3D Printing News Briefs: February 16, 2018

Even though it’s Friday, 3D Printing News Briefs is all business today. DEWA is increasing its cooperation with GE, and Nano Dimension has raised $12 million in an underwritten public offering of its American Depositary Shares. Evonik opened a new polyamide powder plant, EOS announced new industrial 3D printing materials, and EnvisionTEC introduced a new post-curing apparatus. In the medical field, 3D bioprinting company Allevi has a new board of directors, while Stratasys is reacting to the FDA’s new guidance on 3D printed medical devices. Finally, the submission deadline is getting closer for the 3D Pioneers Challenge.

DEWA and GE Continue to Collaborate

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), welcomed a delegation from GE at the recent World Government Summit 2018 that included President and CEO of GE Gulf Dr. Dalya Al Muthanna and Azeez Mohammed, the President and CEO of GE’s Power Conversion. The two organizations sat down together in a meeting, which was also attended by Director of the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO) Abdul Rahim Sultan and HE Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

During the meeting, the attendees discussed how to enhance cooperation between DEWA and GE in innovative technologies like artificial intelligence, 3D printing, energy storage, smart grids, and sustainability in order to improve efficiency in production, transmission, and distribution of water and energy. Al Tayer also presented the key programs and projects of DEWA, including its 3D printing, R&D, and drones efforts, along with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

Nano Dimension’s Public Offering of American Depositary Shares

Additive electronics provider Nano Dimension announced that it is proposing an underwritten public offering of 6,000,000 American Depositary Shares (ADSs), at a price of $2 per ADS. The company has granted underwriters a 45-day over-allotment option to purchase up to 900,000 additional ADSs at the public offering price, and all of the ADSs are being offered by Nano Dimension. Some company directors have indicated that they are interested in purchasing, at the public offering price, up to an aggregate amount of about $300,000 of the ADSs in this offering.

Gross proceeds from the offering, except for any exercise of the over-allotment option and any underwriting discounts and commissions, should be about $12 million. Nano Dimension will use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes, such as expanding channel presence and reach, scaling sales and marketing globally, and maybe even extending the product line. Subject to any customary closing conditions, the offering should close on February 21st, 2018.

Evonik Opens New Plant and Production Line for VESTOSINT Brand

(L-R): Dr. Claus Rettig, Board of Management Chairman of Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH; Dr. Ralf Düssel, Head of Evonik’s High Performance Polymers Business Line; Werner Arndt, Mayor of Marl; Dr. Jörg Harren, Site Manager Chemiepark Marl of Evonik Technology & Infrastructure GmbH; Dr. Harald Schwager, Deputy Chairman of the Evonik Industries AG’s Executive Board; Dr. Matthias Kottenhahn, Head of Strategy & Projects of Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH

Global specialty chemicals leader Evonik has opened an additional production line and plant at its global production site in the Marl Chemical Park for specialty polyamide 12 powders (PA 12) of its VESTOSINT brand. The new facility will meet a high demand in the growing markets for 3D printing and metal coatings, and will primarily produce high-performance 3D printing powders.

Evonik’s significant investment volume for the new plant has reached an amount in the mid double-digit million euro range. But for good reason – the new plant will increase the company’s current annual capacities for PA 12 powders by 50%.

Dr. Claus Rettig, the Chairman of the Board of Management of Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH, said, “The new production capacities will enable us to assume an even more prominent role in the global growth of attractive markets such as the coatings industry or 3-D printing. In addition, we are able to develop new customized polymer powders even faster and more flexibly in order to support our customers’ strong growth and thus of our polyamide 12 powder business.”

EOS Adding Three New Polymer Materials

Design-Study EOS

Industrial metal 3D printing leader EOS is expanding its range of materials, and will offer three new high-performance 3D printing polymers for European distribution from the company’s wholly owned subsidiary Advanced Laser Materials (ALM). The special-purpose materials will broaden the company’s range of available applications, specifically in the aerospace industry, and are already being used by several North American companies.

“EOS is broadening its range of available materials, while also opening up new application areas for industrial 3D printing at the same time,” said Dr. Tobias Abeln, CTO at EOS. “ALM materials – like EOS materials – are going through extensive quality testing in order to fulfill high customer requirements, particularly from even highly regulated industries. As of February 2018, ALM received its formal ISO 9001:2015 certification that specifies the requirements for a quality management in organizations.”

