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Dubai Electrical and Water Authority Deploys Markforged Metal X 3D Printer

Thanks in large part to its ambitious 3D Printing Strategy, the city-state of Dubai, which is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has used the technology for a wide variety of applications, from mobility and environmental applications to medical and construction, and many of the opportunities and initiatives have come from the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (Image courtesy of Littlegate Publishing)

DEWA’s vision is to be an innovative, sustainable utility, and uses 3D printing to create both spare parts and prototypes for its distribution, generation, and transmission divisions, as well as to support the digitizing of its inventory. Its Research and Development Center at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park supports rapid prototyping through 3D printing, in addition to offering mechanical testing, training, techno-economic analysis, and additive manufacturing R&D. Now, DEWA is working to create advanced infrastructure and special AM software through the R&D Center, in order to develop solutions that can increase Dubai’s operational efficiency and productivity.

To that end, it’s the first organization in the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, originally and colloquially referred to as the Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC, to deploy the Metal X 3D printer by Markforged for this purpose.

“The 3D printing programme at DEWA has been selected as one of the Dubai 10X initiative projects. The initiative was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which mandates the Government of Dubai to be a global leader that is 10 years ahead of all other cities,” stated HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, in a press release. “The programme also supports the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy, which is a unique global initiative to use technology for the service of humanity and promote the status of the UAE and Dubai as a global hub for 3D printing technology, by 2030. Our use of the latest Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and world-class standards aligns with our continuous efforts to improve efficiency in the production, transmission and distribution of energy and water, develop future services and projects that enhance DEWA’s position as one of the best utilities in the world, and enhance Dubai’s leading position globally.”

The Metal X system uses Markforged’s accurate Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing, or ADAM, technology, and is able to print with a variety of metals, such as stainless steel, Inconel 625, and copper. It allows for rapid prototyping, low volume production, and on-demand spare parts 3D printing, all of which will help DEWA increase 3D printing innovation, decrease costs, and improve efficiency.

“We work on innovating and developing new 3D printing facilities across DEWA’s divisions and draft quality procedure protocols. DEWA’s R&D Centre supports 3D printing of components that can endure high temperatures and harsh weather conditions. It includes the latest 3D printing technologies, such as reinforced plastic printers using a mixture of carbon fibre or fibreglass; CYBE printers; and Markforged Metalx metal printers,” Al Tayer explained. “The Centre strengthens DEWA staff’s capabilities in 3D printing, through workshops and training sessions. Besides, it develops the experiences of its engineers and researchers and consolidates their knowledge of additive manufacturing, which supports national capabilities. The number of Emirati researchers at the Centre has reached 70%, including 40 male and female researchers. 20 of whom are PhD and master’s degree holders.”

Markforged Metal X

DEWA’s R&D Center includes DEWA’s Robotics & Drone laboratory, which contains drones and rovers that are designed and built on site. Speaking of on site, the laboratory was the UAE’s first building to be 3D printed completely on site and, according to DEWA, the first 3D printed lab in the world.

(Source: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority)

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Markforged receives undisclosed investment from military-supporting nonprofit

Metal and carbon fiber 3D printing specialist, Markforged, has recently received an investment of an undisclosed amount from In-Q-Tel, a nonprofit focused on identifying and advancing technologies that could support the missions of U.S. military divisions. The new financial relationship will expand the U.S. military’s already expansive access to Markforged’s industrial-grade metal and carbon fiber […]
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Markforged Introduces Pure 3D Printable Copper

Markforged has announced the release of a new metal material for its Metal X 3D printer: copper. Due to the comparatively low-cost of the Metal X system, this makes Markforged technology the most affordable method for 3D printing copper in the industry.

Copper has some very niche uses, mostly associated with its great thermal and electrical conductivity; however, due to its high reflectivity, copper is extremely difficult to work using laser-based metal 3D printing systems. As a result, the industry has often relied on copper alloys to tone down the metal’s luster. In cases where pure copper is 3D printable, the systems that can process (EBM from GE Additive and DED from Optomec) it are typically quite expensive.

A spool of copper for 3D printing on the Metal X.

The Metal X system is one of two low-cost machines that 3D print metal using bound metal deposition (BMD) technology: depositing metal-bound plastic filament to create green parts that must be washed in a debinding station and then sintered in a furnace. This brings down the cost of the complete package (including post-processing equipment) to about $100,000 to $160,000. The materials themselves are meant to be lower cost as well, as they are usually metal powders from the much larger metal injection molding (MIM) industry that have been qualified for the BMD process.

