HP and Dyndrite Partner to Create Next Generation 3D Printing Solutions

Seattle startup Dyndrite announced a strategic new partnership with Hewlett Packard (HP) to license Dyndrite’s geometric kernel technology and power the next generation cloud and edge-based digital manufacturing solutions. By combining HP’s end-to-end manufacturing management expertise with Dyndrite’s cutting edge additive technology, HP is hoping to deliver a software platform capable of powering the additive manufacturing (AM) factories of the future.

In 2019, 26-year old Harshil Goel’s company Dyndrite emerged out of stealth mode to reveal the world’s first GPU-native geometry engine, the Dyndrite Accelerated Geometry Kernel (AGK). Since geometry kernels were first introduced decades ago, they have been a crucial component in advancing 3D CAD/CAM/CAx software. Still, the company claimed this software have not kept pace with changing computational architectures, modern manufacturing technologies, and modern design needs. In order to address this challenge, Goel teamed up with veteran mathematicians, computer scientists, and mechanical engineers to develop a new solution that could level the playing field so that the manufacturing hardware no longer surpassed the software, facilitating the AM industry to reach its potential.

“The promise of 3D printing is to deliver unique parts and tools not possible through traditional methods, and do so on an industrial and global scale. For this to happen the industry must evolve and Dyndrite’s mission is to accelerate this change,” said Goel, now CEO of Dyndrite. “HP is a clear leader in industrial 3D printing and this collaboration speeds the game-changing impact our technology brings to the AM community at large. We applaud HP’s vision and look forward to a long and fruitful partnership for years to come.”

The new alliance builds on HP’s focus on expanding its software and data platform to help customers fully realize the transformative power of 3D printing technology. Through the development of new solutions that leverage the Dyndrite kernel, HP expects to improve efficiency, enhance performance and quality, enable mass-personalization, automate complex workflows, and create scalability and extensibility for continued partner and customer innovation. The ultimate goal for both companies is to change how the software works in the AM industries, driving new performance and functionality.

In that sense, Dyndrite claims that its fully native GPU Kernel easily handles additive specific computations such as lattice, support, and slice generation, in some cases reducing compute times from hours or days to minutes or seconds. For heavy use cases, the Dyndrite kernel is naturally scalable with access to additional GPU nodes, whether locally or in the cloud and provides both C++ and English-readable Python APIs, making application development accessible to a wide variety of users, including non-programmers such as students, mathematicians, and mechanical engineers. Probably what most interests HP is providing developers and original equipment manufacturer (OEM)s with a tool capable of representing all current geometry types, including higher-order geometries such as splines (NURBs), surface tessellations, volumetric data, tetrahedra, and voxels, allowing the development of next-generation applications and devices.

Using Dyndrite solution for additive manufacturing (Image courtesy of Dyndrite Corporation)

“Innovations in software, data intelligence, and workflow automation are key to unlocking the full potential of additive manufacturing,” said Ryan Palmer, Global Head of Software, Data and Automation of HP 3D Printing and Digital Manufacturing. “We are committed to advancing our digital manufacturing platform capabilities and this strategic collaboration with Dyndrite is an exciting next step on the journey.”

Building upon HP’s leading position as a behemoth technology firm, the company has acquired and partnered with dozens of companies to broaden its ecosystem and accelerate innovation and speed product development and supply chain efficiencies. HP also supports numerous 3D printing and digital manufacturing open standards to ensure data interoperability and choice for customers.

As a global provider of industrial-grade 3D printing and digital manufacturing solutions, HP offers systems, software, services, and materials science innovation to its customers. These solutions already include numerous software and data innovations, like its HP 3D Process Control and HP 3D Center software offerings.

Dyndrite’s new GPU-powered, python-scriptable, additive manufacturing build processor at work (Image courtesy of Dyndrite Corporation)

The new HP and Dyndrite partnership builds on a relationship that first began when HP became one of the inaugural members of the Dyndrite Developer Council, a group of leading 3D printing systems, software, and solutions providers. Along with Aconity3D, EOS, NVIDIA, Plural Additive Manufacturing, and Renishaw, HP was chartered with steering the future direction of the company’s roadmap. The driving force behind Goel’s venture is advancing the design and manufacturing software tools used today, which he said were built more than 30 years ago and are becoming bottlenecks to today’s creativity and productivity. Especially when compared to the manufacturing hardware that over the past few years has given rise to new design philosophies and a whole new paradigm of manufacturing production.

In this sense, Dyndrite is creating next-generation software for the design, manufacturing and additive marketplace, with the goal to dramatically increase the workflow and efficiency of AM technologies. With Dyndrite joining HP’s global ecosystem, HP advances 3D printing and digital manufacturing solutions, improving the overall experience for its customers and moving the industry forward.

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3D Printing News Briefs, August 5, 2020: Titan Robotics & Braskem, 3DPRINTUK

Today’s 3D Printing News Briefs is about materials and a 3D printed version of a real building. Titan Robotics and Braskem are partnering up to offer new solutions in 3D printed polypropylene, while 3DPRINTUK is expanding its materials and post-processing capabilities. Finally, the Coit Tower House in San Francisco now has a 3D printed miniature replica.

Titan Robotics & Braskem Announce Partnership

Braskem Polypropylene pellets for 3D printing

Production AM solutions provider Titan Robotics and petrochemical company Braskem have announced their strategic partnership, which has resulted in the launch of a new polypropylene (PP) resin that’s been optimized for 3D printing large-format production parts. The two companies spent over a year researching and developing the new material, which is the first commercially available grade of unfilled PP engineered specifically for 3D printing on Titan’s industrial Atlas 3D printers with pellet extrusion. The features of PP include chemical resistance, dimensional stability, impact strength, low density, recyclability, and thanks to this new partnership, Titan and Braskem will be able to offer improved industrial AM solutions.

“3D printing large parts using polypropylene resin has been a challenge for many years,” stated Rahul Kasat, Titan Robotics’ Chief Commercial Officer. “In collaboration with Braskem, a global leader in the polypropylene market, we have now solved that challenge. Our industrial customers will be able to print functional parts with this first of its kind polypropylene grade. We are also excited to continue to develop new polypropylene based solutions for our customers in collaboration with Braskem.”

