3D Printing Trade Yr in Evaluation: September 2021
12 mins read

3D Printing Trade Yr in Evaluation: September 2021


The month of September 2021 noticed quite a few “world’s largest” and “world’s longest” claims concerning printers, factories, and bridges, alongside a return to in-person occasions with TCT 3Sixty and RAPID+TCT 2021, new house functions, and 3D printing partnerships and acquisitions.

Learn on for the standout developments in September, which concerned the likes of 3D Techniques, Markforged, Nano Dimension, Shapeways, Terran Orbital, the AMGTA, and others.

MX3D's metal 3D printed lunar floor.
MX3D’s 495kg stainless-steel 3D printed lunar flooring. Photograph by way of the ESA.

Unlocking sustainable house exploration

September started with the promise of unlocking sustainable house exploration missions with the development of a novel material-efficient ‘skeletal flooring’ for a prototype European House company (ESA) lunar settlement. Fabricated by Dutch robotic metallic 3D printing agency MX3D, the ultra-lightweight metal construction showcased the lunar manufacturing potential of MX3D’s expertise, which could possibly be used to construct regolith-based buildings in future.

“This can be a exceptional achievement from MX3D, which additional highlights the potential of this additive manufacturing approach for an rising vary of house functions,” stated Advenit Makaya, ESA engineer. “The design flexibility, and the chance to mix the printed construction with embedded monitoring programs, are price investigating for functions in house buildings.

“This system is also thought of for the in-situ building of infrastructure throughout sustainable exploration missions, by utilizing metallic feedstock derived from the locally-available regolith.”

The world’s longest and largest developments

The primary of September’s “world’s largest” and “world’s longest” claims was a 3D printed concrete pedestrian bridge within the Dutch metropolis of Nijmegen, which, spanning 29 meters, is reportedly the longest bridge of its variety in existence.

The venture was undertaken by Rijkswaterstaat and designer Michiel van der Kley in honor of town’s 2018 European Inexperienced Capital standing, and noticed TU Eindhoven, Witteveen+Bos, BAM and Weber Beamix introduced onboard to carry the 3D printed bridge to fruition. 

The bridge trumped Tsinghua College’s 86-foot effort in Shanghai and was produced to showcase the design and sustainability advantages of using concrete 3D printing strategies to provide not solely bridges, but additionally doubtlessly homes and different buildings.

The "world's longest" 3D printed concrete bridge in Nijmegen. Photo via Municipality of Nijmegen/Michiel van der Kley.
The “world’s longest” 3D printed concrete bridge in Nijmegen. Photograph by way of Municipality of Nijmegen/Michiel van der Kley.

In the meantime, Fraunhofer IGCV and binder jet system manufacturing voxeljet introduced their intentions to construct the largest wind turbine 3D printer up to now, generally known as the Advance Casting Cell (ACC). The system is being constructed particularly to print the molds wanted to forged elements for GE’s Haliade-X turbine, and can enter preliminary trials in 2022. 

In line with voxeljet, the ACC may cut back mildew lead occasions by as a lot as 80 p.c and can considerably reduce the elements’ carbon footprint by enabling them to be printed on-site. 

“The 3D printed molds will carry many advantages together with improved casting high quality by way of improved floor end, half accuracy and consistency,” stated Juan Pablo Cilia, Senior Additive Design Engineer at GE Renewable Vitality. “Moreover, sand binder jet molds or additive molds present value financial savings, by lowering machining time and different materials prices as a result of optimized design.”

Elsewhere, nano and microsatellite developer Terran Orbital unveiled its intention to construct the world’s largest industrial spacecraft facility in Florida at 660,000 sq. foot. Primarily based on a man-made intelligence (AI)-controlled provide chain, the middle will leverage 3D printing applied sciences for the manufacturing of hundreds of various house automobiles annually.

