Today’s Sliced 3D printing news features: Sigma Labs, OXYS Corporation, Stratasys, Ricoh, Versace, Lady of Cao, Edwin Fox, VSHAPER, Henry Segerman and Pickle Rick.
Sigma Labs partners with OXYS Corp. for Industry 4.0 additive manufacturing
Creators of the PrintRite3D software, Sigma Labs has announced a collaboration with OXYS Corporation in Massachusetts. Sigma Labs signed a Technology Development Agreement (TDA) with OXYS to focus on its PrintRite INSPECT process. The metallurgical monitoring system uses sensors to inspect the additive manufacturing process and Sigma Labs hopes to minimize the size of the sensors with this partnership. CEO of OXYS Corporation, Giro DiBiase, explains the nature of the TDA,
As a first step with Sigma Labs, we plan to work on an Industrie 4.0 compatible version of their solutions for Additive Manufacturing. Then we will work with them to significantly expand market presence and opportunities to many other processes in the manufacturing and smart factory domain.
Mark Cola, CEO of Sigma Labs believes the “collaboration with OXYS represents a first but important step for Sigma Labs to enter this broader world of applications, markets, and value creation for our customers.” Sigma Labs currently serves a number of aerospace companies with its PrintRite software solutions including Aerojet Rocketdyne and Pratt & Whitney.
Stratasys expands partnership with Ricoh to drive New Zealand adoption
North American 3D printing company Stratasys will extent its relationship with Japanese company Ricoh‘s New Zealand subsidiary. The continued partnership will look to accelerate adoption of Stratasys 3D printer systems and also promote digital manufacturing in local industry to the tune of Industry 4.0.
As Shiry Saar, ANZ Manager for Stratasys, explains the “partnership will help us to better understand the local information technology and industrial automation landscape in New Zealand, thereby helping more companies optimize production capabilities and expand business opportunities.”
Managing Director of Ricoh New Zealand, Mike Pollok says,
Ricoh New Zealand views this partnership as a meeting of minds, as both companies are committed to making our clients’ businesses smarter, simpler, faster, leaner and more sustainable.
Stratasys announced a new autonomous 3D printer system, the Continuous Build, at Rapid + TCT in Pittsburgh earlier this year.
Versace implements 3D printing in latest collection
Italian fashion company Versace has unveiled its latest collection features pieces developed with a 3D printer. The Autumn/Winter designs represented, according to Vogue, “the first time the house had tried 3-D printing.”
Russian company ShareCloth has recently developed an app to make 3D printed fashion an even more accessible fabrication technique.
Peru prints ancient Lady of Cao in 3D
Having died 1,700 years ago, the Peruvian Lady of Cao has been brought back to life with 3D printing. Scientists in Peru analyzed her skull structure and were able to create a three-dimensional replica of her face.
The woman, who is believed to be a priestess or even a ruler is thought to have died in her 20s. Her preserved remains were found in 2006 along with a number of gold and precious items suggesting she had an elevated status. Peru’s minister of Culture, Salvador del Solar, expressed excitement over the reconstruction,
We are privileged to announce this strange combination of the future and the past: technology has allowed us to see the face of a political and religious leader from a culture from the past.
World’s second oldest merchant sailing ship gets 3D scanned
Elsewhere in the world of ancient artefacts, a New Zealand based scanning company has 3D scanned Edwin Fox, the world’s second oldest merchant sailing ship. The ship was used by the British to transport convicts to Australia and is the only surviving ship of that kind.
Using eight 3D scanners and a number of “high end cameras”, the 3D-Scans team took a total of 7,700 images of the ship by last December and the project is still ongoing. The team hope to finish the project by the end of the year and subsequently create a virtual reality platform allowing people to experience the ship in full immersion.
Mars simulation to use 3D printer
Polish 3D printing company VSHAPER will provide this summer’s Mars simulator with 3D printed parts. The Modular Analog Research Station (M.A.R.S) is intended to simulate the habitat of Mars and it will use VSHAPER to provide apparatus for growing plants.
Olga Grabiwoda from the Design Institute in Kielce explains,
We decided to combine hydroponics with 3D Printing and create a modern hydroponic cultivation dedicated to space solutions. Containers that will be included in its composition will be printed using 3D Printing technology in cooperation with the VSHAPER Printer manufacturer
3D printed ball-milling jars
Researchers at the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium have used 3D printing to create an advanced geometry ball-milling device. The device is intended to be used in the field of mechanochemistry and improve in-situ monitoring with x-rays.
The researchers showed how 3D printing could be used to create the ball milling jars for fast prototype production and ease of fabrication. The research has been published in the Journal of Applied Crystallography.
Using 3D printing to visualize the fourth dimension
Mathematician Henry Segerman, who is currently assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics at Oklahoma State University, has showcased how he uses 3D printed models and stereographic projection to display shadows in the fourth dimension.
Segerman has also written a book on the subject called ‘Visualizing Mathematics with 3D Printing’.
3D Pickle Rick
If 4D monkey dust seems slightly confusing and daunting, get schwifty instead with the 3D printed Pickle Rick. Fans got a glimpse of Pickle Rick from TV show Rick and Morty’s upcoming third season, which releases this month, in a trailer for the new season. Before it has even aired, the character has been immortalized in 3D printed form.
Pickle Rick was designed by MyMiniFactory user Jon Cleaver and can be downloaded for free here.
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Featured image shows an image from Henry Segerman.
