RESOURCES

blog article

Nov 15, 2019

As our world becomes more digitalised and connected, we can actually make a virtual copy of it. And such replicas are now being used to improve real world scenarios, from making aircraft production more accurate to preventing oil spills. A digital twin is a virtual replica of a real life entity, suc...

blog article

Nov 15, 2019

A tight labor market and the uncertainty created by tariffs have dampened momentum in manufacturing, a trend that could continue in 2020, according to a new report from Deloitte. But the professional services firm identified some trends that could help manufacturers continue to grow in a slower econ...

blog article

Nov 14, 2019

What does it take to be an effective leader capable of inspiring and nurturing growth – in both company revenue and its own employees? Members of the Weidert Group team recently attended the 9th annual Manufacturing First Expo & Conference, an event focused on the interests and needs of ma...

blog article

Nov 14, 2019

The company, based in Shenzhen, began its 3D printing operations way back in 2008, then located in Shantou. Volume production of industrial 3D printers commenced in 2012. Since then the company has expanded greatly, now operating production centers in both Shanghai and Shenzhen.

blog article

Nov 13, 2019

Walnuts are cool, Shawn Wentzel says with a shrug when asked why he decided to plant 7,000 walnut trees on his property in Lodi, California. Now two years old, the orchard is a growing side business. Surrounded by rolling plains and vineyards, it begins at the back door of his primary source of inco...

blog article

Nov 13, 2019

Hewlett-Packard Co. has 3D-printed more than 10,000 tiny scale models of Volkswagen AG’s upcoming ID.3 electric car to demonstrate the technology for potential use in high-volume production vehicles. The print run was completed in less than a month using HP’s Metal Jet system, which the ...

blog article

Nov 12, 2019

American manufacturing is on the upswing. Hiring activity is  at historic highs; reshoring is bringing production back to the U.S., and buyers are spending more on new suppliers than they have in recent years. Business owners continue to be cautious with investments and costs, with good reason....

blog article

Nov 12, 2019

BASF 3D Printing Solution will be exhibiting an expanded product range and a new brand presence at Formnext 2019. With the introduction of its new Forward AM corporate brand, BASF continues to pursue its goal of driving industrial scalability at the next phase of additive-based manufacturing.

blog article

Nov 11, 2019

Industry 4.0, Industrial Internet of Things, connected enterprise, and smart manufacturing, among others, are all descriptive of applying digital technologies to manufacturing. Often, digitalization is presented as so powerfully good that it just needs to be done, but most are generally skeptical, a...

blog article

Nov 11, 2019

Formula One racing is one of the world’s leading sports competitions. We just returned from the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas where the Mercedes team was named the winner. What makes this sport unique is the fact that the world’s leading car manufacturers and other high-performance co...

blog article

Nov 08, 2019

I’m looking at a very unusual promotional campaign that leverages 3D printing technology. Diageo, the global distributor of many liquors, owns a brand of bourbon know as Bulleit. I haven’t tried this brand myself, but it is relatively well-known.

blog article

Nov 07, 2019

Multi-tasking machines, ceramic inserts, additive manufacturing and automation help produce a large mix of energy industry parts. The ever-volatile oil and natural gas industry-roiled most recently by September’s drone attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities that temporarily reduced the kingdo...

blog article

Nov 07, 2019

The cosmetic industry might not be the first that springs to mind when thinking of those heavily influenced by technology. However, cosmetics have been and are continuously revolutionised and effected by technology. The use of machinery has led to the rapid mass production of cosmetic products, as w...

blog article

Nov 07, 2019

Manufacturing is in the midst of a growing skills gap. In the next decade, analysts expect 2.2 million jobs in advanced manufacturing to go unfilled for lack of adequately trained labor. Here, we’ve drawn on our experience with leading manufacturers as well as the best recent research to give ...

blog article

Nov 06, 2019

Digital transformation has made its way into the manufacturing industry, but are employees truly prepared for the changes in their daily work life? Industry 4.0 takes over where Industry 3.0 left off. Whereas the third wave brought computerization to the manufacturing floor, we’ve now moved on...

blog article

Nov 06, 2019

United Parcel Services, the multi-billion-dollar Corporation and largest package delivery service for over 200 countries, and tech company Anduril Inc. are creating comprehensive drone strategies. The business initiatives described below will change how we approach delivery and security methods, whi...

blog article

Nov 05, 2019

Changes to the world of modern manufacturing are elevating industry leaders and leaving incumbents behind. Today's smart factory is outfitted with technologies such as 3D printing and Internet of Things - compatible machinery. The systems within these revolutionary operations let companies proce...

blog article

Nov 05, 2019

Is 3D printing a real option for production? How is it being used to make end-use parts today? How will additive manufacturing change the way products are made in the future? Focusing purely on the technology and how it works doesn’t provide a complete picture of where AM is and what it can do...

blog article

Nov 04, 2019

Beginning with the industrial revolution in the 18th century, manufacturing has long been the backbone of the nation’s economy and wealth. But as U.S. industries have modernized and moved into the realm of connected devices that leverage data to make machines more intelligent, industrial manuf...

blog article

Nov 03, 2019

In the world of 3D printed anatomical modeling, the focus is to replicate human bodies digital twin and stay as accurate as possible to what nature’s design is, pathology or healthy. But what if the human body is just one of the countless design possibilities that would work equally well with ...

blog article

Nov 01, 2019

In the manufacturing industry, the equipment required for manufacturing a product or item is very expensive. Which makes them assets to the company. Also, there is fierce competition in the market. Therefore, asset tracking and asset management are very important for a company. Asset tracking and as...

blog article

Nov 01, 2019

Desktop Metal, a company that specializes in metal 3D printing for product development and mass production, has announced it will expand its technology to include the composites community. Desktop Metal was founded in 2015 with a mission to make 3D printing accessible for all engineers, designers an...

blog article

Oct 31, 2019

How many products does your manufacturing organization produce every day? 100? 1,000? If a machine is causing a defect, its output won’t be up to the necessary standards. Left unchecked, this has a massive impact on your scrap rate and, ultimately, your revenue. Luckily, a quality control prog...

blog article

Oct 31, 2019

An outcome culture emphasizes clarity on what to achieve at each stage of business activity. The focus is on the outcome rather than the process. Of course, manufacturers still need processes. But management and staff focus on whether they achieve a series of outcomes. They don’t make adherenc...

blog article

Oct 30, 2019

Agile is the largest 3D Printing Service Bureau in Canada with 28 in-house production printers ranging from Stereolithography, to Laser Sintering, Figure 4 No Contact DLP, NextDent 5100 Dental Printers, MultiJet Printing, ColorJet Printing, Direct Metal Printing, Metal X, Markforged Carbon Fiber Fil...

blog article

Oct 30, 2019

The advancements in 3D printing seem to happen weekly. Not only can this technology print traditional solid and rigid parts and objects, but it can now also fabricate soft and flexible mesh structures for various uses. 3D printing, as innovative as it is, is actually promoting other innovations as i...

blog article

Oct 29, 2019

In a mature automotive industry, continuous process improvement is not dead; there are cost efficiencies that have not yet been exploited. The Internet of Things (IIoT), Big Data, and Industry 4.0 initiatives enable most of the world’s most successful automotive manufacturers and parts produce...

blog article

Oct 29, 2019

Manufacturing fitness, of course, is of primary concern for all companies that make and deliver physical products. The competitive pressure to produce faster, cheaper, and better is relentless. Faster and cheaper is hard enough, but producing better – which is all about quality assurance &ndas...

blog article

Oct 29, 2019

Throughout this year, we have witnessed a number of new partnerships centered around applications, technology, materials, education, and traditional manufacturers investing in 3D printing. Here we take a look at some noteworthy examples of the latest partnerships in this industry.

blog article

Oct 25, 2019

The aerospace giant has selected Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform for a huge new project. The project apparently involves the development of new helicopters and aircraft, but also involves integration.

blog article

Oct 24, 2019

Food and beverage supply chains are the fuel that drives the growth of every food & beverage manufacturer today. An integrated, scalable, secure Warehouse Management System can assist in transforming supply chain efficiency into internal process performance gains while ensuring accuracy, complia...

blog article

Oct 24, 2019

The EZ-DUZ-IT can opener was developed in 1962 and has been in production ever since. Describing the manufacturing life of John J. Steuby is like opening a can of beans – if the can is opened with a manual hand-held can opener. Steuby is 92 years old and has been in the manufacturing business ...

blog article

Oct 24, 2019

For bonding composites, plastics or painted metal, urethane structural adhesives offer benefits such as low exotherm, low odor and high elongation. Despite these advantages, OEMs have often used methyl methacrylate adhesives instead, because MMAs offer a fast rate of cure, which facilitates a part&r...

blog article

Oct 23, 2019

Manufacturing continues to be an ideal proving ground for the Internet of Things, given the industry’s long history with operational efficiency programs like Six Sigma and the wealth of sensor-connected assets at companies disposal that they can use to enable IoT. This convergence is driving a...

blog article

Oct 23, 2019

Additive Manufacturing is constantly bringing new innovations to the manufacturing world. From new materials to cutting-edge technologies, it allows for a faster design process and gives absolutely new production solutions. Combining 3D printing with traditional machining also brings new benefits. W...

blog article

Oct 22, 2019

Smart devices and 3D printing are likely to play an important role in improving dental practice, and they’re likely to become increasingly important in the future. Not only do these technologies play a role when it comes to dental care that’s used in offices, but they’re also begin...

blog article

Oct 22, 2019

The automotive industry is an economic sector that involves designing, construction, supply, and trading of motor vehicles. It provides a mode of transportation in many countries like the use of commercial vehicles and collects huge revenue. The best and high automotive producer countries in the wor...

blog article

Oct 21, 2019

Plant managers and technicians have their hands full – not only are they responsible for ensuring day-to-day operations are status quo, they are also tasked with helping to increase production and revenue. So when problems come up, as they inevitably do, there’s nothing like knowing you&...

blog article

Oct 21, 2019

We speak with MakerGirl’s Executive Director, Mary Hadley, about the importance of early access to 3D printing. MakerGirl, which recently formed an important partnership with 3D printing mainstay EOS, celebrated its fifth anniversary early this month. Over the last half-decade, the organizatio...

blog article

Oct 18, 2019

A new report from global intelligence firm IntSights, Under the Hood: Cybercriminals Exploit Automotive Industry's Software Features, has highlighted the cyber-threats facing manufacturers in the automotive industry, shining a light on how and why hackers are looking to infiltrate automobile inf...

blog article

Oct 18, 2019

How do you recognize an educational 3D printer? Continuing with our impromptu series on 3D printer types, first with Production, then Industrial, then Consumer, we now land on the category of educational 3D printers.

blog article

Oct 17, 2019

It was Peter Drucker who told us, Culture eats strategy for breakfast. The phrase implies that we can develop a great strategy, but if the company’s culture doesn’t support that strategy, the strategy will fail. Culture will prevail. So, manufacturers need the right culture. They at leas...

blog article

Oct 17, 2019

Constant political upheavals are a common global occurrence. But in recent times, these political upheavals have severely impacted businesses, both in profits and in future confidence. The USA is continuously increasing its tariffs on goods imported from China and the latter is returning the favor w...

blog article

Oct 16, 2019

We received an interesting announcement from a 3D print service that seems to specialize in recycled 3D printing materials. The service, UK-based Lancashire3D, says: It has become the first UK based studio to deliver on the circular production promise in which resources are reused again and again to...

blog article

Oct 16, 2019

While starting your project, you are starting to think about the manufacturing technique you will use. How to choose the most adapted manufacturing technique? Today, we are going to see the differences between injection molding and 3D printing, in order for you to decide which one of these technique...

