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The month of November 2021 noticed a mess of recent launches throughout the welcome return of Formnext, important advances in bioprinting and medical functions, new acquisitions, and a number of other sustainability-focused developments.
Learn on for the standout highlights in November, which concerned the likes of ExOne, Desktop Metallic, ASTM Worldwide, Wohlers’ Associates, BOFA, and plenty of extra.
The return of Formnext 2021
November noticed the 3D printing {industry} come collectively as soon as extra for Europe’s extremely anticipated main commerce present, Formnext 2021. The 3D Printing Trade group was in Frankfurt for the week to report on the quite a few {hardware}, software program, and supplies launches introduced on the present, alongside sniffing out the important thing traits and rising themes throughout the {industry}.
Dimension was one of many main 3D printing traits on the present, with enormous 3D printers from the likes of Roboze, Massivit, BigRep, Raise3D, and others dotted all through the commerce present flooring, as was a continued transfer in direction of sequence and industrial manufacturing, and new improvements in supplies.
Among the many new printer launches have been Essentium’s “small but mighty” HSE 240 HT Twin Extruder machine, WASP’s new pellet, filament and clay 3D printer lineup, AXTRA3D’s Hybrid Photosynthesis-powered Lumia, Nexa3D’s first desktop mannequin the XiP, new SLS and DMP machines from 3D Techniques, and Prusa’s largest desktop 3D printer up to now. A full, complete record of all of the 3D printer launches at Formnext will quickly be out there to readers, and within the meantime protection of the brand new machines will be discovered right here.
Formnext additionally noticed the launch of new post-processing programs and cleansing and floor ending merchandise from the likes of AMT and DyeMansion, in addition to novel supplies from Evonik and others, whereas the winners of the Purmundus Problem have been topped.
Regulate our YouTube channel over the approaching weeks for an entire host of interviews delivering the most recent 3D printing insights, opinions, and traits instantly from the commerce present flooring.
Formnext 2021 additionally supplied the launchpad for an announcement by organizer Mesago Messe Frankfurt, Messe Frankfurt North America, the Affiliation for Manufacturing Expertise (AMT) and Gardner Enterprise Media to current a sequence of additive manufacturing occasions within the US underneath the Formnext banner. The occasions will finally result in the launch of Formnext USA Chicago, which can be held between 8-10 April, 2025.
ASTM buys Wohlers Associates
November was naturally dominated by information arising from Formnext 2021, and along with new product launches, there have been additionally important enterprise developments introduced throughout the week. One such announcement got here from international requirements developer ASTM Worldwide, which revealed it had acquired 3D printing consultancy agency Wohlers Associates.
The deal noticed ASTM inherit custody of the Wohlers Report, a extremely revered state-of-the-industry evaluation that captures the additive manufacturing sector’s largest challenges and alternatives annually. ASTM will use the model worth of the report back to not solely construct by itself market affect however to introduce 3D printing to new industries.
“I couldn’t be extra enthusiastic about becoming a member of the world-class group at ASTM Worldwide,” mentioned Terry Wohlers, President of Wohlers Associates. “By way of ASTM, we are able to now settle for extra initiatives than prior to now and our advisory companies group is now bigger than ever. We’re glad ASTM has made a dedication to publishing the report for years to return.”
Void-free PEEK 3D printing
Formnext 2021 additionally supplied a platform for Dutch 3D printing start-up Bond3D to showcase its void-free 3D printing expertise. The agency claims to be the primary within the {industry} able to 3D printing purposeful end-use components with high-performance polymers like PEEK with out dropping the inherent properties of the fabric.
Bond3D’s patented expertise is a pressure-controlled extrusion course of that allows printed filament to settle in ultimate half densities of above 99 %, a major enchancment on typical PEEK printers which have a tendency to attain round 85 % half density, resulting in lowered power within the z-direction.
World-first medical advances
The month of November noticed a number of notable 3D printing developments within the medical sphere. Firstly, a London man reportedly turned the primary particular person on the planet to be fitted with a 3D printed prosthetic eye at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. The medical trial is supported by the Nationwide Institute for Well being Analysis, the Moorfields Biomedical Analysis Centre and Moorfields Eye Charity, and has the potential to drastically shorten affected person ready occasions.
The prosthetic eye was developed utilizing 3D scanning and Ocupeye and Fraunhofer IGD’s software program experience earlier than being 3D printed by FIT AG and delivered to Moorfields Eye Hospital. With a single 3D printer, the group believes they may very well be able to fulfilling the annual requirement of round 10,000 prostheses required for the UK market.
Elsewhere, a consortium comprising CTI BIOTECH, the French Armed Forces Biomedical Analysis Institute, École Polytechnique and Institut Pasteur, turned the primary on the planet to 3D print immunized human pores and skin. The pores and skin mannequin was fabricated to assist the event of chilly plasma expertise for the remedy of contaminated burns and the wound therapeutic of pores and skin grafts.
Analysis has proven that the chilly plasma expertise developed by the consortium, often called NOVOPLASM, promotes the formation of recent blood vessels and mobilizes the immune cells current within the pores and skin wound.
