3D Printing News Briefs, June 29, 2023: Secure Remote Printing, 3D Printed Temple, & More

Elegoo has released a new lineup of upgraded 3D printers, while SLM Solutions and Assembrix are collaborating to ensure secure remote 3D printing. These stories kick off our 3D Printing News Briefs today, and we continue with construction, as a professor at the American University of Sharjah is researching the use of robotics in 3D concrete printing, and AM construction company Simpliforge Creations is working on a 3D printed temple. Finally, Walkinshaw Andretti United has chosen Stratasys technology to anchor its new additive manufacturing hub, and Corsair, a top source for PC components and gaming hardware, released a new memory kit that lets users 3D print new tops for them.

Elegoo Launches New Series of Upgraded 3D Printers

Shenzhen-based ELEGOO, a fast developing smart manufacturing brand specializing in manufacturing and sales of consumer 3D printers and other smart technology products, announced the launch of a new series of upgraded 3D printers to meet the growing demands of users with upgraded features and functions. The new portfolio includes FDM 3D printers Neptune 4 and Neptune 4 Pro, both equipped with Klipper firmware to enable a maximum speed of 500 mm/s. This increased speed needs a stable structure for vibration reduction, so the printers also have tensioning adjustment devices on both the X and Y axes. Plus, the new Neptune 4 and 4 Pro each have a 4*4020 cooling fan design that supports fast heat dissipation of printed modes, which helps maintain high print quality.

ELEGOO’s upgraded portfolio also includes four LCD 3D printers, starting with the Saturn 3 and Saturn 3 Ultra. These offer higher resolution prints at faster speeds, and increase the monochrome LCD screen from 8K to 12K, with a 11520*5120 resolution for larger, clearer, more lifelike prints. Plus, when combined with ELEGOO’s new open source GOO slicing format, both printers support multiple slicing software solutions, with gives users much more freedom.  The last two LCD 3D printers, the Mars 4 and Mars 4 Ultra, offer a professional performance at entry-level pricing. They each feature a 9K screen and 8520*4320 resolution for improved accuracy, and will be compatible with the next-generation ELEGOO USB air purifier, coming later this year. All six of these upgraded 3D printers are available for pre-order on the company’s website.

SLM Solutions & Assembrix Work on Secure Remote Printing

Additive manufacturing leader SLM Solutions and 3D printing software provider Assembrix are reporting major progress in their collaboration working towards better secure remote printing. The two seamlessly integrated Assembrix’s cloud-based Virtual Manufacturing Space (VMS) software, which virtualizes industrial 3D printing, into SLM Solutions’ metal 3D printers. The VMS platform secures, and simplifies, the entire AM process, and they are now building on this initial success by working to enable improved safety and full protection of the intellectual property (IP) of customers through advanced blockchain and encryption technologies. In fact, Nanyang Polytechnic’s Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre is already using this joint solution. Now that SLM Solutions and Assembrix have enabled secure remote printing, they are entering the next phase of their joint project, which will be to deliver industrial-scale solutions.

“The productive partnership between SLM Solutions and Assembrix empowers customers to fully leverage secure remote printing processes, supporting their distributed manufacturing strategies,” said Nicolas Lemaire, Software Product Manager at SLM Solutions. ” It enhances SLM Solutions’ growing software and service solution portfolio, establishing itself as the leading additive manufacturing technology in the market.”

AUS Researcher Investigating Robotics in 3D Concrete Printing

Dr. Adil Al-Tamimi developed a Semi-Automation System in the AUS civil engineering lab to conduct research experiments and produce samples of constructed concrete. (Image source: AUS)

Dr. Adil Al-Tamimi, a professor in Civil Engineering at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), has been researching the use of robotics in 3D printing concrete for construction applications. In the Civil Engineering lab, he developed a Semi-Automation System to evaluate the quality of experimental mixes in their fresh and hardened states, and it’s being used to produce constructed concrete samples, as well as conduct research experiments. Dr. Al-Tamimi is collaborating with local industries to enhance his 3D concrete printing research by redesigning print heads and nozzles, using robotic arms to extrude the concrete and fibers to increase extrusion strength, and integrating printing mechanisms into existing equipment on construction sites. Ten graduate students are helping with the research, and in addition to several published papers, one outcome of their work was 3D printing a concrete villa in Sharjah in collaboration with Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP) and Haidar Al Haidary, an AUS Civil Engineering alumnus who was appointed by MEET Construction and Cybe Construction to supervise the villa’s construction.