blog article

Oct 15, 2019

Technology is revolutionizing the way manufacturers run businesses day-to-day in the digital era. CRM systems can leverage the Internet of Things IoT; a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines that have the ability to transfer data over a network with no human inter...

blog article

Oct 15, 2019

Veterans with heart conditions will soon be able to hold a 3D model of their own heart while talking with their doctor about possible treatments, thanks to 3D printing. VA Puget Sound Health Care System doctors, researchers and engineers are working with their counterparts at the University of Washi...

blog article

Oct 14, 2019

This is the first part of what will eventually be a four part series on protecting your molds and/or your tooling from your overseas manufacturer. With so many companies moving their manufacturing from China, this has become a very important topic, for two reasons. First, we are seeing many companie...

blog article

Oct 14, 2019

There are an increasing number of partnerships in the 3D printing industry, and there’s an interesting reason why. The Matsuura 3D printer is quite interesting as it can produce essentially finished metal parts within the same job run. It can do so by first 3D printing roughly a few millimeter...

blog article

Oct 11, 2019

I’ve just learned of another gotcha in the complex field of metal 3D printing from the folks at BOC. BOC, part of the Linde Group, is one of the world’s largest industrial gas suppliers. Nitrogen and argon are frequently used in metal 3D printers, so they are obviously involved in the te...

blog article

Oct 11, 2019

Medical 3D printing just got easier with the new J750 Digital Anatomy 3D Printer from Stratasys! This printer has been designed to replicate the feel, responsiveness, and biomechanics of human anatomy in medical 3D models! We’re giving surgeons a more realistic training environment in no-risk ...

blog article

Oct 10, 2019

The third PV ModuleTech conference takes place in Penang, Malaysia on 22-23 October 2019. One of the key companies participating in the PV ModuleTech event this year is PV Evolution Labs. PVEL provides extended reliability and performance tests to evaluate PV modules for the downstream market and pr...

blog article

Oct 10, 2019

It is now possible to pull up the design of a guitar on a computer screen and print out its parts on a 3D printer equipped with special metal or plastic inks. The same technological ingenuity is also now being applied with bioinks-printable gels containing supportive biomaterials and/or cells-to pri...

blog article

Oct 09, 2019

The migration from Configure Price Quote (CPQ) solutions to Visual Configuration Software is happening quickly. Recently G2 named ATLATL Visual the sole leader for Visual Configuration Software in the first-ever report on this rapidly growing and importa...

blog article

Oct 09, 2019

We had a close look at a pair of powerful delta-style 3D printers from Innovative. Innovatica is yet another 3D printing company from Poland, a country well-known for producing endless streams of new 3D print ventures. The privately-funded company produces one of the most unusual delta-style 3D prin...

blog article

Oct 09, 2019

To understand where you need to go to optimize your manufacturing, you need to first know where you are. Plant performance benchmarking can play an important role in your Digital Transformation plans. New benchmarking concepts are being developed that, ultimately, will benefit all users of operation...

blog article

Oct 07, 2019

Global trade and increasing tariffs are major topics of discussion these days - and 3D printing is increasingly a part of that conversation. Trade wars, tariffs, changing regional relationships: there’s a lot going on on the global policy stage.

blog article

Oct 07, 2019

After all of the time and resources you’ve invested into your digital marketing engine, you wouldn’t just walk away from the progress you’ve made, would you? Common mistakes can derail months and even years of hard work. In many cases, the biggest risk is doing nothing at all - no ...

blog article

Oct 04, 2019

Manufacturing-and the technology that makes it more intelligent-is shaping our future in exciting ways that benefit manufacturers, their employees and customers, and the world at large. Supporting responsible and sustainable manufacturing aligns with Microsoft’s mission to empower every person...

blog article

Oct 04, 2019

On Wednesday, parent company Dassault Systèmes announced the new annual release of its popular CAD platform. Unlike last year’s release, which added several new features and tools, SOLIDWORKS 2020 feels less like a new version and more like a bridge to Dassault’s 3DEXPERIENCE clou...

blog article

Oct 03, 2019

For instance, Bonnie Meyer, application engineer at Evolve Additive Solutions, discussed the company’s Selective Thermoplastic Electrophotographic Process, which combines an existing 2D printing technology with its own proprietary STEP platform.

blog article

Oct 03, 2019

World trade in manufactured goods has almost tripled between 2000 and 2017 - from $4.8 trillion to $12.2 trillion, according to the World Trade Organization. And just looking at the U.S., in 2018, manufacturing accounted for 11.4% of its gross domestic product. This increase in manufacturing contrib...

blog article

Oct 01, 2019

Today Rize announces the first UL GREENGUARD 2904 Certified 3D printer and materials; what does this mean for the 3D printing industry? I spoke with Rize President and CEO Andy Kalambi for his take on the milestone and what it means for the company and for 3D printing; our conversation begins in par...

blog article

Oct 01, 2019

No parent wants to see their child in pain – ever. As the proud father of four incredible daughters, I understand the primal need to protect your children and the heartache that accompanies watching your children when they are hurting and there is nothing you can to help. Often, pain is imposs...

blog article

Sep 30, 2019

Industry 4.0 is the hot new buzzword in manufacturing, but it isn’t always clear what it means and the magnitude of the transformations it can bring. Despite its obvious connection to computational systems, Industry 4.0 is more than simply the digitization of manufacturing. A little less than ...

blog article

Sep 30, 2019

With the recent drone attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, drones are front page news. The new Gerald Butler movie thriller Angel Has Fallen opens up with a jaw-dropping drone attack on the U.S. President, played by Morgan Freeman.

blog article

Sep 27, 2019

Manufacturing is vital to the UK economy. Responsible for 45% of the country’s exports, totalling £275bn, the UK is the ninth largest manufacturing nation in the world. This bellwether industry is increasingly turning to new digital innovations as it looks to boost productivity, with Ind...

blog article

Sep 27, 2019

The UK is renowned as a global innovator. As the world's first industrialised nation;  innovation, creativity, and – to an extent – risk, have all played a part in some of the UK's greatest achievements. But have we reached a tipping point where UK creativity is in danger of bein...

blog article

Sep 26, 2019

The latest materials for 3D Systems Figure 4 system highlight one very important thing for 3D printing: it’s ready for production. Of course that’s not a blanket statement and most 3D printing usage will remain in more developmental applications for quite some time yet.

blog article

Sep 26, 2019

Of the seven basic additive manufacturing processes available, material jetting is the AM technology that is closest to what we use for printing text and images on paper. This is because the printheads that are used for material jetting are very similar to those used for inkjet printing, except inst...

blog article

Sep 25, 2019

MFG Day was established in 2012 to address both the skills gap and misconceptions about modern manufacturing. There is universal agreement this is a valuable and important effort. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 5...

blog article

Sep 25, 2019

Everything might seem splendid in your product-making business, and as you plod along with your operations, you may even take certain issues you encounter at face value. Perfection isn’t achievable, so why waste resources on trying to chase an impossible goal? If that is a question you’v...

blog article

Sep 25, 2019

There are many people and businesses now using 3D print technology worldwide, and we’ve come to know some of the major 3D printing use cases. But there’s another one that I’ve just realized: food production. We are all familiar with the typically cited key uses of 3D printing.

blog article

Sep 23, 2019

Many manufacturers sell exclusively through third parties such as dealers and distributors. As a result, channel revenue is key to organizational growth. Channel revenue is dependent upon a partners ability to acquire new customers and extend your brand’s promise by delivering quality products...

blog article

Sep 23, 2019

Startups across the 3D printing ecosystem are popping up all over the world at a rapid pace and they are hiring a range of employees, from engineers, sales reps and marketers to executive management. While the 3D printing industry is incredibly attractive for job seekers due to its growth, innovatio...

blog article

Sep 20, 2019

As a plant manager, your list of responsibilities is never ending. Meet production demands and productivity targets. Manage raw material and energy costs while making profitability goals. Quickly adjust to accommodate marketing’s latest product innovation. With rapidly increasing product SKUs ...

blog article

Sep 20, 2019

Minnesota-based Protolabs announced this week the addition of Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis technology to its portfolio of manufacturing and prototyping technologies. Using DLS, the company will be able to tackle new types of orders and customers. To learn more, we spoke to Greg Thompson, P...

blog article

Sep 19, 2019

There are tens of thousands of job shops across the country. As we know - we list many of them on our supplier discovery platform. Chances are, some of those suppliers are producing the very same products you are. So how can you stand out from the crowd when customers are deciding between you and yo...

blog article

Sep 19, 2019

Anisoprint announced a move that could begin an interesting competition. The Russian company is one of the very few that offer a 3D printer, the Composer, that can 3D print in continuous carbon fiber. This is quite different from the much more commoncarbon fiber filament, which is in fact a normal m...

blog article

Sep 18, 2019

As an online 3D printing service, we answer every day to the questions of our customers and we notice that some new customers have some misconceptions about additive manufacturing. If you are new to 3D printing, you might still have some false ideas about this additive manufacturing technique. In th...

blog article

Sep 17, 2019

Global interest in cell and gene therapies is on the rise, and continued growth is expected for the coming years. To discuss the challenges and solutions associated with manufacturing viral vectors at the scales and quality required for these therapeutics to be approved by the regulatory authorities...

blog article

Sep 17, 2019

aise3D announced a brand new 3D printer, the E2. It is a somewhat smaller version as compared to their Pro 2 series, but has similar features and a few new ones. The new features are designed to address the needs of their new market focus: Education.

blog article

Sep 17, 2019

In recent years, the design firm Gresham Smith has seen the introduction of additive manufacturing into its industrial-sector work. We have several clients that are using additive manufacturing to make production tools, says David Verner, RA, Executive Vice President in the firm’s Industrial m...

blog article

Sep 16, 2019

How can we design better, cheaper, customized and more sustainable products? Like the rest of the world, manufacturing is experiencing an Industry Renaissance-a global transformation in the way we invent, learn, produce and trade. Explore how leaders in the industry are tackling these modern challen...

blog article

Sep 16, 2019

The premise is that somehow 3D printing / additive manufacturing techniques are about to overpower the traditional manufacturing processes of injection molding, casting, stamping, etc. This premise is very far from the truth, and Laird explores several reasons why this is the case.

blog article

Sep 13, 2019

The tide of manufacturers moving to sell directly to consumers has been monumental over the last few years. Gone are the days where manufacturers relied on retailers and resellers to distribute their products. Now anyone can set up a direct to consumer business and sell their products via e-commerce...

blog article

Sep 13, 2019

Stratasys announced they’ve made a strategic investment in Xaar. Hold on, who is Xaar again? They are an independent company that produces piezoelectric inkjet. Their drop-on-demand technology is used by industry in a variety of ways, and the company says: At Xaar we develop world-leading piez...

blog article

Sep 12, 2019

Key themes communicated include improved perception based on machine learning techniques, learning control policies through model-based reinforcement learning, as well as cognition and reasoning based on learned semantic representations. Applications range from automotive and robotics to building an...

blog article

Sep 12, 2019

Stratasys has launched a new approach for 3D printing fashion by printing directly onto fabric. The announcement was made during New York Fashion Week, where the company unveiled the new process, which leverages Stratasys existing full color 3D printing capabilities.

blog article

Sep 11, 2019

Ultimaker some months ago announced Ultimaker Cloud, a feature available through Ultimaker Cura software. It enables the creation of 3D printer workgroups through a cloud relay system. Previously, Ultimaker Cura could discover 3D printers only if they happened to be on the same network. But the chan...

