In this weekend’s combined 3D Printing News Briefs and Webinars/Events Roundup, we’re covering news about automotive and construction 3D printing, along with AM Forum, TCT Asia, the Experience Stratasys Tour, and webinars about resin removal for dental labs, flexibility in jewelry manufacturing, and more.3D Printing News Briefs Honda Shares 3D Printing Use Cases Honda has long used 3D printing in its manufacturing processes, for everything from prototypes and electric car concepts to motorcycle models and more.Now, the Japanese automotive company is sharing more of its 3D printing use cases.
Honda is using metal powder bed fusion (PBF) to add more value to its mobility products in a variety of fields, as the AM technology offers more design freedom, direct production without molds, and fast, efficient production of one-off items or small volumes of products.Metal AM can create complex shapes that you can’t get using casting or forging, and has helped Honda improve its productivity.Additionally, deformation prediction simulation technology is used to reduce length and expensive trial and error: by adding deformation methods into the design, the modeling posture and support shape can be optimized, ensuring models with dimensional accuracy.
The first application example Honda shared from its R&D facilities is the power unit parts of F1 race cars (see featured image).Metal PBF is used to incorporate complex, thin-walled shapes into the parts, which conventional manufacturing can’t always achieve.This includes pistons, which Honda used to make with forged aluminum.
Now, iron is used to 3D print stronger pistons that can hold up under increased combustion pressure.Iron actually has a higher specific gravity than aluminum, but by using metal AM, the part is actually more lightweight.The company has also replaced precision casting with metal AM to fabricate turbine housings out of heat-resistant Inconel.
Another application Honda shared is the aluminum handlebars for its wheelchair racers.The goals were to ensure safety and reduce weight, and the best shape for the handlebars depends on the athlete’s disability, so topology optimization was employed to find the most efficient design structure.Once a shape met the strength and weight requirements, metal AM was used to print custom wheelchair handlebars.
Consensus Committee for ICC 1150 Standard on 3D Concrete Walls Construction 3D printing is growing fast these days.As such, the International Code Council (ICC) is working to develop a new standard in order to “provide structural criteria applicable to 3D automated construction technology and 3D Concrete” used to build both interior and exterior walls, with or without structural steel reinforcement, in one- or multi-story structures.The first edition of ICC 1150 Standard for 3D Automated Construction Technology for 3D Concrete Walls is currently being developed under ICC’s ANSI Accredited Consensus Procedures, with a call for committee posted in January of 2023.
The main reason for this committee is due to the lack of a standard that establishes 3D printing material specifications, structural design standards for 3D printed walls, and wall-to-floor connections.The final appointments to the 3D Automated Construction Technology for 3D Concrete Walls Consensus Committee (IS-3DACT) were made in July of 2023, and the first public teleconference meeting of the committee to start developing the 3D construction standard was held in October of 2023, with its most recent meeting on February 14, 2025.At this Valentine’s Day meeting, the committee members started to review the comments received as part of “the public comment draft for the ANSI public review posting,” which ended on January 27, 2025.
The next meeting is this coming Friday, March 21, from 10 am to 12 pm PST (1 to 3 pm EST), during which the committee members will continue their consideration of public comments on the first draft of the standard.All ICC Standards committee meetings are open to the public, so if you’re interested in receiving an invite, please contact staff secretariat Melissa Sanchez, S.E., Sr.Staff Engineer.
Putzmeister Launches Concrete 3D Printing Brand INSTATIQ Putzmeister’s INSTATIQ P1 mobile 3D concrete printer in action: A 26-meter robotic arm prints load-bearing walls directly on site.(Image Putzmeister Group) Speaking of additive construction, Putzmeister, a German manufacturer of concrete pumps and other equipment for pumping, placing, and distributing concrete and mortar, recently launched a new brand for industrial concrete 3D printing called INSTATIQ.In addition, it’s launching an expansion to its portfolio with the INSTATIQ P1, a large-format mobile 3D concrete printer to help make the construction sector more efficient.
The P1, which stands for Progress One, features a 26-meter robotic arm and enables direct printing of load-bearing walls from BIM (Building Information Modeling) models in one on-site operation.The INSTATIQ P1 was initially presented as a concept study at the 2022 BAUMA construction trade fair under the name KARLOS, and will be officially presented at BAUMA 2025 next month.“Today, we’re excited to unveil our new brand, INSTATIQ, marking the next chapter to bring 3D concrete printing to the mass market,” the company wrote in a recent LinkedIn post.
