News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Last week SLM Solutions held a large company and customer meeting at its HQ in Lubeck to show off the final and functional version of the huge NXG XII 600 SLM 3D printer. Now Sintavia, one of the premier manufacturers of advanced propulsion and thermodynamic systems for the aerospace, defense, and space industry, has ordered two NXG XII 600s in a move that will significantly advance the entire industry.
Pharmaceutical customization technology developer CurifyLabs has partnered with food printing firm Natural Machines with the aim of bringing a new low-cost drug 3D printer to market.
The most affordable sand 3D printer ever offered by binder jetting pioneer ExOne, the all-new S-Max Flex, will debut at CastExpo 2022 in Columbus, Ohio, on April 23. The new machine has been designed from the ground up as a robotic 3D printing system that combines industry-leading binder jetting expertise from ExOne and Desktop Metal (and possibly ETEC Viridis as well). It features Single Pass Jetting technology and will enable more foundries than ever to enjoy the benefits of sand 3D printing technology.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) installed a new ElemX metal 3D printer from Xerox Elem Additive Solutions. The machine, which is going to be part of the Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) will enable the two entities to cooperate on the new Liquid Metal AM technology to continue advancing metal additive manufacturing.
3DGence premiered a new Metal FFF Industrial 3D Printer series at Formnext 2021. The new ELEMENT series (MP260 and MP350) launches with two printers in the mid-size and compact range, extending on their INDUSTRY series of high-temperature thermoplastic printers.
Using Additive Manufacturing technology, the Formula Student Racing Team E-Stall of the University of Applied Sciences Esslingen, Germany, improved cooling of the electric drivetrain and power electronics. Printed with the highest accuracy on the EP-M260 by Eplus3D, the aluminum-made parts were able to easily dissipate the generated heat and therefore improve the performance of the racecar.
Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC), a leading developer of Micro Modular Reactors – MMR – systems for the production of safe, commercially competitive, clean and reliable nuclear energy, has adopted two 3D printers from the recently updated X-Series line of binder jetting systems, with two additional machines to follow this year.
Seiko Epson Corporation has developed an industrial 3D printer that can use commonly available third-party materials to produce strong, accurate industrial parts of various sizes and functions. 3D printers with these features will have uses in a far wider range of applications, including in the production of parts for final products, and will enable users to mass-customize their goods in support of small-batch production.
Markforged Holding Corporation reported that its revenues increased 27%, to $91.2 million, in FY 2021, from $71.9 million in 2020. Gross profit grew 26%, to $52.9 million, in 2021 from $41.9 million in 2020 and gross margin was 58% in 2021, consistent with 2020. However net loss from operations also grew during the Markforged FY 2021, to $61.0 million (compared to a net loss from operations of $17.7 million in the year prior). Quarterly (Q4) revenues also grew. The result is even more significant as the company generated almost as much revenue as its competitor Dekstop Metal did after acquiring two large AM companies (and several smaller ones).
It was in the air, and now it’s official. TRUMPF has acquired the joint venture with SISMA in Italy completely which means the German company’s additive business will now focus on the medical and dental businesses as well.