Hardware - 3D Additive Print

Nottingham-based specialist distributor, Artsystems, has announced the arrival of Xativa’s cost-effective and high quality 3D Filament to the UK market.

Massivit 3D Printing Technologies Ltd. announced it has closed an investment by Stratasys, the 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions company. The proceeds will be used to further develop, promote and deploy Massivit’s proprietary super-sized, super-fast 3D printing solutions. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

Massivit is a manufacturer of large-format 3D printers used for rapid creation of super-sized objects. Massivit primarily targets the visual communication market, where its solutions serve to create large display objects for point-of-sale branding, advertising, exhibitions, theme parks and other applications.

Massivit’s vision is to revolutionise large-format 3D printing using its proprietary Gel Dispensing Printing (GDP) technology. The company offers for sale a super-sized, super-fast 3D printing solution comprising the Massivit 1800 system and the Dimengel 3D printing material, both created to meet the needs of the visual communication market. Next, Massivit is looking to build upon its GDP technology to craft solutions for additional markets that require fast large format-3D printing.

“The investment by Stratasys, which comes after a comprehensive due diligence process, is a strong validation of our unique technology and strong value proposition,” says Avner Israeli, Massivit CEO. “We look forward to Stratasys’ support in the fulfillment of our vision, including sharing its operational experience and insights, helping us expand into new markets and more.”

“Stratasys is actively fostering innovation in the 3D printing and additive manufacturing industry. This includes, among other activities, investing in and collaborating with start-up companies, research centres and other partners developing promising and potentially disruptive technologies,” adds Stratasys Vice President of Corporate Development & Ventures, Alon Elie. “With Massivit, we gain exposure to markets and applications in which Stratasys is not active today such as visual branding, outdoor signage, landscaping and construction. We are excited about the possible applications of Massivit 3D’s GDP technology in those markets and others, which we will jointly explore.”

The company says that investment proceeds will be used to accelerate Massivit’s market penetration, build a global presence, enhance logistic and manufacturing capabilities as well as support the continuation of the development of the company’s product portfolio.

[Images show (above): Massivit 1800 system; and (below): a 3D bull printed on the Massivit 1800]

“Going digital is surely the only route for affordable dental technology, and I would say it’s a must for all forward-thinking dental practitioners.”

Merseyside-based Thermadent Ltd., an orthodontic dental laboratory company, recently purchased an Objet30 OrthoDesk 3D printer to help digitise its workflow. The printer was installed by SMG3D – the 3D print division of the Stanford Marsh Group – and Thermadent has reaped the numerous benefits of its newly-digitised work flow.

Since February 2014, NHS Dental Services has been requesting that pre-treatment and post-treatment study models are submitted digitally. This led Thermadent to look at investing in a digital scanner to convert bulky and difficult-to-store plaster study models to 3D digital models.

Matthew Garnett, owner and Managing Director of Thermadent, explains: “I studied the 3D print market and plumped for an Objet30 OrthoDesk 3D printer, which we sourced from SMG3D. Since installation, the printer has transformed our production processes.”

“Using 3D digital study models means there’s no longer any need to store the physical study models − and we no longer need to worry about plaster model disposal. What’s more, thanks to new GDC regulations, every orthodontic practice now has to keep a record of each patient’s tooth movement indefinitely. To store each patient’s plaster study models would quickly become impossible. With digital study models all you need is a safe, secure place to store the CDs that contain the files.”

Matthew also explains that using the printer in-house has reduced lead times significantly: “The Objet30 has been specifically designed for small to medium-sized orthodontic dental labs like Thermadent. It helps us digitise our workflow from digital file to model, accelerate our production times and increase production capacity cleanly and efficiently.”

He continues: “With our digital workflow, we are able to convert chairside oral scans into precisely accurate 3D printed models, quickly. Additionally – thanks to the precise tolerances and extreme accuracy provided by the printer – our aligners are more accurate and provide a much better fit.

“Going digital is surely the only route for affordable dental technology, and I would say it’s a must for all forward-thinking dental practitioners.

