Europac, Author at Europac3D

Open House Invite – 5th July

Europac — Thu, 31 May 2018 10:36:40 +0000

DIGITAL MANUFACTURE WORKSHOP 5TH JULY
HP 3D PRINTERS AND SIEMENS NX

You are personally invited to come and join us at Europac3D on the 5th July to talk with the experts from HP and Siemens, to learn how customization and highly flexible digital production will reshape the companies of tomorrow towards Industry 4.0.

Take the first step toward digitalization right now and create a lasting competitive edge for your company with the scalable solutions from HP and Siemens. Now’s the right time to start – become a digital enterprise and stay ahead of the competition.

REVERSE ENGINEERING

Learn from the experts how to capture 3D data of any component and develop a 3D CAD model suitable for re-manufacture.

A wide of 3d scanners for capturing the smallest of details at the highest accuracy covering automotive, aerospace, traditional manufacturing, heritage and art.

DESIGN FOR 3D PRINT

Talk to the experts form Siemens NX on how to design for 3d printing. Lighweight structures without the constraints of traditional manufacture and topology optimisation tools.

HP MULTI JET FUSION 3D PRINTERS

Learn How HP Multi Jet Fusion is revolutionizing the additive manufacturing market, the first machine on the market to offer fast, affordable production parts, up to 10 times faster and at half the cost.

DESIGN, OPTIMISE & PREPARE 3D PRINTS IN ONE SOFTWARE

Breakdown the barriers of additive manufacturing with an end-to-end software environment leading the way in the industrialisation of additive manufacturing for production parts.

MEET THE CUSTOMERS

Meet and hear how customers have integrated digital additive manufacturing into their businesses, transforming manufacturing processes for the future.

Bowman International a traditional bearings manufacturer has recently created a 3D printing division, with investment in a HP 4200 Multi Jet Fusion printer and the first of its kind in Europe to be producing parts in PA11 Nylon. Bowman have developed a revolutionary patented split bearing cage design, with composite inserts to provide the strength and wear characteristics required for highly demanding environments. Incorporating inserts into the finished product takes Bowman’s Additive Production division to a level of engineering which is rarely seen, even in industries where additive manufacturing is common place.

UNIONTECH STEREOLITHOGRAPHY 3D PRINTING SYSTEMS

First developed in 2000, the Uniontech RSPRO stereolithography equipment was developed to deliver reliable efficient production of high quality parts in the most cost effective manner. A truly ‘open source’ system with regards material suppliers, Uniontech stereolithography has the widest range of application driven materials in the market place.

This event is limited to 50 places, secure your place now!

The post Open House Invite – 5th July appeared first on Europac3D.

Learn how HP 3D printers are set to transform and disrupt traditional manufacturing technologies.

Europac — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 10:06:29 +0000

Learn how HP 3D printers are set to transform and disrupt traditional manufacturing technologies.

If you’ve been thinking it’s time for 3D printing to live up to its potential, HP is thinking along with you. With HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, we’re ready to show you how potential has become reality.

We spell out the full story in our technical white paper “HP Multi Jet Fusion technology: A disruptive 3D printing technology for a new era of manufacturing.” Read how our 3D printers are making breakthroughs in speed, quality, and cost, and how the revolutionary HP Multi Jet Fusion Open Platform will help drive broader adoption of 3D printing across industries.

DOWNLOAD THE WHITE PAPER

You will be asked to supply you email to download this file

Manufacture parts you thought could not be made.

Fast and efficient with no support structure, allows for HP mult jet fusion to produce complex thin walled objects without compromise.

Interested?

Give us a call on 01270 216000

EMAIL US

The post Learn how HP 3D printers are set to transform and disrupt traditional manufacturing technologies. appeared first on Europac3D.

3D Scanning and Printing a Bainbridge Water Fountain

Europac — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 11:11:42 +0000

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CASE STUDY

3D Scanning and Printing a Bainbridge Water Fountain

Europac 3D was recently tasked with assisting a restoration specialist, Lost Art, to replicate a famous water fountain in Teesdale, Cumbria for a client who wanted to reproduce the piece in its full glory.

