3D printing news ICYMI: Sciaky takes EBAM to Japan, Sigma Labs partners with Jaguar, more

Mar 18, 2017 | By Benedict

We’re overflowing with 3D printing news this week. In addition to Sciaky taking its EBAM 3D printing technology to Japan, several partnerships have been struck up, with Sigma Labs, Concept Laser, and Oxford Performance Materials all getting down to business.

Concept Laser and GoEngineer partner to expand combined reach in metal 3D printing

At the start of the week, German metal 3D printing heavyweight Concept Laser announced a partnership with GoEngineer, a US-wide technology company. According to a press release, the deal will help both companies expand their footprint in metal additive manufacturing by leveraging the strengths of each. As part of the agreement, GoEngineer will become a marketing channel for Concept Laser’s portfolio of 3D printing solutions, having previously favored Stratasys products.

Concept Laser and GoEngineer have already worked together to make a race car chassis. GoEngineer designed the fully dense metal chassis using metrology-grade laser scanners, analysis-driven topology optimization software, and parametric CAD tools. The metal chassis was then fabricated in aluminum using the Concept Laser M2 cusing machine. It will be on display at the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) 2017 Conference from March 19-23 in Chicago.

“The relationship with Concept Laser presents a powerful opportunity for GoEngineer to understand and assist our customers as they develop strategies to move into the metals market while minimizing risk,” commented Brad Hansen, CEO of GoEngineer.

Sciaky to deliver Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) system to Japanese supplier

A day later, and more metal 3D printing news: Chicago-based metal 3D printing company Sciaky announced on Tuesday that a Japanese supplier has purchased an EBAM 110 system from the company. It will be the first installation of a Sciaky EBAM system in the Asia-Pacific region, but the supplier will remain anonymous for competitive reasons.

“This is an historic milestone for the metal 3D printing market in that it will offer manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific region an opportunity to take advantage of EBAM's one-of-a-kind capabilities,” said Bob Phillips, Vice President of Marketing for Sciaky.

According to Sciaky, its closed-loop control EBAM systems can produce parts ranging from 8 inches (203 mm) to 19 feet (5.79 meters) in length. The company also claims that EBAM is the fastest deposition process in the metal additive manufacturing market, with gross deposition rates ranging from seven to 20 lbs (3.18 to 9.07 kg) of metal per hour.

Solvay providing 3D printing materials for Oxford Performance Materials’ Boeing project

Tuesday also brought 3D printing news from Europe, where Brussels-based polymer specialist Solvay announced that it is providing additive manufacturing products for Oxford Performance Materials, helping the Connecticut-based additive manufacturing company on its mission to 3D print aerospace parts for Boeing.

“Solvay has positioned itself as the material science leader for AM technologies and processes for very challenging advanced transportation applications," said Armin Klesing, Global Business Development Manager for Aerospace at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers Global Business Unit. “Consistent product quality and robust supply chain security are essential factors to manufacture very high standard parts on time in this fast-growing market.”

Oxford Performance Materials said that Solvay’s specialty materials will be critical in keeping the new 3D printed aerospace parts lightweight. It will also help to reduce the time and cost of production.

Create O&P and Vorum partner to offer in-house 3D printing solution for clinics

This week has certainly been one for partnerships. On Tuesday, Create O&P and Vorum announced a deal that could benefit the rapidly growing field of 3D printed orthotics and prosthetics. Create O&P last year launched a 3D printer made specifically for 3D printing orthotics and prosthetics, while Vorum provides computer-aided design and manufacturing technology for building orthotic and prosthetic devices.

With this new partnership between the two companies, Create O&P will now package Vorum software with its medical 3D printing system. This system, which includes a Create 3400 3D printer, a scanner, custom designs, technical support, and a one-year subscription to Vorum’s Canfit software, will allow clinicians to scan, modify, and build devices digitally in their clinic.