“Regenerative medication is the way forward for healthcare,” mentioned Professor Colin McGuckin, President and Chief Scientific Officer at CTIBIOTECH. “At CTIBIOTECH we advance these fashions to assist customized medication and to help hospitals within the brief time period, however simply the longer term.
“NOVOPLASM makes use of our fashions to speed up new gadgets to guard human well being.”
November additionally noticed researchers from Northeastern College devise a 3D printable dwelling materials that was able to rising and therapeutic itself in a proof-of-concept research. Fashioned from genetically-engineered E. coli, the fabric is described as “really dwelling” as it’s solely organic and isn’t blended with another substance.
The researchers imagine their novel materials might pave the way in which for an entire vary of prospects for constructing issues with biology, reminiscent of off-space habitats and their parts, in addition to varied medical functions.
Exone approves Desktop Metallic acquisition
In November, the shareholders of binder jet 3D printer producer ExOne voted to approve the agency’s acquisition by rival Desktop Metallic. Within the works since August, the $575 million deal noticed Desktop Metallic carry considered one of its key binder jetting rivals into its portfolio in a transfer that ExOne CEO John Hartner mentioned might show useful for the sector by driving the expertise’s wider adoption.
“I’m very enthusiastic about this mix, which I imagine will dramatically speed up the adoption of manufacturing metallic additive manufacturing,” he added. “This mixture brings collectively two of the {industry}’s leaders, that mixes, will remedy clients’ challenges quicker and produce the truth of manufacturing metallic additive ahead by years.”
Validated marine components
One other notable November spotlight got here from 3D printing service supplier 3D Metalforge, which efficiently examined three totally different 3D printed components on board ConocoPhillips Polar Tankers’ Endeavour oil tanker in a pioneering mission.
Put in onboard the tanker for six months, the 3D printed components included a gear set and equipment shaft for the tanker’s boiler gas provide pump, a versatile coupling for a marine sanitation gadgets pump, and an ejector nozzle for a freshwater generator.
“The superior efficiency of those components in service is a testomony to the rigorous engineering, manufacturing and post-production testing put in place by the group concerned with this enterprise,” mentioned Robert Noyer, ConocoPhillips Polar Tankers Engineering Superintendent. “We stay up for future alternatives to help our vessels with this expertise.”
Bettering well being and sustainability
November additionally noticed a number of developments relating to enhancing well being and security and rising sustainability inside 3D printing. First up, fume and particle extraction expertise developer BOFA Worldwide revealed a analysis paper reviewing the impression of particulates and gases emitted by 3D printing processes.
The research centered on the presence of dangerous airborne contaminants produced by 3d printing processes like FFF and vat polymerization, and the way 3D printer producers might higher defend the well being of operators and enhance product high quality by means of integrating more practical filtration programs.
“The report highlights the significance of putting in efficient filtration options that may assist seize and take away any doubtlessly dangerous emissions,” mentioned Ross Stoneham, Product Supervisor – 3DP & Progress Markets at BOFA.
“This is not going to solely assist defend operatives from doubtlessly dangerous airborne contaminants, however can even be certain that ensuing product and the machine stay free from contamination.”
Elsewhere, researchers on the US Nationwide Renewable Power Laboratory (NREL) developed a brand new methodology of 3D printing wind turbine blades utilizing thermoplastics that improves each their efficiency and end-of-life recyclability. Through the use of thermosplastics in favor of regular thermoset resins, these can later be heated to get better their authentic polymers for reuse within the manufacturing of future blades.
To show their round method, the engineers 3D printed a 13-meter prototype turbine blade with a highly-engineered, net-shaped construction that featured various densities and geometries between their ‘skins’. In future, the researchers say it may very well be doable to scale back the burden and value of turbine blades by 10 %, and their lead occasions by 15 %, whereas growing light-weight components as much as 100 meters in size.
Rounding off November’s highlights is a brand new set of outcomes from the SAM (Sector Expertise Technique in Additive Manufacturing) mission’s 3D printing survey, which assessed amongst different matters the position of 3D printing schooling for environmental sustainability.
Coordinated by the European Federation for Welding, Becoming a member of and Slicing (EWF), of which 3D Printing Trade is a SAM Related Accomplice, the SAM mission goals to establish and ship the required abilities required for additive manufacturing applied sciences to the {industry}.
The survey recognized so-called “inexperienced abilities” associated to useful resource effectivity, inexperienced consciousness, life cycle assessments, eco-design, and round economic system, that are at the moment most addressed by present 3D printing coaching programs. The survey revealed that from staff’ views, the highest three inexperienced abilities that ought to be coated in such coaching programs are eco-design, round economic system, and life cycle assessments, whereas 86 % of managers wished for inexperienced abilities to be additional developed inside their workforce.
In mild of the survey outcomes, the SAM mission developed a coaching unit aligned with EQF stage 3 on sustainability for additive manufacturing inside which these abilities can be coated. By way of the unit, college students can be supplied with a fundamental information of the financial and social context of sustainability insurance policies, learn how to incorporate sustainability all through a product’s life cycle, and learn how to spot alternatives for extra sustainable processes inside 3D printing operations, amongst different issues.
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Featured picture exhibits Formnext 2021. Photograph by way of Michael Petch.
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