3D Printing News Roundup: Sandvik, Voxeljet, Zimpure V2, 4Web Medical, ADAPTIV 3D printed shoe, Airwolf 3D

Oct 27, 2017 | By David

If you're looking for a brief but informative round-up of recent 3D printing news that might have passed you by, then you've come to the right place. Stories include a Dodge car with the most 3D printed parts yet being unveiled, Sandvik launching new research into additive manufacturing, and more.

1. Sandvik participates in 3D printing research project

Sandvik, a Swedish company that has become a leading global provider of metals for 3D printing, has announced that it will be launching a new research project in collaboration with University West in Trollhattan, Sweden. The project will be focused on the research and development of new cutting-edge materials, particularly ones that function at high temperatures.

Sandvik has a major additive manufacturing plant in Sandviken, Sweden, as well as its impressive alloy materials portfolio, so its platform can cover the entire 3D printing value chain. This research project, SUMAN-Next, is scheduled to last for three years, and Sandvik is one of a number of major industrial partners that will be participating with the University West. GKN Aerospace, Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery and Arcam AB will also be involved in the project.

'There are already exciting results, both about processes and material impact, and I am convinced that the project will help to move forward the position of additive manufacturing,' says Peter Harlin, chairman of the project's steering group and Senior R&D Engineer at Sandvik, a leading partner in the project.

2. Joint 3D printing venture launched by Voxeljet and Andreas Schmid

A new 3D printing company has been established, with Voxeljet and expert logistics company Andreas Schmid sharing 50 percent of the holdings each. The company will be known as Digital Supply Chain Solutions (DSCS), and it merges areas of supply chain management and industrial 3D printing in order to help companies optimize and digitize their production processes. voxeljet will be represented in the DSCS´s Management Board by Johannes Pesch.

“3D printing has been revolutionizing production and logistic processes for years," explains Gianluca Crestani, CEO of Andreas Schmid Logistik AG. "However, some companies have established working methods and routines leaving no time and technical resources to identify opportunities for innovation in value-added processes. DSCS provides assistance to those who have problems with this black box of additive technologies and aims to create transparency regarding the optimization of their production through the additive technologies."

The company aims to use its expert team to identify areas where other companies could improve their processes and efficiency through the use of additive technologies, and then subsequently to help them with the implementation of 3D printing.

3. Zimpure releases air purifier for 3D printers

A Kickstarter campaign has been launched for a new product that could help make the 3D printing process much safer and better for the environment. After a successful launch last year, Zimpure is raising money through the crowdfunding platform for its new product, the Zimpure V2, which is a filter that aims to remove many of the noxious fumes that 3D printers can give off.

The thermoplastic fusion process releases all kinds of harmful micro-particles, which means that 3D printers could lead to poor air quality and even to health problems further down the line. With melting ABS filament, for example, the gases released can contain 10 to 20 different chemicals, most notably Styrene, a chemical classified as toxic and a possible carcinogen.

Zimpure is attempting to tackle this issue with the help of an innovative filtration system. Its a vacuum head that can be attatched to the extrusion nozzle. This gets rid of up to 90 percent of the gases released, and 99 percent of nano-particles.

The Zimpure V2 is available for an early bird pledge as low as 99 Euros. The campaign will run until November 15, and has raised almost 8,000 Euros of its 10, 000 target total so far.

4. Deakin University develops new 3D printed cycle device

A new device that allows cyclists to change gears on their bike without pedalling has been developed by researchers at Australia’s Deakin University. The revolutionary device was made using 3D printed aluminium and titanium parts, which were laser-cut. It can fit easily to any kind of bike.

According to developer Michael Williams, 24, the device could be ready for a commercial roll out in April.“The device is ticking boxes for weight, cost and adaptability,” he said. “In a professional environment we found a 4 per cent decrease in BMX lap time which is about seven seconds — that could be difference between first and 30th. Hopefully in five to 10 years time it will be fitted to bikes found in all shops. It will make bike riding more efficient and require less energy.”

Williams is a competitive BMX rider, and this is what inspired him to develop the device. He completed a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at Deakin earlier this year, and secured a $10,000 grant from the university to develop his product. The 3D printing technology and resources were made available through the Spark program at Deakin, which has also awarded similar grants to five other innovative projects.

5. 3D printed implant company 4Web Medical finishes study into subsidence resistance

A recent study into the subsidence resistance of 4Web Medical’s Lateral Spine Truss System (LSTS), as compared to annular interbody implant designs, was recently completed. The results of the study, which was carried out by Vijay Goel, PhD at the University of Toledo, one of the country's foremost orthopedic biomechanics institute, were shared at the annual meeting of the North American Spine Society

"Our biomechanical testing showed the 4WEB 18mm wide, 40mm long LSTS implant performed better in resisting subsidence than the competitive 21mm wide, 60mm long annular design lateral device. This finding was consistent across all density foam blocks tested. These results are indicative of the optimized load distribution that is inherent to the 4WEB truss implant technology," said Vijay Goel, PhD at the University of Toledo.

Founded in Dallas in 2008, 4Web Medical has made its way to the top of the medical device manufacturing market with the use of innovative 3D printing techniques. This recent study shows that the company’s products success is well-deserved, and highlights the benefits it is bringing to patients and medical professionals.

According to Tony Tannoury, MD, Director of Spine at Boston Medical Center, Boston University said, "This research allows me to confidently conduct minimally invasive lateral access surgery and match the correct size implant to the patient anatomy with less concern of the cage subsiding. The results of this study are particularly important for high risk patients with low bone density."

6. ADAPTIV 3D printed shoe wins 2017 Red Dot Award

The cutting-edge 3D printed ADAPTIV shoe was recently demonstrated at an NBA event and won a prestigious design award. Intended for improved sporting performance, the ADAPTIV makes use of 3D printed airbags to provide a personalized fit and tailor-made comfort.

The shoe, which is a sneak peek at the future of basketball footwear technology, was designed by Leadoff Studio for orthotics manufacturer SOLS. It was recently showcased at an event hosted by Carmelo Anthony around the NBA All-Star Weekend, and the designers see this unique brand of shoes becoming commercially available within 5-10 years.

The ADAPTIV, which was a winner of the 2017 Red Dot Award, makes use of multiple gyroscopes and pressure sensors to move air pressure throughout the shoe to support one’s bodily shifts and motions. It’s also capable of providing improved comfort over time with the help of the 3D printed silicone airbags.

7. Airwolf 3D contributes components to new Dodge vehicle

The latest version of the Dodge Challenger, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, makes use of the most 3D printed components of any vehicles in this range so far. Airwolf 3D were behind most of the 3D printing technology that contributed to the new car’s optimized design and manufacturing process.

"We're basically a hot rod shop that builds 3D printers," Wolf stated. "We customize cars using Airwolf 3D printers because it's fun and it's our passion, but it's also a great way to show off our printers' capabilities. If a group of amateur car nuts can design and 3D print beautiful parts for the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, what can a true automotive professional achieve when empowered with the same tools?"

Airwolf 3D is based in California and was founded back in 2012. The company’s AXIOM 3D printer has an uncommonly large build volume, and it designed and 3D-printed an enlarged ducktail-style rear spoiler for the Hellcat featuring the "Airwolf 3D" logo to showcase this impressive feature. Other parts that it contributed to the car were a grated hood scoop vent, air intake covers, scooped headlight bezels, and plenty of redesigned interior accents including speaker covers, cup holders, and coat hooks.

The company will be showing off its work at this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, which runs from Oct 31- Nov 3.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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