2021: Additive manufacturing’s most notable launches, purposes & business developments

Public listings, shock acquisitions, massive product launches and the return of in-person commerce exhibits.

It has been fairly a 12 months for the additive manufacturing business, which is directly going by means of a interval of consolidation, whereas additionally persevering with to develop. Firms are grabbing the chance to go public with each arms, they’re persevering with to launch new and improved merchandise, and are seeing the real-world use circumstances of the know-how roll in. Because the 12 months involves its finish, we have rounded up – month by month – the most important and the very best developments. 

The entire under content material has appeared in a difficulty of TCT Journal, or on the TCT Journal web site, because the starting of 2020. 

January

Trade growth: Desktop Steel acquires EnvisionTEC in $300 million deal

In solely its third week, Desktop Steel set the tone for the remainder of the 12 months to return with an out-of-nowhere takeover of Digital Mild Processing pioneer EnvisionTEC. Its growth into polymer 3D printing is claimed to kind a part of the corporate’s Additive Manufacturing 2.0 imaginative and prescient, which it will proceed to bolster all through 2021.  

Launch: Formlabs’ Fuse 1 benchtop SLS 3D printer is formally right here

Trade growth: Protolabs completes acquisition of 3D Hubs

Interview: ExOne CEO discusses new machines, supplies and why 2021 is the 12 months of binder jet 3D printing

If January is for something it is for making predictions and projections for the next 11 months. On this interview with ExOne CEO John Hartner, he steered that 2021 could be the 12 months of binder jet 3D printing. And, wanting again, it definitely wasn’t a quiet one for binder jet know-how or for ExOne. 

February

Launch: 3D Programs introduces Excessive Velocity Fusion 3D printing platform developed with Jabil

Trade growth: Markforged set to go public on New York Inventory Alternate

Interview: Ultimaker CEO Jürgen von Hollen on constructing an ecosystem, a tradition & taking the corporate to the subsequent stage

Ultimaker had introduced a personnel swap on the head of the corporate in November 2020 and as soon as incoming CEO Jürgen von Hollen had settled into his new function, he sat down with TCT to debate his imaginative and prescient for the desktop 3D printing agency which had been led so efficiently by his predecessor Jos Burger. 

Utility: nTopology software program & VELO3D metallic 3D printing tech used to revamp aerospace-grade turbogenerator housing

Insights: The function of 3D printing in future provide chains

After a 12 months of provide chain disruption, and a 12 months of AM business personnel suggesting 3D printing was the silver bullet, TCT spoke to a spread of consultants to evaluate the potential of 3D printing in manufacturing provide chains, with insights coming from Forecast 3D, Johnson & Johnson, Essentium, Xometry and extra. 

Podcast: #54 Additive Perception – Xerox’s Tali Rosman on 3D printing, workflows and provide chain

March

Launch: Stratasys to launch powder mattress fusion 3D printing programs based mostly on evolution of Excessive Velocity Sintering course of

After 18 years of growth, Excessive Velocity Sintering inventor Neil Hopkinson lastly introduced the know-how to market. 5 years in the past, he joined the Xaar workforce for the ultimate push to market, and with Stratasys’ involvement rising year-by-year, an official launch was ultimately able to be made in March. 

Trade growth: Ford & HP associate to make use of recycled 3D printing powder and components to provide injection moulded automotive elements

Trade growth: Steel 3D printing firm VELO3D to go public

Launch: Sindoh’s new S100 3D printer is first to assist Materialise Bluesint PA12

Materialise’s launch of Bluesint PA12 in November 2020 was maybe one of many extra important developments of 2020. Simply months after the corporate made the announcement, Sindoh grew to become the primary 3D printing vendor to deploy the know-how that allows selective laser sintering with as much as 100% re-used powder. 