blog article

Sep 11, 2019

Compliance and quality are the foundations all great food & beverage manufacturers rely on to create and strengthen trust with their distribution networks and customers. How strong they are at traceability is the cornerstone every one of them rely on to meet compliance requirements and keep exce...

blog article

Sep 10, 2019

However, with a regular commute time that consumes a couple of hours each day, I have shifted my focus to podcasts and audiobooks. One of my favorite podcasts is the Inside Sales Enablement series by Scott Santucci and Brian Lambert. In their last episode, they spent time reviewing their thoughts an...

blog article

Sep 10, 2019

The majority of the time I only had access to two TV channels, three on a good weather day, and I vividly remember when I first saw a color television. At this time, products and services were limited, and buyer choices were almost non-existent. Fast-forward to 2019. Not only do I have access to hun...

blog article

Sep 06, 2019

It’s tradeshow season in the world of 3D printing once again, and perhaps it’s time we provided our opinion on where to see the best 3d print trade shows. Tradeshows are quite an important event to participate in, as an attendee, exhibitor or even a speaker. Fortunately, there are many g...

blog article

Sep 06, 2019

Unexpectedly, I witnessed a curious development while supporting RAPID + TCT 2019’s Executive Strategy Summit. This development represents positive advancement for the AM industry and evidence of the progress that has been made. In the summit’s intimate, one-day assembly of mid- and uppe...

blog article

Sep 05, 2019

A lot goes into the business of contract manufacturing, and a recent visit to Stratasys Direct Manufacturing highlighted some major considerations. As adoption of additive manufacturing continues to pick up, more and more industrial 3D printers are being installed around the world. Whether that&rsqu...

blog article

Sep 05, 2019

Aerospace and other players in the large-scale manufacturing business bear the load of crushing backlogs and internal pressures to eke out more productivity year over year. As a result, these companies are focused on Smart Factory initiatives to build essential data feedback loops into design, engin...

blog article

Sep 04, 2019

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, in moldmaking and molding will continue to progress as more players in the industry see results from the early adopters and gain more confidence to add it to their business strategy. Early adopters have already done groundbreaking work, driving additive materi...

blog article

Sep 04, 2019

The verb tense now has to change. In the past, the staff writers of AdditiveManufacturing.Media have described how additive manufacturing will find a place as an accepted production process. Now, it is accurate to say that AM is finding and assuming this place. We have seen this in our reporting in ...

blog article

Sep 03, 2019

London-based AMFG, a provider of work flow software for additive manufacturing, has released a report on the current state of the AM service provider market. Service bureaus are one of the fastest-growing segments of the 3D printing industry and play a pivotal role in the industry’s developmen...

blog article

Sep 03, 2019

Industrial manufacturers, historically, have been slow to improve their bottom lines by leveraging social media, digital advertising, their websites and other digital marketing tools and techniques. We have found that many manufacturers hesitate because they don’t understand how the technology...

blog article

Aug 30, 2019

There is no better feeling on this earth than holding a freshly printed, warm batch of documents in your hands. The vaguely familiar scent is one that most of us can recall, even as we sit behind our desks, miles away from the copy machine. But as beautiful a moment as this can be, there can also be...

blog article

Aug 29, 2019

Additive Industries announced a rather large sale of their MetalFAB1 machine. The Netherlands-based company apparently sold SIX huge MetalFAB1 systems to a single client, one that already owned four units. This means this particular client will own and operate ten MetalFAB1 units and, according to A...

blog article

Aug 29, 2019

Problems for 3D printing companies from Brexit could be significant. Brexit, if you haven’t been paying attention, is the process by which the UK will leave the European Union. Today the EU is a vast region comprising an enormous interconnected economy, largely facilitated by the relaxation of...

blog article

Aug 29, 2019

It’s been about five years since the consumer 3D printing bubble burst in 2014. The industry is now officially focused on, well, industry and there have been numerous developments to indicate that additive manufacturing is becoming well-integrated into the larger $13 trillion manufacturing sec...

blog article

Aug 28, 2019

How do you automate the packaging process in a made-to-order world? Consumer demand for different sizes, shapes and flavors has completely changed the way CPG brand owners and manufacturers produce and package their goods. And for OEMs, this trend means that your packaging equipment needs to perform...

blog article

Aug 28, 2019

A straightforward contract manufacturing definition is where a maker or designer goes into an arrangement or, if done properly for legal protection, a formal agreement with another company who can manufacture their products, parts, components, or subassemblies, which the maker or designer will use t...

blog article

Aug 27, 2019

Without a doubt, the best manufacturing improvement idea generators are the people doing the work. Be it a manufacturing floor with complex equipment or a simple forklift route from production to a warehouse, employees are a business’s first line of defense against losses and inefficiencies.

blog article

Aug 27, 2019

There’s an upcoming event that may be of interest to Fabbaloo readers. The ASTM Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence is holding a one-day workshop in September to join with the public to help make everyone aware of the additive manufacturing standards they’ve been putting together...

blog article

Aug 26, 2019

As metal additive manufacturing continues to see rising adoption, so too does attention paid to the quality of the parts produced. It was only a few days ago we heard about a $1.5M grant awarded to Auburn University for advanced metrology for 3D printed parts, and shortly on the heels of that more m...

blog article

Aug 26, 2019

Using continuous fiber strands can provide significantly increased strength and stiffness to parts, if the fibers are placed in the right direction. That’s why the correct model orientation is important. A general rule is to place the 3D model in such a way that load vectors mostly lay in the ...

blog article

Aug 23, 2019

Lockheed Martin is famous for engineering innovation, dating back to the legendary Skunkworks. Today, the defense contractor is making use of innovative augmented reality technology in their manufacturing process and across entire product lifecycles. Lockheed Martin’s AR project began in the S...

blog article

Aug 22, 2019

3D printing, and accordingly 3D printers, have exploded in popularity. While once these awesome gadgets were relegated to the most hardcore makers, increasingly affordable 3D printers and a slew of resources, from downloadable 3D printable files to 3D printing software, now the masses can enjoy 3D p...

blog article

Aug 22, 2019

Machining a large aerospace part like this from solid can result in up to 90% of the material being scrapped as chips. Building it up with metal 3D printing greatly reduces the machining time and amount of material needed. We buy raw material to make it fly; the less material remains on the ground t...

blog article

Aug 22, 2019

Is anything more important to your manufacturing process than securing materials, managing orders, and payments, and having the right staff to run it all? I don’t think so. Thankfully, these are three specific areas where an ERP can help even the most advanced manufacturer.

blog article

Aug 21, 2019

This nightmare does not have to be a reality. All you need to know is how to outsource manufacturing and make it work for your business. There are several reasons a manufacturer should consider outsource manufacturing: You need to redistribute resources to free up time; You’re a designer, but ...

blog article

Aug 21, 2019

With an abundance of raw materials and resources, Africa needs to rapidly find new ways to generate greater value from its manufacturing industry which has been identified as a fundamental driver of economic growth. Looking to disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, bots, the Intern...

blog article

Aug 21, 2019

Today’s brands face numerous challenges. They need to create a customized, excellent experience for each and every customer worldwide. To do that, they need to create high-quality, on-target content. They need to create that content quickly, effectively, and for audiences who speak multiple la...

blog article

Aug 20, 2019

Lace-up your sneakers and step up to the starting line: you’re ready to reach countless customers in new markets.  You’ve secured your spot in the Global Marketplace (whether by default or design).  But before you sprint away, take a good look around you. You are not alone in t...

blog article

Aug 20, 2019

With foreign buyers fleeing China, many factories in China are getting scared and desperate, and their common remedies for that are to cut corners on quality and to take their foreign buyer’s IP and compete with them. We had this to say about the increase in trademark thefts in China Trademark...

blog article

Aug 20, 2019

How to reduce the cost of manufacturing without affecting the output? How to increase the productivity of the workforce while keeping labor costs at the same level? How to accurately measure the performance of manufacturing and internal supply chain? With labor costs rising and competitors catching ...

blog article

Aug 14, 2019

What character appears in the most films and television programs? Dracula? God? Santa Claus?  All of those make the top ten list, but none is the correct answer. Satan (or The Devil) is a character is more than 840 projects – more than any other character. If you limit the list to mortals...

blog article

Aug 14, 2019

This is the third in a series of articles on creating, maintaining, and optimizing great customer experiences in the context of mounting concerns about privacy and increasingly strict regulations governing data processing. We address topics such as consent strategies, the role of trust, the elements...

blog article

Aug 14, 2019

Reducing production costs is essential for any manufacturing business. Thankfully, a production process is a complex aspect with numerous factors at play, which means that it often has a scope of improvement. Once a business has established its processes, achieving repeatability and minimizing costs...

blog article

Aug 13, 2019

From air bags to zippers, manufacturing defects are costly and damaging to business reputation. Manufacturers have long turned to inspectors and image recognition systems to spot inconsistencies in products before they’re shipped - with mixed results. If the quality control status quo were fai...

blog article

Aug 13, 2019

It would be an understatement to call the Portal video game series influential, as it had a huge effect on the game industry and pop culture in general. Even if you have never played a Portal game yourself, you probably know that the cake is a lie. While Portal is a puzzle game with very few charact...

blog article

Aug 13, 2019

Having the right tools is crucial to accomplishing learning objectives, developing in-demand skills for science, technology, engineering, art and math STEAM fields, empowering innovation and building college and career readiness. Additive manufacturing, widely known as 3D printing, is one of those t...

blog article

Aug 12, 2019

With people’s growing environmental consciousness, there has been a move to make 3D printing a much more sustainable and eco-friendly technology. While 3D printing technology already reduces carbon and waste footprint, it can still be further reduced by doing measures.

blog article

Aug 12, 2019

In the course of writing stories for Fabbaloo for many years, I’ve been fortunate to see firsthand the gradual development of 3D printing technology from rudimentary beginnings to today’s worldwide movement. But within that enormous wave of additive manufacturing that still is yet to cre...

blog article

Aug 09, 2019

Tom Lawton, head of manufacturing at BDO, shares his views on the digital transformation journey of UK manufacturers. At BDO, we recently published our Digital Transformation 2019 report, which provided me with further insights into the adoption of digital technologies in UK manufacturing. The good ...

blog article

Aug 08, 2019

The same type of connectivity is poised to reach the factory floor thanks to the IPC-CFX standards. These standards define data structure and communication protocol requirements for traditional and additive manufacturing assets in connected factories. Ultimately, these assets will drive greater inte...

blog article

Aug 08, 2019

Thought leaders in any industry deliver a ton of value to their audience. Manufacturing is no exception. The best of best in your industry established themselves as a successful professional in their area, and they deliver content with the goal of being informative and motivational. Said content can...

blog article

Aug 08, 2019

The problem being solved is that 3D printing is actually extremely complex. I know this for a fact, as I recall the first 3D printer I owned many years ago exposed me to that complexity. While I managed to build the kit machine in about 40 hours in those days assembly meant soldering, wrapping heate...

blog article

Aug 07, 2019

How old do you think 3D scanning could be? It’s a lot older than you might imagine. After reviewing our story on Adrian Bowyer’s proposal for a revolutionary 3D printing concept, Fabbaloo reader Franck Lacan, a Research Fellow in Additive Manufacturing at Cardiff University, pointed out ...

blog article

Aug 06, 2019

3D printing is an essential component of Additive Manufacturing. This manufacturing method employs computer-automated manufacturing CAM processes to fabricate physical 3D objects layer by layer from computer-aided design CAD models. With 3D printing technology, objects are created by depositing mate...

blog article

Aug 06, 2019

The Fourth Industrial Revolution revolves around technology, smart sensors that collect real-time data, artificial intelligence that increases production efficiency, and better manufacturing quality, security, and transparency. Developments in computing ensure seamless connectivity and large-volume ...

