3D Printing Chemistry 101: Nylon https://ift.tt/2G3Q9bE If you’re anything like this author, you got a C- in high school chemistry and never looked back. With a newfound interest in the topic, I’m hoping to revisit the molecular science of some of the most popular materials in 3D printing to understand them—not just in terms of applications and physical properties, but chemical makeup. So far in this series, we’ve covered the PAEK family of plastics and a specific type of polyurethane from Carbon. Here we look at the most ubiquitous plastic in powder bed fusion (PBF): polyamide (PA). Also called nylon, the material is known for its silky quality, generally strong physical performance, wide range of operating temperature, and its abrasion resistance. The first commercially successful synthetic thermoplastic polymer, nylon was developed first by DuPont in 1935 in the form of nylon 6,6. Soon, a variation called nylon 6 was invented in 1938 by IG Farben, the industrial giant made notorious for its manufacture of the Zyklon B that fueled the Nazi gas chambers, but now less recognizable as the European companies BASF, Bayer, Sanofi and Agfa. The plastic first hit the commercial market in the form of toothbrush bristles and nylon stocks and then became a key ingredient to making parachutes and parachute cord. To learn more about this plastic and its role in the 3D printing industry, we reached out to Sylvia Monsheimer, head of New 3D Printing Technologies at Evonik. Evonik, which recently launched a new brand name called INFINAM to encompass all of its 3D printing products, is the largest maker of Nylon 12 in the AM market according to SmarTech Analysis’s latest report, Polymer Additive Manufacturing Markets and Applications: 2020-2029. Nylons were developed to replace silk, an organic form of polyamide. The key to replicating this material is the amide groups that link together repeating monomer units that include carbons. The number of carbons in each unit dictates the formula’s name, with nylon 6 featuring six carbons in each unit and nylon 12 featuring 12. The numbers can also clue you into how the materials’ physical characteristics. “The smaller the number in the name, the stiffer the material and the higher the crystallinity and the melting point, due to the carbonamide groups and hydrogen bridges which act as a link between the polymer chains,” Monsheimer explained. She further described how the longer the carbonamide chains, the more ductile the material becomes:
Forms of polyamide with two different numbers, such as nylon 6,6, are made up of two different types of monomer units featuring that number of carbons. Nylon 6,6 is composed of hexamethylenediamine units linked to adipic acid units, with six carbons in each. Monsheimer put it this way:
The end groups also play an important role in the way that polyamides are particularly suited for working with additives, according to Monsheimer. “Each polyamide chain comprises two different end groups, which, in principle, can react with other additives. So, polyamides can be better functionalized than other polymers, which makes them well-suited for modifications and the introduction of new properties. However, many of the typical additives, like stabilizers, lubricants and flowing agents, typically do not react chemically with the polymers they modify.” The semi-crystalline nature of the material is also important, as Nylon offers a temperature range, above the glass transition temperature but below its melting point, where the mechanical properties are ductile and stable. This behavior is something that is highly desirable in a number of applications. This also impacts what type of 3D printing technology is best suited to handle nylon. While we do see nylon a great deal in fused deposition modeling (FDM) and similar extrusion 3D printing technologies, it is definitely the workhorse polymer of PBF processes. Monsheimer explained that this is due to the fact that semi-crystalline materials are better suited to PBF as a whole:
In contrast, amorphous polymers are better suited to FDM. “An amorphous material is much more viscous above, but close to, its melting point (and, here, the melting point is the glass transition temperature and the proximity to this leads to high viscosity). This makes it flow too poorly, so that this class of material is rarely capable of building parts with good mechanical properties in powder based AM processes,” Monsheimer said. As noted in our previous entries in this series, it is quite apparent that we need to shift from a fossil fuel-based society to one that relies on renewable resources. A part of that shift will naturally include polymers derived sustainably. According to Monsheimer, there is still significant work that needs to be done to develop polymers for PBF processes that are not manufactured from petroleum. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com October 26, 2020 at 07:30AM
