3D Printing: The Stories We Didn’t Cover This Week — February 27

In this week’s news, two organizations committed to open source technology, Aleph Objects Inc. and Odoo Community Association, have announced a partnership. In 3D printing medical news, Materialise introduced a new surgical software suite for hospitals, and Onkos Surgical stated that it provided a successful 3D printed model for use on a difficult cancer case. In 3D printed arts, CODAME has opened a new “dedicated research and development studio” to support artistic and technical collaborations. Regarding hardware, 3D printed metal and electronics company Optomec will be at the upcoming FLEX 2016 conference in Monterrey, California, giving a presentation and display on Aerosol Jet technology. And finally, 3D Systems will file its annual revenue report late this year, but this decision will have no impact on customers or daily operations.

LulzBot’s Aleph Objects, Inc. Partners with Odoo Community Association

Aleph Objects, Inc., manufacturer of LulzBot printers, recently announced a new partnership with the Odoo Community Association (OCA) — a preeminent Free Software Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform. This platform features modules for purchasing, e-commerce, inventory, HR, CRM, and more.

Jeff Moe, President and CEO of Aleph Objects, Inc. comments on this partnership:

“Today, individuals, organizations, and companies can do more than ever with Free Software. Aleph Objects supports the Odoo Community Association (OCA) because their efforts are vital to the continued advancement of Free ERP software that respects user freedom and enables companies to avoid costly, obsolete vendor lock-in.”

The OCA’s ERP software development is compatible with Aleph Objects, which has been committed to free and open source software and hardware since its inception. This partnership makes sense because LulzBot 3D printers were the first to meet the Open Source Hardware Association definition and earn the Free Software Foundation’s Respects Your Freedom certification. Now it can further these commitments by working with OCA’s ERP platform.

Materialise Will Unveil Software Suite for Hospital 3D Printing

At the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida from March 1-5, 2016 at booth #3781, Materialise will be making its own contribution to the various medical-related displays by introducing a new software suite for 3D printing in hospitals. Bringing “medical software and services into a neutral platform that facilitates the further integration of 3D planning and printing into hospitals,” the suite will allow hospitals to create better pre-operation plans, master 3D printing file preparations, 3D print anatomical models for complex cases, and integrate 3D printing into the surgical workflow.

This software suite and solutions will be presented by Materialise’s Medical team, who will be present throughout the meeting for demonstrations and to answer questions.

Onkos Surgical Uses 3D Printed Medical Model for Cancer Case

3D printing in the world of medicine continues to become more popular as it grows more effective, and here is yet another example of this fact. Onkos Surgical is a company providing innovative surgical oncology services that include 3D printed medical models. And this is exactly what Dr. Francis Patterson, the Attending Musculoskeletal Oncology Physician and Assistant Professor at University Hospital in Newark, NJ, needed as he prepared to conduct a difficult tumor surgery in the pelvic region. An Onkos Surgical representative gave him the chance to see the tumor as a 3D printed model, and Patterson reports that he referred back to the model several times during the surgery and for intraoperative planning.

A CT Scan and imaging technology of the patient’s pelvic tumor and surrounding bone and tissues were used to 3D print the model. Onkos Surgical Co-Founder and CEO, Patrick Treacy, states that the company is “…thrilled to be able to help surgeons and patients in any way we can.”

CODAME Launches CODAME Labs for Art and Tech Collaboration

As medicine continues to receive a boost from 3D printing technologies, so do the arts. San Francisco-based CODAME, an organization that encourages artists, engineers, and tech companies to innovative prototypes together, has opened CODAME Labs. This is a “dedicated research and development studio” that facilitates collaboration across architecture, art, science, technology, and engineering fields.

The Labs’ Creative Director, Anouk Wipprecht, gives us an idea of how the new Labs will work. She wants to create fashion ahead of its time by combining art and technology. By working with companies like Microsoft, Autodesk, and Intel, she’s already showing us how this can be done, and how CODAME Labs can further these goals:

“CODAME Labs is a place where hardware gets tested, robotics get styled, and electronic textiles get crafted in order to make a push for a new generation of devices that is not handheld – but wearable or even omnipresent living around us. Having access to the newest gadgets and tools including 3D scanners, 3D printers, VR, microcontrollers, and tiny sensor modules, CODAME Labs is determined to playfully produce amazing projects around the clock.”

Currently, CODAME Labs is seeking proposals for innovative projects that can utilize the Labs’ resources. You can submit a proposal here if you are interested: submissions can be made now and the deadline for this round is March 21, 2016.

Optomec Sponsors 3D Printing Talk at Flex 2016 Conference

Optomec is a “leading supplier of production grade additive manufacturing systems for 3D printed metals and printed electronics.” Recently the company announced that a presentation entitled “Aerosol Jet Printing of Antennas and Sensors for Smart Internet of Things (IoT) Devices” will be given by Optomec’s Senior Scientist, Dr. Kurt Christenson. The presentation will take place at the FLEX 2016 Conference in Monterey, California on Thursday, March 3. Dr. Christenson will be addressing the “utilization of Aerosol Jet printing technology for mass production of a variety of 3D antennas, sensors and circuitry used for mobile and industrial Internet of Things applications.” He will present considerations, case studies and compare Aerosol Jet printing to traditional fabrication methods using examples. At the same event in booth #303, Optomec will showcase Aerosol Jet printers.

The FLEX conference is now in its 15th year. It is the “premier technical event focusing on flexible, printed, hybrid electronics and their applications” for business and technology markets. With over 600 attendees expected, the conference is organized by FlexTech Alliance, and will feature “market and technical presentations, short courses, poster sessions, exhibits and more–all focused on the creation of flexible, printed, hybrid devices, including new materials, processes, equipment, devices and products.”

3D Systems Will Wait to Report Annual Financial Results

Finally, 3D Systems has decided to postpone filing its expected annual report for fiscal year 2015, stating this move is “related to the completion of work related to the goodwill and intangible asset impairment charge.” This charge is expected to be recorded anywhere between $510 and $570 million, while $183 million is expected to be reported by the company for its fourth quarter revenue. The company will file a Form 12b-25, Notification of Late Filing, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and 3D Systems states this delay will have no impact on its customers and daily business operations.

That’s all for this week’s 3D printing news! What was the most interesting story? Discuss in the 3D Printing Stories This Week forum over at 3DPB.com.