Titan is also an authorized distributor of Braskem’s 3D printing pellet products.

3DPRINTUK Expanding Materials & Post-Processing

PEBA Dyed Close Up

SLS low volume production specialist 3DPRINTUK is branching out with its introduction of the flexible PrimePart 2301, a polyether block amide (PEBA) material with good chemical and water resistance, rubber-like characteristics not dissimilar to TPU, excellent detail resolution, and a higher melting point than most other resin-based elastomers. The material would be a good fit for batch production runs and rugged end-use applications, including handles, sports equipment, air ducts, and gaskets. Additionally, the company has invested in DyeMansion’s PowerShot S system, which uses a proprietary PolyShot Surfacing (PSS) process that allows 3DPRINTUK to offer a shot peening post-processing service that can improve the surface finish of 3D printed parts.

“At 3DPRINT UK we have honed and optimized the SLS 3D printing process over many years to achieve the best possible results off our machines for a wide range of relevant applications, that continue to grow in scope. However, the post processing of parts — from cleaning through to further optimised surface finishes — has always been a necessity for many of our clients. Expanding our post processing capabilities is a vital part of the business, and the DyeMansion PowerShot S system is an important next step in our expansion, enabling us to offer our many and varied clients the benefits of shot peened 3D printed parts from a single source,” said Nick Allen, the CEO and Founder of 3DPRINTUK.

3D Printed Coit Tower House

The 210′ tall Coit Tower was built in the early 1930s in San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill neighborhood as a way to beautify the city. The art deco tower, a recognizable sight on the city’s skyline, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in early 2008, and 12 years later, Yuriy Sklyar, the founder, CEO, and head of design & marketing at design studio Threefifty, has 3D printed a replica tower that stands over 7′ tall…a 1/20 scale. Utilizing a Creality CR10S5, a Replicator 2, and a MakerBot system, Sklyar, who has been utilizing 3D printing since 2013, called this unique project a “great opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the best city in the world – and its art community.” It took a month to create the base of the tower, as he had to redo a lot of it, eventually installing a heated silicone bed and heat enclosure to reduce the amount of warping. The next month was spent printing “the 4 giant sections of the fluted tower design.”

“Each one of these four sections, just like the real tower, consists of 4 sub-sections – I wanted to be very accurate with such details. At first these were limited in height by the 3rd party 3D printer, so only 2 sub-sections were supposed to be printed at a time, and then joined together with metal plates and nuts/bolts, but since I was now working on my own terms, I decided to reduce the amount of work for myself, and at the same time reduce the number of bolts/nuts/plates to just 4 sets, instead of 8,” Sklyar wrote.

“Each one of these sections takes about 3.5-4 days to print using a single 1.1mm shell @ 10% infill, which created for a surprisingly strong structure, since I instructed the infil to have a 45% overlap with inner and outer walls.”

You can check out his post for the very specific details of the project, but I’ll leave you with just a few – including all of the hardware used, the 3D printed Coit Tower weighs a total of 24 kg, and took over 7.5 km of ColorFabb’s nGen filament, SUNLU PETG and Gizmo Dorks PETG filament to print. Sklyar designed the whole thing from scratch, and the columns are joined by steel plates secured by bolts and in-printed nuts.

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Simulation First Initiative Helps Honeywell Engineers Find Optimal Parameters for 3D Printed & Machined Parts

Honeywell FM&T, an engineering, manufacturing and sourcing enterprise that’s part of aerospace company Honeywell, manages and operates the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) for the US Department of Energy (DOE). In addition to providing technical services like metallurgy, analytical chemistry, and simulation tools, its mission is to make non-nuclear mechanical, electronic, and engineered material components for national defense systems. Honeywell and the KCNSC are collaborating with Sandia National Laboratories on a new initiative called Simulation First.

Sim First was launched by Honeywell engineers at the campus, and is helping them reduce costs, while driving manufacturing speed and productivity, at the same time – before they even reach the prototype stage.

“The effort uses physics-based tools to simulate production operations – all while in the concept phase,” Tanya Snyder, the Communications Manager for Honeywell and a Contractor for the KCNSC, told 3DPrint.com. “This reduces the number of tests required to find the right process and manufacturing parameters for 3D-printed and traditionally machined parts, resulting in less cost and production time.”

Kansas City National Security Campus [Image: DOE]

This strategic partnership marries Sandia’s code development skillset with the KCNSC’s use of simulation in critical and continuing production processes. In the past, the KCNSC has partnered with Sandia on 3D printing replacement parts for a nuclear warhead, and has also worked with Honeywell on tool design.

Before Honeywell’s ideas even leave the concept phase, the Sim First program uses tools and algorithms to figure out when and where materials could break, in addition to how well they will stand up under extreme temperatures and shock…obviously important when it comes to applications regarding the country’s national security. The program lets the engineers know if their parts are the right firmness, structure, and weight. Finally, calculations will optimize the final design and develop the optimal manufacturing parameters and processes for the product, whether they’re traditionally or additively manufactured parts.

Snyder provided us with a good example of how Sim First works that involves creating foam parts, which, because of their processing procedures and complicated chemical make-up, have always had low production yields in the past.

“Under SimFirst, the KCNSC and Sandia worked together to find a way to predict the expansion of Polyurethane foam in an enclosure,” Snyder explained.

“Sandia developers created a model that’s now been applied 400+ times at the KCNSC. The model predicts the fill behavior of every encapsulated component being developed for production. The end result has been the creation of fewer physical prototypes and a faster development schedule.”

In the above image, you can see an encapsulation fill simulation, which provides Honeywell engineers with the product’s “optimal density and fill levels,” all before they even start to work on the final prototype itself. Early access to this kind of data can really help lower the costs and time that are part of the life cycle of product development.

What do you think about this initiative? Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below. 