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POP Meets | Follysome Prints https://ift.tt/2TmBc7D Our new series meets the people behind some of the industry’s most inspiring work. This week, Mindy Schumacher – of Follysome Prints fame – shares some words of wisdom about her journey into the world of printmaking. My head is often enough in the clouds. The printmaking community itself is a catalyst, filled with encouragement and camaraderie. My style is eclectic, nostalgic, whatever little folly brings me joy. Recently I created a print inspired by George Orwell, a near prophet as it turns out. Truly, the talent that continues to come forward is endlessly inspiring. Just get your hands dirty. I’m very focused on teaching right now. Laughter is some good medicine. As told to Si Cunningham. Printing via People of Print https://ift.tt/2DhgcW7 October 26, 2020 at 03:53AM 3D Printing Webinar and Virtual Event Roundup, October 25, 2020 https://ift.tt/2HvB2bu I hope you’ve cleared your schedule for the week, because we’ve got a lot of webinars and virtual events to tell you about! Formlabs and ASME are both hosting summits, Dyndrite is holding its second virtual event, Dassault is hosting a virtual grand opening, and SME is holding a virtual event focused on smart manufacturing technologies. ACAM and Women in 3D Printing are each continuing with their respective series, GF Machining Solutions will discuss large-scale metal AM in a new webinar, and PostProcess Technologies. Finally, EOS and Nanofabrica have both published on-demand webinars that can be viewed at any time. Read on for the details! Formlabs User Summit This busy week kicks off on Tuesday, October 27th, with the Formlabs Global User Summit, which is going virtual this year. During the summit, Formlabs will be celebrating the innovators shaping the future of manufacturing, including digital factories and desktop 3D printers. Attendees will be able to connect live with the company’s international teammates, as well as get a behind-the-scenes look at Formlabs locations in Asia, Europe, and North America and participate in some contests too. The Formlabs University track will help attendees increase AM knowledge, and there will be chances to network with existing industry friends and make new ones during virtual happy hours and breakout sessions. Some of the featured industry disruptors at the summit include LUSH Cosmetics, Ford, and South Africa Makes. The summit goes from 8 am to 6 pm EDT on the 27th and the 28th, and you can register for the free event here. 3DEXPERIENCE Education Center of Excellence Opening On Wednesday the 28th at 11 am, Dassault Systémes will be holding a virtual grand opening for the new 3DEXPERIENCE Education Center of Excellence in Advanced Composites at the Composites Manufacturing and Simulation Center (CMSC) on Purdue University’s campus. The partnership between the two will create a learning environment where students can take part in advanced research on manufacturing and advanced composite material performance, and prepare themselves to build the digital workforce for the Industry Renaissance. In addition to hearing from 15 speakers, attendees will get to witness a fly over tour of the Indiana Manufacturing Institute to see how Purdue is “pursuing this undertaking.”
You can register for the virtual grand opening here. ASME’s AM Medical Summit This week’s second summit, powered by ASME, is the virtual AM Medical Summit, billed as the world’s most comprehensive medical 3D printing event. The event will go from 8 am to 6 pm EDT on the 28th and 29th, and will feature over 40 hours worth of content in the application areas of medical device manufacturing, point-of-care, bioprinting, and dental. You can connect with sponsors in virtual booths, attend Lunch & Learns and face to face video discussions on critical topics, and enjoy some social time with AM Squares. Additionally, more than 60 speakers will share their expertise during the summit, and if you miss a presentation you wanted to see, good news: everything will be available on demand for 90 days.
You can register for the event here. Use code 49MED to get special pricing and attend for just $49, instead of $199! Dyndrite Day Virtual Event In June, software provider Dyndrite hosted its first Digital Manufacturing Investor Day to help link digital manufacturing startups with industry investors, Now this week, at 11 am EDT on Thursday, October 29th, the company will host a two-hour virtual event called Dyndrite Day that outlines how the company, and its developing Digital Nervous System, are “bringing superpowers to Additive Manufacturing.”
