ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, 3D PRINTING
Oqton | March 14, 2023
On March 13, 2023, Oqton, a provider of software that helps manufacturers boost productivity and creativity through the intelligent automation of production, and Baker Hughes, a leader in energy technology, announced the formation of a commercial software development and technical partnership.
The agreement will combine the engineering and manufacturing know-how of the two companies to create an industrial digital ecosystem that will revolutionize how products are brought to market in highly regulated sectors like the aerospace, energy, and healthcare industries.
The system aims to speed up the design and production of additively built parts throughout the manufacturing workflow. This will increase productivity and make it easier to facilitate compliance.
As part of the development agreement, Baker Hughes is incorporating Oqton's Manufacturing OS into its workflow, including the company's patented additive manufacturing technologies developed for vertical applications over the past decade. As a result, the firms will be able to improve the additive manufacturing platform for the energy industry by combining Oqton's self-sufficient approach to production with Baker
Baker Hughes specializes in developing and implementing manufacturing processes in highly regulated industrial environments. The companies look forward to paving the way for developing additional applications and plug-ins that will be incorporated into the Oqton Manufacturing OS and allow them to expand into new markets with more stringently regulated industries with more demanding end-use applications, such as the aerospace and healthcare sectors.
Dr. Ben Schrauwen, SVP and General Manager of Oqton, stated, "We believe that manufacturing is going through its most significant phase of disruption since the first industrial revolution."
(Source – Globe Newswire)
Jim Sessions, Vice President for Completions, Interventions and Measurements at Baker Hughes, remarked, "As an energy technology company, Baker Hughes is fully committed to the development of the most advanced technologies looking for more efficient, more reliable, and cleaner energy solutions."
(Source – Globe Newswire)
About Oqton
By delivering end-to-end software solutions for additive manufacturing, 3D scanning, and robotic welding, Oqton speeds up intelligent manufacturing, which in turn aids industrial and healthcare enterprises in their pursuit of efficiency and innovation. The company's additive manufacturing platform provides AI-powered features for additive design, image segmentation, build prep, MES, simulation and additive inspection, enabling total traceability and visibility across an organization.
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ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
SLM Solutions | March 15, 2023
IperionX, a leader in sustainable titanium technologies, and SLM Solutions, prominent in metal additive manufacturing (AM) systems, have announced signing a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) on March 14, 2023, to look into the possibility of IperionX supplying SLM with spherical titanium metal powders from its upcoming Titanium Demonstration Facility (TDF) in Virginia.
With more than 850 systems and 1,400 lasers installed worldwide, SLM Solutions is a top provider of metal 3D printing solutions. The company pioneered metal AM using metal powders and invented selective laser melting via the Laser Powder Bed Fusion AM method.
SLM's global clientele may soon have access to the first 100% recycled titanium metal powders as per the MoU with two industry leaders. Titanium has a significant negative influence on the environment, but with IperionX's innovative titanium technology, high-quality titanium powders can be produced using only recycled titanium feedstocks.
Anastasios (Taso) Arima, Co-Founder and CEO at IperionX, remarked, "We are pleased to be partnering with SLM, a global leader in metal 3D printing solutions. This agreement recognizes the value of sustainable, 100% recycled titanium metal powders for leading companies and will be a unique titanium powder offering for SLM's global customers."
(Source – Business Wire)
Sam O'Leary, Chief Executive Officer at SLM Solutions, stated, "The partnership between IperionX and SLM Solutions is a real plus for SLM users and expands their material portfolio with recycled low-cost titanium material. We look forward to offer the only 100% recycled titanium metal powder as part of our extensive materials offering."
(Source – Business Wire)
About SLM Solutions
SLM Solutions is a publicly traded company with its headquarters in Germany and offices in Canada, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States. It offers integrated metal additive manufacturing solutions. With its customers' success at its core, it has been at the forefront of metal additive manufacturing (AM) since its foundation. With up to 12 lasers and build rates of up to 1,000ccm/h, SLM Solutions is home to the fastest metal AM machines in the world. As a result, it leads the industry in terms of return on investment, profitability, and productivity.
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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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