3d printing

Hewlett Packard (HP) has introduced its first 3D printing technology to Australia, serving an orthotics manufacturer in Brisbane. Adopting HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printer, iOrthotics will become one of the first orthotics manufacturers in the world to have completely transitioned from polypropylene milling to 3D-additive manufacturing. “Patients depend upon their orthotics for comfort and … Continue reading QLD orthotics manufacturer adopts new 3D-printing technology →

General Electric (GE) will unveil its new $350,000 3D printing machine at the University of New South Wales’ School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering on Monday. The company’s Concept Laser Mlab Cusing 200R machine will present students and staff at the school a unique opportunity to help further develop the application of additive manufacturing. GE is investing $US10 … Continue reading GE to unveil new 3D printing tech at UNSW →

Swinburne is the first Australian university to install a new type of 3D printing technology with the installation of the HP Jet Fusion 3D Printing Solution – the world’s first production-ready commercial 3D printing system. Swinburne is also reportedly the first university in Australia or New Zealand, according to their media release, to install the … Continue reading Swinburne installs new HP 3D printing system →

A partnership between CSIRO and Australian medical device company Anatomics has led to the first successful implantation of a 3D printed titanium and polymer sternal and rib cage in a US patient.  Ms Penelope Heller, a 20 year old American, who was diagnosed with chondrosarcoma (a rare bone cancer) in 2014, had to have her … Continue reading CSIRO, Anatomics partnership sees US patient receive 3D printed sternal and rib cage →

Last month, Lockheed Martin announced that it is partnering with the University of Sydney and RMIT University on Research and Development (R&D) projects to develop advanced technologies that will have significant implications for both defence and commercial space-based applications. Speaking in Adelaide at the 68th International Astronautical Congress, Rod Drury, managing director – Australia, Lockheed … Continue reading Lockheed Martin partners with two Australian universities for advanced manufacturing R&D →

Last week, Australia’s manufacturing sector received a boost with the formal launch of the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC).  The IMCRC collaborates with manufacturing businesses, research organisations, industry associations and government, investing significantly in partnerships that support innovation to ensure Australian industry can meet the challenges and opportunities of the global economy. The Minister … Continue reading IMCRC launch to boost Australian manufacturing →

A world-first commercial 3D printer that has the potential to revolutionise manufacturing technology will be based at Charles Darwin University (CDU).  Michael Gunner, Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, said the printer – which the NT Government was investing in – would form the centrepiece of a new industrial research hub to be based at … Continue reading World-first 3D printer to ‘revolutionise’ advanced manufacturing in Australia →

A BIS Research report forecasts the global 3D printing plastic and photopolymer material market is estimated to reach $1.86 billion (A$2.37 billion) by 2023 at a CAGR of 21.5 per cent from 2017 to 2023. The report says that it is because of the reliable properties of plastic and photopolymer, their cost effectiveness as compared … Continue reading Global 3D printing plastic and photopolymer market to reach A$2.37 billion by 2023 →

Victorian Manufacturing Awards 2017 was presented in the Crown Palladium and rewarded the best Manufacturers in small, medium and large businesses. The theme for the event was centred around Australia’s drive towards growing advanced manufacturing – a concept that is gaining traction among many Australian manufacturers, especially the SMEs. The opening keynote address by Jake … Continue reading Advanced manufacturing to be a focus: Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards 2017 →

Cities built on coal and steel can act as the bedrock for mobilising advanced manufacturing across Australia, according to an industry champion. Leanne Connelly, co-founder of the manufacturer Me3D, is based in Wollongong, where her company makes student-friendly 3D printers which schoolchildren as young as seven are now learning to operate. She also notes Newcastle, … Continue reading The Wollongong legacy: How 3D printing can support traditional manufacturing →

Desktop Metal has launched two 3D printing systems to cover the full product lifecycle – from prototyping to mass production – which the company believes will mark a fundamental shift in how products will be developed and brought to market. The DM Studio and DM Production systems are said to reduce costs and significantly increase … Continue reading New 3D printing system to revolutionise metal manufacturing →

UTS engineers have developed a new rapid prototyping unit which is helping industry, government and not-for-profit partners translate their innovative ideas and complex problems into viable products and solutions. Dubbed Rapido, the unit is said to have abilities ranging from taking the hassle out of pool maintenance to automating a speedy 3D printer for the … Continue reading UTS develops technology to transform metal manufacturing →

Researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have developed an inexpensive method for 3D printing bacteria into shapes and patterns, which could lead to revolutionary new materials. According to the researchers, the method could see applications ranging from mother-of-pearl fake teeth to powerful new microlenses that increase the effectiveness of solar panels and … Continue reading 3D printing bacteria promises new materials for manufacturing →

Over the past few decades, the manufacturing industry has undergone numerous major upheavals. Right now, we are witnessing the dawning of the next era with Industry 4.0, boosted in Asia by China’s recently announced China 2020 vision, in which they outlined plans to adopt new technologies and industries, marking a shift away from traditional manufacturing, … Continue reading The dawn of the new industrial era with the smart factory →

According to research by Curtin University, corrosion may be costing the Australian economy more than $30 billion each year. Within industrial environments, exposure to things like water, acid or salt causes corrosion of geared motors. This, in turn, reduces the strength of the corroded parts and inevitably means they have to be replaced. In corrosive … Continue reading Corrosion is eating away at Australian industry →

It may sound like science fiction, but wastewater treatment plants may one day turn ordinary sewage into biocrude oil, thanks to new research at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The technology, hydrothermal liquefaction, mimics the geological conditions the Earth uses to create crude oil, using high pressure and temperature to achieve in minutes … Continue reading Making fuel out of sewage →

Metal additive manufacturing is on the march, but despite growing interest, technologies remain slow, expensive, and limited in what they can produce. Brent Balinski spoke to Carnegie Mellon University Professor Jack Beuth about what’s being done to change this, and what to expect from 2017.

Divergent 3D – an automotive company including microfactories and 3D printed structural joints in its manufacturing methods, and which has partnered with Peugeot – has announced plans to deliver cars at “volume” in the coming years.

The new GEMÜ 4242 combi switchbox is suitable for secure and fast applications in most food and other types of process plants. It is small, compact and light, and is ideal for pneumatically operated linear actuators. With its integrated 3/2-way pilot valve made of anodized aluminium or stainless steel, the new combi switchbox 4242 from … Continue reading New switchbox for food processing plants →

Modern automated industrial processes rely heavily on the precise control of process conditions, making it critical to detect emerging deviations. A King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)-led research team has now developed a highly sensitive incipient anomaly detection method with the potential to dramatically improve industrial productivity, quality and safety. From oil and … Continue reading New method for early detection of industrial process problems →