Change Is Additive—Week of 8/26/16
CHANGE IS ADDITIVE—A 3D Printing News Series by Fathom
Multi-Axis 3D Printing, 3D Printed Soft Robots with Microfluidic Actuators, Biodegradable Batteries, 3D Printing Glass
With so many weekly developments in a fast-changing industry like additive manufacturing, the headlines can really stack up. To cut through the clutter of 3D printing news, check out these staff picks of the week. What do you think is the most impactful development?
Stratasys Rolls Out New Many-Axis Concepts Alongside Partnerships with Boeing and Ford
With multiple 3D printing innovation announcements, including the Infinite-Build 3D Demonstrator and the Robotic Composite 3D Demonstrator, Stratasys is focusing on expanding serious digital fabrication. The Infinite-Build model shifts attention to the vertical plane, while the Robotic Composite model integrates Siemens’ motion controls and PLM software into its 3D printing platform, allowing 3D printing to take place from all angles. As evidenced by partnerships with Boeing and Ford, these technologies are intended largely for aerospace and automotive manufacturing / / Read More / / Watch Video
Harvard Researchers Develop First Fully Autonomous Soft-Bodied Robot
Researchers from Harvard have introduced the world’s first autonomous robot that is entirely soft – even the “circuitry. The octobot is powered not by batteries or electronics, but by simple hydrogen peroxide that, when it decomposes to gas, flows into the octobot’s limbs and inflates them, causing them to lift and flex. The chemical reaction is controlled by a microfluidic logic circuit developed by chemist George M. Whitesides, a co-author on the study / / Read More / / Watch Video
LLNL Team Creates Shape-Shifting 3D Printed Structures from Conductive Smart Materials
A team of researchers from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have made a significant advancement in the field of 4D printing recently, having demonstrated their ability to create additively manufactured structures that can change shape, fold and unfold when they are heated or exposed to electricity. The LLNL team is the first to combine 3D printing and subsequent folding (through origami methods) with conductive smart materials to make complex structures / / Read More / / Watch Video
Nano Dimension Supplies First DragonFly 2020 PCB 3D Printer
Nano Dimension, a developer of 3D printed electronics systems and advanced additive manufacturing tech, has shipped the first ever DragonFly 2020 PCB 3D printer to a leading Israeli defense company / / Read More
Biodegradable Batteries in 3D Printed Casing Create Potential for Ingestible Medical Treatments
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University are developing innovative biocompatible batteries, which could open up the doors for future ingestible medical devices and treatments. The biocompatible, non-toxic and edible batteries are made from naturally occurring melanin pigments and are housed in 3D printed capsules // Read More
Patent-Pending Glass 3D Printing Solution Making Printed Glass Walls and Buildings a Reality
With an eye on the construction industry, Russian researchers are working on a 3D printing setup that can build durable walls and structures from glass, using a compact glass melting furnace as an extrusion unit. Due to the properties and adaptability of 3D printed glass, the researchers hope to make the technology viable for construction in the near future / / Read More
3D Print Tactile Learning and Measuring Tools for the Visually Impaired
In partnership with the Missouri School for the Blind, the D’Arcy Lab in the Chemistry Department at Washington University in St. Louis created tensile measuring and learning tools for visually impaired students / / Read More // Download
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Imagery and News Sources: 3Ders.org, 3Dprint.com, 3D Printingindustry.com, IMTS, Stratasys, WashU, MSB, Nano Dimension, LLNL, Harvard, MakerLabs
