions for developing, prototyping, and customized mass manufacturing complex electromagnetic components for customers in the aerospace, energy, e-mobility, industrial automation/rotating devices, and robotics fields.

“Bralco is honored to be working with GE Additive in this very exciting space of digital industry 4.0. This collaboration is a major milestone for us, coming at a time when the demand for soft and hard magnets is growing rapidly due to their use in every aspect of modern life be it health care, mobility, personal communication devices, renewable energy or robotics,” said Amit Nanavati, the founder and CEO of Bralco Advanced Materials.

“Moreover, the adoption of additive manufacturing technology will save millions of dollars in material cost due to the additive nature of this technology compared to the traditional manufacturing processes.”

L-R: Dr. Ho Chaw Sing, Managing Director, National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster, H.E.; Mr. Javed Ashraf, High Commissioner of India; Mr. Amit Nanavati, Founder & CEO of Bralco Advanced Materials Pte. Ltd.; Mr. Tan Czek Haan, General Manager, GE Additive; Mr. Wouter Van Wersch, President & CEO, GE ASEAN & NZ; Mr. Francis Chan, Trade Commissioner of Canada [Image: Bralco]

We often see 3D printed magnetic components used for applications in the aerospace, automotive, energy industrial automation, medical, and robotics fields.

Combining its own expertise in magnetic materials with GE Additive’s 3D printing and powder manufacturing technology know-how, Bralco will be able to increase the speed of development for both hard and soft magnets and components with complex shapes, high mechanical strength, differentiated magnetic fields, high frequencies and torque conditions, and able to operate at elevated temperatures. These kinds of magnetic components for perfect for demanding applications, like electric vehicles’ traction motors.

“We are very excited to set up our first R&D Lab and Product Innovation Centre in Singapore, fully equipped with GE Additive machine and a state-of-the-art powder and built parts testing and characterisation lab,” Nanavati continued.

“We hope these steps will add to the growing importance of Singapore as a global center for the additive manufacturing industry and as one of the most attractive locations to set up a high tech R&D facility – an achievement largely due to the vision of the Singapore government in early adoption of Industry 4.0 and Additive Manufacturing and the untiring efforts of its nodal agencies National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC), Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and Enterprise Development Board (EDB).

The signed MoU will give Bralco access to GE Additive’s AP&C (Advanced Powders & Coatings) materials division, as well as its engineering consultancy team Addworks – enabling the company to decrease both the product development and commercialization cycles. Additionally, the MoU looks at the future potential of appointing Bralco an APAC service provider for 3D printing parts and components, based on its own magnetic material compositions, with GE Additive machines and powder materials.

“We, at Bralco, are very excited to be right at the front of this leap into the digital future,” Nanavati concluded. “We look forward to exploring ground breaking discoveries through our work with GE Additive in this next chapter of our journey.”

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3D Printing News Briefs: May 19, 2019

We’ve got business news and materials news for your weekend, just ahead of next week’s massive RAPID + TCT show. 3D Hubs and AM Ventures are both opening new offices, but in vastly different countries. BASF 3D Printing Solutions is launching a new TPU material for use with HP’s latest 3D printer series, and Freeman Technology will be hosting a seminar about AM powders next month.

3D Hubs Opening US Headquarters in Chicago

Prototyping machine shop at mHUB

Two months ago, automated manufacturing platform 3D Hubs announced that it had received $18 million in Series C funding, some of which was earmarked for opening a dedicated US office to best serve the over 10,000 clients it serves here. Now, the company has announced that its new North American headquarters will be located in Chicago, Illinois, with the added bonus of an endorsement from the city’s Mayor Rahm Emanuel. This decision allows 3D Hubs to centralize its US workforce, and it plans to double the team at headquarters by the end of 2019. The offices will be located at the mHUB technology innovation center in the city’s West Town neighborhood, and are scheduled to open next month.

“3D Hubs joins the long list of international companies choosing Chicago for their future. With our growing tech economy and strong digital manufacturing community, Chicago is the perfect home for this innovative company,” said Mayor Emanuel. “I look forward to seeing 3D Hubs success in Chicago in the years to come.”

AM Ventures Opens Office in Korea

Germany-based AM Ventures Holding GmbH (AMV) is a top independent strategic investor in the AM industry, and over the last four years has been busily setting up an ecosystem of sustainable strategic investments, in addition to a partner network for using advanced manufacturing technologies in serial production. Now in an effort to further grow its technology venturing activities, it is expanding to the Asia Pacific region with a new office in Busan, Korea.