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Carbon and Arkema’s Sartomer Subsidiary Partner to Increase Materials Performance & Digital Manufacturing Adoption

Four years ago, specialty chemical and advanced materials developer Arkema announced that it would increase its focus on 3D printing materials research; this was followed two years later by a major investment plan, together with its advanced liquid resin solutions subsidiary Sartomer, for advanced 3D printing materials. The company, which operates in nearly 55 countries around the world, continues its materials focus today, and is partnering up with Silicon Valley-based company Carbon to help increase adoption of digital manufacturing and deliver a new supply chain model and cycle of materials performance for Carbon’s manufacturing partners.

“Since Carbon’s early days, Arkema has been an important partner to us,” said the CEO and Co-Founder of Carbon, Dr. Joseph DeSimone. “It’s rewarding to see all the amazing outcomes of our work together over the years bringing new, innovative materials to market.”

Using its innovative Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) technology, which is enabled by its proprietary CLIP process, Carbon is working to reinvent how we design, engineer, and manufacture polymer products, such as automotive and mobile protection solutions, parts for medical devices, shoes, and even blender nozzles. Since it was founded, the company has shared a similar goal with Sartomer – to drive innovation in order to scale resin manufacturing and process technology, so that DLS 3D printed parts can be more cost-competitive and reliable.

Thierry Le Hénaff, the Chairman and CEO of Arkema, said, “We are eager to continue and strengthen our joint efforts in delivering Carbon next generation products and full solutions to our partners & customers, disrupting the way parts are mass manufactured and accelerating new market opportunities.”

Through this new strategic partnership between Carbon and Arkema’s Sartomer business line, which was announced through an investment in the startup’s capital, the two companies will help disrupt the existing supply chain model, deliver new technologies to help bring digital manufacturing more into the mainstream, and deliver advanced materials.

As additive manufacturing continues to advance and mature, we will keep seeing the way that products are designed and fabricated change across industries…and partnerships like this one between Arkema and Carbon are at the forefront of these changes. Already, their collaboration has been responsible for creating some, according to a press release issued about the partnership, “holistic solutions” that are changing things up in the consumer goods, dental, and sporting markets.

Earlier this week, Carbon announced that it had received $260 million in additional investments after a round of growth funding; one of the participants in this round was Arkema, which invested $20 million in Carbon’s Growth Funding Round. This funding will help Carbon support its next generation of integrated digital manufacturing platforms, solutions, and materials. As the two companies have a similar vision for the AM industry, their growing partnership is a great way for them to use advanced materials technology to grow their collective pipelines of production applications.

What do you think? Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

3D Printing News Briefs: March 16, 2019

We’re starting with 3D software and medical 3D printing in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then moving on to stories about some cool 3D printed projects. Sinterit has updated the software for its SLS 3D printers, and Deutsche Bahn is increasing efficiency with software solutions by 3YOURMIND. Medical 3D printing is on the rise in Sri Lanka. A designer whose work we’ve previously covered used Carbon technology to 3D print a unique pair of heeled shoes, and an Indian company used 3D printing to reduce the production time for a 6 ft superhero.

Sinterit Releases New Software Update

Desktop SLS 3D printer manufacturer Sinterit just released a new update for its Studio software, which all Lisa and Lisa Pro 3D printer users will now be able to access for a better consumer experience. The update gives these users a lot of positive changes, including more detailed and precise 3D printing with its PA11 Onyx and TPU Flexa materials and optimized slicing, which makes it easier and faster to manipulate models, while also using less RAM.

Sinterit has also made it possible to stream video via WiFi from its 3D printers’ cameras, so users can keep an eye on their prints remotely. In addition, the 3D printers now have an easier step-by-step guide on the screen to make the startup procedure smoother, and a new “About” button on the menu is helpful for optimized model preparation inside Sinterit Studio.

Deutsche Bahn Using 3YOURMIND Software Solutions

German railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) has been working hard over the last five years to continue developing its 3D printing division. Now, DB has joined industrial 3D printing software solutions provider 3YOURMIND in a strategic partnership in order to increase the efficiency of its 3D printing processes, and also determine possible 3D printing applications from around its company in order to assemble a digital spare parts warehouse. The Berlin-based company’s software platforms allow customers to exploit 3D printing potential with digital workflows, and 3YOURMIND supports DB’s ambition to expand its own additive manufacturing reach.

3YOURMIND’s software will give DB employees access to a simple digital interface so they’re able to quickly submit new ideas for 3D printable parts based on applications they encounter every day. Then, the platform provides an analysis and identifies uses cases with the highest production potential, before DB experts shine a spotlight on the employees and choose the best projects to send into production.

Medical 3D Printing in Sri Lanka

According to Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, the Health Minister for the South Asian island of Sri Lanka, 3D printing for health applications will now be available for the first time in the country beginning this month at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL). Minister Senaratne made this announcement in Colombo – the country’s largest city – at the 26th Annual Scientific sessions of the College of Medical Administrators, stating that doctors can provide more personalized care by using modern technology like 3D printing.

In conjunction with this announcement, RCS2 Technologies, the country’s sole 3D printer manufacturer with its Thrimána line, will be working with the country’s Ministry of Health to start up a 3D printed prosthetic manufacturing project.

3D Printed Generative Heels

Talented designer Masaharu Ono, currently working for Japan’s DiGITAL ARTISAN.inc, is well-known for his creative 3D printed projects in both the fashion and technology worlds. Now he’s back in the fashion world with a 3D printed pair of high heels that you’ve got to see to believe. On the artisanal project “Generative Heel – Formless” for DiGITAL ARTISAN, Ono worked with casting company Castem, chemical manufacturer JSR, and 3D printing company Carbon to create the sky-high heels.

“This is concept model for mass customization, but I just getting ready, I will sell it as soon as possible,” Ono told 3DPrint.com.

3D Printed Window Spiderman

An Indian manufacturing company by the name of STPL3D received an unusual order from a traditional fine arts manufacturer: an extremely detailed, 6-foot Spiderman sculpture for the opening of a new entertainment store. Typically, a project like this would take closer to two months, but STPL3D’s given deadline was just one week away. Using 3D printing, the company was able to complete it in just four days, which helped lower the cost and weight of the sculpture as well. Digital sculpting was used to modify an open source file to better fit the client’s needs.