The scan needed to be carried out carefully to avoid any further damage to the fountain. This is where Europac 3D came into action with a unique combination of using Artec Eva and Artec Spider 3d scanners to capture the unique shape and dimensions of the water fountain.

The pair of scanners were particularly adept at scanning the fountain, being able to scan outside on a sunny day without any loss of accuracy or capture quality. They were used with a battery pack, which allowed for easy set up next to the fountain and freedom of movement, allowing for the operator to walk freely around the fountain with either of the handheld scanners.

The Artec Eva with its larger field of view was used to capture the larger smoother surfaces of the fountain sculpture, while the Spider was used to capture the detailed intricate parts. Both scans were captured in Artec Studio 12 software and the two sets of data were ‘married’ together to produce a watertight triangulated surface mesh. A unique feature of the Artec Studio 12 software allows for scans from different devices to be combined into one common point cloud and then merged to create a 3D model exactly as the client requested.

The 3D model was then printed in full-size in a ceramic plastic material using a Uniontech Pro Series 3d printer. The restoration artist was then able to add additional details and features such as intricate leaf details that had worn away from the original fountain

The final product was then cast in bronze using the 3d print as a mould template – Creating a new-meets-old final product of the famous Bainbridge water fountain for the client’s personal collection.

For more information please get in touch

The post 3D Scanning and Printing a Bainbridge Water Fountain appeared first on Europac3D.

6 unusual uses of 3D printing

Europac — Thu, 18 May 2017 17:24:33 +0000

The world of technology is constantly evolving. Although this is usually for the better, it is, occasionally, for the odder. Since the creation of 3D printing, there have been some unorthodox innovations created by the industry that some may find surprising. Here are just some examples:

You’ve heard of the bionic woman, now get ready for…bionic skin? Engineering researchers at the University of Minnesota have created sensory electronic devices that are implemented onto fingers in order for surgeons to ‘feel’ during minimally invasive surgeries, as opposed to simply using cameras as they do now. Professor Michael McAlpine, of the university, said that, ‘While we haven’t printed on human skin yet, we were able to print on the curved surface of a model hand using our technique. We also interfaced a printed device with the skin and were surprised that the device was so sensitive that it could detect your pulse in real time.’
In India, a woman’s life was saved via the ability to 3D print her spine. The unnamed woman’s health quickly deteriorated after a disease threatened to take her life: however, with the creation and implementation of a new vertebrae, she is ‘recovering quickly’ from her ailment, and can soon go back to her job as a teacher.
The process of violin making has been ‘largely unchanged for centuries’: until now. A fully playable violin, realistic in appearance, has been engineered for 3d printing by Harris Matzaridis of the University of Sheffield. According to 3dprint.com, ‘Stringed instruments seem to be a popular choice for musically inclined makers, and we’ve seen many incredible 3D printed guitars and violins.’ The violin was constructed in more than 40 parts, and took about nine months to complete.
In Dubai, the home of boundary-pushing architecture, there are plans to build the world’s first 3D printed skyscraper. It has already produced the world’s first 3D printed skyscraper, and now the company Cazza Construction Technologies– co-founded by 19-year-old Chris Kelsey – says it has plans to unveil the building on the Emirates skyline. Kelsey claims his printers can produce a 2,000 sq ft home in a single day.
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, a group of scientists have used 3D printing to create eye structures called ‘conformers’ to allow blind children’s faces to grow naturally. Although the artificial eye doesn’t create sight, it does let the child’s growing face have a ‘natural, proportioned’ look. The diseases microphthalmia and anophthalmia affect as many as 30 in 100,000 children worldwide, and the breakthrough in 3D printing would cause these children to have a better quality of life.
Lastly, palaeontology is facing innovation in the form of 3D printing dinosaur bones in order to complete incomplete skeletons. Drexel University announced that it would team up with its Engineering department to do full scans of the skeletons, then use a 3D printer to ‘create 1/10 scale models of the most important bones.’ For a profession solidly stuck in the past, palaeontology and archology now has futuristic technology to uncover even more from beneath the earth’s surface.

All (crazy) things considered, who knows what the following twenty, ten, even five years will look like for the future of 3D printing, an industry that has proven its astonishing capability. There is a reason it is called ‘addictive manufacturing’ – if things go on as they are, there are definitely more exciting and unusual innovations just around the corner.

