For much of the history of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and electronics, development of new devices has been limited to highly skilled experts and organizations with the necessary resources. This is in large part an issue of cost, but has also come down to technological limitations, which have constrained how people are introduced to electronics design in an educational context. While theoretical lessons and rudimentary breadboards are useful for teaching the very basics of circuitry, students need a solution that gives them real hands-on experience in designing, testing, and validating electronic circuits. Enter the <a href="https://www.voltera.io/products/v-one?utm_campaign=Wevolver&amp;utm_source=website&amp;utm_medium=v-one-hands-on-learning-pcb-design&amp;utm_content=v-one">V-One</a>, a PCB printer developed by <a href="https://www.voltera.io/about">Voltera</a>, a Canadian company that makes rapid prototyping platforms for printed electronics. This desktop tool is an affordable solution for educational institutions looking to give their students a high level of hands-on learning in PCB design. As we’ll explore in greater detail, the V-One has multiple functionalities, a shallow learning curve, and can be used at a range of levels for teaching simple circuitry or developing complex electronics. Ultimately, creating access to PCB design, even from a young age, is imperative to getting students excited about technological creation and empowering the next generation of innovators.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6TXIS79ZTt0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" style="width:1920px;height:450px">   </iframe><h2>Getting to know the V-One</h2>The V-One offers educators an accessible platform for bringing PCB designs to life—both in terms of cost and learning curve. The sub-$4,500 benchtop printer integrates multiple functions including:<ul><li>Drilling holes into a substrate for through-hole components and double-sided PCBs</li><li>Printing traces from conductive ink based on digital designs </li><li>Depositing solder paste with higher precision than manual application</li><li>Reflow for soldering (as well as heating for curing conductive inks)</li></ul>These functions result in a versatile machine that can make anything from simple circuits, to double-sided PCBs, to flexible electronic prototypes (Voltera also offers a dedicated platform for flexible electronics, <a href="https://www.voltera.io/products/nova">NOVA</a>). Users can also manually place rivets or additional electronic components onto the printed board and use the V-One solder paste deposition and reflow tool to finalize the circuit.Thanks to these capabilities, the V-One has become a popular tool for rapidly prototyping electronics and for teaching PCB design. Today, various educational institutions, from high-schools to Ivy League universities, have adopted the technology and have seen the benefits of teaching circuitry in a hands-on yet still highly efficient way. In short, the V-One allows students to translate their theoretical understanding of electronics to the real world and bring functional prototypes to life. <h2>Accessible interface for learning</h2>Part of what makes the V-One so well suited to the world of education is its user-friendly interface and simplified workflow. At the core of the system’s usability is Voltera’s free software platform, which guides users through the steps of preparing the V-One and initiating its various workflows (Print, Solder, Drill, and Heat). Students working with the V-One can easily set-up the system for their circuit printing projects, answering prompts like what type of PCB is being printed (i.e. a blank board or a development board that has existing conductive traces) and what ink will be used. From there, they can upload their circuit design and initiate calibration, following a series of clear instructions accompanied by demonstration videos. It’s worth mentioning that having students use V-One’s four workflows will give them valuable first-hand knowledge of material properties, subtractive and additive manufacturing processes, and product development. If students have any questions along the way or any troubleshooting is required, Voltera’s software also integrates an in-app chat function.<h2>Case Study: 7-Segment Display Decimal Counter</h2>In South Korea, Voltera reseller ITIZ developed a <a href="https://www.voltera.io/use-cases/white-papers/printing-decimal-counter-circuit-silver-conductive-ink-fr1?utm_campaign=Wevolver&amp;utm_source=website&amp;utm_medium=v-one-hands-on-learning-pcb-design&amp;utm_content=lesson-plan">lesson plan</a> for teaching high school students about the fundamentals of electrical engineering and PCB design. The project has a fairly simple output—a decimal counter that counts from zero up to 99—but is designed to integrate many key PCB development concepts, covering different types of voltage regulation, variable resistors, wave pulse generation, and seven-segment displays.In the educational program, students are tasked with creating three single-sided circuits: a voltage regulator that converts 9V input into 5V output, a wave pulse generator that turns that voltage into pulse signals, and a decimal counter board, which translates the pulses into an LED counter that goes up to 99. Students must go through the process of creating each of these three boards using the V-One, FR1 boards, conductive silver ink, and solder paste. When each individual board is printed, the students must also connect them to create the functional counter device, whose speed can be controlled by the pulse generator.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742892384725-ezgif-28d4cf63ff862f.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />7-Segment display decimal counter“This project highlights the potential of additive PCB prototyping in electronics education,” writes Voltera. “By combining theory and practice, students can explore how digital counting systems function, understand the role of BCD-to-seven-segment conversion, and observe how timing signals interact with display components. Direct ink writing platforms like V-One empower the next generation of engineers to innovate beyond breadboards and rapidly iterate on electronics designs.”<h2>A V-One on Every Desk</h2>As we saw, the V-One gives students a hands-on way to learn the fundamentals of PCB development, but it can also be used for more complex projects as students advance in their education. For instance, students can make their own creative electronic devices using the V-One and 3D printers, such as bluetooth speakers, lighting fixtures, or interactive toys. As their skills further develop, it is possible to design and make even more complex PCBs, like a custom breakout board for a <a href="https://www.voltera.io/use-cases/white-papers/printing-strain-gauges-tpu-laminated-glove-remote-hand-control">remote-controlled robotic hand</a> or <a href="https://www.voltera.io/use-cases/customer-stories/princeton-university">CubeSats to be launched into space to gather data</a>. <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742892484412-ezgif-209fdbef39ef8e.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />A project completed using V-One by students in South Korea The key difference between the V-One and more traditional tools for learning circuitry design, like breadboards, is that students can actually test and refine their PCBs. Moreover, this can be done directly in the classroom and often in less than an hour. This enables students to design, print, test, and reiterate PCBs directly without having to depend on external prototyping services. Ultimately, this gives students the opportunity to conduct multiple experiments and projects within a single semester, expanding their skills and knowledge at a more significant rate.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742892605240-ezgif-289b8803016144.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />A South Korea classroom with a V-One for each student As Shannen Prindle, a student from <a href="https://www.voltera.io/use-cases/customer-stories/princeton-university?utm_campaign=Wevolver&amp;utm_source=wevolver&amp;utm_medium=v-one-hands-on-learning-pcb-design&amp;utm_content=princeton-university">Princeton University</a> who worked on CubeSats using the V-One, said: “If we didn't have something like the Voltera V-One (...) I don't think I would fully understand what goes into a circuit. Being able to see where the electronics go helped me understand what components go where.”<h2>Conclusion</h2><a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/09/study-shows-that-students-learn-more-when-taking-part-in-classrooms-that-employ-active-learning-strategies/">Research</a> has shown that hands-on, active learning has clear benefits for understanding concepts and knowledge retention. This is particularly true in fields like electronics engineering that rely on a combination of digital and physical tools to create functional devices. The V-One can thus improve how students learn about electronics and PCBs, offering an accessible platform for bringing circuit designs to physical life. In the end, getting V-One modules into the hands of educators and students will allow for greater access to PCB development and equip the next generation with the skills needed to develop innovative new solutions in the field of electronics.

V-One, a PCB printer developed by Voltera, a Canadian company that makes rapid prototyping platforms for printed electronics.

