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PRECISION 3D PRINTED INJECTION MOULDING TOOLS

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

VOLUME 25 ISSUE 3

ISSN 1751-0333

EDITORIAL HEAD OF CONTENT

James Woodcock e: james@rapidnews.com t: + 44 1244 952 391 GROUP EDITOR

Daniel O’Connor e: daniel.oconnor@rapidnews.com t: + 44 1244 952 398 DEPUTY GROUP EDITOR

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Additive Manufacturing

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Silence of the AMs

you’ve not read Deputy Group Editor, Laura Griffiths’ editor’s letter from our last issue (25.2) stop reading this and read that first. Just a day before Laura submitted her call to arms for gender equality/a stop to workplace harassment I'd read an excellent piece on the BBC on why the Silence of the Lambs was a feminist fable. Nicholas Barber's article celebrating the 25th anniversary of its 1992 Best Picture nod at the Academy Awards suggests that never before had there been a female Hollywood lead role like Jodie Foster's FBI Agent Clarice Starling. But for all the ground Jonathan Demme's movie broke, the foundations have rarely been built upon. Last year Jodie Foster herself said; "Studios still see women as a risk, and I’m not really sure why."

"DEMME AND HIS TEAM MAY HAVE HOPED TO USHER IN A NEW AGE OF INTELLIGENT, INDEPENDENT, INSPIRING HOLLYWOOD HEROINES, BUT INSTEAD IT WAS HAUGHTY HOMICIDAL MANIACS WHO CAUGHT THE PUBLIC IMAGINATION." -NICHOLAS BARBER, BBC CULTURE, APRIL 2017

The manufacturing industry is no different; the most recent stats say women make up 47% of the workforce but just 23% of the manufacturing one. A more worrying statistic for the future of female in STEM careers came from the last Women in Manufacturing Report by the EEF, stating that women accounted for only 7% of all those who started an Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies apprenticeship in 2012/13. That doesn't suggest to me that we're doing enough to encourage girls into engineering. As Laura's letter said, 'this industry is supposed to be about forward thinking' and there is a sense that the 3D tech industry is an opportunity to rip it all up and start again. Paul Croft of CREATE Education said at a recent UK AM Strategy meeting

on STEM that 3D printing was inspiring more girls into engineering, but the attainment of girls aged 16 and under is better than boys. The problem comes after the age of 16, when girls seem discouraged from pursuing STEM careers. A study by the WISE campaign says we've often been going down the wrong path in encouraging girls into STEM. It says that girls, their parents and teachers do not know how attractive the pay and prospects are for STEM careers, they don't know about the demand, the different routes to qualification or the variety of roles available. The study says we all need to emphasise the 'types of people' that are successful in STEM careers. Nora Toure's Women in 3D Printing is a resource that aims to showcase the variety of women involved in this industry, MakerGirl is a Kickstarter success in which university STEM women inspire girls aged 7-10 with 3D printing, KiraKira is an online mechanical engineering platform aimed at girls. The resources are there. Here at TCT (where our team is exactly 50/50 split), we're actively seeking more female contributions whether that be editorially or via speaking opportunities (contact charlotte.chambers@rapidnews.com for more information on that). We can always improve but what we cannot do is stand still like Hannibal Lecter in his cell, or be led up the wrong garden path like the SWAT team. Wwe need to be more like Clarice Starling - shrugging off discouragement in the quest for what is right. Druck On

Daniel O’Connor Group Editor

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

FROM THE EDITOR

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

CONTENTS

TCT | VOLUME 25 | ISSUE 3

27 COVER STORY

PRECISION 3D PRINTED INJECTION MOULDING TOOLS

How Asiga’s desktop solutions are turning designs into real parts in hours with low-cost injection moulding.

NEWS

A roundup of the latest news from www.tctmagazine.com

AEROSPACE FOCUS

THE QUALIFICATION QUANDARY

Group Editor, Daniel O’Connor investigates what it means to get aerospace certification in the additive manufacturing industry.

DESTINATION SPACE

How Stofiel Aerospace is using desktop 3D printers to print real rockets and address the marketgap for on-demand access to low-earth orbit.

THE SEAT GURU

Sam Davies speaks to Autodesk research scientist, Andreas Bastian about combing generative design, AM and casting to produce an eco-friendly solution for the aerospace industry.

BY A THREAD

Sam takes a closer look at THREAD, a new technology from the AMRC that allows ‘off-the-shelf’ electrical and structural elements to be introduced during the printing process.

MATERIALISE WORLD SUMMIT 2017 REVIEW

Deputy Group Editor, Laura Griffiths reflects on the Belgian 3D printing company’s bi-annual conference in Brussels where talk of collaboration was key.

TOOLING, JIGS & FIXTURES

PHILIPS’ LIGHTBULB MOMENT

How Philips Lighting introduced 3D printing into its production process to realise cost savings of around 89,000 Euro a year.

RESEARCHERS PRINT FUNCTIONAL BIOPROSTHETIC OVARIES

How researchers from Northwestern University are on track to develop ovary implants on humans after successful trials of 3D printed scaffolds in mice.

CUSTOMISING THE FACTORY FLOOR

Trinckle co-founders, Florian Reichle and Gunnar Schulze, discuss the software’s impact on the customisation of robotic grippers.

THE APEX OF FASHION

Sam speaks to Voodoo Manufacturing about its Direct Print Service and creation of the APEX Coat using a cluster of desktop machines.

MACHINING

TIME TO SHINE

Sam reports on the grand opening of Chinese 3D technology leader, Shining 3D’s first EMEA office in Stuttgart.

MARINE PARTS ON DEMAND

Laura takes a look at how The Port of Rotterdam is on a mission to become the world’s smartest port.

MACHINING GIVES ADDITIVE THE EDGE

How a 73-year old familybusiness gave itself a competitive edge by introducing additive to a traditional machine shop.

TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES

TECHNOLOGIES ACCELERATED

The last few months have seen a colossal surge in new technology from Desktop Metal to Formlabs. We bring you an update on all of the biggest launches since the last issue of TCT..

AM & 3D PRINTING BUREAUX

UK MAP

The annual UK 3D Printing and AM Service Provider Map is back for 2017.

DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY

Laura speaks to two UK bureaux leading the way at two very different ends of the 3D printing market.

REGULARS

05 53 66

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK GUEST COLUMN TODD GRIMM COLUMN 25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

COVER STORY

LOW-COST DESKTOP INJECTION MOULDING O Here’s how we do it!

Mitc hell Br own fr om V E R T De s ig n e x p l a i n s

25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

UR PRODUCT DESIGN COMPANY was engaged to develop a variation of a hose clip that is used on a high speed production line. The product works through the use of an integral hinge and flexible clipping geometry. Traditionally we would test the design through the use of SLS 3D printed models, however, the results achieved were not accurate. We required the geometry to be proven in the actual production materials, which in this case was injection moulded polypropylene.

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

BEHAVIOUR OF TOOLING WHILST BEING RUN

A rudimentary metal mould ring was adapted to the printed tooling. This ensured that the nozzle was not in direct contact with the 3D printed tool where it could cause physical damage and/or degradation. Initially we cycled a material with a high mould-flow index. This allowed us to check that the tool could be properly filled and de-moulded. Once we achieved fully formed parts we switched to polypropylene. The machine we used is hand operated and a cycle usually takes 30 seconds from loading the tool to de-moulding a part. When we observed that parts were not fully forming we applied a thin layer of mould release spray that allowed the material to fill the mould with greater ease. In between cycles we used compressed air to cool the tool as heat is absorbed from the molded plastic. This was to prevent damage to the tool. Through the design phase, we developed multiple iterations. Eventually this was short-listed to two possible concepts. Producing a prototype tool in steel or aluminium would have cost many thousands of dollars and taken a minimum of six weeks. We turned to 3D printed tooling as it was faster and cheaper.

QUALITY OF THE MOULDINGS Using a hand operated moulding machine we were able to produce parts of excellent quality. The surface finish achieved was similar to a fine EDM finish found in steel production tools. At times we noticed visible flow lines, voids from trapped gas, flashing and noticeable gate remains. Flashing and gate remains were trimmed by hand to clean up moulded parts. That said, it is possible to achieve cleaner parts with better process control and stable material temperature.

PRODUCTION OF THE MOULDING TOOL

We designed the tooling ourselves. Features like a smooth parting line, interlocking geometry and adequate venting were used to ensure that parts could be successfully moulded. We printed the tooling on an Asiga PRO2 3D printer in Asiga FusionGRAY high temperature resin. Asiga 3D printers employ a build process which actively forms fine layers of resin through a sliding action termed “Slide-AndSeparate” (SAS). This gives them a unique property amongst inverted stereolithography systems of being able to print large cross-sectional areas quickly in precise layer thicknesses, which is highly applicable to the geometry of injection mould tooling. We were able to print tools of excellent surface finish at 25 microns layer thickness in the FusionGRAY material which is rated to operate above 200 degrees Celsius, sufficient for injection moulding of polypropylene.