The post 6 unusual uses of 3D printing appeared first on Europac3D.

How 3D has made an impact on the film industry

Europac — Thu, 18 May 2017 17:18:39 +0000

There is no denying that the quality of special effects makeup is outstanding within the film and television industry. But here’s a little secret… it’s not all makeup in those big-budget productions. In films like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 3D technology had a key part to play in making those creatures look so… creature-like.

3D scanning makes this possible by taking an exact scan of an object or person and then manipulated with computer 3D design software to produce assets for film that can either be animated or rendered to produce stunning CGI effects.

A large proportion of feature films nowadays use 3D technology and CGI. Why? Because it can be very costly and time-consuming to 3D model complex objects by hand for a company and so, many will opt to scan objects with a 3D scanner.

There is a range of different options for 3D scanning an object depending on what the requirements are and the size and shape of the object. From props to actors, there is a unique solution for capturing the highest possible quality 3d digital data.

For props that require high-resolution 3D scans like guns and swords, Europac3D use Kreon arms and lasers. The latest Kreon Skyline system can scan at an incredible 600,000 points per second and has a bandwidth of 200mm. This means complex props such as highly detailed maquettes can be scanned quickly and at the highest resolution possible.

Remember those famous Quidditch scenes in Harry Potter when Harry is chasing the snitch around the school grounds? Our very own Kreon scanner captured those school buildings by taking a highly detailed scan of a scale model. The full 3D model was then rendered in a fully animated 3D scene as Harry and friends fly around the buildings.

In the Komodo dragon scene of Skyfall many of the surrounding props were 3d scanned to help produce a dramatic and dark atmosphere, as James Bond fights his way out of the pit.

For larger props like cars, sections of an aircraft and even scanning actors, we use Artec Eva in conjunction with high-resolution cross-polarised photography, especially where photogrammetry rigs (a process that requires 40-200 cameras set up in a 360 rig) are too difficult to transport or too costly to set up. Artec Eva simultaneously captures and processes up to 288,000 points per second and is twelve times faster than a laser scanner. We even took full body scans of a range of actors and actresses for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story including Oscar nominee, Felicity Jones.

More specifically, when actors are in a foreign film location and again it is not feasible to transport and install photogrammetry rigs we will use Mephisto, a rapid capture mobile scanner that uses a white light to scan actor’s heads and pick up extra detail in the face. This scanner can take an entire capture in less than a second and takes very little processing time. We even took full body scans of a range of actors for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story including Oscar nominee, Felicity Jones.

It’s not only 3D scanning that is used within the film industry but 3D printing too! Perhaps the most memorable of all being Tony Stark’s ‘Arc Reactor’ Chest piece and the entire Iron Man suit in the Iron Man trilogy.

The suit was created by beginning with a 3D reference drawing which was created by artists and a database of reference models. Once complete, the model was then 3D printed in a smaller scale and used as a prototype. This allowed amends to be made to the model efficiently before the final version was scaled and printed in full size.

Whether it’s scanning a human arm to create a 3D animation, or creating a digital arm to be printed in 3D, there’s no denying the possibilities that 3D technology brings to the film industry. And the exciting thing is, this only the beginning…

The post How 3D has made an impact on the film industry appeared first on Europac3D.

Archaeological Digital Archiving – London Stone

Europac — Tue, 09 May 2017 10:08:07 +0000

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CASE STUDY

Archaeological Digital Archiving – London Stone

The latest 3D technologies have been used to unlock the secrets of the 1000 year old London Stone that’s currently on display at the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). The name “London Stone” or “Londenstane” was first recorded in around the year 1100, although the date and original purpose of the Stone remain a mystery it is often referred to as a ‘the protector of London’.

The stone is believed to be of Roman origin however it has been surrounded by interest and speculation about it since at least the 16th century. To help answer questions, Europac 3D, was approached to create a full 3D scan of the famous stone as part of the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) 20-month exhibition.

