March 2024 3D Printing Trade Evaluation: Key Updates and Breakthroughs

What had been the most important 3D printing tales of 2024? The 3D Printing Trade Evaluation of the Yr continues. 

There was an replace to Arevo’s January 3D printing {hardware} public sale, with a serious business participant buying the agency’s total know-how and mental property portfolio. Binder jet 3D printer producer voxeljet pursued cost-cutting measures, whereas a brand new steel 3D printing startup launched from stealth mode. 

The 2024 AMUG convention additionally dominated this month’s information. The annual occasion returned to Chicago to attach 3D printing customers, highlight professional insights, and introduce new additive manufacturing applied sciences. Keynote displays ranged from 3D printing for the movie business, to additive manufacturing-enabled hydrogen combustion. A chat from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (AFT) mentioned 3D printed weapons and points round them. This look started a extra direct method to business engagement on this difficulty.

Elsewhere, efforts to optimize US-based provide chains ramped up within the protection, aerospace, and aviation sectors. Microscale 3D printing was additionally within the information. One analysis breakthrough might assist scale resin additive manufacturing to mass manufacturing. 

Learn on for extra of the important thing tales from March, together with updates from Stratasys, Siemens, Meltio, Materialise, GE Aerospace, Velo3D, and extra.      

Asset acquisitions, cost-cutting initiatives and a brand new 3D printing firm   

Earlier within the yr, an public sale of Arevo belongings marked the top of the once-promising enterprise. Regardless of elevating $70 million, together with $7 million in crowdfunding for its 3D printed Superstrata bikes, the corporate ceased operations in January.  

Three months into 2024, it was introduced that main 3D printer producer Stratasys acquired Arevo’s total know-how and IP portfolio. The bought patents cowl Arevo’s carbon fiber 3D printing, localized laser melting course of, AI-powered construct monitoring, and {hardware} designs. These added to Stratasys’ present 2,600 granted and pending patents.      

Stratasys stated that the acquisition expanded its ‘addressable manufacturing functions,’ serving to to extend the adoption of its FDM 3D printing know-how. “The know-how we’ve acquired permits for more and more improved isotropy of bodily properties in FDM elements, which opens up further use for patrons,” commented Wealthy Garrity, Stratasys’ Chief Industrial Enterprise Officer.

Following related initiatives by Desktop Metallic and Velo3D earlier this yr, March additionally noticed binder jet 3D printer producer voxeljet pursue cost-cutting measures. The corporate revealed plans to withdraw from the NASDAQ Inventory Change and terminate its registration with the U.S. Securities and Change Fee (SEC). This determination ended the agency’s monetary reporting obligations with the SEC and noticed it start buying and selling on the over-the-counter (OTC) markets underneath the ticker “VJTTY.” In accordance with voxeljet CEO Rudolf Franz on LinkedIn, these steps had been made to “cut back bills related to being a public firm” and “additional strengthen our monetary place.”     

Voxeljet additionally agreed to amend and restate an present mortgage observe issued to Anzu Companions‘ industrial know-how funding fund. The online mortgage proceedings had been used to facilitate the delisting processes and fund the agency’s working actions. This determination adopted the information in 2023 that the corporate initiated a proper overview course of to judge “strategic alternate options.” Issues had been raised relating to voxeljet’s funds in Q3 2023 when the agency introduced -€2.8 million working loss, up 12% YoY.   

On a extra constructive observe, March witnessed the introduction of a brand new steel 3D printing firm. Fluent Metallic launched from stealth after elevating $5.5 million in enterprise capital funding. The corporate was based to develop and commercialize its drop-on-demand know-how. This production-scale, wire-based, liquid steel printing (LMP) course of reportedly facilitates waste-free 3D printing, making it cheaper and extra sustainable than present powder-based approaches. 

AMUG 2024: professional insights and 3D printing awards 

In March, the 2024 Additive Manufacturing Customers Group (AMUG) convention welcomed 1,479 members of the 3D printing neighborhood to the Hilton Chicago. The occasion boasted a packed keynote presentation schedule, that includes insights from a spread of business specialists. 

