#2 Rays of hope pierce through smoke from yesterday's fire

The fire has stopped, and the wind is scattering the clouds of despair. Rays of hope pierce through the billows of smoke from yesterday's fire. Maybe it won’t be so bad? Maybe we needed this cleansing? Maybe the rumors of the death of 3D printing were (once again) premature?

In early July, 巴斯夫 pulled out, Desktop Metal sold for a pennies, and Shapeways gave up altogether. It didn’t look good. It could have seemed like the beginning of the end.

But the following week saw a symbolic rebound.

3D Systems Corporation & EOS announced another strong sales, Mantle secured funding, and Formlabs acquired a rising star from Kickstarter. Additionally, several companies announced the launch of new 3D printers and the formation of new partnerships.

Not bad for the start of summer vacation, isn't it?

Of course, we shouldn’t get overly optimistic either. Let’s say the "energies have balanced." The bad news has been replaced by good news. Yin and Yang. Or thermodynamics...

Hey, but really, it’s not bad! On July 3rd, it looked quite different...

So much for the introduction. And now, without further ado...

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

My newsletter gained over 500 subscribers in just a week. Thank you all so much! I will do my best not to disappoint and to avoid giving you any reason to unsubscribe.

To be honest, when at the beginning of the year I sold my portal – Centrum Druku 3D , which I had been associated with for 11 years, I was convinced that my days as a 3D printing writer were over for good.

Unfortunately, in April and May, my other ventures (unrelated to AM) faced numerous difficulties, and I wasn’t feeling good. To rebuild myself emotionally, I decided to return to what I’ve always done well – writing about 3D printing.

I didn’t have any specific plans for this. I still don’t, really. But the fantastic response I receive from you every day is making me slowly consider more organized endeavors.

So right now I’m in the "developer sandbox." I’m testing things out.

For instance, in comming days I’ll be publishing something on LinkedIn that, as far as I know, no one has done "in this specific way" before. Let’s see if you like it?

Also in the coming days, my new articles will appear on 3DPrint.com. I particularly recommend the historical one. Because next month, we’re approaching the biggest possible anniversary in this industry…

But for now, I invite you to read:

• 3 articles on Medium – only here do you get free links to read them
• TOP 7 news of the week
• TOP 7 historic events in the 3D printing world.

#7. 3D Systems sells 5 metal and polymer 3D printing machines to major clients in the USA and Saudi Arabia

Metal 3D printers are much talked about, but ultimately, few people buy them. These are extremely expensive and complex machines that require time to implement. Therefore, selling 5 such machines in a week is quite an achievement. Even more so when it happens at the beginning of summer!

3D Systems announced the sale of two DMP Flex 350 Dual 3D printing systems to Precision Resource, Inc. , a manufacturer of critical automotive, aerospace, and healthcare components from California, USA. The companies also entered into a partnership for further technology development. The DMP Flex is well suited for this, as the machine's name suggests—it is flexible in terms of 3D printing process parameterization and the materials used.

The second sale was equally prestigious. Saudi-based NAMI (National Additive Manufacturing & Innovation Company) bought three 3D Systems machines—the DMP Factory 500, DMP Flex 350 Dual, and SLS 380. The first two print with metal alloys, while the third prints with polymers.

The purchase aims to support a collaboration with the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), the largest producer, transmitter, and distributor of electrical energy in the Middle East and North Africa. NAMI is a private joint venture between 3D Systems and Dussur | ??? - Saudi government corporation established in 2014 to develop strategic industrial investments in Saudi Arabia founded by Public Investment Fund Aramco and SABIC.

Read full story: [1] [2]

#6. EOS sells another 6 metal 3D printers to Incodema3D

Selling 5 industrial 3D printers in a week is quite an achievement. "Hold my beer..." - said EOS, and announced the sale of 6. And all to just one client!

Incodema3D, LLC - one of the largest metal 3D printing service providers in the US, purchased 6 EOS M 300-4 metal AM systems. The company did this only two months after adding 4 more EOS M 300-4s to its inventory. Right now, Incodema3D has a total of 34 AM systems.

I won't repeat myself by writing about how much of an achievement it is to sell metal 3D printers in the summer...

Read full story: Davide Sher was the first to report this on VoxelMatters

#5. Morningbird introduces debut electronic 3D printer

Morningbird Space has announced the launch of its first electronic 3D printer, capable of printing functional electronic devices. The Electronic Alchemy eforge 3.1 is officially backed by NASA.

Morningbird enables on-demand printing of electronics using a multi-tool, multi-material FDM 3D printer. The company promises a revolution across various industries, from aerospace to biomedical technology, dental and medical devices, rapid prototyping, and many more.

The eforge 3.1 printer utilizes innovative solutions that combine a patented 3D printing process, material filaments, and a model preparation process. The company is also credited with creating the world's first diode and transistor printed on an FDM machine.

Applications for the 3D printer include education, dental and medical devices, rapid prototyping and production of complex electronic components and devices, military and aerospace, and consumer electronics.

Read full story: www.pr.com

#4. Stratasys introduces super fast and efficient system for the dental industry - DentaJet XL

Two weeks after RAPID + TCT, Stratasys has returned with another launch, this time of a super-fast and reportedly very human-labor-reducing 3D printer - the DentaJet XL. As the name suggests, it is designed for the dental industry. It is said to be exceptionally economical and efficient, thanks to larger resin cartridges, a large print tray, 'Super High-Speed' mode, and a minimal post-processing workflow.

The DentaJet XL is based on the recently modified PolyJet method, where the build platform rotates 360°, significantly speeding up the production process. According to Stratasys, with advanced software and accelerated printing and curing, labs will be able to reduce up to 90% of labor costs, and thanks to new printing modes and larger cartridges, achieve up to 67% lower cost per part.

