News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Increasing the accessibility and cost-efficiency of metal additive manufacturing has been a goal of the industry since its early days. Today, as broad industrialization looms on the horizon, there is one company that can be credited as helping to dramatically accelerate this journey: Desktop Metal.
One of the biggest dangers in the current Covid-19 pandemic is that the coronavirus that causes it can live for long periods of time on metal and plastic surfaces. This means that anything you touch with your hand – including handles – can bring the virus one step close to your eyes or mouth, and overcome your natural defenses. 3D printing technology may lend a hand: Materialise, a Belgium-based pioneer in 3D printing has designed a 3D printed door opener that makes it possible to open and close doors with your arm, removing the need for direct contact with door handles. The company is offering the printable design for free and calling upon the global 3D printing community to 3D print the door opener and make it available all around the world.
Amid the growing global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with schools, cultural spaces and businesses shuttering to slow the virus’ spread, the additive manufacturing industry is also finding ways to play its part. While some recently passed events, like AMForum in Berlin, went ahead, several upcoming industry events have been postponed or outright cancelled.
Additive manufacturing is increasingly being adopted by consumer brands who take advantage of improved customization, lighter products and faster product development. The consumer sector of additive manufacturing encompasses eyewear, footwear, sports equipment, jewelry and fashion, among others.
Many have been asking what the implications of the current COVID-19 pandemic are going to be on additive manufacturing as an industry. The relationship between coronavirus and 3D printing is not entirely clear, mostly because we are very far from understanding what the long, medium and even short terms implications of the pandemic are going to be on global supply chains.
Aerospace giant Safran is bringing all of its additive manufacturing activities under one roof at a new site called the Safran Additive Manufacturing Campus. Construction of this Factory of the Future began in March and is on track to host as many as 50 production-grade 3D printers working with metallic powder or other feedstock, melted by a laser beam or other means.
The 32nd Annual AMUG Conference and Business Meeting, which was scheduled to take place in Chicaco on March 22-26, 2020 has been canceled. The much overdue decision came in response to the escalation of the covid-19 threat, which has so far been greatly underestimated by US policymakers in particular.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lithoz has postponed the opening event for its Innovation Lab.
One of Australia’s leading metal additive manufacturing companies Titomic has announced a partnership agreement with Ascent Aerospace, a U.S.-based provider of production and automated assembly systems for the aerospace, defense and space sectors. The companies will work together to bring Titomic’s Kinetic Fusion (TKF) additive process to Ascent’s associated aerospace customers.
One of the big developments of the past year in the consumer 3D printing market has been the introduction of professional-level bike saddles, manufactured using Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) technology. Within the span of a couple of weeks at the end of last summer, Carbon revealed two partnerships with established bike companies: Specialized and fizik. We’re going to take a closer look at what the new trend signifies for additive’s adoption in the cycling world.