#3DExpress: Prusa Research Will Manufacture 3D Printers and Filaments in the USA
It is time once again for #3DExpress, where we tell you all about some of the most interesting tidbits of news from the week. To start with, Prusa Research will be setting up in Delaware and will thus be also selling its 3D printers and filaments directly from the USA. Great news for the American maker community! Next, Renishaw has joined the American Additive Manufacturing Coalition in an effort to help educate US policymakers on the benefits and use of AM in the country. In more American news, Nikon has announced Nikon AM Synergy which will be based in Long Beach, California and help scale up adoption of metal AM. Moving away from the States, BLT, which has had a very successful year in 2024, has announced its new Titanium powder for metal 3D printing and a hospital in Bolivia is adopting AM for traumatology. Happy reading and be sure to let us know which you found the most interesting!
Prusa Research Sets Up in the USA
The Czech 3D printing specialist Prusa 3D is taking a big step overseas and expanding into the USA. From now on, assembly, production and repair will take place in both Delaware and Prague. Prusa currently employs around 30 people in the USA and the number of jobs is set to increase slowly but surely in the coming months. The Czech 3D printer manufacturer is planning to establish a long-term presence in the USA and become the leading US manufacturer of printers and filaments within the next twelve months. The American maker community should be pleased about Prusa’s internationalization, as this means that shorter delivery times for Prusa hardware, some of the most popular in this space, can be expected in the future.
Photo Credits: Prusa
Renishaw Joins US-Based Additive Manufacturing Coalition
Renishaw has announced that it will be joining the Additive Manufacturing Coalition, an American group that is working to advance public policy choices that encourage the use of AM in the United States. It has already been clear since Biden’s AM Forward Initiative that 3D printing is on the radar for US politicians, but education still lacks. This is the reasoning behind Renishaw’s decision to join as they hope to educate decision makers, stakeholders and the public about the importance of AM in national security, health, information security, manufacturing and more. “As the use of AM expands further and into new markets, the AM Coalition helps stand as a voice in support of all that AM has to offer,” explains John Laureto, AM Business Manager Americas, at Renishaw Inc. “As a member, we will help drive AM use to improve economic prosperity and national security.”
A part made with Renishaw’s metal AM technology (photo credits: Renishaw)
A New Titanium Powder for 3D Printing
China’s Bright Laser Technologies (BLT), has recently introduced an innovative metal material for LPBF and DED additive manufacturing. Called BLT-Ti65, it is a high-temperature multi-element titanium alloy. It features excellent ductility, creep and corrosion resistance, and thermal stability that makes it capable of withstanding temperatures up to 650°C, even surpassing conventional titanium alloys. This launch by BLT has been carried out with the aim of responding to the growing demand for lighter and more resistant materials at high temperatures. This is a growing concern in industries such as aerospace, where low-density, high-strength titanium alloys are required to meet performance requirements.
Photo Credits: Bright Laser Technologies
Nikon Introduces Nikon AM Synergy
Nikon Corporation has announced a strategic reorganization of the Morf3D service bureau, acquired by the company in July 2023, which will now be named Nikon AM Synergy. The purpose is to effect a complete transformation of the company’s operations, which will operate at Nikon’s advanced manufacturing facility in Long Beach, Calif. Nikon AM Synergy will be dedicated to accelerating the adoption and scalability of additive manufacturing of metals for cutting-edge applications, with a focus on the aerospace and defense sectors. This will be achieved through the integration of Nikon SLM Solutions’ L-PBF technology and Nikon’s internally developed DED solutions. This reorganization marks a major milestone in Nikon’s journey under the Nikon Vision 2030 plan. The company aims to facilitate the adoption and scalability of advanced manufacturing solutions, positioning Nikon as a leader in on-shore industrial manufacturing.
Photo Credits: Nikon SLM Solutions
3D Printing in the Field of Traumatology
The La Portada Municipal Hospital in Bolivia has inaugurated a new 3D printing service for the areas of traumatology and ultrasound. This advance will allow the additive manufacturing of organs and bones of patients for a more detailed analysis and planning before any surgical intervention. In this way, the new service will be essential to observe and touch, for example, a fractured bone, and to better plan medical procedures, in addition to facilitating the choice of implant. According to the mayor of La Paz, Iván Arias, one of the main benefits of 3D printing is to provide a more accurate diagnosis. “The advantage of the combination of X-ray, tomography and 3D, is that you can already palpate. For the patient it’s great. If I touch and you show me, I understand the severity of my situation. It is a great help for empathy between the patient and the physician,” he said.
Photo Credits: Hospital Municipal La Portada
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