Copper parts printed with the Metal X in a sintering furnace.

Additionally, because the initial deposition process relies on technology similar to desktop FDM 3D printers, it is much easier than metal powder bed fusion (PBF) systems. While the post-processing steps may seem burdensome to the uninitiated, they are common in MIM and the printer itself is likely to be a lot safer and less complicated than PBF.

The ability to print with copper at a lower cost can be useful in applications that require high thermal or electrical conductivity. While NASA is 3D printing copper for rocket engines, more common and smaller uses in industrial manufacturing include induction coils. Induction heating relies on passing electromagnetic currents through conductive metal elements for the purpose of generating heat. This highly controllable process is used in such applications as welding, brazing, forging, cooking and injection molding.

As it stands, traditionally made copper inductor coils have relatively short lifespans as joints between welded elements experience repeated stress every time they are heated and cooled. Several firms in the 3D printing space (the GH Group, GKN Additive and PROTIQ, to name a few) have learned that 3D printing copper induction coils can increase the lifespan of the parts by two to three times, while also opening up new design possibilities thanks to the geometric complexity allowed with 3D printing.

In the automotive industry, copper is used for spot welding; however, having parts made for welding jobs can take months and cost thousands of dollars. Markforged demonstrated the utility of its new material to make spot welding parts for a large automotive manufacturer.

The auto company tested how copper shanks made using the Metal X would hold up while performing typical welding operations. The company found that the 3D-printed shanks performed just as well and showed the same resistance as traditionally made counterparts. Moreover, they believe that using the 3D-printed components could reduce lead times by 12 times and part costs by six. As a result, the company plans to introduce the parts to the production line.

A copper shank 3D printed by the Metal X.

The maintenance manager of the automotive manufacturer was quoted as saying, “[O]ur experience with 3D printed copper has been incredible – especially when looking at its conductivity and structural stability. And now that we’ve successfully evaluated weld testing, we plan on expanding our metal 3D printing capacity for this and other metal components. 3D printing copper with Markforged is faster and more cost effective than purchasing complex machined components, and we expect it to help us mitigate downtime exposure and reduce inventory costs by $200,000 a year using only one Metal X system.”

The latest material from Markforged is a useful indicator of the rapidly evolving metal 3D printing space, which is seeing new materials qualified for metal 3D printing processes at an exciting pace thanks in part to bound metal printing technologies like Metal X. As binder jetting systems from HP and Desktop Metal begin entering the marketplace, the larger manufacturing industry will begin changing in ways we may not have even predicted.

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Metal X 3D Printer Begins Operations at U.S. Military Base

Markforged can happily claim to be a pioneer on a number of fronts in the additive manufacturing (AM) industry: 3D printing reinforcement fibers, low-cost metal 3D printing, unique quality control systems, software and more. While there are surely other new technologies on the horizon for the Boston-based startup, the most exciting offering from the company at the moment may be its metal 3D printing system, Metal X.

Demonstrating the capabilities of the Metal X, the U.S. military recently showed off its new Metal X system in a story for Stars and Stripes. In December, III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) began running a Metal X system at its 3rd Maintenance Battalion shop at Camp Kinser one of the U.S.’s highly controversial military bases on the island of Okinawa.

The shop is staffed by 12 marines who repair parts for U.S. weapon systems and vehicles for all III MEF units, which occupy numerous bases across the small, Japanese island, as well as several bases on the larger island of Honshu and additional locations in South Korea and Hawaii. Typically, the crew has had to rely on CNC machines to make parts. As our readers know, this process can be costly, time consuming, and wasteful of material.

Quincy Reynolds with the Metal X 3D printer at Camp Kinser in Okinawa, Japan. Image courtesy of Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes.

While the shop has had plastic 3D printers for the past four or five years, they have typically been reserved for prototyping. The Metal X system will make it possible for the military to 3D print metal end parts on demand. So far, these parts have included gauges for .50-caliber machine guns, sockets for wrenches and a piece to test weapon optics at the armory.

The Metal X extrudes metal powders bound together in a polymer matrix in a method similar to the traditional fused deposition modeling associated with desktop 3D printing. These “green” parts are then placed into a debinding station in which liquid argon washes away the plastic binder. The now “brown” parts are then placed into a furnace which sinters the metal parts for up to 27 hours and up to 1482°C, resulting in solid metal parts.

