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3D Printing Webinar and Event Roundup: February 5, 2023 https://ift.tt/DPsrAuo There are plenty of webinars this week, including one on supply chain resiliency, another on SLA product development, one about 3D printing and robotics, and more. There are also a few events, including 3DPrint.com’s own Additive Manufacturing Strategies, co-produced by SmarTech Analysis and coming back to New York City for three days next week. Read on for all the details! February 6: Supply Chain Resiliency with Xometry & AMTFirst up, at 2 pm EST on Monday, February 6th, Xometry and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) will present a webinar on “Supply Chain Resiliency – Q3 2022 Trends.” Cathy Ma, Vice President of Platform Growth and Engagement for Xometry company Thomas, North America’s leading industrial sourcing and marketing platform, and Ryan Kelly, General Manager of AMT’s San Francisco Tech Lab, will discuss the top-line findings and sourcing trends that could be continuing to influence Q1 2023, and beyond.
You can register for the webinar here. February 7 – 9: Additive Manufacturing StrategiesThe 6th annual Additive Manufacturing Strategies, co-produced by 3DPrint.com and SmarTech Analysis, will be held as an in-person event in New York City from February 7-9. Designed for stakeholders looking for focused content and networking opportunities with the top AM organizations from around the world, this networking and business intelligence summit features three vertical topics a day, more than 100 speakers, and the entire 3D Print.com and SmarTech team. Velo3D’s CEO Benny Buller will deliver the event’s opening keynote on the 7th, and the 8th will open with a spotlight on AM in Berlin. The event will close on the 9th with an AM Executive Panel of leaders from Stifel, ASTM, EOS, Stratasys, and more.
You can register for AMS 2023 here. Don’t wait, it’s nearly sold out, and onsite pricing, pending availability, will be significantly more than the current online pricing. February 7 – 9: IME West 2023Across the country, at the Anaheim Convention Center, IME West will be taking place, also from February 7-9. It’s the largest annual advanced manufacturing event in the US, covering every part of the product development cycle, and is home to five connected engineering trade shows: MD&M West (medical device design), WestPack (packaging and logistics), ATX West (robotics, automation, and smart technology), D&M West (design ideas), and Plastec West (medical technology). Many AM industry companies will be attending one or several of these expos, including 3DEO, HP, igus, Roboze, Arburg, HCL, and more.
You can register for IME West’s 5-in-1 manufacturing event here. February 7: MatterHackers & UltiMaker S7 Launch PartyAlso in Anaheim this week, MatterHackers and UltiMaker are throwing a launch party for the new UltiMaker S7 3D printer. On Tuesday, February 7th, come out to Brewheim Brewery from 6:30 – 9 pm PST to join the two companies for an evening of giveaways, 3D printing, networking, free beer, and an in-person look at the recently released, feature-packed S7. The team from MatterHackers, and Application Engineers from UltiMaker, will be on hand to answer any questions you have about the new S7, or 3D printing in general.
RSVP for the launch party here. February 8: Digital Forge ApplicationsIf you’re looking to learn how to identify the best application opportunities for your Digital Forge Fleet, check out the Markforged webinar, “Identifying Applications for the Digital Forge,” this Wednesday at 10 am EST. Led by speaker Michelle Gagnon, Markforged Customer Success Engineer, attendees will learn some of the most common application options for the Digital Forge, establish criteria for determining the value of potential new applications, and identify high ROI applications that exist in their operations.
You can register for the webinar here. February 8: SLA Product Development WorkflowOne hour later on Wednesday the 8th, at 11 am EST, Formlabs will hold an educational webinar offering a “Deep Dive into the SLA Product Development Workflow.” Attendees will learn about best practices for successful SLA 3D printing for product development from a team of company experts, as Formlabs Partnerships Manager Dan Kirchgessner will lead an in-depth panel conversation between Software Product Manager Greg Holman, Materials Product Manager Paree Allu, and Services Agent Leyden Acevedo. Topics will include an overview of the Formlabs SLA 3D printing workflow, choosing a material for your application, setting up parts in PreForm, and more. There will also be a Q&A session.
You can register for the webinar here. February 8: Nexa3D’s High-Performance ResinsThe final February 8th webinar, by Nexa3D, will be at 1 pm EST on Wednesday and focus entirely on “ABS, PP, PEEK 3D Printing… Resins?” Nexa3D Applications Engineer Mckenzie Hutchinson and Head of Content Marketing Shawn Miely will talk with attendees about how thermoplastics, like ABS, PEEK, and PP, that now have high-performance resin analogs compare with their filament counterparts. They will provide an introduction to 3D printing technologies and materials, compare and contrast resins and filaments, and give an overview of Nexa3D printers and resins.
