3D Printers - The Emerging Trend

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Revolutionary innovation With more people getting access to 3D printing, the technology is set to become mass-market by offsetting capital costs

Sadiq Shaban

A

lso known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing is a process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape from a digital model. While the concept is fast gaining popularity, many big businesses are signing up for 3D printing in a major way. Seen as a game changer, the technology helps instantly print parts and entire products at a short notice.

That is not all. 3D printing is going to affect almost every aspect of industry and personal lives in the days ahead.

The technology looks set to replace some of the current prototyping methods and can even be used as part of the manufacturing process. Since it paves way for an increased innovation, the technology is used to print prototypes in hours, obtain feedback, refine designs and repeat the cycle until designs are perfect. Additive manufacturing is certainly one of the most impor-

tant innovative technologies to emerge in the 21st century.

3D printing helps improve communication and makes it possible to hold a full colour, realistic 3D model in one’s hands to impart more information than any computer image. This also means that the physical 3D models are going to be more easily and affordably available for a wide variety of applications. Besides producing compress design cycles by 3D printing multiple prototypes on demand, right in your office, the technology greatly cuts on development costs. It is easier to customise goods through 3D printing because changing things is not going to require retooling them but only tweaking the instructions in the software.

Market watchers say that many companies may replace some of their traditional manufacturing methods by 3D printing as cost saving can be more than 50 per

cent. This is made possible by lower packaging costs, less human resource and cheaper reliable raw materials. The finished 3D printed product can be 60 per cent lighter compared to the machined part, resulting in significant cost cutting. Less waste also

jumbo electronics

Integrating new technology

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3D printing is nothing short of revolutionary.

As the technology gets perfected, one can only expect more durability and higher structural integrity

Jumbo Electronics’ customers can sample the latest innovation as it trickles down to domestic market

They say modern technology is increasingly a young person’s game, and that the youth of today is always the quickest to grasp and latch on to the latest gadgets, technology and innovations.

This means that a generation already familiar with a 3D experience at the cinema is becoming the clear focus and target for markets behind a new era of 3D printers in the high-street electronics sector in the UAE. Jumbo Electronics has always prided itself on being one step ahead of the competition in introducing new technology in the market place and they are now introducing a new category of 3D printers into its stores for the very first time.

Traditionally the realm of the hardcore hobbyist or in companies engaged in high value manufacturing processes, the technology has now started to filter down to the young domestic consumer who will be able to sample and experience the technology in their nearest Jumbo outlet.

Nadeem Khanzadah, Head of Retail at Jumbo Electronics, believes that initially the 3D printer may become a popular seasonal gift — with the Eid, Diwali and Christmas gifting seasons offering great opportunities for parents to buy that special and unique gift for their children.

Explaining the impact of the new technology, he said: “What 3D printing can offer is an enor-

mously creative way for individuals to design and then manufacture small trinkets or fun items that can be shared with friends and family.

It offers people a totally new and really innovative printing experience that has not been available before.

“In fact, we are confident that this new and emerging technology is one that can potentially change our daily perceptions on how things are printed. At Jumbo, we know our customers always want to keep up with the latest trends and innovations and we ensure that we deliver them the very best and the latest technology. With the introduction of a new era of 3D printers to our stores we are once again fulfilling that promise.”

3 D PrintERS

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Revolutionary innovation

ABAAD

Endless possibilities

> ContinUed from previous page means a lower impact on the environment.

3D printing is nothing short of revolutionary. As the technology gets perfected, one can only expect more durability and higher structural integrity. From medical implants that resemble bone to aerodynamic parts for the space industry and from unique-shaped

Abaad brings 3D technology from fiction to real life Gail Monique L. Mallo

T

en years ago, the concept of 3D printing seemed possible only in movies and science fiction. The idea that you could design anything in your head, transfer it onto a computer and then hold it in your hand was too good to be true. Today, 3D printing is taking the world by storm by making all these possible because fiction just became fact.

In the UAE and the rest of the region, Abaad Embodied Design LLC is pioneering the introduction of 3D solutions such as 3D printing, scanning and modelling. The Abu Dhabi-based company offers full integrated 3D-centric services that will change the way the UAE and MENA do business in industries ranging from medicine, forensics, ship building, education and manufacturing. So far the UAE has been dependent on countries overseas when it comes to out-

— sadiq@khaleejtimes.com

PRECISE Group

Bringing together creative minds Latha Krishnan sourcing 3D printing needs. This practice is more costly and timeconsuming, but with the availability of 3D printing services for rapid prototyping in the region, time is saved and costs are reduced.

Abaad is a Dh1.6 million project that was launched a year ago, leading the country and the entire region to embrace 3D technology solutions. Younis Elias Al Sulaimi, General Manager and Co-founder, believes that the challenge of pioneering this in the UAE and beyond is that people are yet to fully grasp

the idea of how 3D printing applications can change their lives.

Currently, the company is working hard to educate people on the benefits of 3D printing and other 3D-centric solutions. They are also currently exerting extra effort to raise awareness about the advantages of additive manufacturing. The company looks into the future with optimism.

