Florida-based manufacturer of micro-dispensing and 3D printing equipment nScrypt has developed a tool changer for its multi-head Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) machines. Demonstrated on the company’s 5-axis 3Dx-700 system, a gantry-based, high-precision platform built for an unnamed military client, the tool changer allows the machine to seamlessly switch between different tool heads. “The nScrypt tool […]
3D Printing News Briefs: April 6, 2019
We’re starting off today’s 3D Printing News Briefs with a product launch announcement – 3YOURMIND launched the full version of its Agile MES software software this week at AMUG 2019. Moving on, Sintratec will present its latest SLS 3D printer at RAPID + TCT next month in Detroit, Tiamet3D has joined Ultimaker’s material alliance program, and Sciaky entered into an agreement with KTM Consultants. Xometry just announced some important certifications, and nScrypt is 3D printing titanium parts. Moving on to the world of art and theatre, the Zurich Opera House is 3D printing props, and artist Andrea Salvatori worked with WASP to create a 3D printed art collection.
3YOURMIND Launched Agile Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Software
After spending five years providing order management systems to scale for some of the industry’s AM leaders, 3YOURMIND has finally moved its software solutions to a production environment with the launch of its Agile Manufacturing Execution System (MES) earlier this week at AMUG 2019. The software uses smart part prioritization, rapid scheduling, order tracking, and custom AM workflow creation to improve machine utilization and make production more efficient, and an Early Access Program (EAP) allowed the company to receive direct feedback on its Agile MES software from representatives at companies like EOS and Voestalpine. The next step will be working to finalize machine connectivity.
“For Agile Manufacturing, the Agile MES will need to both GET and PUSH data from all major AM machines and post-processing systems. We are already integrating the data from several vendors into our software and expect to support all major machines,” explained 3YOURMIND’s CEO Stephan Kühr. “Receiving and processing machine data allows us to provide the documentation that is needed for quality assurance and to increase the repeatability of additive manufacturing. Pushing data directly to machines will be the key to automating production.”
Sintratec Showcasing New SLS 3D Printer at RAPID + TCT
A few months ago, Swiss SLS 3D printer manufacturer Sintratec introduced its scalable, modular Sintratec S2. Now, the company will be presenting the printer in the US for the first time next month at RAPID + TCT in Detroit, which will also be Sintratec’s first time attending the massive event. What makes the Sintratec S2 stand out is its closed-loop workflow, as the complete system covers every process with its three modules: the Laser Sintering Station (LSS), the Material Core Unit (MCU), and the Material Handling Station (MHS). The 3D printer offers quick material changes, a 4K camera for print monitoring, improved ergonomics, and effective heat distribution through its cylindrical printing area and ring lamps.
“The Sintratec S2 will boost the design of applications and gives the user the opportunity to set foot in small series production as well. And that for an unusually attractive price-performance ratio,” said Sintratec CEO Dominik Solenicki.
“With the Sintratec S2 solution we will be opening new opportunities for companies of any size.”
The price for the Sintratec S2 starts at $39,900, and you can see it for yourself at Sintratec’s booth 1753 at RAPID + TCT from May 20-23.
Tiamet 3D Joins Ultimaker’s Material Alliance Program
Last year, Dutch 3D printing specialist Tiamet 3D, founded in late 2014, worked with Finland-based Carbodeon to develop the first nanodiamond-enhanced 3D printing filaments, which went on the market in September. Now the company has joined Ultimaker as a partner in its Material Alliance Program. Together, the two will offer end-users simple one click downloads of Tiamet’s ULTRA Diamond material profile, which is now available on Ultimaker’s Cura software. This collaboration is formally backed by Tiamet’s manufacturing partner Mitsubishi Chemical Performance Polymers (MCPP Netherlands).
Reid Larson, the Director and Co-Founder of Tiamet 3D, told us about some of the highlighted specs of its ULTRA Diamond material, including no additional nozzle wear, 6300 mpa stiffness, low moisture absorption and friction, improved thermal conductivity, and twice “the temperature resistance of normal PLA, Annealed goes to 125C HDT.” You can purchase one kg of ULTRA Diamond filament for €59.
Sciaky Increasing Sales Efforts Through New Agreement
In an effort to increase the sales efforts of its Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) solutions in Australia, the Middle East, and New Zealand, Sciaky, Inc. has entered into an agreement with KTM Consultants, founded by metallurgist Trent Mackenzie in 2015. In terms of sheer work envelope, Sciaky’s massive EBAM systems are the industry’s most widely scalable metal 3D printing solution, able to produce parts ranging from 8 inches to 19 feet at gross deposition rates of up to 25 lbs of metal an hour. Additionally, its Interlayer Real-time Imaging and Sensing System (IRISS) is the metal 3D printing market’s only real-time adaptive control system capable of sensing and digitally self-adjusting its deposition.