You can register for the webinar here. February 10: How 3D Printing & Robotics are Changing ManufacturingIndian 3D printer manufacturer Divide By Zero Technologies will present a webinar at 4:30 am EST (3 pm IST) on Friday, February 10th about “The Future of Manufacturing: How 3D Printing and Robotics are Changing the Game.” Attendees will learn about the role of 3D printing and robotics in manufacturing, the business opportunities of implementing these technologies, common challenges faced by manufacturing businesses and how to overcome those challenges, advantages and limitations of 3D printing in manufacturing, and more.
You can register for the webinar here. February 10: Accelerating Digital Production with RobozeAdditive Plus recently became a reseller of Roboze solutions in the U.S., and in occasion of this new partnership, Roboze is holding a webinar to introduce the team, and to show attendees how to “Accelerate your digital production with Roboze 3D Printing.” The webinar, at 11 am EST on Friday, will be presented by Francesco Pantaleone, Roboze EVP Business Development, and Ashkhen Ovsepyan, the CEO of Additive Plus. Attendees will learn about AM trends, how to face supply chain challenges with Roboze solutions, how to speed up the digital manufacturing transition to achieve new cost and lead time breakthroughs, and more. There will also be an interactive Q&A session with the speakers.
You can register for the webinar here. Capacity is limited to the first 500 livestream subscribers, so make sure to sign up and arrive on time. Do you have news to share about any future webinars or virtual and live events? Please let us know! The post 3D Printing Webinar and Event Roundup: February 5, 2023 appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/Qa8erHl February 5, 2023 at 08:18AM
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Grain Boundary Engineering: AlphaSTAR and the DLA Make a Big Leap Forward Towards Commercialization – AMS Speaker Spotlight https://ift.tt/ctL3Smr The partnership between AlphaSTAR and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to make advancements in the application of Grain Boundary Engineering (GBE) isn’t the first time the two parties have teamed up together. In fact, AlphaSTAR has collaborated numerous times with the Department of Defense and supporting agencies in mission-critical applications throughout its 30+ year history. However, their most recent work together involving GBE which culminated in the showcase of the production of combat weapons, Damascus steel knives to be specific, at the DMC Conference in Tampa last December, was a particularly significant breakthrough. What was demonstrated was the on-demand printing of custom knives while tailoring the microstructure of the stainless steel used to fabricate them in order to optimize the knives for different applications. This was an important milestone for not only the tactical readiness of our defense capabilities but is also a validated proofpoint for the broader Additive Manufacturing (AM) industry that GBE has arrived and its commercial opportunities are imminent. Playing a central role in the DOD’s Supply Chain, the DLA’s strategic objective has always been to enable a flexible supply chain that can accelerate initial builds, repairs and replace parts to keep our military and defense agencies as well-equipped as possible. As such, leveraging and promoting new technology developments like Additive Manufacturing (AM) has always been critical to its central mission of “delivering readiness and lethality to the Warfighter mission.” Now, with the inevitability of AM moving to mass production, new breakthroughs are paving the way for the DLA to harness more of the benefits of AM and create a path for these emerging technologies like GBE to reach commercial customers. That is precisely why the DLA is supporting the development of Grain Boundary Engineering, which fully unlocks the potential of AM materials, and is calling on the AM community to further these advancements. A coalition led by AlphaSTAR Technology Solutions (ATS) that includes General Electric Research Center (GERC), the University of Michigan and Quadrus Corporation, has taken on this challenge and achieved several impressive breakthroughs. Understanding microstructure development and evolution during the AM process of metallic alloys is an important precondition for the optimization of the parameters to achieve AM-built parts with “tailored” grain boundaries that enable predictable mechanical properties including mode of failure. Predetermining the microstructure of AM parts gives the US Armed Forces tactical advantages when designing & building reliable weaponry, vehicles, aircraft, and other combat tools used in mission-critical environments. From an engineering standpoint, the team’s innovations included validated algorithms, modules and integrated computational tools for AM metal that can predict AM build outcomes in terms of alloy compositions, presence of precipitates, use of nano/micro material inclusions, and alteration of process parameters to exploit thermal cycling within the AM platform. These capabilities have resulted in improved material properties including increased resistance to stress, corrosion, and cracking, desired architectures in terms of grain size and boundary angle; and the capability to optimize and ultimately customize build outcomes. The team employed (1) ICME thermo-physics; (2) Process map; (3) Meltpool engineering; and (4) Grain Boundary Engineering. This is novel because AlphaSTAR utilized its GENOA 3DP software environment to identify the ingredients (composition) needed to improve material properties and the recipe (improved build plan-transferable to G-code) to make sure it happened. The simulation capability