Silicone moulds are great for small-series production of, for example, educational parts, jewellery or art. Producing them, however, is difficult. Complex objects require a lot of experience and manual work. Scientists have now found a way to create the moulds faster and cheaper.

United States – German 3D printer company Voxeljet, which specialises in the development of industrial additive manufacturing systems, has recently expanded its presence in North America by launching operations of the largest 3D printing system, the VX4000 3D printer, the company said.

No, additive manufacturing will not replace mass production processes any time soon. However, as a supporting technology, it can improve mould-making processes drastically, upgrading manufacturing efficiency.

Themed “Shape the Future in Colour”, Mimaki Europe will showcase advanced colour additive manufacturing technology at Formnext.

Additive manufacturing is revolutionising mechanical engineering. This also has a major impact on IT tools, from design to manufacturing execution systems.

Arburg's Freeformner 300-3X celebrated its world premiere at Formnext 2018. The machine is built for the additive manufacture of complex, resilient functional parts in hard/ soft cobinations.

To further boost its far-reaching global presence in metal additive manufacturing, DMG Mori announced at Formnext 2018 that it is taking a 30% stake in the Indian company, Intech.

Germany – The Komet Group will be presenting a number of new developments and innovations under the banner of “Total Productivity Solutions”.

Hard times for foundries: The boom of 3D metal printing is threatening their market shares for metal-cast components. They need to modernise their production processes.

For anyone who is afraid of the intellectual and financial investments in 3D printing, experienced contract manufacturers are the obvious choice. These companies rely on different experiences and priorities.