Learn by Printing: How the V-One Empowers Hands-On Learning in PCB Design

Automotive companies both large and small are adapting to new markets and new technologies. Harsh manufacturing environments, challenging targets, and operator safety require rugged and reliable solutions that reduce downtime due to inadvertent stoppages. As more sophisticated components find their way into vehicles automotive manufacturers will need to effectively modernize and optimize their production. With robust sensors, lighting, condition monitoring, and safety, products, challenges related to quality inspection, assembly, finishing, and inventory tracking across the global supply chain are simplified. Every day, automotive and tyer manufacturers around the world rely on Banner to solve simple to complex automation challenges in the automotive marketplace. <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742913703729-Auto_Assembly_Line_wCallouts+%281%29.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h3 id="isPasted">Image Key</h3><ol><li>Measuring Sheet Metal Thickness</li><li>Light Tunnels for Paint Inspection</li><li>Safeguarding Areas on Assembly Lines</li><li>Predictive Maintenance and Condition Monitoring of Conveyors</li><li>Detecting Black Parts on Black Door Panel </li></ol><h2> </h2><h2> </h2><h2> </h2><h2> </h2><h2>#1 Measuring Sheet Metal Thickness</h2>In the automotive industry, sheet metal stamping is the process of cutting and shaping metal alloys into automotive frame brackets and other forms using a press tool. Metal stamping dyes are used to create high precision metal parts that are equal in shape and size. Automotive sheet metal stamping requires a specific thickness to ensure the parts are equal, and to ensure the dye is not damaged during the process to prevent down time and costly repairs. As metal sheets move down the conveyor, laser displacement sensors measure the sheets on a very precise scale to ensure they are the correct thickness. Quality control is critical to reduce downtime and scrap and maintain high quality standards, so the finished product functions as intended for its useful life. Electrode thickness measurements are made after the coating and roll press processes. At these points, it’s critical to measure the electrode film thickness to determine if it was applied correctly, evenly, and whether any is missing. The LM Series precision measurement sensor is a perfect solution because it is highly accurate and measures thickness at micron levels. The LM Series can also consistently look at dark targets on these levels and is capable of micrometer-level resolutions ranging from 2-4 microns, which gives it the ability to measure thickness of sheet metal quickly and accurately. Using a status display to show measurements of the electrode thickness helps operators quickly view measurements to determine if manufacturing requirements are on track. The SD50 Status Display informs operators about exactly what is going on so they can respond quickly and accurately.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742913725983-cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2>Light Tunnels for Paint Inspection</h2>To help prevent poor quality products from being distributed to customers, it is important to inspect vehicles before they leave the manufacturing plant. When inspecting metal or plastic surfaces in these conditions, imperfections such as fingerprints, dirt, or damaged areas can easily be overlooked. Materials that are shipped with these flaws may require additional repair or recall, which would then drive-up unwanted expenses and cause delays in production. Operators can experience eye strain when inspecting vehicles in paint tunnels. Automotive factories need lights that help to reduce worker fatigue, eliminate defects, and allow proper inspection. Banner offers an assortment of LED products, such as the WLB92 and WLB72 task lights to help with this. Using LED lighting on factory floors offers many advantages. The focused beam and higher contrast enable workers to see contrast and make defects more visible to the human eye. Inspection using these lights reduces shadows, improves visibility, and gives workers the light they need to work efficiently and without making mistakes. This is especially important in the automotive industry where oil residue on metalized paint can make fisheye imperfections, which are small circular spots that appear on contaminated surfaces. The black edges of the WLB72 shield workers from direct contact with the light when looking down the length of paint tunnels. The various rugged light fixtures offer high quality and low power illumination with the capability to be installed and rotated at different angles to better accommodate the needs of the operator. They have an estimated lifespan of over 50,000 hours and never require replacement bulbs or ballasts, providing years of maintenance-free illumination.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742913749763-banner+5.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2>#3 Safeguarding Areas on Assembly Lines</h2>Large automotive assembly factories feature a wide range of machinery that have the potential to harm employees and proper safety measures are essential. As cars and other vehicles are assembled, they move further along a conveyor system, surrounded by automated heavy machinery and robotics. Personnel need to be protected from the vehicles and operating equipment to prevent injury. Areas along the assembly line can pose high levels of risk to operators feeding or removing parts and other personnel working in the manufacturing facility. Often times several safety systems are used simultaneously to prevent workers from entering hazardous areas. The use of safety light curtains for safeguarding assembly lines has been one of the most common methods for protecting personnel. The heavy machinery generates high levels of shock, which increases the probability of physical impact to the guarding system and can also involve oil mist that degrades the light curtain performance. All of these challenges can result in unwanted interruptions in production to allow for safety system maintenance. A strong safety light curtain solution that can withstand the hostile environment in the press room is necessary for successful production. The S4B Series Safety Light Curtains are a well-established solution for automotive assembly lines, with the ability to cascade or connect multiple segments together. Configurations such as vertical pairs are easily implemented with standard hardware to ensure simplified installation and support long term system maintenance requirements. Banner Engineering’s S4B Series Safety Light Curtains are extremely robust with heavy duty, extruded aluminum IP65 rated housing that overcomes optical degradation due to oil and dust accumulation on their windows.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742913776759-cq5dam.web.1280.1280+%281%29.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2>#4 Predictive Maintenance and Condition Monitoring of Conveyors</h2>On automotive assembly lines, there are a lot of critical devices like pumps and drives, which need to be checked frequently for proper operation. Traditionally, plant managers relied on preventative maintenance schedules provided by a machine’s manufacturer, including regularly replacing machine components on a suggested timeline. However, these timelines are only estimates of when the machine will require service, and the actual use of the machine can greatly affect the reliability of these estimates.By monitoring motors, pumps, compressors, fans, blowers, and gearboxes for increases in vibration, problems can be detected before they become too severe and cause damage or unplanned downtime. Vibration and temperature sensors that measure RMS velocity, in inches per second or millimeters per second, and temperature are crucial when setting up condition monitoring systems. Banner’s QM30VT Series sensors have a low-profile design and rigid metal construction that reduces resonant interference and increases surface contact, enabling exceptional levels of accuracy in measuring RMS velocity and temperature. They can detect even slight increases in machine vibration and temperature for early identification of potential problems. With Banner's condition monitoring solution, a machine learning algorithm establishes a vibration baseline for the machine. When a machine exceeds its threshold, the wireless temperature and vibration sensor can deliver information to the local user, to a centrally located wireless tower light or to a mobile device via email or text message. The sensor also can send vibration and temperature data to a wireless logic controller or PLC for collection and analysis. The Asset Monitoring Gateway (AMG) with SNAP ID from Banner can collect and analyze this data from up to 20 of the connected sensors. Combine hardware and software to gain a comprehensive condition-monitoring solution. Using the gateway locally or cloud technology online, you can actively track machine performance, conduct predictive maintenance, and improve operational efficiency.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742914185666-cq5dam.web.1280.1280+%282%29.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2>#5 Detecting Black Parts on a Black Door Panel</h2>Verifying that foam and other components are present on automotive door panels is extremely important to interior trim suppliers because if any part is missing, the quality of the final door assembly is adversely affected. Delivering a bad part to the car manufacturer may result delays or in punitive actions against the Tier 1 supplier. Since door panels are often dark colors such as black or gray, and the foam used to eliminate rattles and provide stiffness is generally black, it can be difficult for standard sensors to differentiate between foam presence and absence due to poor contrast. Banner’s Q4X problem-solving triangulation-based laser sensor has no difficulty detecting dark targets on dark backgrounds when there is a height difference. The Q4X provides a reliable sensing solution with best in class excess gain and makes pass/fail judgments based on distance rather than color or reflectivity. A door panel has four areas where foam should be present, so four Q4X sensors are set up to target these areas and confirm proper assembly by the operator. In this case, three targets are verified, but the fourth is missing. A fail signal is sent to alert the operator that the part needs to be reworked before releasing it from the assembly station. Along with reliable sensing on challenging targets, the Q4X is extremely durable with stainless-steel housing that resists mechanical impact, vibrations and overtightening. The setup is simple with clear user feedback on the four-digit angled display and set-up buttons located on the back of the Q4X housing.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742913933770-sensors.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />This article was written by Emmanuel Quellier, Banner Engineering.

Automation on automotive assembly lines maximizes production quality and throughput. 

