Author: Raja Sekhar Upputuri

Co-founder at think3D. Passionate about entrepreneurship & 3D Printing.

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Blade – The world’s first 3D printed eco-friendly supercar

The world’s first 3D printed eco-friendly Supercar

California based auto manufacturer, Divergent Microfactories, built Blade, the first eco-friendly 3D printed supercar, as a solution to safeguard our environment and at the same time build stylish, performance oriented, powerful cars.

“At Divergent Microfactories, we’ve found a way to make automobiles that holds the promise of radically reducing the resource use and pollution generated by manufacturing. It also holds the promise of making large-scale car manufacturing affordable for small teams of innovators. And as Blade proves, we’ve done it without sacrificing style or substance. We’ve developed a sustainable path forward for the car industry that we believe will result in a renaissance in car manufacturing, with innovative, eco-friendly cars like Blade being designed and built in microfactories around the world,” says Kevin Czinger, founder of Divergent Microfactories.

Brad balzer, the lead designer of the project reported that Blade comes with 700 horsepower bifuel four cylinder engine powered by gasoline or compressed natural gas which can go about 0-60 kmph in about two and half seconds. The chasis weighing 102 lbs is constructed out of 3D printed aluminium nodes and carbon fibre connectors, which makes it lightweight and less expensive. The process employed to 3D print the nodes is Direct Metal Laser Sintering process which offers the best combination of material strength, flexibility, print speed and cost.

The company plans at helping small business with their technology to create high performance and light weight vehicles reducing the impact on environment and health unlike the traditional manufacturing processes.

The Blade will be exhibited at 3D printing USA 2015, an annual conference and exhibition on Nov 18-19 and Kevin Czinger will be giving a presentation on “Dematerializing Auto Manufacturing.”

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3D printing in optics by LUXeXcel and OPTIS

3D printing in optics by LUXeXcel and OPTIS

Luxexcel, the only company in the world specialized in 3D printing fully transparent, perfectly smooth and optically functional products, partnered with OPTIS, a software vendor for the scientific simulation of light, human vision and physical correction of visualization, to provide a complete 3D printing service to optical designers.

This collaboration of Luxecel and OPTIS enables users to design a 3D model of the lens and to test virtually using the OPTIS CAD software, before 3D printing it using Luxexcel’s patented Printoptical technology. Once the user designs his lens or light guide, he uploads and orders it online. This allows the users and engineers to create, customize, test and optimize products in a less complicated and very fast way.3D printing in optics by LUXeXcel and OPTIS

“With the integration of the Luxexcel material in the OPTIS Library you can design your file with our material properties included. This will significantly speed up your design- and prototyping-process. Our online service has three easy steps: design, upload and receive your product. After the customer designs his lens or light guide, he uploads and orders it online on the customer portal. We check the design, print it and ship it to the customer within 5 working days”, says Peter Paul Cornelissen, Head of Marketing and Online Business Development at Luxexcel.

With this digital process, the team intends to change a 3000 years old analog industry and make it future proof.

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The World’s Fastest And Largest 3D Printed Drone

The World’s Fastest And Largest 3D Printed Drone

In yet another revolutionary innovation in airline industry, Stratasys limited teamed up with researchers from the Aurora Flight Sciences and developed the world’s first 3D printed, jet powered drone, which was unveiled at the Dubai Airshow. It is the world’s largest and fastest 3D printed drone, weighing 33lbs with a wingspan of 9 feet and flying at a blistering speed of 150 miles per hour.

Over 80% of the drone has been manufactured using the 3D printing technology, enabling them to design and build the unmanned aerial vehicle in half the time of the traditional manufacturing processes. Its design is made using different printing techniques – filament extrusion, laser sintering and laser melting technology.

“This is a perfect demonstration of the unique capabilities that additive manufacturing can bring to aerospace,” says Stratasys Senior Business Development Manager Scott Sevcik. “This meant using different 3D printing materials and technologies together on one aircraft to maximize the benefits of additive manufacturing and 3D print both lightweight and capable structural components.”

A strong and light weight material called ULTEM was used which meets the flame, smoke and toxicity requirements set by FAA. The center-body fuselage took the longest print time of 9 days while the rest of the components took few hours to few days to manufacture. Overall, it took more than a month from initial integration to assembly and testing and the researchers hope to build a second one in two to three weeks from start to finish.

“Whether by air, water or on land, lightweight vehicles use less fuel,” said Scott Sevcik. “This enables companies to lower operational costs, as well as reduce environmental impact. In addition, using only the exact material needed for production is expected to reduce acquisition cost by eliminating waste and reducing scrap and recycling costs.”

Here’s a short video explaining how the drone was built.

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Personalized 3D printed pills

Personalized 3D printed pills

A lot has been achieved in the field of medicine using 3D printing technology. It has now paved the way for a new dimension in customized medication. According to a study presented at American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, based on the clinical profile of the patient, personalized pills can be produced using 3D printing.

