What you need to know from this year’s RAPID + TCT in LA
Modularity is in, defense spending is up, and companies should (some are) prioritize ease-of-adoption and applications
Now that the hype around RAPID + TCT has died down, let’s unpack what happened at North America’s largest 3D printing event, late last month. VoxelMatters was there on the ground, speaking to the executives of the industry’s biggest players, as well as the underdogs, to understand where things are going, and why their leadership teams are making the decisions they are making.
Two themes that were most prevalent amongst the companies we spoke to were those of modularity – for example, Additive Industries released its cost-effective MetalFab 300 Flex, and HP is focusing on lowering the barrier to entry for polymer 3D printing by offering more affordable, upgradable systems – and the increase in defense spending, particularly within metal 3D printing, due to global military tensions.
The vast number of exhibiting companies (400+) and technologies presented at the event clearly indicates that there is no shortage of methods to produce parts for various industries. However, the industry’s bottleneck lies in the relative scarcity of applications. Companies would benefit from focusing on expanding their customer case studies rather than merely expanding their niche technology offerings.
Modularity and ease of entry
“We saw that in the 3D printing world, people were it was hesitant to buy a printer because maybe, in three years, it’s obsolete. So that’s what we want to avoid. That’s why we have this line-up,” said Francois Minec, Global Head of Polymer 3D Printing at HP, about the company’s approach to modularity and making it easier for customers wanting to adopt the technology. “So the promise we make to a customer is that if they buy a polymer system today, you can scale the system as you grow.”
During our conversation with Gregory Hayes, the Senior Vice President of Global at EOS’s Additive Minds, he outlined how the company has been focusing on easing its customers’ transition from one system to the next: “Companies that are using the M290 now in production can easily delta qualify the new M290 and get up and running on a similar platform that they know and works well.”
At the event, Additive Industries, another leading industrial metal 3D printing company, introduced its latest innovation, the MetalFab 300 Flex – a system offering a unique on-demand platform size. Unlike traditional metal AM printers, the MetalFab 300 Flex offers a cost-effective entry package with a novel business model – enabling the customer to upgrade the system as and when it suits their economics – to make it easier than ever for manufacturers to reduce the cost and risk of adopting metal AM.
Localized defense spending
With 3D printing technology being increasingly leveraged for defense applications, it is no surprise that global tensions have increased military spending when it comes to digital, localized manufacturing. For example, we spoke with Collibrium Additive, previously GE Additive, which produces parts for multiple US Military aircraft. Some of these include the T901 engine, a replacement for the T700, for aircraft like the Black Hawk helicopter and the Apache attack helicopter. Colibrium is also working on the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program replacement engine, which includes numerous 3D printed heat exchangers that enhance range and efficiency.
Velo3D, one of the leading metal AM companies, has also seen an increase in demand for defense applications over the recent year. “Defense has always been one of the segments that we service. But it is definitely something that emerged in 2024 as relatively transformative to the business,” said Brad Kreger, CEO of Velo3D. “We’ve had engagements at the Pentagon. We’ve been in discussions with the Department of Defense branches of the military. The US government has put a very concerted focus on making additive manufacturing a part of its strategy. And we’ve been a direct beneficiary of them.”
Very recently, Nikon SLM recruited retired US Navy Admiral Mike Mullen to join the company as a strategic advisor – an unambiguous statement regarding the importance of defense customers, such as the US Department of Defense. According to Nikon SLM, “A lot of American companies, especially those associated with the Department of Defense, want to have products that are made in America. And frankly, it slows down the process when you have to go through a process to validate why a customer wants to buy a product that’s made in Europe [or any country outside of America].”
Below are some of the most noteworthy announcements from RAPID + TCT 2024:
HP upgrades Metal Jet S100
HP, one of the largest 2D and 3D printing companies, announced significant upgrades to its Metal Jet S100 3D printer, including an increased build height of up to 170mm and improved operational efficiency. The company introduced new materials including IndoMIM M2 Tool Steel and Osprey 316L stainless steel, and also launched the Metal Jet Production Service – allowing customers to request and order parts online. Additionally, HP announced updates for its polymer 3D printing solutions, including new materials and an ESD print mode for the Jet Fusion 5600 Series.
Colibrium Additive, from Series 3 to Spectra M
Colibrium Additive, previously GE Additive, showcased its new Spectra M EBM solution. The system offers a compact build envelope for medical and orthopedic implant manufacturers, with commercial availability expected in Q1 2025. Alongside this, Colibrium introduced EBMControl 6.4 software, featuring enhanced melt strategies and support reduction techniques. The company also announced the commercial release of its Binder Jet solution and validated coarse Ti64 powder for LPBF systems.
