As we prepared to enter a post-pandemic world, the additive manufacturing industry entered turbulent times.
The industry's key trade events all went ahead without restriction and some long awaited product launches came to fruition, but there were also mergers, acquisitions, redundancies, bankruptcies and failed public listing attempts.
As 2022 comes to its inclusion, we've collated the biggest news stories, the best insights and the most compelling industry developments in this month-by-month round-up.
All of the below content has appeared in an issue of TCT Magazine, or on the TCT Magazine website, since the beginning of 2022.
January
Carbon
Product launch: Carbon launches M3 and M3 Max DLS 3D printing systems
As we came into 2022, Carbon wasted little time in announcing its latest Digital Light Synthesis product iterations. The M3 series came with faster print times and simpler user experiences, while the M3 Max was equipped with a true 4K light engine, enabling double the build area with the same pixel size and density.
Industry development: Seurat Technologies raises additional $21m in Series B extension
Interview: A one-to-one with Women in 3D Printing’s new president Kristin Mulherin
As 2021 came to a close, Kristin Mulherin was announced as the new President of Women in 3D Printing, replacing founder Nora Touré. In January, we caught up with Mulherin to understand her vision for the network's growth and get her thoughts on how the AM industry can close the gender gap.
Industry development: Aerospace manufacturer JPB Système successfully trials metal binder jet 3D printing technology
February
Industry development: 3D Systems announces acquisitions of Titan Robotics & Kumovis
Product launch: Desktop Health launches 'Einstein' dental 3D printer series
Industry development: Atlantic Coastal terminates Essentium merger agreement
In December of 2021, Essentium became one of several companies to pursue a public listing via a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). By February, that agreement had been terminated with Essentium citing market conditions and Atlantic Coastal eyeing opportunities in the mobility space.
Application: Stratasys 3D printing technology used to produce 500 parts for Lotus Type 62-2 supercar
Interview: 'There is no planet B' - HP's Mariona Company on the acquisition of Choose Packaging
After HP acquired Choose Packaging, the inventor of the only commercially available zero-plastic paper bottle in the world, we asked Global Head of HP’s Molded Fiber endeavours Mariona Company about the acquisition and the importance of sustainable packaging.
March
Thyssenkrupp
Industry development: Zortrax withdraws from Rusatom - Additive Technologies investment negotiations after Russia invasion of Ukraine
As Russia waged war in Ukraine, a bunch of 3D printing companies cut ties with Russian customers, with machine, software and materials sales put on hold. Zortrax, however, made the tough decision to pull the plug on an investment deal with Rusatom Additive Technologies that would have seen under 50% of its shares sold for 65 million USD.
Application: GE Aviation Singapore facility repairing engine parts at volume with metal additive manufacturing
Industry development: XJet delivers first Carmel 1400M metal 3D printing system to Azoth
Interview: Thyssenkrupp talks additive manufacturing
In this interview, we seek to understand Thyssenkrupp's ambitions in the additive manufacturing market as one-stop shop and, importantly, how exactly you pronounce the company's name.
April
Sandvik
Industry development: Sandvik enables 3D printed cemented carbide parts with patented process
Product launch: 3D Systems promises fast SLA production with new 3D printing solution
Industry development: Markforged acquires Teton Simulation Software
Not long after Teton Simulation came to market with its Smart Slice software capability, the company was snapped up by Markforged, who would integrate the slicing simulation capabilities into its Eiger software in November.
Product launch: Nexa3D makes ultrafast 3D printing more accessible with launch of NXE 200
Industry development: Divergent Technologies raises $160m in latest funding round
In April, Divergent Technologies CEO Kevin Czinger was a keynote speaker at the Additive Manufacturing User's Group (AMUG) Conference. During his talk, he detailed how the company intends to transform the way automotive manufactures design and make cars, and he also hinted at a huge investment round that would help facilitate that mission.
May
YouTube/WCPO 9
Industry development: President Biden launches AM Forward programme to support SME supplier adoption of 3D printing
In one of the biggest news stories of the year, President Biden announced an initiative that would seek to support small and medium manufacturing businesses in their adoption of additive manufacturing technology, in light of supply chain issues off the back of COVID-19. Five large manufacturers, including GE Aviation, Lockheed Martin and Honeywell, were announced as partners (with two more added later). At RAPID + TCT, we gauged the reaction of the additive manufacturing industry.