was validated by fabrication of knives that will eventually be subjected to service loads to assess strength and flexibility. The printed knives incorporate the improved microstructure (GENOA 3DP: TMg + Grain Boundary Engineering) with improved performance (GENOA: Virtual as-built part performance to meet specification). From a practical standpoint, the fabrication of Damascus steel knives using Grain Boundary Engineering by the AlphaSTAR-led team proved to the DLA that improved parts in terms of strength and flexibility can be made on demand at the point of need rather that a remote factory followed by a prolonged storage waiting for a need and justification. The knives themselves represent commercially available combat knives in form and function. Just as importantly, the opportunities to extend this science to improve the effectiveness and quality of products manufactured across other industries like automotive, aerospace, industrial, consumer products, electronics, and medical devices is now more in focus. AlphaSTAR’s project with the DLA highlights how its comprehensive package of ICME tools for AM process simulation, build optimization, and part qualification incorporating Grain Boundary Engineering makes initial product development affordable and accessible. It reduces risk and production cycles based on trial & error by conducting virtual investigations to expand knowledge and increase understanding of the physical phenomena. In summary, it signals a new era of, and accelerated adoption of, additive manufacturing now more enabled by a deeper level of virtual examination and the savings of quicker time-to-market. All of this while providing immediate benefit to the DOD supply chain and helping make our military stronger. AlphaSTAR is participating at Additive Manufacturing Strategies, taking place in New York City from February 7-9, 2023. Rashid Miraj, Director of Technical Operations at AlphaSTAR, will be taking part in Session 2, Panel 3: Automation, AM and the Factory of the Future on February 9. Register for your ticket to attend here. The post Grain Boundary Engineering: AlphaSTAR and the DLA Make a Big Leap Forward Towards Commercialization – AMS Speaker Spotlight appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/Qa8erHl February 5, 2023 at 06:52AM
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Real-world Applications: Reimagine Automotive Manufacturing with Farsoon 3D Printing – AMS Speaker Spotlight https://ift.tt/wL2JqKh The automotive industry is a highly competitive and dynamic field, and manufacturers face numerous challenges in order to remain successful, some of the major challenges in the industry include complex and highly customized parts, rapid design to marketing time, cost control, and supply chain management. Yet all of these just so happen to be the advantages of additive manufacturing. With the ability to grow complex geometries, the additive manufacturing process is digitally driven with reduced need for tooling, molds, as well as downtime, and as the technology progresses, limitations such as oversized parts and lack of versatile materials are being solved with the current generation of printers. At Farsoon Technologies, we strive to produce the best production-oriented solutions for our customer’s needs through our truly open laser powder-bed fusion 3D printing platforms. As FAW-Volkswagen ventures into the additive manufacturing space and effort to keep up with the increasing product line and engineering demands, the company has partnered with Farsoon to fulfill their needs. Farsoon’s HT403P was able to provide the FAW-Volkswagen engineering team with unique in-house design-manufacturing expertise to empower their innovation as well as improved manufacturing quality and speed. Take for example this bracket for bumper guides (figure 1). This part required a small batch of 30 pieces for functional testing, not only was the Farsoon laser powder-bed process much faster and more economical to produce, it also showed excellent impact resistance during the loading test. As of 2021, FAW-Volkswagen has reached a 5000 part-production count annually on Farsoon’s systems. Henvvei Automotive is a technology innovator specializing in customized intelligent LED Matrix and Laser headlight design and manufacturing. Custom parts fitting, development iterations, and cost control are the top of the challenges Henvvei faces. With a continuous dedication to innovation, the Henvvei design team started leveraging various industrial additive manufacturing solutions as a tool for both R&D and production in this field. Eventually decided to invest in additive manufacturing with the purchase of the Farsoon FLIGHT HT403P system for their production. Thanks to the high production speed of Farsoon’s FLIGHT plastic laser sintering technology and the expanded build envelope, these prototypes can be produced in one single batch in less than one day – making the verification process simple and swift. The automotive industry is no stranger when it comes to making large parts. The traditional ways to produce prototypes are CNC and Silicone Molding. Each with its strengths and limitations, but when it comes to cost, production speed, and complex structures, additive manufacturing possesses obvious advantages over the two. Farsoon Technologies in collaboration with SAPW Automotive Technology Co. has printed a single-piece polymer automotive HVAC (Heating Ventilating Air Conditioning) unit on the Farsoon HT1001P CAMS® (Continuous Additive Manufacturing Solution) system. Equipped with a build cartridge size of 39.4 in x 19.7 in x 17.7 in (1000mm x 500mm x 450mm), The HT1001P CAMS® not only can produce large single parts at a rapid speed which eliminates the process of assembling and polishing the jointed