“The team at SMG3D helped me decide which 3D printer was best for my needs thanks to their informed and impartial advice. Their help with installation and integration of the new machine with my existing equipment meant I could get on with the training they provided straight away, which reduced set-up time for the new Objet30 to an absolute minimum. They provided a first-class service all round.”

Adrian Painter, director of Stanford Marsh Group, comments: “Dental professionals such as Thermadent are already reaping the considerable benefits of 3D Print in terms of increased productivity, reduced costs and improved patient experience. We’re delighted to be able to supply the relevant 3D print solutions and offer the support to enable them to seamlessly transition to a digitised workflow.”

SMG3D’s knowledge and experience of 3D Print is extensive as it has supplied 3D print technology into engineering environments for rapid prototyping and digital manufacturing applications for several years; Representatives from the company look forward to discussing the potential of introducing 3D Print into their workflow process with visitors at the upcoming Dental Technology Show (Birmingham NEC, 22nd- 23rd April 2016).

For more information about Thermadent, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or visit www.thermadent.co.uk.

For more information about the Objet30 OrthoDesk 3D printer, please visit www.smg3d.co.uk.

Massivit 3D printing Ltd. announced it has entered into a Distributor Partnership with Global Graphics for the Massivit 1800 3D printer and Massivit Dimengel print media.

UK distributor, ArtSystems, supports MakerBot 3D printer stand at bett, ExCeL, the world’s foremost education technology event.

Antalis has entered the 3D printing market following the completion of a reseller agreement with ArtSystems. The agreement establishes Antalis as a MakerBot Professional Plus Reseller and Stratasys Idea Series authorised partner of 3D printers that use Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technology. In addition, Antalis will also offer expert advice and model sampling for customers who are thinking of venturing into the 3D print market.

Commenting on the announcement, Paul Duffy, Antalis Digital Print Development Manager says: “The 3D print market is growing at an unprecedented rate. As our customers become more aware of this burgeoning new technology, they are looking for guidance as to how this could fit within their own businesses. We therefore wanted to use our relationships in key markets to develop a 3D print offering that would fulfill the majority of those customer’s demands, from entry level to more professional applications.”

The MakerBot range is aimed at the education market and the ‘prosumer’ starting out on the 3D journey, with 4 models ranging from a £1,000 to £5,000 to offer differing build volumes. Easy to install and use, the ‘MakerBot Desktop’ software gives the user instant access to printer functionality, training videos, tips and tricks, technical support and access to over a 1,000,000 free customisable models.

The Stratasys Idea Range is aimed at the 3D professional wanting to create highly accurate prototypes and concept proofs with printers costing £6,500 to £14,500. The quality of print on these devices means complex, working, one-piece models can be created and the water soluble support filament means post print fishing is kept to a minimum.

The Stratasys and MakerBot range enable Antalis to offer printers at all price points depending on the customer’s specific requirements.

Duffy continues: “Although 3D print may be too soon for some of our customers, they will be able to learn from us, and start to think about the opportunities that this technology offers.”

According to Duffy, 3D printing is of interest to educators, designers, engineers, marketers and printers who will find familiarity with the 3D process based on their workflow experience in taking digital files through to print. Therefore 3D printing is a natural fit for those companies looking to introduce cutting edge technology to their range of print services.

“We have already had interest from education, copyshops, display companies, packaging specialists, personalised promotional producers and manufacturing companies. Our customers have heard all the myths and hype that comes with 3D printing so many are now looking for clarification - ‘what actually is 3D printing’, ‘how does it work?’ and ‘can I make money with 3D printing in my business? Backed by the manufacturers, we are now in the perfect position to help customers understand the potential of this exciting technology.”

Antalis will be exhibiting its 3D print offering at The Print Show 13–15th October (Stand D40) at the NEC, Birmingham. Antalis also has a stand at The Higher Education Show at London’s ExCeL on 14th October 2015 (Stand 276), where it has 50 premium goody bags to give away to customers who participate in its on-stand free prize draw.

Antalis is also hosting a 3D event at its Digital Academy in Coalville, Leicestershire on 18th November.

For more information contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.