3D printing, engineering and software solution provider, Materialise is set to showcase two new programs and several updates for its Magics Print Suite software at RAPID+TCT 2017.
Magics is a versatile, industry-leading data preparation and STL editor software package for additive manufacturing. Users are able to convert files to STL, repair errors, edit design and prepare the build platform. In recent months, the suite has been leveraged by the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry and by Xaar.
The new enhancements address quality control, metal 3D printing, and ultimately bring increased efficiency for businesses incorporating 3D printing into their services.
Materialise Inspector, new to the market, is a control tool that allows users to analyse data during all stages of the production process, meeting predetermined quality standards. Inspector optimises image processing for efficiency in post-build analysis and is capable of processing more than 4,000 images in minutes.
Meanwhile, Materialise is also offering the Magics Print Metal software, an easy-to-use 3D printing solution that will facilitate access to metal 3D printing. Combining basic build preparation and job file generation, metal machine manufacturers can tailor the lay-out and bundle it to their machines. Customers that need advanced data preparation tools can still rely on the complete version of Materialise Magics.
"Demand for 3D printed metal products and components is increasing across several industries, and manufacturers need the tools to adapt and meet this demand," said Bryan Crutchfield, Vice President and General Manager of Materialise North America. "Magics Print Metal extends our existing metal offerings. The Magics 3D Print suite represents the full digital thread, giving metal machine manufacturers the ability to develop, implement and manage each step of the 3D printing process. Now, with the new Inspector software, users can also efficiently analyse data during each step to ensure workflows and products will fit their needs as well as the needs of their customers and partners."
Additionally, Materialise is giving greater control to 3D Print Suite users with three new software updates. Materialise e-Stage 7.0 will soon be available, bringing an improved efficiency in both build time and material consumption, as well as an improved algorithm. New features have also been added to provide a dedicated solution for all DLP printers. The Robot 5.1 software update offers a 3D Nesting module, optimising part positioning to save time, money and materials within an automated 3D printing workflow. The final update has been applied to the 3-matic 12software. This includes new ways to manipulate and optimise CAD designs for 3D Printing, and accepts a wider variety of FEA file formats to create improved lightweight structures, and again, save users time and money.
Crutchfield added: "The components of the Materialise Magics 3D Print Suite work together to address each step in the 3D printing process and form the software backbone of 3D printing solutions for all businesses and industries, from design optimisation and data preparation to production management and automation."
Having previously made enhancements to the Magics Suite as recently as September, at the 2016 TCT Show, Materialise has again looked to improve its offerings. Materialise had also updated the software ahead of last year’s RAPID event.
The continued development of Materialise’s software solutions all emanates from a determination to reinforce the company’s position as the ‘software backbone’ of the additive manufacturing industry. This notion was also stressed by Materialise CEO, Wilfried Vancraen when TCT caught up with him last year at RAPID 2016.
Vancraen, who is nominated for induction into the TCT Hall of Fame, will be present at this year’s event too, participating in a panel discussion on 3D printing’s role in the transformation of manufacturing on Monday 8th May, at the David D. Lawrence Center. He will be joined by Vyomesh Joshi, President and CEO of 3D Systems; Stephen Nigro, 3D Printing President at HP; and Greg Morris, Additive Technologies Leader at GE Aviation.
The Materialise founder will then take part in a discussion on medical 3D printing application and the progression beyond surgical guides later in the week. Vancraen will offer insight into how software will help to accelerate the development of new technologies in the medical field. This will take place on Wednesday 10th May, with Ramille Shah PhD, Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University; Carlos Carvalho, Process & Material Development, EnvisionTEC; and William Wagner, Director, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Professor of Surgery, Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh will join Vancraen for this discussion.
Meanwhile, Materialise Vice President of 3D Printing Software, Stefaan Motte, will present during the Technology LaunchPad at 3.30pm on Tuesday 9th May. The company will host live software demonstrations from Booth #1613 throughout the event.