“While our name has evolved, our mission remains unchanged — to rapidly create sustainable and economical buildings through the power of 3D concrete printing and construction robotics.” 3D Printing Webinars & Events March 17 – 18: AM Forum 2025 From March 17-18, the 9th AM Forum—Europe’s user conference for industrial AM—will be held in Berlin.Called “the right place for anyone who uses or plans to use additive technologies to do so,” the event platform is now live, so you can start networking right now.Over 100 speakers will be sharing their AM stories and insights, and more than 75 exhibitors and sponsors will be onsite as well.
AM users from multiple industries will be attending, including transportation, consumer goods, mechanical engineering, construction and agriculture, energy, and more.“The conference for decision-makers brings AM users together with experts and representatives from the entire AM value chain.” You can buy tickets for AM Forum Berlin here.March 17 – 19: TCT Asia In Shanghai, China this week, TCT Asia will be held from March 17-19.
This is Asia’s leading show for the AM industry, and focuses on real-world applications and targeted information and intelligence.Over 400 exhibitors will be on the show floor, covering the full range of technology; some of the many companies who will have a presence at the event include 3D Systems and Flashforge.There will be plenty of networking opportunities, as well as highly focused content to help attendees evaluate, adopt, and optimize their additive requirements.
“For 2024, we have a mission which goes beyond simply raising awareness; it is focused on developing a 360-degree understanding of the potential of additive manufacturing and 3D printing technology.” You can register for TCT Asia here.March 18, 20, 21: Experience Stratasys Tour Continues The Experience Stratasys tour continues in the U.S.this week.
First, on Tuesday, March 18th, the truck stops at the Rutgers Makerspace with partners TriMech and Allegheny Educational Systems, Inc.Then, it moves down to Virginia, stopping first in Fairfax on the 20th and then on to Richmond on the 21st.Visitors can see the latest in Stratasys materials, software, and 3D printers, including the H350, F370CR, J55, Origin One, Neo800, and the new F3300.
Engineers and Production experts will be available to answer your questions, so you can learn how Stratasys can help solve critical manufacturing challenges at every point of the production cycle.“Register today to attend an event hosted by our local 3D printing teams who will be on hand to answer questions and walk you through the featured Stratasys printers and applications.Feel free to come and go anytime during the open hours — whatever works best for your schedule.” Keep an eye on the tour page, it could be heading to your area next! March 18: Accelerating Sustainability Webinars with Stratasys Stratasys will hold two sessions of its latest webinar, “Accelerating Sustainability in Additive Manufacturing: Insights from SAF ReLife,” on Tuesday, with the first at 7 am EST and the second at 1 pm EST.
The webinar will focus on reusing waste powder by turning it into new parts with SAF ReLife.Speakers from Wehl Green, Stratasys, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (Franhofer IPA) will discuss how SAF ReLife can help make SLS and MJF processes more cost-effective, why SAF technology can get value as opposed to waste, why waste powder isn’t waste if you’re using the right technology, and more.“SAF ReLife flips the script on powder waste, turning what other technologies discard into high-quality production-ready parts.
It’s not about making small, incremental eco-friendly improvements.It’s about doing something genuinely smarter, cheaper, and more sustainable—all at once.” You can register for the 7 am EST session here and the 1 pm EST session here.March 18: AM Polymer QC Best Practices At 10:30 am EST on the 18th, Endeavor 3D will hold a webinar about “AM Polymer QC Best Practices,” presented by Quality Control Manager Hughston Young.
Attendees will hear all about the best practice for polymer 3D printing QC, from powder management and 3D printer maintenance to process optimization and final inspection.Topics include HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) maintenance and printhead calibration SOPs, automated and manual post-processing hardware and software workflows for optimal output, packing density tips and tricks, and more.“According to a recent survey conducted by Endeavor 3D, 80% of engineers identified part quality as the most important factor when choosing an additive manufacturing (AM) service provider.
Respondents frequently pointed to common quality challenges such as dimensional inaccuracies, inconsistent surface finishes, and part warping and distortion as the primary obstacles.So, what’s the key to overcoming these challenges? It all starts with a solid quality control framework.” You can register for the webinar here.March 18 – Resin Removal for Dental Labs & Clinics PostProcess Technologies and Proto3000 will hold a webinar about “Safer, Smart Resin Removal System for Dental Labs & Clinics: DEMI X 520 by PostProcess.” The webinar, at 1 pm EST on Tuesday, March 18th, will explain how advanced submersion technology can help revolutionize the resin removal process for dental applications.
