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3D printed construction models take hpl structural’s steel structures to the next level Industrial Additive Manufacturing

hpl structural, a German engineering and construction firm specializing in complex steel structures, has found a way to dramatically improve its development process with the integration of 3D printing. Whereas the company’s designers would have typically inspected a digital CAD model to determine its structural feasibility, it can now 3D print physical models of the structures for a more detailed analysis and more accurate presentation.

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ETH Zurich’s DFAB house installs largest ever 3D printed concrete slab 3D Printing Processes

The DFAB construction project underway at ETH Zurich aims to use all the latest digital technologies to produce a real three-story house. After using the robotic additive deposition to produce walls and advance composite materials for internal complex structures, now the researchers at ETH Zurich have fabricated an 80 m2 lightweight concrete “Smart Slab” lab using large format binder jetting technology. This makes the DFAB house the world’s first full-scale architectural project to use 3D sand printing for its formwork.

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Five giant prints for mankind Aerospace

Despite the fact that construction 3D printing is still just taking off here on Earth, some companies are already looking beyond the Stratosphere towards building 3D printed habitats and liveable structures in space. The ambitious and quite niche branch of AM research, spurred on by space exploration organizations such as NASA and ESA, is being pioneered by a handful of companies who believe their construction AM platforms have the potential to be adapted for the harsh environments of the Moon and Mars.

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Israeli startup Castor selected for Stanley+Techstars Additive Manufacturing Accelerator AM Software

Israeli 3D printing startup Castor has high ambitions in the 3D printing industry and hopes to help businesses adopt and optimize additive manufacturing with its software platform. The company, which markets the “first intelligent 3D printing software for manufacturing,” was recently selected to be a part of the Stanley+Techstars Additive Manufacturing Accelerator hosted by Stanley Black & Decker and Techstars.

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The Game of Crimps: 3D printed design and maritime warfare come together in new board game Materials

A dedicated fan of classic board games, I am rarely taken with newly released games — with a few exceptions, of course. One of those exceptions is a new strategic board game that draws its inspiration from the seafaring of old and is presented as a beautiful, foldable 3D printed set. The game, called Adella: the Game of Crimps, is arguably as impressive in its design as it is in its gaming concept.