“I was immediately drawn to Sciaky’s EBAM technology because of its unique and robust capabilities. Industrial manufacturers of large metal parts need to explore the significant advantages that technologies like EBAM offer. It is truly a game-changer,” said Mackenzie.
Xometry Announces New Industry Certifications
Digital manufacturing marketplace Xometry announced that it has just received ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certifications – some of the most rigorous, widely-recognized quality management designations in the industry. ISO 9001 helps organizations meet the needs and expectations of their customers in terms of quality management, while AS9100 meets customer demands in the exacting aerospace and defense industries. The company went through a major audit as part of the process, and its achievement definitely reflects how committed Xometry is to providing quality.
“We are thrilled to receive this designation. Our team members have a passion for providing great customer service while following the disciplines that give our customers peace of mind regarding on-time delivery, quality, and continuous improvement. It is yet another step towards achieving industry “best in class” status and being able to meet the expanded needs of our customers,” stated Xometry COO Peter Goguen.
nScrypt Develops Proprietary Method for 3D Printing Titanium
nScrypt 3D printed titanium gear, dogbone, and block
Florida manufacturer nScrypt, which develops high-precision Micro-Dispensing and Direct Digital Manufacturing equipment and solutions, is now focusing on repeatable 3D printing of metals for the medical, defense, and aerospace industries. The company has created a proprietary method for 3D printing titanium parts, which tests have shown display densities comparable to wrought parts. This method could easily work with other metals as well, such as copper, Inconel, and stainless steel, and nScrypt’s Factory in a Tool (FiT) systems can finish or polish areas with high tolerance features using its integrated precision nMill milling head. nScrypt’s Brandon Dickerson told us that the company expects to release more details on this later in 2019.
“The parts were printed with our SmartPump
Micro-Dispensing tool head, which runs on any of our systems,” Dickerson told 3DPrint.com. “The parts shown in the photos were printed on our DDM (Direct Digital Manufacturing) system, also known as our Factory in a Tool (FiT) system, which can run 5 tool heads at the same time, including our Micro-Dispensing, Material Extrusion, micro-milling, and pick-and-place tool heads. The parts were sintered after the build and the current densities are in the high 90% range. We expect our system to appeal to customers who want to do Direct Digital Manufacturing and need strong metal parts, but cannot build them with a powder bed system (for example, if the geometry would trap powder inside) or prefer not to use a powder bed system (for example, if they want a cleaner system).”
Zurich Opera House 3D Printing Props with German RepRap
Finished tutu for “The Nutcracker”, which was produced with the help of the x400 3D printer
Switzerland’s largest cultural institution, the Zurich Opera House, puts on over 300 performances a year, but the behind-the-scenes magic happens in the studios and workshops, where the props and costumes are made. The opera house uses the x400 3D printer from German RepRap, with assistance from Swiss reseller KVT- Fastening, to support its creative work by fabricating props and molds. This affords the institution more creativity and flexibility, as they can design objects to their exacting needs in 3D modeling programs, which also helps save on time and money. The opera house currently uses PLA, which is easy to handle, offers a variety of colors, and is flame retardant – very important in a theatrical setting.
“Often, the wishes and ideas of costume and stage designers are very diverse and sometimes extraordinary. It often happens that props are not available in the way designers have it in their minds. This is where the 3D printer is perfect for,” said Andreas Gatzka, director of theater sculpture at the Zurich Opera House.
“There are a lot of great benefits. Special wishes of stage and costume designers can be realized quickly as well as a short-term change of the objects, for example larger, smaller, longer, shorter, or whatever is needed.”
3D Printed Art Collection
Artist Andrea Salvatori 3D printed the eye-catching pieces for his new collection, titled Ikebana Rock’n’Roll, using the Delta WASP 40100 Clay 3D printer – designed by WASP to be used by ceramic and clay artists. The collection just opened on stage at THE POOL NYC in Milan last week, and will be available to view until May 31st. With these 3D printed vases, Salvatori wanted to use “a miscellany of ceramic insertions” to mess with the high quality shapes 3D printing can achieve by adding asymmetry.
