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Top Tech Tip: How do you 3D print STL files?

Learn the basics of 3D printing STL files -- the files that serve as the digital foundation for 3D printing -- and a whole lot more from the experts at Xometry. These files have advantages, of course, but did you know they have disadvantages too? Also learn about STL tools and programs, and how to reduce file size or even repair a file you are having trouble with.
Read the Xometry article.

When metals can't survive: Machined ceramics as an alternative

Technical Ceramics are so hard and wear resistant that they cannot be machined with conventional tools -- but they can outlast and outperform other materials in demanding or harsh applications. INSACO's proprietary diamond grinding process and specialized techniques developed over many decades allow the company to produce and document parts to exacting specifications consistently. Learn all about the alternatives you have when metals just can't take it.
Read the INSACO article.

Radio Flyer cuts ebike prototype time radically with Fuse X1 large-format SLS 3D printer

Radio Flyer cut prototype lead times for its Flyer Loop cargo ebike frame from two months to two days using Formlabs' new Fuse X1 SLS large-format 3D printer. "We can now print an entire Flyer Loop cargo ebike overnight and be gluing it together the next day," said Agostino LoBello, product development engineer at Radio Flyer. "I can iterate three times as often with nine times less labor." The Fuse X1 delivers production-quality parts with 50% lower costs and triple the throughput of comparable industrial systems, featuring automated powder handling and a compact, easy-to-install design. [Credit: Image courtesy of Formlabs]
View the video.

Compact industrial sand 3D printer

ExOne has launched the S-Print Pro, a compact industrial sand 3D printer that brings production-grade binder jetting to smaller foundries, pattern shops, and print service providers. Aimed at businesses competing on cost and flexibility, it handles low-volume casting, spare parts, and custom components. The system processes furan binder with silica sand, CeraBeads, or silicon carbide.
Learn more about this capable machine.

Engineer's Toolbox: How to pin a shaft and hub assembly properly

One of the primary benefits of using a coiled spring pin to affix a hub or gear to a shaft is the coiled pin's ability to prevent hole damage. Another is the coiled pin absorbs wider hole tolerances than any other press-fit pin. This translates to lower total manufacturing costs of the assembly. However, there are a few design guidelines that must be adhered to in order to achieve the maximum strength of the pinned system and prevent damage to the assembly.
Read this very informative SPIROL article.

Get reliable labeling done right

Videojet Technologies has released the Videojet 9310 label applicator, designed to simplify everyday labeling on rigid and flexible packaging. Using Intelligent Motion technology, it digitally controls label tension and alignment to ensure consistent placement with minimal manual adjustments. The system features a simple label path, an intuitive touchscreen, and flexible mounting options to reduce downtime and keep production moving.
Learn more.

Your phone is now your smartest hydraulic tool

Commissioning a proportional valve traditionally requires cables, laptops, and complex software. The new Bosch Rexroth 4WRAE valve changes that. Featuring integrated digital electronics and Bluetooth connectivity, it pairs with the "easy2connect" app. Technicians can now visualize performance, adjust settings, diagnose errors, and force solenoids directly from their phones, simplifying setup for IO-Link or analog systems.
Learn more.

A new take on indexing plungers

JW Winco has expanded its extensive standard parts range with the GN 823 indexing plunger. Featuring an intuitive operating lever, it allows easy activation with a single finger, even when wearing gloves or out of sight. Available in screw-on or weldable stainless steel variants, this robust component suits both delicate installations and heavy-duty industrial applications. Available in two installation options: screw fastening or welding.
Learn more.

Fast-cure composite for aero and defense manufacturing

Toray Composite Materials America has launched 3960-FC, a fast-cure variant of its high-performance 3960 prepreg system for mission-critical aerospace and defense applications. This material reduces cure time by up to 45% while maintaining proven mechanical performance, stiffness, and exceptional toughness. It is highly compatible with automated manufacturing technologies like AFP and ATL, as well as traditional processing methods.
Learn more.

Best high-speed rotary bearing in THK history

THK's High-Speed, Double-Row Angular Contact Ring BWH is the fastest rotary bearing in company history. By utilizing balls inside a cage instead of rollers, this new structure achieves unprecedented speeds. It supports loads from all directions while matching the high rigidity and rotational accuracy of standard cross-roller ring design options.
Learn more.

100,000 hours: KNF diaphragm pump achieves exceptional lifetime

Reaching 100,000 hours of uninterrupted performance is a remarkable achievement for micro diaphragm gas pumps. It represents more than 11 years of continuous operation in a controlled environment, exceeding the demands of most real-world applications. This milestone highlights KNF's engineering expertise and the reliability built into every pump.
Get a closer look at the 100,000-hour lifetime test.