AMV’s Chief Venturing Officer Arno Held said, “AMV is pleased to announce the opening of its new office in Korea serving the Asia-Pacific region, a market which is already demonstrating active AM adoption for serial production and a large growth potential. AMV commits to this dynamic region and the investment opportunities available there.”

Having already moved to its new Korean home , AMV’s liaison office AM Ventures Asia has appointed Simon (Sangmin) Lee, a previous sales manager at the Korea office of EOS GmbH, as the Regional Director of Asia.

BASF 3D Printing Solutions Launches Ultrasint TPU Powder

Rüdiger Theobald, the Senior Manager for Sales & Marketing in Powder Bed Fusion at BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH, discusses the company’s new Ultrasint TPU powder in a recent YouTube video. The highly flexible yet accurate material, which is perfect for automotive applications and coating and simulation solutions, was launched specifically for HP’s new Jet Fusion 5200 series.

“Two great brands, two great companies merge together, both with innovative technologies on hand and a great new ecosystem to support the industry with a very innovative material,” Theobald said in the video.

“We have found out a good way to operate with different wall thicknesses, that makes it very reasonably usable for any kind of pressurized applications in regards of liquids or gas.”

Freeman Technology to Host Seminar on AM Powders

Next month, powder flow specialist Freeman Technology will be hosting a free seminar in the UK entitled “Understanding Powders for Additive Manufacturing.” The one-day event, which will take place on June 11th at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, will introduce attendees to the principles of powder rheology, and explain how associated methodologies can also be applied in order to gain a better understanding of how to optimize powder for AM applications.

During the seminar, there will be a presentation from Freeman Technology’s Operations Director Jamie Clayton about understanding and measuring powder flow and behavior. Industry experts, such as Ricoh Material Specialist Enrico Gallino and Product Manager Cathryn Langley with Malvern Panalytical, will present about some of the major challenges when it comes to powder handling, including how to quantify the size and shape of metal powders for AM. Delegates will also have the chance to see a demonstration of the company’s FT4 Powder Rheometer. You can register for the seminar here.

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3D Printing News Briefs: April 3, 2019

To kick off this week’s first edition of 3D Printing News Briefs, we’ve got a fun project to share with you, before moving on to events, business, education, and software. Materials Australia is hosting a 3D printing conference in Melbourne this summer, while formnext + PM South China will debut in September of 2020 and the original formnext is continuing to grow at record speed. Evolve Additive Solutions will expand its Rochester facility, and Mauritius is unveiling its second 3D printing center. The founders of rigid.ink launched a new online AM course, and Magnitude Innovations has released a new metal 3D printing software application.

Cool 2D-3D Project on imgur

TheSparklyGhost, a user on the popular online image sharing community of imgur, recently posted a brief video of a really neat project titled “2D project on a 3D printed object.” I’m going to do my best to explain this, but it’s better if you watch the short video posted on Imgur, which has been viewed over 81,800 times in the last seven days. TheSparklyGhost 3D printed a long white object, which at first glance looks kind of like a curved wall but is actually an extended cutout shape of a person with legs akimbo. Then, the print is moved back and forth over a thin projection line, which makes it look like a 2D person walking.

The video has received a wide variety of comments in the last week. Some users just expressed their awe, while one asked if the STL for the print was available and some offered suggestions like “make a 3D projection on a 4D printed object” and “Now make it moon walk.” However, not everyone was impressed, with one user asking if the cost was worth it and another saying, “k this is sorta cool and all but what will this do for you?” Anyone have a response to that?


Materials Australia Hosting 3D Printing Conference 

This summer, Materials Australia, the peak representative body of the country’s materials science and engineering profession, will be curating an additive manufacturing conference in Melbourne. The Asia-Pacific International Conference on Additive Manufacturing (APICAM) 2019 will be held from June 30th to July 3rd at RMIT University. The conference, in its second iteration, will include keynote presentations by AM experts, a poster presentation, a networking hub, workshops, exhibitors, and multiple receptions.

According to the website, “The purpose of APICAM2019 is to provide a focused forum for the presentation of advanced research and improved understanding of various aspects of additive manufacturing. This conference will include invited lectures from internationally distinguished researchers, contributed presentations and posters.”