CONDITION OF TOOLING AFTER MOULDING The FusionGRAY tooling material can wear if not treated with care. Controlled processing of the tool is necessary due to the significant hydraulic pressures involved and over-filling cavities can destroy the tool. In addition, over-clamping can also fracture weak points in the tool. In the course of cycling the tool in our project we noticed a hair-line crack form, however, this did not compromise the performance of the tool. Protection of the tool can be improved through the use of a metal bolster so that the clamping pressure is taken by the bolster rather than the 3D printed inserts.

COMPARISON TO OTHER 3D PRINTERS

We have previously tested digital tooling produced with other 3D printers. In my experience, FusionGRAY displays greater integral strength and produces a smoother tool surface with little to no stepped build-lines being transferred to the moulded part.

CONCLUSION

The use of 3D printed tooling in tandem with low pressure moulding machines in our design studio has enabled us quickly manufacture real injection moulded parts at low-cost. We have been able to validate potential designs as well as produce low-volume runs of components in real engineering plastics.

For more information visit: WWW.ASIGA.COM 25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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COVER STORY NEWS ROUNDUP ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD RECEIVES £75,000 GRANT FROM ARCONIC FOUNDATION The University of Sheffield has received a £75,000 grant from Arconic Foundation to support the institute’s adoption of contemporary technologies, such as additive manufacturing and robotics. Arconic Foundation is the independent philanthropic division of Arconic Inc., the advanced materials company with experience in a number of modern manufacturing technologies. The £75,000 grant, which equates to around €86,500, was delivered through Arconic Foundation’s Advanced Manufacturing Education Grant Program, which addresses the shift in manufacturing from traditional methods to the likes of additive manufacturing and automation. BASF AND ESSENTIUM PARTNER TO STRENGTHEN FFF 3D PRINTED PARTS 

 LEARN HOW TO OPTIMISE FOR ADDITIVE Join solidThinking on 18th July for a free webinar discussing the history and future of topology optimisation and how it is currently helping companies to fully leverage the additive manufacturing process. This webinar will showcase how 3D printing coupled with design optimisation enables better products through mass complexity. Learn how 3D printing is being used to produce parts that are lighter, stronger, better performing and safer through real-world examples including the redesign of a critical aerospace bracket that saw an incredible weight reduction of 70% while making the part stiffer. Register now at mytct.co/TCTWebinar. 

Chemistry company BASF is partnering with Essentium, a 3D printing materials firm, to create more robust parts for use in mass production with Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology. Acknowledging the struggle for 3D printed plastics to progress beyond the primary application of prototyping due to a lack of durability, the two companies are concentrating on the development of a range of polymers with high strength capabilities. FFF printing technology will be focused on during this collaboration because of its compatibility with an array of thermoplastics, ability to fabricate large, complex parts, and combine multi-modality materials in the same print. FFF is also suited to provide printed parts that are both structural and composed of filaments loaded with functional fillers. 

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NEWS

NOTTINGHAM STUDENT DESIGNS 3D PRINTED WEARABLE DEVICE FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED  A student from Nottingham Trent University has leveraged 3D technology to design a wearable device that can help the visually impaired identify colours. Andrew Cowen, a 23-year-old Product Design student, was inspired by his grandmother who was registered blind for 40 years before her recent passing. The device, named KOLEY, is

FOR THESE STORIES IN FULL CLICK TO http://mytct.co/25_3news

Swedish 3D printing manufacturer, Magicfirm Europe is now accepting orders for its new ZYYX pro 3D printer, following the success of its ZYYX+ machine. In addition, Magicfirm, which was founded in 2013, has added three new materials to the ZYYX line of proFilaments: ZYYX proNylon, ZYYX proCarbon, and ZYYX proKev. The ZYYX pro machine has been specifically developed to enable the rapid production of customised and high-strength parts on their desks. With the addition of three new filaments this capability has been further enhanced. 

worn on the wrist and can identify the colour of an item when pointed in its direction. It transmits this information by either describing it aloud, or through an optional earpiece. Cowen used SOLIDWORKS software to model the device, and used a Stratasys uPrint SE Plus to print several models while the design was still being developed. Once the design was finalised a prototype was printed on a 3D Systems Projet 3500 HD Max in UV cured resin.  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

011

Aerospace

THE QUALIFICATION QUANDARY S WOR DS : Da nie l O’ C o n n o r

THE CLAIM

Aerospace certification is additive’s deep-end, it is the most difficult to attain but once conquered all should follow. “If something goes wrong in a car, you can pull it over to the side of the road, that’s not the case in the air,” Jeff Kowalski, Autodesk’s CTO said in a previous interview.

012

25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

EVERAL AIRWORTHINESS AUTHORITIES throughout the world certify aircraft, modifications and products; there’s the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), there’s the International Civil Aviation Organization - part of the United Nations, and even Europe’s smallest republic, San Marino, has an aviation agency. The most renowned and respected is the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in the U.S. That’s why when a breakthrough happens in certification the headlines always scream “First FAA Approved Part” as opposed to, “First EASA Approved Part”. In fact, it was a headline on a press release that led me down a path to further understand what it means to get FAA approval. The complex frameworks and semantics that exist to ensure that everything on an aircraft is airworthy resulting in, by far, the safest mode of transport.

“Norsk Titanium to Deliver the World’s First FAA-Approved, 3D-Printed, Structural Titanium Components to Boeing,” said the headline on top of April 10, 2017, press release from Norsk. I knew it was coming, I had spoken to CEO, Warren Boley two months previously with the aim of covering the story in our sister publication across the pond. Unfortunately, I couldn’t confirm nor deny it to be true before my deadline, and we didn't run with it. Eventually, Boeing confirmed, and an FAA spokesperson got back to me with the following statement, confirming Norsk’s statement to be true, albeit in a semantically odd way: “It is accurate that Norsk Titanium is the Boeingapproved supplier for 787 galley fittings, but they are not “FAA-approved” as such. We do not approve any supplier or certify their designs. They are indirectly approved as a vendor through Boeing, and Boeing is responsible for showing that the parts comply with applicable regulations as part of the 787 type design.”

THE STEPS

What I hadn’t grasped was that FAA does not approve the process of making a part, it approves the aircraft, and it is up to the OEM to endorse the supplier of parts. Scott Sevcik, Head of

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Aerospace, Defense & Automotive at Stratasys explained in more detail: “You either present an aircraft to the FAA, or a modification to an aircraft. There are standards, the regulations to which you must certify but every one of those projects is unique, you work with the airworthiness authority to show how you are going to comply with the regulations. What they ultimately certify is that vehicle or modification, they are not certifying a vendor or process, they will leverage qualifications that have been performed as part of a certification plan for a vehicle.” It’s this very certification process that makes it tough for additive manufacturing (AM) to get to the point of confidence for it to be considered a norm in aerospace manufacturing. In August 2015 Terry Khaled, PhD, Chief S/T Advisor, Metallurgy at the FAA produced a presentation on AM for the FAA, which said: “My understanding is that FAA seldom approves materials and processes as standalone entities, materials and processes approvals are implied when a particular design has been certificated regardless of whether this design is a component, an engine or an aircraft. Therefore, why is FAA attempting to regulate AM as a standalone entity?”

RIGHT: Norsk’s RPD platform will be on display at the Paris Air Show

BELOW:

Norsk Titanium’s part delivered to Boeing

GE’s LEAP Fuel Nozzle is one of the first 3D printed parts to be approved by the FAA

The desire to certificate the technology as a whole would appear to do with the sheer amount of variables involved in AM. With traditional manufacturing in the aerospace industry, you use a solid block of known material and a CNC machine to subtract the parts. With

A DIFFERENT APPROACH

AM you have to take into account so much more: variables in the materials be it in powdered or wire form, the consistency of the energy source, the temperature of the chamber, does the machine print differently on the left-hand side to the right? Has the powder been contaminated by spatter from a laser beam? Has the part been orientated differently? Are there complex internal channels? And if so how can we ensure that they’re printing reliably time after time? That’s not getting started on the reverse engineering of parts, and all the additional process that requires, this from the aforementioned Dr Khaled presentation is quite something:

Screengrab of Dr Khaled’s 2015 FAA presentation on Additive Manufacturing

So just how did Norsk, a company without the kind of might behind a GE, whose LEAP fuel nozzle is perhaps the most well known aerospace part, get to the point of being an approved Boeing supplier? “What Norsk Titanium initially did is ran some 2,000 FAA tests to create specifications,” says CEO Warren Boley. “We created the Boeing specification, we then ran tests to show we were in compliance with that spec. We went through the FAA review process to show that all of our processes were in control and that the outcome was predictable. That we could comply with the spec meant that we connect with the Boeing airworthiness requirements that Boeing certifies to the FAA and then each subsequent part that we make is found to be in conformity to that.” Norsk’s technology, which we have reported on before, uses what they call Rapid Plasma Deposition, to make near-net shapes from a Titanium wire, hugely improving on fly-to-buy ratios of titanium, but fly-to-buy ratios are nothing without certification. “What Norsk and its investors did is decided to take a systems engineering approach,” explains Boley. “We're not trying to sell machines; we're trying to sell an FAA approved process.” Getting AM processes approved for a wide variety of parts be they structural or internal isn't going to happen overnight. However, Stratasys’s Scott Sevcik says we’re progressing at the speed of Concorde in comparison to the 30-40 years it took composites to get certified. “We've started to engage the whole industry in the U.S.,” says Sevcik “We are working with National Institution of Aviation research to develop a comprehensive certification of the process. This will be a materials and process specification that the FAA has already seen and understands so that everyone can leverage it. On top of that, we will create a very substantial test data set based on these specifications so that there is statistical confidence. Not every company should have to go through the qualification programme; multiple businesses should leverage the same data, the same accepted standard specs to efficiently certify parts for aircraft.”  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

