Posted on

3D Printing News Briefs: July 17, 2018

In Today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, we’re covering a lot of business and a little medical news. AMFG is partnering with a top UK bearings manufacturer to help automate its digital manufacturing workflows, while Segula Technologies has begun an industrial 3D printing partnership with digital manufacturing company Multistation. Techniplas has completed a deployment of Sharebot 3D printers to its 14 manufacturing facilities around the world, and the winners of the SkillsUSA Additive Manufacturing Competition have been announced. Finally, a pediatric cardiologist used the Sinterit Lisa to create a 3D printed model of a newborn boy’s heart to plan his risky surgery.

Bowman International Announces Partnership with AMFG

Bowman’s bearings

Automation software specialist AMFG, which recently launched a new AI software platform, has partnered with Bowman International, one of the top bearings manufacturers in the UK, as it works to grow its 3D printing capabilities through its Bowman Additive Production (AP) division. Bowman AP has several MJF and SLS 3D printers available for its use, and uses 3D printing to design and produce its end-part bearings, which has helped increase their load bearing capacity by up to 70%.

In the meantime, Bowman International’s goal is to use AMFG’s AI-powered production automation software to oversee production of said bearings, by automating production job scheduling, optimizing digital CAD files for production with printability analyses, and creating a custom digital part catalog.

“We’re very pleased to be partnering with AMFG and using their automation software to scale our already expanding AM facility,” said Jacob Turner, the Head of Additive Production at Bowman International. “Additive manufacturing is transforming the way bearings are manufactured, and we aim to continue to be at the forefront of innovating the production of bearings using AM. AMFG’s automation software will enable us to achieve this by significantly increasing the efficiency of our production processes.”

Multistation Partners with Segula Technologies

Another newly announced 3D printing partnership is the one between international engineering group Segula Technologies and Paris-based 3D printing company Multistation. The two are working together to further develop the potential of 3D printing in the industrial sector, which will allow both companies to increase their offerings and provide customers with excellent services along the AM value chain. Segula will bring its design, product-process qualification, and technology integration in industrial environments to the table, while Multistation will share and apply its expertise in AM design and simulation by determining any potential parts that could be 3D printed instead of fabricated with a more traditional method of manufacturing.

“Additive manufacturing is an integral part of a value chain within which Multistation provides a comprehensive offering; Segula Technologies was an obvious partner of choice to enable our Additive Consulting division to address manufacturers’ concerns more effectively,” said Yannick Loisance, the CEO of Multistation. “We will thus be able to supply them not just with software packages, machines and materials, but also with a more comprehensive range of high-quality engineering services that are suited to a host of different business sectors.”

Techniplas Adds Sharebot 3D Printers to Its Manufacturing Facilities

This fall, Italian professional-grade 3D printer manufacturer Sharebot joined the open innovation program at Techniplas, a top automotive design and manufacturing provider. Now, as part of its own continuing digital transformation, Techniplas has deployed Sharebot 3D printers to all of its 14 manufacturing facilities across five continents. This move will allow the company to 3D print the majority of the manufacturing products it uses every day on-site, which will equal major cost and time savings as Techniplas previously used only third-party providers for this task.

“With Sharebot 3D printers installed in all of our manufacturing facilities worldwide, we are taking decisive steps toward fabricating the majority of our manufacturing line assembly tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges and even robotic arm attachments in-house. Based on our experience with Sharebot printers thus far, we expect to significantly reduce our development time and annual assembly line tooling costs in each manufacturing facility over time,” said Techniplas COO Manfred Kwade.

Winners of the SkillsUSA Additive Manufacturing Competition Announced

For the fourth year running, advanced manufacturing technology industry organization SME and Stratasys have co-sponsored the SkillsUSA Additive Manufacturing Contest, held during the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville. The winners of this year’s student contest, which asks contestants to solve real world problems with 3D printing, were just announced. This year, entrants had to design an adaptive device for a veteran, who had endured a traumatic thumb amputation, so he could keep playing his PlayStation 3. Prizes include RAPID + TCT conference passes, SOLIDWORKS’ 3D-CAD design software, SME Education Foundation scholarships (for high school participants), a one-year Tooling U-SME subscription, and a MakerBot Mini 3D printer.

“The SkillsUSA contest is designed to help students and educators realize the power of additive manufacturing to drive innovation. This year’s competition was particularly meaningful as it directly resulted in enhancing a veteran’s life with a custom solution not possible without additive manufacturing,” said Gina Scala, the Director of Marketing, Global Education at Stratasys.

The high school winners include:

  • Gold medal: Getty George and Sam Green, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside, California
  • Silver medal: Noah Logan and Johnathan Urbani, Stafford Tech Center, Rutland, Vermont
  • Bronze medal: Andrew Daddone and Layke Martin, Frederick County Career & Tech Center, Frederick, Maryland

The college winners include:

  • Gold medal: Adolfo Vargas and Alexander Kemnitz, Central Community College-Hastings, Hastings, Nebraska
  • Silver medal: Deema Al Namee and Aric Donerkiel, Vermont Technical College, Randolph Center, Vermont
  • Bronze medal: William Swaner and Ashton DeZwarte, Tenneseee College of Applied Tech-Nashville, Nashville, Tennessee

Watch a video about the 2018 competition here, and check out the winning designs here; you can also view SME’s Flickr album for more competition photos.

Surgeon 3D Prints Pediatric Heart Model with Sinterit Lisa

Desktop SLS 3D printer manufacturing Sinterit has seen its flagship Lisa 3D printer, which went through a recent upgrade, used to save lives in multiple ways, from fighting wildfires and protecting the faces of children to providing assistance in a tough pediatric cardiac surgery.

