Posted on

ExOne to Partner with Xometry to Offer Metal Binder Jetting

The ExOne Company, manufacturer of sand and metal 3D printers for binder jetting technology, has announced that they will be partnering with Xometry—known for its custom manufacturing marketplace in the US. Centering around metal additive manufacturing processes, ExOne will be the sole provider for binder jetting in this new partnership.

Xometry customers will be able to benefit from ExOne’s 20 years in 3D printing and the refinements it has made with “triple advanced compaction technology” and ultrasonic dispensing (illustrated below)—allowing for better accuracy and performance in parts. Some of the greatest benefits in 3D printing are offered with binder jetting from ExOne, including affordability and speed in production as one roller evenly spreads powder, and another compacts it for the proper density. With a bonding agent deposited onto a thin layer of the powder, the process is repeated over and over until the 3D printed structure is made.

ExOne can print over 20 materials currently, including the following:

  • 316L stainless steel
  • 17-4PH stainless steel
  • Inconel 718
  • M2 tool steel

“ExOne is proud to offer our metal 3D printing services to Xometry customers,” said John Hartner, ExOne’s CEO. “Our industrial binder jet machines can truly take products from prototyping all the way to final production with a single process that is fast, affordable and sustainable.”

This type of partnership marks the accelerated trend not only in the use of metal but in evolving past rapid prototyping to using AM processes for functional parts in many different industrial applications. Metal binder jetting continues to grow in popularity too due to the ability to make strong but lightweight parts like metal casting molds and cores, and innovative tooling solutions from a variety of materials; meanwhile Xometry is able to offer customizations through a vast network which relies not only on 3D printing technology, but also traditional processes like CNC machining, injection molding, die casting, and more. Currently they customize and produce parts for companies like BMW, Dell, NASA, and GE.

“We’re excited to offer binder jetting to expand the range of services our customers can get from Xometry’s new Digital RFQ Marketplace,” said Randy Altschuler, Xometry’s CEO. “ExOne is a true innovator in additive manufacturing and we believe this partnership is a big win for our customers.”

(Image: ExOne)

ExOne has continued to show dropping revenues despite their international standing as a leader in binder jet 3D printing technology. Amidst employee layoffs, their second-quarter earnings report showed a year-on-year revenue decrease of 27%.

As was the case with businesses of all types and of all sizes this year, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on finances. Employee furloughs and pay cuts have also been instituted in efforts to cut the ExOne budget, although the Pennsylvania-headquartered company expects revenues to be rising in the future as interest in 3D printing technology for the industrial front continues to accelerate.

Xometry’s financing rounds have been promising, however, with another $50MM raised last year—bringing overall funding to $113MM for the Maryland manufacturing startup.  They plan to invest in further product development and global expansion, along with other “growth initiatives” with the substantial funds currently at their disposal.

[Source / Images: Xometry]

The post ExOne to Partner with Xometry to Offer Metal Binder Jetting appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Posted on

ExOne Announces 15 New Materials Available for Binder Jetting Systems

Several companies—particularly Desktop Metal, GE Additive, and HP—have garnered a great deal of excitement for their new metal binder jetting technologies with the idea that they are revolutionizing metal additive manufacturing (AM) for mass production. One company that may have felt a bit out of the spotlight is ExOne, which has been making metal binder jetting systems for over 20 years.

ExOne reminded the AM sector that it is still the original manufacturer of metal binder jetting technology with the announcement that it has qualified 15 new metal, ceramic and composite materials for 3D printing. This brings the total materials that are printable on ExOne systems to 21: 10 single-alloy metals, six ceramics, and five composite materials. Additionally, the company has said that over 24 other powders are also qualified for use in research and development, such as aluminum and Inconel 718.

Some of ExOne’s qualified and R&D materials, including M2 Tool Steel, 316L, 304L, 17-74PH, copper, and Inconel 625. Image courtesy of ExOne.

