Hyeonjun Park and Donghan Kim of Kyung Hee University in Korea are innovating within the robotics realm, detailing their efforts in the recently published ‘An open-source anthropomorphic robot hand system: HRI hand.’ The HRI hand system is open source and affordable, allowing users to 3D print the system for around $500. Developed with a five-finger … Read more
After the consumer 3D printing bubble of 2014, the market for desktop 3D printers was completely shaken up as manufacturers looked for new ways their systems could be used for industrial applications. Ultimaker was successful in finding large customers, such as Volkswagen Autoeuropa and Airbus, who took on desktop extrusion technology to support their large … Read more
Authors Jesse K. Placone, Bhushan Mahadik, and John P. Fisher explore the benefits and challenges of tissue engineering. In the recently published ‘Addressing present pitfalls in 3D printing for tissue engineering to enhance future potential,’ the authors also address the future potential for 3D printing, and accompanying materials and techniques. Noting that bioprinting is intrinsically … Read more
Space is one of the most attractive frontiers for humans and 2020 has been one of the most exciting years for space exploration. For starters, companies are sending rockets to space, uncrewed rockets that is, at least for now, as they prepare for future missions to the Moon and later on, to Mars. March is … Read more
Quick Answer 3D printed tablets (printlets) with Braille and Moon patterns help visually impaired patients identify medications independently. Using SLS 3D printing technology, researchers from the UK and Spain created orally disintegrating tablets that feature tactile writing systems. The patterns are directly printed on the tablet surface, allowing patients to identify medication without reading labels. … Read more
The final keynote presentation at our recent Additive Manufacturing Strategies, held in Boston and co-hosted by SmarTech Analysis, was given by Craig Sungail, the Vice President of Global Research and Development for Global Advanced Metals, which just so happened to be one of the event sponsors. Sungail was part of our new 3D printing metals … Read more
Researchers are studying the use of new materials for greater strength in 3D printing, outlining their findings in the recently published ‘Zeolite-templated 3D printed carbon nanotube networks with enhanced mechanical properties.’ Greater knowledge in this area is especially critical for applications like aerospace and defense where high load-bearing architectures are often required, leading the authors … Read more
Directed energy deposition (DED) technology is increasingly demonstrating the potential for use in 3D printing large-scale metal parts, particularly for the aerospace sector. Now, Germany’s MT Aerospace wants to further standardize DED 3D printing through the establishment of a European competence center for 3D printing large structures. To accomplish this goal, the company has acquired … Read more
Specialty chemical and advanced materials developer Arkema announced an increased focus on 3D printing materials research back in 2015, and two years later began a major investment plan for its biosourced polyamide 11 chain in an effort to increase production capacities in Asia. Arkema was joined in this investment plan by its subsidiary Sartomer, which … Read more
The big story in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs is the postponing of the Materialise World Summit. Then we’ll finish with a little business news, as 3D PRINT UK is moving to expanded premises. Finally, starting this week, you can get QUANT-U’s 3D printed silicone midsoles at ECCO’s flagship Zürich store for a limited time. … Read more
Liuzhou JingDa Automotive Brake Tube Manufacturing Co., is a leading supplier for SAIC Motor for break tubes for both Micro and Passenger cars. Mr. Bian, the technical director of JingDa, says that 3D printing is certainly having a tangible impact on how break tube engineers create solutions that improve the effectiveness of production lines while … Read more
Just over a week ago, specialty chemicals and 3D printing materials company Evonik announced the introduction of a new software tool for additive manufacturing (AM). Developed by Castor, an Israeli start-up in which Evonik’s Venture Capital invested in late 2019, their new 3D screener offers a software technology that assesses a part’s printability, recommends the … Read more
LD-002R——CREATE a Resin 3D Printer Craze Each 3D printer user must dream of two printers: one FDM 3D printer for making large projects, another an LCD 3D printer for delivering delicate and precise objects. Creality 3D introduced its entry-level resin 3D printer LD-002R on December 19th, aiming to create a craze of resin 3D printing … Read more
Chinese researchers are using new technology to improve the total knee arthroplasty (TKA), outlining their findings in ‘Accuracy of a Novel 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Intramedullary Guide to Control Femoral Component Rotation in Total Knee Arthoplasty.’ As 3D printing continues to offer significant impacts within the medical field, the use of guides is becoming more common—and in … Read more
Both Max and I were honored to have Marie Langer as our guest in this episode of the 3DPod. Marie is the CEO of EOS the leading firm in sintering of both polymers and metals. For the past decades, EOS has lead the way in commercializing sintering (L-PBF) for manufacturing and prototyping. Now the firm … Read more
If we could visualize the future of medicine, drug testing, and artificial tissue and organ development, we would most certainly find bioprinters in the spotlight. Part of the vanguard vision of many companies and researchers alike is that the machines will become a familiar resource used in every bioengineering lab, university and even school around … Read more
Drug testing and screening for cancer drug discovery can take years and the 2D cell cultures and animal models used to estimate their efficacy before reaching human trials are often not representative of the human body, which is why researchers are turning to bioprinting technologies to increase the success rate during human trials by providing … Read more
After several years of research and a genius idea, Belgian startup Aerosint has accomplished its goal of multi-metal powder bed fusion (PBF). The company shared the news that, after printing separate components made of 316L stainless steel and CuCrZr (copper chromium zirconium) in a single build, it had successfully 3D printed a single part made … Read more
Global 3D Printing Day is celebrated on the 3rd of December, while International Women in Engineering Day was launched three years ago on June 23rd. But earlier this week, the first World Engineering Day was officially launched by UNESCO. According to its the website, the purpose of World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development is to … Read more
From demonstrating proof of concept to testing the viability of a new part, prototypes are an essential part of the design process. Advancements in rapid prototyping technology, including processes like CNC machining and SLS rapid prototyping, have completely revolutionized the way that engineers review, test, and display their final designs. What is rapid prototyping? Rapid … Read more
As 3D printing continues to offer a host of benefits in the manufacturing of components like antennas, researchers Shaker Alkaraki and Yue Gao explore new applications, outlining their findings in the recently published ‘mm-Wave Low Cost MIMO Antennas with Beam Switching Capabilities Fabricated Using 3D Printing for 5G Communication Systems.’ One of the greatest advantages … Read more
Researchers from Japan and the US are filling us in on some of the latest trends in digital fabrication and materials, highlighted in the recently published ‘Review – Recent Progresses in 4D Printing of Gel Materials.’ Ascending from the miracles of 3D printing, 4D printing offers a new level of fascination as materials adapt to … Read more
International researchers are delving further into the manufacturing of patient-specific medications, outlining their findings in ‘Selective Laser Sintering 3D Printing of Orally Disintegrating Printlets Containing Ondansetron.’ Experimenting with a new type of tablet, the authors found that they were able to make a product similar to commercially manufactured pills used for treating cancer. A pill … Read more
The Additive Manufacturing industry is a male-dominated industry, with 85.5% of professionals being male, according to the recently released 2019 Additive Manufacturing Salary Survey by Alexander Daniels Global. The report shows that females represent 13% of the AM professionals, and 1.5% prefer not to say. However seemingly low, the percentage of women in the AM … Read more
Researchers from China assess the further potential for the smartphone in medical applications, outlining their findings in ‘Evaluating phone camera and cloud service-based 3D imaging and printing of human bones for anatomical education.’ Historically, training on real bodies is one of the best ways for medical students to learn—but cadavers are often not available globally. … Read more