Launch: AddiFab to extend availability & provide of Freeform Injection Molding as $6.3m raised

April

Trade growth: Materialise set to accumulate Link3D earlier than the top of 2021

Utility: XFeet to 3D print 1,000 customized insoles per thirty days with HP Jet Fusion

Utility: Safran Touchdown Programs produces bizjet touchdown gear half with SLM Options metallic 3D printing know-how

Podcast: #59 Trade Roundtable – Specialists on the potential for 3D printing in provide chain

On this particular Additive Perception podcast episode, TCT introduced collectively HP’s Ramon Pastor, the College of Bristol’s Dr Jennifer Johns and Johnson & Johnson’s Sam Onukuri to debate the alternatives and challenges of integrating 3D printing into provide chains. 

Might

Launch: Farsoon launches eight-laser metallic 3D printing system at TCT Asia

Interview: BeeHero makes use of Shapeways’ 3D printing capability to maintain bees wholesome & present precision pollination

The appliance of 3D printing not solely continues to develop inside industries, however throughout industries. BeeHero is a younger firm making use of the know-how to assist its precision pollination efforts, with sensors being deployed inside hives to observe the well being and stresses of the queen and colony in a bid to scale back mortality charges. 

Utility: Daimler Buses deploys cellular 3D printing centre to provide spare components

Launch: Desktop Steel launches Forust to ship sustainable 3D printing with upcycled wooden waste

Podcast: #62 Innovators on Innovators – A dialog with EOS founder Hans Langer & Hyperganic CEO Lin Kayser

Within the first of a brand new Additive Perception podcast collection, EOS’ Hans Langer and Hyperganic’s Lin Kayser sit down collectively to debate the way forward for design and manufacturing, and the way they anticipate 3D printing know-how to play an enormous function in it. 

June

Launch: SLM Options introduces Free Float to allow support-free metallic 3D printing

SLM’s launch of a 12-laser metallic additive manufacturing system final autumn was as massive as they arrive, however the firm’s R&D workforce did not relent in 2021 because it introduced the the introduction of Free Float – a brand new software program which guarantees ‘support-free’ 3D printing with diminished price per half and elevated design freedom. 

Trade growth: 3D Programs sells off On Demand Manufacturing enterprise for $82m

Utility: Volkswagen integrates metallic binder jet 3D printing into car manufacturing with HP & Siemens

Trade growth: Xometry recordsdata for proposed IPO on Nasdaq World Choose Market

Utility: Nissan Australia replaces engine part with SPEE3D metallic 3D printing know-how

Interview: Meta Additive’s Dr Kate Black on ‘reactive binder jetting’ & why chemistry is on the firm’s coronary heart

When ExOne’s John Hartner steered 2021 could be the 12 months of binder jet, it is in all probability truthful to say that Dr Kate Black’s Meta Additive wasn’t on his radar. By the top of the 12 months, nevertheless, they’d be acquainted through the business’s ongoing M&A. On this interview, Dr Black opens up on the corporate’s reactive binder jetting know-how, which might appeal to a number of consideration all year long, not least that of one of many largest names within the area. 

July

Utility: SPEE3D will get $1.5m+ in funding to provide rocket engines with chilly spray metallic 3D printing

For a number of years now, SPEE3D has been wowing commerce present guests with the pace of its chilly spray metallic 3D printing know-how by demonstrating its capacity to print components in a matter of minutes. This summer season, the corporate proved its WarpSPEE3D machine’s capability to provide a 17.9kg copper rocket nozzle liner in three hours and it resulted in a $1.5m grant to do it at quantity.   

Launch: Roboze launches ARGO 1000 3D printing system with one cubic metre construct quantity

Utility: Rawlings groups with Quick Radius and Carbon to 3D print baseball glove lattice

Trade growth: Essentium so as to add DLP 3D printing know-how to providing through Collider acquisition

After constructing out its extrusion polymer 3D printing portfolio and conversing with clients, it was time for Essentium to broaden its providing in July. Having assessed that Collider’s DLP know-how might return floor finishes its current extrusion portfolio could not match, the corporate made its transfer – and it wasn’t its final of 2021.  