parts, but it can also support different materials that are suitable for functional testing and prototyping under our open-platform philosophy. Farsoon considers material to be a part of its core competency. Between Farsoon produced materials and 3rd party material partners, Farsoon systems can support an array of engineering materials such as reinforced carbon fiber, glass bead, mineral fiber materials, as well as the latest PP for the auto industry. Thanks to the high-temperature-capable machine configurations, Farsoon plastic laser powder-bed fusion systems are able to process PA6, PPS, and PEKK powders delivering excellent mechanical and thermal properties making it well-suited for functional prototyping and direct end-use parts for wide range of technical applications. Echoing the same ideology with the comprehensive polymer solutions. Farsoon also offers extensive metal LPBF(Laser Powder Bed Fusion) systems and a full library of validated material parameter sets. To address the challenges in metal manufacturing focusing on high-value, customized auto production, Farsoon offers large-scale systems such as the FS721M with up to 8 lasers, optimized for the production of large parts which favor one axis, which is especially valued in the auto industry. With a build volume of 720 x 420 x 420mm, it supports flexible build requirements and high-volume series production at a reduced cost. On the medium to small framed side, the FS301M and FS200M are popular options due to their ease of use, reduced operational cost, and stability. Both of these systems feature an optimized footprint which enables a high-density layout with minimal distance between machines to achieve maximum throughput per floor area at an economical cost. For more information visit: www.farsoon-gl.com Farsoon is participating at Additive Manufacturing Strategies, taking place in New York City from February 7-9, 2023. Jim Braddick, Director of North American Sales for Farsoon Americas, will be taking part in Session 3, Panel 1: AM in the Auto Industry on February 8. Register for your ticket to attend here. The post Real-world Applications: Reimagine Automotive Manufacturing with Farsoon 3D Printing – AMS Speaker Spotlight appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/Qa8erHl February 5, 2023 at 06:52AM
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Tungsten Carbide as an Emerging Alloy in Additive Manufacturing – AMS Speaker Spotlight https://ift.tt/Z4giIWw Tungsten Carbide is utilized in a number of industries due to its superior hardness properties compared to tool steel and its superior toughness compared to technical ceramics. With these superior properties in mind, Tungsten Carbide is most commonly associated with tools used in metal cutting applications such as sawing, milling, and turning. Many are surprised to find out Tungsten Carbide is also frequently used in fluid dispensing or flow applications due to its superior life when exposed to erosive wear. The improved wear performance of Tungsten Carbide increases component life in items such as nozzles in industries as diverse as water jet cutting, oil and gas, and electronics. While the benefits of Tungsten Carbide are clear to many engineers designing these components the challenges of fabricating a Tungsten Carbide part are less well known. To begin, it should be explained that Tungsten Carbide is the name used for a broad category of alloys which are composed of actual Tungsten Carbide along with metallic binders along with other added carbides (ie TiC and TaC). The two most common metallic binders are Cobalt and Nickel. Metallic binders influence properties of hardness, toughness, as well as chemical compatibility. Metallic binder content may vary from 3-20% of the finished material depending on the desired properties. Ready to Press powder is made by combining Tungsten Carbide (WC) powder, metallic binder, and an organic binder in a solvent and then evaporating the solvent from the mixture using a spray drying process. The powder is then compacted in a press which creates a green part which is roughly the strength of a piece of chalk. Though brittle the green part can be machined using traditional turning, milling and drilling techniques. Care must be taken when calculating geometry as the green part will shrink up to 20% during the sintering process. Additionally, while at temperature during the sinter process (2500-2700oF) as the metallic binder melts the part becomes relatively soft and areas of thin wall thickness may collapse. When removed from the sintering process the part is in its hardened state. Also, due to shrink rates precise features cannot be created during green forming meaning complicated and precise geometric features must be added to the hardened part after sintering. Unlike a steel component, in its hardened state Tungsten Carbide cannot be conventionally turned, drilled, milled, or welded. Instead, we are left with grinding and EDM processes which are time consuming, expensive, and limited in their ability to create certain geometries. This is where additive techniques such as binder jetting and FDM can add customer value by creating geometries that were previously impossible in Tungsten Carbide. While challenges exist in creating powder which is suitable to printing vs pressing advances are being made to bring well known additive benefits to the world of hard materials. One such example is progressive cavity pump rotors (Moineau principle) which have a geometry that would be impossible to form in a green part or grind in a finished part. With additive techniques pump designers have another material in their arsenal when fighting against abrasive wear when pumping challenging liquids. Another example is creating one piece nozzles or spreaders used in fluid