News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Is 3D printing truly going to become a technology for mass production? And if so, when? What and how many final parts have been 3D printed? GE is helping us shed some light on this topic. After the company’s additive and medical divisions reported that 100,000 hip cups have been 3D printed to date, now GE Aviation is reporting that 30,000 fuel nozzles have been 3D printed for its LEAP engines.
For decades, Britain automotive brand MINI has kept its vehicles stylish, timeless and, of course, mini. But the continued popularity isn’t by mere chance, as MINI has diligently stayed the course, knowing what its customers want and delivering on those wants. The latest car model to be introduced by MINI is the Cooper S GT Edition. The limited edition car has just been launched in France.
Aleph Objects Inc., known for its LulzBot 3D printing products, has appointed Grant Flaharty, the former President and COO of 3D Systems, as its new President. Flaharty, who acted as President and COO of 3D Systems between 1998 and 2006, more recently served as the Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of German extrusion machine company battenfeld-cincinnati.
Typically cracks or fissures in concrete are a sure sign that a structure is compromised or weakened. A team of researchers from Purdue University, however, are turning that idea on its head with the development of 3D printed cement structures that are actually made stronger by the material’s inherent weaknesses, especially during moments of extreme stress, like in a wildfire or earthquake.
Lumi Industries, an Italian manufacturer of resin-based 3D printers, will be unveiling its latest product, the New Lumifold, at the upcoming Maker Faire in Rome. At the event, held from October 12 to 14, Lumi Industries will showcase its new system, which it calls the “most compact 3D printer ever.”
Stratolaunch Systems Corporation, a space transportation company founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen, has released the latest update about its PGA liquid rocket engine. The engine, named after the billionaire business magnate and philanthropist, is being developed with the help of additive manufacturing and could offer an innovative solution for launching vehicles into space.
Carbon, a Silicon Valley-based digital 3D manufacturing company, today announced the addition of partners Bright Plastics, Dependable Plastics, Diversified Plastics, Element Packaging, Gallagher Plastics, Nicolet Plastics, Prattville Machine & Tool, and Resolution Medical to its Carbon Production Network, which now includes more than 20 U.S. partners and is rapidly growing.
Direct metal and polymer part 3D printing may still require several years to establish itself as a true production technology. PBF systems – especially the metal ones – still have to overcome several challenges limiting their productivity while production-ready binder jetting technologies still need to hit the market entirely. On the other hand, there are almost no real reasons why sand binder jetting technologies for mold-making and tooling are not yet widely adopted (other than a general and still widespread lack of awareness). This may finally be changing as one of the leading manufacturers of said technology, voxeljet, closed a major deal with a German automaker to bring up to 20-30 VJET X systems in-house over the next ten year period, starting with two in 2019 and three more shortly thereafter.
Despite having released its first resin-based 3D printer last month, Polish 3D printer manufacturer Zortrax has not forgotten its roots in the deposition world. In fact, the company has just released its newest 3D printer model, the M300 Plus, a large-format desktop machine. With a build capacity of 300 x 300 x 300 mm, Zortrax’s new 3D printer boasts the same build volume as its existing M300 model with a handful of new features.
What’s better than one 3D printing construction robot? Scientists from NTU Singapore would likely say two construction robots. And seeing what the research team has been capable of, I can’t say I disagree.