Germany — Online exchanges are on the upswing and are further boosted by Corona. This is especially true for B2B platforms that respond to new user needs and market changes. Reason enough for the Vogel Communications Group to rethink the used machinery exchange, which has existed in print since 1894 and digitally since 2005 and was previously operated by the trade medium “MM Maschinenmarkt“”.

Whether sand molds for metal casting or plastic melt-off models for investment casting — foundries benefit in both cases from the many advantages offered by additive 3D printing processes.

New cutting tools are continuously being introduced to the market, but what is the process needed to develop a product from concept through to the spindle? Global company Dormer Pramet tasks its product management and development department with creating new tools every year.

Germany — Using selective laser melting, a research project has designed an internal combustion engine that is 21 percent lighter. In addition, a new design achieved better cooling characteristics and a more efficient oil circulation system.

Guide systems are one of the most important components of a properly functioning punching tool. In this area, Meusburger offers an extensive and systematic range of rolling and sliding guides for different requirements. In addition to numerous combination options between guide column and guide bushing, the guides are DIN/ISO compatible and optimally matched to Meusburger standard frames

The advantages of this technology derive from its time- and space-saving aspects, its output of smooth, clean parts, and its ease of use, according to Husky.

Mapal is launching a new, particularly economical system of replaceable head reamers — the Press-to-Size-Reamer (PSR) — for customers who manufacture in large series. The new development reduces the costs per bore massively, the company claims.

Increasing importance is being attached to greater cost-efficiency and occupational safety during production processes. Hasco offers a wide range of solutions for meeting these requirements in the temperature control of injection moulds.

Ireland — 2k moulding is one of the most innovative processes in use in plastics manufacturing today. Although the concept has been around for many decades, as with all tech processes, there have been a lot of technological advances in the use of 2k moulding in recent times. With a wide set of applications, it has many practical uses.

In some areas of industrial manufacturing, AM is increasingly emerging from the shadows of conventional processes. But the big breakthrough in series production is still missing. We asked our 3D experts why.