Metal finishing: With rising carbide prices, when cermet makes sense

As critical raw material access tightens, manufacturers are rethinking cutting tool usage. While essential, carbide is often unnecessary for finishing processes. Cermet -- a ceramic-metal composite -- offers an excellent alternative, delivering exceptional fracture and wear resistance for these specific machining stages.
Read the full article.

Crossed roller bearings for complex loads

Designed with a large contact area where the rollers meet the raceway surfaces, crossed roller bearings (CRBs) from IKO exhibit exceptional rotational accuracy with less deflection under load. Many mechanical designs can benefit from the rigidity, accuracy, speed, and compact size that IKO CRBs provide, and they come in a wide choice of sizes and constructions to fit various rotating mechanisms. Machine tools, industrial robots, and medical equipment are only a few of many applications.
See all your options, including slim and super slim models, from IKO.

Full-color 3D-printing Design Guide from Xometry

With Xometry's PolyJet 3D-printing service, you can order full-color 3D prints easily. Their no-cost design guide will help you learn about different aspects of 3D printing colorful parts, how to create and add color to your models, and best practices to keep in mind when printing in full color. Learn how to take full advantage of the 600,000 unique colors available in this flexible additive process.
Get the Xometry guide.

What's new in hyperMILL 2026?

OPEN MIND Technologies has announced a wide range of new and enhanced capabilities in its hyperMILL 2026 CAD/CAM Software Suite that save time and increase accuracy. For precise and efficient 2.5D, 3D, precision 5-axis, and mill/turn machining, hyperMILL offers users exceptionally productive programming and powerful machining strategies. Check out all the new features.
Learn more.

New technology 3D prints glass microstructures with rays of light

Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a new way to 3D print glass microstructures, including these 3D-printed glass lattices, which are displayed in front of a U.S. penny for scale. [Credit: Photo by Joseph Toombs/UC Berkeley]

 

 

 

 

Researchers at UC Berkeley in California have developed a new way to 3D print glass microstructures that is faster and produces objects with higher optical quality, design flexibility, and strength, according to a new study published in the April 15 issue of the journal Science.

Working with scientists from the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany, the researchers expanded the capabilities of a 3D-printing process they developed three years ago -- computed axial lithography (CAL) -- to print much finer features and to print in glass. They dubbed this new system "micro-CAL."

Glass is the preferred material for creating complex microscopic objects, including lenses in compact, high-quality cameras used in smartphones and endoscopes, as well as microfluidic devices used to analyze or process minute amounts of liquid. Current manufacturing methods, however, can be slow, expensive, and limited in their ability to meet industry's increasing demands.

The CAL process is fundamentally different from today's industrial 3D-printing manufacturing processes, which build up objects from thin layers of material. This technique can be time intensive and result in rough surface texture. CAL, however, 3D prints the entire object simultaneously. Researchers use a laser to project patterns of light into a rotating volume of light-sensitive material, building up a 3D light dose that then solidifies in the desired shape. The layer-less nature of the CAL process enables smooth surfaces and complex geometries.

This study pushes the boundaries of CAL to demonstrate its ability to print microscale features in glass structures. "When we first published this method in 2019, CAL could print objects into polymers with features down to about a third of a millimeter in size," said Hayden Taylor, principal investigator and professor of mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley. "Now, with micro-CAL, we can print objects in polymers with features down to about 20-millionths of a meter, or about a quarter of a human hair's breadth, and, for the first time, we have shown how this method can print not only into polymers but also into glass, with features down to about 50-millionths of a meter."

3D-printed microlens models [Credit: Photo by Joseph Toombs/UC Berkeley]

 

 

To print the glass, Taylor and his research team collaborated with scientists from the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, who have developed a special resin material containing nanoparticles of glass surrounded by a light-sensitive binder liquid. Digital light projections from the printer solidify the binder, then the researchers heat the printed object to remove the binder and fuse the particles together into a solid object of pure glass.

"The key enabler here is that the binder has a refractive index that is virtually identical to that of the glass, so that light passes through the material with virtually no scattering," said Taylor. "The CAL printing process and this Glassomer [GmbH]-developed material are a perfect match for each other."

The research team, which included lead author Joseph Toombs, a Ph.D. student in Taylor's lab, also ran tests and discovered that the CAL-printed glass objects had more consistent strength than those made using a conventional layer-based printing process. "Glass objects tend to break more easily when they contain more flaws or cracks, or have a rough surface," said Taylor. "CAL's ability to make objects with smoother surfaces than other, layer-based 3D-printing processes is therefore a big potential advantage."

The CAL 3D-printing method offers manufacturers of microscopic glass objects a new and more efficient way to meet customers' demanding requirements for geometry, size, and optical and mechanical properties. Specifically, this includes manufacturers of microscopic optical components, which are a key part of compact cameras, virtual reality headsets, advanced microscopes, and other scientific instruments.

"Being able to make these components faster and with more geometric freedom could potentially lead to new device functions or lower-cost products," said Taylor.

Source: UC Berkeley

Published May 2022

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