“Our production team wanted to take full advantage of our array of 15 FDM machines so we could finish the project before the timeline, so we divided the 6 ft* 4 ft sculpture into 20 parts, then our post-processing team assembled the spiderman in 6-7 hours with plastic welding and glue to bring it in real shape that was required by the client,” Hardik Prajapati of STPL3D told 3DPrint.com.

“Post processing is always fun and all about teamwork. Our artistic and post-processing team played a major role in finishing the project that had matched our client’s expectation.”

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

3D Printing News Briefs: December 12, 2018

Today’s 3D Printing News Briefs are short and sweet, but still full of important news that’s not to be missed. First, UK-based medical technology firm axial3D is partnering with Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare in order to enhance patient outcomes with 3D printing. Sawing machine manufacturer Kasto has announced that it is supporting the NextGenAM project for industrial 3D printing automation. Finally, Hobs 3D has purchased Canon UK’s 3D printing business.

axial3D Partnering with Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare 

Daniel Crawford, axial3D

Private, not-for-profit community healthcare system Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) is teaming up with UK medical technology firm axial3D to make 3D printed medical models to ensure better patient outcomes in the neurosurgical services. The strategic partnership will use 3D printing to achieve a “transformative approach to pre-surgical care,” according to axial3D, which can now call TMH its only neuroscience industry partner in the US. TMH will also work with other international partners to collate data on the use of 3D printing in neurosurgery, complete case studies and research, and eventually expand to other surgical specialties.

“Our 3D printed models are used extensively by leading surgical centers across Europe and as we continue to develop our presence in the United States, we are excited about the clinical and research potential of this partnership with TMH. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare offers a leading neurosurgery program and by utilizing 3D printing, it is expanding its already high standards and providing a better experience for its patients and clinical team,” said Daniel Crawford, the Founder and CEO of axial3D.

Kasto Joins NextGenAm Project

The KASTOwin amc bandsaw

Last year, the NextGenAM collaborative project was launched by Premium AEROTEC, EOS, and Daimler AG. NextGenAM is dedicated to developing and implementing next generation industrial 3D printing technology in order to cut costs and optimize workflows, and now sawing machine manufacturer Kasto has announced that it is supporting the project. The overall project aim is to develop a complete system to produce aluminum components for both the aerospace and automotive industries, and Kasto can definitely offer some assistance with this.

The automatic, fully enclosed KASTOwin amc sawing technology was specifically designed to separate 3D printed components from the build platform by inverting them and sawing horizontally, so they fall into a container below. Its cutting range is 400 x 400 mm, with an infinitely adjustable electromechanical servo motor blade feed and an optional extraction system. The other NextGenAM project partners were impressed with the saw’s ability to efficiently perform component separation, and one is now being used at the Technology Centre in Varel (TZV), where its automated pilot plant for industrial 3D printing, post-processing, and quality assurance was recently commissioned.

Canon UK’s 3D Printing Business Purchased by Hobs 3D

Three years ago, Canon Europe announced a distribution agreement with 3D Systems to market, support, and sell the company’s 3D printers in the UK and Ireland – marking its official entrance into the UK 3D printing scene. Canon UK has now been reselling professional 3D printers and offering service support and consumables to many clients across the UK for the last few years. But this week, Hobs 3D, which provide 3D printing bureau services, has announced that it has purchased the assets relating to Canon UK’s 3D printing business.

“Canon remains committed to pursuing all the growth opportunities we have within our Industrial & Production Solutions business. To ensure that each of our customers receives the best experience for managing their 3D printing operation going forward, we chose to work with leading company Hobs 3D,” said Dominic Fahy, the Head of AEC and Manufacturing for Canon UK. “We are happy that our customers are in excellent hands given the company’s long relationship with Canon and proven ability to deliver a high standard of service. We look forward to a continued strong partnership with Hobs 3D.”

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

3D Printing News Briefs: November 13, 2018

We should really call today’s 3D Printing News Briefs the formnext 2018 Briefs, as announcements from the show are numerous this week. EnvisionTEC, XYZprinting, BASF, and DSM all introduced new 3D printing materials at the event in Frankfurt today, and in the only news not related to formnext, Imerys Ceramics has announced a new range of ceramic feedstocks.

EnvisionTEC Debuting First 4K 3D Printing System

At formnext, 3D printer manufacturer EnvisionTEC debuted the industry’s first DLP-based 3D printer that uses a true 4K projector with UV optics tuned to the 385 nm wavelength. Available in three production-ready variations, with a gray body and a 2560 x 1600 pixel projector resolution, the Perfactory P4K 3D printer delivers highly accurate parts with an ultra-smooth surface finish. Additionally, the Perfactory P4K, has access to the rest of the Perfactory line’s versatile materials portfolio for production capacity.

“The P4K is the highest resolution advanced DLP printer with the largest build envelope and deploys artificial intelligence in pixel modulation to deliver the highest accuracy parts with the smoothest available surface finish in the 3D printing space. This will deliver the next level of production-grade 3D printing solutions,” said Al Siblani, the CEO of EnvisionTEC.

The new Perfactory P4K will be on display at formnext all week.

XYZprinting Introducing New 3D Printing Materials

Another company introducing new materials at formnext this week is desktop 3D printing brand XYZprinting. In order to expand the capabilities of both domestic and professional grade 3D printers, the company is launching a new antibacterial PLA material, along with copper metallic PLA and Carbon PLA materials. The first of these can destroy up to 99% of bacteria, including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and comes in four colors: white, red, yellow and neon green.

The copper metallic PLA, made of 65% copper powder, is a good alternative for hobbyists when it comes to sculpting metal for ornamental models. The material is being launched in conjunction with XYZprinting’s new nozzle, made of carbon hardened steel. Finally, the new Carbon PLA, which is also compatible with this new nozzle, is made of 10% carbon fiber, and its matte finish is ideal for showing off fine details. You can learn more about these new materials at XYZprinting’s booth D10 in Hall 3.1, where it will also be exhibiting its latest 3D printer, the da Vinci Color AiO, with a 3D scanner and optional laser engraver.