“Whereas with our new metal 3D printer, that opens up a whole new world for us,” shop foreman Staff Sgt. Quincy Reynolds said. “This piece of equipment is able to save time with the multiple prints and then you’re able to have a completed [piece] … that does not need any machining.”

Whereas a marine might spend eight to 12 hours machining a single component, the metal 3D printer can produce multiple parts at once. Once the initial layers are printed successfully, the solider can move on to other activities. In turn, one user can work on four projects at a time. Because the furnace the staff is using only holds about half the capacity that the Metal X can print, the shop will be upgrading to a larger furnace.

“We’re asking units, ‘Hey, just give us a problem. Let us figure out the solution for you,’” Reynolds said. “Right now, the sky is the limit honestly with this printer. If you can think of it, we can literally do it.”

A .50 caliber machine gun gauge 3D printed by the U.S. military forces in Okinawa using the Metal X 3D printer. Image courtesy of Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes.

From the description provided in Stars and Stirpes, the Metal X system is delivering on an endeavor that the U.S. military has long been pursuing: the ability to 3D print metal components on demand. The long-term goal for the military is to be able to make parts as close to a warzone as possible, potentially within portable fablabs.

Because the U.S. spends more on its military than the next seven countries combined, it has the expenses to research these cutting-edge initiatives and more. As the largest military force in the world (coincidentally also the largest polluter), the U.S. is under a seemingly constant need to develop its capability versus others that might challenge its hegemony. It has garrisoned the planet with over 1,000 military bases located in 80 countries, representing 95 percent of the globe’s total military installations (for comparison France, the U.K. and Russia have about 10-20 foreign outposts each and China has one).

As a result, the U.S. military is exploring a wide range of experimental 3D printing applications. Others include 3D printing meals for soldiers, 3D-printed grenade launchers, 3D-printed ship hulls, skin 3D printers for rapidly healing wounds.

The post Metal X 3D Printer Begins Operations at U.S. Military Base appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

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3D printing saves Guhring UK 75 percent in tooling costs

Birmingham-based tool manufacturer Guhring UK has introduced two additive manufacturing systems from the US-based composite and metal 3D printer provider Markforged into its custom cutting tool line. Guhring UK opted to purchase the Metal X system, as well as a Markforged continuous fiber 3D printer, from Markforged’s UK distributor Mark3D. The 3D printers have allowed […]
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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.

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Markforged brings Inconel superalloy to the Metal X 3D printer

Award winning composite and metal 3D printer provider Markforged has made Inconel 625 a compatible material for the Metal X. A nickel-based superalloy, Inconel 625 is remarkable for its propensity to retain high strength at elevated temperatures, and is often applied in chemical, offshore, and aerospace industries. With availability for the Metal X, Markforged seeks to reduce […]
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3D Printing Industry News Sliced: Stratasys, Markforged, XYZprinting and more

In this week’s edition of the 3D Printing Industry news digest Sliced, you can find the latest stories from an expanding filament to mobile phone security,  3D printed art pieces at Milano Design, and life-size comic book characters. We also cover the latest updates from the likes of Stratasys, Markforged, PyroGenesis and WASP. Read on for […]
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Microsoft, Siemens and Porsche contribute to further $82M funding for Markforged

Multi award winning 3D printer OEM Markforged has closed a Series D funding round with a value of $82 million. The round was led by fellow Bay State company Summit Partners, that provides growth equity investments for three areas of interest, including technology. As in the company’s earlier $30 million Series C round, Markforged received further financial […]
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3D Printing News Briefs: December 4, 2018

We’re sharing stories about events, business, and metal 3D printing in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. To start, the second annual Iran 3DShow is coming up, along with IQPC’s fifth Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace & Space event in London. Moving on to business, Carbon has an announcement about a new executive, Sigma Labs has joined an R&D collaboration with Fraunhofer IAPT, and Xometry is now offering instant quotes on parts 3D printed with HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology. Finally, Markforged is presenting a closer look at the process behind the Metal X.

Second Annual Iran 3DShow

Last year, the country of Iran hosted its first 3D printing trade show, originally called the Additive Manufacturing Symposium before the name was changed to Iran 3D Show. Now, the country is gearing up for the second annual event, which will be held at the Book Garden in Tehran from December 5-7. The Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology of Iran is holding the event, with the Iran Institute of Additive Manufacturing acting as the execution team and organizer. There will be a 3D printing competition for teachers and students, and the trade show itself is made up of three additional sub-events, called “The 2nd Exhibition of 3D Printing Industry.”