blog article

Aug 06, 2019

When it comes to 3D printing in the aerospace industry, where are we now, in 2019? And where are we going? This is part three in a conversational series with Stratasys VP of Aerospace, Scott Sevcik. Part one focuses on Stratasys’ work with Boom Supersonic, while part two looks to the shape of ...

blog article

Aug 02, 2019

While additive manufacturing or 3D printing has the potential to greatly reduce shipping costs and make operations more efficient, it can also make the supply chain more vulnerable to cyberattacks and counterfeiting. Blockchain technology may hold the answer for increasing security.

blog article

Aug 02, 2019

Manufacturing is adopting and adapting to new technology, but sometimes businesses can end up chasing their tail in proving the business case for the latest kit. Utilising the cloud and edge computing can maximise a manufacturer's data, operations and productivity, but the element of risk still ...

blog article

Aug 02, 2019

Additive Manufacturing and Gardner Intelligence the research arm of our publisher, Gardner Business Media recently surveyed manufacturers using AM to ask how they are using it, and in particular to learn the extent to which AM has been adopted for full-scale production. Though the sample size was to...

blog article

Aug 01, 2019

What has your enterprise resource planning system done for you lately? While your thoughts on the subject may be lost in the back of your mind, the fact is that ERP solution capabilities are evolving, and so is their role in manufacturing. New system features and extensions for production execution,...

blog article

Aug 01, 2019

Most companies today are on a journey towards sustainability. For Dassault Systemes, it’s been part of our purpose for many years: Dassault Systèmes provides business & people with 3DEXPERIENCE universes to imagine sustainable innovations capable of harmonizing product, nature and l...

blog article

Jul 31, 2019

Anyone who has built a proof-of-concept PCB should be intimately familiar with the problems involved in breadboards. Although breadboards allow you to arrange and rearrange components on a test platform while you experiment with your design, the behavior of the proof-of-concept will not always match...

blog article

Jul 31, 2019

The startup is taking an unusual path to offer several 3D services to the public in an easy-to-use fashion. The idea here is that for some individuals and companies, using 3D technology is a bit too challenging. They therefore offer easy access to 3D printing, 3D modeling and 3D scanning.

blog article

Jul 31, 2019

The round was led by Khosla Ventures, which has previously participated in funding for such 3D printing ventures as Digital Alloys. It also included participation from True Ventures and Indio Bio, which were original seed round investors. Prellis Biologics has now seen a total investment of $10.5M.

blog article

Jul 31, 2019

The manufacturing industry is one of the largest and most influential sectors of the United States economy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were an estimated 12.3M people employed in the Manufacturing Industry Sub-Sector in 2016 with a 1.17% year growth. It also accounts for a sim...

blog article

Jul 30, 2019

Our annual aerospace manufacturing attractiveness rankings report is a guide to promising geographic locations for aerospace development. The index offers comparisons within the United States and globally as well, providing organizations with data they can leverage to help plan for the future.

blog article

Jul 30, 2019

Today, the latest version of our powerful, easy-to-use 3D print preparation software is available for download. In this release, we’ve focused on usability improvements that simplify 3D printing workflows, whatever your 3D printing application.

blog article

Jul 30, 2019

Last year Daniele Ingrassia created the LaserDuo. This year, he’s at it again, with a giant 80cm x 80cm x 90cm, open source 3D printer built at Fab Lab UAE. It uses a mix of standard components and FabLab-made parts to be as easy as possible to reproduce. It also uses Ingrassia’s own ope...

blog article

Jul 29, 2019

GE Digital’s Predix Manufacturing Data Cloud promises to give manufacturers an unprecedented ability to create smart connected factories, offering greater flexibility of deployment, fewer on-premises systems and optimised performance.

blog article

Jul 29, 2019

With so many emerging technologies knocking at the door, Manufacturing professionals are overwhelmed. As Manufacturing leaders, their quest is to find better quality, cost efficiencies and more robust employee safety and health by leveraging these technologies.

blog article

Jul 29, 2019

The states parties to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention are gathering in Geneva from 29 July to 8 August for a series of Meetings of Experts. Among other topics, states are reviewing scientific and technological developments that impact the objectives of the treaty.

blog article

Jul 26, 2019

Manufacturing remains a critical force for both developed and developing countries, however, its role is changing and could play an even greater role in stimulating economies through the adoption of innovative technology. But the reality is that many manufacturing processes are still transitioning f...

blog article

Jul 26, 2019

Sure, we’ve seen low-cost DIY 3D printers with wooden frames before, but not a 3D printer that actually prints wood. That’s exactly what Shane Wighton and his Formlabs hackathon team have done. Although probably more along the lines of a hybrid additive/subtractive CNC machine that makes...

blog article

Jul 26, 2019

There is no doubt 3D printing has changed the prototyping and manufacturing game for good, and for the better. In some applications, it is impossible to replace CNC machining or injection molding with any other process - and perhaps that's always going to be the case. But often, it's worth e...

blog article

Jul 25, 2019

American manufacturers make everything from bus seats to fire hydrants to manhole covers. When you think about Made in America, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it that big music festival in Philly? Or perhaps it’s the final episode of The Sopranos?

blog article

Jul 25, 2019

Manufacturing is no longer simply about making physical items and transferring X from A to B. Changes in global consumer demand with more emphasis on customization, engagement, speed to market, quick delivery, coupled with modifications to the economics of production, and the shifting supply chain h...

blog article

Jul 25, 2019

The ways in which an enterprise software solution looks, feels and works for a user is increasingly crucial. Now that users have been influenced by their consumer experiences with innovative and digital technology, expectations have increased for their business software to provide a similar user exp...

blog article

Jul 24, 2019

There’s a bit of a giveaway taking place at E3D-Online today. The UK-based company produces a range of highly-regarded components for 3D printers, most notably the ubiquitous E3D V6 hot end, which now appears in many vendor’s 3D printers. In my discussions with and observations of the co...

blog article

Jul 24, 2019

It’s a very big day for our team here at Nano Dimension, for our customers and resellers, and for the electronics industry. It’s the birth of Lights-Out Digital Manufacturing LDM, a manufacturing methodology in which systems run with little to no human intervention around the clock.

blog article

Jul 23, 2019

The world is full of man-made objects. From home piping to coffee mugs and everything in between, these objects have traditionally been mass produced in factories, using processes that are slow and cumbersome. But 3D printing could change all of that, allowing the everyday consumer to print their ho...

blog article

Jul 23, 2019

Finding the right 3D printing software can be tricky and leave you wondering where to start when utilizing 3D printing for your business or personal needs. Companies and individuals have varying benchmarks, diverse perspectives and unique preferences when it comes to 3D printing software; it largely...

blog article

Jul 23, 2019

Researchers at Georgia Tech have produced a 3D printed microbot that is powered by vibration. The polymer structure is quite small, only two millimeters in length. But it involves a complex geometry that includes a small collection of bristly legs. These are carefully designed to react to external v...

blog article

Jul 22, 2019

Across industries, 3D printing technology is a natural ally of creativity, bringing new freedom to the processes of design and fabrication. It is fitting, then, that we are seeing artists beginning to take note and leverage the unique qualities of the technology to create 3D printed art. The design ...

blog article

Jul 22, 2019

Jiri Praus creates sculptures out of brass wire, and like almost anyone else, he hates producing the same part over and over again. To help alleviate this boredom, while still pursuing bent structures, he built an excellent CNC wire bending machine controlled by an Arduino/CNC shield setup.

blog article

Jul 22, 2019

If you want to put an image or drawing onto paper, you’ll most likely use a printer. But plotters are sometimes the better choice. A conventional inkjet printer shoots ink onto the paper line by line, and doesn’t take into account the shape of what it’s printing. Plotters, which ar...

blog article

Jul 22, 2019

The vehicles of the future will employ 3D printing in ever greater amounts. We can say this with confidence, as the vehicles of today have also been built using 3D printing - and so have the vehicles of yesteryear, as the automotive industry in general has employed additive manufacturing in various ...

blog article

Jul 22, 2019

America Makes has announced its third Satellite Center. The organization’s mission is both simple and ridiculously complex: accelerate additive manufacturing in the United States. It’s straightforward, and elegant for being so; but when it comes to the practicalities of fulfilling the vi...

blog article

Jul 19, 2019

More square footage is not the only solution to maximizing space utilization; nor are second level mezzanines. Even C-Suite executives, inclined to expand the plant floor and warehouse footprint, quickly discover there is so little space available. According to Jennifer Smith, the logistics reporter...

blog article

Jul 19, 2019

The ability to change network operator without physical interaction is a major benefit of eSIM, states eSIM: Giving Manufacturers the Competitive Edge, a new whitepaper from Arm, the multinational semiconductor and software design company. IoT device manufacturers embracing the concept of eSIMs embe...

blog article

Jul 19, 2019

Its night time. There are many stars in the sky, as far as the eye can see. Below the stars, a layer of clouds over the mountains. And in the distance, the glowing lights of a city. Now, scroll to the bottom of this post and tell me if what you imagined, and what is pictured, is similar?

blog article

Jul 19, 2019

Inside 3D Printing, one of Asia’s largest 3D printing events, took place in Seoul, South Korea June 26-28 this year. The event anticipated more than 12,000 attendees from 28 countries demonstrating how prominent South Korea has become in the additive manufacturing industry. Exhibitors are give...

blog article

Jul 18, 2019

A common challenge for many manufacturers is finding and retaining skilled labor. Many businesses are facing the retirement of older employees, and higher turnover in their workforce. At the same time, some manufacturers lament that younger workers don’t have the same skill sets as the earlier...

blog article

Jul 18, 2019

But it is also clear more work needs to be done to recruit young people into the field. Millennials are over - the next generation is about to enter the workforce, and new polling reveals they could be more likely than their immediate predecessors to enter manufacturing. Leaning2Lead, a data and sof...

blog article

Jul 18, 2019

Constellium and DDI have been partnering for almost five years to design and deploy a learning journey for frontline leaders. Since 2018, Constellium has been focused on a stronger learner center approach. A bit of background: Constellium has chosen to invest in its frontline leaders for several yea...

blog article

Jul 18, 2019

3D printing can be used to make amazing sculptures and innovative technology - but do you know how a 3D printer actually works? A good understanding of the manufacturing process will make it easier to design your own creations. 3D printing is actually quite similar to regular printing processes. A n...

blog article

Jul 18, 2019

There are a large number of 3D printing enthusiasts, and they are very happy to release their own models at the T stage. So there are also a variety of beautiful, exquisite or wonderful models. This website is regarded as the starter of the model website. You can see lots of brilliant designs on the...

blog article

Jul 17, 2019

Although the American machine tool industry is not what it used to be, American engineers continue to design and American workers continued to build metal-cutting equipment. At the Fives Giddings & Lewis plant in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, they’ve been doing so for more than a century - a sto...

blog article

Jul 17, 2019

You might be surprised, but sand 3D printers go back to the late 90s! Generis and MIT are responsible for this huge development. But how exactly does this technology work? At what stage is it after 20 years of research and improvements? Today, we will focus on the innovations of sand 3D printers! Ar...

blog article

Jul 17, 2019

We recently wrote about saving forests thanks to Additive Manufacturing, now new research was conducted to protect wildlife animals. Brandy Neiles, a resource biologist from South Dakotas Gae, Fish & Parks, is changing the face of preserving the Bobcat population with his revolutionary developme...

blog article

Jul 17, 2019

The technology in question is hitting the market as Essentium’s HSE 180 S, a system proclaimed to be 10x faster than the next-fasted 3D printer out there. Thats a sore spot for Jabil, which states that that 10x faster system is actually based on its TenX 3D printer, which it had been developin...