ABOVE: MK3 rocket being fired. Credit: Stofiel Aerospace Facebook

WOR D S : Da n i e l O ’C o n n o r

DESTINATION S PA C E

OME TIME AGO I GOT A PRESS RELEASE extolling the virtues of the “First 3D Printed Tintin Rocket in Space” I watched the accompanying video with a touch of indignation, “haven’t we come further than this?” I thought. The video showed a 3D printed replica of the red rocket from one of Tintin’s most famed adventures. It was attached to a balloon that popped at the top of earth’s atmosphere, and the 3D print came tumbling back down to earth with all of the grace of a pigeon shot down in flight. While I admire a bit of marketing (I’ve written about it now haven’t I?), I have to ask, what benefit 3D printing added to this excursion at all? Couldn’t I just have done the same with a Tintin book? It’s this pointless kind of 3D printing that gives the industry a bad reputation; maybe plastic 3D printing is just for toys and trinkets? My indignation lasted but a single day until I saw a post on the 3D Printing News Subreddit. I lurk on the forum on the hunt for tasty morsels just like the one I uncovered when Brian Stofiel posted a short video of what looked like a firework not taking off in a bunch of rocks. In fact, Brian’s project is about so much more. Brian’s ex-military and he’s spotted a gap in the market for, “On-demand

MK3 rocket in various stages of construction. Credit: Stofiel Aerospace Facebook

access to low-earth orbit”. At the age of 35, he went back to school, learnt how to design rockets, set up Stofiel Aerospace and now he’s using 3D printing, bog-standard desktop FDM 3D printing, to achieve just that. Brian is 3D printing rockets, actual rockets, then coating them with a proprietary chemistry of graphite and ceramic so that they can survive a short firing, enough to propel a small satellite into orbit. And he’s using a printer that costs a heck of a lot less than the one the 3D printed Tintin rocket was printed on alongside some budget PLA. “I had a MakerBot and a Markforged, but I decided that I wanted to buy the cheapest printer possible and see if I could produce these rocket nozzles on a $175 printer,” Brian told TCT. “So I went and found a Prusa i3 kit, no computer runs it, no hard drive onboard, no LCD display.

I've been producing the latest nozzles on this printer, and the whole point was - you don't need a $20,000 printer for every project.” Stofiel’s ambitions are as lofty as the rockets it hopes to set off, but there is a clear need for better access to lowearth orbit. Think of the recent story on the rare Northern Royal Albatrosses. Counting them has previously proved treacherous as they nest exclusively on some rocky sea stacks in the Pacific, now they are using super sharp imagery from the DigitalGlobe WorldView-3 satellite to count the birds. It’s safer, cheaper, and more accurate. Stofiel Aerospace could open that door to aerial research quickly. The aim is to use weather balloons to reach 100,000 feet and then fire these disposable rockets and their cargo into low-earth orbit. Whereas currently, it takes about 6-8 months for a research project to send a cube-sat into space, Brian says they can get it done within a week, and because they’re using weather balloons, they don’t need launchpads. “With our last test we fired a 3D printed rocket with a composite motor,” says Brian “We brought the temperature up to 2200°C, and it survived the first three seconds of the burn and then we lost one of our spikes supports but it continues to survive because of the interior design. We are trying to get to 23 seconds with the burn, and that would allow us to fly a PLA 3D printed piece of plastic on a real rocket going hypersonic.” Stofiel Aerospace is only 6-8 months from flight testing, and 24 months from being fully operational. All thanks to a $175 3D printer.  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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Aerospace

He did both.

THE SEAT GURU WOR DS : S a m Dav i e s

ASTIAN, AN AUTODESK RESEARCH SCIENTIST based in the company’s Pier 9 facility in San Francisco, was first led onto 3D printing through metal casting seven years ago. Then, 3D printing provided a more effective way of building patterns when making a metal turn blade. This time round, 3D printing’s role wasn’t too dissimilar. Its superior capability to handle complex lattice geometry would see Bastian use it for exactly that, harnessing Autodesk’s NetFabb software and VoxelJet’s VX1000 binder jet 3D printing technology and PMMA powder. But the entire seat would not be printed, because Bastian and his partner, Andy Harris from Autodesk’s advanced consulting group, decided using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) would take too long for the complex shape of the seat. Instead, the printed patterns were used to create ceramic moulds for casting. “There’s this assumption that it takes a year and a half to get a casting,” Bastian told TCT. “Having surveyed the industry and spoken with some of the leaders in the field, you can turnaround a casting in eight hours if you want to. If you’re talking to the right people.” The right people, in this instance, were Arista

Cast, a casting foundry company in Michigan, USA. Jack Ziemba, CEO and Paul Leonard, Vice president of Arista Cast would use their equipment and their expertise to save time, and weight. Time was saved with the use of two VX 1000 machines – each of which can build 80 seat frames at once. With both machines running in parallel, 160 patterns could be produced every 72 hours, with a single pattern taking a maximum of 30 minutes to print. Adding the casting on top of that, a single seat would take approximately eight and a half hours to complete. In contrast, Bastian estimates a time-scale of up to ten times that if DMLS had been used to produce the entire seat, and that's before the assembly of several parts. Weight was saved thanks to Arista Cast’s suggestion of casting in magnesium, rather than aluminium. Magnesium, which has been researched with 3D printing but not yet made commercial, was FFA-approved last year – there had previously been flammability concerns with magnesium, but newer alloys, such as elektron 21, have made the metal more feasible for use in aerospace applications. Bastian was able to save a total of 36% in weight compared to seats made with aluminium. Around 26% of that was due to the use of magnesium, but a further 29.5% was saved thanks to the NetFabb software – the program’s capability to generate forms that are optimised for weight reduction. This significant save in weight may culminate in perhaps the most important savings for aerospace players: Cost and CO2 emissions. Bastian turned to Rhet McNeal, another Pier 9 resident, to help him make some complicated calculations, using Airbus’s A380 aircraft as a reference. The pair project that if Airbus were to replace all 615 seats on 100 A380 jets with this lightweighted seat design, the company would save $206,648,290 based on the average cost of jet fuel in 2015. Furthermore, they estimate 126,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions would be prevented from entering the atmosphere, which is equal to taking 80,000 cars off the road for a year. Bastian reveals conversations with aerospace personnel have already taken place. Yet, he seems more compelled to discuss the technological achievements than the intricacies of those dialogues.



ABOVE: Andreas Bastian and the seat. RIGHT & BELOW: Close-up view of the complex, almost organic, lattice structure resulting from the design optimisation software.

“We’ve untangled to a degree the interdependence between direct metal 3D printing and a lot of these optimisation and latticing techniques,” Bastian concludes. “You don’t necessarily have to direct metal 3D print [the entire part], and not only do you not have to metal 3D print, but you can actually use a process that’s already qualified for a lot of aerospace applications.”  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

When Andreas Bastian embarked on a project to design a lightweighted aircraft seat design, he admits he was doing so in a bid to ‘show the power of combining Autodesk’s advanced technologies in generative design and additive manufacturing with casting’, rather than to, say, provide a time-saving, weight-saving, cost-saving and eco-friendlier solution for the aerospace industry.

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

LEFT: A component manufactured from the patent-pending THREAD process developed at the AMRC.

