3D Printing News Briefs, July 6, 2024: Resellers, Government Grants, & More

We’re starting with material news in 3D Printing News Briefs today, as Dynamism is now offering Tullomer super-polymer filament from Z-Polymers in North America. Then, ADDiTEC unveiled its new Hybrid Series system at TCT 3Sixty. On to business, Multitrade and MX3D announced a reseller partnership, and AML3D won a South Australian government grant for technology investment. Meltio its strengthening its commercial structure in the U.S., and GZERO Additive has doubled in size thanks to a new facility.

Dynamism Selling Z-Polymers Tullomer in North America

Professional 3D printing and Industry 4.0 solutions provider Dynamism announced that it is now offering the Tullomer super-polymer filament from leading materials science company Z-Polymers for the first time in North America. This material is an eco-friendly choice—fully recyclable, PFAS-free, and its manufacturing process uses less energy and creates less waste than other similar materials. It’s also a pure polymer, which means it has no fillers, and also offers material properties that are equivalent to polymers with continuous fibers, such as glass, carbon, and Kevlar. The material can be printed on a variety of non-proprietary systems, including printers from Ultimaker and Bambu Lab.

Z-Polymers develops filaments that meet the requirements of demanding applications, and its Tullomer Filament is no exception. In addition to superior performance, it has an excellent combination of properties, including high strength, rigidity, high thermal performance and very high chemical resistance, and its low dielectric material properties and RF Transparency make it a good fit for a variety of professional applications. The material is also non-flammable and non-corrosive, and features a very low moisture absorption, stable CTE, inertness, high stiffness, and, as the website states, “Superior dimensional stability, no need for annealing.”

ADDiTEC Unveils New Hybrid Series at TCT 3Sixty

Just ahead of the recent TCT 3Sixty event in the U.K., advanced additive manufacturing solutions provider ADDiTEC introduced a breakthrough multi-technology manufacturing platform: the Hybrid Series, which uses both of its powerful metal AM methods. With precision 5-axis hybrid manufacturing, it combines the capabilities of the Hybrid 2, which integrates CNC machining with Liquid Metal Jetting (LMJ), with those of the Hybrid 3, which offers High-Power Laser-Assisted Directed Energy Deposition (LDED). LMJ has high-resolution capabilities, which makes it perfect for creating intricate, detailed components with cost-effective Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) welding wire, while High-Power LDED has a high deposition rate for reducing lead times or printing larger components, also using COTS welding wire. So combining these methods into one machine could allow for much higher speed and precision in advanced manufacturing.

The Hybrid Series provides rapid print head deployment for both its LMJ and LDED technologies, making it simple and efficient to switch back and forth between the two. The system integrates the LMJ and LDED heads within a single system for a unique multi-material capability, so users can print complex components with a variety of properties and materials. It also features an integrated 2-axis positioner that’s rated for parts weighing up to 100 kg, as well as a high-temperature print bed assembly with ADDiTEC’s patented patented quick-release technology to enable automatic part removal and reduce downtime. Finally, the company says that the machine’s subtractive process, which is mainly driven by CNC machining, can achieve “the desired surface finish and tight tolerances for parts manufactured using additive processes.” The new Hybrid Series is available for purchase, with financing options starting at $2,999 a month, which ADDiTEC calls “an unbeatable price.”

MX3D Names Multitrade 3D Systems Sales Partner in Sub-Saharan Africa

MX3D, a leading creator of robotic wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) technology, has designated Multitrade 3D Systems as an sales partner for its AM solutions in the Sub-Saharan Africa market. As an official reseller, Multitrade 3D Systems—also a reseller for Meltio and Colibrium Additive’s metal AM solutions—is tasked with setting up a supportive ecosystem for MX3D’s technology throughout the territory by driving business opportunities and building partnerships with academia, industry stakeholders, machine tool companies, technology centers, and robotic integrators. The M1 System is a turnkey solution for rapid WAAM adoption, and when integrated with the dedicated MetalXL WAAM workflow, users can achieve improved productivity, such as real-time operator feedback, automatic calibration, and high-resolution data logging. Multitrade 3D Systems will offer MX3D customers in Sub-Saharan Africa proof of concept, facility installation, training, and support services.

