At the beginning of June 2017 Big Four auditor KPMG published a report debunking myths about Industry 4.0 and urging companies to “be bolder” with digital solutions, including additive manufacturing.
Following on in this theme, this month saw the signing of a number of high profile partnerships, and the launch of projects seeking to turn manufacturing on its head.
Aerospace means business
At the 2017 Paris Air Show CFM International, a joint venture between Safran and GE, received $27 billion worth of orders for the 3D printing-enabled LEAP engine. At the same event, GE, Concept Laser and Arcam EBM also signed an MOU with Swiss technology group Oerlikon.
In the interests of large-scale production for aerospace and defense Dassault Systèmes and Airbus APWorks also announced a collaboration, and GKN Aerospace signed a materials development agreement with US research facility Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
This month former President, CEO and Director of 3D Systems Avi Reichental joined Techniplas LLC to head up automotive product development at the company’s new additive manufacturing center.
Top hardware launches
Formlabs expanded its tech portfolio with the selective laser sintering (SLS) powered Fuse 1 3D printer.
Rize began commercial shipments of the Rize One Augmented Polymer Deposition (APD) system.
With an investment from the Doka Group, California’s Contour Crafting were also looking toward “the first series-ready deployable robotic 3D construction printer.”
Worth a read
Also published this month: a document of policy recommendations for additive manufacturing from CECIMO, the European Association of Machine Tool Industries.
And the findings of a 2 year investigation into the safety of desktop FDM 3D printers from Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Rollins School of Public Health.
Nominate the best 3D printing applications of the year now in the 2018 3D Printing Industry Awards.
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Featured image shows detail of a lobster 3D printed on the Fuse 1. Photo via Formlabs
