Happy New Year! The holiday season is over, and we’re here to kick off 2021 with some exciting 3D printing news. From innovative 3D printed skis to revolutionary developments in the industry, this year holds great promise. Let’s dive into the latest updates!
3D Printed Skis and Snowboards
Are you ready for ski season? Soon, you might be able to get your hands on a pair of 3D printed skis or even a snowboard. Back in 2014, Stratasys printed skis from ULTEM 9085, a material we specialize in at Vision Miner. Although it took three days to print at the time, newer technologies like the Essentium HSE can produce a set in just a few hours. You can even find 3D printed skateboards and boots in the industry. For those interested in winter RC flying, there are 3D printed RC plane skis. Check out the link in the description for fascinating stories behind these 3D printed winter sports gear.
GE Wind Turbines Enhanced with Large Format 3D Printing
General Electric’s Halide X turbines, already the world’s largest and most powerful, are about to get even more efficient. These turbines, capable of generating up to 14 megawatts of energy, had been limited by the challenges of transporting their massive blades and bases. However, with the introduction of on-site 3D printed concrete bases, they can now deploy much larger systems. 3D printing has the potential to revolutionize the production of blade molds, allowing for cost-effective production of super-sized carbon fiber-reinforced blades. Continuous Composites is one of the companies leading the way in this direction.
Superstrata: The First 3D Printed Composite Bikes
Superstrata, a company founded by Ravo Labs, is on the verge of a significant milestone as they’ve shipped their first 3D printed composite bike to a customer. This achievement marks the introduction of continuous fiber-reinforced composites in 3D printed consumer products. Continuous resin printing is a groundbreaking technology, and Superstrata’s success is a positive sign for the industry. Keep an eye on this development, especially in these times.
Zoob: The First Commercial Volumetric 3D Printer
Zoob, introduced by Zolo, is the world’s first commercial volumetric 3D printer available for pre-order. It’s designed for experimental zolography, a new form of vat polymerization. Unlike SLA and DLP printing, zolography projects an entire image or part into a vat, enabling the printing of the whole object at once. While the technology is in its early stages, it shows great promise. Be sure to check out the link in the description for more details and examples.
DMG Mori’s Large 3D Printing System for Metal Parts
DMG Mori, known for making huge machines, is launching the Lasertec 6600 system, a hybrid lathe mill with a directed energy deposition (DED) metal 3D printing system. This system has a massive z-axis length of four meters, allowing for the 3D printing of colossal metal parts. Applications include rocket engines, oil pipelines, aircraft components, and more. While it comes at a cost, around three million dollars, it’s a comprehensive solution for manufacturing metal parts.
3D Printing a Mercedes Wheel
If you’re interested in the prototyping and 3D printing process, check out Proper Printing on YouTube. They’ve undertaken a fascinating project of 3D printing an entire wheel for a Mercedes. The multi-part video series shows the design, building of the printer, and the challenges faced along the way. It’s a testament to the trial and error that’s part of the 3D printing journey. Proper Printing is making strides, and perhaps they could benefit from high-temperature large-format heated chamber machines for their future projects.
News Blitz
Now, let’s get into the 3D printing news blitz:
- Open Additive has secured an army contract for large-scale additive manufacturing.
- NIST has awarded $4 million to fund competitiveness in the metal 3D printing market.
- Norsk Titanium is delivering 3D printed Boeing 787 components.
- WHAM is preparing to 3D print critical engine parts like piston sleeves.
- In Japan, people are 3D printing hyper-realistic face masks.
- Relativity Space has received an additional $3 million for launching cube satellites into orbit.
Question of the Week: Your Favorite 3D Printing Industry
We want to hear from you! What’s your favorite 3D printing industry? Is it automotive, aerospace, space exploration, food, miniatures, metal additive manufacturing, or something else? Let us know in the comments, and we might feature your favorite industry in our next video. At Vision Miner, we specialize in high-temperature performance thermoplastics like PEEK and ULTEM, materials that are even used in space. We offer machines, materials, tools, and more. Thank you for joining us today, and we’re looking forward to a fantastic 2021. Have a great day!