The ability shall be constructed on Merritt Island, an space that’s house to quite a few different 3D printing companies energetic within the house sector, akin to off-world manufacturing specialist Made In House, which was acquired final 12 months by aerospace conglomerate Redwire, and the likes of Firehawk Aerospace, Relativity House, and Firefly Aerospace.

A render of what Terran Orbital's new Florida facility may look like. Image via Terran Orbital.
A render of what Terran Orbital’s new Florida facility might appear to be. Picture by way of Terran Orbital.

3D Techniques acquires Oqton

September additionally noticed 3D printer producer 3D Techniques purchase AI-powered software program specialist Oqton for $180 million. By integrating Oqton’s Manufacturing Working System (MOS) into its present providing, 3D Techniques is aiming to create a platform that’s “instrumental in advancing AM” and enhance its software program revenue to $100 million by 2025.

Oqton’s software program had attracted appreciable curiosity throughout the 3D printing business, after elevating $40 million in funding and fostering a number of industrial partnerships throughout 3D printing, robotic welding and CNC machining with the likes of Prodways, EOS, Sisma, TRUMPF and Sandvik.

“We’re enthusiastic about becoming a member of with 3D Techniques,” stated Dr. Ben Schrauwen, CEO and Co-founder of Oqton. “On the identical time, we carry our deep experience in AI, automation, robotics and machine studying, which can assist our clients and companions to scale and join totally different manufacturing processes in a variety of healthcare, bio-tech and industrial market verticals.”

A screenshot taken from Oqton's Additive software.
Oqton’s Additive software program is designed to assist customers optimize the throughput and high quality of elements produced by way of superior applied sciences. Picture by way of Oqton.

New electronics 3D printing processes

The month of September additionally noticed a partnership bloom between Nano Dimension, a number one producer of business 3D printers for additive manufactured electronics (AMEs) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), to develop new freeform 3D printing and meeting processes for the manufacturing of electromechanical programs.

By the tip of the venture, the companions hope that Nano Dimension will be capable to combine the improvements into its proprietary DragonFly LDM 3D printing system, which is specialised to manufacture electronics akin to printed circuit boards (PCBs).

Oliver Refle, Head of the Additive Manufacturing Division at Fraunhofer IPA, was optimistic concerning the partnership: “This mind belief will enable each events to immediately analyze and enhance processes by sharing concepts, information, and experience, was we develop the subsequent era of 3D inkjet printing with the objective of making new and higher processes and integrations for the ultra-accurate printing of latest high-performance digital units (Hello-PEDs).”

New print administration software program

September additionally noticed the continued return of in-person occasions throughout the 3D printing sphere with RAPID+TCT 2021, the place Markforged introduced the launch of its new Eiger Fleet print administration software program. The cloud software program is designed to assist producers undertake and scale 3D printing inside their present workflows, whereas enabling customers to oversee and automate their Markforged machines from afar. 

In line with Markforged, the newest addition to its Eiger software program portfolio will “rework AM from a small-scale operation right into a globally-connected, distributed manufacturing fleet.”

RAPID+TCT 2021 additionally noticed the revealing of Roboze’s Prometheus 3D printing slicer, new 3D printing supplies and software program partnerships from Stratasys, and additions to Flashorge USA’s “multi-generational” portfolio.

The life-cycle of 3D printed aerospace elements

Halfway by way of the month, the Additive Producer Inexperienced Commerce Affiliation (AMGTA) launched its newest analysis venture, a life-cycle evaluation (LCA) evaluating a 3D printed aerospace element to 1 that’s historically manufactured. The LCA sought to check the cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of a jet engine low-pressure turbine (LPT) bracket fabricated by way of each strategies, utilizing 18 totally different environmental indicators. 

Every stage of the LPT bracket’s manufacturing shall be scrutinized by the symptoms, which embody elements akin to materials extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and ultimately, end-of-life. 

Returning to the moon?