Stratasys releases new medical 3D printer
Stratasys, one of the companies leading the industry, introduced the J5 Digital Anatomy 3D printer and SAF PP material. The J5 Digital Anatomy printer creates high-fidelity anatomical models for surgical planning – making it accessible to medical institutions with its user-friendly design and lower cost. The SAF PP material, developed with BASF Forward AM (now just Forward AM), will be available in Q4 2024 and will offer improved aesthetic quality, durability, and cost efficiency for applications in automotive, healthcare, and consumer products.
Lithoz launches Ceramic 3D Factory
Lithoz, a leader in ceramic 3D printing, debuted its ‘Ceramic 3D Factory’ in the US market, after the global debut at Ceramitec. This initiative connects up top 100 CeraFab S65 3D printers, globally, using the new CeraControl software. Highlights include a 15″ ALD ring from Alumina Systems and a display of 260 aerospike nozzles – demonstrating scalability and reproducibility. The company also showcased bioresorbable ceramic implants and multi-feature surgical tools.
Rajeev Kulkarni joins Caracol as Board President
Rajeev Kulkarni, the current Chief Strategy Officer of Axtra3D and AM industry veteran, joined Caracol, the Italian developer of LFAM systems leveraging robotic arms from Kuka, as the company’s Board President. His expertise is expected to be instrumental in enhancing Caracol’s capabilities – focusing on reducing costs, improving lead times, and advancing structural integrity through single-piece manufacturing.
i3D MFG purchases 12 EOS M 400-4 systems
Integrated 3D (i3D MFG), one of the largest metal AM organizations in North America, has purchased 12 EOS M 400-4 industrial 3D printers – expanding its metal AM capacity to 36 systems. This investment aims to enhance their production capabilities in various industries, including aerospace, medical devices, clean energy, and automotive, and underscores the company’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology for high-precision manufacturing.
Raise3D partners with Würth and Henkel
Raise3D, a leading 3D printing hardware manufacturer, has partnered with Würth Additive Group (WAG), an innovator in digital supply chain solutions, and Henkel, a producer of additive resin materials, to enhance digital inventory solutions. Würth will distribute Raise3D products and integrate them with their Digital Inventory Services (DIS), using Henkel’s Loctite resins. The partnership focuses on providing end-users with simplified, productive AM solutions – emphasizing customer needs and future growth in digital supply chains.
Airtech Materials integrates into AdaOne software
Airtech Advanced Materials Group, a leader in composite tooling and additive materials for MEX and LFAM technologies, and ADAXIS, a pioneering robotics software company, are collaborating to integrate Airtech’s materials into ADAXIS’s AdaOne software platform. The integration will include material-specific algorithms and settings – optimizing mechanical properties, surface finish, and dimensional accuracy. This development facilitates precise control of pellet-based 3D printing technology – benefiting both companies’ partners and end-users.
Axtra3D launches functional ESD material
Axtra3D, a rising leader in advanced AM, qualified the functional ESD material Loctite 3D IND3380 from Henkel for their Hi-Speed SLA Lumia X1 3D printer. The material offers high-temperature resistance, electrostatic dissipative properties, and high stiffness – making it ideal for electronic manufacturing, automotive parts, and durable goods. The Lumia X1, combined with this material, ensures high accuracy and smooth surface finishes – making it a viable alternative to injection molding.
nTop launches nTop 5
At its inaugural Computational Design Summit, the day before RAPID + TCT opened its doors, nTop, the leader in computational design software for high-performance engineering, released nTop 5, featuring new integration partners – including Materialise, Autodesk, Hexagon, Intact Solutions, and cloudfluid, who have all built nTop interoperability into their software – and enhanced functionalities. The company also announced a collaboration with Nvidia, one of the world’s most valuable companies (approximately $3 trillion), and presented a proof of concept integration of a live link between nTop and NVIDIA Omniverse.
New Chinese desktop 3D printers
Elegoo, Anycubic, and Creality, the three biggest Chinese manufacturers of desktop 3D printers, were, of course present, at the event. Elegoo introduced its entry-level CoreXY Centauri Carbon system, Anycubic debuted its Kobra 3 Combo FDM system and Photon Mono M7 Pro SLA printer, and Creality introduced its K2 Plus a multi-color FDM system.
All in, although there was nothing absolutely mind-blowing at RAPID + TCT 2024, the industry is very much alive and thriving (depending on which metrics you choose to look at). There is a lot of movement, with many companies – new and old – innovating constantly. There will always be new start-ups, and industry trailblazers being bought out by larger companies and others filing for bankruptcy. Regardless of what happens, 3D printing technology is here to stay – continuing to revolutionize the world of manufacturing.
