Future Links April 9th 2015
Today our news roundup from the printing industry covers inexpensive 3D printers for corporate use, liquid metal printing on inkjet printers, a successful business model for printed jewelry, the first printed engines parts for Bombardier’s jets, Heidelberg’s new white paper on printer safety, Epson’s new low cost printer and higher demand for minimalist labeling.
Inexpensive 3D printers fuel corporate demand
Inexpensive 3D printers have seen rising interest from hobbyists but most of those 3D printers are being purchased by companies for design, modeling, and prototyping, or by educational institutions. Start-ups have released a new wave of those printers in the past months with added functionalities and increased ease of use.
More at Computer World
Liquid metal inkjet printing paves way for soft robotics
Researchers at Purdue University have outlined a way to mass-produce circuits made of liquid-metal alloys using inkjet-printing technology. The technology could be used for soft robotics, wearable technology and an array of other functional stretchable devices.
More at Extreme Tech
Zazzy changes ways in which jewelry is made
The Amsterdam-based business lets its customers design their own jewelry, which is then printed on a 3D printer. The company has seen over 60,000 users design their own necklaces, bracelets and rings to date. Its customers have created over 200,000 designs since the platform debuted in 2013.
More at Tech Crunch
Pratt & Whitney print engine parts for Bombardier
When Pratt & Whitney deliver the first PurePower PW1500G engines for Bombardier’s CSeries passenger aircraft, the engines will be the first to feature jet engine parts produced using additive manufacturing (AM). The 3D printed parts underwent extensive testing to ensure their safety.
More at Optics
Heidelberg’s new white paper emphasizes safety measures
Printers are often a vulnerable part of any company’s network with influx from many sources. Protecting the integrity of the printer’s data and access route can be a critical part of a company’s overall network security measures. To help with this, Heidelberg has published a new white paper, ‘Anti-Virus and Your Prinect Workflow’.
More at Graphic Repro Online
Epson launches new low cost printer
Epson promises the new printer can produce commercial sellable print at less than half the per page cost of current digital color printers. The Epson Workforce Pro WF-8590TC is a piezo electric inkjet printer with maximum resolution of 2400dpi using stochastic screening, maximum page size of 330x480mm (A3+), printing at speeds of 24 sheets a minute in both color and black.
More at i-Grafix
Minimalist labeling gains traction in the food industry
Skinny, linerless labels are winning new followers across the globe as companies worldwide accept the idea that less is more. Reducing materials in their labels means less waste and often lower transportation costs.
More at Labels & Labeling