You can register for the event here. Here’s something fun: check out the letters in the video below, and figure out what they spell. Once you’ve registered, send in your answer for a chance to win some swag from Dyndrite! The Best of SMX Virtual Event Also on the 29th, North American manufacturing event producers AMT and SME, together with industry associations and OEMs, will be holding the Smart Manufacturing Experience: The Best of SMX virtual event, which will be exploring smart manufacturing technologies, such as additive manufacturing, automation and robotics, data analytics, industrial IoT, augmented and virtual reality, and more. In addition to technical and keynote presentations, this event will offer opportunities for networking, smart manufacturing resources, knowledge bars, and even an interactive show floor with virtual exhibits. To learn more about this event, check out the Virtual Brochure on the website for an interactive preview.
You can register for the free one-day SMX virtual event, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm ET on October 29th, here. ACAM Webinar: IT Security Enables AM Former Fraunhofer IPT spinoff KEX Knowledge Exchange AG informed us that the ACAM webinar series, organized by the ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing, has returned after a short hiatus. The webinar this week, “IT Security Enables Additive Manufacturing,” will be held from 8-9 am EST on October 29th. Timo Heutmann from Fraunhofer IPT will be hosting this webinar.
You can register for the webinar here. GF Machining Solutions on Large-Scale Metal AM GF Machining Solutions, a division of the $3.906M order intake Swiss manufacturer Georg Fischer, is holding a webinar, also on Thursday the 29th, all about 3D printing large-scale metal parts. Titled “Build bigger! The rules and challenges of building large metal AM parts,” the hour-long webinar will feature a GF Machining application engineer and a special guest, who will discuss the rules and challenges of 3D printing large metal parts, and how GF’s AM solutions can help solve these challenges. The first section of the webinar will focus on an introduction to the market and various trends, and then move into application expert guidelines and case studies with AMotion Center Stabio. At the end, there will be a brief period available for questions.
You can register for the webinar, which starts at 11 am EDT, here. PostProcess Technologies Demonstrating DEMI 4000 Live This week’s last October 29th online event is by PostProcess Technologies, which will be hosting live demonstrations of its latest innovation, the DEMI 4000. The company says that this is the industry’s only “full-stack solution” for resin removal on production SLA prints, and during this Live Solution Experience Tour, you’ll get a closer look at the new automated DEMI 4000 post-printing system, which is the company’s largest solution for intelligent AM resin removal. The DEMI 4000 uses submersible technology to achieve consistent hands-free resin removal on large SLA 3D printed parts.
You can register for either a 9 am or 1 pm EST broadcasted tour here. These tours will also take place at the same times on November 5th, if you can’t make this Thursday’s live demonstrations. Wi3DP: Justifying the Costs for AM The ongoing virtual panel series by Women in 3D Printing and co-host AM-Cubed have covered a variety of topics, from design and innovation, aerospace, and sustainability to scaling AM for production purposes and how to lead in the AM industry during uncertain times. On Friday, October 30th, the latest panel, “Justifying the costs for AM,” will take place starting at 10 am EDT, and is organized by 3YOURMIND. AM-Cubed President Kristin Mulherin will moderate, with Stefanie Brickwede, Managing Director at Mobility goes Additive e.V.; Elena Laso Plaza, 3D Printing Business Analyst at HP; and Naomi Murray, Director, Advanced Operations, STRYKER, as the panelists in what Wi3DP is calling a “new virtual talk series for decision-makers and experts in additive manufacturing.”
You can register for the virtual panel here. EOS On-Demand Webinar: Lightweight in Metal AM That’s it for live events this week, but EOS has published an on-demand webinar, “Manufacturability Considerations of Lightweighting in Metal AM,” that you can access for free. Host Zach Pitts, Applications Specialist for EOS North America, will discuss just how important lightweighting is in metal additive manufacturing, specifically for laser powder bed processes: it can create cheaper parts with better performance, but you do need to consider first how this new approach to part design will affect the buildability and quality of the final printed part.