Early bird registration is available until May 1st.

2020 Debut of formnext + PM South China

Additive manufacturing continues to grow more popular in China, with domestic industry sales estimated to reach $2.96 billion in 2020, and the government is paying attention. Now, from September 9-11, 2020, the first edition of Formnext + PM South China will debut at the new Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center, which is said to be the largest exhibition venue in the world. The event will be jointly organized by Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd and Uniris Exhibition Shanghai Co Ltd, and will aim to help AM industry players open up new business opportunities in innovative equipment, processes, and advanced materials. Over 10,000 visitors are expected to attend, with more than 200 exhibitors from around the world.

“With the expertise from its brand name shows, Formnext in Frankfurt, Germany, and also PM China in Shanghai, the newly formed fair will be one of a kind in South China,” Mr Hubert Duh, Chairman of Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd, said in a press conference to celebrate the launch of the event. “The synergy from the two fair brands will facilitate the exchange of ideas between industry professionals and bring a positive impact to the manufacturing sector.”

formnext in Frankfurt Continuing Record Growth

In the meantime, the world’s leading international AM trade fair, formnext, is still going strong, and is in fact expanding and developing at record speed this year along the whole process chain. As of March 2019, over 500 exhibitors, many of which are international and 147 of which are new, had already registered for the event, which will be held in Frankfurt from November 19-22. This means that the amount of space the event will cover this year is already more than the final size of formnext 2018, which is why formnext 2019 will take place for the first time in the more modern Halls 11 and 12.

Other changes include an expansion of the Discover3Dprinting seminar series, which is organized with the ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing and meant for medium-sized companies looking to adopt AM. The Startup Challenge, AM4U platform of career opportunities, the ideas competition “purmundus challenge,” and the BE-AM Symposium, which focuses on 3D printing in the construction industry, are all continuing and being expanded, and formnext’s content partner TCT will again discuss current developments and trends in the conference program. Additionally, this year the US will be the first partner country represented at the event, and special highlights for American guests, like the “AM Standards Forum,” will be included.

Evolve Additive Solutions to Grow New York Operations

3D printing OEM Evolve Additive Solutions, a Stratasys spin-out company, is headquartered in Minneapolis but operates its materials technology center in Brighton, New York. The company will be expanding its Brighton operations, according to an announcement by Empire State Development (ESD), which will allow the creation of 60 new jobs over the next five years in the Finger Lakes region. The company recently raised $19 million in equity funding with lead investors LEGO Brand Group and Stanley Black & Decker, which complements its efforts to commercialize its Selective Thermoplastic Electrophotographic Process (STEP) 3D printing process and expand its Brighton office by 7,000 square feet, with another 13,000 added later. Supporting the development and growth of high-tech industries, such as 3D printing and advanced manufacturing, is an important part of the Finger Lakes Forward economic development plan.

“Our Brighton facility is key to our success and having a first-class facility to attract the best talent possible for materials and process development is essential,” said Evolve’s CEO Steve Chillscyzn. “We are extremely pleased that Empire State Development recognizes the opportunity our technology can offer to our future customers but also to are current and future employee base in the area.”

In exchange for job creation commitments, ESD has offered Evolve tax credits of up to $1 million through the Excelsior Tax Credit Program to facilitate its growth in the region.

Mauritius Opens Second 3D Printing Center

[Image: Kickstarter]

The Republic of Mauritius, located about 855 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of the African continent, set up its first 3D Printing Centre last winter on the National Computer Board (NCB) premises. About 50 students have prepared projects using the services provided by the center, and now, through a joint initiative of the NCB and SME Mauritius, the country’s second 3D Printing Centre has been unveiled at SME Mauritius in Coromandel. With its available filaments, 3D printers, and scanners, the center will be a one-stop 3D printing shop to support university students, startups, designers, and other industry professionals. It will also offer 3D print support services for SMEs.

Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation, Yogida Sawmynaden said, “The scope of 3D printing technology, he highlighted is limitless and is bound to play a bigger part in the years to come.”

Rigid.Ink Launches Institute of 3D Printing Course

UK 3D printing filament company rigid.ink is moving away from materials and on to educating the members of its community. The company just launched a new online coursed called The Institute of 3D Printing, described on the site as “A complete 3D Printing video course & private expert community designed to accelerate your printing skills and success.”

