News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Desktop Health, a healthcare business within Desktop Metal committed to developing 3D printing solutions for personalized medicine, and Keystone Industries, a dental manufacturer of biocompatible, cutting-edge, patented photopolymer resins, have partnered to make a broad range of Keystone 3D printing dental resins available on Desktop Health’s Einstein printer, beginning with KeySplint Soft.
MakerBot and Ultimaker, two leaders in desktop 3D printing, have successfully completed the merger of the two companies. Under the new brand – UltiMaker – the company aims to provide easy-to-use and accessible 3D printing hardware, software, and materials for any application, driving the industry to a future state of responsible and sustainable manufacturing.
After entering the AM market both directly (with internally developed solutions, including metrology) and through major acquisitions (aerospace AM service provider Morf3D and laser PBF hardware manufacturer SLM Solutions) Nikon Corporation has now acquired its first AM application developer, Optisys, Inc. The Utah-based company is a global leader in the design and manufacture of metal printed antennas for commercial and government applications where high performance, size, and weight are critical. The Optisys IP portfolio includes many proprietary antenna designs as well as revolutionary RF solution design improvements that support mass customization capabilities.
In July, earlier this year, news broke that Markforged was set to acquire Digital Metal. This was to be the second acquisition this year for Markforged, after the company bought Teton Simulation Software, back in April, and whose technology was integrated into Markforged’s Eiger 3D printing software.
6K Additive, a division of 6K, a leader in the sustainable production of engineered materials for additive manufacturing and lithium-ion batteries produced from its UniMelt plasma technology, has entered into a strategic AM powder supply agreement, and recycling partnership, with NY-based Incodema3D, a production supplier in metal additive manufacturing.
3D Systems has developed CuNi30, a corrosion-resistant, copper-nickel alloy for use with its DMP Flex 350 metal 3D printer. This material resulted from the company’s collaboration with HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division, which focused on developing materials and process parameters for laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing. The companies’ deep domain expertise facilitated the development of CuNi30 and is allowing Newport News Shipbuilding to use additive manufacturing in place of its traditional casting technologies. Direct metal printing parts using CuNi30 to meet Newport News Shipbuilding’s low-volume, high-mix hardware needs can improve supply chain efficiency – with an anticipated 75% reduction in lead times as well as lowered inventory costs.
PUNCH Torino and Roboze, both at the forefront of the additive manufacturing sector, have signed a partnership agreement that will see the pair work towards accelerating the industrialization of 3D printing in the automotive and marine sectors.
SLM Solutions Group AG (“SLM Solutions”, “SLM” or the “Company”) and Nikon Corporation (“Nikon”) have entered into an Investment Agreement in relation to a voluntary public takeover offer that Nikon intends to launch for all outstanding shares of SLM at a cash consideration of EUR 20 per share. Nikon, a manufacturer of – among other things – tomography systems for NDT, had previously entered the metal AM service market by acquiring a majority stake in Morf3D, a leading California-based AM company serving the aerospace industry and a major user of SLM Solutions technologies (among others).
Carbon, a leading 3D printing technology company, has acquired ParaMatters, a software provider for additive manufacturing. This acquisition expands Carbon’s current software capabilities to include topology optimization. Carbon’s technology platform now broadens to enable product design and development teams to create better products, in less time, using a wide variety of materials and production systems.
Hyliion Holdings Corp., a leader in electrified powertrain solutions for Class 8 semi-trucks, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a new hydrogen and fuel agnostic capable generator (“KARNO”) from GE Additive – part of GE – a world leader in metal additive technologies and manufacturing.