WORDS : Sam Davies

BY A THREAD W

HEN AEROSPACE PLAYERS tour the University of Sheffield’s Additive Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) facility, they’ve often fantasised about a process that removes the time spent inputting electrical elements into a part after production. This year, Mark Cocking, a Development Engineer and Additive Manufacturing Specialist, has hit back with an enlightening response: ‘Actually, you can do that right now.’ THREAD, a new technology born from two years of research at the AMRC, is a 3D printing process that allows electrical, optical and structural elements to be introduced to the print of an object without hindering the build. It uses standard, ‘off-the-shelf’ material, such as copper and fibre optics, to implement the interior necessities to electrical objects as it is being manufactured on a 3D printer. Traditionally, this is done

after the part is built, and can be a time-consuming process. A unique technology, it's set to change the way high performance parts are manufactured. It has also deviated from the age-old, industry-standard, par-for-the-course procedure of giving a 3D printing process a name so long it has to be abbreviated. THREAD is a contraction of so many things: time; weight; cost, but of its name, it is not. Instead, it’s a handy metaphor for how the technology works. “[The name comes from] strands and threads and industry. It isn’t an acronym. I decided I think the additive world has enough acronyms,” jokes Mark, the inventor of the THREAD

process. “THREAD suits exactly what the process is. It’s been shown under Non-Disclosure Agreement to people in the past and they’ve said, ‘Oh gosh, how did you get that thread inside there?’ It’s this term that popped up.” Up to now, Mark’s research has involved testing THREAD with Stereolithography (SLA) and Digital Light Processing (DLP) platforms, using a handful of materials, like the aforementioned coppers and fibre optics, as well as steel strands and micro fluidics. Mark will test more materials as research continues, but expects, in the future, specialist strands being developed specifically to support THREAD. Mark and his colleagues at AMRC recognise the need to continue researching and bettering the THREAD process. So far it has adapted well to whichever platform it has been tested with, whether it be SLA or DLP. “It’s not this thing where you’d need a brand new machine platform and technology, you could definitely add this to machines with a bit of tweaking, but also in the future it could be the type of thing that machine manufacturers want to take on as an add-on.” Mark’s research in the additive manufacturing field spans over a decade. He noticed a growing demand for more and more innovation as the industry grew. Among those demands, were calls centred on connectivity, and parts, particularly for aerospace applications, that were durable and would maintain the electronics and wiring in the interior of a structure. He’s seen others use conductive ››



LEFT: The AMRC designed UAV on which Mark was Lead Additive Manufacturing Engineer could be vastly improved using the THREAD process.

25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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Aerospace ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

 ABOVE: The AMRC.

paste in an attempt to solve this issue, but has doubts whether leading personalities in the aerospace sector would trust it. Mulling around Mark’s brain was a process that would introduce elements into a print, through the x, y and z axes, as the part was built. The research project was established independently, and brought about THREAD. Mark is now looking to test the process on more platforms: Fused Deposition Modelling, High Speed Sintering, Polyjet, to name a few. It will add further credence to the research. Research that already outlines a range of benefits. THREAD ensures a quick and easy way of implementing electrical elements into a part. It opens up opportunities for an array of people, in an array of industries, for an array of applications. “In this instance, with THREAD, you can quite easily thread one, or 20, or 50 threads on a unique path and by doing that you’re saving all this weight. Its design, you’ve got to put into the part initially, but when you take it off the printer, you’re taking a part off that has all these elements within. You’ve got no post-processing, or assembly of looms, or whatever it may be.

“Sensors is another thing. They’re usually strapped to the outside of something. Now what we can do with some of the sensors available is decide exactly where in the structure you might want that sensor to sit, in x, y, and z, prior to the build. You can actually thread to that point, you can insert items to that point, it’s exactly where you need the sensor.” Though still in the early days, industry players have only been aware of THREAD for a few months, it has already received a lot of attention. Mark is set to welcome a major software company in the coming weeks, who will explore how they can enhance THREAD. So far AMRC has used its own software alongside the technology, which in itself has required a vast amount of research. It enables the user to indicate exactly which areas a strand can pass through, avoiding certain spaces, with the algorithms also taking into account the thread material. Mark recalls the visitors to the AMRC facility being rather impressed when he divulges what he can of the patent-pending technology. He tells of the interest he and THREAD have received in recent weeks and months, but he can’t tell exactly how these potential partners plan to use THREAD. Mark, however, has many ideas of his own. One of them is leveraging THREAD to create air foil profiles for Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAVs) - Mark was

part of AMRC’s Design and Prototyping Group that designed and successfully flew a powered fixed wing UAV using a variety of 3D technologies. Rather than having elevons (aircraft control surfaces), with THREAD users could instead morph the shape of the wing. But then, there’s maintaining structures, and monitoring that maintenance, to consider too. “You can do that by maybe printing parts of the structure and introducing sensors inside that sit within the structure, and it’s all protected, it’s all sat within, you can monitor the structure, you can work out the deflection of certain areas, or loading, or whatever it may be. So you can make these structures smart, in essence.” Before the process is widely adopted by manufacturers, there is a rudimentary ‘hands on’ phase, where potential suitors weigh up the idea of implementing THREAD. With testing set to continue, Mark expects major projects involving THREAD to commence by next year such is the vast interest. Mark is keen to reiterate the interest and the curiosity, which is as much because of how companies might put it to use, as it is the fact that, while THREAD may well disrupt the industry, it won’t disrupt the print. “The hook of it is, for everybody that has contacted me so far, we’re not stopping the print, we’re not pausing it, we’re not taking anything out, we’re not doing anything afterwards, and it’s industry-recognised, graded material that has been used that everybody can trust.”  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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Materialise World Summit

Materialise World Summit 2017 Review

WORDS : Laura Griffiths

HERE AREN’T MANY COMPANIES that can pull off a multi-track, two-day conference using only its partner network and top it off with a Jimmy Fallon show-style event complete with its own ‘3D Printed Hearts Band’ made entirely of its staff. But then there aren’t many companies like Materialise, which recently ticked all of those boxes, and then some, when it hosted its biannual World Summit in Brussels. Materialise founder and CEO, Fried Vancraen, welcomed delegates to SQUARE on April 20th with a brief history of how the Belgian 3D printing company has evolved over the last 27 years. “We believe co-creation is at the base of many more successes,” Fried explained and that belief set the course for the presentations that followed with a host of Materialise partners discussing everything from aerospace to consumer goods. The trend for partnerships is a rising one as major players team up to turn additive manufacturing into a viable tool for industrial production. Materialise has been doing this for almost three decades and cemented this belief declaring it no longer talks about R&D but rather RC&D – Research Co-creation and Development. One such partnership is with Hoya Vision Care on the Yuniku platform, which has

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25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

ABOVE:

The big reveal: Materialise 0.1



RIGHT: The big reveal: Materialise 0.1

BELOW: The GO wheelchair by LAYER

bold ambitions to “do to eyewear what iTunes did to music”. Collaborations with BASF, Airbus and Siemens, who said, “additive manufacturing is a major opportunity”, also took centre stage throughout the two days. In a conference highlight, a graphic but incredible talk from Dr. Jonathan Morris at the Mayo Clinic showed some unreal examples of how 3D printing is bridging the gap for healthcare professionals. We saw examples of how the hospital, which produced around 600 surgical case models on its own 3D printers last year, has performed complete cranial reconstructions, removed complex tumours and successfully separated conjoined twins with 3D printed guides and tools. Dr. Morris advised attendees to “not put barriers to people using this technology because they will use it in ways that you cannot imagine”.

Stefaan Motte, VP, Software at Materialise spoke about ‘context’ in the industry to ensure the technology adds value, demonstrating that the core of Industry 4.0 is about communication in terms of machines talking to each other in addition to businesses and individuals. We also heard how design is being used to make products more meaningful for consumers. Brilliant examples from LAYER showed how a collaborative process resulted in a custom 3D printed wheelchair and digital supply chain, and how the redesign of a generic charity box increased its revenue by 80%. Most talks on AM are about the future and who better to talk about that than the people who will be working in it? Welcomed as “three young people from Materialise”, Ayishwariya Menon, Kristel Van den Bergh and ir. Manuel Michiels discussed innovating the future and how “companies cannot afford to stand still." Presentations on 3D printing parts for the SpaceX Mars space station, digital supply chains with Tailored Fits AG, AM for automotive tooling with RapidFit+, and GE Additive provided plenty of pause for thought. Early on we were teased of a brand new innovation that had just got the green light from Materialise’s Leuven lab. All attendees were shuttled over to Concert Noble where we were promised a first look at “Materialise 0.1”. Was it a new 3D printer? Robot? Time machine? In an elaborate presentation, which included “live video footage” of the company’s CEO transporting the mystery product straight to the event, which was then paraded through the crowd, anyone could see that all was not what it seemed. And we were right; the big reveal was that Materialise 0.1 is all of us, the partners, the collaborators in the Materialise network, further driving home the significance of co-creation. If there was one key takeaway from the Materialise World Summit, it was the value of partnership. You can’t raise this industry up all on your own and it’s encouraging to see that more companies are willing to make these connections to exchange knowledge and push it forward together. Judging by Materialise’s unshakable lead as the industry backbone that can only be a positive thing. 

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Jigs & Fixtures ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

ABOVE: Lamp holder bracket

below: ABOVE: Close-up production line

Philips metal suction gripper

PHILIPS’ LIGHTBULB MOMENT: 3D

PRINTING BECOMES ESSENTIAL PRODUCTION THINKING

ET THERE BE LIGHT. It’s a simple phrase that belies the production intricacies involved in manufacturing modern lighting solutions. A true ‘life essential’, lightbulbs are required in vast volumes but there is more to manufacturing the humble lightbulb than meets the eye. A recent collaboration between Materialise and Philips Lighting resulted in the ‘reinvention’ of a lamp holder previously prone to part failure, and the automation of a previously labour intensive line using lightweight design. These two innovations alone are realising cost savings of around €89,000 a year through the operational benefits they deliver. Founded in 1891 to manufacture incandescent lamps and other electrical products, Philips has been innovating for over 125 years. The Philips Lighting site in Turnhout (Belgium) plays a key role in maintaining that tradition. Interested in the potential that 3D printing – particularly metal printing – could help unlock in their production process, Philips Factory Engineering Designer, Danny Van der Jonckheyd and his team invited Materialise to the site to gain an in-depth understanding of Philips’ specific production line requirements. Sven Hermans, Business Development Manager at Materialise explained: “You have to see a line in action to truly appreciate the demands, strains and stresses on specific assembly elements, but also to understand the pressures on personnel. While at the site, we looked at parts and spoke with production line operatives, maintenance teams, factory engineers - as many people as we could in order to identify

issues and areas ripe for enhancement that would be ideally suited to 3D printed solutions.”