“Since the construction industry plays a major role in the economic growth of the UAE, we are researching 3D concrete printing as one of the means to achieve automation in the construction industry, which enhances productivity, safety, sustainability, speed, customisability and cost-effectiveness,” Dr. Al-Tamimi explained.

“We continuously welcome new collaborations with governmental departments and the private sector to work on guidelines for structural integrity, safety and long term performance of 3D-printed concrete to facilitate the wide use of this automated industry.”

World’s “First” 3D Printed Hindu Temple in Telangana

Prototype of the 3D printed temple (Simpliforge via LinkedIn)

We’ve seen 3D printing used to create replicas and models of temples, and even to help repair temple roofs. But now, what might possibly be the first 3D printed Hindu temple in the world is currently being built in Telangana, a state in southern India. The temple is a three-part structure within the gated villa community of Charvitha Meadows at Burugupally in Siddipet, and is being built in an area of 3,800 square feet. Apsuja Infratech is collaborating on the project with Indian 3D printed construction startup Simpliforge Creations, which worked with IIT Hyderabad a few months ago to 3D print a concrete bridge prototype in less than two hours. Three sanctums, or garbhas, inside the temple represent a ‘modak’, which is dedicated to Lord Ganesha; a square Shivalay home devoted to Lord Shankar; and a lotus-shaped abode for Goddess Parvati. The dome-shaped modak was difficult, but ultimately took the team only six hours to print over the course of ten days.

“We are hoping that what we learned from the ‘modak’ will let us finish the ‘lotus’ earlier than that,” said Dhruv Gandhi, CEO of Simpliforge Creations.

“But we have already proved with our Ganesha temple that shapes that are almost impossible to attain with conventional techniques can be done easily using 3D technology. Now, lotus will prove again to the world the edge that 3D-printing will offer to the construction industry when it comes to free-form structures.”

Stratasys FDM Technology to Anchor Walkinshaw Andretti’s New AM Hub

Walkinshaw Andretti United has had multiple Supercars Championship teams over the history of the category.

Stratasys and its Australian channel partner TCL Hofmann have announced that motorsports team Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU) will be using FDM 3D printing to anchor its new additive manufacturing hub. As such, the team has acquired its second FDM system from Stratasys—the industrial Fortus 450mc—which offers repeatability and can accommodate over two dozen materials, including ones with chemical resistance, flame-retardant properties, and carbon fiber-reinforced strength. The new temperature-controlled TCL Hofmann | Stratasys Smart Manufacturing Hub, located next to WAU’s vehicle assembly area, will house the new printers, and will also be used for new product and material testing for the automotive racing industry. WAU is said to be one of the most successful Supercars Championships teams in the category’s history, and so the hub will also be used to showcase 3D printing capabilities to visitors, which includes 3D printed parts from the team’s cars.

“Every second counts not only on the track but also in the workshop. We use 3D printing to prototype and produce parts much faster than we could through traditional methods,” explained Bruce Stewart, team principal at Walkinshaw Andretti United. “At the same time, the high-performance standards of Stratasys industrial printers and materials means these parts also perform exceptionally well, despite the extreme heat, dirt and vibration that go with Supercars racing. As such, Stratasys and TCL Hofmann make great partners for our team.”

3D Print New Tops for Dominator Titanium DDR5 Memory Kits

Corsair, a leading source for PC components and gaming hardware, released its new range of Dominator Titanium DDR5 memory kits. The kits have many great features, including removable tops that can be 3D printed to customize with the user’s own style. The kits were built using premium components and feature super-fast DDR5 ICs, and with Corsair’s patented DHX cooling technology, they can also support Intel XMP 3.0 (black and white modules) and AMD Expo (grey module). In terms of capacity, The Dominator Titanium DDR5 memory kits have up to 192GB, four 48GB modules, and speeds of up to 8,000MT/s, and will also come in 16Gb, 24GB, and 32GB sizes. But the main focus for these kits is customization, be it speed, performance, or aesthetics, like with the 3D printed tops. Plus, a new version of iCue allows memory customization to happen within the software, and will be stored directly on the modules.

“What makes them truly impressive is that the stylish look and feel of the range features fully replaceable top bars, allowing those that pick up one of these kits to add style to the look. Inside the top bar is an RGB strip with 11 individually addressable LEDs that can sync with Corsair’s iCUE Murals software,” TweakTown writer Kosta Andreadis wrote.

Corsair’s Dominator Titanium DDR5 memory kits will be available starting in July of 2023.