In a latest interview at TCT 3Sixty with Enrico Gallino, Senior Engineer at Ricoh 3D, we delved into how Ricoh is approaching 3D printing, exploring the corporate’s deal with materials improvement, composite integration, and sustainability. With a background in materials science and a contemporary perspective, Gallino has been instrumental in driving Ricoh 3D’s developments within the additive manufacturing trade.
I additionally had the chance to ask about Ricoh’s forthcoming steel 3D printing system. A know-how that some within the trade consider has the best potential for development – steel binder jetting.
Earlier than Ricoh, he labored within the area of fabric science, offering him with a stable basis for his function. As quickly as he joined Ricoh, his mission was clear: to introduce new supplies for the SLS 3D printing system and push the boundaries of what was doable in 3D printing.
Through the years, Gallino’s function expanded past materials improvement, as he grew to become extra concerned with buyer assist and collaboration with the broader ecosystem. The gradual shift allowed him to higher perceive buyer wants and supply technical assist to the gross sales crew. With the evolution of Ricoh 3D’s printer choices, Gallino’s focus shifted to working carefully with clients, dedicating a good portion of his time to buyer assist and software improvement.
Learn extra 3D printing information from TCT 3Sixty 2023 right here.
Senior Engineer sheds gentle on Ricoh 3D’s modern strategy to additive manufacturing and its dedication to sustainability
Ricoh 3D’s major providing facilities round printing massive elements utilizing polypropylene. This materials has change into their distinctive promoting proposition as a result of its widespread use and market demand, with polypropylene nonetheless accounting for 90% of the market. Along with polypropylene, Ricoh 3D additionally gives PA12 (multijet fusion know-how) and a spread of FDM supplies. Nonetheless, what actually units them aside is their dedication to sustainability and decreasing environmental influence. By leveraging polypropylene’s properties, Ricoh 3D goals to allow lightweighting and enhance product effectivity, finally decreasing CO2 emissions and positively impacting the planet.
The corporate has additionally ventured into the thrilling realm of composite additive manufacturing by collaborating with Unimaginable Objects. By harnessing the ability of composite supplies, Ricoh 3D envisions creating merchandise which can be lighter, extra environment friendly, and environmentally sustainable.
Whereas Ricoh 3D operates inside a bigger multinational group, they’ve cultivated a startup-like environment, fostering a dynamic and customer-centric strategy. This agility permits them to hear carefully to market calls for, collect priceless insights, and swiftly adapt their methods accordingly.
Wanting forward, Ricoh 3D is actively exploring alternatives for future composite improvement, each in collaboration with Unimaginable Objects and thru Ricoh’s personal R&D actions. Because the 3D printing trade evolves, Ricoh 3D goals to establish rising purposes and quantity alternatives that may immediate them to take a position extra considerably. With sustainability on the core of its mission, Ricoh 3D envisions a future the place additive manufacturing performs a vital function in lightweighting merchandise and decreasing CO2 emissions.
Improvement of steel binder jetting know-how and the search for killer purposes in additive manufacturing
The interview additionally explored the thrilling realm of steel binder jetting, market potential, and the pursuit of groundbreaking purposes in additive manufacturing. Gallino offered an replace on the challenge that was first introduced in November 2021 and Ricoh 3D’s ongoing efforts to excellent the know-how and establish key market alternatives.
Gallino clarified that Ricoh’s steel additive know-how remains to be beneath improvement and with a deal with aluminum alloy. Working carefully with clients, they’re co-creating purposes that leverage the distinctive capabilities of steel binder jetting. Whereas Gallino shunned disclosing particular buyer names, he hinted on the potential for a spread of purposes highlighting the know-how’s versatility.
Ricoh 3D’s foray into steel binder jetting is rooted in its core applied sciences and manufacturing experience. Leveraging its expertise in producing toners and powders, the corporate goals to excellent the binder formulation required for steel binder jetting. Gallino emphasised that Ricoh 3D is strategically positioning itself as a key participant in manufacturing, diversifying past conventional printers and photocopiers with 3D printers and their parts. In accordance with him, the potential of binder jetting as a know-how is immense as soon as it reaches its full potential.
Relating to velocity and scalability, Gallino highlighted the benefits of binder jetting. Whereas the method requires qualification and testing to make sure its reliability. As soon as perfected, binder jetting can provide phenomenal capabilities and open doorways to various purposes. Gallino acknowledged that the trade remains to be evolving, and figuring out the killer purposes that may drive widespread adoption is a problem however one which Ricoh 3D goals to sort out by way of visibility and promotion of the know-how.
Gallino additionally emphasised the significance of staying agile and adaptable because the market evolves. He highlighted the importance of partnerships and collaborations with end-users to unlock the total potential of steel binder jetting. Gallino projected that steel binder jetting may doubtlessly result in 100,000-part manufacturing runs. Though hesitant to estimate million-part manufacturing runs, he remained optimistic concerning the know-how’s capabilities in high-volume purposes.
In closing, Gallino affirmed Ricoh 3D’s dedication to long-term partnerships and steady improvement. He emphasised that the journey towards perfecting steel binder jetting and figuring out development purposes is an ongoing studying course of. Ricoh 3D’s dedication to collaboration and its customer-centric strategy purpose to place them on the forefront of additive manufacturing developments, making certain thrilling developments lie forward for the corporate.
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Featured picture exhibits Ricoh steel binder jetting at Ricoh VIP go to occasion on the HQ in Telford November 2022. Image by Shaun Fellows / Shine Pix Ltd.