Since 1996, ExOne has been developing metal binder jetting technology, which deposits a liquid binder onto a bed of metal powder. The resulting green parts are then placed into a debinding system before being transferred to a sintering furnace to create near-fully-dense metal parts. To further densify the components to near 99 percent, they are infiltrated with bronze.

With the announced qualification of 15 new materials, ExOne also revealed that it had established three material qualification levels, depending on customer applications: 1.) third party qualified, 2.) customer-qualified, and 3.) research and development materials. While there are over 40 materials currently in development (category 3), the 21 that fall into categories 1 and 2 are few enough to list here.

Tested and qualified by independent third party Tested and qualified by ExOne customers
Metals: 17-4PH, 304L, 316L, M2 tool steel Metals: cobalt chrome, copper, H13 tool steel, Inconel 625, titanium, tungsten heavy alloy
Metal Composites: 316 with bronze, 420 with bronze, and tungsten with bronze Ceramics: alumina, carbon, natural sand, synthetic sand, silicon carbide, and tungsten carbide-cobalt
Ceramic-metal composites: boron-carbide aluminum and silicon carbide with silicon

 

To see the complete list of R&D materials, you can visit the ExOne site. Some of the 26 materials that have passed the preliminary qualification phase include Inconel 718, tungsten with copper, and tungsten carbide. The company is also hoping to move aluminum out of the R&D category and into further qualification, due to the potential impact it could have on the automotive and aerospace industries.

“While our teams can binder jet aluminum in controlled R&D environments today, we believe that optimizing this material for high-speed 3D printing will eventually transform how car and airplane parts are made, making them smarter and lighter weight,” said Rick Lucas, Chief Technology Officer at ExOne. “Based on high demand from the marketplace, we have fast-tracked development of this material for use on our machines.”

The broad portfolio news may be the result of ExOne both receiving increased interest due to the hype generated by Desktop Metal, GE Additive, and HP, as well as the increased competition. Due to the firm’s established presence in bound metal printing, there should be no reason why companies looking to work with Desktop Metal or HP shouldn’t also look toward the originator of metal binder jetting.

After the 3D printing stock bubble of 2014, many of the listed AM manufacturers took serious financial hits. Like Stratasys and 3D Systems, ExOne saw changes in management as it struggled to redefine and reposition itself in the market. When Desktop Metal and HP announced the development of high-speed metal binder jetting, ExOne was upstaged in terms of the claimed speed and price of their machines.

The X1 160PRO from ExOne.

However, with the 2018 unveiling and 2019 commercial release of the X1 25Pro, ExOne was able to quickly revamp its image. This was soon followed by the announcement of the X1 160Pro. Using the same Triple ACT method for depositing, spreading and compacting powder as the X1 25Pro, the X1 160Pro has a massive build volume of 800 x 500 x 400 mm. When it hits the market later this year, it will be the largest metal binder jetting system on the market.

To further stand out from the newcomers, it is incumbent upon ExOne to demonstrate its advantages, such as a wide range of printable materials. While Desktop Metal and HP slowly introduce one metal at a time, the 3D printing stalwart was able to showcase 21 all at once.

ExOne will have to keep up the pace, however. GE Additive, too, has developed a metal binder jetting system with a scheduled release in 2021. Digital Metal, which previously only printed metal parts as a service, is now selling systems and working toward an automated production factory concept based around its metal binder jetting technology. A startup called Triditive is also developing an automated metal binder jetting system.

With all of this activity, it should be no surprise then that the bound metal printing market is expected to grow at twice the rate of the overall metal additive manufacturing market over the next ten years, according to SmarTech Analysis.

The post ExOne Announces 15 New Materials Available for Binder Jetting Systems appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Posted on

Markforged Metal X Now Lets You 3D Print in Inconel 625

Metal and composite 3D printer manufacturer Markforged has now released Inconel 625 for the Metal X system, bringing a high-performance nickel superalloy to many more users.

