Shining 3D’s Groundbreaking Innovations at Formnext 2019: Revolutionizing 3D Scanning and Additive Manufacturing

Formnext, the world’s leading exhibition for additive manufacturing and industrial 3D printing, serves as a crucial platform for showcasing the latest advancements shaping the industry. In 2019, this premier event was no exception, drawing together innovators, manufacturers, and enthusiasts from across the globe. Amidst the flurry of groundbreaking announcements, 3Dnatives had the exclusive opportunity to sit down with Niels Stenzel and Enis Jost from Shining 3D. This insightful discussion unveiled a series of exciting product developments, underscoring Shining 3D’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of 3D scanning and additive manufacturing technologies. The company showcased their newest wireless 3D scanner, the innovative AccuFab-D1 DLP printer tailored for the dental market, and notably, made a significant foray into metal additive manufacturing with the introduction of their EP-M250 Pro metal machine, designed for printing robust aluminum parts. This article delves into these key innovations, exploring their potential impact on various industries and the broader additive manufacturing landscape.

Shining 3D: A Leader in 3D Digitalization and Additive Manufacturing

Shining 3D has long been recognized as a prominent player in the field of 3D digitalization and additive manufacturing. Since its inception, the company has dedicated itself to providing comprehensive solutions, integrating 3D scanning, 3D design, and 3D printing technologies. Their extensive product portfolio caters to a diverse range of applications, from industrial inspection and reverse engineering to healthcare, education, and consumer products. By consistently developing user-friendly, high-precision, and cost-effective solutions, Shining 3D has empowered countless professionals and businesses to harness the power of 3D technology. Their presence at Formnext 2019 reaffirmed their status as an industry leader, eager to introduce cutting-edge tools that address the evolving needs of the market.

Introducing the Wireless 3D Scanner: Enhancing Portability and Efficiency

One of the highlights from Shining 3D’s showcase at Formnext 2019 was their latest wireless 3D scanner. While the specific model was not explicitly named in the initial report, the emphasis on its wireless capability pointed towards a significant advancement in user experience and operational flexibility. Traditional 3D scanners often require tethering to a computer, limiting mobility and sometimes making it challenging to scan objects in confined or difficult-to-reach spaces. A wireless 3D scanner liberates users from these constraints, offering unparalleled freedom of movement and enabling more dynamic scanning workflows.

The benefits of wireless 3D scanning are manifold. Operators can move around large objects or scan in diverse environments without managing cables, significantly improving efficiency and reducing setup time. This enhanced portability makes such scanners ideal for a wide array of applications, including on-site inspections, cultural heritage preservation, automotive design, and even medical diagnostics where flexibility is paramount. Shining 3D’s commitment to developing intuitive, high-performance scanning devices is evident in this innovation. Their scanners are typically known for combining ease of use with impressive accuracy and speed, making complex 3D data acquisition accessible to a broader user base. The integration of advanced algorithms further ensures that even complex geometries and challenging surfaces can be captured with high fidelity, translating into accurate digital models for subsequent design, analysis, or manufacturing processes. This technological leap represents a significant step towards more flexible and efficient digital workflows across various industries.

The AccuFab-D1: Precision DLP Printing for the Dental Sector

The dental industry has been a significant beneficiary of additive manufacturing, and Shining 3D has been at the forefront of this transformation. At Formnext 2019, they spotlighted the AccuFab-D1, a cutting-edge DLP (Digital Light Processing) printer specifically designed to meet the rigorous demands of dental professionals. DLP technology offers several distinct advantages for dental applications, primarily its speed and precision in producing intricate details, which are critical for dental prosthetics and guides.

The AccuFab-D1 is engineered to produce high-quality dental models, surgical guides, temporary crowns and bridges, orthodontic aligner models, and custom trays with exceptional accuracy and speed. Its ability to cure an entire layer of resin simultaneously, rather than tracing paths with a laser, dramatically reduces print times for multiple small parts. This efficiency is invaluable in a fast-paced clinical or laboratory setting, allowing dental practices to shorten lead times and improve patient care. Moreover, the AccuFab-D1 supports a range of biocompatible resins, ensuring that printed parts meet stringent medical standards for safety and performance, making it a reliable tool for direct patient applications.

Shining 3D’s deep understanding of the dental workflow is reflected in the AccuFab-D1’s design and integrated software. The printer seamlessly integrates into existing digital dentistry ecosystems, from intraoral scanning to CAD software, streamlining the entire production process. By offering a reliable, high-precision, and accessible DLP solution, Shining 3D empowers dental labs and clinics to adopt advanced manufacturing techniques, leading to more accurate diagnoses, personalized treatments, and ultimately, better patient outcomes. The AccuFab-D1 exemplifies how specialized additive manufacturing solutions can revolutionize traditional industries by offering enhanced capabilities and unparalleled efficiency.

