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As is so typically the case within the 3D printing sector, a lot of April’s headline information got here from these exhibiting on the AMUG Convention. Nonetheless, loads was happening away from the distinguished industry-insider occasion as effectively.
With Russia’s conflict in Ukraine raging on, the 3D printing neighborhood continued to search out new methods of serving to these affected by the battle. Extra broadly, within the fields of software program and materials engineering, in addition to industries like oil and gasoline, 3D printing additionally continued to progress by way of half throughput, lead occasions, and sturdiness.
Learn on for extra from the likes of AMUG, Markforged, Ultimaker, Helio Additive, Sandvik, BCN3D, Shell, Foxconn, and Triditive.
Trade joins the AMUG 2022 convention
In April 2022, the AMUG exhibition returned to its normal residence in Chicago, the place it as soon as once more opened its doorways to {industry} insiders searching for to get a sneak peek of the most recent 3D printing or scanning advances. Although not open to most people, 3D Printing Trade returned to report from the occasion, and our Editor-in-Chief, Michael Petch, uncovered some attention-grabbing developments on the present.
Following the outcomes of our State of Resin 3D Printing Survey, during which customers confirmed dissatisfaction with a scarcity of flame-retardant supplies, Tiger Coatings exhibited a possible resolution. As soon as post-processed, the agency stated the Tigital 3D Set thermoset supplies it had on show on the present may be made flame retardant as much as UL 94 V0. Nano Dimension additionally made its AMUG debut, whereas much less acquainted names like fabWeaver exhibited machines and supplies for mid-tier 3D printing adopters.
As is now customary, the occasion additionally noticed one other group of members awarded Distinguished Innovator Operator or ‘DINO’ Awards. This yr’s DINO Award winners included Massivit 3D’s Ben Arnold, Vulcan Kinds’ Matthew Donovan, and Laptop Aided Expertise’s Nick Licari. Elsewhere on the occasion, the Technical Competitors winners had been introduced, as was a management shakeup, with Mark Abshire, Shannon VanDeren, and Jason Dickman elected to AMUG’s board.
Award-winning 3D printing efforts in Ukraine
With no signal of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine ending, the 3D printing {industry} stepped up its efforts to assist individuals left injured or homeless by the battle. As a part of Mission DIAMOnD, Automation Alley started mobilizing its 3D printing community to reply a name from the Ukrainian Protection Ministry for wound-bandaging tourniquets to deal with these injured by Russian troops.
The initiative was launched quickly after BCN3D delivered 300 3D printed tourniquet elements to hospitals in Ukraine and mirrored a want to deploy the expertise in assist of the humanitarian aid efforts underway within the nation.
Regardless of the conflict persevering with to rage, ICE Industrial Companies additionally unveiled plans to make use of 3D printing to rebuild Ukraine. Using a novel concrete-depositing printhead that may be suspended from both a robotic arm or gantry, the agency intends to switch border checkpoints destroyed throughout Russia’s invasion.
By way of broader {industry} initiatives, the Collectively We Are Sturdy program noticed the likes of Nexa3D, EOS, BigRep, Wohlers Associates, SYGNIS, Digital College, and 3YOURMIND come collectively to lift funds for Ukrainian aid efforts. The undertaking was later acknowledged through the 2022 3D Printing Trade Awards, during which it gained the 3D Printing for a Higher World Award.
Software program upgrades convey efficiency promise
April turned out to be a big month for the 3D printing software program house, with product updates and market consolidation promising to spice up the productiveness of customers’ machines. Markforged acquired Teton Simulation, which noticed the latter’s providing built-in into the Eiger software program, and in the end facilitated the launch of Markforged Simulation, a digital testing providing launched in December.
With the launch of Cura 5.0, Ultimaker additionally pledged to offer customers with a “leap ahead in print high quality” that enabled them to achieve a “new threshold for finer and sooner 3D prints.” The replace introduced profile, UI and Apple compatibility enhancements, in addition to an enhanced engine that allowed for the utilization of variable line widths throughout slicing.
Helio Additive’s AI-led slicing software program, in the meantime, was utterly new to the market. Designed to assist makers ramp up their half throughput and consistency, this system revolves round a physics-based AI engine able to adapting the way in which elements weak to warping are sliced, in order that they’re much less more likely to develop nonconformities.
Materials advances drive purposes
In materials information, Sandvik’s 3D printable cemented carbide launched in April. Beforehand solely appropriate with different manufacturing applied sciences, the fabric contains a uniquely powerful cobalt and tungsten carbide matrix construction. That is stated to permit customers to print the feedstock into objects that final ‘as much as 20 occasions longer’ than these created from different steels or alloys.
Gränges Powder Metallurgy’s first 3D printing powder additionally got here out through the month. As a part of the corporate’s DISPAL household of supplies, ‘AM S220’ options properties which can be much like these of metal, besides it’s a 3rd of the load. This makes it a robust alternative for efficiency purposes in sectors similar to aerospace and automotive.
“Prior to now, we had many success tales of consumers changing metal and carbon fiber purposes with the standard DISPAL S220,” Greta D’Angelo, Enterprise Improvement Supervisor at Gränges Powder Metallurgy, stated on the time. “Now, we’re excited to supply the identical materials for additive manufacturing, giving our clients the chance to reap the benefits of much more geometrical freedom.”
Software & enterprise developments emerge
With so many product-focused bulletins making April’s headlines, it will be straightforward to overlook out on a few of the tales that mirrored wider {industry} adjustments. At one of many multinational’s many offshore installations, it was revealed that Shell has begun 3D printing out of date elements. The undertaking’s unveiling was later adopted by the launch of 3D Methods’ CuNi30 materials, a corrosion-resistant shipbuilding alloy, designed to satisfy a rising demand for maritime 3D printing merchandise.
Forward of Nikon’s $622 million SLM Options bid, Foxconn and Triditive’s new metallic 3D printer additionally obtained green-lit. Like GE lengthy earlier than them, the likes of Foxconn, Nikon and Epson, which launched its debut 3D printer a month earlier, represented enormous names within the wider manufacturing, electronics and 2D printing industries respectively, that had been searching for to develop into the 3D printing house.
2022: 3D Printing Trade evaluate of developments and information
2021: 3D Printing Trade evaluate of developments and information
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Featured picture exhibits the AMUG Convention 2022 New Members Reception. Photograph by Michael Petch.