Automotive Assembly Lines: Intelligent Solutions for Complex Processes

If your design is becoming increasingly complex, this guide will provide a clear, structured approach to ensure your parts are produced to specification without unnecessary costs or delays. You’ll learn how to assess the complexity of your design, identify opportunities for optimization, and collaborate effectively with manufacturers to ensure your parts meet specificationsCNC machining excels at producing complex parts thanks to its advanced capabilities, including multi-axis operations, precise tooling, and integration with sophisticated software. These features allow for the machining of intricate geometries, internal cavities, and undercuts—design elements that would be difficult or impossible to achieve using conventional methods.From turbine blades with intricate cooling channels in aerospace to custom orthopedic implants in the medical field and detailed enclosures for electronics, CNC machining supports innovation across industries by delivering precision and efficiency. The ability to switch seamlessly between cutting tools and leverage CAD/CAM systems ensures high accuracy and adaptability, making it an ideal solution for both prototyping and high-volume production.This guide provides a comprehensive approach to tackling the challenges of machining complex parts. It will help you evaluate your design’s complexity, uncover optimization opportunities, and implement strategies to streamline production. By following these steps, you can ensure your parts meet specifications efficiently while minimizing costs and avoiding production delays.<h2>Step 1. Is Your Design Really Complex?</h2>Before diving into solutions, let’s first assess whether your part is truly complex or if there are opportunities to simplify it. Use this checklist to evaluate:<ul><li>Does the part have thin walls or tall, narrow structures? Thin walls below 0.8 mm (for metals) or 1.5 mm (for plastics) are prone to deflection and may require specialized fixturing or reduced cutting speeds. </li><li>Does it include deep holes? Features with a depth-to-width ratio greater than 3:1 can cause tool deflection, heat buildup, and chip removal issues.</li><li>Are there internal cavities or undercuts with limited access? These require long-reach tools, multi-axis machining, or alternative methods like EDM, which increase cost and time.</li><li>Does it feature complex surface geometry? Curved or intricate surfaces often require advanced programming, 5-axis machines, and multiple setups, adding machining time and expense.</li><li>Does it include micro-scale features or very small radii? Features smaller than 2.5 mm or sharp internal corners demand specialized tooling and techniques, increasing complexity and tool wear.</li><li>Is the part large? Large parts (typically &gt;1000 mm or exceeding the typical work envelope of standard CNC machines) require specialized equipment, robust fixturing, and careful handling due to their weight. Thermal expansion and increased tool wear add complexity, often requiring temperature control and frequent tool changes.</li><li>Are there interrupted cuts or thin slots? Uneven tool engagement or narrow grooves create additional challenges like tool wear and poor surface quality, requiring careful toolpath planning.</li><li>Are tight tolerances specified throughout the design? Maintaining tight tolerances increases cost and machining time. Excessive precision requirements should be reserved for critical features.</li></ul>If you’ve ticked multiple boxes, congratulations—you’ve got a complex part. But don’t worry! Let’s explore ways to optimize and simplify your design while keeping its functionality intact.The choice of materials can also make the part complex to manufacture. Hard materials, like titanium or hardened steel, increase tool wear and require slower cutting speeds, while ductile or low-conductivity materials, such as stainless steel, demand specialized strategies for chip removal and heat management. Material rigidity can also increase tool stress and vibration, necessitating robust fixturing.<h4 id="isPasted">Ryan Stevens, Mechanical Engineer &amp; Technical Writer</h4><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742802551643-5-axis-machining-1536x1024.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />High speed 5-axis machining center for metal processing<h2 id="isPasted">Step 2. Can Your Design Be Optimized?</h2>Once you’ve confirmed your part is complex, the next step is to give a thought where it’s possible to optimize the design for easier manufacturability. Here are actionable tips and software recommendations to streamline production while maintaining functionality:<h3>1. Simplify Wall Thickness and Deep Features</h3>Thin walls below the recommended thickness are prone to deflection during machining due to cutting forces, which can result in inaccuracies and tool damage. Deep cavities, on the other hand, present challenges like limited tool access, chip removal issues, and heat buildup, all of which increase machining time and risk. Simplifying these features ensures better material stability and reduces tool wear, leading to more efficient production.How: <ul><li>Set a minimum wall thickness of 0.8 mm for metals and 1.5 mm for plastics to avoid deflection.</li><li>Keep cavity depths within a 3:1 depth-to-width ratio for better access and chip clearance.</li><li>Simulate and test adjustments using CAD software like SolidWorks or Autodesk Fusion 360.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742802586256-wall-thickness.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742802603275-cavities-cnc.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h3 id="isPasted">2. Optimize Complex Geometries and Surface Features</h3>Complex shapes, such as free-form surfaces or curved geometries, require advanced 5-axis machining and multiple setups, which add significant time and expense. Additionally, machining these features often involves higher tool wear and the need for specialized programming, making them less cost-effective.How:<ul><li>Replace overly intricate features with simpler geometries wherever possible.</li><li>Avoid features like embossed logos or aesthetic elements in early stages—these can be added later through post-processing to reduce material removal and machining time.</li><li>Use specialized CAM software like HyperMill or Mastercam to generate efficient toolpaths that minimize setup changes and improve machining precision.</li></ul><h3>3. Reduce Internal Cavities and Limited-Access Features</h3>Internal cavities and undercuts limit tool movement, making them difficult to machine with standard tooling. These features often require custom tools, additional setups, or alternative processes like Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), all of which increase machining costs and time.How:<ul><li>Break the part into modular sections that can be machined separately and assembled later.</li><li>For unavoidable cavities, use long-reach tools and simulate toolpaths with software like Fusion 360 to optimize machining strategies.</li><li>Consider non-traditional methods such as EDM for features that are highly inaccessible.</li></ul><h3>4. Avoid Extremely Small Features</h3>Features smaller than 2.5 mm are challenging for standard CNC tools, requiring micro-tools that wear quickly and operate at reduced spindle speeds. Additionally, extreme precision in micro-features often calls for advanced inspection and validation, further increasing production complexity.How:<ul><li>Redesign parts to eliminate features smaller than 2.5 mm where possible.</li><li>Use simulation tools like Siemens NX or SolidWorks to ensure the redesign maintains functionality.</li><li>For unavoidable micro-features, consider alternative methods like micro-EDM or laser cutting.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742802618736-small-features.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h3 id="isPasted">5. Maintain Consistent Radii for Internal Corners</h3>Sharp internal corners require smaller tools that are prone to breakage and wear. Inconsistent radii can also create stress concentrations in the part, potentially leading to structural weaknesses. Maintaining consistent radii allows for smoother cuts and reduces tool wear, improving both machining efficiency and part durability.How:<ul><li>Design corners with radii that are at least 130% of the milling tool’s radius.</li><li>Use built-in design rules in Fusion 360 to automatically adjust corner radii for manufacturability.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742802637721-internal-edges-cnc.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h3 id="isPasted">6. Choose Standard Hole Sizes, Thread Lengths, and Placement</h3>Non-standard hole sizes, overly long threads, and poor hole placement increase machining time and complexity. Proper alignment and adherence to standards simplify tooling requirements, improve access, and reduce costs.How:<ul><li>Use standard hole diameters and threads, keeping thread lengths within 1.5 times the diameter for optimal efficiency.</li><li>Align holes with machine axes to improve tool access and minimize deflection.</li><li>Avoid placing holes near edges or thin walls to prevent deformation during machining.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742802654824-standard-hole-size.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h3 id="isPasted">7. Apply Tolerances Selectively</h3>Specifying tight tolerances across the entire part increases machining time, tool wear, and inspection requirements, even for non-critical features. This significantly drives up production costs. By limiting tight tolerances to functional or critical areas, you can achieve the required precision where it matters while saving time and cost on less critical areas.How:<ul><li>Apply tight tolerances (e.g., ±0.01 mm) only to features like mating/critical surfaces or alignment points.</li><li>For less critical areas, use standard tolerances such as ISO 2768 medium or fine.</li><li>Use GD&amp;T tools in Creo or SolidWorks to analyze and optimize tolerance placements.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742802674644-homogeneous-tolerancing.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Step 3. How Can You Help the Manufacturer?</h2>By ensuring your designs are well-documented and manufacturable, you reduce the likelihood of errors and delays. Additionally, understanding how manufacturers operate—such as their capabilities with different materials and machine types—empowers you to make more informed design decisions. This approach not only improves the efficiency of your projects but also ensures that the final parts meet your exact specifications.<h3>Provide Comprehensive CAD Models</h3>The CAD model serves as the blueprint for manufacturing your part. If dimensions, tolerances, or annotations are unclear or missing, the manufacturer must make assumptions, which could result in errors or delays. To ensure accuracy and efficiency, follow these best practices:<ul><li>Include all relevant details such as tolerances, material thickness, and surface finishes.</li><li>Clearly annotate critical features like threads, mating surfaces, or areas requiring post-processing.</li><li>Use compatible formats like STEP or IGES files for easier import into CNC programming software.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742802697722-engineer-cad-software-1536x1033.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />Engineer designing a mechanical component using CAD software<h3 id="isPasted">Use Standard Features Where Possible</h3>Complex CNC machined parts feature intricate geometries, tight tolerances, multi-material compositions, and sometimes large sizes, often demanding multi-axis machining and advanced processes. The table below provides an overview of key complexity factors in CNC machining, outlining their impact on design, manufacturability, costs, and overall machining difficulty.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742802721697-EN-cnc-machining-complex-parts.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Step 4. What Are the Best Alternatives to CNC Machining for Complex Parts?</h2>While CNC machining is a versatile and highly effective manufacturing method, certain complex parts or geometries can prove difficult or inefficient to produce with CNC alone. In such cases, it is worth considering alternative technologies that may be better suited for the specific challenges. Below are some key alternatives that can be leveraged when CNC machining reaches its limits.<table><tr>TechnologyDescriptionAdvantages</tr><tr>Additive Manufacturing (3D printing)Builds parts layer by layer, ideal for intricate and highly complex parts.Ideal for complex internal structures, lightweight parts, and quick prototyping. Comes in a variety of different technologies (MJF, SLA, etc.) each with their own strengths.</tr><tr>Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)Uses electrical discharges to erode the material, which is effective for hard materials and intricate details.Effective for sharp corners, deep cavities, and difficult-to-reach features.</tr><tbody><tr><td>Casting</td><td>Involves pouring molten material into a mould to create the desired shape.</td><td>Cost-effective for high-volume production, and allows for intricate internal cavities.</td></tr><tr><td>Hybrid Manufacturing (e.g. CNC Machining and cutting)</td><td>Combines CNC machining with laser or plasma cutting to create complex parts with precise geometries and intricate cutouts. CNC machining handles milling and shaping, while laser/plasma cutting is used for high-precision cuts or profiles.</td><td>Offers enhanced flexibility by combining high-precision machining with efficient cutting for intricate profiles and shapes. Reduces manufacturing steps and lead times by integrating multiple processes in a single workflow. Ideal for parts requiring detailed cuts and precise machining.</td></tr></tbody></table><table><tbody><tr><td>Note: At Xometry we offer casting services for aluminium and plastics, but not for steel.</td></tr></tbody></table>Based on the above table, additive manufacturing excels in creating intricate internal structures, while EDM and laser cutting are better suited for precise, hard-to-reach features. Casting is ideal for high-volume production of intricate parts, and hybrid manufacturing offers the flexibility to combine the benefits of multiple technologies. By understanding the strengths and limitations of these alternative manufacturing methods, engineers can select the best approach to produce complex components effectively.<h2>Ensuring Success in Manufacturing Complex Parts</h2>If you’re not sure where to start, <a href="https://get.xometry.eu/?locale=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">getting an instant quote</a> is a great first step. If the manufacturing cost surprises you, it’s often a sign there’s room for optimization. However, if the intricate lines, holes, threads, and edges in your model suggest it’s meant to be expensive, then it’s worth letting the most advanced machines bring your ideas to life.Just be sure that every detail is clearly reflected in your models, drawings, and additional requirements for the manufacturers.

Learn how to assess the complexity of your design, identify opportunities for optimization, and collaborate effectively with manufacturers to ensure your parts meet specifications

Complex CNC Parts? Here's How to Get Them Right

Sometimes big things start small, and that’s certainly true of filament manufacturer Fiberthree. This Darmstadt-based company has developed a process that recycles carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic and significantly minimizes its carbon footprint. At the same time, the recycled material involves no additional costs and offers almost the same mechanical properties. While recycled material still accounts for less than 10 percent its total sales, Klaus Philipp, co-founder and managing director of Fiberthree, wants to position his company more strongly in this field.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742801418406-Abfall_content.webp.1280.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />New filaments are created from support structures, rejects or misprints. Image: Fiberthree.An important driver of this development was the mechanical engineering company Andritz Kaiser, which has been sourcing its filament from Fiberthree for many years. “We generate a lot of waste, particularly when developing new components – be it in the form of support structures, rejects, or misprints,” says Paolo Matassoni, head of development at Andritz Kaiser. “Material is a precious raw material and it's far too good to simply throw away.” Matassoni and his team collect the waste from the 120 kilograms of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic that is printed at Andritz Kaiser each year and send it back to Darmstadt, along with their empty filament spools. As Andritz Kaiser also has the components for its series machines 3D-printed at Fiberthree, further residual materials from Fiberthree’s PA-CF Pro plastic are collected here, as well.<table><tbody><tr><td><h3>Stay Informed on the Latest FormNext 2025 Updates! Sign up to the FormNext newsletter to get notified as soon as tickets are available.</h3><a href="https://info.mesago.de/-lp/5HKPB14784/p4jkP173" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">Sign up here</a></td></tr></tbody></table><h2>Recycling process presents challenges</h2>Klaus Philipp is particularly motivated by the desire to ensure that the remnants of PA-CF Pro do not end up as waste. “In this day and age, we can no longer afford to simply throw away a high-performance material. We have to realize that plastics have value.” This recycling approach is also important because “we have young employees who are very committed to the issue of sustainability,” as Philipp explains.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742801452704-Fiberthree-02.webp.768.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />According to Fiberthree, the recycled material achieves around 90 percent of the performance of the original filament. Images: Fiberthree Fiberthree, which employs four people and sells around three tons of plastic per year, now collects 250 kilograms of PA-CF Pro per year for recycling. In the first step, the material is shredded by a partner in the region. What sounds trivial is a challenge with a material like carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic: “It puts a lot of strain on the machine and can wear it out,” Philipp points out. Next, the shredded material is processed into granulate and then into filament. The intermediate step to granulate takes place “for safety reasons,” Philipp continues. “Otherwise, any contamination could damage the filament extruder.” This makes clean separation even more important.<h2>Technical properties almost like the original</h2>“Technically, the recycled material is almost as good as before; we achieve around 90 percent of the performance of the original filament,” Philipp reports. For Matassoni, the material’s slightly diminished strength is not a problem: “We don't use the recycled material for high-strength applications, but for support structures, for example, or for components such as oil pipes that are not exposed to high tensile or compressive forces.” Further tests are currently underway at Andritz Kaiser to determine the exact technical properties of the material. The results should be available by the end of 2024.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742801504348-druckservice.webp.1280.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />Filament production and tests on the company's own printers are carried out in-house in Darmstadt. Images: Fiberthree<h2 id="isPasted">Up to 90 percent less CO2</h2>PA-CF Pro is a polyamide 6 with a carbon fiber content of 15 percent. Philipp has calculated that producing one kilogram of this material generates 10 to 12 kg of CO2 emissions. This is based on the CO2 footprints of polyamide (around 5 kg of CO2 / kg of material) and carbon fiber (30 kg of CO2 / kg of material) and that of compounding and filament production.Philipp anticipates that Fiberthree’s recycling process will lead to significant reductions in CO2. For large tonnages, the rates achieved can reach 90 percent, and 60–80 percent can still be achieved with smaller quantities. One variable here is the use of electricity – that is, whether you include green electricity or the electricity mix in Germany. On average, Philipp has calculated three kilograms of CO2 emissions for each kilogram of recycled material.Recycling has not yet saved any money, but there are no additional costs, either. The price of the recycled material is the same as that of new filament. “And that's already a strong argument,” asserts a happy Paolo Matassoni. “You reduce CO2 at practically zero cost.” This means that recycling will also be of interest to companies and corporations that are committed to sustainability and are pursuing set goals in this area. “The great thing about this application is that it’s very honest. Sustainability is not glossed over here; it is tangible,” Matassoni points out.<table><tbody><tr><td><h3>Stay Informed on the Latest FormNext 2025 Updates! Sign up to the FormNext newsletter to get notified as soon as tickets are available.</h3><a href="https://info.mesago.de/-lp/5HKPB14784/p4jkP173" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">Sign up here</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

Sometimes big things start small, and that’s certainly true of filament manufacturer Fiberthree. This Darmstadt-based company has developed a process that recycles carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic and significantly minimizes its carbon footprint.