The new materials – carbon fiber-reinforced ALM HP 11-30, flame-retardant ALM FR-106, and glass microsphere-filled ALM PA 640-GSL – will be available starting in March.

EnvisionTEC Launches New Post-Curing Apparatus

If you want parts that will eventually be subjected to direct casting to have a thorough cure, using a post-curing apparatus as a final step is a good way to achieve this, along with ensuring increased stability and strength. EnvisionTEC is launching a new post-curing apparatus, the PCA 100, that will achieve the final hardening and strengthening of 3D printed photopolymer parts, thanks to 36 LEDs capable of delivering light in the 390-420 nm wavelength range.

The 6.5 kg PCA 100 also has a digital display control panel for user-friendly operation, maximum wattage of 200 watts, a buzzer that alerts users when the curing process is complete, and an automatic rotating turntable for optimal uniformity in curing. Its inner chamber dimensions measure 108 x 108 x 70 mm, and the device has applications in multiple industries, including consumer goods, dental and orthodontics, hearing aids, medical devices, and jewelry. Contact EnvisionTEC if you’re interested in a quote for the PCA 100.

Allevi Announces New Board of Directors

This week, Pennsylvania-based 3D bioprinting company Allevi announced its newly formed board of directors, observers, and scientific advisors. The advisors are some of the top regenerative medicine researchers, while the board members have experience in fields from life sciences to entrepreneurship.

“We are extremely excited about our new board of directors. Individually, each member brings a specific skill set and background to the company and the aggregation of their expertise is what makes this an amazing team,” said Allevi CEO Ricky Solorzano. “I know that this group will help us crush our goals in 2018 and beyond.”

New board members include Solorzano and Allevi COO Madeline Winter; visit the Allevi website to see the rest, along with the new board observers and scientific advisors.

Stratasys Posts Reaction to FDA’s 3D Printing Guidance

(L-R) 3D printed models of a brain, blood vessel, and surgical guide; (Bottom) medallion, printed on FDA 3D printers.

In response to the growing adoption of 3D printing by the healthcare industry, the FDA issued first-of-its-kind guidance on 3D printed medical devices in December 2017, which builds on previous draft guidance and feedback. Now, Stratasys is responding to the new guidance, and what it means for 3D printed medical device manufacturers, in a blog post. The post mentions that one of the big changes in the guidance is including additional issues in the PMD Designs section, in that the agency recommends that manufacturers identify design parameters that are clinically relevant, along with the minimum and maximum range of the parameters and if they can be modified for patient-matching.

Stratasys Healthcare Solutions Senior Manager for Content Mary Christie writes, “While the FDA final guidance document is more of a ‘general blanket statement’ on the topic, it is an initial step to recognizing that there is a role for this technology in medicine.  All this information contained in the guidance will prove useful for manufacturers planning product submissions for FDA approval, as it outlines clearly what to include in the premarket submission for a device that uses additive manufacturing. As the technology continues to grow, it can be anticipated that the FDA will become more and more involved in the process.  The fact that this guidance is non-binding from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the 3D printing of medical devices is likely a sign that U.S. regulators are gearing up to release more suggestions in 2018 and beyond.”

Submission Deadline Approaches for 3D Pioneers Challenge 2018

The winners of last year’s international 3D Pioneers Challenge (3DPC), which has taken place at Rapid.Tech + FabCon 3.D. since 2015, were just announced in July, but no rest for the weary, as this year’s competition has already begun. The contest is open to students and young professionals working in design or technical fields, and the automotive, medical, and research sectors. The submission deadline is coming up fast – participants need to have their designs and concepts uploaded by March 15.

14 jury members will decide which projects will win big at Rapid.Tech + FabCon 3.D., which takes place at Messe Erfurt from June 5-7. Once again, the Thuringian Ministry for Economy, Science, and Digital Society has donated a total of €15,000 to the winners, and the best student project will win a MakerBot Replicator Mini+ 3D printer from MakerBot EMEA. The magazine designreport will offer each winner a subscription to its online magazine, and winners will also receive a copy of The 3D Printing Handbook by 3D Hubs.

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