“It’s the first of its kind and since it’s pretty unusual for a filament company to branch out like this,” Ed Tyson, the owner of rigid.ink and founder of the Institute, told 3DPrint.com.

The goal is to make learning the technology less confusing for new users, so the industry is in the hands of everyday people, and not professionals working in big firms. The course includes entire modules on everything from adhesion and leveling the print bed to troubleshooting and much more.  In addition, members who take the course can receive technical support – within 24 hours, no less – from 3D printing professionals for tough questions. You can join the Institute of 3D Printing now for a monthly fee of just $20 – a savings of 25% off the usual price, with a 30-day money back guarantee included.

Magnitude Innovations Releases New Metal 3D Printing Software

Illinois startup Magnitude Innovations Inc., which offers product development and technical consulting services, has released its Uptimo software application, which is meant to help companies increase the profitability of their metal 3D printing processes. Magnitude itself specializes in metal laser powder bed fusion technology, and its software’s proprietary algorithms analyze production data to offer instant 3D printing system feedback. While originally an internal tool for client projects, Uptimo is now available to any Magnitude customer as a standalone application.

Uptimo is an Operational Excellence software application, and utilizes scheduling and production data to assess how a 3D printer is performing over one, or multiple, projects. The analysis is split into four Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and the customized solution will help companies improve build layout, machine planning, parameter optimization, and other aspects of the metal AM process that impact cost and quality. Magnitude’s CEO Maciej Tusz is at the AMUG Conference in Chicago this week to represent the company and display the various features of its new Uptimo application.

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

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3D Printing News Briefs: December 19, 2018

In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, a maker has published a free 3D print management app in the Play Store, while Formlabs works to continue accelerating its growth in the Asia Pacific region. America Makes has announced the winners of two Directed Project Opportunities, and a chemist employed by Sinterit has won a prestigious award. Finally, an engineer with a thirst for vengeance used 3D printing and a lot of glitter to get back at the people who steal packages from his porch.

Free 3D Printing App for Filament Management

A new app, simply called 3D Print, is now available to download for free on the Google Play Store. The app was published by a maker who goes by paratiDev on Google Play, and was developed to help other makers better manage their filament.

“It has happened to all of us, you want to print a piece and not to know for sure if you have enough filament in the coil to print it. If you have only one coil of that filament, you have only two options; you can use another filament that has more quantity or risk and print it,” paratiDev writes.

“In the first case it forces you to use another filament different from the one you wanted while in the second case you run the risk that there is not enough filament and the piece remains halfway, assuming a loss of money, filament and time.”

The app allows users to visualize how much filament they have left, view the history of 3D printed pieces they’ve made, and can also generate invoices and quotations for 3D prints. The free 3D Print app also allows you to create projects that group together several pieces, and will visualize the wight and total cost of the project.

Formlabs Continues to Grow in APAC Region

Today, Formlabs announced that its growth in the APAC region is continuing to speed up. The company, which first entered the China market in 2015, is planning to open its new APAC headquarters in Singapore soon, and has also completed a new warehouse in Shenzhen, China for more efficient processing and shipping. While its physical presence in the region is growing, so too is its headcount: Formlabs also announced that David Tan, previously the APAC director of strategy and programs for Oracle Cloud Platform, Alliances & Channels, has been hired on as a new general manager for its own APAC team.

“Formlabs has long set its sights on making 3D printing processes more accessible. Part of this strategy has been completely rethinking 3D printing technologies from the ground up. The second is bringing the technology to market,” explained Max Lobovsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Formlabs. “There is an immense amount of opportunity in Asia Pacific, we’re looking forward to what David and these new locations can do to improve our growing success in the region.”

America Makes Announces Directed Project Opportunities Winners

America Makes has announced the award winners of two Directed Project Opportunities, both of which were funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Manufacturing and Industrial Base Technology Division. The first is the acceleration of large scale additive manufacturing (ALSAM) project, with the objective of getting past the shortcomings of SLM 3D printing, and America Makes awarded $2.1 million to GE Global Research, in conjunction with GE Additive and the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. With at least $525,000 in matching funds from the team, the total funding for the ALSAM Directed Project to develop an open source, multi-laser manufacturing research platform will be about $2.6 million.