“This event is not only good for the ones who are trying to observe the market here, but also suits the international companies to join and involve,” said Seyyed Amir Ghaffari, the Managing Director of Iran 3D Show.

Fifth Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace & Space

Aligned to support the UK’s national AM strategy, the fifth Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace and Space conference by IQPC will be held in London from February 26-28, 2019; last year the forum was hosted in Munich. The conference helps attendees take on the roadblocks to adopting 3D printing and other industrial digitalization practices. The event provides content that helps 3D printing users exploit economic returns and performance gains provided by the technology. In addition, Airbus will be hosting a visit to its nearby Space Systems facility during the conference.

“Now entering its 5th year,  the conference has fast established itself as the premium forum for AM users, R&D experts and industry partners within the aerospace and space industry,” Olivia Timmins, Senior Marketing Manager for IQPC, told 3DPrint.com. “This year is no different with expert speaker line up from Thales, MTC, ESA, Airbus, Safran and more.”

If you register by Saturday, December 15th, you can even save up to £300 of the total cost.

Carbon Announces New Company Executive

Dara Treseder

Silicon Valley-based Carbon has announced a new executive, as Dara Treseder joins the company as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). The former CMO for GE Business Innovations and GE Ventures, Treseder is charged with finding new ways to showcase the company’s story at scale; with her excellent record, this should not be too challenging. This year, Treseder, who is also the co-founder of consulting firm NeuBridges, was featured by Forbes as a CMO Next, and in 2017, she was recognized on AdAge as one of the Women to Watch and by Inc. as one of the 30 Inspirational Women to Watch in Tech. Additionally, she is a sought-after speaker and writer on many subjects, including marketing, growth, innovation, and creating more diverse workplaces.

“I am deeply inspired by Carbon’s vision and values and excited to be part of a trailblazing team that is redefining digital manufacturing and creating the industry’s future. As chief marketing officer, I am looking forward to advancing Carbon’s brand, strengthening our customer connections, and rapidly scaling our global growth,” Treseder said.

Treseder is coming on board as Carbon works to strengthen its leadership team, and will support the growing company’s mission to keep driving the manufacturing industry’s digital transformation.

Sigma Labs Partners with Fraunhofer IAPT

John Rice and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Claus Emmelmann

This week, the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies (IAPT) and Sigma Labs, Inc., which provides quality assurance software under the PrintRite3D brand, announced a new collaborative research and development agreement that will focus on the industrialization of additive manufacturing. At last month’s formnext 2018 in Germany, John Rice, the CEO of Sigma Labs, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Claus Emmelmann, the Managing Director of Fraunhofer IAPT, signed the joint agreement. As part of the agreement between the two, Sigma Labs will be upgrading Fraunhofer IAPT’s current PrintRite3D system.

“The aim of this collaboration is to test and validate the use of the PrintRite3D system to identify and quantify machine and process inconsistencies as well as flag defect thermal signatures during the laser melting process, and correlate them to CT scan results. Ultimately, this will allow users to reduce scrap, increase productivity and reduce post-process inspection costs,” said Rice.

Xometry Offering Instant Quotes on Multi Jet Fusion Parts

On-demand manufacturing platform Xometry has only been in business for five years, but it is releasing news at a fast clip. This summer, the company also introduced a new version of its Instant Quoting Engine, which included several new and enhanced features to offer customers instant quotes for CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, urethane casting, and several 3D printing processes, including SLS, FDM, PolyJet, and DMLS.

Now, Xometry has announced that it will be offering instant quotes on custom parts made with HP’s fast Multi Jet Fusion technology. As always, simply drag and drop your 3D models into the Instant Quoting Engine, select your process and materials (if you so choose), and Xometry will do the rest, analyzing the model’s geometry and providing an instant price, design feedback, and delivery date.

Markforged Metal X 3D Printer Process

Last winter at CES 2017, Markforged introduced its Metal X, which is the company’s first 3D printer to leverage its Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing, or ADAM, metal 3D printing technology. This spring, Markforged began shipping the Metal X to customers and resellers, and announced early last month that it had shipped over 100 machines, with an expectation of doubling that number by the end of 2018.

As we get closer to the end of the year, and Markforged works to achieve this goal, the company is giving the world a closer look at the innovative process behind its Metal X, with the publication of a time-lapse video on YouTube that shows all seven steps of the process, starting with the actual 3D printing of a part, removing and washing it, and ending with part manipulation, in less than two minutes. Take a look at the video below to see it for yourself:

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