BASF 3D Printing Solutions Presents New Products at formnext

Germany-based BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH (B3DPS), a 100% subsidiary of BASF New Business GmbH, is also at formnext this week, to introduce several new materials for photopolymer and laser sintering methods, in addition to announcing some new partnerships and alliances. First, B3DPS is introducing flame-resistant Ultrasint Polyamide PA6 Black FR, Ultrasint PA6 Black LM X085, which is suitable for most current SLS 3D printers, and Ultrasint PP, a polypropylene with great plasticity, low moisture uptake, and resistance to liquids and gases. Additionally, B3DPS has also grouped its photopolymer materials under the new Ultracur3D brand name.

András Marton, Senior Business Development Manager at B3DPS, said, “Our Ultracur3D portfolio enables us to offer customers various UV-curable materials for 3D printing that provide far better mechanical properties and higher long-term stability than most available materials.

“These materials have been developed for functional components that are subject to high stress.”

The subsidiary also announced that it’s partnering with California company Origin and 3D printer manufacturer Photocentric to develop photopolymers and photopolymer 3D printing processes, and working with Chinese 3D printer manufacturer Xunshi Technology, which operates in the US under the name SprintRay, to open up new applications for the Ultracur3D range. Additionally, B3DPS subsidiary Innofil3D is partnering with Jet-Mate Technology in China and US-based M. Holland to distribute plastic filaments. Visit B3DPS at formnext this week at booth F20 in Hall 3.1.

DSM Announces 3D Printing Product Launches

Vent cover used for PIV windtunnel testing, printed in Somos PerFORM Reflect

In today’s final formnext news, science-based company DSM has unveiled two new high-performance materials for 3D printing structural parts. Somos PerFORM Reflect is a groundbreaking new stereolithography material for wind tunnel testing with PIV (Particle Imaging Velocimetry), and saves more than 30% post treatment cost by eliminating the need to apply PIV coatings to printed parts. In addition to helping customers conduct iterations and collect data more quickly, the resin could actually help break speed records for wind tunnel testing.

“Speed is crucial, whether in automotive, aerospace or other transportation design. Eliminating the need to apply PIV coatings is a major breakthrough for customers who are using PIV wind tunnel testing. It allows them to speed up their aerodynamic design optimizations. We are thrilled that our strategy of focusing on helping customers create their applications have enabled us to deliver such tremendous value. Overnight, Somos® PerFORM Reflect will not just set new speed records but new industry standards,” said Hugo da Silva, Vice President of Additive Manufacturing at DSM.

The company’s second new material is the thermoplastic copolyester (TPC) Arnitel ID2060 HT, which is perfect for the FDM 3D printing of structural parts for automotive applications. The material features a balance of prolonged high temperature resistance, flexibility, and chemical resistance against exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) condensate.

Imerys Ceramics Introduces EZ Print 3D Range of Ceramic Feedstocks

As part of the Imerys group, Imerys Ceramics designs, produces, and markets high-performance mineral solutions for the ceramic industries, and is making ceramic 3D printing easy with its new, unique range of ceramic materials called EZ Print 3D.

EZ Print 3D is available as a plug & play cartridge, so users can enjoy efficiency and ease of use when it comes to 3D printing. The materials are also available as a “ready to fill” ceramic feedstock, and have been tested on several 3D printers currently on the market. EZ Print 3D has a low firing temperature of 1220°C that’s compatible with most kiln temperature limits, and the genuine low porosity (<0,5%) of a porcelain. The technology is perfect for tableware and giftware applications, and the company plans to expand EZ Print 3D accordingly as 3D printing adoption grows. Imerys Ceramics also provides technical support and a dedicated team that’s competent in 3D printing to help customers.

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

3D Printing News Briefs: November 9, 2018

Buckle your seat belts, because we’ve got a of news to share with you in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, starting with more event announcements and moving on to several new partnerships, a workshop, and a 3D printing project. Nanogrande introduced its new 3D printer for nanometer metallic particles at Fabtech this week, while Sartomer and Nanoe are launching new 3D printing innovations at formnext. Creatz3D is working to accelerate ceramics 3D printing in Singapore, while partnerships were announced between Valuechain and Clad Korea, PostProcess and Rösler, and Additive Manufacturing Technologies and Mitsubishi Electric. Finally, two Fraunhofer Institutes are hosting an AM materials workshop, and a maker from YouTube channel Potent Printables is sharing a new project.

Nanogrande Introduced First 3D Printer for Nanometer Metallic Particles

At FABTECH 2018 in Atlanta this week, Nanogrande officially introduced its new 3D printer. The MPL-1, enabled with the company’s Power Layering Technology, is actually the first nanoscale 3D printer for metallic particles in the world, and could successfully open up new 3D printing horizons. Nanogrande has spent years working to develop the new 3D printer.

“Power Layering, while maximizing particle compaction, allows MPL-1 to use particles of all shapes, sizes and types. With this approach, we can easily print with particles as small as a nanometer, but also particles of 5 microns, what the industrial sector is currently seeking. At this size, the particles stick to each other, virtually eliminating the need for support structures typical to 3D printing. In this way, there is a considerable reduction in post- printing costs,” said Juan Schneider, the President and Founder of Nanogrande.

“Today we are witnessing the culmination of a long process of research and development that has given us the chance to set up a team that generates many innovative ideas. Alone, it is possible to have excellent ideas; but, as a team, we can bring these ideas to life. I am very pleased to highlight the success of the efforts of the people who work for Nanogrande.”

Sartomer Europe Introducing New UV-Curable Resins

At formnext in Frankfurt next week, the European division of specialty chemical supplier Sartomer, a business unit of Arkema, will be launching new products in its N3xtDimension line of UV-curable engineered resins as part of its new commercial 3D printing-dedicated platform. The new materials will help companies fulfill performance and regulatory requirements for multiple industrial applications, thanks to their excellent tunability and mechanical properties. At its booth H58 in Hall 3.1 at formnext, Sartomer will introduce N3D I-2105, with impact resistance for manufacturing functional parts; N3D-F2115, which can achieve varying levels of flexibility depending on post treatment; and N3D P-2125, which is perfect for prototyping with its homogeneous network and limited evolution of mechanical properties after post-curing is complete.