Reducing CO2 at zero cost

The 4th International 4D Materials Design and Additive Manufacturing Conference 2025 (4DMDA 2025) is organized by A*STAR's Research Institutes, Universities, and the 4D Printing Society. <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742556201010-ASTAR-4DP.png" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />The event showcases the latest developments and technologies in smart materials, metamaterials, intelligent designs, modelling, additive manufacturing, and 3D/4D printing. It addresses current concerns in the further development of 3D/4D printed devices. It provides a forum for internationally recognized experts and young scientists working in the fields of smart materials, metamaterials, advanced design, modelling and simulation, and 3D/4D printing technologies to present their work.This conference is hosted in person at the Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC), Singapore, and is scheduled to take place on July 8-10, 2025.<a href="https://4dprintings.com/events/4dmda2025/">REGISTER HERE</a>

Organized by A*STARs Research Institutes and Universities, and the 4D Printing Society

EVENT: 4D Materials Design and Additive Manufacturing Conference 2025

SCANTECH is redefining high-precision 3D scanning with the launch of NimbleTrack-CR, an intelligent, wireless 3D scanning system designed for unparalleled detail capture. Built upon the advanced capabilities of the NimbleTrack series—wireless freedom, lightweight portability, and metrology-grade accuracy—this next-generation system pushes the boundaries of 3D digitization in industrial inspection, cultural heritage preservation, and research.Equipped with high-performance industrial cameras and intelligent algorithms, NimbleTrack-CR captures even the finest structures with exceptional precision, delivering true-to-life digital models. Whether for quality control in manufacturing or non-contact preservation of historical artifacts, it provides reliable, detailed scans that open new possibilities in measurement, restoration, and documentation.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742528664617-1.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Unmatched Detail Capture </h2>NimbleTrack-CR is equipped with a state-of-the-art optical imaging system and intelligent algorithms, enhanced by advanced cross technology and sub-pixel image processing for exceptional precision. This system captures fine details with high precision, achieving "what you see is what you get." <h3>Industrial Measurement</h3>-ISO 17025 certified-0.025 mm accuracy for system-0.020-mm accuracy for scanner-only mode Built on SCANTECH’s expertise in industrial metrology, it ensures both excellent detail capture and precise measurement, making it a reliable tool for quality control and process optimization.Designed for small to medium-sized parts, it accurately captures minor defects and intricate features, ensuring precise measurement of complex curves and contours, such as turbine blades.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742528679770-2.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h3 id="isPasted">Art and Cultural Heritage</h3>-0.010 mm max resolution-Class I laser safety for cultural heritage preservation mode-Non-contact and damage-free Its heritage preservation mode is class I laser certified, which ensures non-contact, damage-free 3D scanning. From delicate pottery and painted ceramics to intricate bronze patterns and inscribed steles, the system captures artifact details with metrology-grade precision while eliminating the risk of surface damage. This innovative solution provides a safe and reliable approach for archaeological restoration and cultural heritage documentation.It delivers high-fidelity scans of artifacts, sculptures, and glazed surfaces, providing accurate data for digital archiving, restoration, and virtual exhibitions.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742528692702-3.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Flexible and All-in-One </h2>● Multiple Scanning Modes: Supports ultra-fast scanning, hyper-fine scanning and deep hole scanning, adaptable to diverse scanning needs.  ● Adaptable to Different Environments: Handles various part sizes and types across indoor and outdoor settings, even under direct sunlight.  ● Multi-Material Compatibility: Scans textiles, ceramics, bronze, sheet metal, and more without needing spray coatings, protecting the surface from damage.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742528709113-4.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Excellent for Cultural Heritage Protection</h2><h3>3D Scan + Texture Mapping</h3>Experience flawless cultural heritage preservation with SCANTECH’s integrated digital workflow powered by robust 3D software and high-resolution texture mapping software. Leveraging high-precision 3D scanning and intelligent texture mapping, it faithfully reproduces colors, textures, and geometry for stunning, lifelike detail.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742528764168-5.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Wireless Measurement  </h2>-On-board computing module -Built-in batteries-WNIC design The NimbleTrack-CR incorporates edge computing for fast and stable data processing. The built-in batteries on both 3D scanner and tracker ensure continuous scanning without external power sources, offering greater flexibility and efficiency in the scanning process.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742528793635-6.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Lightweight and Portable Design</h2>‒ 230-mm diameter  ‒ 1.3-kg weightDesigned with portability in mind, the scanner is exceptionally compact and lightweight, fitting neatly into a single case for effortless transport and storage.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742528804423-7.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Software-Powered Measurement  </h2>Smart Resolution: Automatically adjusts the scanning resolution based on object features and the environments before the scan begins.  Color Indicators: Displays scanned and unscanned areas in different colors, helping users identify blind spots or missing data in real time, enhancing scan completeness and accuracy.  Real-time Multi-Resolution: Empower users to adjust resolution in real time during scanning process to match an object’s complexity, ensuring every critical detail is captured with precision. <h2>Flexible Compatibility </h2>Intelligent Edge DetectionNimbleTrack boasts an optional module of precise edge detection, which is enabled by gray-value measurement. Users can inspect closed features such as holes, slots, edges precisely and obtain information such as positions and diameters.i-Probe 500It can be paired with a tracking i-Probe to probe inaccessible areas such as reference holes and hidden points. This contact measurement probe can ensure precise results with both wired and wireless options.Multi-tracker MeasurementIts measurement range can be dynamically extended by adding more i-Trackers so that it can measure large-scale objects without compromising accuracy.Automated MeasurementBased on the new 3D scanner architecture, we have customized a clamping method for automated measurement, making it more compatible with various types of robots. Its 360-degree evenly distributed target sets allow for all-round and precise tracking, facilitating forming efficient automated batch measurement systems.Expanding the Possibilities of 3D ScanningWith its high-precision, wireless operation, and adaptable scanning capabilities, NimbleTrack-CR is setting a new standard for detailed, high-accuracy 3D measurement. Whether in industrial manufacturing, cultural heritage, art design, or research, it offers unmatched precision, flexibility, and ease of use.

We’re excited to launch the NimbleTrack-CR, a next-gen wireless 3D scanning system designed for ultimate detail capture. 

Building on the NimbleTrack series’ core strengths—wireless freedom, lightweight portability, and high accuracy—this intelligent system takes detail capture to the next level. With high-performance industrial cameras and smart algorithms, it reveals the finest features with exceptional precision.

SCANTECH Unveils NimbleTrack-CR: The Intelligent, Wireless 3D Scanning System for Ultimate Detail Capture

SCANTECH is redefining large-scale 3D measurement with the launch of the KSCAN-X, an intelligent, wireless 3D scanner designed for seamless, high-precision scanning of medium, large and ultra-large parts. Equipped with cutting-edge wireless technology and adaptive photogrammetry, the KSCAN-X sets a new benchmark for efficiency and accuracy across industries such as aerospace, heavy industry, and rail transportation.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742527413262-1.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Truly Wireless Scanning for Ultimate Flexibility</h2>The KSCAN-X is a fully wireless device, enabling unrestricted scanning even in power-limited environments, at heights, or in remote locations. Designed for efficiency and ease of use, it features:<ul><li> Robust on-board processing for handling large datasets with ease.</li><li> Dual-battery system for uninterrupted, cable-free operation.</li><li> Dual-WNIC design technology for stable, high-speed data transfer.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742527434594-2.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Ultra-Wide Scanning Area &amp; Extended Depth of Field</h2>The KSCAN-X’s ultra-large scanning area of up to 2.6m × 1.8m and an impressive depth of field from 0.3m to 2.5m make it the ideal solution for scanning objects of varying sizes with high efficiency and precision.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742527445739-3.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Next-Level Speed and Accuracy</h2>Powered by quad-cross blue laser technology and a high-frame-rate processing chip, the KSCAN-X ensures rapid and seamless scanning even in harsh environments. Key features include:<ul><li> 4 × 21 quad-cross blue laser lines for high-speed large-area</li><li> scanning.6,450,000 measurements per second for fast data capture.</li><li> Scanning rate up to 180 FPS, enabling smoother, more efficient scanning with fewer markers.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742527461099-4.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Versatile Applications for Various Industries</h2>The KSCAN-X adapts to diverse scanning needs with specialized scanning modes:<ul><li> Ultra-Large Parts | High Efficiency: Captures extensive surfaces in a single scan, leveraging adaptive photogrammetry for superior long-distance accuracy. It achieves exceptional accuracy of up to 0.075 mm, with volumetric accuracy reaching 0.075 mm + 0.010 mm/m.</li><li> Medium to Large-Sized Parts | Fine Detail Capture: Offers 0.030 mm accuracy to ensure precise quality inspection, even for complex curves and fine features.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742527477508-5.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><ul><li> Deep Hole Measurement | No Blind Spots: With a dedicated blue laser line, the KSCAN-X excels at scanning hard-to-reach areas like pipe interiors and gear teeth.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742527488417-6.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Designed for Comfort and Efficiency</h2>The KSCAN-X blends power with ergonomic design, ensuring seamless operation and a fatigue-free user experience:<ul><li> Well-structured visual framework highlights key components like the camera lens and laser system, making operation seamless. </li><li> Engineered for comfort and efficiency, it ensures a secure grip and fatigue-free use, even during long scanning sessions. </li><li> Designed with both ergonomics and aesthetics in mind, KSCAN-X combines sharp, dynamic lines with a balanced, intuitive layout. </li></ul><h2>Next-Gen Metrology Software Integration</h2>Powered by the next-gen DefinSight platform, KSCAN-X is built for industrial-grade 3D scanning and inspection, offering an intuitive interface, broad compatibility, and high-speed data processing for an enhanced metrology experience.<ul><li> Easy to Use: Smart, streamlined workflows for effortless operation.</li><li> For Everyone: Designed for both beginners and experts.</li><li> Seamless Scanning: Instant startup with real-time data capture and packaging.</li><li> High-Resolution Detail: Supports real-time mesh visualization for faster data capture and finer data quality. </li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742527519042-7.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Revolutionizing 3D Scanning with Wireless Freedom</h2>With its combination of wireless operation, high-speed performance, and ultra-precise accuracy, the KSCAN-X is set to transform large-area 3D scanning for industrial applications. Whether used in manufacturing, quality control, or complex engineering projects, the KSCAN-X delivers unparalleled efficiency, precision, and ease of use.