dispensing where curved fluid paths would be preferred. Just a few years ago these geometries would have been thought to be impossible in Tungsten Carbide leaving engineers to choose sub-optimal materials or less efficient geometries both of which leave customers with ongoing maintenance costs. By partnering with Precision Solutions by Hyperion on complex part geometries customers receive the benefit of Hyperion’s hard material expertise, but also the benefit of state of the art fabrication techniques applied in the right way to deliver previously impossible geometries. Precision Solutions by Hyperion is participating at Additive Manufacturing Strategies, taking place in New York City from February 7-9, 2023. Paul Wagner, General Manager, Precision Solutions by Hyperion, will be taking part in Session 3, Panel 1: Emerging Alloys and Metallic Materials for AM, on February 7. Register for your ticket to attend here. The post Tungsten Carbide as an Emerging Alloy in Additive Manufacturing – AMS Speaker Spotlight appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/Qa8erHl February 5, 2023 at 06:00AM
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XJet Builds Momentum Moving Into 2023 – AMS Speaker Spotlight https://ift.tt/49oSnTy Moving into 2023, XJet continues to build momentum in the additive manufacturing (AM) industry, delivering state-of-the-art 3D printing solutions for metal and ceramic AM. NPJ TechnologyUnderlying XJet’s cutting-edge line of AM systems is the company’s groundbreaking NanoParticle Jetting (NPJ) technology. This unique powderless technology enables the manufacturing of highly complex parts with superfine details, smooth surfaces and pinpoint accuracies – making AM’s promise of zero-cost complexity achievable today. Three-Stage ProcessNPJ technology empowers an automated, safe and environmentally-friendly end-to-end process in three simple stages: printing, washing and sintering. Printing: During the 3D printing process, ultrafine drops of both build and support materials are jetted onto the system build tray in ultrathin layers. Material is jetted only where needed, leading to better part accuracy and surface finish. Washing: NPJ technology then enables automated hands-free removal of XJet’s soluble support materials that dissolve in liquid. These support materials are removed simply without damaging the produced parts, eliminating the need for time-consuming, delicate and costly support removal, as with powder-based processes. Sintering: Produced parts undergo a simple and relatively short overnight sintering process, enabling smooth integration into existing operations along with short and simple post-processing. Printed parts are heated at temperatures lower than those associated with other AM technologies (approximately 200°C lower), resulting in reduced part deformation and lower energy consumption. XJet strives to make its AM process as simple and automated as possible. Automation is built into each step of the production process – from automated generation of support structures to automated removal of its award-winning soluble support materials with the XJet SMART system. Eliminating the need for expert system operators, this automation leads to consistent production repeatability while streamlining the additive manufacturing process. Metal AMWith metal part production, AM technologies such as NPJ that achieve final part quality equal to traditional manufacturing standards will begin taking over the high-end part segment. As a case in point, XJet’s customers are using NPJ in new and exciting ways. Azoth, the Michigan-based additive manufacturing specialist, is taking full advantage of XJet’s Carmel 1400M metal AM system to produce high-end parts for a number of markets including luxury goods, automotive, medical, and tooling. These metal parts have fine features, high resolution and outstanding surface finish – at levels not seen before – right off the 3D printer. Ceramic AMIn addition to metals, XJet also focuses on ceramic materials. While ceramic AM is still in its early stages, a wealth of opportunity exists as the industry opens up and gains momentum across diverse sectors. Offering the popular ceramic materials of zirconia and alumina, XJet caters to traditional manufacturers who desire the freedom of design delivered by AM while utilizing widespread materials with well-known properties. CeramTec, the global supplier of high-performance ceramics (HPC) parts and components, recently invested in XJet’s Carmel 1400C ceramic AM system, and both companies are excited to see the precision parts. About XJet XJet is a technology company offering revolutionary solutions for the additive manufacturing market. The company’s groundbreaking NanoParticle Jetting The post XJet Builds Momentum Moving Into 2023 – AMS Speaker Spotlight appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/Qa8erHl February 4, 2023 at 02:55PM
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Dude, Where’s My ROI? – AMS Speaker Spotlight https://ift.tt/7k6Mlwh Professionals buying a 3D printer – or investing in any piece of new capital equipment – often have one major question about their purchase: what’s the return on investment? ROI is a major concern. Businesses have to justify any spending they do and expect to see new investments prove their value. The faster the ROI, the sooner that investment turns to profitability. 3D Printing Market EnvironmentWhen it comes to technologies like 3D printing, the proof point for ROI can seem nebulous or out of reach. The overhype this industry saw a decade ago didn’t do it any favors, especially now when 3D printer producers try to say that they mean it this time, that their desktop system can really have value in a business operation. Now that 3D printing has evolved to a point that it is more frequently recognized as an industrial tool, the world is plagued by pandemic and looming recession. 