PRINTING TO PREVENT PART FAILURE

The first part earmarked for improvement was a bracket/holder used to hold lamps in place and keep lead-in wires away from heat as torches are applied to melt and seal off glass exhaust tubes. Repeated exposure to high temperatures on a continuous line, paired with structure featuring weld lines from a fourpiece bracket assembly, meant sheering and breakage was a common occurrence, with one or two failing every week. The brackets were being repaired on site using a buffer supply of spares Philips had to store on location. However, each multi-piece unit was difficult to remove and disassemble and could take up to two hours to fix. Also, only a limited number of repairs could take place before a completely new unit was needed, requiring a lead-time of approximately 8 weeks. Working in partnership with the team, Materialise co-engineered and metal printed a new single structure bracket, reducing part assembly and removing weld line pressure points completely. In the first three months of use, the re-imagined bracket has not broken once. Danny explains: “We thought having to fix parts less often and more easily would be the biggest advantage but so far we haven’t had to replace any. Even if we were to consider this

purely in terms of reduced maintenance technician time, we are already saving around €9,000 a year, plus the fact the technician can now concentrate on the real technical problems.” Other advantages included reduced outlay and inventory for replacement parts, in addition to the creation of new conical wire holders as part of the bracket, which allow in-situ maintenance and reduce risk of damage Danny added: “It’s sparked a thought in everyone that we can and should do things differently – since this initial project I’ve been approached by people from different aspects of production with ideas for other ways 3D printing can work for us. It’s truly engaged our workforce.”

GRIPPER REVELATION

Testament to this new mindset, the production team at Philips spotted another opportunity. Could 3D Printing help with the automation of an existing, highly labour-intensive process? The line in question previously required a machine operator - in continuous attendance - to physically place parts in a 12-bore gripper, apply materials and remove finished units. Automation of this process required enhancements to the vacuum suction capability of the gripper and a lighter construction sturdy enough to withstand the strains and stresses of a ‘pick and place’ robotic action. By consolidating construction, creating curved internal channels and printing the gripper from Aluminium (AlSi10Mg), strength and suction has improved while reducing overall unit-weight – thus enabling faster, reliable movement. “The gripper’s new capabilities have removed the need for time consuming manual part placement which, over the course of a year, will save us around €80,000 and significant operator hours. “The whole process has really opened our eyes, imaginations and hearts to 3D printing to such an extent that I think it has become a natural component of our manufacturing toolkit.”  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

025

.medical

www.concept-laser.de Concept Laser GmbH An der Zeil 8 | D 96215 Lichtenfels T: +49 (0) 95 71. 1679 200 | F: +49 (0) 95 71. 1679 299 | info@concept-laser.de

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MACHINE SOLUTIONS FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING WITH METALS

Tooling, Jigs & Fixtures ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

WORDS : Sam Davies

CUSTOMISING THE FACTORY FLOOR

RINCKLE LAUNCHED ITS PARAMATE SOFTWARE IN 2015, and since it has established itself as a revolutionary tool for the customisation of complex products. Ranging from prosthetics to jewellery, paramate can be leveraged to build customised products in many different areas. A chance meeting with Hannes Kuhn, the CEO of Kuhn-Stoff, a robotic system developer, brought trinckle's attention to a gap in the market. One which paramate might just have filled.

The configuration of robotic gripper components can be ABOVE arduous, & BELOW: 3D printed meticulous and timecustomisable consuming. These grippers components also need to for robotics arms  be customised to ensure maximum performance. Kuhn relayed these challenges to Florian Reichle and Gunnar Schulze, CoFounders of trinckle, and in response, they posed paramate as a potential solution. Working together the two companies have sought to realise the potential of paramate in streamlining the process of producing robotic grippers.

3D technology's customisation proficiencies have contributed to its mass adoption in the healthcare, dentistry and consumer goods markets. Paramate takes the customisation concept, and with a user-friendly interface, allows users of almost any capability to configure a product to their needs, right down to the millimetre. When configuring robotic grippers, the software receives the desired parameters of a part and work the shape to that size. It stands to save a lot of time, and stress, for users who want a fast, efficient solution. Reichle, trinckle's CEO, self-effacingly concedes tailoring robotic grippers may be ‘boring' in comparison to a customised medical prosthetic, for example. Interest is simply a matter of personal intrigue. For manufacturers, it goes beyond interest, into business. And a design software with this volume of capability certainly does not constitute a bore to them. Rather, it provides them with significant advantages and creates new opportunities for the creation of custom products. "We talk about customisation, and maybe people first think customisation for jewellery, [where you can] change the colour or put a name on a smartphone case, for example. We know this as the annoying part of customisation," Reichle tells TCT. "We're thinking about customising more useful, custom-made functions, for example, robotic grippers. There are a lot of cases where you need a particular gripping system to make sure [your application] works, and if you have to design everything from hand, it takes a lot of time. ›› 25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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ď&#x20AC;´RIGHT: paramate

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define parameter ranges for any configurable product element. These pre-defined parameter limits guarantee functionality and stability, while the advanced algorithms in the background take care of the more complex configuration. This has allowed Hannes Kuhn to balance the considerable design challenges, and also leave enough flexibility to customise the grippers according to his customers' specific needs. Paramate's web-based configuration function was also particularly welcomed by Kuhn, who suggests it will grant end users access to a simpler design process, especially suitable when changes need to be made quickly. Additionally, the paramate platform allows multiple components to be arranged simultaneously and boasts a secure and scalable cloud-based web hosting, keeping product data safe. The result is the potential for a protected, practical, customised design within minutes, or maybe even seconds. "Once we included [Kuhn's] design rules and paramate ranges into the system, he was able just to define what he wants, and the application can just automatically calculate the right gripping system," Reichle added. "Thanks to paramate, the design time was reduced from eight hours for one gripper, to a matter of minutes or seconds. And the gripper itself is not very expensive to print but having eight hours for designing effort is a lot [of time], and it was by far the biggest drawback of this gripper system." Though confidence in the

paramate software is high, trinckle is not a company for resting on its laurels. Gunnar Schulze, trinckle's Technical Director, outlined the intent to integrate more CAD systems available on the market to broaden paramate's scope and expand its ability to create configurable products. Playing it coy, Schulze avoided naming names but did reveal there is a list of potential candidates, and an announcement of at least one new program was hinted at before the end of the year. Trinckle's ambition with paramate doesn't stop there. The German company believes it can have a significant role to play as additive manufacturing continues its upward trajectory and cements its role in the next industrial age. "Maybe a little bit of wishing, but I could see paramate also playing a role in the whole concept of this smart factory," Schulze told TCT. "So when you think of modern production facilities that are very versatile, which can be adjusted to produce new and different goods quickly, then I think we will probably come to the point that you have to modify some elements quickly and generate new custom components on the fly. This is somewhere I could see paramate as a solution in this particular field of automatisation." Founded in 2013, trinckle has come a long way to put itself in a position to strive for such heights. Providing industrystandard, web-based CAD software and a 3D printing service that allows users to take products from ideas to finished goods, trinckle has established itself in the additive manufacturing industry. In 2015, it was one of five start-ups to be recognised at formnext powered by tct, an award which brought the company a lot of attention in its early days. Its latest gift to the market, the paramate software, has reinforced its growing status, illustrated by occasions where trinckle is no longer required to sell its product. Instead, potential customers are trying to sell themselves. "We have noticed more and more companies are interested in 3D printing right now, so whoever we meet is interested in our solutions," Reichle concludes. "The first feedback we got [for paramate] was positive. But, it has developed considerably since the beginning, people are excited about the possibilities. Now, sometimes I see my customer pitching applications of paramate to me and not the other way around." ď&#x20AC;ź 25 : 3â&#x20AC;&#x192; www.tctmagazine.com

029

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

"If you have a very specialised gripping system, it helps to handle a lot of problems that you might not have [been able to] before. The same happens in the MedTech industry for prostheses or implants or hearing aids; it is adjusted to your needs, it gives an extra value within the optic. It's not like a name on a phone case; it can improve the part and makes it beneficial for the user." Hannes Kuhn met the trinckle team a little over a year ago at an exhibition, and it soon became apparent that the paramate software was exactly what he needed. He explained the restrictions and challenges he faced building gripping systems to Reichle. Among other things, this would involve whether the air pipes were smooth enough and could hold enough air pressure. Designing one gripping system by hand typically takes industrial engineers up to eight hours. The complex design tasks, coupled with the recurring demand for custom robotic grippers, made this product an ideal candidate for trinckle's paramate software. The resulting web application promises to save creators hours of design time for each design, and it perfectly demonstrates the strengths of paramate. Based on parametric design principles, with an intuitive Constructive Solid Geometrybased workflow, paramate gives the manufacturer the freedom to

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Shining 3D EU Launch ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

WORDS : Sam Davies

TIME TO SHINE O PERATING FROM THE CAPITAL OF CHINA’S ZHEJIANG PROVINCE, Hangzhou, for the last 13 years has been Shining 3D. A consistently ambitious company, Shining hasn’t let the sheer scale of its goal consume it. One step at a time, the company has sought to establish itself as, first a significant player in the Chinese 3D technology market, and as recent performance has proven, the leader. But there’s a whole world out there. And rest assured, Shining has that in its sights too. The opening of the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) office in Stuttgart, Germany is the first step in the company’s aim to achieve a global profile. Stuttgart, a hub of industry and manufacturing, was championed by Oscar Meza, Shining 3D’s Vice President of Global Sales since September 2016. Before his arrival, Dusseldorf seemed the most likely destination for Shining 3D’s first overseas office. But citing Stuttgart’s industrial repute and close proximity to France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria, Meza was adamant the BadenWurttemberg capital was the prime location.

