3D Printing: The Stories We Missed This Week — November 5, 2016

In our latest edition of “The Stories We Missed This Week”, we’ve got everything from new breakthrough materials to innovative platform features. First, the French 3D printing service bureau Sculpteo is now offering prints in Carbon’s Elastomeric Polyurethane CLIP Resin (EPU) material. The laser modules and electronics manufacturer Opt Lasers have unveiled two laser heads from their PLH 3D series, both of which are designed for use with 3D printing. AIO Robotics’s Pause Editor now allows for multi-color and multi-material printing on their ZEUS 3D printer. A new distribution partnership between MatterHackers and BCN3D Technologies will bring the BCN3D Stigma to the United States market. The 3D printing marketplace Pinshape has officially released 3D Printer Pages, which will allow users to rate their 3D printers and will act as a comprehensive resource for site visitors. Out in the UK, the jewelry making and precious metal supplier Cooksongold was honored with the award for Excellence in Science and Technology at the Birmingham Post Business Awards 2016 for their Direct Precious Metal 3D Printing technology. Lastly, the drone manufacturer Flirtey completed the first ever autonomous drone delivery in Silicon Valley.

Sculpteo Offers Carbon’s New Elastomeric Polyurethane CLIP Resin (EPU)

One of the few 3D printing service bureaus currently offering their customers access to Carbon’s CLIP (Continuous Liquid Interface Production) 3D printing technology, the France-based company Sculpteo has been on the forefront of every material innovation for the breakthrough technology. After releasing the details on Carbon’s Prototyping Acrylate Resin back in July, Sculpteo is now offering customers the ability to print in Elastomeric Polyurethane CLIP Resin (EPU). The EPU resin is rubbery, resistant, flexible and stretchable, allowing for exceptional elastic behavior under cyclic tensile and compressive loads. It can be stretched, bent, and then formed back into its original printed shape. The resin is ideal for gaskets, grommets, and flexible watertight seals. When compared to injection molding, the EPU provides less material waste, more convenience for small series production runs, faster production speed, and is more compatible with complex geometry. With the EPU, Sculpteo’s M1 Carbon 3D Machine can now print with four total resins, the other three being Flexible Polyurethane CLIP Resin, Prototyping Acrylate CLIP Resin, and Cyanate Ester CLIP Resin.

Tomorrow’s System’s Opt Lasers Unveils Two PLH 3D Series Laser Heads for 3D Printing

Started a few years ago by a group of junior developers, the Poland-based laser module and electronics manufacturer Tomorrow’s System Sp. z o.o. has brought affordable and high-quality 3D printing laser heads to the table with their Opt Lasers brand. This past week, they released two new laser heads from the PLH 3D series, both of which can be used to cut into a variety of materials, including wood, rubber, paper, leather, and much more. The two new 3D printer laser heads come in 2.8 W or 6 W, equipped with a wavelength of 450 nm that is capable of cutting into bright surfaces at high speed and a resolution up to 0.1 mm. The PLH3D 2.8 W is a lightweight laser head that is just 70 grams, ensuring that the component won’t be a hindrance to the mechanisms of the 3D printer. On the other hand, the PLH3D 6W weighs 162 grams and is equipped with highest power blue laser diode available on the market. The lighter laser head model costs $319, while the more heavy duty 6W laser head is priced at $499.

AIO Robotics Adds Multi-Color and Multi-Material Feature to Pause Editor

The Los Angeles, California-based 3D printing company AIO Robotics has spent the better part of the year expanding the global presence of their ZEUS All in One 3D Printer. Their 3D printer is equipped with a high-quality 3D scanner, and is compatible with composite materials like metal powder, wood fiber, and conductive filament. In order to optimize the multi-material and multi-color capabilities of their ZEUS 3D printer, AIO Robotics have launched a new feature in the latest software update for the Pause Editor. This new ZEUS feature will enable users to set pause points on the 3D file in order to efficiently change filament color or material. With the preset pause points, users are able to work on other projects or walk away from the printer without having to worry about manually pausing at right time. With the multi-color and multi-material function, the ZEUS 3D printer is able to create uniquely colored and functional 3D prints.

