News Roundup: Hoganas acquires Metasphere, Immensa 3D Printing Institute in Dubai, HP to sell 3D printers in India, more

Dec 11, 2017 | By David

Here’s another round-up of some recent 3D printing events you might have missed. We’ve got stories including Emerging Implant Technologies partnering with HCA, a new 3D printing institute being launched in Dubai, and more besides.

1. Emerging Implant Technologies partners with Hospital Corporation of America for 3D printed medical devices

Emerging Implant Technologies, a German manufacturer of innovative medical devices that are made using 3D printing technology, has announced a partnership with the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). HCA operates almost 300 health care centers in the U.S and the UK, and this new deal will allow them all to provide patients with the groundbreaking spinal care that EIT’s solutions offer.

Founded in 2014, EIT’s reputation is largely based on its pioneering 3D printed Cellular Titanium structures. These are designed according to scientific insights on ideal pore shape and size to optimize cell proliferation and bone ingrowth, and the unique design can be rendered in physical form using 3D printing technology to give optimum freedom and accuracy.

“EIT´s goal is to improve spine care using the advantages of 3D printing technology and cope with given pricing and reimbursement structures. We are delighted that HCA/HealthTrust is interested in working with EIT. This will help us to get quicker market access in the United States,” said Guntmar Eisen, cofounder and CEO of EIT.

2. Calgary students develop technique to transform human waste into 3D printing plastic

A group of engineering students from the University of Calgary have recently been awarded for their impressive work in the field of materials development for 3D printing. Their innovative idea was to use human waste and decompose it with E.coli bacteria, in order to make plastic for 3D printing.

Instead of having to deal with actual human faeces, the team of fourteen students made use of a NASA-sanctioned recipe for simulated human waste, which includes cellulose, yeast, peanut oil and miso paste. The success of their unique alchemical project secured them a top prize at the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Foundation’s Giant Jamboree in Boston, where nearly 5,000 students representing 330 universities presented their best ideas on synthetic biology. The project was also nominated for Best Manufacturing Project at the Boston event, which is the world’s premiere student team competition in synthetic biology

According to “Alina Kunitskaya, a fourth-year chemical engineering student at the Schulich School of Engineering, ''We envision our project as a start-to-finish integrated system that can be used in space to generate items useful to astronauts during early Mars missions. This will solve the problem of waste management by upcycling solid human waste into a usable product.”

3. UK’s Manufacturing Technology Center launches new 3D printing aerospace projects

The UK’s Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC) has announced that it will be participating in seven new research and development projects, to improve the country’s aerospace sector. £53.7 million of funding was provided by the government as part of the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP), which is intended to tackle barriers to growth, boost exports and grow high value jobs.

One of these projects will be focused on 3D printing technology in aerospace. Known as DRAMA (Digital Reconfigurable Additive Manufacturing facilities for Aerospace), it will be led by the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) with partners ATS Global, Autodesk, Granta Design, Midlands Aerospace Alliance, National Physics Laboratory, Renishaw and the University of Birmingham. Its aim is to establish leading additive manufacturing ‘test bed’ facilities for the aerospace industry and its supply chain, at the National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (based at the MTC in Coventry) and the Renishaw AM Solution Centre in Stone.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “In November, we launched our ambitious Industrial Strategy which builds on our significant economic strengths, while looking at innovative ways to improve our productivity and will ensure government continues to work closely with industries including our UK aerospace sector... This investment, part of the £3.9 billion government and industry committed to this sector by 2026. The Aerospace Technology Institute plays a crucial role in helping to direct this investment and maintain UK excellence in the sector.”

4. Immensa 3D printing Institute launched in Dubai

The Dubai 3D Printing Strategy continues to influence the growth of additive manufacturing throughout Dubai in every sector, and the latest development is in the field of education. The Immensa 3D Printing Institute (I3DPI), a first of its kind academic and training provider that is focused exclusively on additive manufacturing (AM or 3D printing), has just been launched to support the initiative.

I3DPI will provide 22 specialized courses, covering a wide array of subjects related to 3D Printing and ranging from basic level to more advanced topics specific to particular sectors or applications. Courses to be offered include ‘Introduction to AM’, ‘AM Materials’, ‘Architectural Design for AM’, ‘AM Process SLS’, ‘Innovation in AM’, ‘Topology Optimisation Design’, ‘AM Integration into Traditional Manufacturing’ and the ‘Economics of AM’, among many others.

The programme will be led by a skilled set of UAE-based lecturers and trainers, as well as visiting experts from across the world. I3DPI is an open platform institute and will host courses by 3rd party international organizations as well as its own certified courses. In addition to the courses offered to professionals, there will be collaboration with UAE based academic institutions as part of I3DPI.

Alongside its comprehensive range of courses, I3DPI will provide a job marketplace and networking opportunities for graduates and professionals seeking roles in the sector, or organisations seeking new employees with AM experience.

5. Metal 3D printing company Hoganas acquires Metasphere Technology

Swedish metal AM expert Hoganas has announced the acquisition of an innovative new start-up that provides quality metal powders for 3D printing processes. Metasphere Technology was founded in Luleå, Sweden, in 2009, and it has developed a new technology for atomising metals, carbides and ceramics at very high temperatures in a reactor using plasma and centrifugal forces.