The second is the advancing AM post-processing techniques (AAPT) project, with a goal of improving process control and lowering costs for qualifying complex parts made with SLM technology. The first awardee is Arizona State University, in conjunction with Quintus Technologies, Phoenix Heat Treating, Inc., and Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies, Inc., and the second is led by the ASTM International AM Center of Excellence collaborative, in conjunction with Quintus Technologies, Carpenter Technologies Corporation, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Rolls Royce Corporation, Honeywell Aerospace, GE Aviation, and Raytheon. America Makes awarded a total of $1.6 million to the two teams, which will also contribute at least $800,000 in matching funds. Both projects are expected to begin next month.

Sinterit Chemist Makes Forbes List of ’25 Under 25′ Poland

Desktop SLS 3D printer manufacturer Sinterit is proud to announce that its chemist, Paweł Piszko, has been selected by Forbes and the Warsaw office of McKinsey & Company as one of the prestigious “25 Under 25” in Poland. There are five categories in the awards, with five winners in each, and the jury appreciated Piszko’s work on increasing the efficiency of energy collection from renewable sources. When asked by his employers what his goal was, he answered that he wanted to have “an impact on the architecture of society.”

“We are delighted that Paweł chose Sinterit as a place where he can develop his skills and check the results of his scientific activities in practice,” Sinterit wrote in a blog post. “As part of his work, he researches the chemical processes that occur during the sintering of polymers, which allows us to improve the materials that Lisa and Lisa Pro, our flagship SLS 3D printers, print from.”

3DPrint.com congratulates Paweł on this exciting achievement!

Engineer Uses 3D Printed Component to Make Glitter Bomb

Revenge is a dish best served with glitter and fart spray…at least according to a mechanical engineer and evil genius Mark Rober. He spent nine years working at NASA’s JPL – mostly on the Curiosity Rover – and later founded a company called Digital Dudz. He was upset when someone stole a delivered package right off of his porch, and decided to employ all kinds of technology to take revenge.

“I just felt like something needs to be done to take a stand against dishonest punks like this,” Rober said in his YouTube video.

“I spent nine years designing hardware that’s currently roving around on another freaking planet. If anyone was going to make a revenge bait package and over-engineer the crap out of it, it was going to be me.”

Over the course of several months, Rober sketched his idea out, then finished it in CAD before getting to work on the physical prototypes. The package contains a 3D printed component that’s contoured in such a way that four hidden phones inside can capture package thieves opening the box and getting hit with a giant cloud of colorful glitter and continuous blasts of fart spray. Check out his video below to see how things turned out, though be warned that there is some bleeped out profanity. To learn more about the details of his build, check out his friend Sean’s video as well.

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3D Printing News Briefs: November 28, 2018

We’re starting with some business news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then moving on to an award. A British company is the first automotive consumer retail brand built entirely around 3D printing, which is a pretty big deal. Oerlikon has a new online instant quoting and tracking tool, while MakePrintable has released some new updates and Additive Industries is launching a new center in Singapore. Finally, the SMS Group has won a prestigious award.

First Automotive Consumer Retail Brand Built Around 3D Printing

Leeds-based digital manufacturing company Carbon Performance uses 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain to design and fabricate lightweight, next-generation automotive components that are environmentally sustainable. Recently, the company designed an suspension upright for a Lotus Elise sports car that was 3D printed in aluminum. The part, with an organic design, ended up being 25% more lightweight and was consolidated from a total of nine parts into just one.

But what really sets Carbon Performance apart is that it packages up its 3D printed automotive components and retails them to end customers, which technically makes the company the first automotive consumer retail brand in the world that’s built entirely around 3D printing. Take a look at its short promo video below:

Oerlikon Offering New Online Tool

Swiss technology and engineering group Oerlikon is now offering a new online tool to help its customers save time with their on-demand manufacturing and rapid prototyping needs. The company is offering an online instant quoting and tracking tool that’s capable of handling a large variety of metal and polymer part needs.

The tool is easy to use – just upload your CAD file and prepare your part for 3D printing by choosing from available options. Then, Oerlikon will 3D print your part, and you can track the order until it’s sent quickly right to your door. The company is even offering a discount for the first order you place in its new service through December 31st, 2018. Simply enter the promo code AMFIRST in the Oerlikon AM online quoting tool to take advantage of the deal.

MakePrintable Releases New Updates

Speaking of tools, the MakePrintable service launched by San Francisco startup Mixed Dimensions back in 2014 has just released a few major updates. It already offers such services as easy, automated 3D file fixing and better user efficiency in 3D printing, and is now rolling out its latest – a pay per download service and a full color 3D printing service. The first lets customers repair files, then pay if they’re pleased with the quality, without having to purchase a subscription, while the latter service is able to produce “unmatched quality prints at competitive pricing compared to others in the industry.”

