News Roundup: CARMAT, AddUp, Sojitz, Kowai, PyroGenesis, 3D printing scam, TWI, Autodesk Netfabb

Nov 13, 2017 | By David

Here’s another round-up of 3D printing developments you might have missed today. Latest stories include CARMAT partnering with AddUp, Japan’s Sojitz and Kowai corporations teaming up on a new 3D printing venture, and more besides.

1. CARMAT partners with 3D printing company AddUp

French medical company CARMAT has announced that it will be partnering with AddUp, a joint venture set up by the Michelin and Fives groups that specializes in 3D printing technology. CARMAT provides a unique treatment solution to people suffering from end-stage biventricular heart failure, designing and developing the world’s most advanced artificial heart. It has the backing of the European Commission for over 33 million Euros, and combines the expertise of Airbus group as well as the medical expertise of Professor Carpentier, known throughout the world for the invention of Carpentier-Edwards heart valves.

The aim of the collaboration is the strengthening of the industrial development process for CARMAT’s artificial heart. It will also contribute towards increasing the Company’s production capacity, in preparation for the eventual large scale production phase.

CARMAT will now be able to provide surgeons and patients with a version of its artificial heart enhanced by 3D printing techniques. The advantages provided by the technology include optimized anatomical interfaces leading to optimized anatomical compatibility and surgical comfort, as well as a reduction in the number of components required, which will improve the device’s assembly.

2. Sojitz and Kowai to collaborate on new 3D printing venture

Major Japanese firms Sojitz Corporation ('Sojitz') and Koiwai Co Ltd have announced their collaboration on a new 3D printing venture. Known as JAMPT Corporation, it will be mass producing and selling products manufactured using metal 3D printing. It will be the first company in Japan to offer an integrated service that provides everything from metal powder production, product development using 3D metal printers, and support for companies seeking product certification.

Koiwai is already a frontrunner in the 3D printing world in Japan, and has been providing AM parts for prototyping ever since 2012, when it became the first company in the country to do so. It will also bring its experience in laminated sand casting to the partnership. As for Sojitz, it will be able to capitalize on its sales networks and wide-ranging business knowledge as a trading company to support the expansion of JAMPT.

JAMPT has already taken on board an expert technical advisor, from the Institute for Materials Research at Tohoku University, one of its research partners. Professor Akihiko Chiba is a project leader of electron beam system at TRAFAM (Technology Research Association for Future Additive Manufacturing). A venture fund at Tohoku University is also currently considering investment in JAMPT.

The company is now building a production plant in Tagajo, Miyagi Prefecture, and commercial operations are expected to begin in July 2018.

3. PyroGenesis to reveal results of 3D printing powder analysis

Pioneering Canadian plasma-based manufacturing company PyroGenesis will be announcing the results of an extensive independent analysis of its titanium 3D printing powders at the upcoming Formnext trade show. The powder analysis was performed by an independent laboratory, which analyzed common powder properties such as sphericity, density and purity, using a cutting-edge digital imaging technique.

During this process, PyroGenesis’ titanium powders were scanned using a Nikon XT H 225 X-ray m-CT system. The volume was then reconstructed with a voxel size of 1.1 µm³and analyzed with the Dragonfly V3 powder analysis routine. The aspect ratio, equivalent diameter, volume and porosity of the powder were evaluated.

According to Pierre Carabin, Chief Technology Officer of PyroGenesis, “We consider a perfect powder to be highly spherical, fully dense, and pure...Our powders were sent to an independent lab for analysis, and when tested, reflected a high level of sphericity, little-to-no porosity, with exceptional purity. These combined results make, in my opinion, our powder exceptional in the market.”

A second stage of the analysis made use of the powders along with one of the most widely installed Selective Laser Melting (SLM) 3D printers, to produce test parts and collect performance parameters. The results were found to compare favorably with those presently available in the marketplace.

4. Australian man prosecuted for 3D scam

A man from Sydney, Australia has been extradited back to his home country from New Zealand recently, for his part in a major scam that was worth almost NZ$6.2m. According to authorities, some of the victims of the scam were promised a 3D body scan and selfie as part of a service called ‘Identical You’. Full-body scans of humans and animals were offered, to be subsequently printed off in 3D model form.

Other company names include First Aerial and Switched on Social. 51 year-old Daniel Kive Albert is alleged to have defrauded one man of NZ$685,000 in 2012, with a fraudulent franchise venture called Glamour Nail. An archived web page for the nail business indicates it would have offered small kiosks capable of painting more than 1000 designs onto fingernails.

Police allege the scams affected people in a number of countries across the world, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Ireland, Lebanon, Qatar, Singapore and South Africa. Albert appeared via video link in Central Local Court on Friday on 35 fraud charges allegedly committed between 2012 and 2016.

5. TWI launches new collaborative 3D printing project

Major global technology research agency TWI has announced the launch of a new collaborative 3D printing project. The UK-based company will be partnering with Lloyd’s Register, AECC BIAM, AVIC MTI, Chevron, and Sellafield. The aim of the partnership will be to introduce new data and guidance to allow companies to better comply with regulations and codes such as ASME, API and PED.

Since being established in Cambridge in 1946, TWI has specialized in innovation, knowledge transfer and in solving problems across all aspects of manufacturing, fabrication and whole-life integrity management. The company, which has particular expertise in materials joining, works with over 1800 industrial member companies in over 70 countries.

The new collaborative project will see the launch an investigation into the deposition of 316L stainless steel through selective laser melting (SLM) and wire plus arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) 3D printing techniques. This will allow for the production of a database detailing the material properties including tensile strength, fracture toughness and corrosion resistance of 316L when manufactured by these AM processes. Lloyd’s Register will be assisting in particular through provision of third-party inspection and validation procedures, ensuring that the design, facilities, manufacturing methods and testing programme defined by the sponsor group are suitable and optimized.

The project should eventually achieve acceptance of 3D printing-deposited 316L in Standards selected by the sponsor companies.

6. Autodesk Netfabb now supports Farsoon 3D printing systems

Users of Autodesk’s market-leading Netfabb optimization and simulation software will now be able to make use of Farsoon Technologies’ range of 3D printing systems. Farsoon Technologies offers both metal and polymer additive manufacturing solutions for industrial applications, and it focuses on having an open ethos, which enables users to have complete control of processing parameters combined with the ability to use 3rd party materials.

This new support of and compatibility with the Chinese 3D printing provider aligns with Autodesk’s mission to open up the 3D printing eco-system and lower the barrier of entry into industrial AM.

Netfabb’s 3D packing algorithm will ensure optimal density of builds in Farsoon’s polymer SLS machine while automatic orientation tools, programmable support structures and the advanced toolpath utility will create reliable, repeatable builds in their Metal DMLS machines.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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