German chemical giant BASF has steadily been saturating the 3D printing industry with its presence. The latest partnership established by the world’s largest chemical company is with machine tool manufacturer Cincinnati Incorporated (CI). The two inked a distribution deal in which CI will supply ABS, carbon fiber PET and recycled PET materials from BASF 3D Printing Solutions (B3DPS) for use with its Small Area Additive Manufacturing (SAAM HT) 3D printer.
The SAAM HT 3D printer from CI. Image courtesy of Cincinnati Incorporated.
The SAAM HT is the high temperature version of CI’s desktop-sized 3D printer, originally developed by Boston startup NVBots in 2016 before CI bought the smaller firm outright in 2017. The machine complements CI’s range of massive pellet-based extrusion 3D printers with a comparably petite prototyping device which is capable of automatically ejecting parts upon completion. The HT version of the SAAM is capable of 3D printing at temperatures of up to 500°C, including ULTEM, PEEK and polycarbonate. Material profiles for each filament the system uses can be downloaded, allowing the printer to process them more quickly and easily.
BASF’s Ultrafuse PET CF15 material. Image courtesy of BASF.
Now, with the BASF partnership, the SAAM HT will be sold alongside Ultrafuse ABS, PET CF15, and rPET. While ABS is nearly ubiquitous in the world of filament extrusion for its strength, flexibility and heat-resistant properties, PET CF15 offers additional strength and thermal resistance. BASF describes the material as being easy to process with low moisture uptake.
rPET is BASF’s gesture towards sustainability. Made up of 100 percent recycled PET, rPET “looks and prints just like virgin material,” according to the company. While BASF maintains a veneer of sustainability through the numerous admirable projects is has established related to renewable energy and biomaterials, it is one of the world’s leading petrochemical manufacturers, explores for and produces oil and gas, has been responsible for dangerous environmental disasters, and develops pesticides and other agricultural chemicals that have potentially toxic effects.
While any attempt to introduce sustainability to the world is worthy, it might be difficult to overlook the conglomerate’s larger role in the climate and biodiversity crises we’re currently facing. Of course, any large chemical company in the 3D printing industry will be involved in many of these same ecologically harmful practices, which is why a larger discussion about the role of plastics and 3D printing in a sustainable society needs to be had.
Meanwhile, BASF continues to expand its footprint in the additive space. It has partnered with countless firms in the industry while growing its portfolio of additive materials, including an interesting metal filament for desktop metal 3D printing. Its backing of Materialise and Essentium and acquisition of Sculpteo means that it is only becoming more and more important in additive manufacturing.
One topic we’ve skirted around in our carbon fiber series so far is large-scale composite printing processes. The reason for this is because it is both a big topic, literally and figuratively and involves material mixes that don’t quite fit with the continuous carbon fiber reinforcements we’ve discussed so far.
The BAAM 3D printer. Image courtesy of ORNL.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a pioneer in this space because the U.S. Department of Energy Lab almost single-handedly developed the technology, though it did so with the help of public tax dollars and partnerships with companies in the industry. Working with machine manufacturer Cincinnati Incorporated and Local Motors, ORNL developed the first large-scale plastic pellet 3D printer.
The project team used an old experiment additive construction that consisted of a large gantry system meant for extruding concrete. The printer was retrofitted with a screw extruder to process pellets made up of ABS with roughly five percent chopped carbon fiber filler. Using pellets has the advantage of much faster material handling, as well as reduced cost, since these are the same materials made for injection molding. Since injection molding pellets are available in wide supply and don’t need to be further processed into filament, the price is significantly lower.
The result was the Big Area Additive Manufacturing-CI system. The original BAAM-CI system was capable of printing 40 pounds of material per hour in a build volume of 7 ft x 13 ft x 3 ft. To demonstrate the sheer power of the machine, ORNL and its partners have 3D printed the chassis for a number of vehicles, including cars, boats and excavator cabs.
This Shelby Cobra is 3D-printed. Image courtesy of ORNL.
Since the first BAAM-CI printer was used to create a replica Shelby Cobra, its capabilities have grown greatly. Cincinnati Inc. now offers four sizes ranging from 11.7 ft x 5.4 ft x 3 ft to 20 ft x 7.5 ft x 6 ft, with a feed rate that has doubled to 80 lbs/hr. Cincinnati Inc. now offers a wider portfolio of 3D printers, including a Medium Area Additive Manufacturing system with a 1m x 1m x 1m build volume and 1 kg/hr deposition rate, as well as desktop-sized Small Area Additive Manufacturing printers.
