News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Photocentric, the inventor of LCD printing, has launched LC Opus, its quickest LCD printer yet. The rugged LC Opus is fast and accurate, delivering reliable and repeatable performance. With a unique design featuring a custom monochrome screen, the LC Opus comes pre-calibrated and ready to print out of the box. Ideal for a desktop or workbench, the machine is suited for a huge variety of applications and environments.
Even as the transition to metal and ceramic binder jetting for production has only but begun, it is clear that simply implementing fast binder jetting processes will not be enough to truly cater to production demands. Binder jetting materials and processes still present several challenges and bottlenecks that need to be addressed, from the limited number of available materials to the elevated number of highly complex post-processing steps, including infiltration and of course sintering. That’s exactly what UK-based Meta Additive intends to address with its uniquely advanced technology.
It has been a busy month for Austin-based 3D printing construction firm ICON. Not only did it raise $207 million in Series B funding and unveil a 3,800-square-foot training barracks for the Texas Military Department, it has now brought four 3D printed homes to market in Austin, Texas, in collaboration with Kansas City developer 3Strands. Two of the four 3D printed homes have already been sold, while the remaining two are hitting the market today, August 31, 2021.
Desktop Health, the recently launched health business belonging to metal 3D printer manufacturer Desktop Metal, has received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its proprietary Flexcera Base resin used in the 3D printing of dental prosthetics.
Daimler Buses and its service brand Omniplus have created a mobile 3D printing center for the decentralized production of spare parts in order to be able to provide bus customers with replacements more quickly. The “mini-factory” in the form of a container includes all of the stations relevant to the production of spare parts using a 3D printer on an area of only 36 square meters. The twelve-by-three-meter container can be transported by truck to any location. Once there, only electricity and an internet connection are required for its operation.
Orbital Composites has shipped its robotic 3D printer to the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). Orbital Composites’ commercially available Orbital S AM platform, will assist UMD in their polymer and composite additive manufacturing research, under the guidance of Dr. Gireesh Menta, professor of Mechanical Engineering at UMD. This marks a milestone for both parties as education about robotic 3D printing is gaining prominence in advanced manufacturing. UMD is expanding its teaching and research capabilities in large-scale, out-of-plane robotic 3D printing of thermoplastic polymers, by receiving its first robotic 3D printer. For Orbital, this is also their first commercial shipment of a turnkey robotic 3D printer.
A new upcycling pilot project being implemented at Audi’s Neckarsulm site, among other initiatives, highlights just how important the sustainable use of resources is to the company. At this location, Audi produces 3D printed assembly aids for vehicle production – and as of recently, from waste that is generated right there on site. These assembly aids are not only made of recycled material. They also promote ergonomic and safe work processes and are tailored precisely to the requirements of the employees. As such, the project is helping the company achieve the objectives of its cross-site environmental program “Mission:Zero.”
A team of interdisciplinary researchers at KU Leuven University have taken a step closer to being able to regrow teeth from the root using 3D printing.
Clinicians at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and MIT have developed a novel 3D printed shielding that protects the healthy tissues of cancer patients during radiotherapy.
As industries around the world strive to find new, more sustainable ways of operating, one of the critical underlying ideas that must be addressed is how to keep products, equipment, and infrastructure in use. The “Delivering on MRO” webinar hosted by ZVerse, Inc. will zoom in on this topic, highlighting how on-demand maintenance and repair can help to extend the lifecycle of products.