According to Fredrik Emilson, Höganäs CEO, “Thanks to the high temperatures we can achieve very pure and spherical metal powders...The metal powders produced today are especially well suited for surfaces that need wear, corrosion and impact resistance, for instance within mining, oil and gas and other heavy industries.”

Höganäs’ customers are currently being supplied with products from the pilot reactor, with work ongoing with Metasphere to finalise the large-scale production reactor during the first quarter of 2018.

6. HP Jet Fusion 3D printers to hit India in 2018

HP’s range of Jet Fusion 3D printers should be on sale in India in the new year, around two years after they became widely available throughout Europe, Australia, China and Japan. This continued expansion testifies to the success of the Jet Fusion system in all its varieties, as well as the continued growth of 3D printing in India, where it is becoming more and more popular at consumer and industrial level.

According to Sumeer Chandra, Managing Director, HP Inc India, "We will bring our 3D printers in next 2-3 months to India as part of our commitment to contribute to the India growth journey... Initially, the focus will be on sectors like automobile and healthcare in India but the opportunities are immense.''

HP recently announced the integration of its Multi Jet Fusion 3D printer with Siemens' Additive Manufacturing (AM) software module, in order to further its reach. This follows collaborations with major manufacturing figures such as Nike and BMW. The company also announced the planned expansion of its current 3D printing portfolio with the new HP Multi Jet Fusion 4210 platform.

7. 3D printing company Oxford Performance Materials sells Aerospace and Defense business to Hexel Corporation

Oxford Performance Materials, a global leader in advanced materials science and high performance additive manufacturing, has announced the sale of an entire division to Hexel Corporation. The advanced composites provider will be acquiring OPM’s Aerospace and Defense business, after having already invested around $25 million into its projects in 2016 and 2017.

OPM was founded back in 2000 to exploit and commercialize the world’s highest performing thermoplastics, with a focus on polyetherketoneketone (PEKK). The company’s patented OXFAB technology is a market leader for the additive manufacturing of high performance, end-use structural parts.

In one of its major aerospace deals, OPM was selected by Boeing to supply over 600 3D printed structural production parts for the CST-100 Starliner. This came about as a result of the company’s demonstrated ability to produce highly specified parts that consistently perform in demanding environments. OPM’s additive structures deliver significant reductions in weight, cost and lead times and replace traditional metallic and composite parts.

8. Stratasys teams with St. Louis children's hospital to launch 3D printing Center of Excellence

Stratasys today announced it is teaming with SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri to launch an advanced 3D printing "Center of Excellence" – designed to accelerate innovation in pre-surgical preparedness, medical research and patient treatment. Open now, the center leverages Stratasys J750 3D Printer to develop and share best-practices throughout a range of specialties including neurosurgery, orthopedics, cardiac treatment, as well as hand and cranial maxillofacial reconstructive surgery.

"As a leading pediatric care and academic research facility, we're committed to continuous improvement by harnessing cutting-edge tools like 3D printing. The Stratasys J750 full-color, multi-material 3D printing solution allows us to do just that – powering unprecedented breakthroughs in planning and treatment," said Steven Burghart, President of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. "Our Center of Excellence stems from a long-standing partnership with Stratasys, working together to raise the bar in all that's possible in patient care."

Based on PolyJet technology, the Stratasys J750 3D Printer combines both flexible and rigid plastics in a single print to accurately mimic hard bone and soft tissues.

Alexander Lin, MD, FACS, SLUCare plastic surgeon, is the co-founder of the 3D Printing Center at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon and also serves as its surgical director. According to Dr. Lin, "3D printing provides increased confidence in the operating room and results in a faster, more efficient operation. In a recent plastic surgery reconstruction of a skull defect, we used a 3D printed intraoperative guide that matched the skull defect precisely. Without hesitation, we could use this guide to create a precisely shaped bone graft that perfectly matched the skull defect. In the past, this process would have been estimated, which can lead to longer surgery with higher risk of brain and blood loss, and a less precisely fitted reconstruction."

9. Diogo Quental appointed New Global CEO of Raise3D

Raise3D, the designer and manufacturer of 3D printers, has announced the appointment of Diogo Quental as their new global CEO, effective January 1, 2018. Diogo will succeed Edward Feng, the current CEO and co-founder, who will assume the coordination of the newly created Strategic Committee.

"This is the perfect time for Raise3D to do this change. We are proud for what we achieved so far with the current level of organization, but we needed a different type of governance to scale up the full operation", said Raise3D CEO Edward Feng. "Our decision was to make a clear separation between the on-going operation that will be managed by Diogo, and the strategic direction of the company which will be coordinated by me."

Graduate of business administration at ISAG-European Business School, and with an MBA from INSEAD in 2003; Diogo joined the 3D printing industry in 2011 and has over 25 years of experience in several different countries and cultures, structuring new businesses, managing people, and projects.

"Despite having joined Raise3D only a few months ago, the experience of belonging to this team is one of the most rewarding I ever had. Three global offices, in 3 very different cultures, with amazingly talented teams contribute to the goal of raising the standards", said Diogo Quental. "I am very honoured with this new position and I do feel the responsibility of it. But I also know that there's a long road of improvements ahead and that more comprehensive solutions still have to be offered to Corporate Customers."

Edward Feng, currently CEO, will dedicate his time to the strategic coordination of Raise3D, to support Diogo, and to engage closely with key Partners and Investors to ensure adequate support in the scale-up of the company globally.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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