The ability to handle composites with higher carbon fiber content has been achieved, as well. When 3D printing the first vehicle chassis for Local Motors, a 15 percent carbon fiber fill was used. In some cases, up to 50 percent carbon fiber content has been printed. Cincinnati states that “dozens of materials” have been used on its BAAM machines, such as ABS, PPS, PC, PLA, and PEI. In addition to carbon fiber, glass fiber and organic fiber have been used for reinforcement.
Taking a cue from its competitor, CNC manufacturer Thermwood developed its own large-scale additive extrusion technology, the Large Scale Additive Manufacturing (LSAM) series. Available with either a fixed or moving print table, the dual-gantry LSAM series is available with a print volume of 10 ft x 20 ft x 10 ft or 10 ft x 40 ft x 10 ft and can deposit 500 pounds of material per hour. And, while projects made by the BAAM printer require post-processing via CNC milling, the LSAM series has built-in machining capabilities that bring near-net-shape blanks to their final form.
Ingersoll’s MasterPrint was used to 3D print this boat. Image courtesy of Ingersoll.
To beat out everyone else in the manufacturing equipment space, Ingersoll Machine Tools worked with ORNL to develop the MasterPrint 3D printer, capable of 3D printing objects as large as 100 feet long, 20 feet wide and 10 feet tall at rates of 150 lbs/h to 1000 lbs/h. The system also features a CNC tool for machining parts to completion. We should note here that Thermwood claims its LSAM platform can be extended to be 100 feet long, though we have not yet seen such a setup.
Ingersoll sold its first MasterPrint system to the University of Maine, which it used to 3D print a 25-foot, 5,000-pound boat in under 72 hours. The ship, which will be used in a simulation program, had the distinction of achieving a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest solid 3D-printed item and largest 3D-printed boat.
The goal of the printer for Ingersoll is to fabricate massive tools for the aerospace industry. Upon the unveiling of the massive ship, CEO Chip Storie said, “The reality is we went into this technology targeting aerospace and you can print a large aerospace tool in a matter of hours or days where if you go the traditional route, it can take nine or 10 months to be able to build a tool. The cost difference for traditional tooling can run upwards of a million dollars to build an aerospace tool, where you can print a tool using our technology for tens of thousands of dollars. So, there’s a huge cost benefit. There’s a huge time benefit for the aerospace industry.”
The composites being used by these companies may only feature chopped reinforcement materials, but the speed and scale at which they can print is certainly impressive. In the case of Ingersoll, the company is working on incorporating hybrid modules that include fiber placement, tape laying, inspection and trimming.
We may see such systems as these become commonplace in certain manufacturing environments, particularly if continuous reinforcement can be integrated into the process. To learn more about the future of carbon fiber 3D printing, we’ll be looking at research endeavors in this field in our next section in the series.
We’re talking about events and business today in 3D Printing News Briefs. In November, Cincinnati Inc. is presenting at FABTECH, and Additive Manufacturing Technologies and XJet are heading off to formnext. Moving on, Thor3D has announced a new partnership with Rhinoceros.
Cincinnati Incorporated Showing at FABTECH
Machine tool manufacturer Cincinnati Incorporated (CI) is going to FABTECH 2019 next month in Chicago, and plans on showcasing its recently announced partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, along with the #88 car driven by Alex Bowman, and its latest machines at the event. CI is now a full-season associate sponsor of the team’s four-car stable for the next ten years, in addition to its Official Metal Fabrication and Additive Equipment Provider. The racecar will be in booth #A2973 at the show, along with CI’s Hyform and AFX press brakes, Roboform cell, and new CLX laser, which was built specifically for automation-minded metal fabricators. The company’s high temperature Small Area Additive Manufacturing (SAAM HT) machine will be on display in booth #A3839, and its Medium Area Additive Manufacturing (MAAM) machine will make its official debut to the public.
“We’re ready to get to FABTECH and show the fabricating world what we’ve been up to in the past year. Walking through our facility, you can feel the energy and see the production happening. It’s exciting and it’s contagious, and we can’t wait to share it,” said Matt Garbarino, Director of Marketing Communications at Cincinnati Incorporated.