You can register to view the webinar here. New On-Demand Nanotalks Series from Nanofabrica Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com October 25, 2020 at 07:10AM 3D Printing News Briefs October 24 2020: nTopology & Etteplan DSM CAR3D Project MELD Manufacturing10/24/2020 3D Printing News Briefs, October 24, 2020: nTopology & Etteplan, DSM, CAR3D Project, MELD Manufacturing https://ift.tt/35JR6if In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, we’re talking about a partnership between nTopology and Etteplan, a new material from DSM, CAR3D’s COVID-19 protection equipment, and a pretty cool 3D printed milestone from MELD Manufacturing. nTopology Chooses Etteplan as Nordic Design Partner US engineering software company nTopology has selected Finland-based Etteplan as its preferred Design Partner in the Nordic region, or Norden, which is made up of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Etteplan has spent the last few years investing in multiple fields of advanced manufacturing, including automation, digital twins, robotics, and additive manufacturing, and this new partnership with nTopology, in which the two companies will be building next-generation engineering design tools, will help to grow its position as a top Norden AM expert.
Royal DSM Launches New Somos WaterShed Black Resin Global science-based company Royal DSM announced the launch of its new Somos material for stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing. Based on its WaterShed XC 11122 technology, the new WaterShed Black SLA resin prints true black up to 50% faster than other black photopolymers, thanks to its improved formulation, and is easy to use as well. Parts printed with Somos WaterShed Black are tough and durable, with a smooth surface finish, and great moisture and chemical resistance, with only minimal post-processing touches, like coating or painting, required. Specific applications for this new resin include consumer electronics, functional automotive or electronic parts, packaging, and prototyping.
CAR3D COVID-19 Rapid Response Innovation Project Experts are saying that the best way to limit the spread of COVID-19, especially without an available vaccine, and keep essential workers safe is with face masks and other kinds of personal protective equipment (PPE), and for the most part, 3D printing has been a pretty effective way to manufacture these masks, especially since there weren’t enough protective materials to quickly design and manufacture these the conventional way when the pandemic started. Many in the AM industry, like BCN3D Technologies’ Here to Help project, have stepped up to help out during this crisis, and a group of partners, which includes BCN3D, has just established the Covid-19 Rapid Response Innovation Project (CAR3D), which will design, develop, manufacture, and validate reusable 3D printed face masks that comply with EU specifications and other quality standards, such as breathability and comfortable skin contact. By making the design available for replication, Europe’s capacity to produce PPE will improve.
Additional CAR3D partners are EIT Health, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universidad de Barcelona, and Fundación CIM-UPC. MELD Manufacturing Makes “Largest” 3D Printed Aluminum Cylinder In the spring of 2018, MELD Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Aeroprobe Corporation, won the RAPID Innovation Award for its novel metal 3D printing technology, only a month after its official launch. The patented, solid-state process is able to print fully dense parts, in an open-air environment, without melting any metal, which uses less energy, avoids issues such as hot-cracking and porosity, and makes it possible to use off-the-shelf materials. The MELD method can be used to 3D print, coat, repair, and join metals and metal matrix composites, and in a recently published YouTube video, you can get a sense of what MELD is really capable of, as the company prints what it calls the “world’s largest” aluminum cylinder. I’m not sure if it’s actually the largest in the world, but it’s definitely bigger than the aluminum cylinder the company printed just a few months ago.
