Digital Manufacturing Report - DMR: Top Headlines

Airbus Enters the Composite Class

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:12:37 EDT

This week, Airbus towed its newest airliner, the A350 XWB, out of its hangar and is poised to roll it into the spotlight of the upcoming Paris Air Show. The A350 XWB has been designed with the goal of surpassing the 787 in fuel efficiency and comfort, and has forgone metal for composite materials to make it happen.

3D Printing Meets Augmented Reality

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:20:00 EDT

Sander Veenhof and Joris van Tubergen, of the Netherlands, joined their skills in media art and design to merge 3D printing with augmented reality. They call the result "UltimARker" and like the 3D printer it works with it's been designed for the open source community to give consumers more detailed information about their 3D printer.

Could a Driverless Highway Be Around the Corner?

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:40:06 EDT

A recent survey by Cisco Systems found that 57 percent of consumers worldwide are in favor of using driverless cars, with 60 percent approval in the United States, suggesting that the world might be more ready for autonomous vehicles to hit the road than previously thought.

White House Puts $200 Million toward Military Manufacturing

Fri, 10 May 2013 18:05:57 EDT

We've known since Obama's State of the Union address this year that 3D printing is a key pillar in the president's plan for America's future in manufacturing, but on Thursday this was made even more clear with the announcement of a competition to create three manufacturing innovation institutes, to be modeled after a government-funded 3D printing center.

MIT Robots Tackle IKEA Flat Packs

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:03:01 EDT

Finally, we have someone to look to when we have to assemble our IKEA furniture--or at least something. This week, this solution was showcased at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, proving that robots might soon be surpassing humans at yet another task. At least we can gladly hand this one over.

3D-Printed Skull Implants Enter the OR

Tue, 07 May 2013 15:51:34 EDT

When we wrote about Jiahone Guo, who suffered a blow to the head during a soccer match and needed a custom cranial implant to save his life, CNC was the manufacturing process of choice, but that may be changing. Recently, the FDA approved a 3D-printed PEKK (polyether ketone ketone) for use as biomedical implants.

3D Printers Hit US Staples Stores

Fri, 03 May 2013 17:34:53 EDT

When we wrote about 3D printing stations coming to Staples stores in Europe last year, everyone expected the company's next major announcement to be that the same “Easy 3D” printing service would be coming to the US. Instead, the office supply chain has announced that entire 3D printers themselves will now by for sale in U.S. stores.

3D-Printed Ear Offers Herculean Hearing

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:06:26 EDT

There are few things as precious to humans as the preservation of our senses, with sight and hearing ranking as two of the most vital faculties we have. Maintaining these senses through eyeglasses or hearing aids is often a top priority, but what if we could enhance our senses beyond that normal range?

Breaking the Sound Barrier with HPC

Wed, 01 May 2013 16:46:57 EDT

In 1997, a car called ThrustSSC became the first car to break the sound barrier as it blasted across the Arizona desert, establishing the current land-speed record of 763 mph. Now, several members of the ThrustSSC team, including project director Richard Noble and driver Andy Green, have come together to set a new land-speed record: 1,000 mph—over 200 mph more than the speed of sound.

Robots Invade St. Louis

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:34:27 EDT

Over 30,000 teenagers boosted the IQ within the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis this week to take part in the U.S. FIRST Robotics championship. The 21-year-old annual competition brings kids aged six to 18 from across the country and around the world to put their robots through a series of sports-inspired physical challenges.

GE Casts Welding Aside for Jet Engines

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:40:08 EDT

Historically, the manufacture of jet engines has revolved around the centuries-old processes of casting and welding. But GE may trigger a change in the industry by departing from this process and opting instead to use lasers and metal allow powder to create these ultra-precise components.

Investor Bets Big on 3D Printing

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:50:31 EDT

Andreessen Horowitz, a Silicon Valley investment firm, is known for placing big bets on a small number of companies and industries, but today it upped the ante with a $30 million bet all on one company: Shapeways, a growing player in the 3D printing industry.

Lithium-Ion Battery Charges Smartphone in Seconds

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:33:26 EDT

Lithium-ion batteries seem to be used in nearly any type electronic device today – from our smartphones, to laptops, and even to power electric cars or the Boeing Dreamliner. Now, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a new lithium-ion battery that may not be a step in the technology's evolution, but a leap.