STRATASYS/DESKTOP METAL MEGADEAL FORGES AHEAD

New options from Zortrax

Zortrax has introduced new metal 3D printing options for its desktop M300 Dual 3D printer: Full Metal Package 316L and Zortrax Full Metal Package 17-4 PH.

The company said both solutions include all the essentials for desktop metal 3D printing, thanks to metal-polymer filaments BASF Ultrafuse 316L and BASF Ultrafuse 17-4, provided by BASF Forward AM. Alongside the introduction of the metal printing options, Zortrax executives said that the company has also made several improvements to its Z-Suite slicer software in the Beta version 3.2.0.

www.zortrax.com

Stratasys is to acquire Desktop Metal for around $1.8 billion, in a deal that will see the global polymers leader acquire a strong market player in the growing metals additive manufacturing sector.

Yet beyond this first-glance appraisal, there’s a lot going on in the background. While bolstering its metals additive manufacturing footprint is a key driver for Stratasys, it is also bringing in many of Desktop Metal’s other technologies, namely its sand casting, ceramics and the intriguing Free Foam technologies, not to mention its wood 3D printer, Forust.

Desktop Metal has been producing some of the most interesting 3D printing R&D, with varying success in bringing products to mass market adoption. If Stratasys is able to have more success here, it will open up some interesting new avenues for additive manufacturing. www.stratasys.com

The transaction brings together complementary intellectual property portfolios, with more than 3,400 patents and pending patent applications deriving from a combined investment of some $500M over the last four years.

Stratasys executives have said that some 800 scientists and engineers from both sides will combine as a result of the deal.

For Stratasys, the deal builds a portfolio unrivalled in the sector, positioning the company as a catch-all brand in the additive sector, at a time when many other firms are downscaling and/or focusing on building user-focused solutions, rather than generic systems.

The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The acquisition of Desktop Metal should seriously boost Stratasys' metals 3D printing credentials

Ultimaker intros Method XL U

ltimaker has announced the launch of Method XL, an advanced 3D printing solution specifically designed to provide precision printing using industrialgrade materials, while accommodating larger part sizes.

With a generous build volume of 305 mm x 305 mm x 320 mm, the Method XL aims to bridge the gap between desktop and industrial 3D printers. Users should be able to undertake projects ranging from functional prototyping to producing end-use parts.

www.ultimaker.com

NTop 4 launches with field optimisation

Ntop 4 has launched and is aiming to bring additive manufacturing to mainstream production for complex, high-performance parts, by reducing the number of impractical and time-consuming manual interactions needed when creating a part.

That’s down to a headline new feature, Field Optimization, which the company describes as a new generative design technology that helps engineers navigate the overwhelming number of design parameters introduced by complex engineering problems.

Field Optimization layers a multi-scale, multi-objective optimisation engine on top of nTop’s core technology, resulting in a design tool that it claims is both extremely powerful and easy to implement.

“At nTop, we have always believed that design is at the core of solving the world’s hardest engineering problems,” said CEO Bradley Rothenberg. “NTop 4 marks the next stage of our journey enabling engineers to deliver highly engineered AM parts to reach new levels of performance.” www.ntop.com

Fusion 360 RE app unveiled

ReverseEngineering.com has announced the launch of its latest software application, the Fusion 360 RE App, which aims to seamlessly integrate the cloud CAD environment of Fusion 360 with Faro Quantum Max ScanArms and Hexagon (Romer) Absolute arms.

According to company executives, the app was developed in order to offer engineers a range of features and capabilities that streamline the user experience and functionality associated with reverse engineering, 3D measurement and 3D scanning on the shop floor, introducing more ease and accuracy into the process.

www.reverseengineering.com