ISSN 0974-7133 ISSUE 35 | FEBRUARY 2016
The
AM Magazine The Magazine for 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Technologies
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Additive Manufacturing Society of India
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Central Metallurgical Research & Development Institute
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Professor Alain Bernard IRCCyN, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, France Associate Professor Chua Chee Kai Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
3D Systems, USA Voxeljet Technology Gmbh, Gmbh
ExOne, GmbH
Dr Gurunathan Saravana Kumar Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Professor David W. Rosen Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing Institute (RPMI) Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta USA
Nikon Metrology
Optomec Inc. USA
Arcam AB, Sweden
Professor Bopaya Bidanda University of Pittsburg, USA Associate Professor Yonghua Chen The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
EOS Gmbh, Germany
Schultheiss Gmbh, Germany
Layerwise, Belgium
Professor Manoj Kumar Tiwari Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur Professor Grier Lin International Leadership Institute, South Australia
EFESTO LLC, USA
FARO, USA
Stratasys Inc, USA
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Publisher
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The AM Magazine
AM - 15/16 Vol.06 Issue 35
CONTENTS Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing
Regulars 04. Editorial
12. 3D Systems - Quickparts in Leuven (BELGIUM) proves viability of DMP for mission-critical satellite applications with Thales Alenia Space
05. ExOne Case Study –Overview of ThreeDimensional Printing (3DP) Technology
Latest Updates
06. Lockheed Martin: Importance of Closed Loop Control in AM
13. News Release: 3D Systems
08. Stratasys –Choosing the Right Material for Injection Molds
15. 6th International Conference on Additive Manufacturing Technologies - AM 2016, 6 - 7th October, 2016, The Lalit Ashok, Bangalore, INDIA
10. Concept Laser- “AM Factory of Tomorrow” opens up a great deal of potential with modular machine configurations
AM Magazine online www.ammagazine.in
http://issuu.com/rpdmag
Editorial
3 D – Printing – Endless Opportunities “Additive method of manufacturing (3D-Printing) is gaining traction in the industrial marketplacefor the speed, complexity and efficiencies it brings to the shop floor.” From not many recently passed years, the planet has witnessed a major technological insurgency. “ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING (3D-Printing), is one among those evident expertises. Months of fragmentary manufacturing to fabricate a solitary part are stuffs what went before. In the present times 3D printing on a whole has altered the entire manufacturing segment. 3D-Printing is acquiring its hands over the conventional techniques in the industries, reason being, reduced material costs; drop off labour content, and greater than before availability of parts at point of use, which may have a remarkable impact on the supply chain. Also the rapid prototype fabrication tactics, which makes it achievable for designers to omit the fabrication of tools and walk off instantly to finished parts faster than building tools that are then used to fabricate prototype parts. Certain low-volume, weight-sensitive commodities are gapping up supplementary opportunities for 3D printed metallic parts, thus making it further eye-catching in the industries where weight matters, as it helps them to make lighter and efficient products. 3D Printing is now days penetrating into different disciplines of the manufacturing industry ranges from Aerospace, automotive, tooling, medical and many others. Days are gone when 3-D printing technology was only considered as a rapid prototyping tool. The technology is into its new age of fast 3D-printers which are definitely more productive for the series productions. With the capabilities of 3-D printing rapidly evolving– this technology appears ready to emerge from its niche status and become a viable alternative to conventional process in an increasing number of applications.
Global Axis (Partner to ExOne GmbH) New Delhi
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CASE STUDY - EXONE Overview of Three - Dimensional Printing (3DP) Technology 3D printing is a manufacturing process that build layers to create a three-dimensional solid object from a digital model. 3D printing can produce parts with geometric features that cannot be accomplished by other manufacturing processes.