KSCAN-X Intelligent and Wireless Large-Area 3D Scanner

Powered by SCANTECH’s cutting-edge wireless technology and adaptive photogrammetry, the KSCAN-X redefines large-scale 3D measurements.

SCANTECH Unveils KSCAN-X: The Intelligent, Wireless Large-Area 3D Scanner

3D electronics printing is a rapidly growing area of electronics production that combines nanotechnology, elements of additive manufacturing, and nanomaterials. These nanomaterials are inks or viscous pastes that contain carbon, metallic, semiconductor, or ceramic nanoparticles that provide desirable electrical properties.While this area of electronics printing can be considered different to 3D printing proper—printed circuits can have multiple layers, but typically have a limited Z-axis—it borrows many features from other types of additive manufacturing. For example, printheads are operated via ultra-precise computer numerical control (CNC) on a gantry system. On the other hand, nanomaterials for electronics are often printed using techniques that are less common in other areas of industrial or consumer 3D printing, such as dispensing, direct ink writing, aerosol jet, or drop-on-demand inkjet.[1]One of the most important elements of 3D electronic printing, besides the use of highly innovative nanomaterials, is the use of multi-material circuits. 3D electronics systems can provide the ability to print multiple materials in a single circuit via multi-nozzle setup or the rapid changeover of material cartridges within a single-nozzle setup. The combination of conductive nanoparticle inks and pastes (and other materials) can lead to next-generation electronic possibilities.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742471972239-hfs.png" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2>The Role of Nanomaterials in 3D Electronics Printing</h2>Nanomaterials are crucial to the development of 3D electronics printing applications because they allow electrically functional materials like silver to be manipulated and arranged in an ultra-precise manner that would not be possible in other material forms.In short, nanomaterials consist of two main components:<ol><li>An easily printable matrix material. In extrusion printing, this might be an ordinary thermoplastic polymer; in dispensing it may be a glycol or glycol ether, for example.</li><li>A significant concentration of nanoparticles. These are the critical functional ingredients of the nanomaterial and may be of a material such as silver, copper, or carbon.</li></ol>Nanomaterials such as silver inks and pastes are highly beneficial in 3D electronics printing technology due to their high conductivity, their ability to be printed through ultra-fine dispensing, aerosol, and other printing techniques, and their adhesion to various substrates. Silver nanoparticles enable fine, precise circuit patterns for applications like RFID antennas, touchscreens, and flexible sensors. Additionally, the concentration of nanoparticles can be varied to produce <a href="https://xtpl.com/nanomaterials-in-3d-electronics-printing-xtpl/">nanomaterials</a> with different electrical properties and viscosities.[2]Compared to traditional etching methods, nano inks minimize material waste and enable scalable, cost-effective, miniaturized manufacturing. Special nano-engineered formulations can also enhance the oxidation resistance and mechanical flexibility of the printed components, which can be useful in applications like wearables, medical devices, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742471991304-microled.png" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2>Multi-Material Circuits: Expanding the Horizons</h2>Multi-material circuits are advantageous because they enhance device functionality by integrating different material properties in a single fabrication process. For instance, combining conductive and insulating materials enables complex interconnects without additional processing steps. This is particularly beneficial in advanced electronics applications like flexible hybrid electronics, microfluidics, and semiconductor packaging.<a href="https://xtpl.com/ultra-precise-dispensing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">XTPL's Ultra-Precise Deposition (UPD) technology</a> enables multi-material circuit printing by allowing precise deposition of conductive silver inks and pastes at the microscale and offering a rapid material changeover via its cartridge system. Other printable materials include dielectrics, photoresists, and quantum dots, while XTPL can also develop novel nanomaterials alongside customers to discover new applications. Furthermore, multiple UPD printheads can be operated simultaneously for multi-material dispensing.UPD’s capability to print on various substrates, including flexible, transparent, and rough-textured ones, and even on vertical substrates using its high-viscosity Ag Nanopaste CL85, supports the development of 3D devices like next-generation wearable electronics, high-density interconnects, and custom microsensors.<h2>The Future of 3D Electronics Printing</h2>3D electronics printing is on course for a bright future as nanomaterials, multi-material circuits, and ultra-precise deposition techniques continue to evolve. The integration of conductive inks, dielectrics, and novel substrates will enable the development of flexible, miniaturized, and highly efficient electronic devices.With the emergence of sub-micron dispensing technologies and an expanding nanomaterial range, applications in areas like wearables, medical devices, and IoT will accelerate and broaden. Additionally, innovations in deposition methods, such as XTPL’s UPD, will continue to enhance manufacturing precision through its dispensing of ultra-fine traces. In the future, fully functional 3D printed electronic systems—combining circuitry, sensors, and even power sources—may become standard, while the use of cutting-edge printing technologies on production lines will enable such devices to become mainstream.<h2>Resources</h2>[1] Persad J, Rocke S. A survey of 3D printing technologies as applied to printed electronics. Ieee Access. 2022 Mar 8;10:27289-319.[2] Apmann K, Fulmer R, Soto A, Vafaei S. Thermal conductivity and viscosity: Review and optimization of effects of nanoparticles. Materials. 2021 Mar 8;14(5):1291.

New electronics printing technologies enable the production of miniature, high-performance 3D electronic devices, with nanomaterials being key to the process

From Nanomaterials to Multi-Material Circuits: The Future of 3D Electronics Printing

It’s difficult to build devices that replicate the fluid, precise motion of humans, but that might change if we could pull a few (literal) strings.At least, that’s the idea behind “cable-driven” mechanisms in which running a string through an object generates streamlined movement across an object’s different parts. Take a robotic finger, for example: You could embed a cable through the palm to the fingertip of this object and then pull it to create a curling motion.While cable-driven mechanisms can create real-time motion to make an object bend, twist, or fold, they can be complicated and time-consuming to assemble by hand. To automate the process, researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have developed an all-in-one 3D printing approach called “Xstrings.” Part design tool, part fabrication method, Xstrings can embed all the pieces together and produce a cable-driven device, saving time when assembling bionic robots, creating art installations, or working on dynamic fashion designs.3D printing approach strings together cable-driven mechanisms for you Video: MIT CSAILIn a <a href="https://groups.csail.mit.edu/hcie/files/research-projects/xstrings/xstrings.pdf" target="_blank">paper</a> to be presented at the 2025 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI2025), the researchers used Xstrings to print a range of colorful and unique objects that included a red walking lizard robot, a purple wall sculpture that can open and close like a peacock’s tail, a white tentacle that curls around items, and a white claw that can ball up into a fist to grab objects.To fabricate these eye-catching mechanisms, Xstrings allows users to fully customize their designs in a software program, sending them to a multi-material 3D printer to bring that creation to life. You can automatically print all the device’s parts in their desired locations in one step, including the cables running through it and the joints that enable its intended motion.MIT CSAIL postdoc and lead author Jiaji Li says that Xstrings can save engineers time and energy, reducing 40 percent of total production time compared to doing things manually. “Our innovative method can help anyone design and fabricate cable-driven products with a desktop bi-material 3D printer,” says Li.<h2>A new twist on cable-driven fabrication</h2>To use the Xstrings program, users first input a design with specific dimensions, like a rectangular cube divided into smaller pieces with a hole in the middle of each one. You can then choose which way its parts move by selecting different “primitives:” bending, coiling (like a spring), twisting (like a screw), or compressing — and the angle of these motions.For even more elaborate creations, users can incorporate multiple primitives to create intriguing combinations of motions. If you wanted to make a toy snake, you could include several twists to create a “series” combo, in which a single cord drives a sequence of motions. To create the robot claw, the team embedded multiple cables into a “parallel” combination, where several strings are embedded, to enable each finger to close up into a fist.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742432637463-mit-Xstrings-diagram.png" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />Xstrings facilitates how cables are integrated into the object it’s producing. Users can choose exactly how the strings are secured, including its endpoint, the holes within the structure that the cord passes through, and where you’d pull to operate the device.  Image courtesy of the researchers.Beyond fine-tuning the way cable-driven mechanisms move, Xstrings also facilitates how cables are integrated into the object. Users can choose exactly how the strings are secured, in terms of where the “anchor” (endpoint), “threaded areas” (or holes within the structure that the cord passes through), and “exposed point” (where you’d pull to operate the device) are located. With a robot finger, for instance, you could choose the anchor to be located at the fingertip, with a cable running through the finger and a pull tag exposed at the other end.Xstrings also supports diverse joint designs by automatically placing components that are elastic, compliant, or mechanical. This allows the cable to turn as needed as it completes the device’s intended motion.<h2>Driving unique designs across robotics, art, and beyond</h2>Once users have simulated their digital blueprint for a cable-driven item, they can bring it to life via fabrication. Xstrings can send your design to a fused deposition modeling 3D printer, where plastic is melted down into a nozzle before the filaments are poured out to build structures up layer by layer.Xstrings uses this technique to lay out cables horizontally and build around them. To ensure their method would successfully print cable-driven mechanisms, the researchers carefully tested their materials and printing conditions.For example, the researchers found that their strings only broke after being pulled up and down by a mechanical device more than 60,000 times. In another test, the team discovered that printing at 260 degrees Celsius with a speed of 10-20 millimeters per second was ideal for producing their many creative items.“The Xstrings software can bring a variety of ideas to life,” says Li. “It enables you to produce a bionic robot device like a human hand, mimicking our own gripping capabilities. You can also create interactive art pieces, like a cable-driven sculpture with unique geometries, and clothes with adjustable flaps. One day, this technology could enable the rapid, one-step creation of cable-driven robots in outer space, even within highly confined environments such as space stations or extraterrestrial bases.”The team’s approach offers plenty of flexibility and a noticeable speed boost to fabricating cable-driven objects. It creates objects that are rigid on the outside, but soft and flexible on the inside; in the future, they may look to develop objects that are soft externally but rigid internally, much like humans’ skin and bones. They’re also considering using more resilient cables, and, instead of just printing strings horizontally, embedding ones that are angled or even vertical.Li wrote the paper with Zhejiang University master’s student Shuyue Feng; Tsinghua University master’s student Yujia Liu; Zhejiang University assistant professor and former MIT Media Lab visiting researcher Guanyun Wang; and three CSAIL members: Maxine Perroni-Scharf, an MIT PhD student in electrical engineering and computer science; Emily Guan, a visiting researcher; and senior author Stefanie Mueller, the TIBCO Career Development Associate Professor in the MIT departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, and leader of the HCI Engineering Group.