“The process of depositing the material and setting the spheres is a central theme in the Ikebana Rock’n’Roll collection, to the point of convincing Salvatori to name the works “Composition 40100”, as if they originated from a musical dialogue of the most varied tones. The artist upsets the algorithm reiterated slavishly by the machine with imperfect musical accents, the result from time to time of spontaneous actions and reasoned processes,” WASP wrote in a blog post.
“The ikebanes, proposed by Andrea Salvatori in the exhibition, transcend the experimental limits of an abstract investigation, representing a concrete territory in which 3D printing and ceramic art co-exist synergistically. The Master challenges the confrontation with the public, becoming also in this sector, precursor of a new genre in which WASP feels itself fully represented.”
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US Air Force Awards nScrypt Research Company Contract for 3D Printed Conformal Phased Array Antenna Project
Florida-based nScrypt, which manufactures industrial systems for micro-dispensing and 3D printing, is already seeing its technology used for military applications with the US Army. But now the US Air Force has jumped on the nScrypt bandwagon as well. Sciperio, nScrypt’s research and development think tank, was awarded a second phase contract by the Air Force for its 3D printed conformal phased array antennas project.
Sciperio specializes in cross-disciplinary solutions, and developed technology that was commercialized by nScrypt under the Mesoscopic Integrated Conformal Electronics (MICE) program with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). In 2016, the research group developed the first fully 3D printed phased array antenna for the Air Force, and has continued attempting to conform these antennae to complex surfaces, which would allow advanced communication technology to be added directly into an aircraft or vehicle body.
A phased antenna array uses both constructive and destructive interference to individually control each element’s signal phase and precisely “aim” the signal, instead of radiating it out in multiple directions. This feature is critical in terms of military applications, as it makes communications more secure and less likely to be intercepted by the enemy.
“Directly printing active phased array antennas on curved surfaces will provide unique capabilities to the DoD (Department of Defense), but the ultimate goal is to do this at a fraction of the cost of traditionally manufactured arrays,” said Casey Perkowski, Sciperio’s Lead Developer on the project. “This will allow the DoD to use these antennas in a more ubiquitous manner and this will translate to commercial applications.”
Not only is this technology important for the military, but it’s also vital to nScrypt’s vision of fully 3D, non-planar next generation electronics that will either conform to, or be embedded in, an object’s structure. At present, PCBs are placed into boxes and connected with unwieldy wiring harnesses; nScrypt is working toward a future where the PCB, box, and harness will be depleted so electronics can be smaller, less expensive, more lightweight, and integrated directly into the structure.
nScrypt’s Direct Digital Manufacturing platform, called the Factory in a Tool (FiT), enables the company’s vision of integrated electronics. The FiT has multiple tool heads, including nScrypt’s nFD for Material Extrusion, the SmartPump for Micro-Dispensing, nMill for micro-milling, and nPnP for pick and place of electronic components, which are placed on a high-precision (1 micron accuracy) linear motion gantry. Multiple cameras allow for automated inspection and computer vision routines, while a point laser height sensor maps surfaces.
All of these features add up to allow for successful conformal printing, or micro-dispensing, onto objects. Because everything is combined in one platform, manufacturers of complex structural electronics can create them with the press of a button.
nScrypt and Sciperio bring an additional advantage to the table in their projects for the DoD: high-precision motion and micro-dispensing excels. Each dimension in RF electronics is critical, and if a line is off by even the smallest fraction, the circuit’s performance is ruined, and so is that of the device with which it’s being used.
But the previously mentioned SmartPump offers picolitre volumetric flow control, while the nFD extruder provides precision deposition and the motion platform has 0.5 micron repeatability. This means that nScrypt’s unique platform can produce both conductive and dielectric features to high tolerances…ensuring successful RF circuits for the DoD.
[Image: nScrypt]
The goal of the Air Force project that nScrypt and Sciperio are working on is to produce an 8 x 8 element array on an ellipsoidal surface. The University of South Florida is a subcontractor on the project, as it previously worked with Sciperio back in 2016 to develop the first fully 3D printed phased array antenna, and will once again support antenna design, simulation, and testing.
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3D Printing News Briefs: February 6, 2018
We’re talking about business, training, and events on today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. The first European 3D printing incubator will soon be inaugurated in Barcelona, and 3devo is launching training workshops about desktop filament extrusion. nScrypt’s Director of 3D Printing and a surgeon from Belfast will be presenting at upcoming events, and Arburg will display a complete turnkey system at an Italian trade fair. Finally, because we celebrate all accomplishments in our industry, we’re sharing some good news about a Xometry employee.
