3D Printing News Unpeeled: New Ceramic Inkjet Machine & Maracas

Italian 2D printing systems company Durst Group, previously has spun out its Micro-Particle Jetting (MPJ) unit D3-AM. Now it has told us that will release a MPJ machine for technical ceramics. The LABII will work with silicon carbide and zirconia and the firm hopes that it can outperform slurry SLA in a number of areas. 

The Des Moines Register tells us of a group of seventh graders who have gotten $7,500 to laser cut and 3D print useful things at Ankeny's Prairie Ridge Middle School. They're making molds for clay and coasters but will transition to making maracas adapted for use for special needs kids. I love that in this case these kids are using a real product, that really has to work to help classmates. 

German 3D printing service LUMO AM, is working with Chinese powder bed fusion firm Eplus3D, to make prototypes for compressor shafts for screw compressors. These shafts are meant to deliver continuous pressure to chillers and tools like jackhammers. I love this as an application where we may in the future use this to make end use products like this. The margins would be less, it would be more difficult to do cost wise but the volumes could be high. Also maybe Chinese firms would be forced away from aerospace into completely new applications.