We’ve got some business news to start off today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, followed by a new material, a new 3D printing method, the successful test of a 3D printed object, and an update on a book about a bald eagle with a 3D printed prosthetic beak. Structur3D Printing has announced a worldwide distribution and reseller partnership with UltimakerGB, while CollPlant has appointed a new chairman to its board of directors and Nano Dimension has earned an important workplace qualification. Tethon 3D has launched a new investment casting resin, and radiophysicists at Tomsk State University are developing a new ultrasonic 3D printing method. Huisman has completed a successful test of its 3D printed offshore crane hook, and nonfiction children’s book Beauty and the Beak: How Science, Technology, and a 3D-Printed Beak Rescued a Bald Eagle has received a prestigious book award.
Structur3D Printing and UltimakerGB Enter Distribution and Reseller Partnership
Soft materials printing market leader Structur3D Printing became an Ultimaker reseller in 2016 with the launch of its Discov3ry Complete 3D paste and plastic printing system, built on Ultimaker 3D printers. This week, the Canadian company, which is part of the growing hardware startup scene in what’s been dubbed Canada’s Silicon Valley, announced a new EMEA and APAC distribution and reseller agreement with UltimakerGB, the exclusive distributor for Ultimaker products in the UK and Ireland. The agreement extends the relationship between the two companies, and makes the versatile Discov3ry Complete package available for distribution to Ultimaker resellers around the world, excluding North America.
Paul Croft, Director of UltimakerGB, said, “We’ve watched Structur3D’s business grow over the past couple of years, and our customers and resellers have seen growing interest in the Discov3ry Complete product. We are delighted to bring this cutting-edge technology to the wider global market.”
CollPlant Appoints New Chairman of the Board
Israel-based regenerative medicine company CollPlant, which uses its proprietary plant-based rhCollagen technology and 3D printing bioinks for tissue repair products, has appointed David Tsur to Chairman of the Board of Directors. Tsur, who has served as a company director at CollPlant since March, is the founder and previous CEO of plasma-derived protein therapeutics company Kamada Ltd. and still serves as its Deputy Chairman; he will bring his senior management experience in the public and private sectors to his new position on the CollPlant board, which is effective immediately. Adi Golden, who served as the company’s Chairman since May of 2016, will continue as a director on the CollPlant board.
“CollPlant is ready to more fully realize the potential and competitive advantages of recombinant collagen in breakthrough applications within regenerative medicine, such as biological ink to print organs and tissues,” said Tsur. “During 2018-2019, we will continue to pursue strategic joint ventures in order to position CollPlant as leading company in the field.”
Nano Dimension Achieves Workplace Certification for Health and Safety
“Our employees are the heart of our company. Since our company’s inception, we’ve focused heavily on providing a safe workplace for all of us,” said Nano Dimension CEO and Co-Founder Amit Dror. “Having our processes validated on the international level ensures that our current and prospective workers will understand our commitment to their health and well-being. These measures increase our efficiency, reduce costs and help keep our employees healthy and motivated.”
Tethon 3D Introduces Castalite Investment Casting Resin
3D printing ceramic materials leader Tethon 3D has launched a new 3D printing resin material, called Castalite, which can be used to directly produce a 3D printed mold for metal investment casting. Castalite, a photo-curing ceramic polymer resin for DLP and SLA 3D printing, has very high heat and thermal shock tolerances, which makes it the perfect choice for casting metals like aluminum, bronze, gold, and silver in the engineering, jewelry, and manufacturing industries. Molds with a sprue and gate are 3D printed in Castalite, then fired in a high temperature furnace, to create a ceramic shell mold for liquid metals. Using Castalite eliminates the need for a traditional wax model, and the process helps reduce costs by increasing production speed and decreasing how much material is used.
Karen Linder, President and CEO of Tethon 3D, said, “Castalite adds another premium material to our product catalogue that compliments the growth seen in SLA and DLP hardware. Recent improvements in 3D printer technology provide higher resolution details in the casted metal part and faster print times. Most printers can print at 25 micron print layers and Castalite demonstrates excellent resolution at that level.”
Tomsk State University Working on New Ultrasonic 3D Printing Method
“By 2020, we will develop a 3D printing technology. The first stage is a controlled levitation of particles, then based on this we will create a method of manipulating a group of particles to collect 3-dimensional objects from them,” explained project manager Professor Dmitry Sukhanov. “Upon entering the sound field and during the precipitation, the particles of the powdery substance are rearranged, fall along the required trajectories, and settle into a definite pattern. Layer after layer, particles will be deposited in any shape.”
Lithuania-based Neurotechnology has also been hard at work on an ultrasonic manipulation technology for 3D printing, sharing more details with us in June.
Successful Load Test of First 3D Printed Offshore Crane Hook
In addition to passing the load test, the 3D printed offshore crane hook met strict criteria to pass all associated quality control checks. With these successful test results in mind, Huisman will continue to improve upon its WAAM process by increasing the manufacturing capabilities up to items of 2,500 kg in printed weight.
Book About Bald Eagle with 3D Printed Prosthetic Beak Wins Award
The heartwarming, inspiring book is a Junior Library Guild selection, and Rose reached out to 3DPrint.com to tell us that it recently “won the esteemed AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books.” This award celebrates outstanding science writing and illustration for children and young adults, and emphasizes just how important good science books are for young people – not only for learning, but also for enjoyment. The tale of how STEM technology helped Beauty continue to live a normal life won in the “Children’s Science Picture Book” category. Congratulations to Rose, Veltkamp, and Beauty!
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