3D Printers

Sliced 3D printing news digest EOS, HP, GE, Prodways, Artec 3D

A good week for new 3D printer releases, today’s edition of Sliced looks at the latest hardware from EOS, Prodways, and GE Additive. Was also have news of the latest business deals from Robo 3D, SolidCAD and Sintratec, and an exploration of intriguing applications including a STEGgering project from Artec 3D.

3D scan of a stegosaurus. Image via Triebold Paleontology, Inc./Artec 3D
3D scan of a stegosaurus. Image via Triebold Paleontology, Inc./Artec 3D

U.S.A. tops world ranking for adoption of 3D printing 

Research commissioned by HP Inc. has provided a world ranking of the best placed countries for adoption of 3D printing. In the 3D Printing Country Index, developed by American management and consultancy firm A.T. Kearney, the U.S.A. tops the board of leaders in 3D printing, followed by Germany, the Republic of Korea, Japan and the U.K.

According to the report “The USA is leading due to early-stage 3D printing adoption in the last 30 years, and has developed a significant amount of intellectual property and a supply base of 3D printers. Germany is a close second due to high government engagement with the 3D ecosystem.”

[2nd July 2018 UPDATE: HP has removed the report, however a cached version is available by following this link]
3D Printing Country Index. Image via A.T. Kearney Analysis/HP
3D Printing Country Index. Image via A.T. Kearney Analysis/HP

In California, 3D printer manufacturer Robo 3D is seeking to raise $4 million for the acquisition 3D printing education kit developer MyStemKits. On the Robo website, the company already promotes a selection of 3D printing-oriented lesson plans for the K-8 curriculum, and a grant guide for K-12 schools and universities seeking to fund 3D printing initiatives.

SolidCAD, a Canadian reseller of 3D design software, has expanded its support base with the acquisition of  Le Groupe A&A’s Autodesk Division. “This addition to our extensive Autodesk solutions,” comments SolidCAD president Michael Kugan, “will give SolidCAD the ability to further develop our professional services team and position ourselves as a leader in the Canadian market.”

Swiss high-tech SLS 3D printing company Sintratec is now offering its products in the U.S. The award winning SintratecKit is now sold online by Miami-based 3D printing reseller 3DChimera.

Sintratec's Dominik Solenicki and Alex Hussain of 3DChimera hold up the reseller certificate. Photo via Sintratec
Sintratec’s Dominik Solenicki and Alex Hussain of 3DChimera hold up the reseller certificate. Photo via Sintratec

Ghosts nets, 3D printed bikes and a 26-foot-long stegosaurus 

In a thought-provoking art exhibition at the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation in Athens, Greece, research and design studio The New Raw has turned fishing nets into objects from everyday, life using 3D printing. The so-called “ghost-nets” are deemed the deadliest ocean trash into world, responsible for destroying coral reefs, and trapping and killing sea creatures. By making new objects out of the plastic nets, the designers hope to raise awareness of marine pollution.

A 3D printed horn made from old fishing nets for the Second Nature project by The New Raw. Photo via the New Raw.
A 3D printed horn made from old fishing nets for the Second Nature project by The New Raw. Photo via the New Raw.

Composite material manufacturer Hexcel has declared its support of the AREVO 3D printed bike frame. Arevo CEO Jim Miller said, “It was great to have Hexcel  join this project with us.”

“With companies like Hexcel as partners, we are certain that we have the technology, team and tools in place to commercialize our software and fabrication process to build high strength parts that the manufacturing industry hasn’t been able to conceive and construct before.”

In the latest case study from 3D scanner manufacturer Artec 3D, a 26-foot-long stegosaurus in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science has been preserved digitally for the first time. The specimen was created by Triebold Paleontology, Inc. (TPI) using a handheld Artec Space Spider 3D scanner, and stitching together 629 individual scans. A replica of the dinosaur has since been cast using 3D printed molds based on the scan. In total, 3D printing the skeleton took around 6 months to complete.

Complete digital model of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science;s stegosaurus. Image via Triebold Paleontology, Inc./Artec 3D
Complete digital model of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science;s stegosaurus. Image via Triebold Paleontology, Inc./Artec 3D

Making industrial 3D printing easier, and cleaner

Laser Sinter Service GmbH, a company that sells powder laser sintering machines and materials, has launched the MMPS (Modular Material Processing Solution) for powder handling. A system of neat peripherals, MMPS facilitates “Highly precise and homogenous mixing, preparing, transporting, feeding and sieving” of powdered feedstock in either manual or automated modes.

North American engineering and technology organization EWI is now offering a offer and Additive Manufacturing Process Parameter Development service to help customers optimize metal 3D printing.

EOS, Prodways and GE Additive release new 3D printers

EOS has increased the productivity of its FORMIGA P 110  polymer 3D printing machine by 20% with the introduction of the new FORMIGA P 110 Velocis.

Moritz Kügler, EOS Product manager, comments, “With the FORMIGA P 110 Velocis, we have refined one of our most successful FORMIGA models. Particularly in combination with the EOS consulting portfolio, even newcomers can quickly build up know-how and experience and start with industrial 3D printing.”

The FORMIGA P 110 Velocis 3D printer. Image via EOS
The FORMIGA P 110 Velocis 3D printer. Image via EOS

In partnership with Austrian 3D printer developer W2P, Prodways has launched the compact ProMaker LD-3 MovingLight DLP® 3D printer, specially for precision applications.

And, in the final story of today, GE Additive has released a new version of the Concept Laser M2 cusing range. Dubbed “the workhorse” of the GE Additive portfolio, the M2 cusing family has an improved gas flow system and tightly controlled build chamber, a cooling unit for optical components, and expansion along the z-axis to 320 mm.

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Featured image shows the Sliced logo over a T-Rex and Stegosaurus at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Original photo via the Denver Museum of Nature & Science