This week’s 3D printing stories includes news from Asia, where South Korea plans a first of its kind metal 3D printing facility, while the Thailand government has started regulating 3D printing due to its fear of 3D printed guns. Over at Germany’s CeBIT computer expo, Chancellor Angela Merkel visited BigRep to see just how big 3D printing machines work, and in the UK a local engine company used KWSP 3D printing services to create an ideal engine replica. SOLIDWORKS Visualize, a new 3D design program, is available for download now. And finally, have you ever wanted to recycle those pesky failed 3D prints? There’s some recent advice about doing just that on Reddit. Let’s begin with some upbeat financial news from Vancouver’s Tinkerine.
Tinkerine’s 2015 Financial Results Are In
Tinkerine President and CEO Eugene Suyu comments on Tinkerine’s success:
“We are extremely pleased with the increased revenue and new sales channels established by our team at Tinkerine. We are continuing the development of the Ditto Pro 3D printer, and are generating significant new interest from school boards, public institutions and education oriented entities. We appreciate the support of our distributors and shareholders and look forward to future growth in this emerging sector.”
South Korea Opens First Metal 3D Printing Plant
Wizit has reported sales of 32.1 billion won ($27 million) last year; the company’s sales have been growing at a rate of over 10% every year. Its operating profits increased 17.8% from a year ago to 3.8 billion won last year. Although it has seen a recent “slump in the semiconductor and display market,” the addition of a new metal 3D printing plant is likely to make up for the slump — and then some.
Thailand Regulates 3D Printing Due to Printed Gun Concerns
Nati Sang, founder of the Chiang Mai Makerspace, worries about how regulations will impact Thailand’s 3D printing sector:
“We should not let the new rules affect the course of the country’s future or make it more difficult for Thais to access 3D printing innovation. The legislation could impede Thailand’s participation in the global innovation landscape.”
There are currently three 3D printing companies in Thailand, and many have expressed concern that such regulations will make the companies less economically competitive while driving the cost of 3D printing products up as well. 3D printing importer and pioneer Wiwat Arunruangsiriloet may have a solution. He suggests that the Commerce Minister “should narrow the definition of 3D printers. The legislation should be restricted to metal 3D printers that are capable of making 3D printed guns.”
Perhaps a compromise is on the horizon for 3D printing in Thailand.
BigRep Gets Attention from German Chancellor Angela Merkel
René Gurka, BigRep’s CEO, reports on Merkel’s visit:
“We are very proud that we were able to welcome Chancellor Angela Merkel to our stand at CeBIT. She could get an idea of the opportunities and potential offered by large-scale 3D printing with respect to the digitalization of the local economy. Current studies conclude that there is still a great need to catch up on the digitalization and digital transformation of the German economy. Our goal is to enable our 3D printing solutions to address this opportunity and to be a significant contributor.”
Gurka expressed that further sparking Merkel’s 3D printing interest can catch Germany up on the digital transformation of its economy, and it looks like that just might be a big reason for Merkel’s visit to BigRep.
UK Company Meteor Power 3D Prints Motorcycle Engine Model
Mike Edwards, Meteor Power’s CEO, explained how 3D printing helped here:
“We opted for 3D printing as it was the best option to demonstrate the compact size and packaging of our design. It also showed a much more tangible product that really engaged people and illustrated just how small everything was going to be. The 3D printed model proved to be the perfect solution to engage and have much more detailed conversations with potential customers and investors.”
The high quality replica is cheaper and easier to transport than real high performance hybrid engine, which is “half the weight (30kg), half the size (350mm x 300mm x 160mm) and twice the power density (300kW per litre) of conventional powertrains.” 3D printing came through for Meteor Power with the support of KWSP’s 3D printing expertise.
Download the New SOLIDWORKS Visualize Now
With this new program, your design and marketing team can: start marketing efforts before products are made; limit making costly physical prototypes; speed up the design process; encourage design collaboration; evaluate the market’s interest in future products; and accelerate approval of proposed designs.
Want to get started and already have a SOLIDWORKS CAD subscription? Go here to download Visualize. Or you can visit the website here for more information, tutorials, forums and access to the Visualize Cloud Library.
Can You Recycle Failed 3D Prints?
If you are having the same problem, not knowing what to do with your failed plastic 3D printed items, this is an informative thread that includes a link to a 3D plastics recycling machine — the Redetec Proto-Cycler. Grinding and shredding is also mentioned on the thread, but you have to make sure your old pieces are clean to do this successfully. Worth a read for anyone facing this same dilemma!
And that’s all the 3D printing news we have this week! What story interested you the most? Discuss in the Week’s 3D Printing News forum over at 3DPB.com.