The new 3D printer has increased production speed of, for example, clear aligner arches by up to 30% with the super high-speed mode. Early access customers are also said to have produced 16 implant cases in 6 hours 30 minutes, 102 crown & bridge models in 4 hours 31 minutes, 28 orthodontic models in 6 hours 37 minutes, and 36 aligner arches in 2 hours 14 minutes.

So yes, that is a significant upgrade in terms of efficiency. Technologically, Stratasys remains in a class of its own.

If only they could lower the prices…

Read full story: www.businesswire.com

#3. Mantle secures $20 million in funding

First and foremost, given the events of last week, the sentiment in the 3D printing industry, and investors' attitudes toward it, the fact that Mantle received any funding at all is a significant event. However, the reality is that this California-based startup is not like the others. While it does develop metal 3D printing technology, it's not just any ordinary technique…

If you haven't encountered Mantle before, the company's proprietary 3D printing method is called TrueShape, and it's a hybrid process that combines additive manufacturing with CNC milling.

First, a print head applies metal in the form of a paste, which is then heated, causing the binder material to evaporate and the metal to bond together. Next, the part is milled to the desired shape. Once the entire process is complete, the produced part goes into a furnace where it is finally sintered. It looks like this:

Although the whole process seems quite complex (it reminds me of late Mcor and 3D printing with paper), it turns out that with Mantle's flagship P-200 3D printer, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs by over 65% and accelerate development cycles by as much as 90%.

TrueShape is reportedly excellent for the tool and mold production segment. Investment funds seem to share this belief, as they have just decided to support the company with an additional $20 million.

Okay, this amount might not be jaw-dropping (New York Knicks reserve player Isaiah Hartenstein just signed a three-year contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder for nearly $30 million a year), but I repeat – given the sentiment and circumstances, this is great news.

Read full story: I won't refer you to raw PR when Michael Molitch-Hou wrote about it so nicely on 3DPrint.com

#2. Nikon reorganizes Morf3D, creating Nikon AM Synergy

In brief, Nikon has reorganized and transformed Morf3D Inc. , which it acquired a year ago, by removing all competitive 3D printers and equipping it exclusively with its own machines. However, this move has a deeper significance, which is very positive for the AM industry.

Morf3D was a company specializing in additive manufacturing services, particularly for the aerospace and defense industries. Founded in 2015 and based in El Segundo, California, Morf3D quickly established itself as a leader in metal 3D printing. Simultaneously, it also became one of the main customers of SLM Solutions.

When Nikon acquired Nikon SLM Solutions , Morf3D became a logical next purchase. The acquisition took place last year, and the new Japanese owner quickly showed who’s in charge…

The company replaced the management, closed the original production facility, relocating everything to Long Beach, and now has made the final move. First, it changed the name to Nikon AM Synergy Inc.

Next, all competitive machines (mainly EOS) were (or are being) sold off. The entire facility will now be based exclusively on SLM Solutions machines. While this seems reasonable, it is not that simple operationally. In many sensitive industries such as medical, aerospace, defense, and certain areas of automotive, metal additive manufacturing is possible through certified processes. This means we can serve a particular client because we have THIS PARTICULAR MACHINE and THIS PARTICULAR MATERIAL.

Switching the machine fleet from EOS to SLM is a significant technological decision. For laypeople, both brands are simply “metal 3D printers.” In reality, they are quite different technologically, and each performs better or worse with specific metal alloys.

So, is this a bold move or a silly move?

Neither. It is a long-term move… And this, in turn, is great news for the industry.

At a time when large corporations are saying goodbye to additive manufacturing, Nikon is showing that it intends to stay in the field for the long haul. By eliminating competitive solutions, the company will strive to acquire all the necessary competencies and certifications.

This was also hinted at in the press release, which referred to the Nikon Vision 2030 plan.

So, this is another piece of good news. We have one more left on the list…

Read full story: Joris Peels' piece on 3DPrint.com

#1. Formlabs buys Micronics

The undisputed news of the week was the unexpected and surprising acquisition of the young startup Micromics by Formlabs.

Micromics was the latest star on Kickstarter. Founded by two students, the company created an SLS 3D printer named Micron, which they offered for $2,999. The 3D printer worked, and people believed in it to the extent that 431 backers pledged a total of $1,357,939.

There could have been even more backers if the campaign hadn't been canceled. Why?

Because Formlabs bought Micromics. During the campaign. This is unprecedented in the 3D printing industry.

The acquisition amount has not been disclosed, but it's known that all backers will get their money back. The creators of the 3D printer (and the company) will join Formlabs’ technical department.

Why did Formlabs do this? Essentially because it is the market leader in the number of SLS 3D printers sold. Dávid Lakatos of Formlabs claims that over 50% of SLS printers sold worldwide are Fuse models. Why would he lie?

So, theoretically, the presence of a company like Micromics on the market could be problematic. But now it isn’t.

There are two narratives about this acquisition:

1. The first suggests that Formlabs did this to crush emerging competition. So, Formlabs is evil.
2. The second suggests that Formlabs will help the young creators develop their product safely, and backers will get their money back. So, Formlabs is gracious.

What do I think? That Formlabs, without much risk, dig potential competitor and, in doing so, did everyone an incredible favor.

The Micromics project is great, but come on… The risk of its failure was enormous. It was really a two-person company made up of two students. In Kickstarter’s history, much simpler projects managed by larger and more experienced teams have failed.

It simply might not have succeeded. And Formlabs helped everyone come out of this unscathed. While protecting the field.

Summary of the most important events in the history of the 3D printing industry published last week:

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