3D Factory Incubator Inauguration
This coming Monday, February 11th, the inauguration of the first European incubator of 3D printing – 3D Factory Incubator – will take place in Barcelona. The Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Pedro Duque, will chair the inauguration’s opening act. This High-Tech Business Incubator, a project led by Fundación LEITAT and El Consorci de Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB), is working to promote the adoption of 3D printing by creating a space to incubate related SMEs and micro-SMEs.
The 600 sqm incubator space is located at CZFB’s headquarters, and will include training areas, offices, meeting rooms, laboratories, and co-working zones, in addition to a variety of services. The inauguration will begin promptly at 11 am.
3devo Launching Training Workshops
Dutch technology company 3devo, which creates desktop-based material development and recycling solutions such as SHR3D IT, is launching a series of hands-on training workshops all about desktop filament extrusion for professionals, which will be branded as DevoTraining. The workshops will be held at 3devo’s Utrecht headquarters, and participants can choose one of three programs: a basic, 4-hour module for €499, a 1-day intermediate workshop for €899, and a 2-day advanced level course for €1549.
“The demand for unique 3d printing materials is ever-growing, which requires new knowledge on how to process it,” said Tim Wesselink, the CEO of 3devo. “With DevoTraining, we offer the answers to those innovators who seek to take matters into their own hands. Giving them complete guidance to create and customize their own filament – on demand.”
DevoTraining will be officially released next Tuesday, February 12th.
nScrypt Discussing 3D Printed Munitions and Other DoD Applications
Orlando, Florida-based nScrypt, which manufactures micro-dispensing and 3D printing systems, announced the release of its hybrid Factory in a Tool (FiT) integrated system for Direct Digital Manufacturing in October. nScrypt’s Director of 3D Printing, Larry (LJ) R. Holmes, Jr., is in charge of directing the company’s market participation for industrial-level 3D printing hardware, including its work with the US Department of Defense (DoD). This week, Holmes will speak about nScrypt’s 3D printed munitions, as well as its other DoD applications, on the “AM Innovation Panel: Developing the Next Generation of 3D Printing and Processes in Support of the Warfighter” in Tampa at the Military Additive Manufacturing Summit & Technology Showcase.
“Our FiT platform is ideal for DoD’s 3D printing applications because it does next generation Direct Digital Manufacturing, which means no retooling to build a product or to change from printing one product to another. Just change the CAD file. Our FiT’s pick and place tool head adds actives to the prints, making them electrically functional if needed. We just delivered a Factory in a Tool to the Army’s Redstone Arsenal. It has one full meter of travel in the XY plane,” Holmes said.
“nScrypt’s goal is to disrupt how manufacturing happens. Munitions printed on-demand, where and when they are needed; a ruggedized 3D printer for use in forward deployed locations; and printed electronics, like conformal Active Phased Array Antennas for improved performance at lower cost, are a few of the examples of capabilities currently being transitioned from nScrypt to the DoD and the global manufacturing industrial base.”
SXSW 3D Printing Presentation About 3D Printed Kidney Model
SXSW 2019 begins next month in Texas, and in addition to the many other innovations on display at the event, Dr. Tim Brown, Consultant Transplant Surgeon at Belfast City Hospital, will share his experience of using 3D printing to successfully perform a first of its kind, life-saving operation during a presentation titled “Tumours, Transplants and Technology: AI for Life.” His patient needed a life-saving kidney donation, and while her father was willing to donate, his kidney had a tumor on it. Together with UK medical 3D printing company axial3D and Digital Catapult, Dr. Brown used a 3D printed kidney model to safely complete the transplant surgery and save his patient’s life.
“As the cyst was buried deep within the renal cortex and therefore invisible on the back bench, a replica 3D model was used for preoperative planning and intra-operative localization of the lesion,” explained Dr. Brown. “It’s difficult to underestimate how valuable this strategy was in terms of preoperative planning and achieving successful clearance of the lesion.”
axial3D won the Healthcare Application Award at the 2018 TCT Awards for creating the 3D printed model, and the company’s CEO Daniel Crawford and Operations Manager Cathy Coomber will join Dr. Brown for a panel discussion at SXSW, along with Nigel McAlpine, Immersive Technology Lead at Digital Catapult. The session will take place at SXSW on March 12th, at the JW Marriott Salon FG.