Artec Space Spider

The detailed scan was made using the Artec Space Spider which is a remarkably portable device, perfect for getting deep into the deep dark vaults of the MOLA museum. The Space spider was also particularly adept for the task in hand, as it can capture tiny points as little as 0.1mm while at the same time capturing in full glorious colour. The scan of the stone revealed several man-made carvings, one of which is believed to have been made when Jack Cade entered London ahead of a rebellion against King Henry VI, he symbolically struck the Stone with his sword to claim lordship of the City.

The scan of the stone, which was able to pick up detailed markings of less than the width of a human hair exposed a range of markings and textures that the stone had accumulated over the years due to weathering and events in time. The scan was captured using Artec Studio software whereby multiple ‘chunks of data’ were collected and then registered together using a ‘best fit’ algorithm which could then be used to create the full, detailed 3D image of the precious London Stone.

Digital Archiving

The 3D scan of the stone has also helped ensure that there is always a ‘digital backup’ that could be turned into a full-size, exact 3D replica of the stone if needed. Miniature versions of the stone have also been 3D printed as part of the exhibition so that everyone can feel protected by the stone in the future in the same way the stone has protected London for years.

Mark Beckett, Technical Director at Europac 3D, comments: “It’s exciting to be using the very latest technologies to investigate the origins and purposes of the historic London Stone. Having recorded the details, archeologists are now able to closely examine the details and markings on the stone to better understand its history. It has also allowed the exact measurements and details to be recorded for future reference and prosperity.”

The London Stone was resting in Cannon Street, London before its removal for examination. The stone is believed to be only the upper portion of a once much larger object. The surviving portion is a block of clipsham limestone is approximately 53 cm wide, 43 cm high, and 30 cm front to back as is believed to have originated in Rutland before being transported to London for building purposes.

For more information please get in touch

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3D Scanning at the Sir John Soane’s Museum

Europac — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 15:01:04 +0000

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3D Scanning Videos

CASE STUDY

3D Scanning at the Sir John Soane’s Museum

The Royal College of Art and Sir John Soane’s Museum in London have collaborated with Europac3D on a ‘Digital Soane’ competition which involved 3D scanning some of the Museum’s amazing artefacts, including the bust of the man himself which sits in one of the main galleries.

With a drop of around 20 feet below the bust down to a priceless sarcophagus and strict instructions not to touch the bust itself or any of the surrounding artefacts, we had a particularly interesting challenge trying to capture all the detail of the bust whilst being aware of trailing wires and balancing on stepladders to reach the top of the head.

Everything passed off without incident thanks to a careful approach and the kind assistance of the Museum staff. We used a combination of Artec Eva and Artec Spider 3D scanners to capture the bust data. The Spider scanner was used to capture the highly detailed text inscription, while the Eva was used to capture the larger smoother areas on the bust. The two sets of scans were combined inside of Artec Studio software to produce and extremely accurate 3d model of the bust in full colour

Sir John Soane (1753-1837) was a London architect most famous for his design of the original Bank of England building, much of which has now been replaced. He was also Professor of Architecture and an Academian at the Royal Academy. His home and office in Lincoln’s Inn Field became a resting place for much of his extensive art collection and in 1833, he bequeathed his home and collection to the nation. More information can be found at www.soane.org

The post 3D Scanning at the Sir John Soane’s Museum appeared first on Europac3D.

3D Digital Archiving Hedd Wyn’s Black Chair

Europac — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 09:48:13 +0000

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CASE STUDY

3D Digital Archiving The Black Chair

The sad tale of Hedd Wyn, winner of the 1917 Eisteddfod poetry competition and Bardic Chair, is enshrined in Welsh history as a story that remembers a lost generation of young Welsh men who died in WWI. Europac 3D were commissioned to create a 3D scan of the famous Black Chair.

Poet Ellis Humphrey Evans (Hedd Wyn), who entered the Eisteddfod poetry competition under the assumed name of ‘fleur-de-lis’ in 1917 was soon after killed at the Battle of Passchendaele, sadly only weeks before his entry ‘Yr Arwr’ (The Hero) was declared the winner. The winner is traditionally presented with the Bardic Chair – on this occasion a wonderfully ornate work of art created by Flemish refugee craftsman, Eugeen Vanfleteren, who decorated the chair lavishly with Celtic and Welsh symbols and motifs making it one of the most impressive Eisteddfod chairs ever made. When the name ‘fleur-de-lis’ was announced as the Eisteddfod winner on September 6th, 1917, it was solemnly proclaimed by the Archdruid that Hedd Wyn had died in battle and was therefore unable to claim his chair. A black sheet was draped over the empty chair and it was returned to his family farm in North Wales where it remains to this day.