“We are addressing the needs of demanding and innovative 3D printing markets by partnering with global leaders to deliver custom material solutions for end-use applications. Through our range of products and services dedicated to additive manufacturing, we are supporting the 3D printing sector as it grows and continues to develop new applications,” said Sumeet Jain, the Global Director for 3D Printing Business at Sartomer.

Nanoe Launches Ceramic and Metal 3D Printer

In other formnext news, French company Nanoe, which is a leader in high-tech raw materials and also specializes in ceramics 3D printing, will be introducing its new Zetaprint system for desktop 3D printing of ceramic and metal materials. The team will perform a live demonstration of the 3D printer at the event, and explain the full 3D printing, debinding, and sintering process.

Additionally, the company will be launching its new stainless steel 16L Zetamix filament. These filaments, made up of a ceramic or metal powder and a polymer matrix, can be used to make high density parts in any FDM 3D printer.  Nanoe, which is also developing materials in Inconel and titanium, will also soon be launching a complete line of adapted FDM 3D printers. Visit the company at booth A74 in Hall 3.0 next week at formnext to see a live Zetaprint demonstration and 3D printed parts in various Zetamix materials.

Creatz3D Accelerating Ceramics 3D Printing in Singapore

Speaking of ceramics, Creatz3D Ceramics Service Bureau is dedicated to 3D printing ceramics parts. Founded last year, its parent company is Singapore-based 3D printer and AM software solutions seller Creatz3D, which partnered with 3DCeram Sinto in Limoges to create the service. This partnership, signed in 2016, facilitated the first installation in Singapore of 3DCeram Sinto’s Ceramaker 900 Ceramic 3D printer, at the Advanced Remanufacturing Technology Centre. The Creatz3D Ceramics Service Bureau, which offers diverse material options and a hassle-free experience, is the first, and only, ceramics-focused 3D printing service in the country, and is helping to increase awareness and adoption of ceramics for 3D printing.

“The addition of ceramics to Creatz3D’s portfolio ensures that they stay ahead of the pack in the competitive 3D printing landscape, and their expertise can demonstrate the game-changing capabilities that the technology has to offer to help advance design, engineering, and manufacturing,” said Sean Looi, the General Manager of Creatz3D.

Valuechain Signs Strategic Partnership with Clad Korea

British technology company Valuechain reports that it has signed a strategic partnership with manufacturing company Clad Korea, in order to digitalize 3D printing in East Asia. Both companies will be able to grow their association together in the initial agreement, in addition to bringing Valuechain’s solutions, including its flagship DNA am production control software, to the East Asian AM marketplace. This software addresses 3D printing production process niche requirements, like powder traceability and managing AM build plans.

“Valuechain’s DNA am technology is a unique offering to the market, with great potential to enable rapid and mass production of additive manufactured parts. As we look to enter the additive manufacturing market ourselves, we believe this product will give us a competitive advantage in the industry, and we’re excited to be able to contribute to the growth of this technology in Asia by helping to deliver this solution throughout South Korea,” said Brandon Lee, the CEO of Clad Korea Co. Ltd.

PostProcess Technologies Partnering with Rösler

Moving on with strategic partnerships in the 3D printing world, PostProcess Technologies Inc., a pioneer of software-drive 3D post-processing solutions, is working with Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH, which sells finishing systems for traditional manufacturing, to bring automated, intelligent post-print solutions to Europe. Rösler will provide PostProcess’ data-driven support removal and surface finishing solutions for 3D printing to the European market, making it the only surface finishing supplier that will be providing solutions tailored to the needs of both traditional and additive manufacturing. The two companies will debut their partnership next week at formnext, with PostProcess’ technology on display in its booth H68, as well as Rösler’s booth E20, both of which are in Hall 3.0.

“The additive space is rapidly growing, especially in Europe, and as such, the demand for an automated post-printing solution is accelerating. Rösler is a unique partner for PostProcess, bringing expertise in finishing systems with a broad European footprint, thousands of existing customers, and a strong presence across a range of industries that will greatly benefit from PostProcess’ proprietary and integrated software, hardware, and chemistry solution,” said Bruno Bourguet, the Managing Director for PostProcess Technologies.

Additive Manufacturing Technologies Announces Partnership with Mitsubishi Electric

Sheffield-based Additive Manufacturing Technologies Ltd (AMT) has entered into a partnership with Mitsubishi Electric in order to further develop its PostPro3D system with an integrated automation solution, which could provide a major productivity boost for 3D print post-processing. This new solution is based on Mitsubishi Electric’s MELSEC iQ-F Series compact PLC, HMIs, SCADA and MELFA articulated arm robots. While PostPro3D is already pretty impressive, with its ability to automatically smooth an object’s surface to 1μm precision, AMT wanted to further develop the system with certified automation products so it would be suitable for Industry 4.0. Now, PostPro3D is equipped with a Mitsubishi Electric power supply and low voltage switchgear, servo drives and motors, FR-D700 frequency inverters and the optional six-axis robot arm.

“To realise our concept, we needed an automation partner that could provide the whole range of machine control systems, as well as the actual robotics. This is fundamental to truly integrate our machine into the production line of the future as well as to benefit from a lean, single vendor distribution model,” explained Joseph Crabtree, CEO at AMT.

“Mitsubishi Electric was the clear choice because it offers a one stop shop for state-of-the-art automation solutions. In this way, we can be sure that the different components are compatible and can share data. Overall, the company can offer us products that adhere to UL, CE as well as Industry 4.0 requirements.”

Fraunhofer AM Materials Workshop 

On November 29 and 30 in Dresden, Germany, Fraunhofer IKTS and Fraunhofer IWS are holding a workshop called “Hybrid materials and additive manufacturing processes.” The two institutes are working together to organize the workshop, which will be held in English and discuss innovative technologies for 3D printing metallic and ceramic components, in addition to application-specific manufacturing of material hybrids. Participants in the workshop’s practical insight sessions will be able to see diverse AM devices for multimaterial approaches live and in action.

“Why is that interesting? Additive manufacturing technologies for material hybrids open up new possibilities in production for diverse industrial branches,” Annika Ballin, Press and Public Relations for Fraunhofer IKTS, told 3DPrint.com. “It is not only possible to realize complex geometries, but also to functionalize components (sensors, heaters), to individualize production (labeling, inscriptions) and to combine different materials properties in one component (conductive/insulating, dense/porous etc.).”