EXERIAL
SMAX
ExOne: Technology leader for industrial grade additive manufacturing (3D Printing). ExOne offers 3D printing systems, tailored to meet specific customer needs and facility requirements, from production scale industrial systems to education and research platforms. ExOne builds functional 3D objects from the bottom up, one layer at a time with durable, industrial-strength materials. ExOne 3D printing systems selectively bind thin, cross-sectional layers of fine powder. As the printhead passes over the powder bed, binder is deposited into the powder. The powder bed lowers and is coated with another layer of the print powder. With each successive pass of the printhead, more of the object is bound until a near-net shape object is completed. For metal-based printing systems, the printed volume is typically the part itself. For sand systems, the printed volume forms a mold package for use with metal casting techniques. ExOne is offering wide range of 3D Printers · Industrial Series Production Printers · Rapid Prototyping Printers · Research & Education Printers Production Printers ® ExOne production printers are among the largest systems available on the market for industrial grade materials. Production printers are designed for efficiency and flexibility. ExOne® production printers offer industrial quality scale and speed for the rapid manufacturing of complex sand molds, cores, and functional, printed metal parts. ® ExOne systems reduce lead times while providing the ability to create more intricate geometries in parts with improved accuracy and better casting performance.
S-PRINT · Exerial · S-Max+ · S-Max · M-Print Prototyping Printers Create prototypes and one-offs with speed and ease using this line of 3D printers, designed with a generous build size and fast print technology. ®
ExOne prototyping printers quickly and easily create prototype parts through an effective build size and increased printing speeds. Complex geometries are created accurately and quickly to meet the needs of any industry. The versatility of the prototyping printers make it possible to produce affordable, effective parts. M-FLEX
· ·
S-Print M-Flex 5
CASE STUDY - SCIAKY INC
“Efesto LLC is the exclusive supplier of all Sciaky systems for the Indian market� Lockheed Martin's Slade Gardner, Ph.D., is a manufacturing
Lockheed Martin: Importance of Closed -
researcher involved in this work. Once this process is
Loop Control in AM
validated, he says, the benefits of adopting it into satellite production will be considerable. Today, the propellant tanks
Article From: 2/8/2016 Additive Manufacturing, Peter Zelinski, Editor-in Chief.
begin as titanium 6-4 forgings. A forging in the shape of a Process repeatability will enable the satellite maker to apply
mushroom cap is machined to produce a thin-walled
additive manufacturing to the production of critical parts.
hemispherical dome. Two hemispheres are joined together to produce a spherical tank. When the preform of the dome can be grown additively instead of being forged, Gardner says, the advantages will include all of the following: 1. Lead time: Capacity on large forging presses is limited. Tank dome forgings frequently wait in queue for months, he says, contributing to the 12-month lead time that is typical to produce one of these tanks. By contrast, the first hemispherical preform made through EBAM (a small tank dome at 16 inches in diameter) was grown in just 3 hours. The work was not finished at that point, since the part still needed heat dome. Still, the speed of that cycle made clear to
The largest hemispherical tank component grown so far is
Lockheed Martin from the outset that a dramatically shorter
46 inches in diameter. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin.
lead time could be attained.
For Lockheed Martin Space Systems, one of the most
2. Processing cost: The forging for the titanium housing is not
valuable characteristics of Electron Beam Additive
a hemisphere, even though the final component is. The
Manufacturing (described in this article) is its in-situ feedback
difference means that most of the material of the forging has to
loop. In this metal-deposition process from Sciaky,
be machined away to achieve the finished part. This imposes
parameters such as the beam's energy level are adjusted
cost for the machining itself and for the material that is
through closed-loop control to maintain consistent melt
machined away. EBAM, by contrast, does produce a
behavior throughout the build. That control makes EBAM
hemispherical part. The preform made this way is a rough
distinct from other metal additive processes, the aerospace
hemisphere to be sure, but the machining required to
company says, and the repeatability provided by that control
complete the part is considerably less.
is one of the reasons why Space Systems expects to apply the process
to the production of critical parts. Today, the
company is working to validate EBAM as a means of manufacturing propellant tanks for satellites.
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CASE STUDY - SCIAKY INC 3. Flexibility: Forging requires tooling, which limits design
All of the testing so far has been promising, says Gardner.
freedom. In order to avoid the time and cost of making a new
Tanks made from joined EBAM domes have shown they can
die, engineers resist design improvements. “You always want
pass 50 cycles of testing at maximum expected operating
to continue to use your existing tools,” Gardner says. But
pressure (MEOP), and those same tanks pushed to failure
additive manufacturing is not beholden to hardware in this
have held out until well past 200 percent of their design
way. Implementing a design change in EBAM involves simply
pressure. Much of the testing that remains relates to
changing the program for the additive build.
understanding the physical mechanism when these parts do fail. Gardner's guess is that EBAM tanks will be proven and validated for space at the end of 2016.
