News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
The last few years have shown us that there are many ways to overcome the constraints of 3D printing and evolve the technology to cater to the demands of end-use part production. Inkbit, a 2017 spinout from the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), uses machine vision and AI to make production-ready, material jetting-based AM systems.
Michelin and GM, two companies that have been making very significant investments in additive manufacturing just presented a disruptive concept for an airless, 3D printed fully recyclable car tire. The Uptis Prototype represents a major advancement toward achieving Michelin’s VISION concept, which was presented at the Movin’On Summit in 2017 as an illustration of Michelin’s strategy for research and development in sustainable mobility.
Over the past year, furniture giant IKEA, 3D printed custom prosthetic company UNYQ and Sweden’s Area Academy have been working together to create a series of ergonomic products for the gaming community. Though it might not seem like the most physically extreme pass-time, gaming can lead to numerous health problems, including carpal tunnel, tennis elbow and more.
While bioprinting technologies are gradually advancing here on Earth, the next giant leap in the technology’s evolution could come from beyond the stratosphere. The ability to bioprint tissues and cellular structures in space could result in more sophisticated structures, which could culture without the pull of gravity. There are already efforts underway to bring bioprinting to space—notably, Russian company 3D Bioprinting Solutions recently deployed the first bioprinter, the Organ.Aut, to the ISS.
Seeing the first layer of your 3D printed part peel off mid-build is always disappointing, and results in wasted print time and materials. Thankfully, there are a handful of companies that have honed their expertise in chemicals and materials to develop 3D printing-specific adhesives to solve the scourge of the maker. One of those companies is Malta-based Thought3D, which offers a range of Magigoo adhesives for hobbyist and professional 3D printing materials.
Zaragoza, Spain, based Dynamical 3D continues with its global expansion process without forgetting its origins, where the foundations for its growth in the global 3D printing market were laid down. The 3D printer manufacturer company began its activity in Aragon more than 3 years ago, growing a business where there was almost nothing and which has boomed over the last few months.
Metal additive manufacturing company Sintavia LLC is primarily known in the industry for serving the aerospace and defense industries with its varied and cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities. A recent partnership announcement, however, has signalled that the Florida-based company is expanding its offering into the oil and gas industry.
Titomic Limited, an Australian metal 3D printing company, has appointed Nathanael Miller, a former Aerospace Technologist for NASA, as its new Chief Technology Officer. Miller will bring his many years of experience in the aerospace sector to develop commercial opportunities for Titomic with industry, government, academic and research partners with a particular focus on the emerging commercial space industry.
Automotive manufacturing company Continental has opened a new 3D printing competence center at its electronics facility in Karben, Germany. The additive manufacturing center will be run by the company’s experienced Continental Engineering Services team and will serve all of the company’s divisions, producing 3D printed components both internally and for external customers.
It is inspiring to see the leaps and bounds that additive manufacturing has made in recent years. In the automotive industry especially, the evolution of additive manufacturing is apparent, transitioning from an experimental early prototyping process to a full prototyping and even production technology. 3D printing giant 3D Systems has been along for the ride—often behind the proverbial wheel—showing us the full automotive potential of its AM systems.