Kreon Skyline 3D Laser Scanning

The Snowdonia National Park Authority and CyMAL commissioned Europac 3D to scan the famous Black Chair. In the small surroundings of the farmhouse a Kreon Skyline arm and laser scanner, was used to completely scan the chair and pick-up the incredible detail in the wood carving. The Kreon Skyline scanner was particularly adept at this task with a 200mm laser line bandwidth and an incredible data capture rate of 600,000 points per second. A vast amount of raw point cloud data was collected on the chair in order to make sure every part of the chair was completely digitally documented in its current form, the team at Europac 3d then used Polyworks software to convert this data into a 3d mesh surface model suitable for further analysis and visualisation operations.

With this information, the original chair has in effect been archived and the data can be used to re-engineer the chair in its entirety if necessary. Using normal internet browsers, people all over the world can now read the story of Hedd Wyn and see a fully rotatable version of the chair, enabling it to be inspected at all angles and at varying levels of zoom. We also created a fly-through video which moves through both solid model and fully rendered versions of the chair for use in exhibitions and websites.

The post 3D Digital Archiving Hedd Wyn’s Black Chair appeared first on Europac3D.

3D Scanning Solution for AER Stafford

Europac — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 09:16:31 +0000

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CASE STUDY

3D Scanning Solution for AER Stafford

UK-based plastic products supplier AER Stafford, which supplies plastic and foam parts to the likes of Jaguar, Aston Martin and Toyota, needed an accurate measuring solution to inspect key plastic automotive parts for an ongoing project the company was doing for the new Land Rover model.

The company was looking to accurately scan and measure the details of a flexible, thin walled part to ensure that it had been manufactured correctly. AER turned to Europac 3D for advice and support as they were able to use a combination of the very latest laser scanning technologies available, including a traditional measuring arm and software to accurately measure and record the parts.

To accurately measure the part, Europac 3D designed and 3D printed a fixture that would hold the part in place without it being distorted by gravity or various pressure points. The part was placed on top of the fixture and vacuumed into place to allow for accurate laser scanning.

Using this approach, Europac was able to accurately capture the 3D data for a selection of challenging parts. This 3D scan data could then be accurately compared to the part’s 3D CAD model and any discrepancies in the dimensions identified by a simple colour coded over-mapping exercise.

AER Stafford was so impressed with the accuracy that they subsequently installed both a Kreon Ace 7-axis measuring arm and Zephyr II Blue laser scanner along with Geomagic Control metrology software.

The former, they found, allowed for increased flexibility and precision for capturing complex geometrical details. The ergonomic design also enabled users to scan easily for longer periods. The supporting software offered a completely streamlined process with minimal human interaction.

By using the latest 3D scanning technologies, AER Stafford has been able to accurately check the designs and dimensions of critical parts needed to support their client technical requirements, reducing both the cost and time in the process.

The post 3D Scanning Solution for AER Stafford appeared first on Europac3D.

3D Scanning Adidas & Efficacy 4D

Europac — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 16:21:06 +0000

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3D Scanning Videos

CASE STUDY

3D Scanning Adidas & Efficacy 4D

Europac 3D recently visited Berlin and scanned over 100 swimmers to optimize product design for elite athletes in collaboration with Adidas and Efficacy 4d. Athletes were able to be scanned free of charge and received gifts such as goggles and bathing caps.

Using the Artec Eva 3d scanner, a fast and hand held scanner, Shaun from Europac 3D was able to capture the swimmers accurately, transforming them into 3d models with all their measurements captured within the computer.

Artec Eva 3D Scanner is similar to a video camera which captures in 3D. Simply turn it on and walk around the object recording. The scanner captures up to 16 frames per second and each frame is a 3D image. These frames are aligned automatically in real-time. This means that during scanning, you see what you have already captured and which areas of the object need more attention. This real-time feedback makes scanning easy and fast.