2023 has already been described as “the year of the Grinch” and “the dark days of additive” – even, as one investor said, with AM being in “a trough of a trough.” Getting the value proposition across for a nascent technology is tough at the best of times and, well, these aren’t the best of times. (See: layoffs and budget cuts.) It doesn’t help that, realistically, most 3D printers are still toys. Some are a $100K+ toy for Fortune 100 R&D teams, others are $250 toys for home hobbyists, but really – if it’s being used to only print prototypes or miniatures, it’s a toy. What’s the difference between a toy and a tool? ROI. 3D Printer ROI RevampedEspecially with so many options out there for professional 3D printers, from desktop to industrial, price points vary along with material capabilities. But what if you have a demanding part to make, one that needs to stand up to the toughest environments? Do you have to buy a six- or seven-figure 3D printer and then all the accessories that go along with it? What if you could print a $400 part…on a $400 printer? ![]() COR Alpha injection molding insert, printed on a desktop AnyCubic Mono X. Designed in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. / Image: polySpectra What if you could see ROI within a day? Within a print? It’s a little radical, but that could be a version of the future for resin 3D printing. If lower-cost desktop 3D printers could handle engineering-grade materials that have so far only worked on industrial machines, that idea of desktop manufacturing could actually be within reach. Turning 3D Printing Economics Upside DownThe value of the 3D printer is, essentially, the sum of the value of the parts it can print over its useful life, minus the material and operating costs. The value of the parts is, in turn, gated by the functional use cases for the parts. Higher-quality materials raise the value proposition of all 3D printers, regardless of their price point. For inexpensive 3D printers, materials have the potential to flip the economics of 3D printing on its head. This industry loves to talk about “democratizing manufacturing,” but a lot of times that democracy is still a pay-to-play system. When “production-grade” 3D printers cost a minimum of $100,000, how “democratized” is that? That investment may be 10x less than a million-dollar traditional piece of manufacturing machinery, but remains beyond the reach of many SMEs. Whatever the investment is into new equipment, ultimately the intent is to see that investment returned – to see the equipment bring in revenues that meet and then exceed the cost to bring it in in the first place. That’s ROI. That’s when profitability begins and business can really get going. For a new 3D printer, accuracy, print speed, and build envelope all factor into the ROI for producing a given part. But unless that part is for, say, dental or audiology use, these factors are not inherently limiting the ROI. If you are really truly in additive serial production right now and just need a 10% boost on your throughput, congratulations! For the rest of the world…we need additive manufacturing processes that are actually capable of displacing traditional forms of manufacturing. Truly durable materials capable of making end-use parts are the gating factor to giving more people ROI on their 3D printers, because unless you can actually print a part that is a safe and qualified replacement for injection molding, there is no more math to do. If the ROI of AM were already overarchingly amazing, then additive manufacturing would be much more than the current ~0.1% of the overall manufacturing sector. If the ROI of AM were already amazing, we wouldn’t see bankruptcies within a calendar year of moves onto the public market. But what if the ROI of AM could be amazing? What if we turned it on its head? What if we could uncover that ROI now? Then it’s not, “Dude, Where’s My ROI?” – it’s “Dude, Where’s My 3D Printer Setup So I Can Get Started?” polySpectra and Additive Integrity are participating at Additive Manufacturing Strategies, taking place in New York City from February 7-9, 2023. Raymond Weitekamp, Founder and CEO of polySpectra, will be taking part in Session 3, Panel 2: The Future of Composites and Polymers in AM on February 7. Sarah Goehrke, Founder of Additive Integrity; Member of the Board of Directors and Head of DEI at Women in 3D Printing’ and Member of the Board of Advisors of the Additive Manufacturing Coalition, will be moderating Session 2, Panel 1: Dental Printer Trends on February 8 and Session 3, Panel 2: Innovations in the AM Contract Services Market on February 9. Register for your ticket to attend here. The post Dude, Where’s My ROI? – AMS Speaker Spotlight appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/Qa8erHl February 4, 2023 at 02:55PM
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CEAD’s Vision for the Future of Large-format 3D Printers – AMS Speaker Spotlight https://ift.tt/OYItK0D Over the past decade, there has been a clear trend towards digitalization and automation. Currently, the production of most large (composite) parts is still a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. This type of skilled labor and expertise is hard to find and many companies therefore outsource part of their production to different parts of the world. Manufacturers are seeking solutions that allow them to bring production processes back in-house while concomitantly automating their business operations. The overall goal is to shorten lead times, save money on transports, reduce environmental footprint and to minimize the risk of global conflicts affecting their entire organization.