Lockheed Martin sees a fourth advantage as well. Inherent to the closed-loop control is continuous measurement of the process. The data generated are extensive and valuable. “We know more about the creation of each additive part than we
(Courtesy: Sciaky.com)
can reasonably know about parts created other ways,” Gardner says. And in the future, he says, the data could be marshaled to streamline the process to a degree that goes well beyond just replacing one metalworking operation with another. For example, given the in-situ process measurement, is a separate inspection step needed? Today it is. But perhaps quality and production will not always have to be separate, but could instead be integrated into a single step. The propellant tank is so vital to the function of a satellite that extensive evaluation will be needed before tanks made from the new process can be validated for their ultimate use. Lockheed Martin Space Systems' EBAM machine at its facility near Denver, Colorado, has so far produced 14 domes in sizes ranging from 16 to 46 inches in diameter. Before testing is complete, the machine will produce more such domes and likely will produce larger ones as well.
“Efesto LLC is the exclusive supplier of all Sciaky systems for the Indian market” 7
CASE STUDY - STRATASYS
Choosing the Right Material for Injection Molds AN EVALUATION OF VARIOUS 3D PRINTING TECHNIQUES by Thorsten Brorson Otte, Grundfos A/S, and Stratasys Proper material selection is a critical success factor when creating injection molds. Realizing their own need for fast, production-ready injection mold prototypes, pump manufacturer Grundfos conducted several tests to determine its ideal substance. With the optimal material, it found that manufacturers can leverage the best 3D printing has to offer making complex molds inexpensively.
Figure 1. The part selected for initial evaluation of polymer-based 3D printed mold inserts
Grundfos, headquartered in Bjerringbro, Denmark, is the world’s largest circulator pump manufacturer with an annual production of 16 million units. Its circulator pumps are commonly used for heating and air conditioning; whereas its centrifugal pumps are most often used for water supply, sewage and dosing needs. Mass producing pumps involves a series of processes, like injection molding its plastic components. Because pumps often operate in high-temperature, fluid-rich environments, Grundfos uses rugged thermoplastic components such as glass-reinforced PA, PC, PPS and POM. As part of the pump assembly quality inspection, components must withstand working conditions of the pump. Specifically, plastic parts must pass burning, functionality, geometry, hydraulic and electric testing.
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Therefore, while still in the development stage of new components, it is crucial to prototype with the same material as the manufacturing process. This way, manufacturers can qualify both the specific design and material combination. Grundfos evaluated several polymer-based 3D printing technologies for 3D printing mold inserts. For the initial tests, a simple geometry was selected with general dimensions of 42 x 43 x 12 mm (Figure 1) and with the functionality to cover cables in a control box (Figure 5). Due to certain functionality requirements – for instance, the control box would be under water – Grundfos could not compromise on the material and production process.
CASE STUDY - STRATASYS
Choosing the Right Material for Injection Molds AN EVALUATION OF VARIOUS 3D PRINTING TECHNIQUES The large gate that is strategically located at the top of the part, called the sprue gate, facilitates even filling of the cavity, while reducing the pressure and shear heating. In fact, this key factor enables Grundfos to mold aggressive thermoplastics with high viscosities in the printed mold.
Testing Mold #1 MOLD #1 TESTING To determine its optimal mold material, Grundfos devised trials for two different injection molds – one of va two-part standard mold and one of a more complex, nine-part design. Grundfos designed the molds for the first part with two main parts, core and cavity, seen in Figure 2. Grundfos designed a mold base (Figure 4) to facilitate the assembly of the printed mold inserts (Figure 3). The printed mold insert is mounted to the mold base using standard bolts. In the core side of the mold, ejector pins were added to facilitate part ejection automatically. The pins are designed to be flat with the core surface and they have a tight fit in the printed ejector pin holes. An important design feature is the insertion of a metal sprue bushing (marked in a white arrow important design feature is the insertion of a metal sprue bushing (marked in a white arrow in Figure 4) in the printed sprue hole. The sprue bushing is also an important design feature in the traditional manufacturing process using metal molds; in that process and here, it serves as a direct gate to the part cavity from the hot nozzle.
