Category Archives: 3D Printing

Wilting Expands Production Capacity with DMP Flex 350 Printers

ROCK HILL, SC, Mar 13, 2024 – 3D Systems announced that Wilting, an industrial machining and metal 3D printing service provider, has added two single laser DMP Flex 350 and one DMP Flex 350 Dual metal 3D printers to its manufacturing floor. Wilting has experienced significant growth in its business, and these new printers will help address both the increased production capacity and broader materials portfolio required by its customers. The installation of these three DMP Flex 350 systems, alongside the two that are already in use, will enable Wilting to dedicate printers to specific materials such as Titanium and Stainless Steel for 24/7 production of highly precise end-use parts.

3D Systems’ DMP Flex 350 platform is designed for flexible application use from application development to serial production. The quick swap build modules and fast powder recycling help accelerate production and a central server manages print jobs, materials, settings, and maintenance to facilitate the 24/7 productivity Wilting requires to meet customer demand. Due to the unique vacuum chamber concept of the DMP Flex 350 printers, argon gas consumption is heavily reduced while delivering best-in-class oxygen purity (<25 ppm) resulting in exceptionally strong parts of high chemical purity. The printer also includes Oqton’s 3DXpert software which supports every step of the additive manufacturing workflow from design to post-processing, to quickly and efficiently transition from a 3D model to successfully printed parts.

Wilting began as a precision machining company that was helping a large manufacturer of semiconductor capital equipment produce complex metal parts to improve system imaging accuracy and productivity. In 2012, Wilting began working with 3D Systems’ Application Innovation Group (AIG) to accelerate the adoption of advanced metal additive manufacturing (AM) capabilities and expertise in its facility in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Through this collaboration, Wilting built up its expertise in metal additive manufacturing, post-machining, and post-processing. Using the AIG’s technology transfer process, 3D Systems engineers shared knowledge and provided training to the Wilting team to streamline and accelerate their transition to AM and safeguard their investment. As a result, Wilting produces optimized components designed for higher performance in semiconductor capital equipment and the analytics and mobility industries and is leveraging this expertise and its additional DMP Flex 350 systems to expand into new markets and applications. To accommodate this growth and provide room for future expansion, Wilting is in the process of moving into a new 183,000 sq. ft. (17,000 m2) facility that is planned to be fully operational by mid-2024.

“Since the start of our Competence Center for 3D Printing, we built up the expertise and experience to produce parts at an industrial scale with predictable quality in multiple grades of Titanium,” said Geert Ketelaars, managing director, Wilting. “The recent investment in three additional printers allows us to address the growing demand from customers across several industries to onboard their new product introductions and to broaden our materials portfolio with Stainless Steel.”

“We place our customers and their applications at the center of each engagement,” said Raph Alink, account & business development manager, 3D Systems. “3D Systems pioneered the use of additive manufacturing to deliver precise, reliable parts for semiconductor applications. In the early days of our relationship with Wilting, it was rewarding to share the application expertise our AIG had built from more than a decade working with semiconductor capital equipment manufacturers to scale their use of additive manufacturing. As an industry leader, the team at Wilting quickly realized AM’s advantages. It’s a big step for a company to bring AM in-house, and Wilting has already mastered the technology and is now transferring that into volume production for its customers. I look forward to seeing how our collaboration will continue to unfold, and the potential that AM will unlock for Wilting and its growth.”

About 3D Systems 

More than 35 years ago, 3D Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing industry. 3D Systems’ solutions address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and industrial markets such as medical and dental, aerospace & defense, automotive, and durable goods.

More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com.

3DEO Partners with IHI AEROSPACE

LOS ANGELES, CA, Mar 12, 2024 – 3DEO, a Los Angeles-based leader in design, engineering, and metal additive manufacturing (AM), is proud to announce a strategic partnership and investment with IHI AEROSPACE Co., Ltd. (IA), a globally recognized brand in aerospace engineering and manufacturing. This multifaceted, multi-phased partnership aims to enhance the adoption and implementation of AM technologies within IA, drawing on 3DEO’s expertise and resources in Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) and technology differentiation to support its mission.