“When we designed our printing service we focused heavily on all pillars (quality, speed and cost) as we know how much expensive and problematic it is to get quality prints and even to get past most 3D printing services checkout process,” Baha Abunojaim, Co-Founder and CTO of Mixed Dimensions, told 3DPrint.com. “At MakePrintable we guarantee our users a smooth and fast experience with a competitive pricing point while also leveling up the quality thanks to our years of research and robust file preparation technology.”

Additive Industries Announces New Center in Singapore

After an official State Visit from Mdm Halimah Yacob, the President of the Republic of Singapore, to its Eindhoven headquarters, Additive Industries announced that it would be building a Process & Application Development (PAD) Center in Singapore. The company plans to build its newly launched PAD Center up into a regional Asia Pacific hub for customer support and local development. The PAD Center will also serve as a competence center for the industrialization of metal 3D printing within the company itself, with special market focus on important regional verticals like semiconductor equipment and aerospace applications.

“Singapore is an ideal stepping stone for Additive Industries’ growth ambitions in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Daan Kersten, the CEO of Additive Industries. “It is a natural hub with great infrastructure, it’s an excellent fit with our target markets and the governmental support accelerates our execution.”

3D Printed Spray Header by SMS Group Wins Award

A group of companies that’s internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and nonferrous metals industry known as the SMS Group just announced that it won the German Design Award 2019, in the Industry category, for its 3D printed spray head for forging plants. This is likely the first time a small machine component like the spray head, which is used to cool dies in forging presses, has won one of these awards, so it’s a pretty big deal. The 3D printed spray head is the result of a joint effort between the group’s Forging Plants Department, Additive Manufacturing Project Team, and simulation technology experts. While it is a small component, it’s certainly mighty – it was designed to fulfill its function in the most efficient way possible. 3D printing helped to make the spray head smaller, less expensive, easily customizable, and made it possible to add flow optimized channels for cooling die heads.

“Winning the Design Award makes us extremely proud. It is recognition of many teams within SMS group whose work is characterized by a highly interdisciplinary approach,” said Axel Roßbach, Research and Development Extrusion and Forging Presses with the SMS group GmbH. “The spray head is a milestone innovation marking a new era in the design of plant and machine components, enabled by the game-changing potential of 3D printing and function-optimized design. The design of a machine part is today no longer limited by the constraints imposed by conventional – process-optimized – forming and machining techniques. Supported by latest software and computer technology, we can now give a component exactly the design that fulfils its designated function in the best possible way. Another important aspect is that we have used new materials. Therefore the Award honors not only a new design, but above all the new way of thinking lived within SMS group, which has materialized in a global approach to Additive Manufacturing.”

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

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Nano Dimension and Mayku Announce New Strategic and Distribution 3D Printing Partnerships

Israeli additive electronics provider Nano Dimension announced in April that it would be expanding its coverage in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, and today has made good on that announcement. The award-winning company has officially entered the Chinese market now, thanks to its strategic partnership with top 3D printer distributor the AURORA Group.

The AURORA Group is the majority shareholder of 3D software and 3D printer provider General Integration Technology (GIT), which recently purchased and installed a DragonFly 2020 Pro PCB 3D printer from Nano Dimension for its Taiwan showroom. In addition to this new partnership, AURORA has also purchased a second DragonFly 2020 Pro.

“China is one of the world’s largest and most important electronics manufacturing and design markets, and establishing the correct foothold in the market is key for Nano Dimension. AURORA has years of operating experience in the manufacturing sector, and with its extensive resources and unique network of 1,500 offices, 300,000 customers, including more than 3,000 customers in electronics industries, we believe it is very well positioned to give us fast market access to realize the full potential of the DragonFly 2020 Pro in China,” said Amit Dror, CEO of Nano Dimension. “We look forward to developing the Chinese market together by leveraging AURORA’s significant presence.”

As a result of the partnership, AURORA will market and sell the DragonFly 2020 Pro to customers in China, which will help grow Nano Dimension’s market coverage in APAC.

