HP Innovation Journal Issue 07: Summer 2017 | Page 8

T
he blending of our physical and digital
worlds is helping to usher in the next
industrial revolution and transform
manufacturing as we know it.
From initial design to shop-floor setup
and from manufacturing and assembly to
the supply chain, logistics, and distribution,
this next industrial revolution has the po-
tential to disrupt every aspect of the $12
trillion manufacturing industry.
Advancements in 3D printing are help-
ing to lead this revolution, changing the
way the world designs, manufactures and
distributes products.
As discussed in the Industry 4.0 and the
future of manufacturing article in this issue,
(see page 4), an industry transformation of
this magnitude requires deep collaboration
and partnership. That’s why HP has been
working hand in hand with leading manufac-
turers, materials suppliers, service bureaus,
and design software design firms.
A key component of HP’s 3D printing
strategy is to develop a partner-driven, open
materials marketplace and ecosystem. The
HP Multi Jet Fusion Open Platform helps
to remove the barriers to widespread 3D
printing adoption, by making it easier for
companies to collaborate on new materi-
als innovation, and speed time to market.
HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200 printer
Open platform
for 3D innovation
In this spirit, HP collaborated with
SIGMADESIGN, to offer the industry’s first
Materials Development Kit (MDK) for 3D
printing materials, ensuring a robust and
expanding array of materials for end-cus-
tomers and a simplified certification and
testing process for partners. Material part-
ners can then use the MDK to quickly test
3D powder spreadability and compatibility
with HP Jet Fusion 3D printers before sub-
mitting them to HP for certification into the
HP open platform.
HP’s unique open platform model for
3D printing helps expand the availability of
new materials — with the right prop