UltiMakerhas released the UltiMaker Factor 4 industrial-grade 3D printer, an end-to-end 3D-printing solution for light industrial applications.

With support for engineering materials, direct-drive dual extrusion, on-board print quality reporting, temperature-controlled build volume, UltiMaker 4 delivers high levelsof predictability and minimal variance. Built upon more than a decade of dedication to openness and accessibility, the machine will support one of the widest material portfolios on the market for a variety of applications, including end use parts, functional prototyping, manufacturing tools, and small batch manufacturing of auxiliary components and spares.

Factor 4 offers a temperature-controlled build volume of 330 x 240 x 300 mm and uniform bed heating, ensuring consistent performance across the entire build plate. Designed for the manufacturing and industrial sectors, it launched with a new high-temperature print core that allows engineers to print up to 340°C, enabling a broader range of high-performance, temperature-resistant, and durable materials. These include the new UltiMaker PPS CF, a high-temperature composite material.

The machine uses the heated bed and actively controlled chamber airflow to manage the build volume temperature up to 70°C, ensuring optimal material-specific processing conditions and consistent part quality wherever the 3D printer is located. It is tested to achieve over 95% print completion success and dimensional accuracy within ±0.2 mm or ±0.2% of the feature nominal length.

The latest print profiles for Factor 4, available on Cura 5.7.1, enable the printing of engineering materials such as PET-CF and nylon with productivity levels similar to tough PLA and PETG, effectively doubling print speed when compared with the UltiMaker S series.

More information www.ultimaker.com/factor-4

Stewart-Haas Racing partnered with 3D Systems to determine the best-performing aerodynamic shape for the new 2024 NASCAR Ford Mustang Dark Horse through an innovative approach to testing hundreds of different body panel shapes in a highly efficient way.

3D Systems’ SLA machines and 3D Sprint software in combination with the development process used by the two companies, yielded a race car body for the Ford Mustang Dark Horse race car that combines the aesthetics of a 2024 production car with aerodynamic performance for the Ford team’s race cars to win races and a NASCAR Cup series championship.

To submit a new race car body shape, the Ford race teams needed to meet specific aerodynamic coefficient specifications as determined by NASCAR. This is ideally achieved during a full-scale wind tunnel test of the submitted car body, which can be extremely costly and time-consuming. Stewart-Haas Racing found a more efficient solution that allows it to test dozens of different body panel shapes during each test session by partnering with additive manufacturing firm 3D Systems. 

The 3D Systems’ 3D Sprint software is intuitive to use and enables the technician to set up CAD models of parts that require printing. It is then possible to send the resulting files to 3D Systems’ ProX 800for fast, accurate printing of the parts in the desired material. By fastening the 3D-printed parts to the sub-structure of the full-scale car, Stewart-Haas Racing could define the entire car body shape using these 3D-printed tiles.As the car wasundergoing tests in the wind tunnel, additional 3D-printed tiles could be added or removed from the car to test various concepts.

More information www.3dsystems.com

Fyous is launching the world’s first infinitely reusable moulding technology, known as PolyMorphic moulding, at this week’s RAPID + TCT event in Los Angeles. Fyous’ technology can shapeshift in under 20 minutes, producing zero tooling waste and making usable parts 14 times faster than 3D printing.

The technology, devised and engineered by Fyous’ co-founders Joshua Shires and Thomas Bloomfield, features more than 28,000 densely packed pins that create the mould. Once the pins are in position, the mould can withstand 6 tonne of distributed pressure. Metamorphic by nature, Fyous says that patent-pending PolyMorphic moulding has the potential to transform the manufacturing industry, reducing waste generated through tooling amends, coupled with faster production times in comparison to 3D printing and traditional mould-making.

By inputting a 3D CAD model, Fyous software generates the PolyMorphic mould shape. The PolyMorphic machine then shapeshifts the mould to create the intended product. On completion of production, the PolyMorphic mould returns to the machine ready for the next shapeshift.

“Our mission is to deliver a revolutionary moulding technology that will disrupt prototyping and manufacturing sectors worldwide,” says Shires. “Using PolyMorphic moulding to create fast, accurate moulds for tooling will reduce time to market for a huge array of products and unlock commercial viability for desirable products which currently have no cost-effective manufacture method.”

He adds: “PolyMorphic moulding is a zero-waste technology where raw materials are conserved and the moulds can be used repeatedly. We will remove not only physical waste in the form of materials and tooling, but also remove wasted time by accelerating product development, prototyping and manufacture efficiencies.” 

More information www.fyous.com