“Providing our customers with the very latest in high-quality, innovative 3D printing solutions is key to the success of our company,” said Daniel Chi, GM of 3D Business Unit, AURORA Group. “Forming a strategic relationship with Nano Dimension helps us expand our offering to now include capabilities for 3D printing electronics. The Nano Dimension DragonFly 2020 Pro is a groundbreaking technology that opens unimagined possibilities for electronics designers and manufacturers.”

A January 2018 market research report from the International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that the quickly growing Chinese 3D printing market is leading Asia. 3D printing in the country benefits from both industrial and private consumer investments and government support, so partnering with AURORA for additional APAC coverage is a smart move on Nano Dimension’s part.

“This is an important moment for our recently established Hong Kong office,” said Nano Dimension’s APAC Director Gilad Reshef. “We are proud to partner with AURORA as our leading partner in China. The partnership with AURORA deepens AURORA’s exposure to additive manufacturing by expanding into 3D-printing electronics, paving the way for new markets and applications.”

This news from Nano Dimension and AURORA isn’t the only newly announced 3D printing partnership. London startup Mayku has just released its innovative desktop vacuum former, the FormBox, for sale in the UK and the US, with help from its own new partner – 3D printing specialist GoPrint3D.

The FormBox

“We’re really excited about it as we think a lot of 3D printer owners will want one to complement their existing 3D printer,” GoPrint3D’s David Whitehouse told 3DPrint.com.

A drone case being removed from the mold.

GoPrint3D, which is also a distributor for EnvisionTEC and learnbylayers, was launched six years ago as a part of Express Group Ltd, which has provided 2D printer repair and spare parts to the UK for three decades. The company sells, repairs, and hires 3D printers, in addition to providing professional services.

“We were so impressed when we first saw the FormBox that we immediately backed it on Kickstarter,” explained Jo Young, Managing Director at GoPrint3D. “Now we are a partner as well as a backer. It’s the perfect accessory to 3D printers like the Form 2 so we are delighted to add it to our range.”

In 2016, Mayku crushed its original $50,000 Kickstarter campaign goal for the FormBox by over 1,000%. The desktop vacuum forming machine, which can be powered by a vacuum cleaner, lets makers and designers create items in all sorts of materials, ranging from concrete, ice, and plaster to soap, chocolate, and wax, and others as well.

The machine is user-friendly, and fast as well – able to make molds in just minutes without having to rely on any additional software or digital model manipulation.


“Vacuum forming was previously something found in makerspaces and in schools due to their cost and size,” explained Ben Redford, Mayku’s Co-Founder and CPO. “We are thrilled to have the support of the 3D printing industry and have been blown away with what makers have been designing.”

The FormBox is a complementary new hardware addition for 3D printer owners. Users can easily vacuum form a 3D print using the FormBox, which can then be used as a mold for fast replication in multiple materials that are not able to be directly 3D printed at this time.

GoPrint3D now has the FormBox in stock and available for purchase for a price of £499 excluding VAT.

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

 

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Industrial 3D Manufacturing is Here: HP’s New Head of 3D Printing for Asia-Pacific and Japan Details Multi Jet Fusion Global Expansion

Rob Mesaros

Earlier this week, HP Inc. announced its latest global move with the new Lanwan Intelligence – HP Multi Jet Fusion Technology Mass Manufacturing Center in Dali, Foshan in Guangdong Province. Opened through a partnership with Guangdong (Dali) 3D Printing Collaborative Innovation Platform, the new 3D printing center is home to 10 Jet Fusion 3D printing systems, housing HP technology exclusively. The center is targeting production-grade applications at scale for automotive, consumer goods, and other verticals.

As their technology continues to grow as leading industrial 3D printing offering, HP recognizes that business strategy is best propelled by a best-fit team — and with the company’s disruptive ambitions, that team represents a critical aspect of strategy. With Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing technology advancing with rising installations around the world, we have been keeping up with the team at the heart of the growth.

Rob Mesaros is HP’s new Head of 3D Printing for Asia-Pacific and Japan, building upon his strong foundation of experiences with both HP and that region of the world. He was on-site at this past weekend’s opening of the new 3D printing center, and has thoughtfully provided us exclusive insights into what this move means for HP.

Stephen Nigro, President of 3D Printing, HP (left) with Rob Mesaros, Head of 3D Printing for Asia-Pacific and Japan, at the new 3D printing center in China

I appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from Mesaros with his perspective into HP’s offerings and strategies.

You just assumed a new position at HP as Head of 3D Printing for Asia-Pacific and Japan. What do you think has prepared you for this role?

