Rapid Ready Roundup: Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, MakerBot, 3D Medical and Zelda
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 start this Roundup with an update from the US government about its manufacturing initiative. Apparently NAMII has been considered a success, as the White House has announced the launch of competitions for three new manufacturing innovation institute sites. This represents $200 million in additional funding for the project and President Obama has continued to call for congress to approve the investment of $1 billion to complete 15 sites nationally. Continue reading
3D Industries Offers Drag and Drop Simplicity for Part Searches
As the additive manufacturing (AM) industry continues to expand, more and more 3D designs are making their way on to the Internet. Sites like Thingiverse and Shapeways offer thousands of 3D model designs, and similar sites are popping up all the time. That doesn’t even take into account the private model libraries stored in the computer banks of manufacturers and service bureaus. Taken as a whole, we are awash in 3D models.
While having all that variety and potential floating around out there isn’t a bad thing, it can make finding a supplier that happens to have (and can produce) the same kind of model as the one you need something of a challenge. Naming is part of the problem. What I call a square, you might call a block. If I try Googling service bureaus that can print squares, I’m not as likely to find exactly what I need. 3D Industries (3DI) intends to solve this issue with its new part search service. Continue reading
Rapid Ready Roundup: PolyJet Over-Mold, Shapeways, Square Helper, and Pottery
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 today’s Roundup with a look at materials. Solid Concepts has released information about its new Polyjet Over-Mold process. Using an Objet Connex500, the over-mold combines PolyJet White with PolyJet Flex Black to create over-molded prototypes more quickly than is possible with the usual casting methods. A single object can incorporate shore hardness between Shore 27A to Shore 95A. Continue reading
Sandboxr Looks to Bring 3D Creativity Into Your Home
While additive manufacturing (AM) has become an important part of the design and production process for any number of industries, such as aerospace and dental, it is only just becoming part of public consciousness. Companies like Shapeways are fueling individual interest by offering on-demand manufacturing for everything from jewelry to cell phone cases.
Now, a new startup called Sandboxr is looking to bring the freedom of creativity offered by 3D printing into your home. Unlike Shapeways, which might be described as a general clearinghouse for 3D designs, Sandboxr wants its customers to explore the possibilities of 3D design using pre-generated CAD files that can be mixed and matched to build unique products. Continue reading
Rapid Ready Roundup: OsteoFab, Dreambox, RecycleBot and Trains
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 start today’s Roundup with a look at a new medical use for AM. Oxford Performance Materials (OPM) has received FDA approval for its OsteoFab biomedical process. OsteoFab uses an EOS P800 and PEKK material to build cranial implants. The implants can be used to repair damage and trauma to the skull, replacing missing bone and integrating with surrounding bone. Continue reading
