AMES, IA—The Critical Materials Institute here has a installed a 3D printer to facilitate research on alternatives to rare-earth elements and other critical materials for clean energy.
BOLTON, UK—Empire Cycles and Renishaw, a manufacturer of additive manufacturing technology, have created a lightweight, titanium bicycle frame through 3D printing.
For the past year, the European Space Agency, in conjunction with London-based architectural firm Foster+Partners, has been performing tests to see if a Moon base can be 3D printed with local soil, rather than traditional thermoplastic. They call the soil "regolith."
NISKAYUNA, NY—Siemens company is developing the 3D technology at its research facility here and will use it to produce fuel nozzles and other engine parts starting in 2016.
BOULDER, CO—Researchers at the University of Colorado have successfully incorporated “shape memory” polymer fibers into the composite materials used in traditional 3D printing, which results in the production of an object fixed in one shape that can later be changed to take on a new shape.
PORTLAND, OR—Autodesk has partnered with design and manufacturing firm ADX to create a new space here called The Bridge. This new space will give engineers access to advanced CAD software and 3D printers.
How quickly a manufacturer embraces new technology depends on its potential benefits. Three-dimensional printing, for example, enables manufacturers to build 3D parts and products quicker and with more precision than conventional machining.
WASHINGTON—The National Institute of Standards and Technology has awarded two grants totaling $7.4 million to fund research projects aimed at improving the rapidly developing field of additive manufacturing.