Inconel 625 is used in many high-performance applications where corrosion resistance and temperature resistance are sought qualities. 625 is used in turbines, piping, valves, specialized industrial equipment, hydraulics and in flow applications. It is used in the nuclear and defense industry as well as aerospace, oil, power, chemical, and the marine industry. 625 has already been available on the Exone systems for a few years and recently was made available for Digital Metal. Sandvik, Hoganas, and AP&C already offered 625 for the Powder Bed Fusion market. SLM Solutions, Admatec, 3D Systems, GE and EOS machines let you print in the material. You could order 3D printed 625 parts from Stratasys Direct and others as well.

The systems and setups you would need to successfully print Inconel 625 would be quite extensive and expensive, however. Conventionally manufacturing 625 was often also complex. What Markforged is now doing is making this material an option for many more applications and users. The Markforged Metal X is available for around $100,000. This is a fraction (15% to 5%) of what you’d need to spend with other manufacturers to be able to 3D print 625. Along with a washing, debinding and sintering step the Metal X lets you in a relatively affordable way print parts. Binder jetting metals is still difficult with new geometries and different wall thicknesses and sizes leading to different shrinkages. So ten thousand of the same or similar parts should not be a problem but 10,000 completely unique parts would be. Traditionally as well we think of Powder Bed Fusion as providing us with higher performance more accurate parts than binder jet.

The Metal X set up (is it ten or X, I’ve never asked)

But Markforged is opening a niche here in manufacturing which is a very exciting one. Yes, there is a burgeoning market for Powder Bed Fusion for qualified parts for nuclear, marine and aviation. This market alone in the relatively exotic 625 material is potentially huge. An even broader market exists around this market in processing, marine, automotive, flow, power, defense and oil and gas. This market is huge. Localized production of defense products in-country at the base or at the oilfield alone is a vast market. In light of recent events in Saudi Arabia, 5% of global crude production has been halted for a number of weeks or perhaps months. The Abqaiq attack exposed Aramco to loses of $200 million per day. In that kind of money no object, scenario local production of replacement parts, valves, pipes, and fittings would be a welcome addition for Aramco and many other NOCs. We think that we’re always so cool in 3D printing but our effects and uses represent a considerable impact on small elements of industries to which ours is a rounding error. If the loses from Abqaiq last as much as two months, one firm Aramco, will have forgone in revenue from one damaged site what our entire industry generates in revenue per year.

The US navy seems intent on putting 3D printers on aircraft carriers and other ships. For some reason, they have a penchant for Powder Bed Fusion. I think putting a laser and powder system which needs argon to run onboard an aircraft carrier is lunacy. But, a Metal X system may be much easier for the Navy to operate safely. Surely it will tend to explode less? At the same time, one would expect fewer problems with the whole you know, moving boat thing. Given what is at stake in the Navy with delays, the potential of underway replenishment is also considerable. Onboard 3D printing also makes a lot of sense for some commercial shipping and offshore.

I’m on the whole very skeptical of binder jet but very bullish on the prospects of 3D printing for marine and oil and gas applications. There is incredible unexploited potential there. On time, small series, weight-saving or flow-optimized parts produced in place is exactly the sweet spot of 3D printing. I really believe that Markforged has real potential here to open three multi-billion-dollar markets for 3D printing: in defense local spares, marine and oil, and gas. Apart from Ivaldi, some work by Voestalpine, SLM and Aidro, no one is paying attention to oil and gas or marine. In April we looked at shipboard 3D printing but while this area is expanding it lags significantly behind aviation and even automotive in the adoption of 3D printing.

Jon Reilly, VP of Product at Markforged says that, 

“Inconel is traditionally a difficult and expensive material to work with. Before Markforged, many would have to wait for a contract supplier, invest significantly in mold creation, or purchase a powder-based process that requires intensive facility build-outs and highly trained technicians, Now manufacturing Inconel is fast, safe, and affordable.”

The launch customer is also Nieka Systems which makes “sample preparation equipment for the mining and cement production industries” and has “3D printed Inconel crucible clips to hold samples in place while rapidly and repeatedly cycling between high and low temperatures. The team can now print the same batch of parts in-house 10x cheaper and in just a few days instead of waiting four weeks for the 3D printed parts to be delivered from a third-party supplier.”

