Current 3D/AM news

Strengthening AM with new PK 5000 engineered material and digital manufacturing expansions

Jabil launched PK 5000, an eco-friendly, powder-based additive material engineered to improve strength, chemical resistance, and resilience in comparison to general-purpose nylon materials, such as PA 12. This patent-pending material is formulated to support highly demanding medical and industrial manufacturing applications.

PK 5000 features unique chemical and mechanical properties, such as high-impact strength, high-abrasion resistance, and improved elongation compared to other nylon materials to withstand functional testing and use. It also has high-barrier properties and low-moisture absorption, ensuring quality and resilience of products exposed to fuel and water. Moreover, the polyketone resin used to make PK 5000 is an eco-friendly, low-carbon material made from carbon monoxide. The ability to leverage carbon monoxide, a leading cause of atmospheric pollution, may reduce overall carbon footprint.

Accelerating global adoption of AM

MakerBot and Ultimaker announced a business combination agreement to accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing (AM) by providing a comprehensive desktop 3D printing ecosystem of hardware, software, and materials.

The new entity will offer easy-to-use and accessible desktop 3D printing solutions for any application while inspiring the industry to a future state of responsible and sustainable manufacturing.

Executive director appointed

The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA), a global trade organization created to promote environmental benefits of additive manufacturing (AM), named Sherri Monroe executive director. Monroe’s non-profit work includes being the regional chief development officer and executive director of the American Red Cross, as well as the program marketing and community engagement manager of the American Cancer Society. Monroe also worked in the for-profit innovation space, most recently in support of Siemens Energy in Orlando, Florida.

GrabCad Print software for Origin One

An application of the GrabCAD Additive Manufacturing (AM) Platform, GrabCAD Print provides Origin One and Origin One Dental 3D printer users with an integrated, all-in-one software solution for streamlining 3D printing workflow for print-build file preparation and post print analysis.

The integration with GrabCAD Print is the first step in integrating Origin One into the full platform. The GrabCAD AM platform enables two-way connectivity between 3D printers, AM, and enterprise applications, and broader Industry 4.0 infrastructure. This ecosystem approach lets manufacturers manage production-scale AM operations from design through production. GrabCAD Print for Origin One provides an alternative to third party pre-print software solutions, providing users with a consistent user experience and connectivity.

It provides improved print preparation, an improved automatic support generation tool with lower support material consumption and new functionality including labeling, native CAD file support, printer status monitoring, and printer scheduler.