3D Printing: The Stories We Missed This Week — August 27, 2016

It’s been another wild week in the realm of 3D printing, and as per usual, we were gleefully overwhelmed with the amount of breaking news there was around the industry. Ladies and gentlemen, here is another edition of “The Stories We Missed This Week”. We start by looking at 3D printing service bureau Shapeways, which has launched the “Campus Battle” challenge, giving participating students the chance to win free shipping on 3D prints for their entire school. Next up, the Belgium-based 3D printing material platform Filaments.directory was selected in the FABulous “Open Call” contest, giving the platform entrance into the four-month FABulous Acceleration Program, as well as infrastructure assistance, mentoring, and up to €30,000 in funding. The 3D printing and scanning company Halo Technologies has just announced the opening of their new retail storefront in West Palm Beach, Florida. The 3D printing service provider Addaero Manufacturing has announced that they’ve recently installed Arcam’s newest electron beam melting (EBM) machine, the Q20 Plus. A collection of DXV 3D printed residential faucets created by American Standard was named the Silver Winner in the 36th annual International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). The desktop component and peripherals manufacturer Cooler Master has released a 3D printable computer mouse designed for gamers, called the MasterMouse Pro L. The country of Morocco will inaugurate its first-ever polytechnic school to use 3D printing technology, which is scheduled to open this coming academic year. Lastly, Fenner Precision and NinjaTek have announced new products for the NinjaTek 3D printing portfolio, including high torque timing belts and fuser rollers range.

Shapeways Launches EDU Campus Battle Sign-up Challenge

In preparation for the upcoming academic year, the 3D printing service bureau Shapeways is launching the “Campus Battle” challenge. The contest is as simple as can be, asking participating students to ask their friends and classmates to signup for the Shapeways Education 15% discount program, which could grant their entire school with free Shapeways shipping for the entire academic year. All students who join during the Campus Battle challenge will get their first Shapeways print for free, so long as the cost is under $25. The top three schools with the most signups will be given free shipping for the entire school year, and will apply for all students enrolled at these particular schools. Those who signup as EDU members will receive 15% off of their Shapeways orders all year, making it a worthwhile challenge regardless of whether your school wins or not. The Campus Battle challenge is available until October 31, 2016, so if you want a free first 3D print and help your school get free shipping from Shapeways for the year, start sharing the EDU program with your friends and peers today!

Filaments.directory Selected in FABulous “Open Call” Contest, Joins Four-Month 3D Printing Acceleration Program

The Brussels, Belgium-based 3D printing material platform Filaments.directory was recently selected in the FABulous “Open Call” contest. With this selection, the filament database will join the four-month FABulous Acceleration Program, and will also receive infrastructure assistance, mentoring, and up to €30,000 in funding. After submitting a well-rounded business proposal for the “3rd Open Call on 3D Printing and Digital Fabrication” competition hosted by FABulous, which is a 3D printing accelerator focused on European companies, Filaments.directory was one of the few applicants selected for this four-month acceleration program. Aside from the initial mentoring and potential funding, Filaments.directory will also have the opportunity to connect with the 20 FABulous projects that are already receiving support through the FABulous Acceleration Program. In total, FABulous received 79 applications from SMEs and entrepreneurs looking to challenge and change traditional manufacturing business models through their innovative ideas, products, or business models relating to 3D printing manufacturing and digital fabrication. Filaments.directory will also be present at the TCT Show, which is taking place from September 28 to 29 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. They will be located in Booth H46F in the Startup Zone.

“Thanks to Fabulous program, we will be able to be grow faster with excellent mentoring and networking opportunities,” said Gauthier de Valensart, founder of Filaments.directory. “We are eager to announce the new features which will be unique and essential for the entire 3D printing community.”

Halo Technologies Open 3D Printing Retail Storefront in West Palm Beach

This past week, the 3D printing and 3D scanning company Halo Technologies announced the opening of their new 3D printing retail storefront, which is located in West Palm Beach, Florida. The grand opening, which took place on August 19, brought nearly 350 attendees into their newly remodeled storefront, which is located in the historic Harvey Building. Specializing in architecture, marine, automotive, aviation, and the medical field, Halo Technologies’ quality 3D printing and rapid prototyping services have been in increasingly high demand, and will now be featured in their new brick-and-mortar location. Not only will the storefront help create jobs and new business opportunities in the West Palm Beach area, but it will also serve as a community center, educational school programs, and the largest 3D printer in all of South Florida. The retail store could also potentially serve as a place for exciting field trips, workshops, classes, tours, and after school programs that promote entrepreneurship.

“Halo Technologies is an exemplary representation of the innovative companies that are choosing to call Palm Beach County home,” said Shareena of the Business Development Board. “As the BDB continues to attract and assist growing tech companies, it is important that companies like Halo Technologies are aware of the attributes our community has to support revolutionary technology and advanced manufacturing.”