The “Xstrings” method can produce a range of colorful and unique objects, like a white tentacle that curls around items and a purple wall sculpture that can open and close. Photo: Mike Grimmett/MIT CSAIL

“Xstrings” method enables users to produce cable-driven objects, automatically assembling bionic robots, sculptures, and dynamic fashion designs.

3D printing approach strings together dynamic objects for you

3D printing is gaining increased traction in the defense sector as its unique advantages can be leveraged to provide fast, cost-effective manufacturing solutions.With a wide range of applications, the ability to produce spare parts on demand, create custom tools and jigs, help streamline the maintenance workflow, and reduce logistical challenges associated with traditional supply chain alternatives.<a href="https://ultimaker.com/">UltiMaker’s ecosystem</a>, including <a href="https://ultimaker.com/software/ultimaker-digital-factory/">Digital Factory</a> for remote print management, enables defense organizations to integrate 3D printing into their workflows effectively. In this article, we aim to outline the key benefits and some of the potential applications of 3D printing in defense.<h2>Benefits of 3D printing in defense</h2>There are 5 main benefits that offer key advantages for defense applications:<h3>On-demand spare parts production</h3>Traditional supply chains require stockpiling spare parts, which takes up space and can lead to long lead times if a part is unavailable. With 3D printing, essential components can be produced on-site, reducing downtime and ensuring mission-critical equipment remains operational.A professional desktop 3D printer is a compact all-in-one additive manufacturing station that can be deployed in forward areas and is ready out of the box or with minimal setup.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742369309404-the-royal-netherlands-navy-fleet-of-printers+%281%29.webp" /><h3>Reduced logistical challenges</h3>Transporting spare parts, tools, and equipment is costly and resource-intensive. 3D printing’s inherent advantage is that it minimizes this burden by allowing parts to be manufactured as needed, reducing the need for large storage facilities and complex resupply operations.<h3>Wide range of materials</h3>Modern 3D printers support a wide variety of materials, including high-performance composites and metal alternatives, making it possible to produce durable and functional parts suitable for demanding defense operations.For example, <a href="https://ultimaker.com/learn/on-demand-spare-parts-the-royal-netherlands-navys-3d-printing-solution/">the Royal Netherlands Navy</a> and UltiMaker collaborated on an application to verify the material strength of a 3D printed link to lift a 12-ton tank. Not only did the part successfully withstand the test but it did so while being produced faster (it takes a lot less time to 3D print a solid 2 kg link than to manufacture it via traditional methods) but it was also lighter than traditional metal link.<h3>Faster maintenance and repairs</h3>Custom tools, components, and maintenance jigs and fixtures can be printed on-site, reducing the time required to keep equipment in service. For example, the Royal Netherlands Air Force uses UltiMaker 3D printers to create maintenance tools for aircraft, speeding up servicing operations.For example, during the transportation of jet engines, certain openings need to be covered with a special cap. While normally expensive to purchase and with often high delivery times, with 3D printing they can be manufactured in as little as 2 hours per part.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742369345602-Air-Force-blog-image-1.webp" /><h3>Digital inventory and remote print management</h3>Instead of relying on physical stockpiles, military units can maintain a digital inventory of spare parts accessible from any location via UltiMaker’s DigitalFactory. Prints can also be managed remotely, ensuring that necessary components are produced efficiently and delivered where they are needed.The ability to manufacture components locally is especially beneficial in instances where traditional supply chains face difficulties due to unexpected rise in the demand for parts, bad weather, or adversarial denial.For example, naval ships can keep a small fleet of 3D printers onboard and only stock filament spools with various materials vastly reducing the weight and space that would otherwise be occupied by spare parts in storage. The Royal Netherlands Navy for example employs UltiMaker 3D printers on board its ships to print a variety of replacement parts like water filters, valve handles, etc. Using UltiMaker Digital Factory they could securely source the 3D files, monitor the printers, and ensure that their data remained protected throughout the process without compromising on accessibility.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742369378494-1742369378494.png" /><h2>Expanding applications beyond logistics and maintenance</h2>While 3D printing has proven its value in defense logistics, maintenance, and supply resilience, its versatility can extend even further.Beyond producing spare parts or mission-specific tools, additive manufacturing can make an impact in medical and humanitarian applications supported by the defense industry. Custom prosthetics, field medical devices, and protective gear can be 3D printed on demand ensuring that deployed personnel receive essential support in challenging environments as part of relief efforts.By integrating 3D printing into defense workflows organizations can improve readiness, reduce logistical strain, and ensure adaptability in an ever-changing landscape.If you want to know how you can leverage UltiMaker’s 3D printing ecosystem for your defense applications, don’t hesitate to <a href="https://ultimaker.com/quote-request/">get in touch with us.</a>

UltiMaker’s ecosystem, including Digital Factory for remote print management, enables defense organizations to integrate 3D printing into their workflows effectively. In this article, we aim to outline the key benefits and some of the potential applications of 3D printing in defense.

3D Printing in Defense: Applications and Benefits

AI, as you may have noticed, is everywhere. Whether it is a discussion about political elections, the implications for recruitment, education or for manufacturing, AI is seemingly always a key part of the conversation. Applications of AI models are nascent across all use cases, including within AM. In this area, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is currently running the Advanced Informatics and Artificial Intelligence for Additive Manufacturing (AI2AM) project to develop the methods, models, standards, and best practices to leverage AI and related technologies to move AM towards “born qualified” and “first part correct” outcomes. <table><tbody><tr><td><h3 id="isPasted">Stay Informed on the Latest FormNext 2025 Updates! Sign up to the FormNext newsletter to get notified as soon as tickets are available.</h3><a href="https://info.mesago.de/-lp/5HKPB14784/p4jkP173" target="_blank" id="isPasted" class="button-main-action">Sign up here</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Despite the fledgling nature of much of the technology, in the world of AM, different types of AI do, will or could find use across the process chain.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzQyMjg2ODAxMzY5LUNoZXNzLndlYnAuMTI4MC53ZWJwIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii" />In addition to design, AI offers support in further process steps in Additive Manufacturing. Image: James Woodock<h2>Ideation and design</h2>AI can play a significant role in the DfAM space, with generative AI able to create complex designs that make full use of the benefits of AM. As well as being embedded in major CAD software like Autodesk Fusion 360 and Siemens NX, standalone products like Meshy AI allows users to create 3D models — exportable as .stl files — from either text prompts or photographs. Deploying deep learning and generative design in this way drastically reduces the design time while allowing more solutions to be trialed in a reduced timeframe.Once part files have been generated, several AI processes including machine learning, predictive analytics and physics-informed AI software can then be used to analyze and fix files prior to printing. By analyzing the parts and mining known datasets about how different AM systems build, solutions like 1000 Kelvin’s AMAIZE, can predict issues with individual builds based on the part geometry, machine parameters and materials choice, reducing the number of failed builds.Here is a concrete example: The Citrine Platform was used in collaboration with the Alliance for the Development of Additive Processing Technologies (ADAPT) Consortium to optimize the design and production of hinges for Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) light tactical vehicles. AI-driven optimization led to a 50% increase in strength, 38% reduction in weight, and consolidated the original six parts down to one.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzQyMjg2ODM3ODc4LVRyYWRlc2hvdy53ZWJwLjEyODAud2VicCIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" class="fr-fic fr-dii" />Exhibition stand designed with AI. Image: James Woodcock<h2>Defining the build</h2>Machine learning (ML) models can analyze huge material datasets and combine that information with data from previous builds to predict how a given material will behave during the printing process. This allows engineers to make informed decisions about which materials to use for an application based on real-world data.Predictive analytics AI ensures that schedules are optimized for maximum efficiency, helping manufacturers reduce downtime by planning and scheduling optimal times to run certain print jobs, based on machine availability, material stocks, and job priorities.<h2>AI as QA </h2>AM processes, especially in metals, require the complex choreography of chemistry and physics. Things can and do go wrong. AI-based computer vision systems use deep learning to track each layer of a print as it is being produced, flagging defects such as layer shifts, warping, or other inconsistencies in real-time. Where fixes can be implemented, feedback loops can action corrections, at the very least part builds can be stopped at the point of failure instead of letting the process run.Once the parts are built, inspection is still required — a time-consuming process open to human error. AI-driven automated inspection systems solve this by using computer vision and deep learning to analyze parts post-production. Companies like EOS have integrated computer vision into their platforms to provide real-time process monitoring (EOSCONNECT), ensuring that defects are identified early in the process. Oqton’s Build Quality combines build simulation, monitoring, and part inspection to ensure parts are built to specification without human interference.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzQyMjg2ODY1MTQ0LVJvYm90LndlYnAuMTI4MC53ZWJwIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii" />AI also helps to monitor and maintain machines. Image: James WoodcockPerennial bugbear, post-processing, can also be automated with AI-driven robotic systems, further optimizing the production workflow, and ensuring consistent results by handling support removal and surface finishing.<h2>Future failure alert</h2>Predictive maintenance — i.e., fixing a system before it breaks — is one of the most significant areas where AI adds value to users of AM systems. By using machine learning and IoT/IIoT-enabled sensors, AI can monitor the health of AM machines and predict when maintenance is required before a breakdown occurs. This proactive approach minimizes unplanned downtime, reduces repair costs, and extends machine lifespan. By integrating predictive maintenance solutions, manufacturers can achieve 20% efficiency gains and increase machine utilization, significantly enhancing profitability. <h3>Explanation of terms</h3>Machine Learning           A subset of AI focused on building systems that learn from data to make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed for each task.Deep LearningA subset of machine learning that uses neural networks to model complex patterns in data. Deep learning is particularly effective for tasks like image and speech recognition.Generative Models       AI models designed to generate new data samples that resemble the training data. These models can create new text, images, music, or other content.Neural Networks A set of algorithms modelled loosely after the human brain, designed to recognize patterns.<table><tbody><tr><td><h3>Stay Informed on the Latest FormNext 2025 Updates! Sign up to the FormNext newsletter to get notified as soon as tickets are available.</h3><a href="https://info.mesago.de/-lp/5HKPB14784/p4jkP173" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">Sign up here</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

An overview of the current state of artificial intelligence in Additive Manufacturing with a special focus on the areas of idea generation and design, the construction process, quality assurance and future error prevention.

The next hype cycle?