More room information, and protection contractor Lockheed Martin harnessed Makerbot’s METHOD X 3D printer to design and check components of an AI-powered lunar rover that could possibly be deployed throughout NASA’s mission to return to the moon. The contractor’s Superior Expertise Heart (ATC) 3D printed prototypes of the car’s programs housing and sensor mounts able to withstanding the cruel realities of house, from searing desert warmth to UV or moisture publicity.

“The rover we have now at ATC is a testbed that we designed and developed in-house,” stated Aaron Christian, Senior Mechanical Engineer at Lockheed Martin House. “This inexpensive modular testbed permits us to make fast adjustments utilizing 3D printing to alter the design for different functions and simply excessive setting autonomy wants.”

A rendering of Lockheed Martin's AI-powered lunar rover.
A rendering of Lockheed Martin’s AI-powered lunar rover. Picture by way of MakerBot.

Printing dwelling mind cells

A examine outlining the profitable 3D printing of dwelling mouse mind cells additionally made the headlines in September, performed by the College of Montreal, Concordia College, and the Federal College of Santa Catarina

Utilizing their self-developed Laser-Induced Aspect Switch (LIST) bioprinting expertise, the scientists produced sensory neurons which remained alive two days after printing, throughout which the workforce was in a position to run quite a few assessments to measure the capacities of the printed cells. The workforce believes their growth is promising for bioprinting’s potential concerning illness modeling, drug testing, and implant fabrication.

One other day, one other SPAC

September continued the 3D printing Particular Objective Acquisition Firm (SPAC) merger pattern of 2021 with two main offers reaching completion. First up, 3D printing service supplier Shapeways accomplished its merger with clean examine agency Galileo Acquisition, intently adopted by 3D printer OEM Velo3D’s debut on the New York Inventory Change following its merger with Jaws Spitfire Acquisition Company.

Shapeways deal noticed the agency obtain $103 million in gross proceeds, together with a $75 million widespread inventory PIPE, with the mixed firm renamed Shapeways Holdings (SHPW). Velo3D’s deal, in the meantime, delivered round $274 million in whole internet proceeds and noticed the mixed firm listed beneath the ticker “VLD”.

The previous 12 months has seen a big surge in SPAC mergers throughout the 3D printing sector, with the likes of Quick Radius, Fathom Digital Manufacturing, Essentium, Markforged, and Redwire all cashing in on the act. 

The new Revo Six (left), Revo Micro (right), and four Revo nozzles. Photo by Michael Petch/3D Printing Industry.
The brand new Revo Six (left), Revo Micro (proper), and 4 Revo nozzles. Photograph by Michael Petch/3D Printing Trade.

The return of TCT 2021

Lastly, September noticed the return of the TCT 3Sixty present to the NEC in Birmingham in a considerably scaled-down model of earlier editions in mild of the Covid-19 pandemic. Regardless of decrease exhibitor numbers, there was nonetheless lots to see at this 12 months’s present.

As an illustration, E3D launched its new FFF 3D printer hotend vary, RapidChange Revo, Photocentric displayed its lately launched LC Opus LCD 3D printer, and 3D Techniques showcased the newest addition to its supplies portfolio, VisiJet Wax Jewel Purple. Elsewhere, Materialise demonstrated the newest model of its Magics software program and its long-awaited Bluesint PA12 expertise, whereas Fillamentum offered its first 100% biodegradable filament for 3D printing, NonOilen.

Learn extra concerning the key takeaways from the commerce present flooring, partnership bulletins, and functions circumstances on present at TCT 3Sixty right here.

3D Systems' VisiJet Wax Jewel Red on display at TCT 3Sixty. Photo via Hayley Everett/3D Printing Industry.
3D Techniques’ VisiJet Wax Jewel Purple on show at TCT 3Sixty. Photograph by way of Hayley Everett/3D Printing Trade.

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Featured picture exhibits a rendering of Lockheed Martin’s AI-powered lunar rover. Picture by way of MakerBot.



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