blog article

Jul 16, 2019

Undoubtedly, the manufacturing sector is facing change and uncertainty, but it’s also seeking to take control of its own destiny. A new report from Sage, Riding the wave of uncertainty: how process manufacturers are planning for a brighter future, discusses the issues, and offers several reaso...

blog article

Jul 16, 2019

Plastics are among the most versatile materials on the planet, but humanitys propensity to misuse single-use plastic items like straws and flatware has become an environmental threat. That's where bioresin comes in - slowly. The biggest change to the bioresin manufacturing industry is the introd...

blog article

Jul 16, 2019

3D printing technologies have significantly improved over the past few years and some have even made it to the jobsite.  Not to be outdone, NASA, your favorite America space exploration organization, has announced a plan to being building and manufacturing in low-Earth orbit.

blog article

Jul 16, 2019

Stratasys seems to be selling one of their demonstration technologies as a product now, but what happened to the others? In the past few years we were fortunate enough to see first hand three very unusual technology demonstrations by Stratasys. These were considered quite notable at the time, and st...

blog article

Jul 15, 2019

With no sign of a peace breaking out any time soon on the U.S.-China trade front, an increasing number of businesses are turning their eyes toward alternative manufacturing destinations, such as Vietnam, Thailand and Mexico. Understandably, such relocations will present all sorts of new and headache...

blog article

Jul 15, 2019

It’s incredible to take a step back and think about something like DNA. Even this unseen piece of our very foundation has a defined shape: the double helix. Naturally, this shape makes for eye-catching art pieces, and that’s why this 3D-printed DNA lamp captures our attention.

blog article

Jul 15, 2019

Amazon Prime Day or Days, as it seems now, is a special period that occurs once a year on the massive online retailer, where countless dramatic sales are posted. Often items are reduced by 20-60%, making for some great savings if you happen to need something in particular.

blog article

Jul 15, 2019

The buyer’s journey has changed in a way which leaves many sales and marketing teams struggling to find insight from within what we call the Dark Funnel. However, many technology companies are starting to build solutions to address the radical new way customers engage and buy today by collecti...

blog article

Jul 15, 2019

The role of a Business Development Rep can be a daunting one. Knowing where to prioritize when you have over 1,000 accounts and knowing what content to reach out to them and engage them with can be an impossible task. But if you have the right intent data that can show you where the account is in th...

blog article

Jul 15, 2019

Volatility is deeply disliked by business leaders. Many manufacturers and distributors face the volatility caused by unpredictable tariffs on Chinese imports and warn of a potential calamity should the Administration’s trade war be expanded.

The uncertainty and exploding costs b...

blog article

Jul 13, 2019

Industry 4.0. We have all heard it as being about a world of smart machines and smarter factories. So what does Industry 4.0 mean to you? Several years ago I asked the question at various shops, and I usually got some variation of It’s nice and everything, but I need to get these jobs out the ...

blog article

Jul 11, 2019

With research suggesting artificial intelligence in manufacturing could become mainstream within 24 months, what can manufacturers gain from taking an early adopter approach? Tom Leeson reports. New digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things offer huge potential ...

blog article

Jul 11, 2019

If you were to ask any business leader what their main goals for their company are, the answer would most likely be something along the lines of increasing sales and leads. In fact, even if they mentioned other goals, such as improving website performance and SEO, or redesigning a website for better...

blog article

Jul 10, 2019

New technologies will play a determining role in facilitating the transformation towards a circular economy. In order to obtain secondary raw materials that can compete with virgin materials, technologies capable of boosting the current figures of material valuation will be needed, thereby facilitat...

blog article

Jul 10, 2019

MedAccred, administered by the Performance Review Institute (PRI), is an accreditation that replaces several critical process supplier audits with one robust audit. The program’s aim is to ensure quality throughout the medical device supply chain, giving manufacturers an increased sense of con...

blog article

Jul 09, 2019

The company, which operated in complete stealth until just under a year ago, had been secretly developing a powerful metal 3D printing process. Now, we’ve seen up close some of the prints that were made with that process and the results are startling, to say the least.

blog article

Jul 09, 2019

Cats arent the only ones chasing lasers. Applied scientists around the globe are working with lasers to move Industry 4.0 at the speed of light. From variating length, power and time to simply exploring how old tricks make new tech, labs keep lasers on the drawing board. Now, optical discoveries are...

blog article

Jul 09, 2019

Manufacturing is a crucial part of the U.S. economy. According to the U.S. census, around 11.1 million workers are employed in the sector, and it generates about $5.4 trillion in economic activity annually. Yet this area currently faces significant headwinds. The June IHS Markit Manufacturing Purcha...

blog article

Jul 09, 2019

Each month, The Manufacturer explores a section of the latest Annual Manufacturing Report, which gauges the mood of leadership teams on issues such as Skills & Training, Government Policy & Industrial Strategy, and Finance & Investment. This month, we look at Growth & Exports.

blog article

Jul 09, 2019

Santanders Manufacturing Industry Day offered attendees invaluable insights into the challenges manufacturers are facing, and the solutions needed to meet them. At Santanders recent Manufacturing Industry Day, delegates heard how Britain’s future success in the sector will likely be founded on...

blog article

Jul 09, 2019

Volatility is deeply disliked by business leaders. Many manufacturers and distributors face the volatility caused by unpredictable tariffs on Chinese imports and warn of a potential calamity should the Administration’s trade war be expanded.

The uncertainty and exploding costs b...

blog article

Jul 09, 2019

Volatility is deeply disliked by business leaders. Many manufacturers and distributors face the volatility caused by unpredictable tariffs on Chinese imports and warn of a potential calamity should the Administration’s trade war be expanded.

The uncertainty and exploding costs b...

blog article

Jul 08, 2019

There has been an increased emphasis on digitalisation within manufacturing. While some may see this as a means of reducing cost, Simon-Kucher believe the bigger profit opportunities will come from focusing on the topline revenue side of the profit equation.

blog article

Jul 08, 2019

If you have already put in the work of building out profiles on these major social media platforms and have gained some followers, you’re off to a great start. But even more important than gaining followers, of course, is gaining customers - and simply having a social media presence isn’...

blog article

Jul 08, 2019

The uncertainty surrounding products manufactured in China is causing many foreign companies especially those that sell their products to the United States to ask us what they can do to mitigate their risks and where else they could look for getting their products made.  See Has Sourcing from C...

blog article

Jul 08, 2019

This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on additional 3D print design tips. For other current entries in this series, please search for our tag, learning series, here. Search often, as we will be adding more periodically.

blog article

Jul 08, 2019

In 2019, millennials will become the largest population group in the U.S. As members of the first truly digital generation approach their prime income years, their impact on business decision-making should reach unprecendented levels. Tech-savvy millennials are the largest users of 3D printing, a te...

blog article

Jul 08, 2019

Three key trends are driving the need for sales leaders to digitally transform their organizations. First, b-to-b buyers are conducting more of their purchase journey in the digital arena and demanding the same kind of frictionless and seamless customer experience they enjoy as consumers. Second, th...

blog article

Jul 08, 2019

Subscription businesses that charge customers monthly for using their offerings are expanding rapidly in response to consumers’ and b-to-b buyers’ desire to try a product and walk away easily if they’re not achieving the expected value. However, the subscription-based business mode...

blog article

Jul 05, 2019

Thermal stress is perhaps the most unfortunate aspect of metal 3D printing. Caused by the extreme temperatures created by energy sources usually lasers to rapidly melt fine metal powder, these temperatures cause all kinds of issues during and after printing.

blog article

Jul 05, 2019

The Netherlands-based company seems to be an offshoot of the Dutch Smart Industry Action Agenda’s Fieldlab Multi-3D initiative, in which a number of parties are collaborating together to envision new manufacturing environments.

blog article

Jul 05, 2019

Education is a major issue around the world, and while we often hear about these from the perspective of curriculum or a focus on STEAM science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics subjects, or even about preparing the next generation of the workforce with next-generation technologies, someti...

blog article

Jul 04, 2019

The UK Space Agency is an interesting organisation. As well as engineers and scientists, we have a wide range of programme managers, policy specialists and strategic operators who can leverage government to work for our sector. We are a modern space agency and part of a diverse UK space sector inclu...

blog article

Jul 04, 2019

Many metal 3D printers make use of fine metal powder that is heated to sintering or melt temperatures to create objects. Usually the metal powder is very fine to achieve good print resolution. However, this fine powder tends to get airborne, where it can cause issues.

blog article

Jul 03, 2019

Thermwood Corp. first made a name for itself by manufacturing big, high-speed CNC routers. It remains well-known today for building 3-, 4-, and 5-axis routers used to make products ranging from furniture to boats. In recent years, the Dale, Ind., firm has also gotten into additive manufacturing-in a...

blog article

Jul 03, 2019

As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, here at Automation Alley we are also celebrating one of the things that makes our country so special - our strong manufacturing leadership. Last month, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters' call for a National Institute of Manufacturing was a welcome announcement ...

blog article

Jul 02, 2019

The Federal Trade Commission mandates that to qualify as a Made in the USA product, it must meet the all or virtually all standard, meaning that all significant parts and processing that go into its making should be of U.S. origin. The product should contain no, or negligible, foreign content.

blog article

Jul 02, 2019

3D printing has started a revolution in many industries, providing a manufacturing model based on production decentralization, highly individualized end-results, and the potential to scale processes. The healthcare and life science industries have already been hit by the 3D printing wave, and use ca...

blog article

Jul 02, 2019

Real-time location tracking systems are becoming an increasingly valuable solution for manufacturing businesses in many industries. In fact, the global RTLS market has been gaining prominence in recent years it’s projected to increase by over 17 percent annually, as more and more companies rea...

blog article

Jul 02, 2019

The rapid expansion of 3D printing materials has enabled previously unimaginable applications. Recent developments combine additive manufacturing capabilities with the strength, transparency, and chemical stability of glass. Major technical advancements now open the way for innovative uses in design...

blog article

Jul 01, 2019

The University of Salford and Morson Group has launched two new facilities featuring the latest industry standard manufacturing technologies to enable students to learn real-world engineering skills in relation to design for manufacture, assembly and inspection, allowing hands-on practical experienc...

blog article

Jul 01, 2019

3D printing is unquestionably amazing, but it does have some downsides. Most hobby 3D printers use the fused-filament fabrication process, which is affordable but somewhat imprecise. That makes it great for making enclosures and prototype mechanical parts, but usually unsuitable for parts that need ...

blog article

Jul 01, 2019

Metal 3D printing is changing the way we create parts. In low- to mid-volume production runs, the parts themselves can be made faster, cheaper, and with lower effort than traditional manufacturing processes. Since additive manufacturing forms parts in such a different way, it makes it much easier to...

blog article

Jul 01, 2019

Medical 3D printing is becoming increasingly valuable for manufacturers and clinicians to solve patient-specific problems through tailored implants to improve diagnostic decision-making. Creating models from image data such as MRI and CT adds value to this approach by capturing the realistic anatomy...

blog article

Jun 28, 2019

For as long as I can recall, mobile devices found on the manufacturing floor have been limited to the lucky few-management-and primarily focused on smart phone technology. Over the last year, I’ve had the privilege of holding conversations with manufacturing leaders across America.

blog article

Jun 28, 2019

The recent discussions concerning the potential merger of Fiat, Renault and Nissan have put the automotive industry at the forefront of the news. The industry has boomed since bottoming out in 2009, achieving sizable growth year-to-year. However, just recently unit sales have dropped significantly f...