<html><head></head><body>We move thanks to coordination among many skeletal muscle fibers, all twitching and pulling in sync. While some muscles align in one direction, others form intricate patterns, helping parts of the body move in multiple ways.In recent years, scientists and engineers have looked to muscles as potential actuators for “biohybrid” robots — machines powered by soft, artificially grown muscle fibers. Such bio-bots could squirm and wiggle through spaces where traditional machines cannot. For the most part, however, researchers have only been able to fabricate artificial muscle that pulls in one direction, limiting any robot’s range of motion.Now MIT engineers have developed a <a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/bm/d4bm01017e" target="_blank">method to grow artificial muscle tissue</a> that twitches and flexes in multiple coordinated directions. As a demonstration, they grew an artificial, muscle-powered structure that pulls both concentrically and radially, much like how the iris in the human eye acts to dilate and constrict the pupil.The researchers fabricated the artificial iris using a new “stamping” approach they developed. First, they 3D-printed a small, handheld stamp patterned with microscopic grooves, each as small as a single cell. Then they pressed the stamp into a soft hydrogel and seeded the resulting grooves with real muscle cells. The cells grew along these grooves within the hydrogel, forming fibers. When the researchers stimulated the fibers, the muscle contracted in multiple directions, following the fibers’ orientation.“With the iris design, we believe we have demonstrated the first skeletal muscle-powered robot that generates force in more than one direction. That was uniquely enabled by this stamp approach,” says Ritu Raman, the Eugene Bell Career Development Professor of Tissue Engineering in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering.The team says the stamp can be printed using tabletop 3D printers and fitted with different patterns of microscopic grooves. The stamp can be used to grow complex patterns of muscle — and potentially other types of biological tissues, such as neurons and heart cells — that look and act like their natural counterparts.“We want to make tissues that replicate the architectural complexity of real tissues,” Raman says. “To do that, you really need this kind of precision in your fabrication.”She and her colleagues <a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/bm/d4bm01017e" target="_blank">published their open-access results Friday in the journal Biomaterials Science</a>. Her MIT co-authors include first author Tamara Rossy, Laura Schwendeman, Sonika Kohli, Maheera Bawa, and Pavankumar Umashankar, along with Roi Habba, Oren Tchaicheeyan, and Ayelet Lesman of Tel Aviv University in Israel.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742260285838-MIT-MuscleStamp-02-press.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The researchers developed a new “stamping” approach. First, they 3D-printed a small, handheld stamp (top images) patterned with microscopic grooves, each as small as a single cell. Then they pressed the stamp into a soft hydrogel and seeded the resulting grooves with real muscle cells. The cells grew along these grooves within the hydrogel, forming fibers (bottom image). Image: Courtesy of the researchers<h2>Training space</h2>Raman’s lab at MIT aims to engineer biological materials that mimic the sensing, activity, and responsiveness of real tissues in the body. Broadly, her group seeks to apply these bioengineered materials in areas from medicine to machines. For instance, she is looking to fabricate artificial tissue that can restore function to people with neuromuscular injury. She is also exploring artificial muscles for use in soft robotics, such as muscle-powered swimmers that move through the water with fish-like flexibility.Raman has previously developed what could be seen as gym platforms and workout routines for lab-grown muscle cells. She and her colleagues designed a <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2023/wobbly-gel-mat-trains-muscle-cells-work-together-1020" target="_blank">hydrogel “mat”</a> that encourages muscle cells to grow and fuse into fibers without peeling away. She also derived a way to “exercise” the cells by genetically engineering them to twitch in response to pulses of light. And, her group has come up with ways to direct muscle cells to grow in long, parallel lines, similar to natural, striated muscles. However, it’s been a challenge, for her group and others, to design artificial muscle tissue that moves in multiple, predictable directions.“One of the cool things about natural muscle tissues is, they don’t just point in one direction. Take for instance, the circular musculature in our iris and around our trachea. And even within our arms and legs, muscle cells don’t point straight, but at an angle,” Raman notes. “Natural muscle has multiple orientations in the tissue, but we haven’t been able to replicate that in our engineered muscles.”<h2>Muscle blueprint</h2>In thinking of ways to grow multidirectional muscle tissue, the team hit on a surprisingly simple idea: stamps. Inspired in part by the classic Jell-O mold, the team looked to design a stamp, with microscopic patterns that could be imprinted into a hydrogel, similar to the muscle-training mats that the group has previously developed. The patterns of the imprinted mat could then serve as a roadmap along which muscle cells might follow and grow.“The idea is simple. But how do you make a stamp with features as small as a single cell? And how do you stamp something that’s super soft? This gel is much softer than Jell-O, and it’s something that’s really hard to cast, because it could tear really easily,” Raman says.The team tried variations on the stamp design and eventually landed on an approach that worked surprisingly well. The researchers fabricated a small, handheld stamp using high-precision printing facilities in MIT.nano, which enabled them to print intricate patterns of grooves, each about as wide as a single muscle cell, onto the bottom of the stamp. Before pressing the stamp into a hydrogel mat, they coated the bottom with a protein that helped the stamp imprint evenly into the gel and peel away without sticking or tearing.As a demonstration, the researchers printed a stamp with a pattern similar to the microscopic musculature in the human iris. The iris comprises a ring of muscle surrounding the pupil. This ring of muscle is made up of an inner circle of muscle fibers arranged concentrically, following a circular pattern, and an outer circle of fibers that stretch out radially, like the rays of the sun. &nbsp;Together, this complex architecture acts to constrict or dilate the pupil.Once Raman and her colleagues pressed the iris pattern into a hydrogel mat, they coated&nbsp;the mat with cells that they genetically engineered to respond to light. Within a day, the cells fell into the microscopic grooves and began to fuse into fibers, following the iris-like patterns and eventually growing into a whole muscle, with an architecture and size similar to a real iris.When the team stimulated the artificial iris with pulses of light, the muscle contracted in multiple directions, similar to the iris in the human eye. Raman notes that the team’s artificial iris is fabricated with skeletal muscle cells, which are involved in voluntary motion, whereas the muscle tissue in the real human iris is made up of smooth muscle cells, which are a type of involuntary muscle tissue. They chose to pattern skeletal muscle cells in an iris-like pattern to demonstrate the ability to fabricate complex, multidirectional muscle tissue.“In this work, we wanted to show we can use this stamp approach to make a ‘robot’ that can do things that previous muscle-powered robots can’t do,” Raman says. “We chose to work with skeletal muscle cells. But there’s nothing stopping you from doing this with any other cell type.”She notes that while the team used precision-printing techniques, the stamp design can also be made using conventional tabletop 3D printers. Going forward, she and her colleagues plan to apply the stamping method to other cell types, as well as explore different muscle architectures and ways to activate artificial, multidirectional muscle to do useful work.“Instead of using rigid actuators that are typical in underwater robots, if we can use soft biological robots, we can navigate and be much more energy-efficient, while also being completely biodegradable and sustainable,” Raman says. “That’s what we hope to build toward.”This work was supported, in part, by the U.S. Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Army Research Office, the U.S. National Science Foundation, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health.</body></html>

MIT engineers grew an artificial, muscle-powered structure that pulls both concentrically and radially, much like how the iris in the human eye acts to dilate and constrict the pupil. Image: Courtesy of the researchers

MIT engineers developed a way to grow artificial tissues that look and act like their natural counterparts.

Artificial muscle flexes in multiple directions, offering a path to soft, wiggly robots

<html><head></head><body>ChallengeFilmmakers Sam and Andy needed convincing animations that fit into a sci-fi narrative. And they needed to create those movements efficiently and authentically.SolutionAn easy-to-use mocap system that delivered high-quality data, capturing the quirks and nuances of the actors, and gave the animation team plenty of references to work with.Key takeaways<ul><li id="isPasted">Inertial motion capture: More freedom to shoot anywhere and no need for a dedicated mocap studio.</li><li>Ease of use:&nbsp;Xsens is a simple tool for <a href="https://www.movella.com/products/motion-capture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">motion capture</a>, even without a VFX supervisor on hand.&nbsp;</li><li>Perfect for film production:&nbsp;Put on the suit, make the movements, visualize the data. Small changes could be made quickly and with high precision.</li></ul>Set in a future where humanity is long extinct and the Earth is thawing from a nuclear winter, Love Me is a sci-fi arthouse film created by Sam and Andy Zuchero in which two artificial intelligences, a buoy and a satellite, fall in love. Played by Oscar-nominated <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0829576/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kristen Stewart</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3081796/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_steven%2520yeun" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Steven Yeun</a>, the machines slowly evolve into sentient beings, with the audience able to see the transformation before their very eyes.WatchLove Me Featurette, featuring Xsens mocap:<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/deVnCSQWDnI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true">&nbsp;</iframe>Preparing for a nuclear winterIn Love Me, a buoy and satellite cross paths and begin communicating. The pair use the Internet to examine what human life was like before the fallout – and end up emulating a popular vlogger duo by creating avatars and eventually morphing to humanlike stature. Creating the three phases required a complex and detailed filmmaking process.Sam and Andy Zuchero were responsible for almost all aspects of the film’s creation, from writing to direction to production, with the help of a dedicated team. A task of this size is no mean feat, especially when extensive VFX is involved. The first step in the production process was to film the native shots, to later be transformed into a post-apocalyptic landscape through VFX.The camera crew set out across North America to find the perfect locations. “We shot the prop buoy and satellite with real props, to give a realistic, gritty feel to our characters,” explains Sam. “And the first scenes with Kristen and Steven were shot using motion capture at the end of 2021.”Xsens in sci-fi filmsBefore production, Sam and Andy researched the best type of motion capture for Love Me, prioritizing efficiency without compromising on quality. “We realized that optical motion capture would be too obstructive, so the <a href="https://www.movella.com/products/motion-capture/xsens-mvn-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Xsens system</a> was the best option,” Sam explains.&nbsp;Xsens technology uses inertial technology that logs joint rotation, velocity, and position on the body. These are simply put on as a suit or multiple wearables and their data is instantly sent to processing software – no cameras needed. Traditional optical motion capture requires a large setup with good lighting, a dotted suit, and multiple cameras to film the subject, which wasn’t ideal for the intimacy required in Sam and Andy’s production.“Using this type of motion capture means that the audience can see every quirk and tiny movement of the actor,” Andy explains. Even when the actors aren’t completely recognizable visually, viewers should be able to pick up on their body language.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742207403473-Love+Me+%28BTS%29+2.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Small studio, big ideasThe finished film was released by Bleecker Street in 2025 after an initial screening at the Sundance Festival in January 2024. Sam, Andy, and the Love Me production team successfully blended the two genres of romance and sci-fi, thanks in no small part to the help of Xsens motion capture technology providing an unobtrusive solution.“From an actor’s point of view, it was amazing to include the actor’s intentions and have them translate even through animation,” Sam concludes. “You turn on the motion capture equipment and they can perform, without waiting for the correct lighting and camera setup.”&nbsp;“We really appreciated how simple it was to realize our ideas using Xsens,” Andy says. Using this technology provided the team with an impressive finish to the film that shares the same quality as major Hollywood features, with a fraction of the time spent.</body></html>