Check out the video below! Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com October 24, 2020 at 07:29AM The U.S. Postal Service Issues New Service Performance Report for the Week of October 10th10/23/2020 The U.S. Postal Service Issues New Service Performance Report for the Week of October 10th https://ift.tt/35s4ozE Oct. 23, 2020 The U.S. Postal Service Issues New Service Performance Report for the Week of October 10thWASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Postal Service provided new service performance data this week to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for the week of Oct. 10 through Oct. 16, 2020. For the week of Oct. 10, the Postal Service reported 85.58 percent of First-Class Mail was delivered on time and 97.81 percent was delivered within two days of the service standard. For Marketing Mail, 86.00 percent was delivered on time and 97.25 percent was delivered within two days of the service standard. Total mail volume surpassed 3.1 billion mailpieces for the week of Oct. 10, representing an increase of 23 percent, or more than half a billion additional mailpieces, compared to the average volume in September 2020. The most significant impact on mail volume has been a strong Fall 2020 mailing season, including an increase in political campaign mail. The Postal Service remains steadfast in its commitment to, and focus on, delivering the nation’s Election Mail and fulfilling its commitment to the American people. It will continue to take all necessary steps to expeditiously process and prioritize the delivery of ballots this Election season. Consistent with practices in past election cycles, the Postal Service has authorized and instructed the use of extraordinary measures, such as expedited handling, extra deliveries and special pickups, starting Oct. 26 through Nov. 24, 2020, to accelerate the delivery of ballots. Key performance indicators for the week of Oct. 10 include:
Service performance is defined by the Postal Service from acceptance of a mailpiece into our system through delivery, measured against published service standards. Mail volume is defined by the number of mailpieces entered into the U.S. Postal Service network. The U.S. Postal Service’s general recommendation is that, as a common-sense measure, voters should mail their completed ballot before Election Day, and at least one week prior to their state’s deadline. Some states may recommend allowing even more time for mailing completed ballots ### Printing via USPS News https://ift.tt/2hH9aDC October 23, 2020 at 06:43PM NAMIC Global AM Summit 2020: Sustainability, Food 3D Printing, and More https://ift.tt/2Ti8hRQ Singapore has been positioning itself as a 3D printing hub for a number of years now. Through the National Additive Manufacturing – Innovation Cluster (NAMIC), it has coordinated investment, meetings, research and events to focus the city-state’s efforts in the industry. A key part of that effort is the NAMIC Global AM Summit, a, now-online, series of events that brings together practitioners from all over the world. This year, the NAMIC Summit was a filled program of two days. It was exceptionally well-organized and, as a participant through leading a session and as an audience member, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The brilliant Dr. Ho Chaw Sing opened the event speaking of a sustainable net zero carbon future using biomimicry and on-demand manufacturing with recycled and sustainably sourced materials. He followed by keynote speaker Low Yen Ling, Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community, and Youth for Singapore. Tan Kong Hwee, Executive Vice President of the Singapore Economic Development Board, spoke about the development of 3D printing in light of COVID-19 before the day moved toward sustainability. Phil Ward, CEO of the Molyworks Material Corporation, spoke about recycling metals. Do check out the Mollyworks site—it is super trippy and cool. The company has an innovative process that can turn scrap metals into powder feedstock for powder bed fusion systems. This is not only very environmentally friendly, but also very advantageous cost-wise. What’s more, this could be of particular interest, not only to those who wish to go green, but also those who wear green as this could extend the war-fighting capabilities of militaries to in-country manufacturing of powder from scrap that could be turned into spare parts. It will not be a surprise that Molyworks has received numerous US government grants to do just that. Sissi Chao, founder of REMAKEHUB, showed us how to turn fishing nets into renewable products, which can then be sold to aid charities. Her vision is to go from pollution to solution and the model seems like it could be a very fruitful one. Then, there was a panel discussion lead by John Barnes, who wore a suit for the occasion. Dr. Karsten Heuser, Vice President of Additive Manufacturing at Siemens, spoke about the use of Siemens software. He had a super-slick presentation that was a really good example of how a big company could use technology to really set itself apart in a virtual world. He spoke about using Siemens NX to “reinvent” parts and simulate behavior, as well as use a Digital Twin to see if parts can be printed on specific machines. Its software can identify 3D printing problems that could occur given a particular collection of settings on one machine. Blake Perez, of nTopology, spoke about implicit modeling and parts optimization. Then, there was a panel discussion lead by Nora Toure. The best panel was, of course, the 3D printed food panel lead by