blog article

Jun 27, 2019

As a Chemical Engineering major at Yale, I spend a fair amount of time around STEM students. We take the same classes, study in the same libraries, and attend the same office hours. We hang out in the Center for Engineering Innovation and Design and do STEM-y things. We use 3D printers to print misc...

blog article

Jun 27, 2019

A strong dollar is hurting American workers and main street manufacturers, as I explained last week in the New York Times. I discussed what can be done about it, which builds on a crucial plank of Elizabeth Warren’s American Jobs plan.

blog article

Jun 27, 2019

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have succeeded in 3D printing with a wood-based ink in a way that mimics the unique ultrastructure of wood. Their research could revolutionise the manufacturing of green products. Through emulating the natural cellular architecture of wood, t...

blog article

Jun 27, 2019

Established in 1972, MTD Micro Molding custom-crafted, ultra-precision molded components meet the exact requirements of companies in the medical device industry. In-house tooling, unparalleled bio-absorbable molding expertise, ISO 13485 certified systems, and state-of-the-art equipment make MTD the ...

blog article

Jun 26, 2019

3D printing was once considered science-fiction, but in the last couple of decades, it's become not only science-fact but also something the average hobbyist can have on in their workshop. It also appears in nearly every industry around the globe, offering far-reaching implications for many busi...

blog article

Jun 26, 2019

The Manufacturing Leadership Awards honor manufacturing companies and individual manufacturing leaders that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. Judges look for leaders that have demonstrated achievement across a wide variety of domains including sustainability, operational excellence, in...

blog article

Jun 26, 2019

The Smithsonian Institution is 3D printing life-size copies of Neil Armstrong. Well, actually they are 3D printing his spacesuit, you know, the one that was ON THE MOON. Yes, this organization has plenty of incredible artifacts in their seemingly limitless warehouse, and one of them is Armstrongs su...

blog article

Jun 26, 2019

This industry moves quickly. 3D printing is picking up its pace as additive manufacturing is increasingly recognized as a viable opportunity for digital manufacturing around the world. Supply chains are shortening, parts are becoming lighter-weight and being created on demand, and collaboration is c...

blog article

Jun 25, 2019

Up to the mid-1980s, the highest aspiration of many comic book artists was to stop working on the monthly superhero books and instead develop, or be hired to illustrate, a syndicated strip. Some artists, like Al Williamson who illustrated the Star Wars strip and Russ Manning Tarzan, got a gold star ...

blog article

Jun 25, 2019

Manufacturing ERP software is a business management solution that allows organizations to deal will all facets of an operation in one convenient place. ERP software solutions such as 2020 Insight can help with product planning, development, manufacturing, assembly, sales, accounting, scheduling, and...

blog article

Jun 25, 2019

Intensifying trade war fears and an inventory overhang are weighing on the manufacturing sector. Regional surveys suggest the national ISM manufacturing index will fall below the breakeven 50 level on Monday, which will only heighten fears of recession for the sector.

blog article

Jun 25, 2019

Our recent piece regarding the potential pitfalls of print profile libraries generated some chatter. The article discussed how companies are now building vast libraries of print profiles to ensure their equipment works properly with larger numbers of material options.

blog article

Jun 25, 2019

Wing Aviation LLC, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., became the first drone manufacturer to get FAA approval earlier this year. Many companies had only received waivers from the FAA to demonstrate flights and make short distance deliveries. Urban areas are also troublesome in the eyes of regulators. Ap...

blog article

Jun 24, 2019

No matter who your customer is or what you’re selling, it’s more likely than not that your customer will have to go through several steps before choosing to buy your product or service. Think about your own shopping habits: you don’t just buy the first thing you see. The first thin...

blog article

Jun 24, 2019

It takes thoughtful work to scale an e-commerce store. I’m sure you’ve had a few growing pains of your own getting to the point where you are today. However, you’re reading this because you may not be content with where your conversions are at this precise moment. You may not even ...

blog article

Jun 24, 2019

We’ve all heard the term “less is more”. And we’ve been told this applies for landing pages too. I.e. your forms should be short and only ask for only the bare minimum of required information if you want to convert. As an example, one of the main questions someone typically h...

blog article

Jun 24, 2019

Smart Manufacturing. Factory of the Future. Industry 4.0. These are the buzzwords used by those driving the manufacturing world forward. At the heart of these concepts is digital manufacturing and design. But what exactly is DM&D? And what does it mean for the small and medium-sized manufacturer...

blog article

Jun 24, 2019

The Additive Manufacturing Workshop for Plastics, a half-day event held during the recent Amerimold 2019 in Chicago, brought together mold builders, technology providers and companies providing industrial 3D-printing services. These mold builders, technology and service providers gave insights into ...

blog article

Jun 24, 2019

For some of the big-name players who have entered into 3D printing, their biggest customers are themselves. They often refer to it as eating our own dog food: listen to enough heads of 3D printing businesses within the big guys talk and you’ll be sure to hear the phrase come up more than a few...

blog article

Jun 24, 2019

Oklahoma-based Zumwalt submitted an interesting project to YouMagine that is not only the 3D model of the parts for a 3D printed windup car, but also the precise manner in which it was designed using Autodesk Fusion 360.

blog article

Jun 23, 2019

Digital Summit, the largest conference series in the digital marketing industry, has invited Mehrguth to share his unique presentation, 5 Data-Validated Tactics to Increase the Experienced Marketer’s Qualified Lead Volume (…and 3 Tactics Guaranteed to Fail) with their audiences across t...

blog article

Jun 21, 2019

In four announcements over the last nine days, GE Additive has shared the news of a notable sales season in metal 3D printing. The three most recent announcements hit this week during the famed Paris Air Show, which each year sees a greater presence of - and clearly investment in - additive manufact...

blog article

Jun 20, 2019

DyeMansion is a German company specializing in post-processing 3D prints. They offer a complete set of equipment and software to perform the three most frequently performed post-processing activities for 3D prints, including: support removal, surface smoothing and coloration.

blog article

Jun 20, 2019

In manufacturing, no code platforms are revolutionizing how engineers work. This revolution is long overdue, considering that in the last 20 years software has changed how nearly everyone works. Every job now has a series of software tools that enable users to do their job better and more efficientl...

blog article

Jun 19, 2019

Real-time 3D is changing everything, in much deeper ways than most people realize. Forged in gaming, this technology continues to transform the way games are created, operated and monetized. Its impact now also extends to industries of all kinds, from film to automotive.

blog article

Jun 19, 2019

Not long ago, many manufacturing CIOs thought that cybersecurity was something only the financial sector had to worry about. Why would anyone want to hack a manufacturing plant? How times have changed – now, cybersecurity in manufacturing is definitely front and center. But how do you meet the...

blog article

Jun 18, 2019

The problem being solved here is a common dilemma facing MRI operators. MRI machines use a form of magnetic resonance imaging to develop highly detailed 3D images of patient internals. These images are used by surgeons and others to diagnose medical issues or plan surgeries by looking inside the pat...

blog article

Jun 18, 2019

The digital transformation of the process manufacturing industry is opening up new opportunities at an incredible pace. In order to keep up and stay competitive, many industrial organisations have been investing funds, skills and capabilities to adjust their businesses.

blog article

Jun 18, 2019

PPG has seen many changes over its 135-year history. Originally a glass manufacturer, PPG transitioned the core of its business to paints and specialty coatings that are used on everything from driverless cars to the posts on NHL goals. But the latest change may be the most drastic. PPG has undergon...

blog article

Jun 17, 2019

Today, 3D printers can create almost anything the mind can imagine - from movie props and aeroplane parts to organs and entire homes. Talk about an image makeover? But how do we feel about 3D printed food?

blog article

Jun 17, 2019

Additive manufacturing is rapidly gaining pace as a commercially viable industrial manufacturing technology following the global trends of on-demand production, customization, and the need for savings in time, money, and materials.

blog article

Jun 17, 2019

The efficiency-enhancing benefits of 3D printing/additive manufacturing can deliver many quantifiable advantages for supply chain managers. In a previous column I talked about its ability to simplify the supply chain via the production of complex parts. Another key aspect of AM that can deliver even...

blog article

Jun 14, 2019

More than 200 years ago, German philosopher Immanuel Kant described virtual reality as a reality that exists in our minds and is distinct from the external physical world. Nowadays we use the term differently, but the concept of virtual reality still retains Kant’s idea of a world that isn&rsq...

blog article

Jun 14, 2019

The new HP 3D Printing and Digital Manufacturing Center of Excellence is, well, excellent. HP says it’s the largest 3D printing R&D center in the world; that may well be the case. At 152,000 square feet, it’s certainly among the largest, at least.

blog article

Jun 13, 2019

Although it has been said that money makes the world go round, a quick Google search shows the expression is increasingly being rephrased: data makes the world go round. And it’s also been said that data can make or break a company, depending on how it’s used.

blog article

Jun 13, 2019

The company is most well-known for their continuous carbon fiber 3D printer, able to insert continuous long strands of very strong carbon fiber into 3D prints. This is very different from most carbon fiber systems in which chopped carbon fiber segments are mixed in with a binder.

blog article

Jun 12, 2019

The California-based startup focuses on advanced rocketry through the use of their unique Stargate 3D printer. It’s a monstrously huge robotic metal 3D printer they say can dramatically speed up production. They say they can 3D print an entire rocket engine in only 60 days using their system.

blog article

Jun 12, 2019

Ken Burns 2018 movie documentary, The Mayo Clinic: Faith - Hope - Science, details the journey of The Mayo Clinic, from the vision that started it all to all of its accomplishments to date. In the late 19th century, English immigrant physician William Worrall Mayo, his sons, and the nearby Sisters o...

blog article

Jun 10, 2019

A large number of working-class U.S. voters still support the tariffs the Trump Administration has imposed on imports from China and other nations. Those voters employers, however, are ambivalent at best-and nearly half of America’s wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers actively oppose t...

blog article

Jun 10, 2019

So that weapons sale to Saudi Arabia that Trump is trying to push through despite congressional opposition, invoking national security allegedly making it necessary, doesn’t just allow that country to buy billions of dollars in weapons from American companies. It also allows American companies...

blog article

Jun 07, 2019

Marshall Aerospace and Defense has revealed its use of 3D printing for prototype and final flight parts. 3D printing parts for aircraft is becoming more commonplace as aviation continues to take interest in the technology - and, importantly, as quality and repeatability improve to the point of quali...

blog article

Jun 07, 2019

Polymaker announced a series of new materials, and offered some dramatic demonstrations of their capabilities. The China-based company has been one of the leaders in the 3D printing industry in developing engineering-grade high-quality 3D printing filaments, as well as some highly unusual 3D printin...

blog article

Jun 05, 2019

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn about the main trends in the 3D printing industry. Indeed, the State of 3D printing is the biggest study about additive manufacturing: how is it used by professionals, what are the main advantages of this technology, and how could you start implementing it i...

blog article

Jun 05, 2019

This 3D print called Desk Clamp Headphone Hanger by Wyka from Thingiverse is an excellent lifehack if you're looking to declutter your workstation. Headphones can take up quite a bit of space on a desk - now you can hang it on this attachment instead.

blog article

Jun 04, 2019

Objects made with 3-D printing can be lighter, stronger, and more complex than those produced through traditional manufacturing methods. But several technical challenges must be overcome before 3-D printing transforms the production of most devices.

blog article

Jun 04, 2019

A personalized product line is 3D printing comfort for gamers. It started with their butts. Around 2.2 billion people globally fit under the gamer umbrella; estimates say around 14 billion hours of games are played weekly.