Application: EOS & Hyperganic align to advance space propulsion with AI-based design and 3D printing
Industry development: Desktop 3D printing leaders MakerBot & Ultimaker agree merger
Throughout 2022, the M&A activity in AM didn't let up. In May, two of the most recognisable names in desktop 3D printing announced they were to merge their businesses, with more than 62 million USD raised to support the new entity. Weeks later, we got the thoughts of MakerBot CEO Nadav Goshen and Ultimaker CEO Jurgen von Hollen, who at the time were announced as co-CEOs. Later in the year, von Hollen decided to step back, leaving Goshen in charge of the newly formed UltiMaker.
Application: XJet ceramic 3D printing technology used to produce ultracar engine piston
Interview: “It’s something that has been lacking in the AM industry.” - Materialise CEO Fried Vancraen on CO-AM
Application: Osseus Pisces-SA ALIF device with 3D printed interbody receives FDA 510(k) clearance
June
Nexa3D
Industry development: Desktop Metal to lay off 12% of staff and consolidate facilities footprint
After its intense M&A efforts which has seen the company acquire more than ten businesses in the last two years, Desktop Metal announced it was letting go of a significant portion of its staff, and closing down some facilities.
Product launch: Velo3D launches Sapphire XC 1MZ metal 3D printer with 600 x 1000 mm build volume
Application: 3D printing hits the spot: How PepsiCo is using AM to produce drink bottle tooling
This TCT Award nominated use case saw PepsiCo utilise 3D printing technology from Nexa3D and Carbon to cut down on lead times in the design of customised mould inserts for its bottle designs.
Product launch: WAAM3D launches RoboWAAM metal 3D printing platform at TCT 3Sixty
Product launch: Hyperganic commences public rollout of AI-powered design software platform
Awards: A night of additive excellence: TCT Awards 2022 winners announced
Podcast: #90 Additive Insight: THEFUTUREOFJEWELRY on 'marrying the old and new' with 3D printing
July
Relativity Space
Industry development: Nano Dimension acquires 12% stake in Stratasys
Out of nowhere, Stratasys found itself the target of what many saw as a hostile takeover attempt. Nano Dimension sought to deny those assertions, instead suggesting that the acquisition of the Stratasys shares was merely to provide added value to its own shareholders. We dived deeper into this development with this handy explainer, while Stratasys issued a shareholder rights plan to deter any potential takeover.
Product launch: Explained - Desktop Metal's FreeFoam 3D printing and DuraChain resins
Industry development: Markforged set to acquire Digital Metal in mixed offering deal
Application: Bosch partners with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and BASF to produce 3D printed micro-reactor
Industry development: Relativity Space to launch Impulse Space's Mars Lander with 3D printed Terran R rocket
This announcement meant the first commercial payload delivery to the surface of another planet could be facilitated by a largely 3D printed rocket. The anticipated launch window starts in 2024, while Relativity's partnership with Impulse Space will run until the end of the decade.
Application: Toyota begins partnership with SOLIZE to produce replacement car parts through HP 3D printing
Podcast: #93 Innovators on Innovators: Eliana Fu & Paul Gradl on the use of 3D printing in space exploration
August
Aston Martin
Industry development: Stratasys set to acquire Covestro's 3D printing materials business
After concentrating on the expansion of its hardware portfolio in 2020 and 2021, 2022 saw Stratasys turn its attention to materials. Having made the move to adopt an open materials strategy, the company also sought to acquire the Covestro Additive Manufacturing business, which had previously acquired DSM's 3D printing activity.
Interview: Ten years of E3D: An interview with co-founder Joshua Rowley
Industry development: Boeing and Northrop Grumman join AM Forward
Application: Divergent Technologies additively manufactures rear subframe for Aston Martin DBR22 design concept vehicle
After telling the additive manufacturing community that it was working with some of the largest automotive brands in the world back at AMUG, Divergent was finally able to divulge more details as we entered August. Among those companies was Aston Martin, for whom Divergent has additively manufactured a rear subframe.
Insights: What are the challenges around using additive manufacturing for production?
