3D Printer Firm Integrates With Software Firm For Dental Implants

DEARBORN — EnvisionTEC, the German 3D printer manufacturer with its North American headquarters in Dearborn, announced the integration of the EnvisionTEC 3Dent 3D printer with 3Shape’s dental system and CAMbridge, for high-speed, precision production of models and dies for dental surgery.

The integration followed what the companies called an “extensive” validation and testing process of production on the 3D printers. They said the results exceeded the accuracy requirements of the dental market for models and dies.

The two companies also announced that drill guides designed using 3Shape Implant Studio software can now be 3D printed out on EnvisionTEC’s Micro Drill Guide Printer.

Detrex Sales, Profits Fall In 2014

SOUTHFIELD — The specialty chemical maker Detrex Corp. (OTC: DTRX) Friday reported net income of $982,000 or 57 cents a share in 2014, down from $2.6 million or $1.51 a share in 2013. Revenue for the year was $40.8 million, down slightly from $41 million a year earlier.

The company said it will pay a dividend of 25 cents a share on March 26 to shareholders of record as of March 12.

Michigan Travel Guide For Summer 2015 Now Online

LANSING — Spring will come eventually — honest. And one more sign of it came this week, with the unveiling of the online and print versions of the 2015 Official Pure Michigan Travel Guide.

The free guide highlights activities across the state this spring and summer.

The publication will also be offered in a free, universally accessible digital edition, available at this link, giving users to access the guide from computers, smartphones and tablets. The digital version also offers interactive features, including videos, slideshows, and a real-time feed of the latest stories from the Pure Michigan blog, http://www.michigan.org/blog.

To get a print copy of the 2015 Official Pure Michigan Travel Guide, visit http://www.michigan.org or call (888) 784-7328. The guide will also be available at the 14 Michigan Welcome Centers across the state.

Stories in the 2015 Official State Travel Guide include “National Treasures,” featuring Michigan’s five national parks; “10 Ways to Love Lake Huron;” “My Kind of Beach,” to help visitors find their perfect Michigan beach; and “Golf Style,” highlighting courses throughout the state.

There’s also a story on Detroit, the skyline of which is the cover photo for this year’s guide, as well as stories on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, paddling the Au Sable River, an introduction to sporting clays, and pet friendly destinations.

The guide also includes the popular Michigan Moments section, an events calendar, state park and camping information and contact information for Michigan convention and visitor bureaus and regional tourism associations.

Some 650,000 copies of the warm-weather Pure Michigan Travel Guide will be distributed with the March/April issue of Midwest Living. Later this year, Pure Michigan will also distribute separate fall and winter travel guides, highlighting travel opportunities in Michigan unique to each of those seasons.

The Pure Michigan Travel Guide was printed at Quad Graphics in Midland.

For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit: michiganbusiness.org. For Michigan travel news, updates and information, visit michigan.org.

From Michigan Tech, An Artificial Leg That Keeps An Eye On The Road

HOUGHTON — Mo Rastgaar is poised to take a giant step forward in the development of a better prosthetic ankle.

The Michigan Technological University mechanical engineer and his team have already developed a prototype that can provide a range of motion that rivals a natural gait. Next, they aim to give their robotic ankle something different: eyes.

“We are developing an artificial vision system,” Rastgaar said. The key components are a low-cost camera and a computer-controlled actuator, which adjusts the ankle’s position through a system of cables.

“The camera can identify the profile of the ground, while the computer knows where the next footstep will be, based on how the user is moving the leg,” Rastgaar said. “Then the computer analyzes the information from the camera and applies the correct angle and stiffness to the ankle, just as you would with your biological foot and ankle.”

Thus, the ankle could adapt precisely, whether the user is climbing stairs or striding over a pothole.

Flint’s Diplomat Pharmacy Buys Competitor In Cincinnati

FLINT — Diplomat Pharmacy Inc. (NYSE: DPLO), the nation’s largest independent specialty pharmacy, said Thursday it has an agreement to acquire a smaller specialty pharmacy, Cincinnati-based BioRx LLC.

The companies said the transaction requires regulatory review and is expected to close by March 31.

Under the agreement, Diplomat will purchase BioRx for $210 million cash and $105 million in Diplomat common stock upon the closing of the transaction. The transaction will provide Diplomat with an expected future tax benefit of approximately $50 million.

Under the terms of a one year contingent earnout, BioRx can earn an additional $35 million in Diplomat common stock upon achieving a set level of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

In 2014, BioRx generated approximately $227 million in revenue and $23 million in EBITDA.

Visteon Profits Whacked By Loss From Discontinued Operations

VAN BUREN TWP. — Visteon Corp. reported a loss for the quarter and 12 months ended Dec. 31 thanks to losses from businesses that have been sold off.

Revenue was up 18 percent for the yaer to $7.51 billion from $6.37 billion a year earlier. Fourth quarter revenue was $2.04 billion, up from $1.69 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The loss for the year was $295 million or $6.93 a share, compared to net income of $690 million or $13.50 a share a year earlier. For the quarter, the loss was $138 million or $3.12 a share, compared to net income of $513 million or $10.32 a share in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The culprit in both cases was losses from discontinued operations — $343 million for the year, vs. $10 million a year ago, for the full year, and $143 million for the quarter, vs. $12 million in the fourth quarter of 2013.

OptiStruct Software Adds New 3D Printing Capabilities

TROY — Altair Engineering Thursday announced new capabilities in its OptiStruct software that support for the use of additive manufacturing, or 3D printing.

OptiStruct is an award-winning technology for topology, topography, size, and shape optimization that is included in computer-aided engineering suite Altair HyperWorks.

Expansions, Developments Get State Aid

LANSING — The Michigan Economic Development Corp. announced Michigan Strategic Fund approval of six business expansions and one community revitalization project in Michigan that are expected to generate more than $82 million in investments and create 506 new jobs.

The MSF also approved two community revitalization projects in downtown Marquette, including a new hospital that will be constructed in the heart of downtown. The projects will generate a total capital investment of at least $190 million, create 169 new jobs and retain 2,300 jobs.

Comerica’s Michigan Index Grows for Second Month

DALLAS — Comerica Bank’s Michigan Economic Activity Index grew in December, increasing 0.4 percentage points to a level of 120.0.

The index averaged 117.3 points for all of 2014, three and one-tenth points above the index average for 2013. November’s index reading was 119.6.

Brighton Firm Gets Wind Turbine Patent Notice

BRIGTON — CGE Energy, a Brighton-based green energy company, said it had received a Notice of Allowance for its patent application of Feb. 21, 2012 titled “Fluid driven vertical axis turbine.”

This patent includes multiple independent claims that cover many aspects of CGE Energy’s WIND-e20 vertical axis wind turbine, including its easy delivery, collapsible blades and crane-less installation.