CEADs partners are experts in their field and thus their feedback is highly valuable and essential for innovation. Since the early days, the company closely collaborates with renowned universities and research institutes like the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Technical University Dresden, ETH Zurich, ORE catapult, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), Bundeswehr and more, where some of the first solutions were installed. These facilities utilize the Flexbot to support their research, while simultaneously exploring and pushing the boundaries of this technology. Knowledge sharing between partners is one of the reasons why CEAD is able to quickly adapt and develop their technology to support current and future partners. By closely listening and integrating feedback of their partners, CEAD is able to anticipate the needs of the industry. The input is directly translated into the continuous development of new (3D print) solutions. Only a few months ago they launched a new robot extruder (the RE-40), thereby complementing their current portfolio of extruders of which each one caters to specific needs. They can now offer material output ranging from 12 kg/hour up to 85 kg/hour. Another example is the recent development of a new print head. In collaboration with GKN aerospace, CEAD has developed the ATLAM: ‘Advanced Tape Laying Additive Manufacturing’. This technology combines pellet extrusion with tape laying. Specifically designed for aerospace tooling, it enables the implementation of continuous fibers into the deposited pellet material. This leads to an unmatched low material CTE which no one has yet achieved with additive manufacturing thermoplastic polymers. The technology is currently being tested on-site by another one of CEADs partners: the TUM in Germany.
During the annual Additive Manufacturing Strategies event, Charléne van Wingerden, CCO of CEAD, will be part of the panel ‘The Growing Role of Large-Format Machines’ where she will share CEADs vision of the future. Join the panel on Tuesday the 7th at 1:55 PM. Click to read more about this event and view other speakers. The post CEAD’s Vision for the Future of Large-format 3D Printers – AMS Speaker Spotlight appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/Qa8erHl February 4, 2023 at 02:55PM Driven by Quality: Enabling 3D Printing in Industrial Serial Production AMS Speaker Spotlight2/4/2023
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Driven by Quality: Enabling 3D Printing in Industrial Serial Production – AMS Speaker Spotlight https://ift.tt/9HX5fF2 As the world of 3D printing continues to evolve and new technologies and more and more professional materials emerge, it’s clear that 3D printing is quickly making its way into industrial series production. The technology not only enables companies to print complex geometries and small series parts cost and material efficiently, but it also enables them to decentralize and externalize their production processes and reduce overhead costs. Thus, supply chains become more robust and even more sustainable, as production takes place in the right amount at the right place and time. However, with this newfound freedom comes a challenge: how to ensure the safety of the data used for 3D printing and make sure the parts produced meet the desired specifications. In an industrial setting, it is necessary to have a reliable and process-safe additive manufacturing process. The parts produced must be of consistent quality, and there must be a complete documentation and traceability of each component and files being used. In this article we want to discuss 3 ways of addressing these challenges: the use of secure end-to-end 3D printing platforms, the need of robust hardware and quality control systems. The need of a centralized and secure 3D printing platformImagine a centralized hub for all your manufacturing needs, offering low infrastructure costs and a secure network for data transfers. This platform not only protects your valuable intellectual property by encrypting all data transfers, but also guarantees consistent printing quality no matter where or when the part is printed. This is what an encrypted 3D printing platform enables. Once a design together with all necessary manufacturing information is uploaded, the production parameters are locked, ensuring that the same printing quality can be achieved regardless of where and when the part is printed. Moreover, parts can only be produced in the specified quantity, and files cannot be easily shared or modified without permission. For consistency and documentation, files are versioned, and every change is diligently documented. Developing such infrastructure in-house is most likely too expensive and may not be a core competency for most manufacturing companies. An independent platform offers the opportunity to keep the costs of infrastructure low by providing it to many users, but keeping accounts separate and secure. Robust hardware as the foundation of qualityAnother important step in ensuring the reliability of 3D printing is to establish robust hardware in industrial processes. The printers themselves need to enable repeatable print jobs with consistent dimensional accuracy and material properties, and they need to be backed up by strong service and maintenance systems. This ensures that companies can quickly resolve any issues that arise during the printing process. Of course, also the material quality plays a crucial role in fulfilling repeatable quality, as only with consistent properties it will meet the specifications required for the application. It requires careful selection, testing and certification of materials, as well as the use of closed material handling systems to prevent contamination. ![]() Careful qualification of materials and processes enables the serial production of 3D printed parts, such as for the door stopper, the first 3D printed metal part within an Alstom train produced via the 3D printing platform of Replique. (Digital) quality assurance enables secured decentral productionRegular monitoring and quality control of the 3D printing process and the parts produced should be carried out to ensure that the parts produced meet the desired specifications. Moreover, they should provide complete traceability, from raw material used, the production process, and