You can read more on the case study here.

There is a lot to be stated for this kind of in time local production by regular industry as well. Whereas I’m super skeptical about metal binder jet being used for many different unique parts, using it for standardized parts, replacement parts and consumables to me has a really exciting future. I’d love for ruggedized Metal X systems to be offered certified for use onboard vessels and able to produce certified and qualified parts for oil and gas as well as marine applications. For now, being able to cost-effectively print 625 moves us all a bit closer to where we want to be.

The post Markforged Metal X Now Lets You 3D Print in Inconel 625 appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Posted on

3D Printing News Briefs: June 26, 2018

We have plenty of business, material, and 3D printer news to share with you in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. 3D printing led to increased savings for GM over the last two years, which is now increasing its use of the technology as a result. ExOne is saying goodbye to one CEO and hello to another, while Polymaker announces a global distribution arrangement with Nexeo Solutions and CollPlant receives R&D project approval in Israel. The US Patent and Trademark Office will be hosting its annual Additive Manufacturing Partnership Meeting this week, and RP Platform has announced a rebrand and a new AI software platform. Finally, the UK’s National Centre for Additive Manufacturing has decided to add Digital Metal’s binder jetting technology to its portfolio.

GM Increasing Use of 3D Printing at Plants

Zane Meike, AM lead at GM’s Lansing Delta Township assembly plant, holds a common 3D printed tool used to align engine and transmission vehicle identification numbers. [Photo: Michael Wayland]

According to Dan Grieshaber, the Director of Global Manufacturing Integration for General Motors (GM), most of the company’s factories have 3D printers, which are used to build accessories and tools for workers. A $35,000 3D printer at GM’s Lansing Delta Township assembly plant has actually helped save the company over $300,000 over two years: it’s used to make multiple items, such as part hangers, socket covers, and ergonomic and safety tools. A common tool used to align engine and transmission vehicle identification numbers cost $3,000 to buy from a third party, but is less than $3 to 3D print at the factory. Realizing that these kinds of savings can add up quickly, GM is increasing the use of 3D printing – part of its new Manufacturing 4.0 processes – at its plants in order to help streamline operations.

“We’re quickly evolving, creating real value for the plant. This will become, as we progress, our footprint. We’ll have this in every one of our sites,” Grieshaber said.

Grieshaber also said that GM is working to standardize 3D printing, as well as share best practices across all of its global plants.

ExOne Welcomes New CEO

The ExOne Company, which provides 3D printers and 3D printed products, materials, and services to its industrial customers around the world, has announced that its CEO, James L. McCarley, is departing the company, effective immediately, to pursue other interests and opportunities; he will be assisting the company in transitioning his responsibilities to the new CEO. ExOne’s Board of Directors has also announced who the new CEO will be – S. Kent Rockwell, the company’s Executive Chairman, who has served in the position in previous years. Rockwell’s new title is effective immediately.

“On behalf of our Board and management team, I would like to thank Jim for his efforts and wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” said Rockwell.

Polymaker Makes Distribution Arrangement with Nexeo Solutions

Shanghai-based 3D printing material producer Polymaker has entered an arrangement with chemicals and plastics distributor Nexeo Solutions, Inc., also based in Shanghai. Nexeo will be a global distributor for three new materials in the Polymaker Industrial line, but plans to introduce more of its materials over the rest of the year. C515 is an advanced polycarbonate (PC) filament that has excellent toughness and a low warping effect, while C515FR is a flame retardant PC with high impact resistance. SU301 is a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based polymer that’s water soluble and was developed as a support material for FFF 3D printers.

Paul Tayler, the Vice President of EMEA at Nexeo Solutions, said, “Expanding our portfolio to include industrial grade filaments from Polymaker Industrial gives our customers access to a wider range of filaments that solve new 3D printing challenges and meet the demands of manufacturers. Industrial customers benefit from Nexeo Solutions’ access to world leading plastic producers coupled with additive manufacturing technical expertise.”

