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Guides to 3D Printing Adoption Released by SmarTech Publishing as New Series of Reports Aimed at Production Management 3D Printing Processes

by Business

SmarTech Publishing, the leading industry analyst firm covering the 3D printing/additive manufacturing sector, has just announced the launch of a new series of guides to 3D printing adoption aimed at the needs of production management deploying 3D printing in their businesses. Each of the reports in the “Production Manager’s Complete Guide” series covers a different aspect of 3D printing/additive manufacturing. For example, the first report – which has just been published – is a detailed monograph on 3D printing with metalshttps://www.smartechpublishing.com/end-user-reports/the-production-managers-complete-guide-to, one of the hottest topics in the 3DP community. The next two reports in the series will cover (1) prototyping using today’s low-cost 3D printers and (2) how to select between the many kinds of additive manufacturing technologies that are currently available. SmarTech Publishing’s other monographs in this series will appear at regular intervals and each will cover a different topic, each of vital importance to production managers who are contemplating using 3D printing in some area of their firm.

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Automotive 3D printing gets real as Rolls Royce Phantom integrates over 10,000 AM parts AM Industry

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BMW Group’s Additive Manufacturing Centre reported that 10,000 additively-manufactured parts have been integrated into series production of Rolls-Royce Phantom (Rolls Royce is part of BMW Group) to date. Furthermore, BMW says that new technologies for automotive 3D printing will shorten production times, including HP Multi-Jet Fusion technology, which was used for the first time in car manufacturing. With more than 10,000 additively-manufactured parts built into the Rolls-Royce Phantom, the BMW Group has been using components from 3D printers in series production since 2012. The company will continue to expand this pioneering role in the future. The Additive Manufacturing Centre at the company’s Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ) has also been using these forming processes to produce parts for the new Rolls-Royce Dawn since the start of the year.

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SmarTech Report Show Low-cost 3D Printing Market Is Alive and Healthy AM Industry

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As 3D Systems pulled out of the consumer market and Stratasys moved MakerBot production to Asia, a new “pack” of low-cost 3D printing market leaders has emerged by successfully catering to the needs of prosumers and enterprise level adopters. The latest Opportunities in Low-Cost 3D Printers: Technologies, Materials and Markets 2016” new SmarTech report goes on to analyze who these companies are and why they have been able to succeed where larger ones have failed.

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From Prototyping to Production: Is 3D Printing Technology Finally Prepared to Make the Shift? AM Industry

by Business

As we noted with a press release earlier this week, Airbus Group’s 3D printing subsidiary company APWorks has released the world’s first-ever fully 3D printed motorcycle, the “Light Rider”. The electrically-powered machine was 3D printed in Scalmalloy material, an aluminium-magnesium-scandium alloy engineered by Airbus, which produced a motorcycle that is 30% lighter than most conventionally manufactured e-motorcycles. It looks exhilaratingly modern, and sounds like it would be a tremendously fun motorcycle to ride around on. But, the implications that APWorks latest creation may have on 3D printing as a whole could be much more than just an additively manufactured joyride.

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Controversial Japanese Artist Rokudenashiko Shows-and-Tells at Discussion Hosted by the Lady Tech Guild 3D Printing Events

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Last week, a very enthralling discussion was being held at the Eyebeam Center for Art & Technology, which is located in the neighborhood of Sunset Park in Brooklyn, NY. Running alongside the two week exhibition called To Scale, which is showcasing 10 art projects centered around the concept of scaling, was a discussion hosted by the Lady Tech Guild, a creative collective of professional and tech-savvy women who work as 3D artists, designers, biohackers, educators, and entrepreneurs within the 3D world.

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Metal 3D Printing is Big and Getting Bigger, Here’s Why in 5 Points 3D Printing Processes

by Business

People ask if and when 3D printing will become a method of mass production. As far as plastics go, I don’t know. For metals, though, it is a whole different story: it is already happening. Metal 3D printing technologies are evolving at breakneck speed, constantly increasing their size and velocity capabilities. One of the reasons for this, in my opinion, is the intense competition, both between different technologies and different approaches to the same technology. This is not, however, the only reason.