“For starters, I’m a 12-year veteran at HP. Of course 3D printing wasn’t yet part of the plan when I started, but it’s another extension of HP’s spirit of reinvention, market disruption, and making life better for everyone that goes back to the company’s founding days. Most recently, I headed HP’s business in Australia & New Zealand as the Managing Director, and I’ve also served in various other roles in Hong Kong and Singapore, so I’ve had a rarified view into Asia’s many industries and cultures. One thing I’ve gained from that experience is the ability to see how important Asia will be to the growth of 3D manufacturing worldwide, which is among the main reasons why I jumped at the opportunity.”

What is it about Asia-Pacific in particular that’s unique in the global manufacturing system?

“Well, it’s the largest manufacturing market in the world by a considerable margin. China alone represents nearly half of the $12 trillion global manufacturing industry, as well as the world’s 2nd largest economy, which continues to surge. By those merits alone, the manufacturing market for the region is primed for a digital transformation that has already occurred in other major industries like finance and communications, but China is also the world-leader in chemicals development and manufacturing, and strong partnerships with global materials leaders to is at the crux of HP’s 3D printing partner ecosystem. No one company can drive change of this magnitude alone, it’s going to take a truly global village.”

HP just launched the first large-scale 3D manufacturing facility in Asia with China’s Guangdong (Dali) 3D Printing Collaborative Innovation Platform. What makes HP’s Multi Jet Fusion the right 3D printing technology for this new type of 3D factory?

“What makes Multi Jet Fusion right for this center, or any large manufacturing facility, is that we’ve cracked the code for large-scale digital production with incredibly advanced 3D printing technology, lower production costs, greater speed and reliability, dramatically less waste, voxel-level design and production control, and a collaborative 3D partner ecosystem – all of which are driving a new world of previously-impossible applications that are transforming major industries. We’re particularly excited to be launching this 3D factory of the future with Guangdong (Dali) 3D Printing Collaborative Innovation Platform in the world’s largest manufacturing market.”

How does this installation showcase HP’s global commitment to 3D printing / what message does this send to the industry?

“The main message is that industrial 3D manufacturing is here. It’s no longer a wishful notion. Companies like Guangdong (Dali) 3D Printing Collaborative Innovation Platform are providing large-scale, end-to-end 3D manufacturing right now with growing frequency. We’re seeing both new and existing customers increasingly make additional volume orders of HP Jet Fusion printers, as many as 16 at a time, to enable industrial-scale 3D manufacturing to meet growing demand.”

How will China figure in to HP’s global plans?

“China is already a central part of our global growth. China’s ‘Made in China 2025’ plan will be a tipping point for 3D printing technology’s adoption in this region. We are excited about the opportunity to contribute to this national initiative, as we continue to help local manufacturers deliver cost-effective and production-grade parts to accelerate their innovations more quickly and effectively. Our goal is to continue to drive full-production 3D printing since we introduced Multi Jet Fusion in Greater China last June with global leaders like Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical Company joining our collaborative 3D Open Materials Platform, as well as a host of new partner-driven 3D printing facilities and HP 3D Printing Reference and Experience Centers across Beijing, Taipei, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai, and a growing number of other municipalities.”

What can we expect to hear come out of China with this center?

“We expect to see this center contribute greatly to the growth of industrial 3D manufacturing that’s been accelerating across China, and around the world. Specifically, we’re excited to watch the digital transformation of leading local industries in the Greater Bay Area of Southern China like automotive, consumer goods and motorcycles that will now be enabled by new, production-grade 3D applications at major scale.”

HP has not been playing its cards close to the vest in terms of broad ambition: the company means to use its 3D printing capabilities to disrupt the $12 trillion global manufacturing industry. With this goal in mind, HP has continued to pave its own way forward with Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing, including the full-color prototyping capabilities unveiled earlier this year and the promise of a metal system to come. Dedicated installation bases around the world, including the world’s major economies and manufacturing hubs, showcase the follow-through necessary for any great plan.

Multi Jet Fusion was announced only a few years ago, with its first installations in late 2016; with the speed of development possible through additive manufacturing and the swift progress of this new industrial technology suite, HP is proving to be both bullish and full-speed-ahead in fulfilling its ambitious intentions.

Discuss Multi Jet Fusion, global expansion, and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com, or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

[Images provided by HP Inc.]