News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
The maker community is constantly creating new, fun and often innovative things using 3D printing, but it can sometimes be hard to keep track of all the amazing things going on, especially with so much happening on the industry side of things. At this time of year, however, I always find myself drawn back into what makers are up to, because the creative juices really seem to get going around Halloween.
Though it is somewhat morbid to think about, death faces all of us and along with it, funeral planning and costs. According to Liverpool-based startup Koffin, funeral costs have gone up over 70% in the past 10 years. These high costs, along with the unsustainable nature of traditional coffins were what inspired artist Gina Czarnecki to found Koffin, a company dedicated to creating sustainable, 3D printed eco-coffins.
Sigma Labs, Inc., a provider of quality assurance software under the PrintRite3D brand, will launch the newest configuration of its PrintRite3D quality control solution—incorporating PrintRite3D SENSORPAK 4.0 hardware and PrintRite3D INSPECT 4.0 software—at Formnext 2018, the leading trade fair for additive manufacturing, in Frankfurt, Germany on November 13-16. The company will be exhibiting its technology and meeting with potential customers at Booth 3.0-H77.
Makerbot is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its 3D model sharing platform Thingiverse. The online platform, which now includes over two million users, is the largest free and open 3D printing community in the world.
French 4D bioprinting company Poietis has announced the commercialization of its Next Generation Bioprinting (NGB) systems. The bioprinting platform, which has been in development for the past four years, is designed for tissue engineering applications in research and development or for clinical batch production.
German PERI Group, a leading manufacturer of formwork and scaffolding systems, has reportedly acquired a significant minority stake in newly established construction 3D printing company COBOD International. The construction AM firm was established by Danish company 3D Printhuset in September of this year in an effort to refocus its construction AM business.
Titomic Limited, an Australia-based metal AM company, has signed a $2.6 million deal with the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC), CSIRO and RMIT University to launch the Additively Manufactured Titanium Complex Structures Project. The project is aimed at establishing standards for the company’s Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF) technology.
Cimetrix Solutions, the AM solutions division of Ontario-based software company Javelin Technologies, is seeking to promote additive manufacturing through education with a new partnership with Toronto’s Humber College. The partnership, which will span five years, aims to provide students with a deep understanding of current and potential industrial applications for 3D printing.
Razor company Gillette hasn’t been a successful business for over a hundred years by resting on its laurels. The company, known for its “The Best a Man Can Get” slogan, has innovated over the years, introducing the first disposable razor, the iconic Gillette Blue Blade and the first three-blade razor, to name but a few. Most recently, the company introduced a new range of razors featuring customizable 3D printed handles.
3YOURMIND, a Berlin-based AM software company, recently updated its Additive Manufacturing Part Identifier (AMPI) tool in order to offer users a more advanced and accurate way of determining what parts are well suited for 3D printing. The software update is expected to simplify and improve the AM adoption process across a range of industries.