MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
Globenewswire | March 24, 2023
3D Systems today announced its collaboration with TE Connectivity, a world leader in connectors and sensors, to jointly develop an additive manufacturing solution to produce electrical connectors meeting stringent UL regulatory requirements. The solution comprising 3D Systems’ Figure 4® Modular, Figure 4 material, 3D Sprint® software, and services was designed to meet TE Connectivity’s unique requirements for material performance and high tolerance, reliable printing. The foundation of the solution is a newly developed photopolymer 3D Systems engineered specifically to meet TE Connectivity’s requirements. In addition to a world-class flammability rating at 0.4mm thickness, it is the first known printable photopolymer to complete a UL®1-recognized long-term thermal aging (RTI) study. This material combined with an optimized print process enables the necessary reliability and accuracy required for TE Connectivity’s products. Using 3D Systems’ Figure 4 technology, the combination of new material properties, speed, and accuracy allows the production of rugged industrial products for the first time, targeted at appliances, cellular and data-center applications. Additive manufacturing provides TE Connectivity freedom of design to create complex geometries that would be difficult to create using injection molding. It increases flexibility for low volume, quick turn production runs, and tooling avoidance, allowing TE to quickly demonstrate its capabilities and its customers to more efficiently meet demand.
3D Systems’ Application Innovation Group (AIG) collaborated with TE Connectivity’s team to develop a full production workflow from design to a finished connector. The program included the development and UL certification of a new Figure 4 material. UL regulatory approval has been obtained, including UL94 V0 flame rating at 0.4mm, Glow Wire Ignition (GWI) of 800°C, Comparative Tracking Index (CTI) of 600V (equivalent to a PLC of 0), and Relative Temperature Index (RTI) for long-term electrical and mechanical use of 150C and 130C, respectively.
“As 3D printing technology evolves, we’re seeing more opportunities for using it to manufacture products for customers who need a low volume of parts in a short timeframe,” said Philip Gilchrist, VP and segment chief technology officer for Communications Solutions at TE Connectivity. “Our work with 3D Systems enables us to provide our customers with functional parts in just weeks instead of months.”
“Customer-centric innovation is at the core of everything we do,” said Reji Puthenveetil, executive vice president, industrial solutions, 3D Systems. “The collaboration with TE Connectivity provided the understanding and requirements of the unique application being addressed and enabled the development of the solution. Our materials scientists and print process experts worked very closely with the TE team to formulate a material that, when used in conjunction with our Figure 4 technology, delivered on the high quality, high-reliability standards their customers have come to expect. This is yet another example of how 3D Systems is partnering with industry leaders to accelerate innovation and build competitive advantage through additive manufacturing solutions.”
About 3D Systems
More than 35 years ago, 3D Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing industry. Today, as the leading additive manufacturing solutions partner, we bring innovation, performance, and reliability to every interaction - empowering our customers to create products and business models never before possible. Thanks to our unique offering of hardware, software, materials, and services, each application-specific solution is powered by the expertise of our application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform how they deliver their products and services. 3D Systems’ solutions address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and industrial markets such as medical and dental, aerospace & defense, automotive, and durable goods.
About TE Connectivity
TE Connectivity is a global industrial technology leader creating a safer, sustainable, productive and connected future. Our broad range of connectivity and sensor solutions, proven in the harshest environments, enable advancements in transportation, industrial applications, medical technology, energy, data communications and the home. With more than 85,000 employees, including over 8,000 engineers, working alongside customers in approximately 140 countries, TE ensures that EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS.
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ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, 3D PRINTING
Materialise | March 21, 2023
Sigma Additive Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:SASI) ("Sigma," "we," "our," or the "Company"), a leading provider of quality assurance software to the commercial 3D printing industry, today announced that it has expanded its collaboration with Materialise, a global leader in 3D printing software and service solutions, to provide additive manufacturing (AM) users automated quality control by integrating the PrintRite3D® quality assurance solution into the new software solution Materialise Process Control.
Combining multiple complementary data sources and analytic methods allows businesses to make faster, data-driven decisions, improving operational efficiency and driving revenue growth. Materialise Process Control allows manufacturers to analyze and correlate layer data from the 3D printing process. Sigma and Materialise collaborated to integrate PrintRite3D® into Process Control and to make it available in CO-AM, Materialise’s end-to-end software platform for 3D printing. Sigma’s PrintRite3D® suite provides in-process data, including thermal data from the melt pool, yielding layer data that can enable users to find the root cause of defects faster.