“Delivering desktop SLS 3D printer for more than three years caused that our clients send us tonnes of useful and exciting cases. Writing about all of them is hard, if not impossible, but when 3D printing helps saving lives, especially those most fragile, we feel proud, and also a duty to share it with you,” Michał Krzak, Sinterit’s Marketing Communication Manager, told 3DPrint.com.

A newborn’s heart can weigh barely 20 grams, and fits in the palm of an adult’s hand, so you can imagine that surgeries on such a delicate organ are exceedingly difficult. Jarosław Meyer-Szary, MD, from the Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Defects at the University Clinical Center in Poland recently turned to Sinterit’s Lisa 3D printer to save the life of Kordian, an infant less than one month old suffering from a potentially fatal heart disease called interrupted aortic arch.

Meyer-Szary created 3D printed, life-size model of Kordian’s tiny heart, and SLS technology was able to recreate each intricate artery and vein. The model not only helped him plan the surgery ahead of time, but also helped Kordian’s mother gain a more thorough understanding of her son’s condition. Kordian is now a thriving and happy 18 month-old, thanks to Sinterit’s SLS technology.

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

Posted on

Update: Xaar and Stratasys comment on deal to market HSS 3D printing

On 12th July 2018, UK headquartered supplier of inkjet printheads Xaar PLC and leading 3D printer manufacturer Stratasys confirmed that they were going into business with a new company called Xaar 3D Limited. Through Xaar 3D Limited, the companies are working together to bring Xaar’s High Speed Sintering (HSS) 3D printing technology to the market. In this […]
Posted on

BIOMODEX Continues to Build Momentum in 3D Printed Medical Models

The 3D printing of medical models is something of an art form, and it’s one that startup BIOMODEX does well. Based in Paris and Boston, the company provides 3D printed anatomical models to surgeons, helping them prepare for complex and difficult surgeries. BIOMODEX has seen a lot of forward momentum lately, raising $15 million in Series A funding at the end of May and recently sharing perspective on the growth of additive manufacturing. In 2017, BIOMODEX 3D printed 1,000 medical models and is on track to print five times that number in 2018. The company’s approach to 3D printed medical models is an innovative and exciting one, based on a patented algorithm that forms the core of its INVIVOTECH technology.

“It is the algorithm that builds the composite material and that will distribute the different materials at a micron level; we can control every single drop of the material to match the mechanical target we have,” said BIOMODEX CEO Thomas Marchand. “We are inventing new composite materials thanks to this algorithm.”

What sets BIOMODEX apart from other 3D printed medical model companies is that in addition to matching the exact shape of the organ to be operated on, BIOMODEX adds its functionality. This adds an extra layer to the benefits that such models provide, enabling surgeons to operate with greater accuracy and efficiency.

“The vision is that our personalized, 3D printed patient-specific models will enable surgeons to gain a better understanding of their patient’s unique anatomy – so they will be able to plan the most complex procedures in an optimal way,” Marchand told Stratasys’ Mary Christie. “Our goal is to help surgeons choose the best medical device and operating strategy to reduce risks and improve medical and financial outcomes.”

[Image via Stratasys]

Current estimates suggest that one out of every six surgeries in the United States experiences a complication – a frightening statistic. Policy initiatives are appearing that would hold hospitals accountable for the costs of complications, and reduce Medicare payments for hospitals with high readmission rates, poor patient satisfaction, and high incidences of hospital-acquired conditions, including through surgical complications.

3D printed models can reduce the risk of complications by allowing the surgeons to plan and practice their exact procedure before the patient ever gets on the table. This results in quicker surgeries, less risk to the patient, and lower exposure to anesthesia and radiation.

“The first $3.6M fundraising in 2016 allowed us to develop EVIAS, a unique product in the field of interventional neuroradiology, aimed at reducing operational risks during the treatment of intracranial aneurysms,” Marchand said. “The latest financing will be used to develop new products in the interventional cardiology space and enable the opening of a new manufacturing facility outside Boston, Massachusetts. Boston is an ideal location for us with its mecca of world renowned medical centers and high concentration of medical device companies as we evolve and grow from our entrepreneurial roots.”

[Image: BIOMODEX via Facebook]

In the near future, BIOMODEX will be introducing its first cardiovascular product: LAACS, a software program unique to left atrial appendage patient-specific models. It will be introduced at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting in September, and will be available for purchase in 2019.

Marchand and BIOMODEX are also considering opening a service bureau for PolyJet users to send their imaging files, like MRIs and CTs, for file optimization prior to 3D printing.

“This would certainly bolster the use of 3D printing for pre-surgical planning where technical expertise at segmentation and file preparation are lacking or availability is constrained,” said Marchand.

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

 

Posted on

ExOne announces new CEO, what does the share price tell us?

Yesterday we published an article on the recent share price movements for industrial 3D printing enterprise The ExOne Company. Now, the North Huntingdon PA headquartered manufacturer has made an announcement that may explain the increased trading volumes seen in the company’s stock. ExOne’s current CEO, James L. McCarley, will, “be leaving the Company to pursue […]
Posted on

3D printed water sensor system streamlines fish-farming in Singapore

Contributing to worldwide food-security, fish farming is an important practice that needs maintaining within our ecosystem. Thus, solutions such as water sensor systems must be developed for unexpected factors that can damage marine life. Water sensor systems use small electronic devices to detect changes in water, such as temperature, contamination, and acidity. These systems can […]