With Formnext 2019 underway, Silicon Valley-based Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) 3D printer manufacturer Carbon has made two major announcements at the leading conference for additive manufacturing. The company’s L1 3D printer is now available for customers to order on a subscription-based purchase, and global manufacturing services company Jabil will join the Carbon Production Network.
Both announcements are intended to help expand access to the Carbon Digital Manufacturing Platform on a global scale. The L1 3D printer, Carbon’s large-format DLS system, can be ordered today via subscription for $250,000 per year for a 3-year term. Shipping will begin in the first half of 2020.
“The L1 printer has made history with the innovation it has enabled and the quality and production scale it has achieved,” commented Dr. Joseph DeSimone, Co-Founder and CEO of Carbon. “It is an extremely efficient and capable machine, transformational for product designers and engineers looking to make what’s next, and rugged enough for production environments and versatile enough to produce a range of parts.”
“Its most exciting days are still ahead of it. We can’t wait to see what our customers do with [the L1].”
The L1 3D printer
The Carbon L1 DLS 3D printer was initially launched earlier this year in February on a limited basis. It is intended to help designers, engineers and manufacturers accelerate their product development at all levels of the process chain. This includes, prototyping, validation and production.
The system has five times the build area of Carbon’s smaller M2 3D printer, to help users fabricate large parts, or take on simultaneous print jobs for increased efficiency. It is compatible with Carbon’s wide range of DLS materials, such as rigid polyurethane (RPU), elastomeric polyurethane (EPU), epoxy (EPX), and silicone (SIL).
Carbon has collaborated with a number of companies utilizing its DLS 3D printing technology to create consumer case-studies under the ‘Crafted by Carbon’ imprint, most recently working with J of JINS in Japan to produce a new luxury eyewear product line. Some of these companies have implemented the L1 3D printer to scale the production volumes of their products. This includes adidas with its ADIDAS 4D range featuring 3D printed midsoles, American football equipment provider Riddell which 3D printed helmet linings, and U.S. bicycle manufacturer Specialized with its 3D printed bike seats.
“We think of adidas 4D as the future of our performance footwear, and with the L1 printer and Carbon’s Digital Manufacturing Platform, in just two years we’ve been able to go from a conceptual FutureCraft design to a running shoe that has revolutionized the footwear industry,” states Marco Kormann, Director of Future Technology Innovation at adidas.
Carbon also repackaged the L1 3D printer as a system for high volume dental aligner model production and thermoforming, named the L1 Production Solution, in March 2019. An integrated technology platform combining software, hardware and materials, the L1 Production Solution is capable of producing between 900 and 1,200 dental models over the course of 20 hours. Carbon’s dental customers, including Derby Dental, Affordable Care, and SureSmile, are reported to have expressed significant satisfaction with its technology and service.
Targeting healthcare with DLS 3D printing
Employing 170,000 people worldwide across 100 plants in 28 countries, Jabil’s two main manufacturing services revolve around design engineering and supply chain and logistics. The company integrates 3D printing into its process chain to both expedite the prototyping process and reduce errors before production tooling.
The Carbon Production Network is an ecosystem of contract manufacturers across the world with access to the Carbon’s DLS technology and the Digital Manufacturing Platform. Jabil will be joining the network to develop healthcare applications leveraging DLS 3D printing technology. Carbon has added over ten partners to the network within the last year.
Recently, Jabil unveiled plans for a $42 million 3D printing center of excellence in the U.S, dedicated to 3D printing applications.
“We are excited to become a valued member of the Carbon Production Network,” added John Dulchinos, VP of Digital Manufacturing, Jabil. “This will further strengthen our ability to drive adoption of additive manufacturing across an integrated ecosystem of printers, materials, and processes tailored for the growing application demands of heavily regulated industries, including healthcare.”
Stop by Carbon’s booth at Formnext 2019 to learn more about the L1 3D printer and how you can order it, located at Hall 11.1, Stand E21.
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