This edition of Rapid 3D Printing News brings you 3D printing news about Desktop Metal’s new launches, Carbon-Fast Radius-Steelcase partnership on SILQ, Researchers 3D Print a Bionic Eye and Two New FFF 3D Printers unveiled by BCN3D
Desktop Metal Unveils Studio System+ and Studio Fleet
Desktop Metal Inc., an emerging metal 3D printing startup from Burlington, US, unveiled the Studio System+ & Studio Fleet™.
The Studio System+ is an advanced version of the previous metal 3D printing Studio System. In addition to the existing features it provides even more functionality to print smaller metal parts with higher resolution. The Studio Fleet is a new custom-configurable solution designed to address the low to medium volume production challenges.
According to Ric Fulop, CEO and Co-founder of Desktop Metal, “As our office-friendly systems are making their way to customers throughout the country, we’re excited to announce the launch Studio System+ and Studio Fleet which together offer enhanced features for metal prototyping and low volume production. Engineers and designers who are looking to push the limits of metal 3D printing with small parts or parts with fine details can now achieve even higher-resolution, with a customizable system configuration for greater process efficiency and throughput right on the shop floor.”
This truly offers a genuine solution for on-demand metal 3D printing to adapt to changing production volumes, diverse business needs, part requirements, and cost constraints.
Fast Radius and Carbon Partner with Steelcase to Reimagine SILQ Office Chair
Fast Radius, the leading additive manufacturing company, partnered with Silicon-Valley-based 3D Manufacturing Company Carbon, to reimagine the design of Steelcase’s award-winning SILQ office chair.
Both these companies worked with Steelcase while designing the SILQ office chair and printed a custom arm cap using Carbon’s AM capabilities. Steelcase further engaged the two companies to explore how additive manufacturing could further improve its product development process. This can substantially safeguard itself from competitors by bringing significant product differentiation in the market. The aim was also to reduce the time-to-market.
According to Bruce Smith, Steelcase Director of Global Design, “Ever since SILQ first debuted, we have continued to experiment with enhancements to the chair’s design, living up to our reputation of pursuing innovation. The additive manufacturing processes from Fast Radius and Carbon enabled us to streamline the already-unique aesthetics of the chair with a lattice structure that also condensed three parts into one.”
Lou Rassey, Fast Radius Chief Executive Officer said, “The flexibility of our Application Launch Program (ALP) provided the freedom to brainstorm and try new design ideas for the SILQ. For a design-driven company like Steelcase, this was crucial. Unlike traditional lengthy and expensive design cycles, the additive manufacturing process meant Steelcase could go through as many redesigns as needed to get it right. In this instance, we went from the initial idea with around 100 variables and produced over 12 unique designs in just eight weeks.”
At NeoCon 2018, the Steelcase SILQ office chair won an Innovation Award.
Researchers at University of Minnesota 3D Print a Bionic Eye Prototype
A team of researchers from the University of Minnesota recently fully 3D printed an array of light receptors on a hemispherical surface. This is a significant milestone/stepping stone towards creating a ‘Bionic Eye’ in the coming future. Such a bionic eye can help blind people see.
The research paper titled “3D Printed Polymer Photodetectors”, is published in Advanced Materials journal. Michael McAlpine, the co-author, also holds a patent for the 3D-printed semiconducting devices.
Michael McAlpine, a co-author of the study and University of Minnesota Benjamin Mayhugh Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering said, “Bionic eyes are usually thought of as science fiction, but now we are closer than ever using a multimaterial 3D printer.
He also states that, “We have a long way to go to routinely print active electronics reliably, but our 3D-printed semiconductors are now starting to show that they could potentially rival the efficiency of semiconducting devices fabricated in microfabrication facilities. Plus, we can easily print a semiconducting device on a curved surface, and they can’t.”
The research was funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the National Institutes of Health, The Boeing Company, and the Minnesota Discovery, Research, and InnoVation Economy (MnDRIVE) Initiative through the State of Minnesota.
BCN3D unveils Two New Generation 3D Printers: Sigma R19 & Sigmax R19
BCN3D Technologies, the renowned Open Source 3D printer manufacturer, launched two new generation of FFF dual extruder printers: the Sigma R19 and the Sigmax R19. Both these new printers feature a new extrusion system powered by Bondtech™ extruders and e3D™ hotends. Additionally it has a filament run-out sensor, mirror mode to print the model and its symmetrical part at once and duplication mode to print the same model with both printheads simultaneously, modified GUI and UX and new slicing software BCN3D Cura 2.1.0.
The Sigma R19 is an easy-to-use desktop FFF 3D printer with Independent Dual Extruder System (IDEX) to deliver high performance. The printer has a build volume of 210mm x 297mm x 210mm with a heated bed. It works with 2.85 mm filament diameter and accepts a wide range of filaments from other manufacturers as well.
The Sigmax R19 is a larger printer between the two new launches. With its huge build volume of 420mm x 297mm x 210mm, it targets the professionals who want to manufacture industrial-grade parts.
Speaking about the new generation of 3D printers, Xavier Martinez, BCN3D Technologies CEO said, “The new Sigma R19 and Sigmax R19 are equipped with one of the most powerful extrusion systems so far and also with the unique IDEX architecture. Such a great combination turn both printers into two of the most productive and reliable 3D printers ever seen. We’ve partnered together with top world manufacturers such as e3D and Bondtech in order to equip our 3D printers with the top-grade components available nowadays in the 3D printing industry.”
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