Identified as a strategic investor and partner, IA’s collaboration with 3DEO signifies a significant commitment to integrating the advanced capabilities of additive manufacturing with the precision and tradition of Japan’s aerospace manufacturing sector. This partnership follows closely on the heels of 3DEO’s recent strategic investment announcement with the Development Bank of Japan and Seiko Epson Corporation, further highlighting 3DEO’s growing influence in global manufacturing landscapes.

“We are deeply honored to partner with IA, a company that shares our vision for the future of aerospace manufacturing,” Matt Petros, CEO and co-founder of 3DEO, commented. “This partnership underscores the incredible progress and potential of additive manufacturing, especially when coupled with a highly collaborative design for additive approach.”

Payman Torabi, CTO and co-founder of 3DEO, added, “Working alongside IA presents an exceptional opportunity to apply our additive manufacturing technologies to the aerospace sector. It’s a collaboration that stands to reduce time-to-market and drive innovation.”

The strategic investment from IA not only marks an important vote of confidence in 3DEO’s technology and team but also represents a collaborative effort to explore new advancements in aerospace manufacturing. By leveraging 3DEO’s patented technology, Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) expertise, and IA’s engineering excellence, this partnership is poised to make a lasting impact on the aerospace industry, enhancing capabilities and setting heightened standards for manufacturing excellence.

About 3DEO  

3DEO, headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, specializes in metal additive manufacturing with a focus on precision metal 3D printed components. The company holds a suite of 18 patents for its Intelligent Layering technology and end-to-end manufacturing solution that includes proprietary software, robotics, and metal 3D printers. 3DEO’s full stack ecosystem streamlines the transition from design to engineering to manufacturing, emphasizing efficiency and scalability. As an ISO 9001:2015 certified provider, 3DEO commits to quality in delivering fully integrated services that facilitate Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) for its clients and unlocks new opportunities in product design and development.

For additional information, visit www.3DEO.co.

About IHI AEROSPACE Co., Ltd.

IHI AEROSPACE Co., Ltd., part of the IHI Corporation family, is renowned for its contributions to aerospace engineering and manufacturing on a global scale. Specializing in the development and production of propulsion systems, components for space exploration, and advanced aerospace materials, IHI AEROSPACE Co., Ltd. is at the forefront of supporting significant advancements in both aviation and space technology.

For additional information, visit www.ihi.co.jp.

Ricoh to Partner with North Carolina State University

EXTON, PA, Mar 12, 2024 – Ricoh, a leading provider of additive manufacturing for 3D-printed medical devices, announced it will partner with North Carolina State University (NC State), one of the nation’s top graduate programs for additive manufacturing, to address supply chain challenges through the application of 3D-printing technology.

The Center of Excellence (COE) will focus on research and development of new additive manufacturing applications, as well as function as the ‘nerve center’ for Ricoh’s Managed 3D-print services network, enabling product teams to design, prototype, and quickly refine and reiterate a product design in-house. Global revenue for additive manufacturing products and services, widely used for prototyping, manufacturing aids, personalized consumer products and other end-use parts, grew by 18.3% in 2022.

“Ricoh’s Managed 3D-print services will help manufacturers accelerate innovation and product development through rapid, onsite prototyping,” said Gary Turner, Senior Director, Additive Manufacturing at Ricoh. “As the applications for additive manufacturing grow, adopting an as-a-service model leverages existing onsite 3D-printing expertise and resources to shorten time while minimizing any additional capital investment.”

Results from Ricoh’s initial pilots have been noteworthy. A leading provider of process control and yield management solutions expanded Ricoh’s onsite managed services remit to include onsite 3D-printing and cut time and cost by nearly 90 percent by bringing its prototyping in-house.

“Ricoh’s partnership with NC State provides our Managed Services customers with direct access to additive manufacturing best practices and resources they wouldn’t have on their own,” said Turner. “We are able to drive efficiencies through our teams onsite, as well as address unique challenges through the COE.”