Researchers from Wake Forest University, Columbia University and University of North Carolina created a computer algorithm which takes into account the patient’s biological and medical characteristics like patient’s weight, race, kidney and liver functions, to adjust the dosage. These personalized pills are then converted to 3D printable files which can be accurately printed using a 3D printer. The researchers 3D printed and tested five different doses of 80 pills ranging from 124 milligrams to 373 milligrams with very little variability.

“This is one of the earliest studies I know to use 3D printing for medicine compounding for precision medicine. Pharmacogenetics, which matches patients to drugs based on DNA information, offers an opportunity to provide care, treatment, and medicines customized to the individual. This type of personalized precision medicine requires physicians to prescribe customized drug products containing unique drug-dosage combinations and formulations specifically for individual patients,” said study investigator Min Pu, MD, who is a professor of internal medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Using 3D printing for personalized medicine provides a new method to formulate medicines based on individual patient’s clinical parameters. Additional research is needed before 3D printing could be used to produce treatments for patients.

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Rolls Royce successfully flies the jet engine which has the largest component ever built using 3D printing technology

Rolls Royce flies 3D printed jet engine

The renowned aero- engine manufacturer, Rolls Royce, has built the most powerful jet engine using 3D printing technology and was successful in their first test flight this week.

Rolls Royce in its continuous efforts to increase the efficiency and reliability of the jet engine has developed this new model, Trent XWB – 97 engine, to power the larger aircraft A3350 1000. This new engine producing 97,000 lbs of thrust has several 3D printed aerofoils within the engine’s front bearing housing. Rolls-Royce and the University of Sheffield employed additive layer manufacturing (ALM) to manufacture the largest 3D printed parts, the aerofoils. The 3D printed nickel structure is a 1.5m diameter and 0.5m thick front bearing housing containing 48 aerofoils.

Rolls Royce flies 3D printed jet engine

“It’s a great day for the whole Trent XWB team and for Rolls-Royce, a moment that the team have been working up to since we finalized the -97 design back in 2012. The Trent XWB was always designed with a higher thrust variant in mind and during the -84 development program we ran engines up to the -97 conditions to improve our understanding of the design at the higher thrust levels.  We then took that experience to help optimize the core around the A350-1000 requirements, adding HP turbine technologies to maintain efficiency and time on wing from full temperatures margins.  This means our customers get an engine with greater capability, but without any compromises,” explained Chief Engineer for the Trent XWB-97 Andy Gwynne.

According to the company, employing 3D printing in aerospace enables the development and design of the engine, less expensive and faster, giving them more time to experiment on the design of prototype and manufacturing light weight structures to produce more power than with conventional machining.

3D Printers in Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

We, at think3D are very happy to announce the inauguration of our new office in Visakhapatnam to provide 3D printer sales & service in Visakhapatnam and Northern Andhra region. This office is manned by our expert 3D printer sales & service personnel. If you are looking to purchase a 3D printer, you can call us at 0891-2707830 or can visit our facility at MVP Colony, Visakhapatnam.

Our Address

think3D Visakhapatnam
c/o SG Automobiles, Ground floor
1-56-15 (HIG-67), Sector-1,
MVP Colony, Vishakapatnam
Andhra Pradesh, India.
PIN Code: 530017
Ph: 0891-2707830

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Our Clients

Microsoft SAP Polycom WIPRO
BITS Pilani IIT BHU IISC IIT Kharagpur
ITM University Graphic Era Vimal Jyothi Acharya Nagarjuna
HCL SRM University DRDO Indian Air Force
BHEL General Electric Whirlpool MESCO Steel
Autopal Merritronix Raychem RPG Trelleborg
Himalaya Sunshine Hospitals Brun Health Chassis Brakes

Customers Speak

think3D supplied couple of machines to us, one of which is a 3D printer. Think3D team is reliable, was with us till the satisfactory delivery was made and minor post-delivery glitches were addressed. Highly dependable and trustworthy! –  Dr. Srinivas Prakash Regalla, Asst. Professor, Mechanical, BITS Pilani.

About think3D

think3D is India’s largest 3D printing platform launched with the mission “3D Printing For All”. At think3D, we offer 3D Printers, 3D Printing Services, 3D Scanning Services, Design Store and also provide latest news on 3D printing technology. Over the last 1 year, think3D served various reputed clients like GE, Microsoft, Polycom, HCL, Wipro, Himalaya Wellness, IITs, BITS Pilani and so on.

About Visakhapatnam

3D Printers in Vishakapatnam, Andhra PradeshVisakhapatnam (nicknamed Vizag) is the largest city, both in terms of area and population in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Visakhapatnam is located 363 kilometres (226 mi) north east of the proposed state capital of Amaravati and 587 kilometres (365 mi) of Hyderabad, the common capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is the administrative headquarters of Visakhapatnam district and also the financial capital of Andhra Pradesh. As of 2011, the population of the city was recorded as 1,897,823, making it 15th largest city in India.