“3D printed devices are better because they provide faster design than traditional plaster-based methods, are completely quantifiable, are completely adjustable, and are completely reproducible,” said Jeff Erenstone, chief executive officer of Create O&P. “The addition of Vorum’s Canfit software adds a new element to our package that allows prosthetists to design their own custom devices.”

Sigma Labs signs commercial alliance with Jaguar Precision Machine

The final item in this mini roundup is, as you may have predicted, another partnership: Sigma Labs, the Santa Fe, NM company behind PrintRite3D, announced on Wednesday that it has signed a commercial alliance with Albuquerque-based Jaguar Precision Machine Corporation (not the car company) to expand its suite of integrated, advanced manufacturing services. Jaguar will help Sigma Labs to provide end-to-end 3D advanced component manufacturing capabilities, including computer aided design (CAD), engineering (CAE), manufacturing (CAM), and inspection (CAI).

Using Sigma Labs' 3D printing capability and PrintRite3D quality assurance software, Jaguar will be able to provide increased production rates while ensuring consistent part quality at its precision prototype machining facility. The two companies will also work together to manufacture 3D printed parts, with contracts expected in 2017.

"Partnering with Sigma Labs is a critical step for Jaguar in developing our branded ‘3D Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem' capabilities,” said Dan Schatzman, CEO and owner of Jaguar.

Nano Dimension supplies DragonFly 2020 3D printer to Syqe Medical

3D printing is aiding Israel-based company Syqe Medical in the development and production of pharmaceutical grade medical cannabis inhaler.

Nano Dimension announced on Wednesday that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nano Dimension Technologies Ltd., has supplied, in return for payment, its flagship DragonFly 2020 3D Printer to Syqe Medical Ltd. Syqe boasts that it has created the world's first selective-dose, pharmaceutical grade medical cannabis inhaler. It uses 3D printers to prototype and produce inhalers, which have been used in Israel's Rambam Hospital for more than a year. Syqe Medical joins the growing ranks of Nano Dimension's beta clients, and plans to use Nano Dimension's technology to further develop its inhalers.

Milacron's DME partners with Linear AMS to develop 3D-printed conformal cooling technology

Milacron Holdings, industrial technology company serving the plastics processing industry, has announced that its DME product brand, a supplier of mold components, moulding supplies and industrial supplies, has partnered with Linear AMS (a Moog Company) to offer metal 3D-printed conformal cooling products to help improve productivity in the molding industry.

TruCool is the new DME line of products designed to help moldmakers and molders with their mold cooling. DME's Conformal Cooling solutions utilize a cutting edge, direct metal laser melting 3D printing process to produce highly complex cavities, cores, and components with conformal cooling channels. The process achieves shapes, paths, and channel geometries impossible to obtain with conventional tooling.

"We build the unmachineable!" said David Baucus, DME Product Manager. Baucus also added, "The Conformal Cooling solution places cooling channels at the optimal distance from the mold surface, consistently following the geometric shape of any mold insert for any customer part, allowing the mold to maintain a targeted, consistent temperature that allows for complete thermal control with cooling times reduced up to 100 percent. This technology also allows for conformal venting solutions for those hard to reach areas of trapped gases, when requested by the molder."

Simulation of life like and optimised cooling channels

The Tru-Cool solution starts with a detailed review of the mould maker and his requirements, and with the use of advanced 3D CAD modeling and F.E.A. software, DME's technology team can simulate the most life like and optimised cooling channels. The result allows for complex cooling channels with greater overall coverage, even distribution of cooling and the ability to provide individual insert temperature control.

The DME/Linea process uses advanced direct metal laser melting technology, which is extremely dense and stronger when compared to direct metal laser sintering. This allows for lighter weight solutions with improved performance characteristics to create complex shapes and improved reliability.

The mould maker receives his mould cavity or core according to the specification of his 3D model with a hardness up to 56HRC with an additional +.025" rough metal to allow them to finish the cavity or core's part surface to their own specifications. Every conformal cooling solution is material, flow and pressure tested to ensure quality, each time, before shipment, DME says.

In 2017, the DME brand celebrates its 75-year anniversary.

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