One notable speak got here from Jason Lopes, Chief Technical Officer at Light Large Studios. He supplied insights into the position of 3D printing within the movie business. Lopes touched on a number of of Light Large’s tasks, together with the manufacturing of Disney collectables and 3D printed artwork installations in Miami. To Emphasize the studio’s potential to deal with high-volume manufacturing, he pointed to a mission involving 110,000 items.    

The corporate’s adaptability has allowed it to discover steel 3D printing and the additive manufacturing of translucent or clear objects. One mission noticed the studio 3D print 200 masks for influencers, assembly a decent two-and-a-half-week deadline. It has additionally carried out efforts to combine conventional shade methods into superior 3D printing. Lopes famous that the corporate has accomplished substantial R&D work on this space. “It was clearly evident that we had been going to win the market with using shade,” he added. 

Tad Steinberg additionally took to the stage to focus on how Siemens Power is advancing hydrogen combustion and fuel generators with additive manufacturing. He pointed to the corporate’s imaginative and prescient that, by 2030, each new fuel turbine Siemens sells will be capable of run on 100% hydrogen. This could signify a major shift from the agency’s conventional deal with pure fuel and methane. 

Additive manufacturing is ready to play an important position on this transition. “Additive has actually helped us speed up moving into that [hydrogen] area due to the challenges that hydrogen brings to the desk,” defined Steinberg. He recognized how 3D printing can overcome key limitations limiting the adoption of hydrogen vitality. For example, additive manuring has facilitated fast prototyping, permitting Siemens to rapidly iterate and check new designs to fulfill the distinctive calls for of hydrogen combustion.   

Steinberg additionally emphasised the price benefits of additive manufacturing. Regardless of the upper preliminary prices of 3D printed elements, he pointed to the long-term financial savings and effectivity beneficial properties. A lowered want for bodily inventories additionally interprets to decrease stock administration and taxation prices.   

The convention additionally noticed business figures obtain sought-after AMUG awards. The recipients of 5 Distinguished INnovator Operator (DINO) awards and the distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award had been introduced. 

The extremely coveted DINO awards are granted to these with the best ranges of additive manufacturing experience. All holders will need to have demonstrated a willingness to share their data by way of at the least 10 years of business involvement. The 2024 recipients had been Jamie Cone, Steve Grundahl, Thomas Murphy, Vadim Pikhovich, and Bob Renella. 

The AMUG Lifetime Achievement Award is a prestigious title recognizing those that exemplify management and excellence inside Additive Manufacturing. Gary Rabinovitz, AM/3D Printing Lab Supervisor at Boston-based shoe producer Reebok, acquired this award. He turned solely the second recipient within the AMUG’s 36-year historical past, after Thomas Sorovetz in 2018.       

New know-how at AMUG 2024

AMUG 2024 additionally noticed a number of corporations introduce new 3D printing applied sciences. On the {hardware} facet, Meltio launched the M600, a laser steel deposition (LMD) 3D printer. That includes a Blue Laser deposition head, the steel 3D printer is focused to machine retailers and 24/7 manufacturing environments requiring industrial-scale manufacturing capabilities. 

Meltio acknowledged that the M600 overcomes challenges related to lengthy lead occasions, high-cost stock-keeping, and provide chain insecurities. Its autonomous manufacturing capabilities decrease handbook consumer enter and facilitate 24-hour light-out operation. Along with fabricating steel elements, the M600 can add options to present parts and restore broken surfaces. 

A number of software program corporations additionally showcased new choices at AMUG 2024. Chicago-based 3D printing high quality assurance specialist Phase3D launched its True Layer Thickness toolkit. This monitoring and inspection software program measures, in microns, the amount of steel powder distributed throughout a 3D printer’s construct platform. This ensures a fair distribution of fabric for every layer throughout powder mattress fusion 3D printing. 

Phase3D’s product seeks to deal with the wants of regulated industries like aerospace, medical, and vitality to ensure high-quality and certifiable elements. The corporate claims it labored with an unnamed ‘distinguished aerospace firm’ to develop the toolkit.  