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Grundfos wanted to compare how the materials from different 3D printing technologies functioned in injection molding, so the company selected four materials-based polymers for 3D printing the core and cavity mold: Transparent (RGD720) and Digital ABS™ that run on PolyJet™ technology, and PA2200 and PA3200 with glass fibers that run on SLS technology. After 3D printing the different molds on its Objet500 Connex3™ 3D Production System, Grundfos checked each mold capability by injecting various materials.
CONCEPT LASER
“In essence,” says Dr. Florian Bechmann, Head of R&D at Concept Laser, “it is about splitting up build job preparation/build job follow-up processing and Additive Manufacturing in any number of combinable modules. With comparatively large build envelopes, build jobs can be carried out with a time delay. The intention is that this should drastically reduce the “downtimes” of previous stand-alone machines. There is plenty of potential here for improving the level of added value in the production chain. In contrast to purely quantitative approaches of previous machine concepts, we see here a fundamentally new approach for advancing industrial series production one step further.”
“AM Factory of Tomorrow” opens up a great deal of potential with modular machine configurations From vision to reality: New machine and plant architecture with the seal “Industry 4.0” Lichtenfels (Germany), 11.17.2015: At formnext powered by TCT from 11.17 - 11.20.2015 in Frankfurt, Concept Laser presented a new machine and plant architecture. This is a real first which shows that the vision has already become firmly integrated in the company's strategy. The new, integrated machine concept under the heading of “AM Factory of Tomorrow” promises a new level of Additive Manufacturing in terms of quality, flexibility and increase in performance. The modular integration of the machine technology into the manufacturing environment is amazing thanks to a radically new approach in the design of process components. Ultimately, this makes faster and more economic industrial production solutions available. This vision will soon be reality: Concept Laser has announced a market launch by as early as the end of 2016.
The new concept of an “AM Factory of Tomorrow” At present, regional printing centers are being created as service providers all around the globe. This development is characterized by the transition from “prototyping” to a desire for flexible series production at an industrial level. The AM users experience the pressure of traditional manufacturing: demand for space, expansion of the machinery, increasing operating tasks and in particular times. In the new concept from Concept Laser, interesting solutions are offered in this regard: Production is “decoupled in machine terms” from the preparation processes. The time window for AM production is increased to a “24/7 level,” meaning that there is higher availability of all components. An automated flow of materials palpably reduces the workload for the operators. Interfaces integrate the laser melting machine into traditional CNC
The previous solutions for machine and plant technology in the market all relied on ideas such as “more laser sources,” “more laser power,” “faster build rates” or “expansion of the build envelope sizes.” The machine technology represented a “standalone” solution without any consistent integration into the manufacturing environment. Build job preparation and build job process proceeded sequentially. Concept Laser is now attempting, with new machine architecture, to expand the usually quantitative sections with new, qualitative aspects. 10
CONCEPT LASER
machine technology, as is important for hybrid parts, for example, but also into downstream processes (postprocessing / finishing).
multilaser technology. The build envelope sizes have also experienced considerable growth. We now want to use an integrated machine concept to highlight the possible ways that the approaches of “Industry 4.0” can change Additive Manufacturing as the manufacturing strategy of the future. There is plenty of potential here to increase industrial added value and enhance suitability for series production.”