Shining 3D’s EMEA office, to be directed by Sunny Wong, a Shining employee since 2004, represents the value the company has for its customers. At the grand opening, in the nearby ARCOTEL Camino Hotel, the commitment to delivering a proficient support service to the users of Shining technology was clear. “The geographic location is perfect for us to reach most of our resellers in Europe and of course it’s a prime location for companies in our industrial market and consumer end products as well,” Meza told TCT. “The idea is to be closer to our resellers and our common users so we can provide a more expedited response in terms of resell support and post-sales support to our existing and incoming customers.” A 280-square metre office, the EMEA base will ensure Shining 3D is providing support to two thirds of the globe, 16 hours a day. In 2018, a North American office for the same purpose, with the same level of commitment, will open, most likely in San Francisco. If it’s as identical to the German office as Shining suggest, it will include a showroom, training room, and demo room. It will house Shining

ABOVE: The Shining 3D team at the EMEA launch technology, and that developed by two of its three main subsidiaries: Industrial 3D printer manufacturer, E-Plus 3D, and 3D Scanning and metrology company, Beijing TenYoun. It will also have experts onsite, ready to assist end-users. Next, and it’ll be ‘very soon’ according to Li Tao, Shining 3D’s CEO, will be a manufacturing base in Germany, and later the United States. The impending expansion of Shining 3D comes after five years of increased growth. In 2012, the company employed 149 people. On April 21st 2017, the day of the EMEA office’s grand opening, that figure had risen to 625. By the end of the year, Shining expect to have exceeded 700 employees. Of the current workforce, 40% operate from Shining’s HQ, with 41% in the techbased subsidiaries and the remaining 19% in Shining’s third main subsidiary, e-Print 3D, a rapid manufacturing service network. But the most telling figures to come out of Li Tao’s financial breakdown of the ››



LEFT: The newly launched EinScanSE

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INFO: INFO: INFO: VDW VDW –– Generalkommissariat Generalkommissariat EMO EMO Hannover Hannover 2017 2017 VDW – Generalkommissariat EMO Hannover 2017 Verein Verein Deutscher Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken e.V. e.V. Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken Corneliusstraße Corneliusstraße 44 ·· 60325 60325 Frankfurt Frankfurt am am Main Main ··e.V. GERMANY GERMANY Corneliusstraße 4 · 60325 Frankfurt am Main · GERMANY Tel.: Tel.: +49 +49 69 69 756081756081-00 ·· Fax: Fax: +49 +49 69 69 756081-74 756081-74 Tel.:emo@vdw.de +49 69 756081-0 · Fax: +49 69 756081-74 ·· www.emo-hannover.de emo@vdw.de www.emo-hannover.de emo@vdw.de · www.emo-hannover.de 17003_TCT_Europe_192x136_gb.indd 17003_TCT_Europe_192x136_gb.indd 11 17003_TCT_Europe_192x136_gb.indd 1

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Shining 3D EU Launch ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

company, were those demonstrating Shining’s commitment to research and development. Boasting a 60% yearon-year growth, Shining put 20% of its revenue back in to R&D for 2017, with a pledge to keep increasing this amount every year. Additionally, the company has nearly half of its manpower operating on R&D. “The amount of resources we put back into R&D is very important,” Meza assesses. “With previous experience, I’ve worked with two of our biggest competitors. I have never seen any other company in this area of business putting so much [of its] resources back into R&D. That’s something that makes a very clear and strong distinction between Shining 3D and the rest.” Shining weren’t just talking the talk. In addition to the leading Shining personnel and partners in Stuttgart, was a spread of Shining technology – two devices being launched that day. Following the EinScanPro+’s introduction at CES in January, the company marked this occasion by introducing the EinScan-SE and EinScanSP desktop 3D scanners, under the EinScan-S series. Both models of the EinScan-S line, developed off the back of an online questionnaire gauging customer purchase motivation, are multi-functional. They feature auto and fixed scan modes, and can scan items small to large with enhanced efficiency. Notably, the EinScan-S scanners are not only compatible with Shining 3D printers but also a host of other machines currently on the market. Though Shining is brimming with pride with regards to its vast range of 3D technology, it believes strongly in open architecture and feels forcing customers into buying a Shining printer just to match the scanner to be counter-productive. These additions to that range of tech, the SE (E for Elite) and SP (P for Platinum), cater for desktop printers and more professional solutions, respectively. Shining recommends the SE - which supersedes the EinScan-S - for novices, educators, and those

Shining’s 3D scanning technology has quickly forged a reputation for quality

interested in reverse engineering, animation, data sharing, virtual reality and augmented reality. The SP, meanwhile, gives designers access to faster, more accurate, and more reliable scans. With dimensions of 215 mm x 210 mm x 570 mm, the SE is retailing at $1,199, while the SP, 245mm x 210mm x 600m, is available at $2,299. Since the EMEA office’s grand opening, Shining has followed up with another scanning system, the RobotScan E0505, launched from the CONTROL exhibition in Stuttgart. The company’s fourth product launch of the year already, it highlights the company’s fruitful productivity, its commitment to delivering technologies to its wide customer base, and that the heavy investment in research and development is paying off. Ever since Shining’s foundation in 2004, it has held ambitions to be top of the pile, in China, and around the world. It seems there was a clear pathway to get there: Show willing to maximise the company’s scope in a variety of technologies, make the business profitable, reinvest in R&D, and always strive to be better. “We are confident that we are the best in China because we have achieved the top sales and revenue in the China market for four years, constantly,” Tao told TCT. “Last year, our financial record showed that the difference



RIGHT: The EP-M100T is a metal SLM printer that TCT saw at TCT Asia

between our revenue and the second [best Chinese] company is bigger than ever before, and on the technology side we have many innovation centres which are built together with local governments to help the users use our technology. We are not just a machine manufacturer. We are also a company that applies this technology in the practical world.” Meza follows up: “And everything that distinguishes us from the rest of the pack in China in terms of our own domestic competitors is the fact that we cover the whole spectrum of 3D technology, from 3D scanning all the way to printing technology. That sets us apart. Our biggest challenge is improving our own work. We know that we’re leading the pack, we just have to get better.” From consumer 3D printers, to scanners, to industrial metal solutions, Shining’s sheer scope of 3D technologies now seems unparalleled. Does Shining think its range of technology will serve it just as well against global competitors? “Absolutely,” Meza concludes convincingly. “The thing that I have learned in my years of experience is that people like to have the least possible number of suppliers for the products that they use.” Having its customers at the forefront of its mind is an approach that has got Shining where it is today, operating inside two continents, and will perhaps get it where it wants to be tomorrow, on top of the world.  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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Marine

MARINE PARTS ON DEMAND

Prototyping of hollow propeller blade

WORDS : Laura Griffiths

T At the busiest port in Europe, 105,000 inland vessels and over 29,000 sea-going have sailed in and out carrying 461,2 million tonnes of cargo over the past year. Once hailed as the largest port in the world, the Port of Rotterdam is on a mission, enlisting robotics, advanced manufacturing and startups, to earn itself another moniker as the 'world’s smartest port.' 034

HE PORT OF ROTTERDAM is no stranger to innovation. In 1966 when the idea of a 40ft steel box with swing doors used to contain cargo, an invention that seems so simple and essential now, was first presented, the Port of Rotterdam was one of the first to take these now ubiquitous shipping containers seriously. It’s continuing that pioneering spirit by partnering with organisations across its ‘innovation ecosystem’ to look at ways in which the marine industry and logistics can be made smarter. Part of this strategy is RAMLAB, a dedicated additive manufacturing facility established in November last year for the manufacture of ondemand certified metal parts. The first-of-its-kind lab is the result of a partnership between Port of Rotterdam, InnovationQuarter and RDM Makerspace who propose that if large metal parts could be manufactured on demand and on site, it could reduce lengthy lead times and inventory costs significantly. A consortium of over 20 companies has been working together to share their expertise and explore the use of additive through a handful of case studies looking at typical marine parts. The most recent was a yearlong project exploring the manufacture of a ship propeller through hybrid techniques in partnership with Autodesk. “Things have always been done in a certain way and unless you're a pioneer or innovator you don't always change them,” Kelvin Hamilton, Autodesk explained. “We are stronger for it [the consortium] because not one company or person knows everything but we can each pitch in and get somewhere faster.”

