Materialise, a global leader in 3D printing software and services, is presenting new software updates and partnerships at Formnext 2024 in Frankfurt. These innovations aim to further enhance the flexibility and efficiency of additive manufacturing while providing tailored solutions for industrial workflows. The focus is particularly on expanding the Magics software, introducing new sustainability initiatives, and strengthening collaborations with industry partners.
By opening the Software Development Kit (SDK) for Magics, Materialise enables the integration of customized workflows into the production process. Manufacturers can use Python and C++ scripts to optimize and automate processes, adapting quality, speed, and cost to their specific needs.
“3D printing is evolving from a focus on technology innovation to becoming an essential tool in industrial applications,” said Udo Eberlein, Vice President of Materialise Software. “The next phase is about empowering users to adapt this technology to their specific manufacturing needs. With our latest updates, we’re providing the tools and flexibility to help them meet these unique requirements. This ‘Power to the People’ approach underscores our commitment to enabling manufacturers to achieve precise, impactful results in their production workflows.”
Another significant addition is the Orientation Comparison Tool in e-Stage for Metal+, which optimizes part orientation for laser powder bed fusion processes. It simulates various orientations and evaluates parameters like build height and surface quality to reduce costs and production times. This feature supports both novice and experienced users in selecting the optimal orientation.
“We’ve seen tremendous potential for businesses to optimize their workflows with the Magics SDK, enabling enhanced manufacturing processes and substantial improvements in ROI,” said Egwin Bovyn, Product Line Manager, Magics 3D Print Suite. “At Materialise, we’ve customized our SDK to optimize data and build preparation in our own manufacturing operations. By sharing our algorithms via Python code, we enable the automation of data and build preparation at scale. These advanced automation tools empower manufacturing service providers by ensuring our technology meets their individual needs.”
Materialise is also expanding its partnership with nTop to integrate high-performance geometries directly into Magics. Collaborations with leading OEMs like Additive Industries and Stratasys are driving the development of new build processors to efficiently convert complex models into printable data.
“nTop’s leading modeling technology enables our customers to design some of the most advanced and complex products on the planet,” said Bradley Rothenberg, CEO and founder, nTop. “In partnering with Materialise to now be able to 3D print directly from nTop models, our customers have access to the fastest and most reliable design-to-manufacture process, removing the need for a slow and painful conversion from lightweight nTop models to heavy and fragile meshes or boundary representations.”
In the sustainability domain, Materialise is collaborating with HP to introduce CO2-reduced PA 12, significantly lowering the production carbon footprint. Additionally, a long-term partnership with BLT aims to combine software solutions with modern metal printing systems and advance research in key areas like aerospace and medical technology.
These solutions highlight Materialise’s commitment to flexible, sustainable, and technologically advanced additive manufacturing. Visitors can explore these developments at Formnext 2024 in Hall 12.1, Booth C139.
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