XJet Bringing Extended Carmel Product Line to formnext
FABTECH isn’t the only show in November – formnext is taking place in Frankfurt from November 19-22, and XJet announced that it will be introducing two new versions of its Carmel 1400 3D printer at the event. The Carmel 1400M for metals and the Carmel 1400C for ceramics, both of which use XJet’s NanoParticle Jetting technology, are part of the company’s continuing work to, as XJet put it, “redefine metal and ceramic AM.”
“Formnext is always a highpoint on XJet’s calendar. Each year we hit new milestones, and this is particularly evident at Formnext. From Formnext, XJet will offer two systems, the Carmel 1400C devoted to ceramics and the Carmel 1400M dedicated to metals. While both systems use the same NanoParticle Jetting technology, they are different and have been optimized to handle the different materials. Both will be demonstrated on our booth throughout the show,” said XJet’s CBO Dror Danai.
At Booth C01 in Hall 12.1 of formnext, XJet will demonstrate multiple applications and sample parts that showcase its NPJ technology for both metal and ceramic 3D printing. Representatives from the company’s distribution network will be on hand to answer question, and visitors can also enjoy an immersive, virtual reality experience into XJet’s NanoParticle Jetting at the booth.
Additive Manufacturing Technologies Presenting Modular, 3D Printed Booth at formnext
Sheffield-based Additive Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) will also be attending formnext as it officially exits stealth mode. The company will be showcasing a customizable, modular, and sustainable stand construction at the event, with over 6,000 3D printed parts that will connect 1,100 meters of aluminum tubing to create the booth, which was designed and constructed by Steel Roots Design. Materialise printed the parts out of Nylon PA 2200 material, using SLS technology by EOS, and they were then post-processed with AMT’s own PostPro3D platform. The lightweight parts have complex geometries, with moving features and internal threads that would have been impossible to create using another fabrication process.
“The whole point of exhibiting at a show like Formnext is to demonstrate your technologies and capabilities. At AMT we don’t want to just tell people how good our technologies are, we want to really show them. Our unique stand will show how functional and sustainable 3D printed parts — even at higher volumes — can be utilised when using our automated post processing technologies,” stated AMT’s CEO Joseph Crabtree.
“This level of sustainability commitment is a fundamental principle for AMT at every level of the business. Every decision we make takes sustainability into consideration.”
See AMT’s 120 kg stand structure for yourself at Booth 361, Hall 12.1, at formnext next month. Once it’s been constructed, several other company innovations will be showcased inside, such as the automated Digital Manufacturing System (DMS).
Thor3D and Rhinoceros Sign Partnership Agreement for New Product
3D scanner manufacturer Thor3D and Rhinoceros software developer McNeel have signed a partnership agreement so that Rhino software can now be resold by Thor3D’s distribution partners, along with multiple plug-ins, in a bundle with the Calibry handheld 3D scanner. Rhino’s set of tools for analysis, animation, engineering, free-form 3D modeling, and engineering can now be supplemented by Calibray scans, which can be used as base models. In addition, the bundle can also be extended using Brazil and Penguin rendering software, the Flamingo nXt rendering engine, and integrated animation by Bongo.
“Rhino software is widely known and used worldwide. Many of our customers already use it and our goal is to make it even more accessible to a wider audience. Engineers and digital artists alike, will find this software, in combination with our 3D scanners, extremely helpful in their day-to-day work,” said Anna Zevelyov, the CEO and Co-Founder of Thor3D.
Recommended retail price for the new Calibry and Rhino bundle will be €5,700.
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Ohio-based machine tool manufacturer Cincinnati Incorporated has announced a 10-year agreement with 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports. In this partnership, Cincinnati Inc. will act as the team’s Official Metal Fabrication and Additive Equipment Provider, it will also become a full-season associate sponsor of the team’s four-car stable. Rick Hendrick, Hendrick Motorsports team owner, said, “Ten years […]
We’re talking about an event, some 3D printing education news, and racing applications in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. Russia’s top 3D printing festival is returning for a second year, 3D Universe is introducing its Educators Exchange Community, and SUNY New Paltz is opening a 3D printing/business incubator. Scheurer Swiss GmbH supplied Toyota Gazoo Racing New Zealand with 3D printed parts, and Cincinnati Inc. is now an official sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports.