The EP-M250 Pro: Shining 3D’s Entry into Industrial Metal Additive Manufacturing

Perhaps the most significant revelation from Shining 3D at Formnext 2019 was the official unveiling of their metal additive manufacturing machine, the EP-M250 Pro. This marked a pivotal moment for the company, signaling their strategic expansion into the highly demanding and rapidly growing industrial metal 3D printing market. Until this point, Shining 3D had been primarily known for its optical 3D scanners and resin-based printers. The EP-M250 Pro represented a bold step, demonstrating their ambition to offer comprehensive solutions across various material types and application scales, thus solidifying their position as a full-spectrum additive manufacturing provider.

Capabilities and Technology of the EP-M250 Pro

The EP-M250 Pro is designed to print large aluminum parts, a capability that immediately positions it for high-performance applications in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, tooling, and general industrial manufacturing. Metal additive manufacturing, often based on Selective Laser Melting (SLM) or Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) technologies, allows for the creation of incredibly complex geometries that are impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods. These parts can be lighter, stronger, and more efficiently designed, leading to significant performance improvements and material savings. The “Pro” designation in EP-M250 Pro suggests a machine engineered for industrial reliability, repeatability, and precision, essential for production-grade parts in demanding environments.

Aluminum alloys are particularly valuable in additive manufacturing due to their excellent strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and thermal conductivity. The ability to 3D print large aluminum components opens up new possibilities for lightweighting structures in aerospace, optimizing thermal management in electronics, and producing customized tooling with integrated cooling channels. Such advancements directly contribute to improved fuel efficiency, enhanced product lifespan, and innovative product designs. Key features of the EP-M250 Pro likely include advanced laser systems for efficient melting, precise temperature control within the build chamber to ensure material integrity, and robust software for comprehensive process monitoring and parameter optimization. By entering this segment, Shining 3D is directly addressing the increasing demand for advanced manufacturing solutions that can produce functional, end-use metal components with complex internal structures and optimized performance characteristics, thereby accelerating industrial adoption of metal AM.

Shining 3D’s Broader Vision: Integrated Solutions

The introduction of the EP-M250 Pro, alongside their cutting-edge scanners and resin printers, solidifies Shining 3D’s vision of providing integrated 3D digital solutions. Their comprehensive ecosystem, spanning from precise 3D data acquisition (scanning) to advanced material processing (printing), positions them as a holistic technology partner for industries seeking to embrace digital transformation. This synergy between scanning and printing allows for streamlined workflows, from reverse engineering existing parts and creating digital twins to rapid prototyping and full-scale production of new designs. Shining 3D’s continuous innovation across these verticals underscores their commitment to empowering users with tools that enhance efficiency, accelerate product development cycles, and unlock new possibilities in design and manufacturing, ultimately driving the widespread adoption of 3D technologies.

The Impact of Formnext on Additive Manufacturing Trends

Formnext plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of additive manufacturing by bringing together the entire ecosystem – from raw material suppliers to machine manufacturers and end-users. Events like Formnext are crucial for companies like Shining 3D to gauge market demands, showcase their R&D efforts, and establish strategic partnerships that drive innovation forward. The announcements made by Shining 3D at Formnext 2019, particularly their venture into metal 3D printing, reflect broader industry trends: the increasing maturity of metal additive manufacturing for industrial applications, the growing demand for portable and user-friendly scanning solutions, and the specialized application of 3D printing in niche markets like dentistry. These trends continue to drive innovation and adoption across various sectors, promising a future where additive manufacturing is an indispensable tool in the global manufacturing landscape, facilitating customisation, reducing waste, and enabling unprecedented design freedom.

Connect with the 3D Printing Community

What are your thoughts on Shining 3D’s latest innovations, including their advanced wireless scanners, the specialized AccuFab-D1 DLP printer for dental use, and their impressive entry into metal 3D printing with the EP-M250 Pro? We encourage you to share your insights and experiences in the comments section below! Engage with our vibrant community and stay updated on the latest developments by following 3Dnatives on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages. To ensure you never miss out on critical industry news, don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, delivering the latest 3D printing news directly to your inbox. Additionally, you can explore all our engaging video content and interviews on our YouTube channel. Your participation enriches our community and helps us collectively explore the exciting future of additive manufacturing!