3D Printing News Briefs: June 20, 2017

In 3D Printing News Briefs today, we’re covering 3D printers and 3D printing pens, materials, software, business, and…the nuclear future of the Philippines? Mosaic Manufacturing launches the multi-material Palette+, while Ilios 3D tests out biocompatible materials and a Kickstarter campaign has launched for the first-ever dual-nozzle 3D printing pen. Medicrea receives FDA clearance for its data-driven patient spinal implant software, Parker Hannifin opens a new additive manufacturing center, and the Philippines is discussing 3D printing and its nuclear future with Russia.

Mosaic Manufacturing Introduces Palette+ for Multi-Material 3D Printing

This past fall, California-based Type A Machines, which manufactures the Series 1 Pro 3D printer, announced a partnership with Mosaic Manufacturing Ltd. to offer the Canadian company’s multi-material, multi-color Palette machine to the US market; the Palette technology combines four filaments into one strand. Mosaic just announced the launch of the Palette+, an upgrade to the Palette featuring an enhanced user experience and material capabilities. The Palette+, which is now compatible with more materials, will bring multi-material 3D printing to Type A Machines’ Series 1 Pro. With the new and improved closed splicing technology of the Palette+, users can enjoy material combinations like PETG and PETG, PLA with a soluble material, and PLA with flexible TPU: the new method allows heat to be more evenly distributed across the bound surfaces of the filaments.

Mosaic also introduced the Palette’s software companion, Chroma 2.0, which includes the new G-code processing engine, Raft, that supports more slicers, more printers, and more print file types. The Palette+ connects with Series 1 Pro 3D printers, so there’s little software setup. You can order the $799 Palette+ from the Type A Machines online store to reserve your spot; the first batch will ship from Mosaic on July 31, 2017.

Ilios 3D Tests Out Biocompatible NextDent Materials

Ilios 3D recently tested out NextDent’s latest line of biocompatible dental resins on its versatile Photon 2 3D printer; the resins include NextDent SG (Surgical Guide), NextDent MFH (Micro Filled Hybrid), and the flexible NextDent Ortho IBT. After the initial tests were completed, Demetris Zavorotnitsienko, Ilios 3D founder, CEO, and lead developer, observed that the NextDent resins have a slightly higher viscosity, almost like honey, but the issues were quickly resolved using the Photon 2’s new Viscous Resin mode. The pigmentation of the resins was consistent, and with the exception of the distinctive odor that NextDent Ortho IBT put off, none of the resins had a very potent smell. The three resins reacted slowly to UV light, which was actually helpful in terms of high-resolution prints.

“All prints besides the model printed with the NextDent Ortho IBT were printed using the 1280 x 800 UV DLP projection on Ilios Photon 2 over the entire build area. The Ortho IBT was printed with the High Resolution setup and closer projection distance just to have a clear understanding of the quality and resolution difference. The material it self will cure just fine on the default resolution as well,” explained Zavorotnitsienko. “As we have been told the NextDent Ortho IBT due to its clear nature, was problematic on several 3D printers and wouldn’t yield results, so it was very interesting to see how it would react on Ilios Photon 2.”

The Photon 2 had no problems printing with the clear NextDent SG, with a slight green tint and good layer curing. The cure time had to be slightly increased for the initial layers of the NextDent MFH, due to its opaque pigmentation, and its material hardness was very high. Zavorotnitsienko explained that he only realized the NextDent Ortho IBT was flexible once the model was completed, and that the resin’s ‘clear nature’ did not affect print speed or quality. NextDent was acquired early this year by 3D Systems.

Scribbler Announces World’s First Dual-Nozzle 3D Printing Pen

Ohio-based Scribbler just launched a Kickstarter campaign for its Scribbler Duo, the first dual-nozzle 3D printing pen in the world. The company revamped its original 3D printing pen, redesigning the cosmetics and exterior components and re-engineering the hardware, to develop the ergonomic Duo. Like most 3D printing pens, the Duo has adjustable speeds and temperature, but it also features two active nozzles – just plug it in, hit the Feed button, put plastic filament in one or both feed slots, and hit the forward button to create your own creative 3D objects! The Scribbler Duo has six speeds, a channel switch, and a large LED display on the side, and the company also offers inexpensive filament.

There are still plenty of Early Bird rewards left – for just $60, you can get the Scribbler Duo, which ordinarily costs $129, and for an additional $25, you can get the Scribbler Duo Starter Kit, which includes the 3D printing pen and a 500-foot bundle of PLA plastic; both of these rewards are estimated to ship in August of 2017.

 

Medicrea Receives 510(k) Clearance for UNiD HUB

The Medicrea Group announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for its UNiD HUB, a data-driven digital portal for its Adaptive Spine Intelligence (ASI) technology. The HUB was designed to support the workflow of surgeons, by identifying tendencies and correlations and building predictive modeling that can drive intelligent, strategic decision-making, and manufactured personalized surgical implant solutions. The software also helps to enhance the existing proprietary IT that the UNiD ASI platform uses for digital surgical planning, so a communication channel is opened between the company’s surgical users and UNiD LAB biomedical engineers to deliver patient-specific UNiD TEK spinal implants.

“It is our belief that data science and analytics are critical components of improved patient outcomes and efficiencies. For that reason, Medicrea has stepped into a space unoccupied by traditional device manufacturers: Software development and Artificial Intelligence. The UNiD HUB represents Medicrea’s ability to lead the Spine industry with breakthrough innovations by offering a unique forward-thinking and holistic approach to personalized spinal surgery,” said Denys Sournac, President and CEO of Medicrea.

Medicrea plans to have a wide release for its UNiD HUB software this coming October.

Parker Hannifin Opens New Additive Manufacturing Center

Global motion and control technologies leader Parker Hannifin Corporation announced that it has opened a new, state-of-the-art additive manufacturing learning and development center at its Technology Ventures facility in northeast Ohio. At the facility, Parker engineers will be able to explore new applications of advanced, emerging technologies, like additive manufacturing and collaborative robotics. By investing in and creating one facility near its headquarters to focus on innovative technology and additive manufacturing equipment, the company will give its worldwide divisions and operating groups access to the latest materials, 3D printers, and software.

Craig Maxwell, Vice President and Chief Technology and Innovation Officer for Parker Hannifin Corporation, said, “Material printing technology is moving quickly towards commercial viability. The new facility and engineering talent located here represent an investment in the future of manufacturing.”

President of the Philippines Calling on Russia for Country’s Future in Nuclear Power

Last month, the Philippines government, led by President Rodrigo Duterte, signed an agreement with the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM) in Moscow to work together on possibly developing a better nuclear infrastructure in the Philippines, along with personnel training and rousting up some public support for utilizing Russia’s latest technology, which includes 3D printing.

“We want to cooperate and be partners,” said Sergey Kirienko, first deputy chief in the office of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “We can not only provide energy, we can provide impetus for the development of science and technology.”

Earlier this week, in a bid to attract new worldwide clients (including the Philippines), ROSATOM opened a showcase of Russian nuclear and 3D printing technology, which promises to cut costs through automation, increase capacity, and extend the lifespan of nuclear plants, like the unused, decades-old Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) in the Philippines. According to Iliya Rebrov, ROSATOM’s economic and finance director, financing for these projects is the number one concern of developing economies that hope to tap nuclear power; Rebrov also explained that the organization helps clients secure funding that will enable them to make good use of advanced technologies.

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