The workshop, which costs €750, will be held at Fraunhofer Institute Center Dresden, and registration will continue until November 22.

DIY 3D Printed Linear Servo Actuators by Potent Printables

A maker named Ali, who runs the Potent Printables YouTube channel, recently completed a neat design project – 3D printed linear actuators. Ali, who was partly inspired by a Hackaday post, said that the project has received a great response on both Twitter and Instagram. He designed the parts in SOLIDWORKS, and controls them with an Arduino Uno. The simple rack-and-pinion design, perfect for light loads, comes in two sizes for different space constraints and force outputs.

“Each design has a pinion that has to be glued to a servo horn, and a selection of rack lengths to suit your needs,” Dan Maloney wrote in a new Hackaday post about Ali’s project. “The printed parts are nothing fancy, but seem to have material in the right places to bear the loads these actuators will encounter.”

Check out the video below to see the 3D printed linear actuators for yourself:

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

3D Printing News Briefs: September 14, 2018

We’re bringing you the latest 3D printing business news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, plus a little 3D printed art to round things out. FATHOM is partnering with SOLIDWORKS software reseller GoEngineer, while L’Oréal is working with INITIAL, a Prodways Group company. Kickstarter and Autodesk are releasing a new open source 3D printing test, and 3D LifePrints has renewed its collaboration with the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Fargo 3D Printing has formed a new spin-off business, a metal 3D printed parts bureau has purchased an EBAM system from Sciaky, and 3D Systems’ SLA technology is being used to deliver customized dental solutions. Finally, we take a look at some fun and creative 3D printed artwork.

FATHOM and GoEngineer Announce Strategic Partnership

SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD software and Stratasys 3D printer reseller GoEngineer has announced a new strategic agreement with 3D printing company FATHOM. GoEngineer has purchased FATHOM’s 3D printing equipment reseller business, so that FATHOM can focus solely on its digital manufacturing services. Thanks to the agreement, the two partners will be able to scale their respective businesses in different, but significant ways, leveraging their strengths in order to create a large product development ecosystem of hardware, software, engineering, design, manufacturing, and training solutions that customers can use to drive innovation.

Michelle Mihevc, the Co-founder and Principal at FATHOM, said, “It’s exciting for our industry because both FATHOM and GoEngineer are uniquely positioned to meet the ever-increasing demand for advanced tools and services that enhance and accelerate a company’s product development and production processes.”

L’Oréal and INITIAL Increasing Development of 3D Printed Thermoplastic Parts

The cosmetics industry has a constant challenge in quickly marketing new products to meet the many specific demands of customers. That’s why L’Oréal is teaming up with INITIAL, a Prodways Group subsidiary – the two are ramping up development of 3D printed thermoplastic parts. More specifically, INITIAL’s new solution, 3D Molding, uses 3D printing to make plastic injection molds for “final material” parts at less cost and in record time. Recently, L’Oréal needed 14 resin test molds, along with 20 injection molding test runs and several hundred molded parts. By using Prodways’ patented MOVINGLight 3D printing technology and PLASTCure Rigid 10500 resin, the company was able to achieve accurate 3D prints in just two weeks.

“We produce the 3D Printing mould and the final material parts are then directly injection-moulded,” said Yvon Gallet, INITIAL’s Chairman. “With our 3D printing and injection expertise, we were best placed to develop this unique solution. It is aimed at designers in the development phase and complements our traditional machining and injection solutions. It is an innovative alternative that meets the needs of manufacturers, like L’Oréal, that could benefit from this technological advance to reduce their time to market.”

Kickstarter and Autodesk Releasing Open Source 3D Printing Calibration Test

Prints of the test file from Cubibot and Robo printers.

The evidence speaks for itself – Kickstarter is a great place for 3D printing. The popular crowdfunding site requires that 3D printer creators demonstrate the functionality of their systems through various means, but it can be hard to compare the performance of different machines, because not everyone shows off the same test prints, like the 3D Benchy. So Kickstarter is working at Autodesk to address this lack of a common standard for assessing FDM 3D printer performance, and will soon be releasing a new open source 3D printer test for Kickstarter creators, developed by Autodesk research scientist Andreas Bastian.

“We believe this test procedure will support greater transparency in our community,” Zach Dunham wrote in a Kickstarter blog post. “We started with FDM printers because they’re the most common model on Kickstarter. Our goal over time is to expand this calibration test to other printing technologies like stereolithography. Though this test is optional for creators to share on their project pages, electing to do so opens a frank conversation about quality. And backers of any 3D printer project can share images of their own tests by posting them with the hashtag #FDMtest.”

Creators can download the single, consolidated STL file and instructions to test their 3D printers’ alignment, dimensional accuracy, and resolution on Github.

3D LifePrints and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Renew Collaboration

The Alder Hey Children’s Hospital has signed a long-term collaboration agreement with 3D LifePrints, a UK-based medical 3D printing company and a founding member of the hospital’s Innovation Hub. The company has had an embedded 3D printing facility at the 1,000 square meter underground co-creation space since 2015, and was supported by the hospital for its first two years there, showcasing the impact of its work and establishing its unique 3D printed offerings. Under the agreement, the company will continue supplying the hospital with its specialized 3D printing services.

“I am really proud of this milestone in our ongoing partnership. Incubating a start-up company in a hospital, to the point where they have series A funding, a multi-year contract with the NHS and diffusion to other medical centres around the country is an enormous vindication of what the Innovation hub was set up for,” said Iain Hennessey, Clinical Director and a paediatric surgeon at Alder Hey. “I couldn’t be more pleased to see 3DLP help integrate this emerging technology into clinical practice.”

Fargo 3D Printing Forms 3D Printer Repair Business

North Dakota-based Fargo 3D Printing has formed a new business out of its 3D printer repair segment, called Fargo 3D Printer Repair. While its parent company continues to focus on multiple aspects of the industry, the five-person repair team at the new Fargo 3D Printer Repair can devote 100% of its time to providing 3D printer repair and service to individuals, schools, OEMs, and businesses. The new spin-off company currently provides production-scale warranty servicing, maintenance, and repair services for multiple OEM 3D printing companies across North America; service and repair requests can be made through an intuitive form on its website.