MatterHackers to Handle US Distribution for BCN3D Sigma 3D Printer

After rolling out a new line of 3D printers last year, the Barcelona-based 3D printing company BCN3D Technologies has been claiming their stake in the European 3D printing market. This past week, BCN3D made a major jump into the North American market after partnering with the the 3D printing retailer MatterHackers. The distribution deal will allow MatterHackers to sell the BCN3D Sigma 3D printer throughout the United States. Known for its unique Independent Dual Extruder (IDEX) system, the Sigma is effective with multi-material support structures and multi-color printing. Aside from the IDEX, the Sigma is compatible with a wide range of materials, and is also open source, allowing users to modify and upgrade the printer as they see fit. The BCN3D Sigma is can currently be ordered through MatterHackers for $2,540.

“We have been working really hard to bring our BCN3D Sigma to the US. We are excited for all those new users who are willing to work with one of the most revolutionary and exotic printers on the market. We needed a trustful partner to spread the word about our project and help users understand the real potential of the BCN3D Sigma. We truly believe Matterhackers is going to be a valuable partner in this journey and we are glad to finally locate BCN3D to the US,” said Roger Uceda, CEO of BCN3D Technologies.

Pinshape’s New 3D Printer Pages Feature Allows Users to Review 3D Printers

Known for their wide range of innovative design challenges, the 3D model marketplace Pinshape has had quite a wild year. After temporarily announcing they’d be shutting down back in March, Pinshape was suddenly saved by Formlabs, which acquired the platform soon after the announcement and left it to operate as a standalone business. Now, the 3D model marketplace seems to be expanding their reach with the official release of the 3D Printer Pages feature, which will allow users to rate their 3D printers. These compiled ratings will act as a resource for visitors looking to see firsthand printer reviews and specs. Thus far, Pinshape has released this feature to beta testers, which have added over 400 3D printer reviews. Now that the feature is public, all users can sort through printers by ratings, price, and manufacturers, enabling them to compare different printers side by side and find the best choice for their needs.

Cooksongold Wins at Birmingham Post Business Awards for Direct Precious Metal 3D Printing Technology

This past week, the UK-based jewelry making and precious metals supplier Cooksongold was awarded for Excellence in Science and Technology at the Birmingham Post Business Awards 2016 for their Direct Precious Metal 3D printing system, the Precious M 080. The printer is essentially a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) specially engineered for jewelry production and watchmaking. The event aims to celebrate innovative individuals and companies within Birmingham, giving out 13 awards in a wide range of categories. With their turnkey metal 3D printing process, Cooksongold was able to distinguish themselves as pioneers in the city’s tech sector.

“The Cooksongold team have worked extremely hard to bring the Precious M 080 technology to a commercial standard and will continue their work providing the jewellery and watchmaking industries with a new production process that will enable the creation of designs that were simply not possible until now,” said Richard Oldroyd, Managing Director. “We would like to thank the organisers for a wonderful evening which showed why Birmingham is really is a great city to work within. Cooksongold will continue its support for science and technology within the jewellery industry by providing its high quality service, supplying the tools and materials needed to create beautiful and innovative jewellery.”

Flirtey Successfully Completes First-Ever Autonomous Drone Delivery in Silicon Valley

Perhaps our favorite of all 3D printed unmanned aerial vehicles, the autonomous delivery drone Flirtey continues to break the barrier of drone technology. After completing the first FAA-approved delivery in Nevada earlier this year, the 3D printed delivery system went on to perform a ship-to-shore delivery of medical supplies, and also flew a Slurpee to the door step of a family in Reno. Now, Flirtey is making its way up the West Coast, and has recently made the first-ever drone delivery in the history of Silicon Valley. The delivery, which was conducted during Menlo Ventures’ 40th annual meeting, flew to the group of attending investors and dropped off a package that contained a “Save the Date” invitation to Flirtey’s 100 millionth drone delivery, along with a pair of Stance socks as a gift. The invitation was sent for Menlo Ventures’ managing partner Mark Seigel, a man who saw the potential in Flirtey early on and quickly became a seed-round investor.

“Completing drone deliveries in the heart of Silicon Valley demonstrates that Flirtey is poised to take drone delivery to the mainstream consumer market in urban centers all across the U.S. and around the globe,” said Matthew Sweeny, Flirtey CEO.

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