“Additive manufacturing has significant potential to reduce supply chain complexity and drive innovation in a myriad of industries,” said Mark Schmidt, Ph.D., NC State’s associate vice chancellor for partnerships. “Partnering with a company like Ricoh with its vast onsite network will help prepare students for impactful careers and identify new opportunities to advance research.”

About NC State

NC State is a pre-eminent teaching and research enterprise that excels across disciplines and contributes more than $6.5 billion annually to North Carolina’s economy. More than 38,000 undergraduate and graduate students learn by doing — pursuing original research, starting new companies, forging connections with top employers, and serving local and global communities. NC State’s 9,000 faculty and staff are world leaders in their fields, bridging the divide between academic disciplines and training high-caliber students to meet tomorrow’s challenges. Together, they build powerful partnerships with industry, government, nonprofits and academia to remake our world for the better.

For more information, visit www.ncsu.edu.

About Ricoh

Ricoh is a leading provider of integrated digital services and print and imaging solutions designed to support digital transformation of workplaces, workspaces and optimize business performance.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh’s global operation reaches customers in approximately 200 countries and regions, supported by cultivated knowledge, technologies, and organizational capabilities nurtured over its 85-year history. In the financial year ended March 2023, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,134 billion yen (approx. 16.0 billion USD).

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com.

1000 Kelvin’s AMAIZE Available for Autodesk Fusion

CHICAGO, IL, Mar 12, 2024 – 1000 Kelvin, a developer of AI copilots for manufacturing, today announced availability of its AI co-pilot AMAIZE as a plug-in for Autodesk´s Fusion integrated CAD/CAM software platform. Announced at the Additive Manufacturing User Group Conference (AMUG 2024), AMAIZE enables design and manufacturing companies to 3D print complex components quickly and efficiently.

1000 Kelvin’s AMAIZE is now integrated in Autodesk Fusion 360, enabling engineers to analyze and correct their AM designs seamlessly.

AMAIZE uses machine learning models informed by physics and manufacturing data to predict design and print issues and output optimal print files that result in successful prints. As a result, engineers using additive manufacturing can eliminate physical trial and error cycles, and handle more complex parts which would otherwise require extensive and time-consuming design iterations.

AMAIZE is publicly available to download today from the Autodesk App Store.

“Availability of AMAIZE on the Autodesk App Store is set to transform manufacturing operations,” said Katharina Eissing, CTO and co-founder of 1000 Kelvin. “This integration will improve manufacturing productivity by increasing uptime, significantly reducing lead times, bolstering process stability, and expediting the training process for staff to gain expertise in 3D printing. I am very excited to partner with Autodesk to democratize additive manufacturing.”

These improvements are particularly beneficial for precision additive manufacturing companies that are currently facing challenges due to escalating costs and an aging workforce.

“One of AI’s greatest benefits is its ability to simplify complex processes, expanding access to powerful technology beyond a small circle of domain experts,” said Stephen Hooper, Autodesk vice president, design & manufacturing product development. “By automating the setup and programming of industrial-grade print processes, 1000 Kelvin’s AI, integrated with Autodesk Fusion in the cloud, unlocks the opportunity for a much broader pool of professionals to be successful with additive manufacturing. I’m very excited to be offering AMAIZE to Fusion users.”

“One of the main challenges in the manufacturing industry, and especially the US today, is the talent shortage, which is holding companies back from scaling to fulfill fast-growing demand in the market,” said Omar Fergani, CEO and co-founder of 1000 Kelvin. “Our AI co-pilot AMAIZE is an enabler to overcoming this hurdle, helping companies secure their know-how.”

About 1000 Kelvin

1000 Kelvin enables companies using additive manufacturing in production to get qualified parts to market faster at a lower cost. The company’s AMAIZE software is the “AI co-pilot” for engineers, using AI models to predict print issues, perform corrections, and generate print files specific to a machine. With AMAIZE, users get prints right the first time.

Learn more at www.1000kelvin.com.