Rapid Ready Roundup: 3D Systems, Mcor Partners with Staples, GE Aviation and the Evolution of the 3D Printed Wrench
In the course of my diligent efforts to keep you good people up to date on the state of additive manufacturing (AM), I come across many interesting news items. I’ll gather them up every so often and present them in a Rapid Ready Roundup (like this one). You can find the last Roundup here.
Let’s begin with a look at the newest versions of 3D Systems’ ProJet line of AM systems: the ProJet 3500 HDMax and CPXMax. Both printers have the same basic specs of the older models, but offer tablet and smartphone connectivity. Additionally, the HDMax has a new high speed setting (at a slight cost in potential resolution) and the CPXMax offers an improved net build volume at higher resolutions for its RealWax casting capability. Continue reading
3D Printing Helps Amputee Climber Ascend to New Heights
“Democratization” is a word I hear a lot of people throw around when talking about additive manufacturing (AM). What they mean by that is 3D printing offers regular people the opportunity to design something specifically for their needs. A single AM-created object doesn’t have the expenses involved with traditional manufacturing and doesn’t need to be manufactured in bulk.
We’ve covered a few examples of how 3D printing has helped individuals, but most of those efforts have come as part of a larger program or business. True democratization occurs when an individual, or, at most, a small group of people designs the solution to a specific problem and realizes a finished product completely (or mostly) on its own.
Shapeways Elasto Plastic Bends to Your Will
Plenty of shiny, new 3D printers come out all the time. They have increased build envelopes and improved resolutions and all that cool stuff. Don’t get me wrong. I like reporting on new systems as much as the next tech nerd, but all that new printer smell doesn’t do much without materials to run it.
Materials innovation seems to be lagging slightly behind the development of the printers they are meant to feed. I talked with several people at RAPID 2012 who lamented the general lack of quantified standards for materials, the secrecy around new material developments, and so on. It’s partially because of those conversations, and partially my compulsion to share interesting news, that makes me so interested in new materials.
Rapid Ready Roundup: 3D Systems, Aluminum 6061, and Doorknobs
In the course of my diligent efforts to keep you good people up to date on the state of additive manufacturing, I come across many interesting news items. I’ll gather them up once every few weeks and present them in a Rapid Ready Roundup (like this one). You can find the last Roundup here.
To anyone who follows additive manufacturing (AM) news, it probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that 3D Systems has been busy lately. The first bit of news I have to share about the company is its entry into Standard & Poor’s SmallCap 600 index. This resulted in a number of AM manufacturing companies seeing their stock prices rise, possibly just from identification of an expanding market. This should be seen as a positive sign of AM growth, as more investors equal more money available for R&D.
Rapid Ready Roundup: Objet in China, Thingiverse ToS, New Material for DMLS
In the course of my diligent efforts to keep you good people up to date on the state of additive manufacturing, I come across many interesting news items. I’ll gather them up once every few weeks and present them in a Rapid Ready Roundup (like this one). You can find the last Roundup here.
Objet (company profile here) is expanding its presence in China by teaming up with Digital China and Shanghai Chengmei Technology (SCT). Digital China will distribute and support the full line of Objet printers and materials in north China, while SCT will act as a reseller in east China.