“We don’t sell any 3D printers ourselves, so we are able to remain brand impartial when recommending and performing 3D printer repairs,” said John Olhoft, the CEO of Fargo 3D Printer Repair, who started working in the original shop as a repair technician. “Original Equipment Manufacturers like that they can trust us to provide high quality repairs with a quick turnaround, and not push a competing brand on their customers.”

Sciaky Providing EBAM System to Metal 3D Printing Bureau

Metal 3D printing solutions provider Sciaky will provide one of its Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) systems to Michigan-based FAMAero (Future Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace), a privately-owned metal 3D printed parts bureau. According to Sciaky, this custom EBAM system will be the largest production metal 3D printer in the world, with a 146″ x 62″ 62″ nominal part envelope that will be able to produce metal parts over 12 feet in length. FAMAero will use the massive new EBAM system to provide metal 3D printing services to customers in the aerospace, defense, oil & gas, and sea exploration industries.

Don Doyle, President of FAMAero, said, “FAMAero is entering the market as the first private, dedicated parts bureau in North America for large-scale 3D printed metal parts. Our Factory as a Service concept, combined with Sciaky’s industry-leading EBAM® technology, will provide manufacturers a new avenue to significantly slash time and cost on the production of critical parts, while offering the largest build platform and selection of exotic metals to choose from in the 3D parts service market.”

Creating Customized Dental Solutions with 3D Systems’ SLA 3D Printing

In order to make over 320,000 invisible dental aligners in a single day, Align Technology uses SLA 3D printing from 3D Systems. The company’s technology allows Align to create the unique aligner forms so that they are customized to each individual patient’s dental data. So far, Align has treated nearly 6 million patients, but using 3D printing technology is helping the growth of its business accelerate.

“What makes Align’s mass customization so unique is not only are we producing millions of parts every month, but each one of these parts that we produce is unique,” said Srini Kaza, the Vice President of Advanced Technology for Align Technology. “And this is really, as far as I know, the only true example of mass production using 3D printing.”

Ben Fearnley Uses SLA 3D Printing to Bring Artwork to Life

Sculptmojis

SLA 3D printing isn’t just good for use in dental applications, however. Ben Fearnley, a designer, illustrator, and 3D artist based out of New York City, uses the technology to, as he told 3DPrint.com, “bring my work to life from the 3D world to the real world.”

One interesting piece of 3D printed art Fearnley creates is Good Vibes Only Typography – script style typography lettering sculptures modeled in Cinema 4D and 3D printed on his Form 2. But my personal favorite are his Sculptmojis, which look pretty much exactly how they sound. These pieces, which are a combination of traditional sculpture art forms and modern emojis, originally began as a digital art project, and have now been brought to amusing, quirky life through 3D printing. You can purchase Fearnley’s unique 3D printed artwork here.

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

Victrex Partners with University of Exeter to Develop Next-Generation PAEK 3D Printing Materials

According to this year’s State of the Industry Annual Worldwide Progress Report on Additive Manufacturing, Wohlers Associates, Inc., additive manufacturing grew at ~21% last year, as the industry continues to create and develop the materials and technology to support it.  Polyaryletherketone (PAEK) is the name of a family of high-performance thermoplastics that includes polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and until recently has been mainly used in manufacturing technologies like injection molding and machining; another promising material is polyetherketoneketone, or PEKK.

Earlier this summer, UK material supplier Victrex , which specializes in high performance, high-temperature materials, announced that it had developed new PAEK 3D printing materials. Now, the company is collaborating with the University of Exeter to develop more next-generation PAEK polymers and composites.

“Victrex is keen to help overcome barriers to adoption and realise the full potential of PAEK/PEEK-based parts produced using AM technology. In order to open up the AM supply chain, we need to continue to work together to develop an eco-system that can address unmet industry needs and accelerate the adoption of PAEK/PEEK for AM technologies,” said Ian Smith, the Marketing Director at Victrex. “This cooperation with the University of Exeter is one part of Victrex´s efforts to construct that eco-system.”

Driven by Victrex R&D and the university’s Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM), the two signed a strategic partnership to develop PAEK materials, while also working, according to Victrex, to improve “the performance of the underlying AM processes.”

“We are excited to start this partnership and continue our R&D work on development of high performance materials and AM processes for today’s and future needs and applications,” said Professor Oana Ghita, the leader of CALM at the University of Exeter. “The new PAEK polymer based materials will give designers and developers the opportunity to use the best performing polymers within AM processes and help make this dream a reality, transforming AM into a high-performance production tool.”

CALM, which specializes in the use of high-temperature and high-performance polymers and composite 3D printing materials, provides technical support and independent research for both academia and industry to develop next-generation AM materials for engineering. It actually began working with Victrex in a consortium, with funding from Innovate UK, to carry out R&D efforts for the advancement of 3D printing technologies, with a focus on affordable, high-temperature composites like PAEK for 3D printed aerospace applications.

Aerospace is one of the two main industries that Victrex believes will particularly benefit from its efforts during the initial adoption phase. PAEK and PEEK 3D printing materials can allow multiple parts to be consolidated in a single design, along with the production of new part designs that are too hard to machine. In terms of the medical sector, PAEK 3D printing will make it possible to make medical devices for the production of patient-specific implants.

Demo bracket 3D printed with PAEK resin

By improving technologies for the 3D printing of Victrex PAEK materials, design engineers can be privy to a wide range of new possibilities. Some of the potential benefits of using PAEK polymers for 3D printing include digital design and fabrication of parts for rapid prototyping, more design freedom for engineers who want to use the technology in high-performance applications, and improved economics, thanks to better material use in filament fusion, a decrease of machining waste, and better refresh rates in powder bed fusion 3D printing. Additionally, 3D printing solutions that have a higher performance can make it possible to produce customized, complex PAEK components.

What do you think? Discuss this news and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the comments below. 

[Source: Medical Plastics News]