3D Printing

Sliced 3D Printing Digest: 3D4MD, Siemens PLM, University of Texas, Rocket Labs

Slicing the news this week, we feature: Verashape, Siemens PLM, University of Texas, Yael Kanarek, 3D4MD, Venemous Mammals, Rocket Labs, and RadTech.

Verashape

Polish 3D printer manufacturer Verashape has announced they are using Siemens PLM software to prepare models for 3D printing. Verashape will use Siemens PLM’s Parasolid Communicator software to better prepare their machines for 3D printing. The company joins a growing list of 3D printing companies incorporating Siemens PLM software, others includeMaterialiseandGerman additive manufacturing company Trumpf

Verashape's VSHAPER printer. Image via Verashape.
Verashape’s VSHAPER printer. Image via Verashape.

Yael Kanarek at University of Texas

Israeli-American artist Yael Kanarek guest lectured at the University of Texas last week. The artist is known for her work with 3D printing, as well as graphic design and jewelry.

Speaking about her visit, she said,

Students seem genuinely interested in the possibilities of creating work with 3D printing. It seemed like a good opportunity to dedicate time to experiment with larger jewelry forms

Elsewhere at the University of Texas recently,researchers looked into the splat morphology of 3D printing metal

3D printing medical supplies in space

Social enterprise, 3D4MD, has 3D printed the first medical supplies in space. The fabricated object was a mallet finger splint. Mallet finger is a common injury which if left untreated can cause permanent deformities. 3D4MD are currently developing the use of cellphone scanning in order to help facilitate the creation of these custom splints for those in need.

Additive manufacturing has a strong future in space andwe delved into this recently with an interview with Made in Space。在空间的创造者是第一个格拉夫ity-defying 3D printer in space.

The 3D printed mallet finger splint. Photo via NASA.
The 3D printed mallet finger splint. Photo via NASA.

Rocket Labs

In other space-related news, Rocket Lab are calling for restrictions over people recording or taking photos of space craft crashes.Reporting by Rachel Clayton in the Dominion Post describes how Rocket Lab chief executive Peter Beck told a select committee hearing last week that a ban on recording a rocket crash protects his company’s intellectual property rights.

Interestingly the US company are pursuing the matter in New Zealand courts the US company will the stated aim of preventing their competitors from getting a glimpse of the technology. Rocket Labs believe that a law should be passed in order to stop the public from capturing footage of their rockets. Naturally this has caused outrage among New Zealanders with some stating that such a procedure would never have been proposed in the USA.

We’ve reported for a while onRocket Labs and their 3D printed voyage to space, however this latest development brings us a 3D Printing Industry much less joy.

UV+EB Technival Conference Papers

已经宣布that papers from RadTech UV+EB Technical Conference Papers and Proceedings are now available to access at no charge on theRadTech website。According to RadTech,

These papers offer a wealth of knowledge to enable future advancements in UV+EB curing technology.

Their next even is the uv.eb WEST 2017 Materials + Manufacturing Summit, Conference and Exhibition which will be held in San Francisco at the end of February.

Venomous mammals

It was revealed this week that contrary to popular belief, mammals were the first animals to produce venom and not reptiles. Using CT scanning and 3D imagery, the team at University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa were able to create an impression of the mammal. In collaboration with the Natural History Museum in London the researchers scanned the fossilized skulls in order to understand the animal and gain this insight.

The British Museum recentlyused 3D scanning to recreate the Jericho Skull

An impression of the Euchambersia venomous mammal. Image via Wits University.
An impression of the Euchambersia venomous mammal. Image via Wits University.

There is still time to make your nominations for the 1st Annual 3D Printing Industry Awards. However, be quick because nominations end today!

Featured image shows sliced logo over photo of finger splint via NASA.