25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

WHEN THEY SEE IT WITH THEIR OWN EYES, THEY START SEEING THE POTENTIAL Autodesk started by designing and building a single propeller blade to prove the process of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), a technology similar to welding, which leverages a Valk Welding robotic arm to manufacture large parts unrestricted by a build area and can then be finished by machining. “A good fit for what is already being used in the industry,” explains Kelvin, WAAM uses a metal wire feed which means no need for AM specific powders, no material residue and the port’s engineers can continue to use the same materials they’re used to working with. That familiarity has been key in RAMLAB’s success so far. Up until recently the marine industry has been slow to adopt 3D printing but with industrial spare parts being a crucial piece in its ecosystem, it could stand to benefit massively. Starting by choosing parts that don’t necessarily lend themselves to additive, (the propeller design hasn’t yet been adapted to exploit the benefits of AM) the consortium’s intial goal is to show what is possible with this technology. “There are always early adopters and of course it’s a sector known for being a bit conservative but the strength of the lab is that we are open and invite many people here to come and see what’s happening,” Vincent Wegener,

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Managing Director, RAMLAB explained. “When they see it with their own eyes, they start seeing the potential.” The first propeller was a proof on concept in stainless steel and is now being prepared for material tests, most likely in Nickel Aluminium Bronze, a material used in current marine parts due to its proven corrosion resistance, before it’s declared sea-ready. The marine industry isn’t as concerned with weight reduction as other industries such as aerospace so the team have chosen to build the propeller as a solid component but Kelvin says it’s looking at generatively designed or lattice-filled alternatives for future investigation. Once material testing is complete, the team will start building a sea-worthy version, which will be placed on a real sea-going ship to collect tangible data. If all goes well, it could stay on board for an extended period to test its longevity and resistance.

LEFT: Port of Rotterdam, credit: Freek van Arkel

RIGHT: Final as-built propeller

BELOW: Inspecting



part form during build

RAMLAB REPRESENTS AN EXCITING STEP FORWARD FOR THE INDUSTRY IN REALISING THE POTENTIAL OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES SUCH AS WAAM

CERTIFIED SEA-READY?

Once parts are built, the next challenge is certification and risk management organisation, Lloyd’s Register, is working with RAMLAB to set up the certification process for WAAM. Currently there are no best practices or standardised guidelines for AM and the organisation has been looking specifically at the third-party certification of AM parts and components since 2015 in partnership with TWI. “The RAMLAB project represents an exciting step forward for the industry in realising the potential of additive manufacturing processes such as WAAM,” Tom White, Innovation Owner at Lloyd’s Register explained. “At RAMLAB, our specialists and representatives are with designers, end-users and manufacturers across several industries, providing guidance and working in collaboration on technical and assurance considerations throughout the product lifecycle.” Lloyd’s Register has published Guidance Notes for Additive Manufacturing and the Additive Manufacturing Roadmap, which chart the course for the safe use of AM components for safety-critical assets and offer guidance to the industry. They’re now using that knowledge to

Close-up of welding torch

bring AM components and processes to the market safely. At RAMLAB, it's looking at how the WAAM process can be monitored to ensure reliable and repeatable products. Tom continued: “In providing assurance and certification to these manufacturing processes and products, we are supporting our partners to develop a robust, tailored approach in each case to align with the specifics of the process, service conditions and taking into consideration the production routes.”

A HUB OF INNOVATION

RAMLAB is part of a much wider narrative of innovation within the Port of Rotterdam with several startups and new technologies located there including sustainable material developer, MgAubel; the AIS Buddy app which provides real time information for inland shippers; and futuristic-looking aquadrones called Water Sharks, which can remove up to 500 kilos of waste from the water. RAMLAB’s vision of a connnected on-demand future, this will be enabled by a digital repository of part files which can be sent directly to ports with their own metal 3D printers and produced within a matter of days rather than the weeks or months taken to deliver a traditionally manufactured part. Internal ship components which could benefit from less material consumption or welded connections for oil rigs that can be consolidated into one part are just a few areas in which WAAM could prove beneficial. It’s still in the early stages but there has allegedly already been interest from ports around the world wanting to be a part of this digital ecosystem, which Vincent says would create something like a “Spotify of spare parts”. Port of Rotterdam wants to be a trailblazer in this and lead the way for other ports to this vision and bring the marine industry inline with industry 4.0. Vincent added: “We are part of a bigger strategy from the Port of Rotterdam to be the smartest port in the world. We are just one piece of the puzzle.”  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

035

Technology launches

BY : Daniel O’Connor, Laura Griffiths and Sam Davies

TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES

"TCT’s tagline is ‘Accelerating 3D technologies’, and having worked on the magazine for over four years I have never seen innovation coming so thick and fast.” - Daniel O’Connor

TECHNOLOGIES ACCELERATED

VER THE FOLLOWING PAGES we’ll explore a host of innovations that have come in the two months since our last issue and this list is by no means exhaustive. As we were putting together this list more innovations kept piling in, the Hardware Innovation category of the TCT Awards has at least twice as many entires as any other category. We’ll concentrate specifically here on 3D printing hardware technology, some more in-depth than others. There has also been multiple materials, software and auxiliary launches and we simply don’t have enough space in this issue to cover them. For all of those head over to www.tctmagazine.com

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25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

PAXIS

WORDS : Daniel O’Connor

We’ll start with the launch shrouded in the most secrecy, at AMUG 2017, Mike Littrell, President of multi-award winning service bureau Cideas approached TCT and asked, “How do I go about getting you to sign an embargo so I can talk to you about something?” At RAPID + TCT Mike was finally able to reveal “breadcrumbs” of information about a technology that those in the know are suggesting could be a breakthrough for resinbased 3D printing. “I hired a programmer to develope a quoting engine that was able to look at all the different processes,” Mike told TCT at the Pittsburgh event. “In the process of creating the dashboard back-end of the True-Quote software he (Fred Knecht, now Paxis CTO) called me into the office in regards to a problem we'd been having with trapped volume parts within the resin based processes. He started describing it to me and within about ten seconds I said "Stop! That's it, we are starting a new company, we're developing this, here's my credit card, go out and buy what you need." The technology is called WAV (Wave Applied Voxel) and although Mike and the team are still fairly tight lipped about the process he did tell us this: “One of the unique features is that based on the way we deploy resins we think that resins

Paxis are still keeping the technology under wraps

that haven't been able to be used on current systems can be reengineered and utilised on this system. Based on the scalability of the process we'll be able to build much larger parts, much faster than any other current system on the market.” Usually, TCT would be of the opinion of believing it when we see it, but Mike’s reputation proceeds him, he’s a celebrated and respected person in the industry. His excitement about this technology means we ought to be excited too. 

The brains behind Collider is Graham Bredemeyer, a former Shapeways employee who became frustrated at the lack of ability to make production ready parts with 3D printing. Collider's flagship machine is the Orchid, and its innovation is quite groundbreaking and uncomplicated. The Collider Orchid 3D prints a shell of a part using a soluble resin

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Collider’s shell is injection with an engineering material and then dissolved away.

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

COLLIDER

and then injects that shell with a range of engineering materials including rubber, silicone and even to metals (which require a further sintering step) like copper and stainless steel. The shell dissolves in a hot-water bath. Collied demoed the machine at TechCrunch's Disrupt NY event last month, and it finished runner-up in the Startup Battlefield event. 

3DEO

3DEO are, like Desktop Metal and Xact aiming to make metal 3D printing more affordable. Like Desktop Metal and Markforged, they are using MIM powders and a secondary sintering step to achieve that. However the big difference comes in their process, 3DEO describes six steps to achieving a finished metal part that is more affordable and meets the high industry benchmark MPIF Standard 35 while still achieving tight tolerances. 

25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com 07/06/2017 12:00

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Technology Launches: Desktop Metal ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES

Burlington, MA. "It is a technology that requires dedicated facilities like large argon gas tanks outside your premises, threephase technologies that require you to invest $800k in the machine with $200,000 of post processing equipment.” These problems had frustrated Ric in his previous company, A123 Systems - a lithiumion battery company that was Boston’s biggest IPO in the past decade. In 2013, having been the first investor in several 3D related companies including ProtoLabs, Onshape, and Markforged, Ric stopped investing and started doing. He got together with some MIT professors, who are among the world’s leading experts in materials science, metallurgy, advanced manufacturing and 3D The Desktop Metal Studio System printing. They began brainstorming how they could make metal parts more efficiently. Desktop Metal has created a host of technologies (135+ patents in process) and has threaded the needle right through the eye of many of metal 3D printing's problems. There's a new material science that leverages the world's most voluminous metal powders, hand-removable A part inside Desktop Metal’s furnace supports, software that takes your part from orientation right through to specified metal microstructures, using machinery that can be utilised in an office environment including the heat sintering furnace.