3D Today Festival in Russia
Russian 3D printing media outlet 3Dtoday will soon hold 3Dtoday Fest, the country’s top national 3D printing event. The festival premiered last year in St. Petersburg, but is moving to Moscow this time. Top local 3D technology manufacturers and distributors, such as iGo3D Russia and Picaso 3D, will attend the event, and many amateur 3D printer designers will showcase their work as well. Industry professionals and popular 3Dtoday bloggers will speak at the festival, and makers will have the chance to take complimentary workshops on topics ranging from post processing and painting 3D printed models to drawing with a 3D pen.
The goal of 3Dtoday Fest, which is working to expand the reach of 3D printing on a prosumer level, is to unite the community in order to help new and established manufacturers promote their materials and equipment, help beginners enter the world of 3D printing, and give artists and designers a place to display their work to a larger audience. 3Dtoday Fest will take place in Pavilion 5 of Moscow’s Expocentre on November 29 and 30 from 10 am to 6 pm.
3D Universe Introduces Educators Exchange Community
For a teacher who’s long wanted a classroom 3D printer, confusion may set in once the dream becomes a reality – what to have the students do with it now that it’s here? That’s why 3D Universe, a retailer and founding member of the e-NABLE community, has launched its new Educators Exchange community group on Facebook. The page is for educators who want to share their classroom’s digital fabrication projects, which is easy to do with the group’s spreadsheet.
“Our hope is that teachers from all over the world will share their curriculums with each other as open-source resources. We would love to see classrooms create collaborative projects that can connect students from different demographics together in a global 3D Universe Educational Maker Movement!”
Simply request to join, answer a few questions, and agree to the group rules, and then you can start sharing what your students are working on. You can browse the spreadsheet to find open source educational project files and resources, and even find helpful links to websites, articles, and machine-specific tutorials.
SUNY New Paltz Opens New Engineering Innovation Hub
The State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz has just opened its $13.5 million Engineering Innovation Hub (EIH) building, built by Urbahn Architects and general contractor PC Construction. The 19,500 square foot facility, designed to meet LEED Silver environmental and sustainability standards, includes teaching and research lab spaces, the school’s Hudson Valley Additive Manufacturing Center (HVAMC), a popular bachelor’s degree program in mechanical engineering, and 3D print prototyping labs to support the program. It was designed in such a way that an expansion could be supported in the future if necessary.
“The bright, open, 661-square foot entrance lobby is intended as a collaborative space for students,” explained Urbahn Architects’ Construction Administrator Manuel Mateus. “It features cabinets for the display of 3D-printed artifacts. Counters with computer charging and data outlets, lounge-style seating, and whiteboards that allow students to study, work, and collaborate. The lobby also features a textured art wall invoking 3D-printed panels. The flooring consists of textured porcelain ceramic tile and the ceiling is gypsum board. The space features ring-like curvilinear LED ceiling light fixtures.”
3D Printed Toyota Race Car Parts by Scheurer Swiss
Scheurer Swiss GmbH was commissioned to create carbon-reinforced 3D printed engine components for the well-known Castrol Toyota Racing Series (TRS). With the company’s help, Toyota GAZOO Racing New Zealand has created the more powerful Toyota FT-60 for the TRS 2020. The engine can produce 285 hp – far more than its predecessor – and the car itself was tested on the track in Italy this summer. The material was able to stand up under the enormous heat and speed, in addition to the race track’s compressive forces.
“We are planning to go into series production soon with the 3D-printed carbon-reinforced engine components from Scheurer Swiss. We are very satisfied with the advice and service provided by Scheurer Swiss, in particular the flawless and fast delivery of the urgently needed carbon-reinforced components for the Toyota FT-60 test series,” said David Gouk, the owner of David Gouk Race Engines.
The Castrol Toyota Racing Series’ 2020 racing season starts in January at the Highlands Motorsport Park in New Zealand.
Cincinnati Inc. Sponsoring Hendricks Motorsports starting in 2019
In a record 10-year agreement beginning this year, machine tool manufacturer Cincinnati Inc. has joined Hendrick Motorsports – a 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champion – as an official sponsor through the 2028 racing season. The company will be a primary sponsor of Alex Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the October 6th Cup Series playoff race, in addition to two 2020 events. Cincinnati Inc. is also a full-season associate sponsor of the team’s entire stable for ten years, and was named Hendrick Motorsports’ Official Metal Fabrication and Additive Equipment Provider. Hendrick will use the company’s 3D printing, laser cutting, and press brake machinery to help develop and construct its race car fleet.
