Z-Unlimited is an amazingly simple open source add-on that enables your Ultimaker 3D printer to print with an unlimited height. "The Z-Unlimited basically flips your 3D printer upside down and moves it all the way up along a wall while it is printing. To convert your 3D printer to reach unlimited height will only take you 10 minutes. And this operation is just as easy t...
The companies have created a line of unique monofilaments made from recycled ABS car parts and PET water bottles that complete two separate sustainability ‘loops’ within the plastic product manufacturing industries, thereby reducing waste and contributing to a more ecologically-friendly environment. It’s no secret that humans are producing and discarding waste at a dang...
After all, they have sponsored various innovative 3D printing experiments in the past, which have done and are doing a lot for the development of a Chinese 3D printing industry. Just look at their recent experiment to include 3D printers on warships, to produce custom-made replacement parts in emergency situations. But now the Chinese government is taking things to an...
Unless you’ve got a million dollars burning a hole in your pocket, or are backed by a company like GE or NASA, printing in gold, platinum or other conductive metals is most likely out of the question. Even the most ‘affordable’ professional 3D metal printers cost upwards of $200,000 USD. That figure might be changing in the very near future, however. In fact, take awa...
While great fun to make and give, I’ve found that some spoiled children nowadays quickly get bored of them as it doesn’t move and only relies on their own imagination. And 3D printing a moving toy can quickly become a challenging project. In that respect, the wind-up toy car seen above is a perfect solution. Designed by Australian student and Shapeways producer Luke Dit...
On January 1, 2012, Turkey became the first country in the world to implement comprehensive legislation regarding traceability for 100% of the medicines sold in its territory. This article describes the installation of Antares Tracking System (ATS), an advanced traceability solution from Antares Vision, at the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing plant and the biggest...
The longtime Miller Lite beer motto can be applied (with a slight stretch) to form-fill-seal (FFS) machines, as consumer preferences and demographics dictate smaller packages for retail. Consumers worried about their weight are choosing smaller portions, and portion-control packaging is an even better weapon in that battle. Plus, demographics in general are trending tow...
In August 2005, as part of a global expansion / modernisation plan and relocation agreement, Campbell's announced its intention to build a culinary campus in the US dedicated to its fast-growing line of StockPot refrigerated natural soups. StockPot was one of the brands acquired by Campbell's in August 1998 as part of its new Away From Home division, which includes Camp...
The 1.5 million-square foot plant was constructed on a fast-track schedule and was operational by September 2007. In February 2010, PepsiCo announced its decision to shut down the plant due to weak production rates. PepsiCo will wind up operations at the plant in the next few months and maintain the equipment at the facility until a new employer takes over. The plant h...
It owns and operates a number of production plants in Jeddah and Egypt. As part of growth strategy, the company has started expanding its operations and manufacturing base in Jeddah in 2008. It has ordered an industrial unit consisting of integrated food processing and packaging facilities in the Jeddah Industrial Complex in 2009. Construction on the facility began in ...
The new factory will be situated near junction 31 on the M62 motorway, which is close to Haribo's existing base at Pontefract in west Yorkshire. Building work is expected to be completed by April 2015, and the first two production lines could be fully operational by the end of 2015. It will provide employment to 286 people. Details of the Haribo confectionery facility ...
The new plant will be spread over an area of 70,000ft² and will represent the single largest investment by Hershey's in Asia. It is expected to be operational in 2015. Hershey's will employ local people for the plant's construction and use more than 80% local construction materials. Hershey's Johor plant details "Hershey's will employ local people for the plant's co...
When the first phase production began in the third quarter of 2007, the $190m (invested over ten years) plant was capable of producing about half a million pounds of cheese a day from an initial milk supply of 250,000gal per day. The plant is projected to employ more than 350 workers by year nine of production but had initially employed 120 people. The facility has been...
The manufacturing industry has come a long way since it relied on rodents. Now highly sophisticated and increasingly automated production lines in industry are becoming a much more common sight in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0, as it's more commonly referred to. Surely everything in the smart factory of the future is going to be wireles...
This follows its significant investment in the company's Integrated Engineering & Design (IE&D) solution in 2013, which is now a standard for all new projects. Aveva E3D gives JSC NIIK a multi-discipline 3D plant design software that will bring increased efficiency across a project. "JSC NIIK has established a new engineering business approach, which we have based on ...
In their paper, Future outflows of toxic material from end-of-life computers in India, Neelu Jain and Pamela Chawla estimated the potential number of obsolete desktop and notebook computers and the quantity of various toxic components that will be generated from these devices over the next ten to fifteen years in India. The authors suggested that it will take three de...
The cost of electrical power to keep a 200 HP pump motor running continuously now exceeds $100,000 a year in most areas of the United States, and more in other countries where the cost of electricity is higher. Fortunately, in the past decade variable frequency drives (VFDs) have become less expensive and more reliable. Thus, the need and opportunities to improve indu...
The term Industry 4.0 implies more than the next step in industrial automation—it is shorthand for the fourth stage of the industrial revolution and is a prediction, not a description of an actual state of affairs. An article in the April 2011 issue of the newsletter of the Association of German Engineers (VDI), suggests that the first industrial revolution began in t...
The process changes the microstructure of the metal to produce an alloy that is 30% stronger and 40% more formable than the aluminum in use today, and 30% lighter and twice as formable as high-strength steel. Known as MicroMill, the process continuously casts molten metal onto a conveyor where it is flattened and then rolled into sheet stock in 20 minutes, compared to...
Renishaw has collaborated with British bicycle company Empire Cycles to create what is said to be the world’s first 3D-printed metal bike frame, built on Renishaw’s AM250 additive manufacturing system. Empire designed the mountain bike to be stronger and lighter, using a process called topological optimization. Topological optimization software uses iterative steps an...
One advantage of cutting metal parts with a waterjet is the lack of heat distortion and mechanical stress, which translates into more accurate cuts. However, there’s usually a trade-off in speed for this precision. Depending on the type of material and its thickness, other processes like laser or plasma cutting may be able to cut more quickly and at lower cost than water...
Matrix Composites (Rockledge, Fla., USA) will emphasize in its booth the company's range of high-performance composite manufacturing services including design, development, tooling, testing and integration. Markets served include aerospace, defense and commercial/general aviation. Visitors to Matrix Composites’ booth will find examples of the company's work, including sp...
The company’s custom fabricated graphic overlays target OEMs who want to private label products without modifying their housing or chassis. The overlays are durable and feature subsurface printing to protect the images and data from wear caused by abrasion, chemicals, and weather and can incorporate many different features and finishes. OEMs can integrate different windo...