yours truly. Dr Ling Ka Yi, Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer of Shiok Meats, spoke about how she was relying on her cell biology technology to use stem cells to make shrimp and other crustacean meats. The company also wants to apply the same approach to commercialize other sustainable meats going forward. Then, we heard from Gladys Wong, a Senior Principal Dietician and Nutritionist at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. She is super passionate about dignified eldercare using 3D printed foods, especially for dementia patients. Her hospital is looking working on how to make mushy, safe foods look appealing. so that patients will enjoy eating them. Melissa Snover, the CEO and Founder of Nourish3D which makes an individualized 3D printed gummy vitamin product. All in all, this was a great event. I missed the Singaporean food and hanging out with everyone, but,at the same time, was able to learn a lot from my desk. This was especially due to Namic’s Mahendran Reddy, who did a great job hosting the entire event. I’ll be back next year for sure! Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com October 23, 2020 at 09:02AM Ansys and EOS Partner for Metal 3D Printing Simulation https://ift.tt/2Tm9zeR One of the most exciting trends currently taking place in additive manufacturing (AM) is the development of simulation software for improving the predictability and repeatability of 3D printing technology. An increasing number of software companies are now in the mix, competing to offer their solutions to AM simulation. One of the most significant, of course, is Ansys (NASDAQ: ANSS), which is now working with German powder bed fusion (PBF) leader EOS to develop a metal 3D printing workflow that involves Ansys simulation tools. Within the EOS Developer Network, Ansys will make it possible to enhance AM processes using simulation tools and then send models directly to EOS metal 3D printers. Ansys simulations will also rely on EOS-specific data, ,using its open-source application program interfaces, to improve simulation fidelity. This will reportedly result in better part geometries by predicting and compensating for any distortions that take place during printing, thus reducing build failures and, in turn, increasing 3D printer throughput. This print preview for metal AM stems directly from the software developed by Ansys acquisition 3DSIM. Other features include improved material property selection, with simulations forecasting how design changes impact part microstructure. Altogether, the integration with EOS machines is said to increase design speed by 20 percent and simple print jobs themselves by 50 to 60 percent.
For those who may not be familiar with metal PBF technologies, there are significant problems that companies like Ansys and EOS are trying to overcome. Due to the complex physics at work in the printing process, changes in temperatures and other variables can lead to such issues as warping, cracking and splattering of molten metal that can cause not only part failure but broken equipment. Much of these problems have previously been only partially addressed with quality management mechanisms such as thermal sensors and cameras. However, as metal AM has been increasingly adopted for end part production, the requirements for such demanding industries as aerospace have dictated that printer manufacturers work harder to ensure the repeatability and quality of parts. This means that machine operators are no longer willing to perform seven or eight prints as a form of trial and error but are increasingly requesting first-time-right production. 3DSIM was among the earliest to develop simulation solutions for the problem, predicting any distortion that may occur in the printing process and then compensating. To gain an advantage in the 3D printing software space, Ansys scooped up the Louisville, KY startup. Other players developing simulation tools for AM are Hexagon, Altair, Siemens, PTC, Materialise. According to the recent SmarTech Analysis report, “Opportunities in Additive Manufacturing Software Markets 2020”, revenues from AM software are expected to grow from $460 million in 2020 to an impressive $3.7 billion by 2027. It now seems as though traditional CAD and software companies are increasingly jumping into the market, just as major chemical companies have entered on the materials side and traditional manufacturers are involved in systems production. Simulation may be the key at the center of this entire network to ensure that the right materials will perform in a predictable way to produce quality parts reliably. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com October 23, 2020 at 08:32AM Sigma Labs & Northwestern Partner for In-Process Quality Assurance of DED Metal 3D Printing10/23/2020 Sigma Labs & Northwestern Partner for In-Process Quality Assurance of DED Metal 3D Printing https://ift.tt/37zCHHV This spring, AM quality assurance software developer Sigma Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB) launched the new Production Series of its PrintRite3D software for the commercial 3D metal printing industry, not long after signing an MoU with Materialise to integrate PrintRite3D with the Materialise Control Platform (MCP) product. Now the company has announced the expansion of its market opportunity through a new partnership with Northwestern University in Illinois. As part of this collaboration, Sigma Labs will develop and grow its PrintRite3D In-Process Quality Assurance technology so it can be used with powder-blow Directed Energy Deposition (DED) 3D printing.
