HP Accelerates 3D Printing Mass Production with New Customers, Applications, and Partners

Alex Jahanbani November 14, 2018

0 7 minutes read

At formnext 2018, HP announced new and expanded installations of its HP Jet Fusion 3D printing solutions to meet the growing worldwide demand for production-grade 3D manufactured parts. HP showcased the explosion of new applications across the transportation, industrial, medical, and consumer sectors, including new PA-11 applications, and initial customers of its new HP Jet Fusion 3D 300 / 500 solutions. HP also announced a design-to-print workflow with Autodesk to enable generative design capabilities across the entire HP Multi Jet Fusion portfolio, as well as new online resources to accelerate the journey to mass production for customers and resellers.

“HP is accelerating the shift to 3D mass production, enabling an exciting array of applications helping customers improve their businesses as we enter the 4^th Industrial Revolution. Many industries such as automotive, which is going through its biggest transformation in more than 100 years, are looking to new technologies and strategic partners like HP to help them better compete in this time of change,” said Christoph Schell, President of 3D Printing and Digital Manufacturing, HP Inc. “We are working with innovators across the globe to change the way they design and manufacture with HP Multi Jet Fusion and our new Metal Jet platform, unlocking new applications, more manufacturing flexibility, and greater innovation, efficiency and sustainability across their product development lifecycle.”

As demand for 3D printed parts continues to grow, HP is working closely with new and existing digital manufacturing partners around the world as they expand their HP Multi Jet Fusion fleets.

RecTech 3D, a China-based industrial contract manufacturer, is leveraging the power of HP Multi Jet Fusion technology to expand into a full-fledged industrial Additive Manufacturing Center in Chongqing, providing a variety of 3D production services. Together with HP, it intends to offer application and design expertise as well as training to customers and partners. RecTech 3D will begin by installing 10 HP Jet Fusion 3D 4210 solutions in its Additive Manufacturing Center in early 2019, and plans to quickly ramp up to at least 30 HP 3D printing systems by the end of 2019.

“As a premier partner of HP in China, RecTech 3D is looking to help lead industrial innovators and designers to take advantage of digital production and manufacturing, and we believe HP Multi Jet Fusion technology offers the capabilities required to deliver on that promise,” said Jay Luo, CEO, RecTech 3D. “In addition to offering the production of parts using HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, we will provide our customers with educational resources and end-to-end solutions based on HP’s industry-leading 3D printing products and expertise that enable the entire process from design to production. Using HP Multi Jet Fusion technology we plan to transform manufacturing.”

Forecast 3D, a leading US-based provider of 3D printed parts for more than two decades, has now deployed 24 HP Jet Fusion 3D 4210 systems in their digital factory as they continue to grow their business.

“Our business continues to reap the rewards of leaning in early and going big with HP Multi Jet Fusion technology,” said Corey Weber, CEO, Forecast 3D. “Our 3D Manufacturing Center is now powered by 24 HP Jet Fusion 3D 4210 printers. We are serving more customers than ever, running 24×7, and on pace to surpass millions of Multi Jet Fusion parts produced this year.”

GE Transportation is a global technology leader and supplier of equipment, services and solutions to the rail, mining, marine, stationary power, and drilling industries. GE Transportation will use HP Jet Fusion 3D printing solutions in its John F. Welch Technology Center in Bangalore, India to produce industrial parts for various applications in mining vehicles and locomotives.
With its expanded solutions and materials portfolio, there is an explosion of new Multi Jet Fusion applications across the transportation, industrial, medical, and consumer industries. A few examples in the transportation sector include:
BMW Group is using HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200 solutions to manufacture the window guide rail for the BMW i8 Roadster:“Using our automotive standards and HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology our manufacturing team is able to produce durable, reliable final parts such as the window guide rail for our BMW i8 Roadster,” said Dr. Dominik Rietzel, head of non-metal Additive Manufacturing at the BMW Group. “In the past decade, we are proud to have produced more than one million 3D printed parts, and it’s fitting that one of these window guide rails was identified as the one-millionth part printed. Complex parts that require reliable functionality and a small footprint are a perfect example of the power of additive manufacturing and together with partners such as HP we are excited about the possibilities ahead.”
Volkswagen Group is taking advantage of HP’s 3D printing technology for both metal and plastics applications. By the end of the year, one hundred percent of the tools used to manufacture the new T-Cross SUV will be printed using HP Multi Jet Fusion technology. Volkswagen is also integrating HP Metal Jet into its long-term design and production roadmap starting with the manufacturing of mass-customizable parts such as individualized key rings and exterior-mounted name plates.

