Future Links March 17th
Dutch postal service 3D prints a trumpet during delivery
The vision of delivery services 3D printing items en route has been around for a while but many thought it would be almost impossible due to the movement of the trucks and the resulting instability of the printing platform. The Dutch postal service PostNL has now proven the critics wrong: It 3D printed a functional trumpet during an Ultimaker delivery.
More at 3Ders
NCS introduces new way to measure effectiveness of print ads
The effectiveness of print ads is notoriously difficult to measure. Nielsen Catalina Solutions (NCS) and Time Inc. have now developed a method to take some of the guesswork out of the equation. They unveiled a new measurement product for attributing offline sales to print magazine advertising.
More at AdExchanger
Researchers managed to 3D print cartilage
Arthritis and injuries can lead to a loss of cartridge, a painful condition. Researchers have now found a way to produce cartilage tissue by 3D bioprinting an ink containing human cells, and they have successfully tested it in an in vivo mouse model. The development could one day lead to precisely printed implants to heal damaged noses, ears and knees.
More at EurekAlert
Fujifilm enters 3D printing space as a support service provider
As the importance of 3D printing grows, several traditional printer manufacturers, including big name companies such as HP and Canon, are entering the 3D printing market. Now, Fujifilm has announced that it will provide technical support services for 3D printing. These services run the gamut from installing a new machine to maintaining it and even training employees in the use of 3D printers.
More at 3D Printing Industry
X-Rite launches Pantone cloud for printers and converters
X-Rite, and its subsidiary Pantone, announced the PantoneLIVE Private Cloud, cloud-based repository that allows converters and printers to store and share existing proprietary color libraries across the color supply chain. The new offering is designed to digitally communicate color accurately between brand owners, designers, premedia, ink suppliers and printers.
More at Labels & Labeling
Dossier discusses the environmental impact of ink systems
Ink systems play an important role for a more ecological packaging. Marketing campaigns praise water-based inks as the green solution for a more sustainable product, but they leave out some important facts. NarrowWebTech has put together a dossier with an in-depth comparison of different ink systems.
More at NarrowWebTech
Martinenghi showcases its new digital printing machine at drupa 2016
Martinenghi will show its Michelangelo KX48P at drupa 2016. The digital printing machine for the packaging industry is designed for the decoration of cylindrical hollow bodies, such as collapsible tubes made from aluminum and plastic, plastic cartridges for silicon, aerosol cans for deodorants and cosmetics in general, aluminum bottles for beer and soft drinks.
More at Packaging Europe