Belgian 3D printing firm Materialise launched its e-Stage for Metallic+ software program. This platform makes use of physics-based modeling to streamline knowledge and construct preparation for laser powder mattress fusion 3D printing. By automating the technology of help constructions, the instrument seeks to make steel additive manufacturing accessible to extra prospects. 

Notably, the software program can predict areas vulnerable to deformation and generate needle-thin and cone helps to counteract this. As such, the corporate claims e-Stage for Metallic+ eliminates the trade-off between half high quality and manufacturing bills, rising the affordability of steel 3D printing.      

Away from AMUG, one other software program launch got here from French start-up Spare Components 3D which initiated the beta program of Théia. This digital instrument can robotically create 3D fashions from 2D technical drawings. The platform leverages AI know-how to scale back conversion occasions from days to minutes. 

In accordance with Spare Components 3D, this may permit extra corporations to leverage additive manufacturing for spare elements manufacturing, reducing stock prices. The corporate claims Théia can collectively save corporations $34 billion a yr by way of stock digitization.  

Strengthening international provide chains 

In March, GE Aerospace introduced plans to speculate $650 million into its international manufacturing vegetation and provide chains. The Ohio-based firm hopes this funding will improve its manufacturing capability of 3D printed plane engines to fulfill demand from industrial and protection prospects. 

Particularly, GE Aerospace’s funding seeks to scale the manufacturing of its 3D printing-enabled LEAP engines. These engines, developed in collaboration with French aerospace producer Safran, energy the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX, and COMAC C919 plane. Moreover, the brand new capital will facilitate full-scale manufacturing of the agency’s GE9X engines which characteristic over 300 3D printed elements and energy Boeing 777X jets.   

In protection information, Bechtel Plant Equipment Inc. chosen steel 3D printing know-how from Velo3D to help the US Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. This partnership continues the US Division of Protection’s efforts to re-shore provide chains and cut back lead occasions for essential parts. With 300 vessels at the moment in operation, a lot of which have been in service for many years, the US Navy faces challenges in sustaining ageing tools.  

The know-how, which incorporates Velo3D’s Sapphire XC massive format 3D printer, is being operated by supplies firm ATI in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Additive manufacturing will facilitate the manufacturing of elements beforehand made by way of extra time-consuming casting methods.      

Growth in microscale 3D printing 

March’s analysis information noticed a distinguished deal with microscale 3D printing. One workforce from Stanford College developed a high-speed 3D printing course of that may produce as much as a million advanced microscale particles per day. The researchers leveraged the resin-based steady liquid interface manufacturing, or CLIP, course of co-developed by Carbon founder Joseph DeSimone. This was built-in right into a production-line workflow to create a brand new method, dubbed roll-to-roll CLIP (r2rCLIP). This allowed batches of micro-scale fashions to be 3D printed, washed, cured and eliminated robotically with out handbook enter, accelerating manufacturing speeds. 

The workforce claimed that this method unlocks high-volume 3D printing of intricate microscopic designs. They recognized potential for biomedical, analytical and superior supplies functions. Specifically, r2rCLIP could possibly be used for the mass manufacturing of parts starting from microrobots to drug supply vessels. 

In one other research, Stanford researchers efficiently 3D printed shapeshifting nanoparticles. Archimedean truncated tetrahedrons have lengthy been acknowledged for his or her potential to kind new supplies that may change kind, however are troublesome to manufacture with typical manufactring methods. 3D nanoprinting was used to provide the microscale particles, which efficiently self-assembled into completely different crystal constructions. 

The workforce famous that these supplies can shift between phases by making use of exterior stimuli, just like the atomic association that creates tempered metal from iron. This functionality reportedly gives worth for engineering and supplies science functions. For instance, the 3D printed nanoparticles might create photo voltaic panel coatings that change all through the day to extend vitality effectivity.      

3D Printing Information Highlights from 2024: Improvements, Developments, and Evaluation 

All of the information from Formnext 2024. 

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Featured picture exhibits DINOs from the previous 26 years gathering to have a good time the 2024 AMUG Convention. Photograph through AMUG.