CollPlant Receives R&D Project Approval

Two years ago, regenerative medicine company CollPlant received funding from Israel’s Ministry of Economy for its research in developing collagen-based bioinks for 3D printing tissues and organs. CollPlant, which uses its proprietary plant-based rhCollagen (recombinant human collagen) technology for tissue repair products, has now announced that the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) has approved a grant to finance the continued development of its rhCollagen-based formulations intended for use as bioinks. Terms of the grant require CollPlant to pay royalties to the IIA on future sales of any technology that’s developed with the use of the funding, up to the full grant amount. The total project budget is roughly $1.2 million (NIS 4.2 million), and the IIA will finance 30%, subject to certain conditions.

“In addition to providing immediate non-dilutive funding, this grant from the Israel Innovation Authority represents an important validation of our BioInk technology and its market potential. With the recent opening of our new cGMP production facility in Rehovot, Israel, we are well positioned to meet growing demand for our BioInk and tissue repair products. We are grateful to the IIA for this recognition,” said CollPlant CEO Yehiel Tal.

Additive Manufacturing Partnership Meeting Hosted by US Patent and Trademark Office

For the last several years, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has been hosting the Additive Manufacturing Partnership Meeting, and this year’s meeting takes place tomorrow, June 27th, from 1 to 5 PM at the USPTO headquarters inside the Madison Building in Alexandria, Virginia. The USPTO will be seeking opinions from various participants at the informal meeting, which is really a forum for individual 3D printing users and the USPTO to share ideas, insights, and personal experiences.

“We value our customers and the feedback provided from individual participants is important in our efforts to continuously improve the quality of our products and services,” the USPTO meeting site reads. “Your willing participation in this informal process is helpful in providing us with new insights and perspectives.”

Scheduled speakers at this year’s meeting are coming from CIMP-3D, HRL, Kansas State University, Lawrence Livermore Laboratories, and the NextManufacturing Center, and an RSVP is required to attend the AM Partnership Meeting.

RP Platform Launches New AI Software and Rebrand

London-based RP Platform, which provides customizable workflow automation software for industrial 3D printing, is launching a new software platform, which will use AI for the first time to automate 3D printing production. With customers in over 30 countries, the company is one of the top automation software providers for industrial 3D printing. In addition to its software launch, RP Platform has also announced that, as it continues to expand its software capabilities to target AM end part production, it is rebranding, and has changed its name to AMFG.

“We want to help companies make their 3D printing processes much smoother so that they can produce more parts with greater visibility and less effort. And we have more exciting releases to our software over the coming months that will further enhance our production automation capabilities,” said Keyvan Karimi, the CEO of AMFG.

“Ultimately, we’re creating a truly autonomous manufacturing process for industrial 3D printing. For us, this means taking manufacturing to a new era of production. The launch of our new software, as well as our company rebrand, fully reflects this vision going forward.”

NCAM Installing a Digital Metal 3D Printer

The National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM) in the UK, headquartered at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, has decided to add the unique binder jetting technology developed by Digital Metal to its large range of advanced manufacturing equipment, and will soon be installing one of its high-precision metal 3D printers – which are not available anywhere else in the UK. The 3D printer will be available for use by NCAM’s member companies, and other organizations, who are interested in testing the capabilities of Digital Metal’s proprietary binder jetting technology.

Dr. David Brackett, AM Technology Manager at the NCAM, explained, “The Digital Metal binder jetting technology falls into the category of ‘bind-and-sinter AM’, where a multi-stage process chain incorporating sintering is required to achieve full density. It’s a very fast technology that can create complicated and highly detailed designs, and there is potential for wider material choice than with AM processes that use melting. We are delighted to be able to offer this to the companies we work with.”

The Digital Metal 3D printer will be operational later this summer, and NCAM personnel are already training with it to ensure they can operate it efficiently and safely.

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