With Xsens motion capture technology

Love Me: a sci-fi film production

A detailed comparison of Orca Slicer vs Cura, two leading 3D printing slicers, evaluating slicing algorithms, features, usability, and real-world print results

Orca Slicer vs. Cura: A Technical and Practical Comparison

<html><head></head><body>Manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of automotive design to create lightweight, fuel-efficient vehicles by integrating advanced materials like high-strength steels, and aluminum. Achieving these goals while ensuring structural integrity and optimal performance relies on precise and efficient stamping processes. Additionally, the shift to electric vehicles (EVs) introduces unique design challenges, requiring faster, more adaptable production methods to meet evolving demands, placing even greater emphasis on highly predictive simulation tools.These evolving demands compound existing challenges for engineers involved in automotive stamping process engineering. Validating component models becomes critical to avoid manufacturing defects, cost overruns, and project delays. To keep pace, engineers require tools that streamline workflows without the steep learning curve of complex software. While current simulation tools address sheet metal forming, persistent issues such as excessive springback and cosmetic defects highlight the need for further innovation in this field.Innovative digital validation solutions, such as Body Manufacturing-Stamp (BM-Stamp)&nbsp;from ESI Group, a part of Keysight Technologies, empower manufacturers to overcome these obstacles by enabling rapid iteration and optimization of stamping processes. By reducing reliance on physical prototypes early in the product lifecycle, these tools streamline workflows, enhance cost-efficiency, and improve the overall reliability of manufacturing operations.<h2 dir="ltr">Automotive Stamping Simulation That’s Enterprise-Wide</h2><h3 dir="ltr">A powerful toolset for key engineering decision-makers</h3>Imagine a solution tailored for key automotive stamping processes that combines accurate physics modeling with faster processing speeds. This system helps engineers detect stamping defects earlier, reducing costly rework and simplifying workflows. BM-Stamp makes this possible with a CAD-oriented setup that minimizes reliance on the engineer's experience level regarding finite element and meshing knowledge.It supports engineers through every stage, from advanced feasibility analysis and process planning to tool and die production and parts manufacturing. This comprehensive approach enables more precise and reliable predictions about part and process quality, improving outcomes across the board.BM-Stamp offers a powerful toolset for key engineering decision-makers. Its advanced physics modeling and quick processing drastically improve the accuracy of the simulations and, as a consequence, reduce the risk during physical try-outs and, thus, the time spent on physical try-outs (and the associated high costs). By enhancing predictiveness and simplifying workflows, the impact of BM-Stamp can be felt along the various points of the production ecosystem, whether an end user or not, in achieving higher efficiency, fewer physical iteration loops, and cost savings.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741870672434-Car+body.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Validating automotive stamping processes with advanced 3D simulation. Image credit: BM-Stamp.BM-Stamp can be easily integrated into existing IT infrastructure, making it an attractive choice for ICT and procurement departments. Its straightforward pricing and compatibility with existing systems ensure a smooth adoption process. The software not only enhances engineering workflows but also reduces operational costs and shortens time to market. By enabling manufacturers to make more data-driven decisions, BM-Stamp helps foster innovation and achieve long-term sustainability goals. In short, it is not just a simulation tool but a strategic solution.<h3 dir="ltr">Reducing the complexity for process planning engineers</h3>Engineers responsible for planning the stamping process face unique challenges, balancing the need for speed, flexibility, and precision. They must conduct numerous simulations daily while remaining agile enough to adjust processes to accommodate changes in part geometry. Waiting for in-house engineers to achieve perfect accuracy isn’t very practical for automotive companies that outsource production. Software that prioritizes speed and reliability over unnecessary complexity in these fast-paced environments becomes essential.BM-Stamp empowers process planners not only to detect and address formability issues and geometrical distortions with higher predictive confidence, but identify the existence and severity of cosmetic defects early in the process development cycle, a critical capability for ensuring flawless manufacturing of visible outer panels (Class-A) like doors, hoods, and fenders. Identifying these issues upfront prevents costly downstream modifications and delays. The product also allows optimization of material usage and cost by minimizing blank size, reducing waste without compromising quality. An additional attractive capability of BM-Stamp is the possibility to accurately predict the minimal required pressing force. This enables the selection of the right press line with sufficient power to form the parts correctly, but at lowest energy levels and thus contributing to the company’s overall sustainability KPI’s.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741870735907-Door-outer_Cosmetic_quality.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Cosmetic quality assessment through simulation of a stamped door outer panel. Image credit: BM-Stamp.BM-Stamp combines formability, springback, and accurate press force prediction with unmatched speed, precision, and user-friendliness, making it a transformative solution for modern stamping challenges.<h3 dir="ltr">Increasing Accuracy for Process Validation</h3>Process validation engineers' work involves modeling die surface geometry with CAD software and checking these die faces with stamping simulation software. Like process planning engineers, they focus on geometrical distortions, particularly springback in components. Their job is to predict the exact magnitude of springback with high accuracy. Any errors in these predictions will result in remilling of the tools, or in worst cases completely new manufacturing of the tools.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741870763470-DefTools_ESI_crosssection.bmp.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">BM-Stamp integrates 3D die geometry and press specifications into stamping simulations. Image credit: BM-Stamp.During this stage of the engineering process BM-Stamp allows detailed insights in the overall formability of the part as well as the cosmetic quality, resulting in an increased percentage of parts with required part quality and within tolerances directly at the first physical try-out, which in many automotive OEM’s is a key KPI. In addition to ensuring parts can be successfully manufactured, engineers can get highly reliable predictions of the final blank draw-in for the lowest material utilization (and thus cost!) per part. These reliable predictions are the result of not only the detailed physics representation integrated in the stamping solver, but also stemming from the accurate die surface geometry representation including the physical drawbead geometries. &nbsp;Thanks to the very efficient process workflow integrated in the graphical environment and the excellent scalability of the solver on multiple cores, BM-Stamp significantly reduces the time required for performing digital tryouts, allowing engineers to iterate quickly.&nbsp;While process planners and validation engineers utilize BM-Stamp to develop and optimize stamping simulations, its benefits extend beyond these roles. For instance, tool and die shops, stamping manufacturing engineering directors, and procurement/ICT may not use BM-Stamp directly but benefit from its insights through reduced costly tryouts, better resource planning, and improved overall cost efficiency.<h3 dir="ltr">Saving costs and time for tool and die shops</h3>Tool and die shops oversee manufacturing and testing the physical tools that deliver correct part quality during physical try-outs and later in production. Naturally, they rely on the results of simulations done by the other departments to mill the required tools. Yet, unfortunately, toolmakers often discover that a developed process or die shape results in cracks or excessive springback or thinning, and might even show cosmetic issues, which are often difficult to correct. To get the tools to produce the required quality in time is critical but challenging because tool and die work is often very close to the start of production (SOP). &nbsp; &nbsp;In case of issues, BM-Stamp can assist in finding the most effective countermeasures, saving both labor and material costs. Through accurate prediction of the final part quality, the number of physical iterations during try-out can be reduced, easily saving up to $30,000 per iteration, by drastically reducing the need for re-milling operations. When required, tool and die shops can rely on precise simulation data to implement process and design changes quickly and effortlessly.&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr">Peace of mind for stamping manufacturing engineering directors</h3>The stamping manufacturing engineering director oversees the entire stamping engineering process, from advanced simulations to the final physical try-outs. This person is responsible for ensuring the engineered stamping tools produce high-quality parts on time and at an economical cost while maintaining efficiency during the development process. In addition, the director also has responsibilities to minimize the cost contribution of sheet metal-formed parts to the overall Body-In-White cost, which is depending on many different factors, including material cost (blank size) to produce parts, time spent on engineering the stamping process, tooling cost, physical try-out time and number of iterations to solve problems and many more.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741870800602-Hood_springback.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Stamping simulation image with a color-coded deviation map. Image credit: BM-Stamp.Using BM-Stamp early in the stamping process to iron out defects has a significant knock-on effect on the entire workflow. By reducing the number and complexity of physical iterations, BM-Stamp helps speed up time to production while keeping costs in check.<h3 dir="ltr">Cost-effective and scalable solution for procurement and ICT teams</h3>Procurement and ICT have different concerns than those in Engineering, but they all aim to boost efficiency and productivity while keeping the cost to do so to a minimum. BM-Stamp offers feature-rich and user-friendly stamping software at a very market-attractive price. It also integrates easily, providing a scalable solution for both standard computers with 8 to 16 cores, as well as cluster machines with up to 128 cores, to ensure very fast turnaround times for validation of even the largest and most complex automotive body panels.Thanks to the flexible token-based licensing scheme, which is used for both solver and graphical interfaces to setup simulations, companies can very easily and efficiently re-assign resources, for example by increasing or decreasing temporarily the solver capacity,As these tokens are also shared with the other manufacturing products from ESI, like casting, welding, assembly, and composites, it also offers a very cost-attractive alternative for the multiple products from various software providers which are often currently installed at the automotive OEM’s. If for example, the demand of casting simulations or assembly simulations is low for a certain amount of time, the resources can then be added to increase the stamping installations, offering new and unprecedented efficiency and productivity increases at minimal cost.<h1 dir="ltr">Automotive Stamping Simulation from ESI Group</h1>For over 25 years, ESI Group has been helping engineers address sheet metal forming challenges. The company’s<a href="https://www.esi-group.com/products/pam-stamp">&nbsp;PAM-STAMP</a> is a more than 25 years industrially-proven product that delivers accurate, high-quality results while computing large models in a short time frame. With the introduction of BM-Stamp, which is dedicated to key automotive stamping processes and built on PAM-STAMP’s solver technology, ESI Group is increasing the benefits it provides while soothing pain points across engineering departments and beyond.BM-Stamp not only enhances the accuracy and speed that engineers have come to rely on but also addresses broader challenges across engineering departments and beyond. The tool's scalability and user-friendly interface make it accessible at every level. By offering a scalable solution, it can be integrated without friction into existing ecosystems. &nbsp; &nbsp;To learn more,&nbsp;head over to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.esi-group.com/products/bm-stamp">BM-STAMP product page</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.esi-group.com/contact-us">contact ESI Group</a> for your next project.</body></html>

Enhance stamping processes with faster, more accurate simulations that reduce costs, improve part quality, and meet the needs of various stakeholders using ESI's innovative software tools.

Minimizing risk in automotive sheet metal stamping with ESI's cutting-edge simulation

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