3D Printing: The Stories We Didn’t Cover This Week — October 10

This week’s news kicks of with an independent report about 3D printing’s near future, from 2014-2020. There are some interesting predictions and statistics in it that you may not already know. Then we have a couple of new 3D printed products and inventions. One is that the 3D printed shoe-focused SOLS is offering 3D printed insoles that can be ordered online. Also, an 11-year-old Australian boy invented a 3D printed device to store his diabetic test strips after they’ve been used. In business news, Staples.com now carries XYZprinting products, Texas Instruments has released a high speed and resolution chipset for 3D printing, Poland’s SMARTTECH displayed its high-res scanner at the recent TCT Show, and i.materialise has expanded its reach to Beirut, Lebanon and Dubai, U.A.E.

Allied Market Research Releases 3D Printing Report

Oregon-based Allied Market Research has released a report — “World 3D Printing–Market Opportunities and Forecasts, 2014-2020” — on the global 3D  printing industry. Among some of the research findings include the statistic that $8.6 billion is the estimated worth of the industry by 2020, while the higher cost of personal printing and expensive software remain prohibitive to industry expansion. Other findings include that stereolithography will remain the most common in the industry; however, its overall revenue contribution will decline in this time period because of other emerging technologies such as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Electronic Beam Melting (EBM). The defense sector makes the highest investments in 3D printing technological advancements, and North America accounts for 43% of the overall global market revenue. But by 2018, the European 3D printing market is predicted to eclipse the North American market in terms of greatest revenue. The four top findings of the report that covers 2015-2020 include: the materials market will undergo significant growth; EBM’s use in aerospace, automotive, medical, and industrial sectors will have it witness faster growth than other 3D printing technologies; the leading market application is consumer products; and Europe will occupy 2/5 of the world’s market share by 2020.

3D printed SOLS Offers Insoles
One reason consumer products remain 3D printing’s leading market application is the useful products companies continue to invent. Take for example SOLS, which we have covered here before, markets itself as a “lifestyle brand pioneering mass customization through the creation of bespoke wearables.”  And the company has now introduced 3D printed custom insoles available directly to consumers–called SOLS Flex. SOLS Flex features include: cushioning, increased comfort, arch support, and relief from foot, ankle and back pain. And it’s as easy as an app away. The iOS app is a comprehensive digital platform allowing you to scan you feet and order your insoles online. Three photos of each foot in weight and non-weight bearing stances is necessary, and those images create more than 1,000 data points to make a 3D model of the individual insole. The insole models are 3D printed and shipped to you within ten days.

11-Year-Old 3D Prints a Diabetic Strip Storage Device

Diabetics frequently have to test their blood, and they carry kits around to help themselves do this. After they are done testing, there are strips left over that need to be disposed of. William Grame, an 11-year-old from Canberra in Australia, figured out a hygienic disposal idea. He designed and 3D printed a device small enough to fit inside a diabetic kit that stores old blood test strips. His invention has won Origin Energy littleBIGidea competition–years 5 to 6 category–and the prize wins him a trip to NASA here in the US. He got the idea for the storage device because he would get in trouble for leaving the strips on his floor at home. He had been to a 3D printing camp earlier, which gave him exposure to the technology. His device can store 50 test strips, and now, instead of dumping the strips on the ground, he only has to empty the device into the trash once a week. That’s a huge improvement, it seems.

Staples.com Now Carries XYZprinting Products

One of the world’s leading 3D printing companies is XYZprinting, and now its products are even more easy to access since it has just been announced that Staples.com will be carrying XYZprinting‘s award-winning da Vinci 3D printing product line. This is a good fit since the da Vinci product line is aimed at schools, educators, small businesses, and home offices. The cheap and user-friendly $349 da Vinci Junior 1.0 will be available, as well as the da Vinci AiO (all-in-one 3D scanner and printer). You can also order XYZprinting’s biodegradable PLA filaments ($27.99) and refillable ABS filament cartridges ($24.99) from Staples. And, in case you have any problems, don’t worry about support: XYZprinting’s 3D printers come with XYZprinting’s one-year free warranty, and you also have the added benefit of extensive online customer service and YouTube tutorials.

Texas Instruments Releases High Speed and Resolution Chipset
On October 7, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI), “a global semiconductor design and manufacturing company that develops analog integrated circuits (ICs) and embedded processors”, announced its highest speed and resolution chipset for 3D printing and lithography applications–the DLP9000X. The chipset consists of the DLP9000X digital micromirror device (DMD) and the newly available DLPC910 controller. According to TI, it “offers developers more than five times the speed at continuous streaming compared to the existing DLP9000 chipset.” In order to become more familiar with this latest in TI technology, you can watch a video about these new products, download a free reference design for the system, visit the Getting Started page to be introduced to DLP technology, join the DLP forum, and visit the DLP Design House Network. Texas Instruments wants to ensure you have the support you need to utilize its latest technology hassle-free with as much information as possible.

Poland’s SmartTech Displays ARCHEO Scanner at TCT Show

Birmingham’s TCT Show, which recently passed last weekend, is a destination point in the UK for all things technological. And it also offers a benchmark to companies that exhibit there that their products have a real chance in the European tech markets. Take for example, SMARTTECH, a Polish company with a big 3D scanner mission. The company has announced that for the first time it displayed its Micron 3D ARCHEO Scanner at Birmingham’s  recent TCT Show. And there was much interest and enthusiasm for the scanner. This is not a shock that people were interested. This scanner has a 24 Megapixel resolution, which even allows researchers to “gather structures  of clothes and other complex materials.” SMARTTECH claims that it is the highest available scanner resolution on the market, and many participants at the TCT Show saw this with their own eyes, too.

i.materialise Heads to Dubai and Beirut

Finally, in more international 3D printing news, we have another big effort to support the growth of 3D printing — this time in the Middle East. In order to expand 3D printing services globally, Materialise has partnered with 3DVinci Creations to bring i.Materialise services to both Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Beirut, Lebanon. i. materialise’s goal is to make 3D printing as accessible as possible to everyone, and with this partnership between Materialise and 3DVinci Creations, more designers, inventors, makers, artists, and students will benefit from the fusion of i.materialise’s platform with 3DVinci Creation’s affordable and accessible Additive Manufacturing Centers in Beirut and Dubai. The companies hope to inspire new people to try the latest technologies and benefit greatly from the 3D printing options they now have, as a truly global network is established and grows more accessible to more people.

Which of these stories were your favorite?  Let us know in the 3D Printing Stories We’ve Missed Forum thread on 3DPB.com.