The New Mexico-headquartered company believes that its software will be a major impetus for the adoption of 3D metal printing, and has been working to steadily improve upon and expand its IPQA software brand, which provides real-time print monitoring and detects and classifies anomalies and defects during the 3D printing process, so production managers know about any quality issues immediately. Last month, Additive Industries’ MetalFAB1 printers integrated PrintRite3D’s in-process melt-pool monitoring, and Sigma Labs’ first contract for its new PrintRite3D Lite In-Process Quality Assurance system, created for compact entry-level 3D printers, went to Coherent. With this new partnership, Sigma Labs has developed the necessary hardware and software, which will be validated by Northwestern University. The first beta PrintRite3D DED software will be installed at the university’s Advanced Manufacturing Processes Laboratory (AMPL), onto a custom, open-architecture, modular DED printer called the Additive Rapid Prototyping Instrument (ARPI). The ARPI is multifunctional, made up of three separate subsystems—primary 3D printing, secondary operations, and monitoring—which can each function in an integrated manner in a command-and-control environment or as a standalone system
According to Northwestern’s own collaborative research with Argonne National Laboratory, DED technology relies on heated powder particles, which are blown through nozzles at a high-powered laser’s focal point and melted. A motion control system moves the molten pool of metal to build up the layers of a structure. DED 3D printing is fairly versatile, as it can be used to not only print new parts but also to add on to an existing part by repairing or coating it, and it’s a good choice for hybrid manufacturing applications as well. DED technology is becoming more popular, especially for things like parts maintenance, rapid prototyping, and structural parts, and has been used in a variety of industries, including oil & gas, maritime, medical, defense, automotive, architecture, and aerospace. Sigma Labs is actively looking for more commercial DED machine OEM partners to expand its beta testing program, so contact the company if you’re interested. (Source/Images: Sigma Labs unless otherwise noted) Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com October 23, 2020 at 08:01AM New Photocatalysts Developed for Visible Light 3D Printing https://ift.tt/37GNkbE Visible light 3D printing is a new frontier for the world of vat photopolymerization, with only a small number of commercial options available for the technology. This includes Photocentric, out of the UK, and T3D in Taiwan. The use of resins that can be cured by visible light means there is no need to rely on ultra violet light and digital projectors, but instead, less expensive options such as LCD screens can be used. Not only can the technology speed up the printing process, but it may be more sustainable and less energy-intensive, as well. Because the process is comparatively new, researchers are actively working to develop new materials for the process. In the recently published “Thioxanthone Derivatives as a New Class of Organic Photocatalysts for Photopolymerisation Processes and the 3D Printing of Photocurable Resins under Visible Light,” Polish researchers explore the 3D printing of photoinitiators derived from widely used onium salts. These salts are typically more easily used in polymerization processes associated with UV light. To broaden their application to visible light photopolymerization, the team explored the combination of onium salts with a compound called thioxanthone. In this study, the researchers explore five new thioxanthone-based compounds:
They also used carbazole derivatives for initiating 3D printing, due to their absorption properties. The creation of new systems that could initiate both cationic and radical photopolymerization processes was a critical point of interest for the authors. The researchers began with studying light absorption properties of 2,4-diethyl-thioxanthen-9-one derivatives, along with the interesting absorption properties of additives like onium salts. Next, they studied the performance of derivatives such as 2,4-diethyl-thioxanthen-9-one for acting as photosensitizers. This allowed the researchers to integrate the use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for light sources in photopolymerization, while texting other reference systems in the same experimental environment. Onium salt is central to much of this process, depending on electrons, and reaching photosensitization via the electron transfer process—with one electron donor being transferred from the photosensitizer to the electron acceptor. The photoredox rection occurs with the photosensitizer being oxidized, and the onium salt decreased. 