The new HP 3D high-reusability PA-11 material enables customers to produce strong, ductile, functional parts with enhanced elongation break and impact resistance. Some customers who are already producing PA-11 parts on HP Multi Jet Fusion include:

Bowman International produced a ‘rollertrain’ cage, which uses rolling elements to “pin together” cage sections. The cage now features a 70 percent increase in the load bearing capacity of its split bearings, and an increased work life of up to 500 percent, as well as equal strength on the X, Y and Z axes, demonstrating the ability of HP Multi Jet Fusion technology to accurately mass produce bespoke parts which in turn can cut costs and speed up production times.
OT4, a leading provider of orthotics, supports orthopedic technicians on their way to digital manufacturing processes. HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology enabled the production of a sleep helmet, a dynamic ankle foot orthosis and a finger orthosis featuring optimized ventilation and light-weighting without compromising material strength and flexibility.
Consumer footwear and consumer goods are two segments taking advantage of HP Multi Jet Fusion materials expansion, including customized shoe heels by New Rock, and personalized phone cases by Freshfiber. Both customers take advantage of the design freedom of HP Multi Jet Fusion, enabling them to create otherwise impossible shapes, patterns and figures, as well as high customization of the product.

HP’s recently announced Jet Fusion 3D 300 / 500 series is a lower-cost solution that complements its existing industrial-grade solutions, enabling customers to go from prototyping to full production on the same HP Multi Jet Fusion technology platform. Initial customers include:

A-Dec, one of the largest dental equipment manufacturers in the world, is using HP’s Jet Fusion 3D 300 / 500 series for prototyping, developing fixtures and jigs, and is now experimenting with producing ultra-low volume service parts for select customers.
Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, Calif., is taking advantage of the unlimited design possibilities and highly-accurate, durable parts from HP’s new Jet Fusion 3D 300 / 500 printers to create personalized experiences benefitting the long-term well being of patients, including visually-appealing casts and corrective devices, customized devices, and interactive and personalized anatomical models.
The University of Louisville is widely recognized as a leading educational institution for 3D printing based on its industrial/academic Rapid Prototyping Center consortium established in 1993 and its world-class 3D printing facility featuring capabilities across metals and polymers. The University of Louisville team is using the HP Jet Fusion 3D 300 / 500 printers to produce prototypes and low volume end-use parts across a diverse application set as they serve many different departments in the university including the engineering, dental, and medical schools, and their external partners.

HP and Autodesk have launched an integrated end-to-end additive design to print workflow for HP’s Multi Jet Fusion platform. Autodesk Fusion 360’s generative design capabilities can be used to develop optimized designs for HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, enabling faster, more creative design cycles from prototyping through production. Penumbra Engineering is leveraging this joint innovation to design state-of-the-art ultrasonic sensing devices with accuracy and durability for companies such as Perceptive Sensor Technologies. In addition, Autodesk’s Netfabb provides support for a full-range of HP Jet Fusion 3D printers.

As part of HP’s effort to lead the transformation to digital manufacturing, it is also offering new online resources for partners and customers seeking to accelerate their journey to mass production with HP’s 3D printing solutions. These resources include:

I-AM Digital Talent Platform: As the 3D printing industry continues to evolve, businesses are facing the challenge of finding and retaining qualified employees. HP is offering its ecosystem access to the premier digital career growth platform for additive manufacturing. i-AM Digital helps connect employers with a highly engaged talent pool and also features case studies, informal learning, and training courses for those looking to break into the industry.
3D ExchangeNet (3DX): HP is a foundational sponsor of this marketplace focused on helping 3D printing businesses identify growth capital, investment, or buyout opportunities. 3DX also offers resources to help businesses develop strategic partnerships and training programs.

Following its debut at IMTS 2018 in September, HP will be showcasing HP Metal Jet, the world’s most advanced 3D printing technology for the high volume manufacturing of production-grade metal parts. Providing up to 50 times more productivity at a significantly lower cost than other 3D printing methods, HP Metal Jet is being deployed by manufacturing leaders GKN Powder Metallurgy and Parmatech for the factory production of final parts. Customers include global stalwarts Volkswagen and Wilo and innovative vertical market leaders such as Primo Medical Group and OKAY Industries.

In first half of 2019, customers will be able to upload 3D design files and receive industrial-grade parts in large quantities from the new Metal Jet Production Service. The parts will be produced by HP partners GKN Powder Metallurgy and Parmatech to ensure the highest standards of engineering and production quality. Complete technical, pricing, and availability information on HP’s new Metal Jet technology and Metal Jet Production Service can be found at HP.com/go/3Dmetals.