Visakhapatnam’s economy ranks as the tenth-largest among Indian cities, with a GDP of $26 Billion (USD). Visakhapatnam is the principal commercial hub of the state, and contributes to its economy in many sectors such as heavy industries, tourism, industrial minerals, fishing, and information technology. Visakhapatnam Port is the fifth busiest port in India in terms of cargo handled. The city serves as the headquarters for Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy and is home to the oldest shipyard and the only natural harbour on the east coast of India.

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World’s first 3D printed car – LM3D Swim

World's first 3D printed car - LM3D Swim

Arizona based Local Motors developed the world’s next generation 3D printed car, LM3D Swim model,  priced at $53,000. The design which was chosen over 200 designs by the judging panel of the design challenge was designed by Kevin Lo of Portland.

Local Motors has partnered with IBM to integrate IoT technology through IBM Watson into the 3D printed car, Siemens’ Solid Edge to provide CAD modeling, IDEO to renew Local Motors Labs, and SABIC to improve materials. The entire designing of the prototype to building 3D printed car took just two months to complete. Roughly 75 percent of the LM3D Swim is 3D printed, including nearly all of the body panels and the chassis, out of 80% ABS plastic and 20% carbon fiber. Customers can customize the different features of the car, 3D printed at different shapes and sizes giving it a relatively different look, which is where it beats Audi. Audi has 3D printed an exact replica of the Silver Arrow Auto Union Type C Grand Prix Sports car from the year 1936, scaled at 1:2 using metal 3D printing.

“In the past few months our engineers have moved from only rendering to the car you see in front of you today. We are using the power of DDM to create new vehicles at a pace unparalleled in the auto industry, and we’re thrilled to begin taking orders on 3D-printed cars next year,” Local Motors chief executive Jay Rogers told the crowd at SEMA.

This year, Swim will undergo crash testing and all certifications that are required to get the 3D printed car on the road. The company is planning on building about 2,400 cars a year, at a new Local Motors micro factory now under construction in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is expected to go on sale by 2017, but the presales will begin in the spring next year. Stay tuned for more details if you want to get your hands on this unique vehicle.

Also See: Audi 3D printed 1936 Grand Prix Sports Car

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Audi 3D Printed 1936 Grand Prix Sports Car

Audi 3D Printed 1936 Grand Prix Sports Car

3D printing is revolutionizing the traditional manufacturing processes across various industries. Everything from simple to complex objects can now be 3D printed.Various companies are entering the fray to benefit from this revolution. Audi is a classic example of how 3D printing can be used.

Audi, the German automobile pioneer, has 3D printed an exact replica of the Silver Arrow Auto Union Type C Grand Prix Sports car from the year 1936, scaled at 1:2 using metal 3D printing. Audi, along with the Volkswagen group is experimenting on fabricating vehicle components as large as 7.9 inches high by 9.5 inches wide, out of Aluminum and Steel.

“We are pushing forward with new manufacturing technologies at Audi tool making and at the Volkswagen Group,” stated Prof. Dr. Hubert Waltl, Audi’s Board of Management Member for Production and Head of tool making at the Volkswagen Group. “Together with partners in the area of research, we are constantly exploring the boundaries of new processes. One of our goals is to apply metal printers in series production.”

Metal 3D printers makes use of the additive manufacturing where a selective sintering laser melts layers of metallic powder with a grain size of half of the diameter of a human hair. This method makes the production of the components with complex shapes and relatively smaller sizes easy to fabricate unlike with traditional methods. This apparently cuts down the production costs, time and wastage of material.

Hopefully we will be able to see Audi along with Volkswagen group fabricate more 3D printed components scaled to full size in the future models.

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The World’s First Ever 3D Printed Thyroid Gland Transplant By 3D Bioprinting Solutions

First 3D printed thyroid gland

3D Bioprinting Solutions made its mark in the history of medical industry with the successful transplantation of the 3D printed thyroid gland.

The company has announced in November 2014 that they would produce a functional 3D printed transplantable organ by March 2015. As claimed, the team of Russian scientists successfully transplanted the 3D printed gland into mouse. The complete report of the results will be soon available next week.

“We had some difficulties during the study, but in the end the thyroid gland turned out to be functional,” said Dmitri Fadin, Development Director at 3D BioPrinting Solutions.

This successful operation implies on the next revolutionary step with their aim to 3D print and transplant a human thyroid gland. According to the estimation by the WHO, 665 million people are affected by thyroid disorders and the standard organ transplantation could be a risk due to the high factor of rejection of the new organ by the immune system. The new solution offered by the Russian scientists eliminates this risk as their bioprinting process makes use of the patient’s own stem cells thus ensuring that it is safe.

First 3D printed thyroid gland-Bioprinter

The 3D bioprinter equipped with syringe releases the stem cells layer by layer onto hydrogel. Once the organ is printed, it will be placed in a bio reactor where this gel dissolves leaving behind the printed organ to mature.

 

The team of the 3D Bioprinting Solutions has announced that their next goal after the successful printing and transplanting human thyroid gland would be to 3D print a kidney by the year 2018 which would be another life saving project.