University College Dublin, Ireland is to host a 3D printing expo tomorrow to celebrate the opening of U3D, Dublin’s first commercial level 3D printing facility. Exhibitors will range from industrial giants Stratasys and 3D Systems to prosumer favourites Ultimaker and Formlabs, and 3D printing businesses native to Ireland such as the well established Mcor Technologies and newcomers 3dprintingireland.com. The expo is to host a range of knowledgeable speakers throughout the day.
U3D is a new 3D printing service at University College Dublin, billed as the first faculty in the Republic Of Ireland to offer a full commercial level service. The facility will also offer design services alongside hosting educational classes and collaborative research. The faculty’s goal is to “make high quality 3D printing techniques available to the public.” U3D is currently welcoming potential clients and collaborators to visit during any of their walk-in times or to arrange a meeting by appointment.
Upon opening U3D will be offering an impressive range of printing technology such as a range of materials that encompasses close to the full breadth of Fused Deposition Modelling filaments and a wealth of industrial metal feedstock. The materials range includes stainless steel, bronze, silver, cobalt-chromium, gold, nylon, t-glas, ninja-flex, lay-woo-D3, laybrick, conductive filament, and glow-in the dark colours.
There will also be industrial additive manufacturing machines available for viewing, namely a Concept Laser Mlab for metal components and a PolyJet Objet Alaris 30 for prototyping consumer goods, consumer electronics, etc. The initial prosumer machines available at U3D for lower definition printing requirements will be the latest iteration of Formlabs’ popular stereolithography machine the Form 1+, a first generation Ultimaker and RepRap Mendel Fused Deposition Modelling 3D printers.