Arburg Exhibiting at MECSPE 2019
Arburg Allrounder Freeformer
At next month’s MECSPE 2019 trade fair in Italy, German machine construction company Arburg will be focusing on 3D printing, automation, and digitalization. The company will be displaying a complex turnkey system, built around a Freeformer 200-3X industrial AM system and a hydraulic Allrounder 370 S; both the Freeformer and Allrounder are networked live with the company’s ALS host computer system. In addition to displaying the system at the trade fair, Arburg will also have experts presenting their outlook on the digital future of plastics processing at Stand F49 in Hall 6.
“MECSPE 2019 is the most important trade fair for the manufacturing industry in Italy and, with its focus on Industry 4.0 and automation, it is an ideal match for Arburg. We are not only a machine manufacturer and expert in injection moulding, but we also have our own MES, our own controllers, automation technology and the Freeformer for industrial additive manufacturing as part of our product portfolio,” said Raffaele Abbruzzetti, the new Managing Director of Arburg Srl. “With more than 30 years of experience in networked and flexibly automated production, we offer our customers everything they need in the era of digitalisation to increase their added value, production efficiency and process reliability – from the smart machine to the smart factory and smart services. We will present examples of all of this at MECSPE.”
Xometry Employee Wins Game Show
This last News Brief has nothing to do with 3D printing itself, but rather an unrelated, but still incredible, accomplishment from one of the industry’s own. On Thursday, January 24th, employees from on-demand manufacturing and 3D printing service provider Xometry gathered to watch one of their colleagues – marketer Aaron Lichtig – compete, and eventually win big, on the popular Jeopardy! game show that night.
Lichtig started off at a steady pace, competing against returning champion and astrophysicist Rachel Paterno-Mahler and sales manager Nancy Rohlen, and was leading the pack with a final score of $12,400 by the end of the Double Jeopardy round. He squared off against Rohlen during Final Jeopardy with the clue, “He was the first U.K. prime minister born after Elizabeth II became queen.” While both correctly guessed the answer as Tony Blair, Lichtig’s steep lead made him the winner that night. Congratulations from your friends at 3DPrint.com!
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NScrypt Introduces New Factory in a Tool
Orlando, Florida-based nScrypt is a manufacturer of micro-dispensing and 3D printing systems, and it has just announced the release of its new Factory in a Tool (FiT) for Direct Digital Manufacturing. Factory in a Tool is an integrated system that can digitally fabricate anything from 2D and 3D printed circuits to biological structures, and can be used almost anywhere on the digital manufacturing floor.
The FiT is offered in three base models of different sizes, as well as multiple configurations: two base models for solder, vias, and adhesives, and three for Direct Digital Manufacturing. There are two basic hardware configurations: the 3Dn-Tabletop, which is based on a precision ball screw motion system and the 3Dn-300 or 3Dn-500, which are linear gantry systems. The 3Dn-300 has 300 millimeters of travel in the XY axis and the 3Dn-500 has 500 millimeters of travel in the XY axis. If two or more systems are lined up, it creates what nScrypt calls a Factory in a Line.
The 3Dn-300 and 3Dn-500 run five tool heads for Direct Digital Manufacturing without tool changes. The tools and configurations all share a user-friendly and customizable graphical user interface (GUI), z-tracking/High sensing, precision motion control, and common software and electronic controllers, which simplify operation, maintenance, servicing, training and reconfiguration.
The Factory in a Tool uses multiple tool heads, including the nFD for material extrusion, the SmartPump for Micro-Dispensing, the nMill for micro-milling, and the nPnP 360 for pick and place of electronic components and subassemblies. These tools operate in series or parallel on a fast, precise linear motion gantry, alongside multiple cameras for automated inspection and computer vision routines, a point laser height sensor for mapping surfaces for conformal printing, an automated PulseForge 1300 photonic curing system and a femtosecond laser for cutting or sintering materials.
The SmartPump has pico-liter volumetric control that eliminates dripping and can work with the widest range of materials available for any Micro-Dispensing system – more than 10,000 commercially available materials, in fact. It can print everything from thin materials like water to thick material like peanut butter or thicker.
The nTip, which is used on the SmartPump tool head, has the smallest commercially available pen tip diameter at 10 microns, one-tenth the diameter of a human hair. The smallest competitive pen tips, according to nScrypt, are 100 microns.
The nFD extruder tool offers the widest range of thermoplastics and can also print composites and continuous carbon fiber. If a material is not available in a filament format, the nFDh unique hopper option is capable of loading thermoplastic and composite injection molding pellets.
nScrypt has been around for longer than a decade and in 2003 won the R&D 100 Award for producing the first commercially available bioprinter. Next year, its zero gravity bioprinter will travel to the International Space Station.
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[Images: nScrypt]