Industry development: 3D Systems to acquire material jetting firm dp polar from ALTANA
Podcast: #96 Additive Insight: AMGTA's Sherri Monroe on the AM industry's commitment to sustainability
September
Industry development: Nikon Corporation set to acquire SLM Solutions in 622 million EUR deal
Competing with the MakerBot and Ultimaker merger as the biggest M&A deal of the year, multination firm Nikon announced an agreement to acquire SLM Solutions for more than 600 million EUR. The story has continued to develop with Nikon eventually securing more than 90% of SLM's shares and further details of what we can expect from the business combination emerging throughout the back-end of the year. This explainer is your best bet to understand the whats and the whys.
Product launch: Desktop Metal set to introduce new digital sheet metal forming technology with Figur G15 at IMTS 2022
Product launch: HP announces commercial availability of Metal Jet S100 3D printing solution
Four years on from the initial announcement that signalled HP's move into metal additive manufacturing, the company was ready to make the S100 machine available for purchase. Previously only available via a service offering provided by GKN and Parmatech, HP anticipates the release of the S100 could significantly disrupt the metal manufacturing market.
Product launch: Nexa3D brings to market high throughput, powder bed additive manufacturing platform
Insights: Why Carbon acquired ParaMatters
Podcast: #99 Additive Insight: Scott Van Vliet on the use of 3D printing at Relativity Space
October
Insights: Explained - What’s going on at Xerox Elem Additive?
That was the question on everyone's lips as a wave of Elem Additive employees announced they had been let go by the company. In this article, we explore why Xerox decided to shut down the Elem Additive business just three years after acquiring the business.
Industry development: Relativity unveils Stargate 4th Generation metal 3D printer with horizontal printing capability
Insights: “AM is now at the business end of the hype curve.” – Through the doors at GKN Aerospace
Insights: Should the UK Government be doing more to support the adoption of additive manufacturing in the UK?
In light of the Biden Administration's AM Forward initiative, we wondered why there wasn't more government involvement in additive manufacturing inside the UK. We asked a host of UK-based AM professionals for their thoughts.
Application: GE Aerospace unveils 'one of the largest ever' metal 3D printed aerospace parts
Product launch: KraussMaffei enters additive manufacturing market with two 3D printers at K 2022
November
Farsoon
Product launch: Farsoon announces development of Quad-laser Flight Technology on HT1001P 3D printing system at TCT Asia
Industry development: Fast Radius files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy nine months after public listing
Just months after the company went public via a Special Purpose Acquisition Company, Fast Radius filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. This form of bankruptcy allowed the company to begin seeking new investment. As you'll read below, there was a further development before the year was out.
Product launch: SLM Solutions teases large-format metal 3D printing for parts up to 3 metres long
Product launch: HP launches HP Jet Fusion 5420W 3D printing system; debuts new Metal Jet applications at Formnext
Insights: Formnext 2022 | 3D printing goes big while software shines
With hundreds of exhibitors, various product launches and more than a few conversations, Formnext was a busy one. In this article, TCT Head of Content Laura Griffiths rounds up pretty much everything she came across throughout the week.
Podcast: #109 MakerVerse CEO on building 'the Amazon for 3D printing'
December
ICON
Industry development: Fast Radius assets acquired by SyBridge Technologies in $15.9m deal
Within weeks of its bankruptcy filing, Fast Radius had found a buyer in the shape of SyBridge Technologies. SyBridge was set up in 2019 to create a ‘market leading value-added’ manufacturing solutions provider spanning end-to-end markets, geographies and advanced technological capabilities. With this deal, Fast Radius became the company's 14th acquisition in three years.
Product launch: Zortrax introduces new metal materials for Endureal 3D printing system
Industry development: ICON awarded $57.2 million NASA contract to develop lunar 3D printing construction system
Application: LEGO’s first 3D printed element sold to visitors at LEGO House store
After years of deploying the technology for product development, leading consumer brand LEGO announced its first stand-alone 3D printed element, which was made available in November and December. LEGO says that, in the future, 3D printing will be used to make a greater variety of elements in smaller volumes.
Industry development: Fortify receives strategic investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures
Application: GE Additive to provide additive design expertise to Boom Supersonic Symphony propulsion system development
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