News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
The government of Uttar Pradesh, India, has announced plans to build the state’s first 3D printed art gallery in the temple town of Ayodhya. This initiative is part of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision to transform Ayodhya into a hub of cultural grandeur and planned development.
Enel Green Power, in partnership with the Federico II University in Naples, has successfully pioneered the use of 3D printing technology to construct permanent concrete structures in a seismic zone, a first for Italy. The project, carried out at the Montalto di Castro power plant in the Lazio region, represents a significant innovation in the construction and energy sectors. These structures are part of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the Alessandro Volta power plant, designed to store excess electricity generated by the plant. The structures include a small industrial building and the foundations for key electrical equipment, marking a new era in sustainable construction.
Researchers at Washington State University (WSU) have developed an AI-guided 3D printing process capable of producing highly detailed replicas of human organs. The new technique is aimed at allowing surgeons to rehearse complex procedures, providing more accurate and patient-specific practice.
Biotechnology research company Frontier Bio has reported progress in developing lab-grown lung tissue, achieved by integrating bioprinting with the natural self-organizing properties of stem cells.
Nvision Biomedical Technologies, a San Antonio-based medical device and implant manufacturer, in collaboration with Invibio Biomaterial Solutions, a global leader in high-performance biomaterials, has received FDA clearance for the first 3D-printed porous PEEK Interbody System. The system uses Invibio’s PEEK-OPTIMA™ polymer and the proprietary Bond3D additive manufacturing process. Nvision specializes in creating innovative medical solutions that enhance surgical procedures, while Invibio, part of the Victrex plc group, provides advanced polymer solutions used in over 15 million medical implants.
Versarien, an advanced materials engineering group, has signed an agreement with Balfour Beatty, a leading international infrastructure group, to develop a range of low-carbon, graphene-infused, 3D printable mortars suitable for civil construction. The goals for the project are to develop innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective 3D printable mortars suitable for civil construction, while establishing a robust UK-based supply chain and demonstrating their efficacy in real-world applications.
The University of Florida (UF) has acquired one of the most advanced 3D construction printers in the US – COBOD International’s BOD3. This two-story printer, which weighs 27,000 pounds, is the first of COBOD’s third-generation models sold in the US. The printer was shipped to UF in pieces and assembled on campus, where it will be housed in the Weil Hall Structures and Materials Lab within the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.
Amnovis, an additive manufacturing production and engineering company based in Belgium, has delivered over 50,000 3D printed medical implants since 2021.
US-based 3D printer manufacturer 3D Systems has received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its 3D printed Total Ankle pre-surgical planning and instrument set.
Mega retailer Walmart has commissioned what is being recognized as one of the largest free-standing 3D printed commercial building in the United States. The large-scale construction 3D printing project, which spans nearly 8,000 square feet and is nearly 20 feet tall, was carried out in partnership with Colorado-based Alquist 3D, which specializes in robotic concrete 3D printing.