The company is expanding its innovation capacity with a new Denver facility and the acquisition of Allevi and Additive Works.
3D printing solutions developer 3D Systems made two new announcements this month in line with its current four-phase growth and investment strategy.
The company will be adding a new 50,000-square-feet facility to its Denver, Colo. site dedicated to the development of new additive manufacturing technologies. In particular, 3D Systems will be focusing on growing its health care solutions ventures by enhancing its industrial application development capabilities, specifically using advanced polymer and metal additive manufacturing technologies. The goal is to address the increased demand for patient-specific health care.
3D Systems’ Application Innovation Group arm has been working on additive manufacturing solutions for advanced applications in the areas of aerospace and health care. The new facility will be geared toward increasing the company’s resources and production capacity. According to a press release, the expansion is expected to increase 3D Systems’ Denver, footprint by over 50 percent. More 3D printers, large-scale post-processing equipment, as well as future products will be housed in the facility, which will help automate production processes. Similarly, this will enable the company to focus on the development of “a greater range of additive solutions for both healthcare and industrial market segments.” It is set to be completed by 2022.
3D Systems also announced that it is acquiring two new companies to further expand additive manufacturing opportunities in medical and industrial applications. In a press release, the company introduced 3D bioprinting solutions company Allevi and simulation software firm Additive Works.
The company has been working on its regenerative medicine program alongside biotech solutions company United Therapeutics, which involves the printing of human organs such as lungs. According to 3D Systems, it plans to further expand the program and explore technology that focuses on “nearer-term, non-organ human applications.” It will be working on the development of advanced bioprinting solutions for medical and pharmaceutical research and development applications. The company stated in a press release that labs are beginning to rely more on the use of 3D printing to create three-dimensional cellular structures capable of imitating natural tissues, bones, and blood vessels in the body.
The acquisition of Philadelphia-based Allevi (formerly Biobots) will allow 3D Systems to develop laboratory applications as well as human organs over the long term. Allevi’s technology is currently being used in over 380 labs around the world.
3D Systems is also focusing on expanding its simulation capabilities for industrial-scale 3D printing. German-based software firm Additive Works specializes in print preparation and workflow automation through optimum part orientation, support structures, thermal management simulation, and distortion compensation. 3D Systems will be integrating this automation framework into leading CAD systems as well as the company’s additive manufacturing software package, 3DXpert, which is designed for workflow optimization. This is expected to enhance the company’s additive manufacturing software offerings and innovation capacity, allowing it to drive the increased adoption of these technologies in industrial and health care markets. The acquisition is currently underway and is subject to approval.
3D Systems’ President and CEO Jeffrey Graves shared in a statement the company’s excitement regarding these new developments.
“The combination of maturing industrial-scale metal and polymer printing technology and advanced material solutions, with a customer base that increasingly seeks the performance, flexibility, and cost benefits of large-scale additive manufacturing, is driving significantly increased demand for our products and services,” said Graves. “We continue to deliver on our four-phase plan with an increasing focus on investing for accelerated growth and profitability. I’m excited by the expertise, capabilities and technologies we are adding to the 3D Systems portfolio with Allevi and Additive Works.”
For more information, visit www.3dsystems.com.