blog article

Jun 03, 2019

After an interesting discussion with Objectify, my thoughts on 3D print service regionality have changed. For many years myself and, well, everyone, has assumed that 3D print services for larger parts are for all practical purposes regional operations, aside from specialty services. This is due to t...

blog article

Jun 03, 2019

Anisoprint announced an arrangement that should make their continuous carbon fiber 3D printer even better. The startup company, which we first encountered in 2017 at Formnext, offered an almost-unique solution: 3D printing continuous carbon fiber in prints. This is very different from the typical ca...

blog article

May 30, 2019

On the surface, R&D Manufacturing may look like any other 100-employee U.S. manufacturer working in sectors like aerospace or automotive, designing and producing metal end products. But R&D Manufacturing manufactures jewelry parts for brands like Tiffany and Co. and Bryan Anthonys, which may...

blog article

May 30, 2019

A comprehensive interactive chart of 3D printing technologies has been published. Our friends at 3dpbm have developed a large chart containing a kind of tree-structure that one can explore to find vendors of various types of 3D printing technology. The chart includes 132 vendors across 38 different ...

blog article

May 30, 2019

AddiFab recently emerged from stealth with its Freeform Injection Molding technology, offering an interesting business proposition that effectively brings together the best of two worlds in manufacturing. 3D printing has gained accolades for its freedom of design a bit of an overstatement, but the s...

blog article

May 29, 2019

In Brevard, the largest contributor to our local economy is manufacturing. Today’s world of modern manufacturing is high tech, automated, within clean environments, with a combination of talented individuals with varying skills and professions. However, nationally 84% of manufacturers reported...

blog article

May 29, 2019

The companies announced a strategic partnership last week, bringing together operations of the dynamic metal 3D printing company and the world’s largest metal injection molding supplier. The move is a big one, marrying metal capabilities in additive manufacturing together with traditional manu...

blog article

May 29, 2019

A startup is using magnetic fields to 3D print extremely strong objects. You likely have not heard of Fortify, but you certainly will be hearing a lot more from them in the future. The Boston-based startup, founded by Joshua Martin in 2016 based on his academic thesis, has developed a highly unusual...

blog article

May 28, 2019

With much of the manufacturing workforce starting to age out and a dearth of young people entering the field, companies have been struggling for some time to find the skilled employees they need to grow. One successful model changing the equation is the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center at As...

blog article

May 28, 2019

We spoke with Ultimaker’s USA chief, Jamie Howard, to learn more about the company’s strategy. Ultimaker has undergone an incredibly significant transformation from their humble origins as a DIY 3D printer. Today we find their operation to be of very large size, at least in the world of ...

blog article

May 27, 2019

This Industrial IoT Maturity Model forms the foundation of future plans for the IoT journey in the manufacturing industry: from Digitalisation to Industry 4.0. Discover how you can become a fully mature IoT enterprise. Use the Industrial IoT Maturity Model to evaluate your current position and set a...

blog article

May 26, 2019

You already know that 3D printing is one of the most important technological disruptions in living memory. We'll continue to see it grow by 21% each year through 2020, and arrive at a total market value of more than $175 billion before continuing upward. What's even more exciting than 3D tec...

blog article

May 24, 2019

As the 3D printing space continues to transform into something that fits into industrial factory settings, we’ve seen materials expand, systems improve, and a trend toward automation. What has so far seemed to be the missing piece is an equal improvement in post-processing technologies.

blog article

May 24, 2019

With recent advances in technology, 3D printing is fast becoming popular. According to a recent report, the 3D printing market is set to double in size every three years with the annual growth forecasted by analysts generally estimated between 18.2% and 27.2%. It also states that SMEs are the power-...

blog article

May 23, 2019

The industry is again at the forefront of grappling with the opportunity and challenges of transformational new technologies. At the start of last year, Microsoft released The Future Computed: Artificial Intelligence and its Role in Society.

blog article

May 22, 2019

Many manufacturers overlook eCommerce because they do not believe their business models are suited for selling online. Manufacturers who solely serve their distribution channel partners, for example, may find an eCommerce store unnecessary because they don’t sell direct to the end user.

blog article

May 22, 2019

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is revolutionizing how food manufacturing facilities operate, from processing to building maintenance and everything in between. Food and beverage companies have access to more data than ever before, and that’s helping them make more informed decisions....

blog article

May 22, 2019

As I was chatting with a metal fabricator about the number of engineers it has on staff, I asked if it were hard to find engineering talent that wanted to work in the world of metal fabricating. The question was timely, as he proceeded to share the tale of a young engineer that gave the company a ca...

blog article

May 21, 2019

For metal 3D printing to compete with metal injection molding, perhaps the two technologies should work together. That’s the thinking behind Desktop Metal’s latest partnership. The company has just announced a strategic partnership with Indo-MIM, the world’s largest metal injection...

blog article

May 21, 2019

3D printing in the industry is an expertise that is becoming increasingly important. This is shown by a recent study in which Sirris collaborated and also by our own experience. After all, Sirris has almost 30 years of experience and expertise in the field, based on which it can offer companies the ...

blog article

May 20, 2019

At last year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the CEO of China’s largest online travel service predicted that the number of Chinese passport holders could nearly double in the next 24 months. If that sounds impossible, consider that less than 10 percent of Chinese citizens o...

blog article

May 20, 2019

If the commercial aviation industry effectively doubles in the next 20 years, as projected by the two largest aerospace manufacturing companies in the world, how can aerospace manufacturers and suppliers possibly keep up?

blog article

May 20, 2019

Any of my friends from college will chuckle at that phrase. It’s on the roadside welcome sign heading into Hillsdale, Mich. I immediately think of my dad telling me about the classic dystopian movie Soylent Green where Charleston Heston declares that the food is people!

blog article

May 20, 2019

Titan Robotics is introducing its new Dual Pellet Extruder Atlas-H 3D printing system. The new system builds upon the work the Colorado-based company has already introduced in terms of large-scale and pellet extruding 3D printing, offering dual extrusion capabilities.

blog article

May 20, 2019

This week we are going to see for the first time 3DQue’s revolutionary way to implement low-volume production using 3D printing. The Vancouver-based startup, founded by Mateo Pekic, has devised a method of 3D printing that is quite different and could enable practical use of 3D printer arrays ...

blog article

May 19, 2019

You’ve got your tickets and are ready to go to North America’s largest 3D printing event. What do you do? Some may feel attending a conference or trade show is a kind of business vacation, but that’s not really the best way to look at it. In fact, those who treat them in that way l...

blog article

May 17, 2019

Here at the Alliance for American Manufacturing, we get asked a lot about where to find specific American-made products - and there’s nothing people seem to ask more about than tools. Stanley Black & Decker announced this week that it is moving production of Craftsman wrenches, ratchets, s...

blog article

May 17, 2019

When you walk into a room filled with manufacturers, one thing stands out: they really love what they do. You can feel the passion in the air. This was true while walking through the Plex Experience Lab & Solutions Expo, as you listen to conversations between sessions, and at networking events d...

blog article

May 17, 2019

3D printing is definitely not magic, although it may seem to be so at times. The truth is that the machines we so fondly cover make only what they are told to make. This is done by preparing a 3D model for printing. 3D models are in fact the most important part of the sequence, because that is where...

blog article

May 17, 2019

Industrial 3D printing continues to march toward serial production. EOS is among the companies invested in leading that charge and is consistent in their messaging: additive manufacturing is ready for production. For EOS, developing the industry is a critical consideration as emerging technologies g...

blog article

May 16, 2019

Swiss engineering company Scheurer Swiss GmbH Volketswil, Switzerland recently combined 3D printing and years of experience using carbon fiber-reinforced composites for motorsports to develop lighter, stronger bearing cages for the Moonwave catamaran.

blog article

May 16, 2019

This is extremely helpful in responding to client inquiries. If a company writes us about what sort of contract they need for manufacturing their products in Vietnam, I send them Overseas Manufacturing Contracts OEM, CM and ODM and then give them a flat fee quote for us to draft just such a manufact...

blog article

May 14, 2019

Like everything else these days, the manufacturing world is using more technology to stay abreast of new trends and maintain a competitive edge. By 2020, Business Insider estimates that global manufacturers will invest around $70 billion on IoT technologies; this is in comparison to the $29 billion ...

blog article

May 14, 2019

Health Canada has issued official guidance for producers of 3D printed medical implants. When they say Guidance it is just that; it is not the law, but is a statement of expectations of the government in the area proscribed. Thus anyone attempting to market 3D printed implants of any sort in Canada ...

blog article

May 14, 2019

Sintratec is gearing up for RAPID + TCT next week to showcase the capabilities of SLS 3D printing beyond prototyping. North America’s largest 3D printing trade event is coming up quickly, and this Swiss company is ready for another big showing following a successful premiere of the Sintratec S...

blog article

May 14, 2019

Sintavia opened a 55,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility, featuring 3D printing. The Florida-based company specializes in producing components for the aerospace and defense industries and leverages a number of advanced techniques. Their service has been in operation since 2012, when thei...

blog article

May 14, 2019

Claudia Vecciolini examines the barriers and opportunities for SMEs as they face up to the challenge to become leaders, not laggards in the race towards digitalisation. Announced in 2018, the Made Smarter programme presents a forward-looking vision of British manufacturing in a digital age, proposin...

blog article

May 12, 2019

To share its expertise in medical device manufacturing, global engineering technologies company Renishaw is returning to RAPID + TCT, the additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing event in the United States. From the 21st to the 23rd of May 2019, Renishaw can be found on Booth 827 at the Cobo Cent...

blog article

May 12, 2019

Travelers are always looking for new ways to get the most out of their travels. While the points and miles game can get you to your destination, what do you do when you get there? How do you get the most out of your time there and see beyond the hotel?I Have been traveling the world regularly since ...

blog article

May 10, 2019

After initial commercialisation in the 1990s, 3D printing metals has witnessed a flurry of interest in recent years. Key players have been quick to capitalise on this demand, enjoying exponential revenue growth since 2013 as a result. The influx of new powder bed fusion equipment vendors since 2015 ...

blog article

May 10, 2019

In October of 2017, the final car rolled out of a local Australian production facility: a Holden VF Commodore. Ford closed up shop a couple of years prior with Toyota not far behind. Today, the country is without an auto industry. However, the center-left Labor Party has pledged to hit reset on the ...

blog article

May 09, 2019

3D printing of continuous fiber-reinforced composites continues to expand and advance. Many new companies and developments have emerged since Markforged announced the Mark One continuous fiber 3D printer in 2014. CEAD Delft, Netherlands was introduced in Karen Mason’s March 2019 feature, Movin...

blog article

May 09, 2019

In coming months, we will be bringing you extracts from The Manufacturer's Annual Manufacturing Report 2019. This month, we focus on the Smart Factories section sponsored by PwC which tested attitudes and barriers to the adoption of digital manufacturing technologies.

blog article

May 08, 2019

The technology that is powering the fourth industrial revolution is now widely available and the value is clear-sensor and automation technologies are bringing new opportunities to update brownfield manufacturing sites across sectors and geographies around the world.

blog article

May 08, 2019

High-profile scandals aren’t typically good for the technology sector. Whether it’s diesel emissions, large data breaches, or cyber-attacks on mission-critical infrastructure, scandals can cripple a technology before it’s gotten even off the ground. Despite what recent headlines ma...

blog article

May 07, 2019

When operations are overhauled at a factory or warehouse, or a company starts to deploy new types of technology or equipment, jobs are almost always lost. The goal itself may be to reduce workforce costs-or it may be to improve quality, speed or to align with other companies in the supply chain. If ...