Some of the key points include how to reduce post-processing time, labor costs, and exposure to hazardous solvents, the advanced features of the DEMI X 520 (including Axial Flow Technology for uniform resin removal), and more.There will also be a live demonstration and a live Q&A session with the experts.“Achieve high-precision, biocompatible resin removal for aligners, surgical guides, and dental models with an IPA-free, automated workflow that enhances safety and consistency.” You can register for the webinar here.
March 20: Additive Manufacturing at RLL Racing For an exclusive look at how Rahal Letterman Lanigan (RLL) Racing uses additive manufacturing to gain a competitive edge on the track and in the manufacturing industry, join Markforged Madness on Thursday, March 20th.From 10 am to 6 pm EST at RLL Racing in Zionsville, Indiana, attendees can see real-world applications of 3D printing in high-performance racing, and learn how these innovations can translate to broader manufacturing success.“Whether you’re in motorsports or industrial production, discover how cutting-edge additive technologies drive efficiency, performance, and a winning strategy.” You can reserve a free ticket to the event here.
March 20: Using HIP for 3D Printed Metallic Components If you’ve ever wondered how hot isostatic pressing, or HIP, can help increase the productivity of metal 3D printing, then you won’t want to miss this webinar by Quintus Technologies on the 20th! In “Leveraging HIP as a Productivity Tool for AM Metallic Components,” the company’s Business Development Manager Jim Shipley will share his insights on how to leverage HIP for enhanced productivity and mechanical performance in AM metallic components.There will be two sessions of this webinar, which will explain the role of HIP in densifying parts and eliminating internal defects, recent AM advancements, how Quintus Purus technology can reduce oxidation and streamline surface finishing, and more.“Whether you’re currently working with AM or exploring its potential, this session will provide valuable insights into how HIP can drive efficiency and quality in your manufacturing processes.” You can register for the webinar here.
Make sure to specify whether you’d like the 4 am EST or 11 am EST session.March 20: Beyond the Forge with HP Also at 11 am EST on the 20th, HP will hold the 12th and final session in its “Beyond the Forge: A Metals 3D Printing Series,” meant to educate, inspire, and empower professionals in the field of metal 3D printing.The first episode was about Metal Jet technology, while the second focused on the benefits of 3D printing vs.
traditional manufacturing methods.The third was about “Design and Choosing Parts to Print,” the fourth focused on sintering with additive manufacturing, and the fifth was about “Metal Jet Software Solutions.” The sixth episode focused on post-processing options, and the seventh was all about cost evaluation.The eighth was about “Sustainability in Additive Manufacturing,” and the ninth focused on “Metal Jet Materials and Materials Roadmap.” Episode 10 was all about “Metal Jet for Machine Shops and Service Bureaus,” and the 11th focused on “Professional Services for Metal Jet Adoption.” This last episode is about “Scaling to Production with Metal Jet,” and will explain to attendees how all the pieces of the series fit together.
“From learning about 3D printing, identifying your applications, starting with parts, and finally bringing a Printer in-house, learn the whole journey of digitizing and optimizing your workflow.” You can register for the session here.March 20: Flexibility in Jewelry Manufacturing Finally, at 12 pm EST on Thursday, March 20th, 3D Systems will hold a webinar about how to “Increase flexibility in jewelry manufacturing to address new trends.” Attendees will learn the latest advances in MultiJet Printing, best practices, and how to achieve superior jewelry castings for all design styles from Rob Noce, the company’s Product Manager, Jetting Technologies.Topics include jewelry making challenges, the benefits of 3D printing within the jewelry design to manufacturing workflow, examples of jewelry casting use cases for AM, and more.
“Are your designs featuring thin wires, twisted pipes, and ornate surfaces? Or solid, large surface areas and stone settings? Our 3D printing solutions for high volume production of jewelry casting patterns address all your jewelry styles, from sharp, fine features details to heavier-weight designs with smooth surfaces, from lightweight filigree and thin wire mesh shapes to micro-prongs.”
You can register for the webinar here.Do you have news to share about any future webinars or virtual and live events? Please let us know!
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