According to Sigma Additive Solutions Chief Executive Officer Jacob Brunsberg, “We’re thrilled to build upon Sigma’s existing collaboration with Materialise, bringing a holistic quality offering to the additive industry and displaying it for the first time at AMUG 2023. Incorporating automated holistic quality offerings on the CO-AM platform will place vital data in the hands of owners and operators, allowing them to make informed decisions regarding the reliability and safety of components they produce.”
Bart Van der Schueren, CTO of Materialise, added, “Materialise Process Control uses artificial intelligence to automate quality control, helping our customers save significant time and money. Through collaborations with partners like Sigma Additive Solutions, AM users benefit from a technology-agnostic innovation that offers unparalleled insights into their 3D printing process. With this data, our customers can continuously learn how to improve it.”
Collaborating with Materialise, Sigma is committed to helping businesses succeed by providing innovative technology solutions that improve operational efficiency, drive revenue growth, and enhance customer satisfaction. Sigma Additive Solutions and Materialise are hosting a joint presentation at AMUG 2023, Room 5C, 5th Floor, Hilton Chicago Hotel at 10:30 am CT on March 21st as well as displaying our integration at Materialise’s booth, P21, Salon D at AMUG 2023 from March 19-23.
About Materialise
Materialise incorporates three decades of 3D printing experience into a range of software solutions and 3D printing services, which together form the backbone of the 3D printing industry. Materialise’s open and flexible solutions enable players in a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, art and design, and consumer goods, to build innovative 3D printing applications that aim to make the world a better and healthier place. Headquartered in Belgium, with branches worldwide, Materialise combines the largest group of software developers in the industry with one of the largest 3D printing facilities in the world.
About Sigma Additive Solutions
Sigma Additive Solutions, Inc. is a leading provider of in-process quality assurance (IPQA™) solutions to the additive manufacturing industry. Sigma specializes in the development and commercialization of real-time monitoring and analytics known as PrintRite3D® for 3D metal and polymer advanced manufacturing technologies. PrintRite3D detects and classifies defects and anomalies real-time during the manufacturing process, enabling significant cost-savings and production efficiencies by reducing waste, increasing yield, and shortening cycle times. Sigma believes its software solutions will be a major catalyst for the acceleration and adoption of industrial 3D printing.
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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY, PROCUREMENT & SUPPLY CHAIN
Ivanti | March 16, 2023
Ivanti Wavelink today announced that it is merging Ivanti Wavelink and Zebra Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) in manufacturing and warehouse facilities. Ivanti Wavelink, the supply chain operation unit at Ivanti, and Zebra Technologies Corporation, an inventor at the forefront of its line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, will accelerate the effectiveness of automation. The solution will boost productivity and efficiency while letting workers focus on high-value tasks.
The integration of Ivanti Wavelink's Velocity Voice Direction platform with Zebra's Fetch AMRs will increase automation for businesses that seek to streamline complex material transportation procedures. Zebra AMRs may now be controlled by Velocity apps or voice direction without modifying the host WMS, ERP, or other enterprise systems, making robots easy to integrate into workflows. Robots can reduce manual material handling by 50%, enhancing production, workflow, and safety.
The Velocity platform guides Zebra AMRs through workflows, which adds value to operations for moving and handling goods. Ivanti Neurons for IIoT insights give customers visibility into AMR status, including what task each robot is doing and any delays or disturbances.
James Lawton, General Manager and Vice President of Robotics Automation at Zebra Technologies, remarked, "Our customers recognize that automation is key to the future of their operations and are ready to make investments in strategies and solutions that can get them where they need to be quickly."
He added, "Integrating Ivanti Wavelink's Velocity platform with our Fetch AMRs brings the kind of sophistication customers are looking for – in this case, integrating voice commands with AMRs, so work gets done quickly, correctly and without friction."
(Source –Business Wire)
Brandon Black, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Ivanti, stated, "This partnership is another example of how our 'hands off the host app' approach that is a core tenet of the Ivanti Wavelink's Velocity platform can aid in increasing productivity, accuracy, and safety. Because Velocity interfaces with existing enterprise applications without the need to migrate or modify the host application, there is minimal implementation time."
(Source –Business Wire)
About Ivanti
Ivanti discovers, manages, secures, and services IT assets from cloud to edge. It serves over 40,000 customers, including 96 of Fortune 100. It values all perspectives at Ivanti and works toward a more sustainable future for its partners, customers, staff, and the world. Customers choose Ivanti to discover, manage, secure and service their IT assets from cloud to edge to deliver excellent digital employee experiences and improve the IT and security teams' productivity and efficiency.
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