With 3D technology the possibilities are endless and its potential to change the world as we know it is beyond belief.

“3D

printing is only as good as the imaginative mind that creates what needs to be printed. Using the latest 3D scanning systems that can scan a person from head to toe, 360 degree in full colour in a matter of two seconds, and combine this with the fastest 3D colour printer, opens up endless possibilities and is only the beginning that we are ready to explore with our clients,” declares Lothar Hohmann, President of PRECISE Group, an industry leader spearheading innovation in 3D printing service solutions in the GCC.

JACKY’S

Facilitating industry needs Stratasys started in 1988 when founder Scott Crump invented his first 3D printer in Minnesota. The company manufactures 3D printers and materials that create prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD files or other 3D content.

The company’s 3D printers are based on patented FDM® and PolyJet® technologies.

The company has a wide range of 3D printing systems designed to meet the requirements of both prototyping and production of finished goods in low-volume manufacturing. From affordable desktop 3D printers to large production systems for direct digital manufacturing, Stratasys has a series for everyone: • The Idea Series includes the

furniture to 3D printed jewellery, opportunities in this field are limitless. With effects on energy use, waste customisation, product availability, art, medicine, construction and manufacturing, 3D printing is going to change the world as we see it.

Mojo and uPrint SE systems, which are the lowest cost 3D printers in the Stratasys product portfolio, making 3D printing accessible for the individual designer, engineer or small team.

• The Design Series has a wide-range of 3D printing solutions designed to meet both precision and performance requirements. With precision prototyping solutions, you quickly get amazingly accurate models of your ideas to share with your team and with

your clients to get faster, more confident buy-in.

With the performance prototyping solutions, you get prototypes strong enough to withstand even the most rigorous testing.

• The Production Series targets manufacturers who want to rethink the factory to become more agile and cost-effective. The Fortus production systems make direct digital manufacturing possible and support a range of powerful materials.

Stratasys is represented in the GCC region by the Digital Printing Division of Jacky’s Business Solutions LLC, who have locally based sales consultants and service technicians.

PRECISE began operations in 2002 when it launched 3D crystal laser engraving capturing images of people and engraving in high quality optic crystal that was expanded to the largest production facility of its kind in the MENA area catering to a large number of clients of all businesses and industries. Over the years, the company kept looking for ways to use its high-resolution scanned data and identified the rapidly developing 3D printing technology.

“We started with more sophisticated scanners over two years ago,

which allowed us to scan the whole body of a person to create an avatar that could be uploaded to a 3D printer to print miniature 3D figures of the person. The challenge was to make the systems work together so that the information from the scanner could be manipulated and have the printer produce an accurate output. Four months later, we successfully launched TIM (This Is Me) in April 2012. TIM was the first step and since then we have added more personalised 3D products such as the TIMpic that utilises a simple photograph to create a 3D model. To establish 3D printing services that can cater to the needs of architecture, construction, industrial design, automotive, aerospace, military, engineering, dental, fashion, jewellery, education as well as any individual that has a creative idea was the next logical step,” explains Hohmann.

3D printing is an additive manufacturing process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape where successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes from a digital model. The process is also considered distinct from tradition-

al machining techniques, which mostly rely on the removal of material by methods such as cutting or drilling (subtractive processes).

There are different materials that are suitable for 3D printing and in the case of TIM a high performance powder plaster is used. An inkjet head runs over a powder bed and disposes the binder material that is mixed with the colour before another layer of powder is applied which is repeated hundreds or thousands of time depending on the size of the model. The model is then baked, cleaned form excess powder before dipped in a solution to harden the surface and left to dry. The resulting figurine is amazingly realistic and in colour.

Most of the projects that PRECISE executes are of a confidential nature where the company makes models of prototypes in various fields ranging from defence equipment, oil rig equipment, architecture, construction, cake molds, and more. Recently PRECISE created 3D models of character cups for a theme park and models of an endangered desert bird to display at a wildlife conservation exhibition.

“There is enormous potential in this. We just need creative minds to help us help them visualise their creations and produce content that is relevant,” says Hohmann, who provides an exhaustive list of practical and futuristic ways to use 3D printing to educate, entertain and inform people better. “This is the start of the next industrial revolution and we are looking forward to share our expertise and show people the possibilities in store for them through 3D printing.”

Create.

Prototype.

Manufacture.

IDEA SERIES It's not just a 3D printer.

It's an idea engine.

Bringing professional quality 3D printing to individuals and small teams, accelerating creativity.

DESIGN SERIES The power of prototyping.

Maximized.

A 3D printer for every prototyping requirement – precision or performance - to speed products to market and reduce costly mistakes.

PRODUCTION SERIES Production.

Without the line.

Create fixtures and jigs, produce end-use parts for low volume manufacturing quicker than ever before.

TM

P.O. Box: 13745, Airport Road, Near Cargo Village, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 4 282 1822 Fax: +971 4 282 1475 Mob: +971 55 972 4878 Email: dpd@jackys.com Web: www.jackys.com