“Ten years is quite a statement. It demonstrates how the Cincinnati team feels about NASCAR and the opportunities the sport presents for their business,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “From the perspective of our team, it’s a major endorsement of how fantastic the Cincinnati products are and the confidence we have that the relationship will help provide a competitive advantage on the racetrack. We look forward to a lot of trips to Victory Lane together over the next decade.”
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In this edition of Sliced, the 3D Printing Industry news digest, additive manufacturing enables the creation of the Bionic Girl, China reveals plans to build a solar power station in space with 3D printing technology and the longest 3D printed pedestrian bridge pays homage to ancient Chinese Architecture. Also, the latest updates from Open Bionics, Desktop Metal, […]
We’re starting with some business news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, including stories about a new 3D printer, an anniversary, and a 3D printing investment. Cincinnati Incorporated has launched a new high temperature version of its SAAM 3D printer, and EOS will supply Visser Precision with five new metal 3D printers, including its M 400-4. VBN Components celebrates its tenth anniversary, and an Israeli 3D printing startup has received about $400,000 in funding. Researchers in Iran have successfully 3D printed flexible electronic circuits, and 3D printing was used to replicate a Chinese grotto. Finally, the Golf Channel will be featuring 3D printed golf clubs tonight.
New High Temperature Version of SAAM 3D Printer
Last week at FABTECH 2018 in Georgia, build-to-order machine tool manufacturer Cincinnati Incorporated (CI) launched a brand new high temperature version of its SAAM (Small Area Additive Manufacturing) 3D printer series. The SAAM HT 3D printer has a nozzle that can sustain temperatures up to 450°C and a bed temperature up to 260°C, which makes it possible to process materials like polycarbonate, PEEK, and ULTEM. Courtesy of its continuous patented automatic-ejection mechanism, the SAAM HT can be used for small batch production, and is a good choice for manufacturing tooling involved in high temperature operations.
“All materials compatible with SAAM can be used on the HT version. This level of versatility makes it a valuable asset in any manufacturing setting. We are enabling manufacturers and engineers to create the custom parts they need for their most demanding applications,” said Chris Haid, the General Manager of the NVBOTS Business Unit at CI.
EOS Supplying Visser Precision with New Metal 3D Printers
EOS M400-4
Denver-based Visser Precision, which provides advanced metals manufacturing solutions, has doubled its metal 3D printing capacity, thanks to the terms of an agreement reached with EOS at the recent IMTS trade fair. Visser has purchased three EOS M 400-4 3D printers, and two of the recently introduced EOS M 300-4 systems, making it the first organization to acquire the new platform. Market demands for DMLS-quality metal components in industries like aerospace and defense led Visser to grow its metal 3D printer capacity, and the new EOS systems will be delivered in a few months.
Ryan Coniam, the President of Visser Precision, said, “Our customers require the highest-performance, highest quality components and we feel partnering with EOS – the metal AM industry pioneers and leaders in DMLS – provides us with the capabilities we need to meet market demands now and in the next few years. Nearly anyone nowadays can 3D print something in metal, the trick is repeatability while meeting and maintaining quality and our investments with EOS mean we can deliver that to our customers.”
VBN Components Celebrating 10 Years in Business
Swedish materials development company VBN Components AB was founded in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis, and has come a long way since then. The award-winning company works to continuously develop new and better materials, including its corrosion and wear resistant Vibenite 350 for the plastics industry and Vibenite 290, the “World’s Hardest Steel.”
Martin Nilsson, CEO and one of the founders of VBN Components, said, “After our first patent, describing the process of making extremely clean and low-oxygen-rate materials, we realised that we were on to something big.”
This year, VBN Components is celebrating 10 years in business, with several patents and new, hard materials under its belt. But stay tuned – the company will soon unveil the greatest news in its history, which has been described as “a revolution in material development.”
Israeli 3D Printing Startup Receives Funding
TAU Ventures team, R-L: Nimrod Cohen, Managing Partner at TAU Ventures; Shira Gal, Director of Incubator Programs; Yaara Benbenishty, Director of Marketing and Operations [Image: Eylon Yehiel]
TAU Ventures, the venture capital fund of Tel Aviv University, announced that it has led an investment round worth nearly $2 million for two Israeli startups, including Hoopo and 3D printing company Castor. Founded two years ago by Omer Blaier and Elad Schiller, Castor combines 3D printing with artificial intelligence for its high-tech customers, which enables the companies to lower costs by using advanced technology. Castor’s technology automatically analyzes and determines the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of using 3D printing in the manufacturing process.