blog article

May 07, 2019

Together with its supplier Ampacet, a provider of masterbatch, Henkel is developing a solution for black plastic packaging that is fully recyclable. The new packaging material uses an alternative carbon-free black colour, enabling used bottles to be integrated back into the value chain.

blog article

May 06, 2019

The Pro L and XL 3D printers have been developed with greatly increased build volumes over previous FELIX AM platforms. The Pro L can build parts up to 300 x 400 x 400mm, while the Pro XL has a build chamber of 600 x 400 x 600mm. To ensure the quality and reliability upon which FELIXprinters has bui...

blog article

May 06, 2019

GE has developed a fascinating 3D printed part design that’s partly inspired by biology. The new part is a heat exchanger that is eventually intended to be used in gas turbine electrical generation systems. The idea is to capture the otherwise-lost heat created by the primary turbine, and then...

blog article

May 02, 2019

In Brevard, the largest contributor to our local economy is manufacturing. Today’s world of modern manufacturing is high tech, automated, within clean environments, with a combination of talented individuals with varying skills and professions. However, nationally 84 percent of manufacturers r...

blog article

May 01, 2019

Praise and recognition are essential to a healthy workplace, but awards and ceremonies take those achievements to the next level. Awards help promote your brand, showcase your team's work to company leaders, and look great on your resume. For manufacturers, industry awards are a valuable way to ...

blog article

Apr 30, 2019

There’s no shortage of manufacturing problems in our modern society, from supply shortages to distribution problems and an ever-fluctuating economy. With all of these problems, it can seem like a miracle that we’re ever able to get things done in a landscape in which everything is agains...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

The world of technology has reached a stage where concepts like IoT, ERP, artificial intelligence and more have gained importance. One of the most talked about advancement in the world of IT recently has to be ERP. Enterprise resource planning has definitely  increased efficiency and simplified...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

The Tire industry has always been at the forefront of technological innovations, often leading the way, for the rest of the pack. With the emergence of innovative technologies, ultra-modern production facilities and the rising global demand, the sector is poised to grow further. According to Global ...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

One of the best ways for you to reach out to your customers and provide them with information about your business or manufacturing processes is through valuable marketing content. A blog will not only allow you to provide customers with information, but it will also give you a chance to incorporate ...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

A great blog can serve as the foundation of your industrial content marketing strategy and fuel lead generation. If you don’t have a blog, or if the one you have isn’t up to snuff, it may be helpful to go back to the basics and make sure your blog is set up for success. Before you start ...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

Manufacturers today are seeking efficiencies in production, and the ability to deliver a broader mix of customized products to their customers. They know that staying competitive will require operational processes and production lines to be integrated and adaptable in order to enable fast configurat...

blog article

Apr 23, 2019

For many years, 3D Printing was an abstract concept. The technology could be used to advance innovation, streamline design cycles, and power manufacturing, but there was little or no proof. Industries started to explore how to align additive manufacturing across business, but there were few use-case...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

Dr. Russell Portenoy, a professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an early physician ally of Purdue Pharma LP. whose views helped drive the push for addictive pain relievers for common aches and pains in the United States, has agreed to act as a witness and testify against the OxyCont...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

You know you want more new customers, and you know your website is key to getting them to your company, so how can you connect the dots? When you do a Google search, you’re likely to click on a link from one of the first five results. Have you ever given any thought to exactly how one of those...

blog article

Apr 18, 2019

Are you thinking about 3D printing in titanium? Then this blog post is for you.  We wanted to make sure that you have all the information you need to produce high-quality titanium 3D prints. So let’s get started and learn the basics of DMLS 3D printing in titanium. Models made in titanium...

blog article

Apr 17, 2019

American manufacturing stands at a critical point in its long history - and how industry leaders view and react to the changing landscape will influence its future. As technology, demographics, and economic climate shift, manufacturers must innovate in order to stay competitive.

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

The most effective content marketing strategies incorporate various types of content, allowing companies to reach users at different stages throughout the buying journey. Offering informative blogs, white papers, eBooks, infographics, case studies, calculators, checklists, and other forms of content...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

Polyamide (SLS) is the all-rounder when it comes to 3D printing materials. It can be used for hand-painted sculptures, tech gadget prototypes, stunning fashion and jewelry design, or even pieces of art. Since this nylon plastic comes in 26 different finishes and can be used so universally, we though...

blog article

Apr 05, 2019

Maturing technologies, human experiences and climate change are crucial to future proofing your manufacturing business. Prasad Satyavolu, chief digital officer, manufacturing & logistics at Cognizant, explains why. Due to a combination of economic instability and rapid evolution in consumer dema...

blog article

Apr 04, 2019

After working on and around slopes for over 28 years, and hearing beyond-countable complaints about painful, but competition-worthy ski boots, Reto Rindlisbacher’s dream was to create the unthinkable for winter sports enthusiasts. He wanted to create footwear that is both powerful and comforta...

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

If the two new colors that were recently launched to spice up your 3D prints in alumide weren’t enough to fuel your imagination, discover 5 outstanding alumide 3D prints in this blog post. Alumide is perhaps the most underrated 3D printing material. Often mistaken for aluminum or seen as the l...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

Using a 3D scanner can be a good solution to start your 3D printing process. Indeed, to 3D print, it is necessary to get a 3D file! Several possibilities are available: you can design your own 3D design using a 3D modeling software, or get one from the internet. But you can also start by 3D scanning...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

Are you starting a new 3D printing project and you’re unsure about the technology you should use? Or maybe you’re new to Additive Manufacturing? Let us introduce you to one of the most effective and highly precise 3D printing technologies: CLIP by Carbon. Did you know that industry giant...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

3D printing has a lot of benefits to offer to the dental industry. From dental implants to aligners and 3D printed braces, the use of additive manufacturing is really promising in this sector. It could offer new possibilities on different levels, and that is precisely what Texas inmates are about to...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

And if you’ve really been keeping up with our free resources, you would have learned from The Ultimate Guide to Marketing for Manufacturers that the work doesn’t stop after you’ve created content. The marketing magic continues when you promote your content to drive more buyers to y...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

Low-temperature reactions are widely used in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Temperatures of approximately -80°C are sufficiently cold for most cGMP requirements, but as Chris Johnson, managing director of miniature bearing supplier SMB Bearings explains, these extreme temperatures create design c...

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

We know it! The 3D modeling world is actually offering a lot of possibilities and it might sometimes be complicated to see what are the best tools to use for your project. Choosing the perfect 3D modeling software is one of the most important parts of your project while getting started with 3D work....

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

We’ve reported before on 3D printing technology being used to make parts for satellites and other spacecraft, and this trend looks set to continue in the future, with Thales Alenia Space being one of the major companies leading the way. The company, which is a joint venture between Thales and ...

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

NASA researchers with the Glenn Research Center and Marshall Space Flight Center teamed up to develop GRCop-42, a copper-based high strength alloy with high conductivity. Using powder bed fusion 3D printing, NASA researchers successfully 3D printed near-fully-dense GRCop-42 components that are resis...

blog article

Mar 21, 2019

Japanese company Open Meals is fusing science and sushi to create nutrient-rich foods that is tailored to each diner. By using biological samples including saliva, urine, and stool, Open Meals will create a 3D printed sushi based on individual requirements.

blog article

Mar 21, 2019

Former Vice President Al Gore told an audience attending a conference sponsored by 3D printer manufacturer Desktop Metal that it takes longer than expected for new ways to take hold. Quoting an economist, he said, Things take longer to happen than you think. Then they happen much faster than you tho...

blog article

Mar 21, 2019

Armed with the knowledge of 3D modeling and 3D printing, a background in architecture, and the will to liberate his creative mind, Korean designer Se Yoon Park has created a stunning art installation made up of 3D-printed trees. His work imitates the organic structure of trees and consists of many s...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

We are now able to 3D print a lot of different materials, and researchers continue to be interested in the development of new 3D printing materials. Today, let’s talk about this new project of 3D printed wood, developed by researchers from Columbia University! They managed to 3D print digital ...

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Mar 19, 2019

There are hundreds of answers on every forum when someone asks: Which 3D software should I choose? People always list 3D programmes they use, but it’s not that easy to pick the best software for your projects. First of all, you need to know that 3D software divides into two categories: CAD and...

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Mar 15, 2019

We talked about Additive Manufacturing being used in the fashion industry numerous times. From 3D printed shoes, fabrics and jewelry to software specialized in creating new, innovative solutions for the ultimate wearing comfort. In this blog post, we will go a step further into the future and discus...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

Marketing isn't a new practice actually it has been around for centuries but for some companies in the industrial space, there is still an opportunity to completely embrace its effectiveness. For industry, marketing isn't just about flashy imagery and cute one-liners, it's a crucial part...

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Mar 14, 2019

Austrian designer Julia Koerner had a rather delicious surprise last month: Head Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter, with whom Julia collaborated closely, won the Academy Award for her work on Black Panther. The cherry on top: Ruth wore a custom 3D printed piece created by Julia for the Oscar festiviti...

blog article

Mar 14, 2019

A major element of defining your part is to consider which type of plastic you’ll want to use. A variety of plastic materials are available. In raw form, they’re called resins. Resins can be combined with other resins or with filler materials to give plastics special properties. All of t...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

At one time, lasers were nothing more than science fiction dreams. In the last 60 years, we’ve transitioned from imaginary cosmic ray guns to harnessing the power of light strategically. Today, lasers are everywhere, in subtle surgical equipment, optical media readers, and in the brute-force s...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

3D printing resolution is very important to check before you upload your 3D model for 3D printing. When it comes to Additive Manufacturing, the resolution depends on the layer thickness. However, this is not the only factor you have to keep in mind while designing your parts. Despite that, the layer...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

Have you ever heard about hybrid manufacturing technologies? We hear more and more about this new process, often seen as a little revolution. This process is using both subtractive and additive manufacturing. But why is this manufacturing process so interesting? That is what we are going to figure o...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

What would you print in Bordeaux? What about Petrol Blue? Well now you can get prints in these two colors for 3D printing in Alumide thanks to yours truly. Overnight, we went from offering six colors to eight, with Bordeaux and Petrol Blue joining our original dream team of Natural, Asphalt Black, B...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

Walk across the spotlessly clean and well-lit floors of Pratt & Whitney’s 1 million-square-foot manufacturing plant in North Berwick, Maine, and you’ll pass by dozens of closed-door CNC machines, each the size of a large refrigerator. The machines quietly whir and hum as they turn, m...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

Boeing plans to increase production of the 787 to a rate of 14 per month in 2019. The company delivered 145 aircraft in 2018, up from 136 in 2017, and looks to be on track to make its goal for the new year. The move is not without risk. Production of the competing Airbus A350 is ramping up, and the ...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

Three years ago Acura turned many heads with the Precision concept. Said to be the future of Acura design language, the latest RDX crossover is the most full-bodied expression of the Precision Crafted Performance design language. The rest of the range has only gone as far as the Diamond Pentagon gri...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

McLaren designed the Senna to be a track car that was just barely legal enough to drive on public streets. Hinderances such as safety restrictions keep it from being the full-out ballistic projectile it was born to be. So McLaren asked the question, "What if we took the Senna out of that box?&q...

blog article

Mar 07, 2019

Additive Manufacturing is the perfect solution for low-volume production. It doesn’t require expensive molds and gives you new design freedom to improve your products. It can produce highly complex, accurate and fully functional parts in a short amount of time. But what if the manufacturing pr...

blog article

Mar 06, 2019

So you’ve realized that your old traditional and digital marketing business tactics just weren’t working, and you’ve taken steps to get your inbound marketing program off the ground. Great! To refresh, inbound marketing focuses on creating educational content that pulls people towa...