Decoupling of “pre-production,” “production” and “post-processing” The new plant architecture is characterized essentially by decoupling of “pre-production,” “production” and “postprocessing.” This includes among other things flexible machine loading and physical separation of the setting-up and disarming processes. The objective here was to coordinate the process components in a more targeted way with interfaces and increase the flexibility of the process design to create an integrated approach. This becomes possible thanks to a consistent modular structure of “handling stations” and “build and process units” which, in terms of combination and interlinking, promises considerably greater flexibility and availabilities. It will also be possible to handle the present diversity of materials better, and ultimately more economically, through a targeted combination of these modules. For example, in future the machine user will be able to use the modules to very precisely “customize” the production assignment in terms of the part geometry or material. All in all, the level of efficiency and availability of the production system will be markedly increased, along with a significant reduction in the amount of space required. Simulated production scenarios have in fact shown that this space can be reduced by up to 85% compared to the possibilities that exist at present. In addition, the laser power per m2 is increased seven-fold. Dr. Florian Bechmann says: “The build rates have increased enormously thanks to the multilaser technology. The build envelope sizes have also experienced considerable growth. We now want to use an integrated machine concept to highlight the possible ways that the approaches of “Industry 4.0” can change Additive Manufacturing as the manufacturing strategy of the future. There is plenty of potential here to increase industrial added value and enhance suitability for series production.”
(Coutesy: Concept Laser)
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NEWS RELEASE: 3D SYSTEMS
Just when all seemed lost, Patrick applied for a total face transplant with Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez, chair of the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery at NYU's Langone Medical Center. Once vetted by the hospital to ensure post-surgical compliance and awareness of surgical risks (a 50% survival rate), Patrick and Dr. Rodriguez were each committed to the procedure.
Virtual Surgical Planning Assists with Full Face Transplant: In September of 2001, first responder Patrick Hardison was gravely injured in the line of duty as a volunteer firefighter in Senatobia, Mississippi. After entering a burning home on a rescue search, the flaming roof collapsed, leaving Patrick with traumatic and disfiguring injuries across his face, head, neck and upper torso. “It was terrible,” Patrick told Nightline, having left home on what seemed a normal day, only to have his life take a severe and painful turn. He lost his eyelids, ears, lips and scalp, as well as most of his nose.
After a string of difficult months waiting for a donor match, Patrick finally got the call on August 14, 2015. Finding a donor for this operation was like finding a needle in a haystack, considering the extensive set of variables required for a match. Patrick's donor needed not only to match in hair color, skin color and blood type, but have a similar skeletal structure as well. For a successful facial transplant, the recipient and donor must have very specific correlations in the distances between and among all facial features.
“There was nothing left of his face to tell you who he was,” a friend on the scene told ABC. Following 63-days of recovery in the hospital, Patrick returned home only to discover that his children, ages 6, 3, and 2, were terrified by his appearance. Though his wife and children adapted to his dramatically altered face, Patrick remained devastated by their reaction and those of others as he settled into his new reality.
Once a donor was secured, the true challenge began. In a 26-hour surgery, Dr. Rodriguez performed the surgery, aided by a team of more than 100 physicians, nurses, technical and support staff. Apart from human support, Dr. Rodriguez had technology on his side, and was aided by 3D Systems' Virtual Surgical Planning (VSP®) to achieve the highest possible accuracy in his cuts and grafts.
Over the course of the next decade, Patrick underwent more than 70 surgeries with the hopes to regain his former appearance. Each cycle of surgeries added physical and mental strain with painful recoveries, minor improvements and dwindling hope for him and his family.
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NEWS RELEASE: 3D SYSTEMS
VSP速 uses medical scan data to derive 3D models that can be 3D printed as anatomical structures for visualization, or adapted to create patient-specific instruments and guides. In this case, two precise patterns of cuts were generated: one for the donor's anatomy and one for Patrick. Transferal templates for Patrick were likewise 3D printed using a biocompatible material that can be sterilized and used in the OR. Impressive in its own right, the timeline for turnaround in Patrick's case was very tight. In near lockstep with Patrick's phone call for surgery, 3D Systems' Medical Modeling team received the donor scans, and in a matter of hours, the 3D experts in Colorado planned, prepared and couriered the surgical guides into the hands of Patrick's surgeons in New York. Dr. Rodriguez transplanted skin, nerves and muscle over Patrick's musculature with the hope that donor and recipient anatomies would connect. Perfect alignment was critical, as this would allow Patrick's muscles to power donor structures. With much credit to the expertise of Dr. Rodriguez and the careful blueprint allotted by Patrick's customized VSP速 guides, the surgery was a success, giving Patrick a new face, scalp, ears, ear canals, eyelids, and select bones from the chin, cheeks and entire nose. (Courtesy: 3D Systems)
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