The startup will be receiving about $400,000 in combined funding from Stanley Black & Decker, the Techstars Accelerator, British businessman Jeremy Coller, and TAU Ventures, which is the first and only academic-based venture capital fund in Israel.
3D Printing Flexible Electronic Circuits
Researchers from a knowledge-based company in Iran have recently developed 3D printers that can fabricate flexible electronic circuits, which could be used in the future as wearables for clothing, pressure sensors, or industrial talc for cars.
The unnamed company’s project manager, Ali Gharekhani, told Mehr News that these 3D printers only take a few seconds to 3D print the flexible electronic circuits, and that foreign versions of this system are “very expensive.” Gharekhani also said that in light of this new development, his company has already received some proposals for Turkey, and “intends to reach an agreement with the Turkish side on production of clothes by 3D printers” before its rivals in Germany, Canada, and Korea.
3D Printed Replica of Chinese Grotto
Yungang Grottoes are a cradle of Buddhist art, playing host to more than 51,000 sculptures. [Image: Zhang Xingjian, China Daily]
There are over 59,000 statues carved in 45 different caves in the 1,500-year-old Yungang Grottoes, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001. This week, a full-size, 3D printed replica of one of the grottoes passed experts’ tests. The Yungang Grottoes Research Institute in northern China’s Shanxi province, a Shenzhen company, and Zhejiang University launched the project, which is based on original cave No 12, also called the “Cave of Music.” The 3D printed replica is 15 meters long, 11 meters wide, and 9 meters high, weighs less than 5 metric tons, and is claimed by the institute to be the world’s largest 3D printed movable grotto. High precision 3D data was collected to print the replica out of resin, which took about six months, and it can be divided in parts and pieced together within a week.
“We plan to color it with mineral pigments before the end of this year,” said Zhang Zhuo, head of the institute. “In this way, the replica will maintain its original size, texture and color.”
In the future, the 3D printed grotto replica will be added to exhibition tours with the institute’s other cultural relics.
3D Printed Golf Clubs on the Golf Channel
Tonight, at 9 pm EDT, EOS will be featured, together with Wilson Golf, on the NBC Golf Channel show Driver Vs. Driver. The seven-episode series follows aspiring designers of golf equipment as they compete against each other for the chance to win $500,000. In addition to the money, the winner will also have the opportunity to have their driver design sold, under the Wilson Staff name, at retail stores.
The show gives viewers a behind the scenes look as advancing teams work with engineers at the company’s innovation hub, Wilson LABS, to evaluate, refine, and test out their concepts. Tonight is the third episode, and showcases several designers’ use of 3D printing to make the best golf driver club. Wilson is among a few other companies, including Krone Golf, Ping, Callaway Golf Company, and Cobra Puma Golf, that is using 3D printing to produce golf clubs and other equipment.
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Today in Sliced, our regular 3D printing news digest, we feature new 3D printing university courses, fiber-reinforced filament, cutting edge additive manufacturing research, the future of 3D printed electronics and an autonomous vehicle challenge. Read on for the latest news form 3D Systems, the University of Plymouth, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Optomec, Luxexcel, Local Motors and more. […]
In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, we’ve got the speaker lineup for next month’s NAMIC Global Additive Manufacturing Summit in Singapore. Prusa and Cincinnati Incorporated are both releasing new 3D printing materials, and 3D Center is collaborating with 3YOURMIND to launch a 3D printing platform for the Scandinavian market. A British car manufacturer turns to Stratasys 3D printing for prototyping purposes, and a student used reverse engineering and 3D printing to redesign a Nintendo 64 joystick system.
2018 NAMIC Global Additive Manufacturing Summit Speakers
On October 17th and 18th, the 2018 Global Additive Manufacturing Summit, conducted by Singapore’s National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC), will be held, and co-located as part of Industrial Transformation ASIA-PACIFIC. Hosted by NTUitive, the summit, which is said to be the country’s largest gathering of additive manufacturing experts, will highlight key AM opportunities and developments in multiple applications, such as aerospace, automotive, biomedical, building and construction, marine, and transportation.