3D printing experiments were also performed on laser diode irradiation, using a variety of photoinitiating systems. These were based on the following: 2,4-diethyl-7-[4-(N-phenylanilino)phenyl]thioxanthen-9-one (T1) in TMPTA and in a TMPTA/UVACURE®1500 blend. The researchers noted that because of the “high photosensitivity” of the thioxanthone derivative T1 formulations, photopolymerization was effective—and efficient. The researchers used a NEJE DK-8-KZ 1000 mW Laser Engraver Printer for experimenting with the 3D objects, observing them with an optical stereo microscope, and a multifunctional digital microscope. An M365L2 UV-LED was used as the light source. Information on patents follows: Patent application P.434493 with priority date 29 June 2020, authors: Joanna Ortyl and Emilia Hola, title: “New derivatives of thioxanthen-9-one, methods of their preparation, new photoinitiating systems for the photoinitiated processes of cationic, radical, thiol-ene and hybrid polymerization, and the use of new derivatives of thioxanthen-9-one and 2,4-diethyl-thioxanthen-9-one.” (Source / Images: “Thioxanthone Derivatives as a New Class of Organic Photocatalysts for Photopolymerisation Processes and the 3D Printing of Photocurable Resins under Visible Light”) Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com October 23, 2020 at 07:32AM UK Firm Showcases Chameleon 3D Printed Car https://ift.tt/35s3aEl One of the pioneers of 3D printing cars, Local Motors, may have shifted toward autonomous public transportation, but that doesn’t mean other companies aren’t still exploring the additive production of personal vehicles. The latest is a British firm called Scaled Ltd, which has unveiled an electric, four-wheel 3D printed vehicle dubbed the Chameleon. For Scaled, the Chameleon is a demonstrator project, meant to showcase the possibilities of large-scale additive manufacturing (AM) using the company’s systems. Scaled was founded in 2015 and hosts both gantry 3D printers and an industrial robotic arm outfitted with thermoplastic extrusion printheads. The robotic arm is capable of 3D printing objects up to three meters in length. Designed and manufactured in just a few months, the Chameleon was designed using stochastic software from Rafinex, which made it possible to optimize the chassis of the vehicle in response to a variety of loading conditions. The material used to produce the car was PA6 from the Lehvoss Group, meant to be durable enough for driving.
The non-3D printed components were created with assistance from students on Birmingham University’s Racing Team. Weighing in at 150 kg, the vehicle runs on a Lynch electric motor and can travel up to 45 mph. You’ll note from the pictures that the Chameleon lacks many of the features one might associate with a street-legal car and resembles more closely a golf cart. While the UK startup is focused on the automotive sector, it does not yet appear that its primary goal is to become a 3D printed vehicle manufacturer. If it did head down that path, it would have to contend with the likes of LM Industries (LMI), the parent company of Local Motors, which more or less gave up on personal 3D printed vehicles in lieu of its autonomous 3D-printed shuttle, Olli. Then there’s Divergent 3D/Czinger, directed at the luxury super- and hyper-car market. The closest direct competitor would be Italian firm XEV, which claims to have up to 30,000 orders for its small, 3D printed electric vehicles. For the time being, the 3D printing of vehicles remains isolated to high-end, specialty applications, rather than personal car ownership. In the case of Divergent 3D/Czinger, that means only the ultra-high-performance types of sports cars the wealthy can afford. Otherwise, we see a number of auto sports teams using the technology for their races and some luxury manufacturers incorporating 3D printed end parts into their vehicles. When it comes to consumers, large brands have been experimenting with small and limited-run 3D printed mods, but it will still be awhile before cars with 3D printed chasses are really ready for the road. The military, however, may find some use for it sooner than consumers. According to SmarTech Analysis report “Additive Manufacturing for Automotive Part Production – 2019 – 2029”, LMI may be signaling the primary method in which the public does encounter 3D printed vehicles. The report states:
LMI is not the only company to pursue this opportunity. The aforementioned Italian manufacturer, XEV, has pitched “customized enterprise vehicles” to businesses like such as the Italian Post, Arval Leasing Company, Q8 Petroleum Company (Kuwait Petroleum Company), and Campello Motors. Because not everyone can afford the $1 million Big Area Additive Manufacturing system that LMI uses to produce Olli, they may actually turn to firms like Scaled for lower-cost production. Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com October 23, 2020 at 07:32AM |
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