Trade growth: Quick Radius to go public on NASDAQ earlier than finish of 2021

Interview: Unique first look contained in the UK’s Digital Manufacturing Centre

August

Trade growth: Desktop Steel to accumulate ExOne in $575 million deal

In maybe the most important additive manufacturing information story of the 12 months – if not the previous few years – Desktop Steel continued its M&A streak with the takeover of certainly one of its largest rivals within the binder jetting area. Desktop Steel CEO Ric Fulop described the transfer as a ‘massive step’ in AM 2.0 imaginative and prescient, whereas his counterpart John Hartner suggesting it will speed up binder jet know-how.  

Utility: Etihad Engineering, EOS & Baltic3D associate on 3D printed plane cabin components mission 

Trade growth: Kornit Digital acquires Voxel8

Utility: DM3D Expertise manufactures ten-foot-tall rocket nozzle liner for NASA mission with DED 3D printing

September

Characteristic: The unique ladies in 3D printing

Variety and inclusion stays a giant challenges for industries like additive manufacturing. In line with stats from Ladies in 3D Printing, ladies make up simply 13% of your complete area. Again within the business’s early days it was seemingly much less. On this characteristic, we communicate to those that have been there from the beginning, to know their experiences, recognise their efforts and discover what extra could be accomplished to make AM as numerous and inclusive as doable. 

Launch: Azul 3D launches LAKE 3D printing system

Trade growth: 3D Programs agrees $180m acquisition take care of Oqton

Although 3D Programs had prioritised divesting a lot of its divisions throughout this era of M&A, it was at all times prone to dip its hand in ultimately. When it did, Oqton was the corporate it opted to combine, bringing in its Manufacturing Working System firm for $180m. 

Trade growth: Desktop Steel acquires 3D printed hydraulics pioneer Aidro

Launch: Photocentric launches quickest LCD 3D printer to this point

October

Podcast: #72 Additive Perception – Reflecting on TCT 3Sixty

September noticed the return of TCT 3Sixty, with a whole bunch of exhibitors descending on Birmingham to showcase their newest additive applied sciences. On this podcast, the TCT Journal content material workforce displays on the most important developments and their favorite conversations of the week. 

Utility: Steel 3D printing helps Nice Britain Biking Workforce to seven Tokyo 2020 medals

Launch: Markforged launches FX20 composite 3D printing system & steady fibre-reinforced ULTEM 9085 filament

From one commerce present to a different, Markforged introduced the launch of its most refined composite 3D printing system but within the type of the FX20, which it will go on to debut at Formnext in November. 

Insights: 3D printer shipments see “phenomenal” year-on-year progress in Q2 2021

November

Formnext bulletins:

At Formnext, Markforged wasn’t alone in exhibiting off new tech. AMT launched its next-generation post-processing programs, Axtra3D launched its Hybrid Photosynthesis course of, Additive Industries highlighted a rise in productiveness and Carbon determined to share its Design Engine capabilities with your complete business.  

Podcast: #76 Innovators on Innovators – Ben Johnson & Laura Gilmour on 3D printing on the level of care

Characteristic: Is 3D printing actually sustainable?

One of many main themes inside additive manufacturing over the previous few years – and, perhaps, the subsequent few too – is sustainability. The business has lengthy claimed there are numerous environmental advantages to utilizing 3D printing and on this characteristic we spoke to a spread of business personnel to evaluate the validity of these assertions. 

December

Trade growth: Essentium is about to develop into a publicly listed firm through Atlantic Coastal merger

Utility: DQBD develops 3D printed saddle with Stratasys SAF know-how

Interview: ‘The dream is right here’: Guayente Sanmartin displays on the HP 3D printing story thus far

Earlier within the 12 months, HP introduced a little bit of a shake up on the prime of its 3D printing efforts. Ramon Pastor stepped throughout to guide on metals, and Guayente Sanmartin stepped as much as lead on Multi Jet Fusion. Because the 12 months got here to a detailed, we spoke to Sanmartin to replicate on the corporate’s additive manufacturing journey thus far and why its know-how is suited to manufacturing purposes. 

Trade growth: Main automotive firm locations $7.9m order for Desktop Steel 3D printing programs

Podcast: #78 Innovators on Innovators – Scott Sevcik & Michael Hayes discuss 3D printing in aerospace