News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Minnesota-based digital manufacturing company Protolabs is partnering with additive manufacturing consultants from Wohlers Associates to bring the industry an immersive course focused on design for additive manufacturing (DfAM). The exclusive event is aimed at accelerating DfAM by helping engineers and designers develop practical methods and strategies for exploiting 3D printing to the fullest.
Solvay, a Belgian chemicals company with a growing AM materials portfolio, has announced a new research agreement with Belgian 3D printing company Aerosint, which has developed a fascinating new approach to SLS that enables multi-material printing. Through the partnership, the companies will combine their respective expertise to develop a cost-effective SLS 3D printing process for high-performance polymers.
3D printer manufacturer Markforged has raised $82 million through a Series D investment round led by Summit Partners. The funding round also saw participation from existing investors Matrix Partners, Microsoft’s Venture Fund M12 and Porsche SE. The multi-million dollar investment will enable Markforged to accelerate its product roadmap—including the release of mass production printers and a range of new materials,—to ramp up its global expansion and to reinforce the company’s position in the global manufacturing industry.
AstroPrint has announced a partnership with Stanley Black & Decker to connect, control and optimize their fleet of 3D printers across multiple facilities. With AstroPrint’s Enterprise Cloud, Stanley Black & Decker will effortlessly automate their additive manufacturing systems and workflows on a single platform, ensuring that resources are properly shared and optimized, while gaining actionable intelligence on productivity and growth opportunities.
Bruges-based Hoet Studio can be considered one of the first pioneers in seriously introducing 3D printing for eyewear frames production. The studio, led by Bieke Hoet, has been 3D printing frames since 2011 and is to date the only manufacturer of luxury 3D printed metal frames in its Couture collection. Hoet began 3D printing frames with support from local company Materialise (also headquartered in Belgium, in nearby Leuven). The two companies have since collaborated on multiple projects which have been instrumental in creating an entirely new vertical for AM. Now, the two roads cross again in this interview which we propose to our readers for the occasion of our AM Focus on Eyewear.
Satisfying a sushi craving is already an incredibly rewarding thing. Japanese startup Open Meals, however, believes it can make that experience even more rewarding, not just for your taste buds but for your overall body. The innovative company, which sparked interest at last year’s SXSW event for its 3D printed 8-bit sushi, is now proposing a new restaurant, Sushi Singularity, which will serve 3D printed sushi filled with the nutrients your body needs.
A medical specialist from the University of Pretoria (UP) Faculty of Health Sciences has pioneered a new surgical procedure that uses 3D printed middle ear bones to treat conductive hearing loss. The innovative solution was recently demonstrated in the world’s first 3D printed middle ear transplant.
Behind the doors of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), there is always something innovative going on. From the development of a new volumetric 3D printing process to the creation of new metamaterials. Recently, a team from the lab revealed it had achieved a breakthrough in the development of the first research-grade, open-architecture multi-beam metal 3D printer.
Mark Beecroft, a researcher from the Manchester Metropolitan University, believes that the future of textiles will be closely intertwined with 3D printing. Not only does he believe it—he is actually paving the way for it in an innovative additive manufacturing-based project called Digital Interlooping.
UNYQ, a company specializing in custom 3D printed medical wearables, has launched its latest product: the UNYQ Socket, a 3D printed prosthetic leg socket. The new medical device can be paired with UNYQ’s custom 3D printed prosthetic covers and integrates sensors for monitoring the wearer’s activity.