“We are excited to partner with MX3D and offer a solution for large-scale metal additive manufacturing,” Dr. Devon Hagedorn-Hansen, Managing Director of Multitrade 3D Systems, said about the partnership. “The MX3D range allows us to offer solutions for companies in various sectors in Africa such as the mining, oil & gas, and manufacturing sectors that are struggling to source large metal parts locally. Moreover, MX3D’s technology provides a dedicated tool for WAAM integration from design to print, fulfilling a critical need in the local and Sub-Saharan market.”

AML3D Wins SA Government Grant, Investing in Industrial WAM

Speaking of wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAM), AML3D announced that it won a grant from the South Australian (SA) government to help accelerate its ARCEMY Increase Deposition Rates (AIDR) project. This investment in the project will be funded by a $1.12 million grant from South Australia’s Economic Recovery Fund (ERF), and and will also be matched by contributions totaling the same value by AML3D itself, for a total of $2.24 million. The ARCEMY uses AML3D’s proprietary WAM technology, and AIDR is meant to expand and maintain the company’s technological advantage by increasing the system’s deposition rates and efficiency. Starting in August, the project will run for 15 months, and create four highly skilled advanced manufacturing and software development jobs, helping to reinforce the SA and national advanced manufacturing ecosystem. Plus, any metal AM consumables used throughout the course of the project will be sourced through SA suppliers.

“AML3D is proud to be contributing to technology leadership and economic development in South Australia and to be leveraging this on a global scale. From our global base in Adelaide, we are delivering ARCEMY ® systems and metal 3D printed components to support the US Navy’s submarine industrial base, the Australian Defence and Science Technology Group and tier one, global customers such as Boeing and Chevron,” said AML3D CEO Sean Ebert.

“Having the South Australian Government support the development of the next generation of our ARCEMY ® technology is expected to keep AML3D and South Australia at the forefront of advanced manufacturing in the years to come.”

Meltio Strengthening Commercial Structure in the U.S.

To meet growing industrial demand for its wire laser metal deposition AM systems, Spanish multinational Meltio announced its commitment to grow its commercial structure in the U.S., and expand its range of services and solutions there. This strategy is built on three pillars, including an upcoming series of reference site locations, where customers can showcase the metal parts 3D printed with Meltio’s systems. The website also includes a new section, “Powered by Meltio, Made in the USA,” only visible to people accessing the site from the U.S. This section shows where its patented wire LMD solutions are integrated into custom-made industrial systems. Finally, Meltio reinforced its U.S. sales team with the appointment of two experienced professionals to support strategic growth initiatives and applications in industrial sectors, like marine, defense, mining, automotive, and oil & gas. Meaghan Ferris is Commercial Vice President, in charge of states located east of the Mississippi, while Gabriel Ortiz is Channel Manager, in charge of states west of the Mississippi.

“I am delighted to welcome Meaghan and Gabriel to our team at Meltio to reinforce our presence in the United States. Each brings a unique blend of expertise, vision, and proven background in 3D printing technology that is impressive and essential for our industrial customers,” said Ángel Llavero López de Villalta, Meltio’s CEO. “Since coming to market in 2019, Meltio has been a leader in the metal additive manufacturing industry and has greatly influenced the industry’s move to larger systems that can achieve high-volume, scalable production of reliable metal parts in different sectors such as automotive, mining, aerospace, defense, oil and gas and many others. Meaghan and Gabriel’s contributions will be very relevant in accelerating our mission to deliver unparalleled value, innovation, and quality to our clients in the US.”

GZERO Additive Doubles in Size with Second Location

Finally, service bureau GZERO Additive, founded in 2022, has expanded from Elsmere, Kentucky to Cincinnati, Ohio with the announcement of a second location. This new facility has doubled the size of the business, as it has twice the floor space; this allowed GZERO to lay out its machine assembly and part production departments to best optimize its capabilities, and make up to ten times the number of printers. The startup produces large, industrial-grade FFF systems, with build volumes of 415 x 355 x 542 mm and 415 x 355 x 1042 mm; both sizes can be fitted with either single or dual extruders for high volume printing. In addition to providing design and engineering services to help customers optimize their products, GZERO also prints parts on its machines using a variety of thermoplastics, and often provides prototype and production parts at much lower prices than its competitors.

Michael Parks, Co-Founder of GZERO Additive, said, “The new facility is laid out to produce ten times the number printers.”