News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Australia-based Aurora Labs Ltd recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sweden-based aluminum manufacturer Gränges AB. The agreement, signed through Aurora Labs’ wholly owned subsidiary A3D Operations Pty Ltd., will focus on the development advancement of aluminum for additive manufacturing in the automotive and other industries.
To make something complicated even more complex, patents in 3D printing do not concern only 3D printing technologies but anything you can invent with them. This latest case is a clear example of a 3D printed invention where the patent also covers 3D printing as the manufacturing method. Finnish engineering services company Etteplan received a patent for its invention created through 3D printing: a motorcycle seat equipped with a moving mechanism – and its manufacturing method.
Dutch 3D printing company Ultimaker this week announced the relocation of its headquarters to Utrecht, a city in the central Netherlands. The move—along with a new branding strategy—are steps in the company’s continued expansion, which has been accelerating in recent years as the demand for professional 3D printing solutions has grown.
Metal AM specialist Sciaky, Inc. has announced a research and development partnership with high performance alloy processor Aubert & Duval and aerospace company Airbus. The collaboration, which is driven by the Saint Exupéry Institute for Research in Technology (IRT), will aim to combine traditional metallurgy with newer wire-fed metal 3D printing processes to establish new manufacturing methods for producing aircraft parts made from titanium alloys.
3D printing company EnvisionTEC GmbH has sold a Viridis3D RAM System to German casting company Giesserei Blöcher GmbH, marking the first Viridis3D RAM printer sold in Europe. The Viridis3D RAM System is a binder jetting system developed by industrial AM company Viridis3D, which has an exclusive strategic partnership with EnvisionTEC.
The very niche subsegment of 3D bioprinting in space has had a development that we’re excited to report: Swedish bioprinting company CELLINK recently announced that it sent 3D bioprinted stem cells into space. The initiative, brought to fruition through a partnership with scientists from Uppsala University, aims to accelerate the development of a 3D neural stem cell system in order to provide vital insight on how changes in gravity effect cellular properties.
Italian 3D printing company Roboze has carved itself out an important place in the large-scale 3D printing market, largely thanks to its high-performance plastic printing capabilities. Since unveiling its large-format Argo 500 3D printer in 2017, the company has seen substantial growth and has continued on its journey of becoming a leader in the AM sector.
Remember when we told you that life-size 3D printing was a thing? Apparently, it’s already a lot more than that. Or at least it’s a lot more than life-size. In an epic-size project, physicist Sterling Backus has been working on a life-size, functional and mostly 3D printed Lamborghini Aventador in his own backyard. His goal – described in the dedicated Facebook page – is to show his kid, and kids in general, how cool science and engineering are, demonstrating the power of technology.
Arnav Wagh, a multi-disciplinary designer with a broad interest in product development, is aiming to make soft robotics more accessible through his latest project, FLXO. The project consists of 3D printed origami-like structures which are used as modular soft actuators and can be integrated with robotic kits already on the market. In short, FLXO makes it easier to produce soft actuator designs, which, in turn, helps those interested in the field to make new discoveries.
Rosswag Engineering, a division of die forged product provider Rosswag GmbH, has today announced the acquisition of its third selective laser melting (SLM) 3D printer from SLM Solutions. The machine, an SLM 280, was recently delivered and installed at Rosswag Engineering’s facility in Pfinztal, Germany and will enable the company to expand its production and development capabilities and to further material qualifications for the SLM process.