News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Swiss automobile manufacturer Rinspeed has a unique vision for the future of cars, one driven by modularity and efficiency. At this year’s CES, the forward-thinking company is showcasing its latest concept vehicle, the MetroSnap, an electric and modular vehicle with 3D printed parts that can fulfill multiple functions.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued approval for patient-specific airway stents made with 3D printing. The custom stents, which are used to help patients with breathing disorders, were developed by Dr. Tom Gildea, a physician at the Cleveland Clinic.
An international collaboration between France-based metal AM company AddUp Group and the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) seeks to further advance powder bed fusion 3D printing for the production of metal molds and tooling. The partners have signed a $2.7 million cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA).
Danish 3D printing company Damvig A/S has been acquired by Prototal AB, Sweden’s most prominent supplier of 3D printing services. According to the companies, the acquisition will result in a stronger market position for Prototal within Northern Europe and help to promote the adoption and proliferation of additive manufacturing in the region.
A group of scientists has achieved a significant milestone in the development of a 3D printed and implantable artificial ovary, which could enable infertile women to become pregnant. For the first time ever, the team has identified and mapped structural proteins within a pig ovary, which will facilitate the development of an ink for bioprinting the important reproductive organ for humans.
With CES 2020 kicking off today, there is a ton of buzz around consumer electronics. As one might expect, 3D printing has figured in to the event in a significant way. Yesterday, for instance, we reported that Korean beauty giant Amorepacific was presenting its new 3D printed facial sheet masks at CES 2020. Now, we’ll take a look at some of the other 3D printing products that are being highlighted in Las Vegas this week.
During this month’s AM Focus Automotive, we are going to provide the most accurate scenario for automotive additive manufacturing in final part production. We will present an analysis of the latest progress made by each major automaker group and some of the key activities—either publicly disclosed or confirmed by reliable sources. After the first episode, where we took a look at Volkswagen additive manufacturing activities, now it’s time to visit GM. The next episodes will feature Ford, BWM, Daimler Benz, PSA, FCA and JLR.
For more than a decade, additive technology has been a creative mainstay at LAIKA, evolving with LAIKA’s increasingly ambitious artistic vision and rapid advancements in 3D printing and software. In its latest animated comedy adventure Missing Link, fresh winner of the Golden Globe award for Best Animated Feature Film, the stop-motion studio extensively leveraged 3D printing technology, as we reported back in April.
Canadian footwear company Native Shoes is working with MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab and a team from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design to develop a new type of 3D printed shoe. The collaborative project, called Liquid Printed Natives, involves a novel liquid rubber 3D printing technique.
The potential of using additive manufacturing and lattice structures to improve protective sportswear is becoming increasingly clear. As of last month, what is less clear is the commercial potential of its use—at least for football helmet startup VICIS. The NFL-backed company known for its innovative helmet designs, and which licensed HRL Laboratories’ 3D printed lattices, is coming into 2020 with some serious financial trouble.