Addaero Manufacturing Announces Addition of Arcam’s Q20 Plus EBM Machine

The New Britain, Connecticut-based manufacturing service provider Addaero Manufacturing announced a new addition to their 3D printing system family this past week, welcoming Arcam’s Q20 Plus into their facility. The Q20 Plus uses Electron Beam Melting technology, and is complementary to the Arcam A2X that Addaero currently uses to 3D print metal parts. The machine was particularly designed to produce high-quality aerospace components, and contains a larger build area to accommodate a greater number of parts. With both machines in their facilities, Addaero has further solidified itself as an EBM technology pioneer, and has efficiently expanded its services to meet the growing demand of metal 3D printed aerospace components. In the coming weeks, the Q20 Plus EBM system will be tested to ensure that the equipment is production ready.

“By having both the A2X and the Q20 Plus we are able to fit the right machine to the job and ensure customers receive exactly what they require, in the most efficient manner possible,” says Rich Merlino, President of Addaero Manufacturing.

DXV 3D Printed Faucets Recognized at IDSA International Design Excellence Awards

This past week, 3D printing technology helped the bathroom and kitchen fixtures producer DXV gain recognition at the 36th annual International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). Their 3D printed residential faucet collection were named as a Silver Winner, marking another award for the 3D printed faucet line. DXV, which is flagship portfolio launched by American Standard, placed three differently styled 3D printed faucet on display, the Vibrato, Trope, and Shadowbrook, all of which were 3D printed with Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) technology. The 3D printed faucets reveal a smooth and bespoke design, and are hand-finished with a rich patina, giving a textural impression of antique silver pieces. These 3D printed residential faucets were among over 1,700 projects that competed in IDEA 2016. The competition’s winners were selected based on 21 categories that ranged from social impact to home and garden. In total, there were 63 Bronze winners, 47 Silver winners, and 26 Gold winners honored at the IDEA 2016 Ceremony. The 3D printed faucets from DXV by American Standard are certainly beautiful, but cost a pretty penny. The Vibrato faucet is priced at $19,500, the Trope at $17,000, and the Shadowbrook at $18,000.

“Winning the prestigious IDEA Award is quite an achievement and speaks volumes about the ambition, creativity and determination of the DXV product design team,” said Maha El Kharbotly, chief marketing officer of LIXIL Water Technology Americas, the global business unit under which DXV operates. “We foresee that 3D printing will have a major transforming effect on the building and construction industry. Our 3D printed faucets represent the commitment of DXV to be a leader in this paradigm shift by designing products that will enhance the quality of consumers’ lives.”

Cooler Master Unveils Customizable 3D Printed Computer Mouse Designed For Gamers

The pioneering desktop components and peripherals company Cooler Master announced a 3D printable mouse designed for PC gaming, the MasterMouse Pro L. Thanks to the 3D printing technology, the company was able to create the gaming mouse with customization in mind. The MasterMouse Pro L comes with two top panels of different lengths, as well as two sets of magnetic side panels with differing grip textures, allowing the user to build their mouse the best way they see fit. Additionally, Cooler Master provides a free downloadable 3D printing file that will allow gamers to modify and print their own personalized side panels, effectively giving them control over the feel of their mouse. The MasterMouse Pro L also comes with three RGB illumination zones with 16.7 million color options, which will allow gamers to set and identify customized gaming profiles. The mouse is powered by a 32-bit ARM processor with 512KB of on-board memory, which enables users to create up to five different user profiles. Although all of these customizations may seem daunting to some, Cooler Master peripherals use a free to download, easy to use customization software, allowing all users to build the perfect mouse for their gaming needs.

Morocco to Inaugurate Their First-Ever 3D Printing Polytechnic School

In Morocco, the Minister of Higher Education is building a polytechnic school that will utilize 3D printing technology. The school is a part of a draft decree that the Moroccan government recently approved, and will lead to the construction of 15 polytechnic schools around the country. According to the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the first shipment of machinery that will be used within these new educational institutes has already arrived. The 15 polytechnic schools will be established through partnerships with various universities, tech institutes, and national schools of Applied Sciences. It’s not clear whether these other planned polytechnic schools will include 3D printing technology as a cornerstone of their educational program, but this particular one will be opened at the start of the upcoming academic year. A second decree was also ratified by the Moroccan government that will enable them to create the programs for these polytechnic schools, and also give certificates and degrees.

Fenner Precision and NinjaTek Release New Co-Branded 3D Printing Products

NinjaTek, the 3D printing materials division of Fenner Drives, has teamed up with Fenner Precision to produce high torque timing belts and fuser rollers for 3D printing use. Fenner Precision, which is the sister company of Fenner Drives, is a leading supplier to major OEMs in the global printer market, and has helped NinjaTek to design their latest products. The NinjaTek Curvilinear profile timing belts will reportedly transmit more power than other timing belt profiles on the market. According to NinjaTek, their belts are quiet, non-dusting, and long-lasting, and also increase accuracy and reduce maintenance down-time in 3D printers. NinjaTek and Fenner Precision’s fuser rollers are designed to enhance the product life and performance for a number of 3D printing and imaging applications. This co-branding effort between the two related companies, both of which specialize in 3D printing technology, will be added to NinjaTek’s extensive product portfolio.

“Fenner Precision has supplied high quality products to printer manufacturers globally for over 30 years. With our new NinjaTek line, we can further expand our capabilities in the 3D printing market space with a brand that offers quality and performance,” said Tony Carter, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Fenner Precision.

Share your thoughts on all these topics over in the Week’s 3D Printing News forum at 3DPB.com.