the post-processing steps. A digital inspection tool helps in fulfilling these requirements in an easy and lean way. 3D Printing platform Replique’s quality module RSure for example allows OEMs to set a digital quality control for 3D printing service providers (e.g. photo documentation, measurements, weight, surface roughness, and many more). These tests can be easily performed by the 3D printing service provider using a smartphone or computer. Additional hardware might be required. The results of the quality control and production information of each part are documented and collected centrally on the platform, ensuring that OEMs have access to their data at all times and can adjust their printing files as needed. Quality assurance is needed to consistently check the effectiveness of the applied processes and parameters. it includes detailed information on materials, print start and end, build time, as well as material and build chamber temperature to name a few. The digital twin of the production process is important to ensure a complete process documentation which is common standard in other production processes. It allows part-specific monitoring and traceability, enabling the utilization of industrial 3D printing with confidence but also lock-in the process after qualification. We believe that with the right processes, hardware, and digital workflows in place, 3D printing has the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing industry and change the way that products are made. In our eyes, the largest industrial companies in the 3D printing industry will play a critical role in shaping the future of this technology. With their experience in traditional quality assurance, they will be in a unique position to help drive the development of 3D printing and ensure that it becomes a reliable and repeatable process. Find out more about the topic at the networking business summit Additive Manufacturing Strategies, taking place in New York City from February 7-9, 2023. Max Siebert, CEO and Co-Founder of Replique, will be taking part in Session 3, Panel 2: Innovations in the AM Contract Services Market, on February 9. Register for your ticket to attend here. The post Driven by Quality: Enabling 3D Printing in Industrial Serial Production – AMS Speaker Spotlight appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/Qa8erHl February 4, 2023 at 02:55PM
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Passage/s https://ift.tt/fNZ1SFh Passage/s is new a book dedicated to the Korean artist Do Ho Suh. Printed in an edition of 30 all numbered and signed, the book showcases the work of the artist whose creations continue to dazzle the world. Edited and directed by Céline Fribourg of Editions Take5, the publication invites the reader to discover the artist’s work in an unconventional way. Do Ho Suh designs large-scale installations in translucent fabric, representing his former dwellings in a sequence through which visitors can wander. The notions of memory and nomadism are essential to his work. The book, a true collector’s item, is made in the form of a box containing a series of transparent films. They represent the Hubs conceived by the artist in one of his work. These films unfold like an accordion. LED lighting at the back creates an intimate atmosphere and accentuates the perspective. ![]() Photos © Juliengremaud ![]() Photos © Juliengremaud Slipped into the back of this luminous accordion, two booklets invite the reader to immerse themselves in the themes so dear to Do Ho Suh: uprootedness, nomadism, mutation ,and the relationship with time. So many questions, addressed in a text written by Louis Philippe Dalembert; “In reality humans travel in time as they would from one country to another with a fundamental difference: the journey within time prevents a possible return”.
Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/h3Qnf9E February 4, 2023 at 07:06AM
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Department of Defense Buys Large Format Metal 3D Printer from AML3D https://ift.tt/ATWrME7 AML3D, an Australian original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of metal additive manufacturing (AM) hardware, announced that it has received an order for one of the company’s ARCEMY X-Edition 6700 platforms from the US Department of Defense (DoD). The order was placed through BlueForge Alliance, a DoD-backed, non-profit intermediary that focuses on integrating advanced manufacturing equipment into US military procurement supply chains. AML3D expects to deliver the machine, a wire arc AM printer, sometime in 2023. BlueForge will install the X-Edition 6700 — valued at around $700,000 — at Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), where it will be used as part of the effort to accelerate the US Navy’s use of wire arc AM in submarine production. ![]() ![]() In addition to the order already placed, AML3D also expects to receive a contract from the US Navy in Q3 of 2023, for characterization (testing) of metals. An increasingly acute, across-the-board backlog in submarine supply chains is one of the key factors that has been driving the US Navy’s ramped-up AM efforts in recent years. Thus, this is a particularly promising area to target for a company looking to enter the US defense market. Owing especially to its viability for use in heavy industry, as well as its compatibility with other standard elements in advanced manufacturing production lines, wire arc AM is poised to take off with the US military. In turn, the technique presumably also has a future with all other NATO nations and allied nations, such as Australia. Australia’s unique geostrategic significance to the US give Australian companies an inherent edge over their direct competitors in the AM market. This is surely one of the primary reasons why the Australian government has made it such a priority to encourage the nation’s shift towards advanced manufacturing. Moreover, their connection to US markets via the DoD should be a catalyst for Australian AM companies to forge footholds into other areas of the US economy. Image courtesy of AML3D The post Department of Defense Buys Large Format Metal 3D Printer from AML3D appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://ift.tt/QsjJheZ February 3, 2023 at 09:45AM |
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