This is the last week to purchase your ticket at the early bird rates. After seeing the line-up of speakers coming to the event, this is an event you definitely won’t want to miss. Some of the speakers include Dr. Behrang Poorganji, the Head of Materials Development for GE Additive: Apis Cor’s Anna Cheniuntai, R&D and Business Development; Kelvin Wee, the APAC Sales Director for Materialise; and Professor Paul C. Ho, with the Department of Pharmacy at the National University of Singapore. You can register for the 2018 NAMIC Global Additive Manufacturing Summit here.
Prusa Releasing In-House 3D Printing Filament
Fresh off the multi-material upgrade for its Prusa i3 MK3/MK2.5, Prusa has more good news – this week, the company released its new filament, Prusament, which is made entirely in-house. CEO and Founder, Josef Průša, said that the company was not happy with the over-exaggerated quality and specs that “most filament companies claim but don’t deliver,” which continued to cause its users to have issues poor print quality and jams.
“So we built a factory and just started to sell our own filament,” Průša told 3DPrint.com. “It took us over a year but we have something pretty special. We guarantee 20µm precision and every spool is traceable on our website, where you can see the full inspection report. I believe we are the only one to do this and hope to set a precedent.”
Cincinnati Incorporated Launches New Carbon Fiber Material
Cincinnati Incorporated has developed a new material for its SAAM that is ideal for custom tooling and fixture applications. The carbon fiber resin creates a high strength-to-weight ratio and superior surface finishes.
Another company with a new 3D printing material launch this week is Cincinnati Incorporated (CI) – it just released a new carbon fiber resin material for its SAAM (Small Area Additive Manufacturing) 3D printing system. Because it’s been reinforced with carbon fiber, the lightweight, impact-resistant material is durable, stiff, and has low warping, along with accurate parts featuring advanced inter-layer adhesion results. It also has excellent surface finish, making it a good choice for applications in assembly, CMM, CNC fixtures, custom tooling, and has a very high strength-to-weight ratio.
Morgan Motor Company Turns to Stratasys 3D Printing for Prototyping
Family-owned British motor car manufacturer Morgan Motor Company is no stranger to 3D printing, and recently turned to the technology again for help with prototyping on the factory floor. In order to get rid of the endless talks with suppliers and lower the time to market, the company, which manufactures roughly 1,000 vehicles per year, invested in a Stratasys Fortus 250mc from Tri-Tech 3D, a Stratasys reseller in the UK.
“Since the introduction of 3D printing, using the Stratasys Fortus 250mc, Morgan have been able to try more daring designs within research and development,” said Tom Morris, a CAD technician with Morgan Motor Company. “It’s given us the opportunity to take these designs, trial them early on, giving us physical samples, which essentially cuts out the whole quoting process of liaising with suppliers, delivering these parts back to Morgan. Morgan are a low volume vehicle manufacturer, so the ability to be able to design parts on CAD, 3D print them, and take them to the shop floor at a very quick rate is vital to our success as a business.”
Watch the video below to learn more:
Fixing Nintendo 64 Joystick with Reverse Engineering and 3D Printing
California Polytechnic (Cal Poly) student and retro video gaming fan Nam Le was tired of having to find replacement controller joysticks for Nintendo 64 systems – a common problem many Nintendo fans have dealt with. So he took matters into his own hands, and contacted 3D Hubs for help fixing the problem. Le ended up reverse engineering the nearly 20-year-old components, 3D printing them, and redesigning the entire joystick system. It took him three months to disassemble the original controller, measure the components, and design them in CAD – a very impressive task, as he’d only ever taken a basic 3D modeling introduction class.
He determined that the joystick’s whole assembly would wear down over time, causing part failure, and designed the new components so that they were very sturdy and easy to replace. Le 3D printed the gear teeth and housing with Visijet M3 Crystal material, and 3D Hubs manufactured his redesigned joystick out of Nylon PA12 material on an HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printer.
“Generally, harder materials won’t be worn by materials of a lower hardness,” Le explained about his material choice. “The result is having only one part wear compared to every old component wearing. Every once in a while the stick will have to be replaced, but it takes a longer time to wear and is a better cheap alternative than buying a new controller.”
Six months in, Le’s 3D printed prototype joystick controller shows no signs of breaking.
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A Thermwood LSAM 10’x40′ 3D printer was recently installed at ground mobility company Local Motors. Large Scale Additive Manufacturing The Phoenix, Arizona headquartered Local Motors recently restructured under LM Industries and announced a Chandler, AZ microfactory focused on the low-volume production of specialist vehicles. LM Industries is also working with the U.S. Marine Corps to […]