Capturing and simultaneously processing up to 288,000 points per second, Eva scans a dozen times faster than a laser scanner, while providing high resolution (up to 0.5mm) and high accuracy (up to 0.1mm). Essential for the scanning of data such as human bodies.

The Artec Eva being completely portable also had great advantages when it came to scanning a whole lot of swimmers all the way over in Berlin.
Scanning such a vast range of athletes enabled the team to put together some impressive data of athlete bodies! This data will be used to help design the best sport wear for the next generation.

The post 3D Scanning Adidas & Efficacy 4D appeared first on Europac3D.

Europac, Author at Europac3D

Open House Invite – 5th July

DIGITAL MANUFACTURE WORKSHOP 5TH JULY HP 3D PRINTERS AND SIEMENS NX

REVERSE ENGINEERING

DESIGN FOR 3D PRINT

HP MULTI JET FUSION 3D PRINTERS

DESIGN, OPTIMISE & PREPARE 3D PRINTS IN ONE SOFTWARE

MEET THE CUSTOMERS

UNIONTECH STEREOLITHOGRAPHY 3D PRINTING SYSTEMS

This event is limited to 50 places, secure your place now!

Learn how HP 3D printers are set to transform and disrupt traditional manufacturing technologies.

Learn how HP 3D printers are set to transform and disrupt traditional manufacturing technologies.

If you’ve been thinking it’s time for 3D printing to live up to its potential, HP is thinking along with you. With HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, we’re ready to show you how potential has become reality.

Manufacture parts you thought could not be made.

Interested?

Give us a call on 01270 216000

3D Scanning and Printing a Bainbridge Water Fountain

3D Scanning and Printing a Bainbridge Water Fountain

Europac 3D was recently tasked with assisting a restoration specialist, Lost Art, to replicate a famous water fountain in Teesdale, Cumbria for a client who wanted to reproduce the piece in its full glory.

The scan needed to be carried out carefully to avoid any further damage to the fountain. This is where Europac 3D came into action with a unique combination of using Artec Eva and Artec Spider 3d scanners to capture the unique shape and dimensions of the water fountain.

For more information please get in touch

6 unusual uses of 3D printing

The world of technology is constantly evolving. Although this is usually for the better, it is, occasionally, for the odder. Since the creation of 3D printing, there have been some unorthodox innovations created by the industry that some may find surprising. Here are just some examples:

How 3D has made an impact on the film industry

Archaeological Digital Archiving – London Stone

Archaeological Digital Archiving – London Stone

Artec Space Spider

Digital Archiving

For more information please get in touch

3D Scanning at the Sir John Soane’s Museum

3D Scanning Videos

3D Scanning at the Sir John Soane’s Museum

The Royal College of Art and Sir John Soane’s Museum in London have collaborated with Europac3D on a ‘Digital Soane’ competition which involved 3D scanning some of the Museum’s amazing artefacts, including the bust of the man himself which sits in one of the main galleries.

3D Digital Archiving Hedd Wyn’s Black Chair

3D Digital Archiving The Black Chair

The sad tale of Hedd Wyn, winner of the 1917 Eisteddfod poetry competition and Bardic Chair, is enshrined in Welsh history as a story that remembers a lost generation of young Welsh men who died in WWI. Europac 3D were commissioned to create a 3D scan of the famous Black Chair.

3D Scanning Solution for AER Stafford

3D Scanning Solution for AER Stafford

UK-based plastic products supplier AER Stafford, which supplies plastic and foam parts to the likes of Jaguar, Aston Martin and Toyota, needed an accurate measuring solution to inspect key plastic automotive parts for an ongoing project the company was doing for the new Land Rover model.

3D Scanning Adidas & Efficacy 4D

3D Scanning Videos

3D Scanning Adidas & Efficacy 4D

Europac 3D recently visited Berlin and scanned over 100 swimmers to optimize product design for elite athletes in collaboration with Adidas and Efficacy 4d. Athletes were able to be scanned free of charge and received gifts such as goggles and bathing caps.

DIGITAL MANUFACTURE WORKSHOP 5TH JULY
HP 3D PRINTERS AND SIEMENS NX