DESKTOP METAL

Undoubtedly, one of the most talked about launches since the last issue of TCT Magazine was that of Desktop Metal. We got our first look at the technologies during a visit to the HQ just outside of Boston. Desktop Metal CEO, Ric Fulop, has assembled a team that is pulling together to solve some of the most significant ratelimiting steps for metal 3D printing. Desktop Metal is going to make metal 3D printing a magnitude more affordable, faster and office friendly. "Our thesis is that metal 3D printers, today, are similar to 1970s punchcard computers," explains Ric during a tour of Desktop Metal's HQ, 30 minutes outside of Boston, in

“A HUGE TECHNOLOGY CHANGE”

There are two 3D printing systems at launch, a desktop version, and a production system; both are enabled by a proprietary sintering technology that is the same for both systems. "The microwave-enhanced sintering technology is a huge technology change," explains Ric. "This is what allows us to make this system office friendly. It has a reducing atmosphere that makes it possible to use low-cost powders like metal injection moulding (MIM) powders." Recently with companies like XJet,

Markforged and Virtual Foundry, we have seen something of a move back to the indirect printing of metals that do away with the cost-prohibiting laser, doing the sintering as a subsequent step. However, it is often unclear how much additional cost or space this will take. Desktop Metal is clear, from the start you need both the printer and the sintering furnace, and the pricing is upfront. For the desktop printer and the furnace, you will pay $120,000 for what the company calls the Desktop Metal Studio System. You can add more Studio printers to each furnace. The sintering system is fully automated, can reach temperatures of up to 1400°C, and, in a point worth repeating, can be

utilised in an office environment without the need for external ventilation. "We are not just doing half the process," says Ric. "(With traditional sintering ovens) you have no control, and you need a dedicated metallurgist to make good parts. If you do not know how to sinter correctly your gas flows are wrong, your oxygen control is wrong, and your part is not fit for purpose. "Our system has a metallurgist built into a box. We are taking some of the world's best metallurgists like Chris Schuh and the 14 PhD metallurgists and engineers that we have here and wrapping all that know-how into the hardware and the software, so you do not have to do any programming." ›› 25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

039

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Technology Launches: Desktop Metal ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

MIM-ICKING SUCCESS

TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES

Core to Desktop Metal's philosophy is affordability, and with so many patented technologies one may think costs could begin to add up, but arguably the most important factor in Desktop Metal's whole process is a decision that was taken very early on, to use Metal Injection Molding (MIM) powders. By basing the entire business around MIM materials and then designing a process that is compatible Desktop Metal has an economy of scale. The raw materials for MIM are roughly 80 percent cheaper than those for powder-bed fusion simply because the production of MIM powders is three orders of magnitude higher. Thanks to this prevalence of materials, Desktop Metal will be launching with 30 alloys, and there are over 200 metal materials compatible with its systems. "Added to this is the fact that there are 40 years of research on sintering of MIM materials, says Ric. "As a result, there are massive data sets on mechanical properties."

TWO-PRONGED ATTACK At RAPID + TCT, Desktop Metal showed both the Studio and Production Systems in action, the Studio system ships in September 2017 with the Production system following a year later. They are completely different technologies but use the same sintering technology that can be used to sinter parts from both machines. The Studio System is akin to FDM printing, albeit very top end FDM. It uses a patented Bound Metal Deposition (BMD) extrusion process to make accurate and repeatable parts, extruding Desktop Metal's media of MIM metal powders bound by a polymer mix - a chemistry developed in-house. It has a 50-micron layer resolution, automated bed levelling, and a heated build area. The Studio System is designed 'for engineers to engineer in the place they engineer.' It is both affordable and user-friendly and could be truly transformative in the manufacture of lowvolume part runs. The Production System, however, is not after those low-volume runs, Desktop Metal believes this machine will totally transform the mass manufacture of metal parts. The Production System uses what the company is calling Single Pass Jetting (SPJ). Created in unison by co-founder and inventor of the binder jetting process, Ely Sachs whose work spawned Z-Corp and ExOne, together with Paul Hoisington, a scientist with over 100 patents in the field of inkjet printing. Like the Studio system, it is enabled by a proprietary sintering technology. It uses metal powders together with Desktop Metal's binder and two full-width print bars containing over 32,000 jets, printing at a speed Desktop Metal say is over 100x faster than today's most common metal 3D printing systems. Ric says SPJ is similar to what HP is doing in plastics. "Our system can print at roughly 500 cubic inches per hour," says Ric. "In a laser-based machine with a similar build volume, you are looking at making twelve of these (Ric shows me a hockey puck sized part) a day. Because we can nest parts like SLS and don't weld to a build plate, we can print 112 parts in one four and half hour run which is 560 parts a day." Both systems have another bonus for those wanting to print complex parts in metal, supports that are removable by hand. Desktop Metal has created and patented a unique ceramic release layer that sits in between supports. The ceramic is bound with polymers, and when sintered turns to sand, when supports are removed parts bear no witness marks.

Desktop Metal’s production system Hand removable metal supports using ceramic release layer

CLOSING THE LOOP

The software ties all these features together and closes the loop from a CAD file to a finished part complete with the microstructures mentioned above. To do this Ric, brought in the tenth employee at Solidworks and founder of Xpress3D, which went on to be RedEye and then Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, one Rick Chin. With a thorough demo, Rick Chin talked us through the software system that has taken inspiration from websites like Kayak with slider interfaces that allow the user to see individual payoffs and drawbacks of each

orientation. "We want to make it so that our users are efficient with the technology from day one," says the software guru Rick. "Whenever you are adopting a new technology there's this period of trial and error. In 3D printing that involves wasting material, until you build up an intuition about how your printer works. We are capturing that intuition in the software." Whereas other 3D printing software merely takes into account the printer, Desktop Metal's software, which is all ran in the cloud for optimum performance, gives you the ability to understand your parts final mechanical properties once it comes out of the furnace. The software works in conjunction with all the hardware and is continuously feeding back from the printer and machines to improve the estimations given beforehand.  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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Technology launches - STRATASYS

WORDS : Laura Griffiths

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES

job, auto-ejects the print and then goes back into a ready state to deliver the next job.” Though no delivery date has been announced just yet, machines have been installed at several locations in which Stratasys envisions will be its three key user groups; colleges and universities such as the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), low volume production facilities such as In’Tech Industries bridging the gap to tooling, and advanced manufacturing providers like FATHOM.

STRATASYS CONTINUOUS BUILD: LESS INVENTION, MORE INTEGRATION 

ABOVE: Stratasys Continuous Build ejecting a part at InTech plant

LEFT: Stratasys Continuous Build 3D Demonstrator, three cells.

Back in August, additive manufacturing giant, Stratasys did something unusual. Inviting a crowd of tech media to its Minneapolis lab to witness the next phase in FDM, the company unveiled two new technologies, unpolished, unboxed with no shipping date, known as 3D Demonstrators. With names like Ford and Boeing adopting them in their respective factories, these new technologies soon set a precedent for what could be possible with Stratasys’ FDM technology through infinite print lengths and composites using robotics. At RAPID + TCT, a third Demonstrator was unveiled in the form of the Continuous Build 3D Demonstrator, a scalable, multi-cell 3D printing platform designed for continuous production. In contrast to the first two, the technology behind this new system isn’t anything particularly new. In fact, it brings together much of Stratasys’ established capabilities such as its Fortus grade print engines, cloud-based GrabCAD Print software, and even automated build platform technology (previously seen on an early-generation MakerBot), into a cluster of machines that automates the printing process with minimal manual contact. Speaking to TCT in Pittsburgh, Mechanical Design Engineer at Stratasys, AJ Santiago, explained: “The innovation that's made this possible is the fact that we've automated all the steps in the process from the time that the user submits a part to the system, the system queues it up, takes on the job, completes the

For busy, multi-purpose locations such as print bureaus or shared labs, the biggest benefit of the Continuous Build is its GrabCAD Print cloud capabilities. Leveraging the software that has been installed on all Stratasys machines since its launch in 2016, it allows multiple jobs to be scheduled to the cluster (from three to 15 machines but potentially limitless) and the cloud will automatically distribute them amongst available cells to enable mass customisation projects and accelerate throughput. “This is an evolution of what we've already deployed with GrabCAD,” explained Roger Kelesoglu, Technology Leader at Stratasys. “All of our systems today are cloud connected through GrabCAD, which allows for remote printing, access monitoring, queuing and scheduling across all existing systems that we sell. What we've added here is starting to take advantage of the interesting things about the cloud beyond that which is to automate and provide management of print production, so the cloud is now determining the best possible way to print something in a distributed fashion and allows you to scale that.” At FATHOM, the Demonstrator is increasing throughput significantly and enabling a greater volume of some 1000+ FDM parts within a shorter lead-time. For SCAD, it means around the clock access to the university’s printing services which Dean, Ermoli Victor says is “changing the way we teach”.  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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Technology launches ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

BLACKBELT 3D Invention often comes through necessity and as an engineer at 3D printing filament company, ColorFabb, Stephan Schürmann, worked on a project to 3D print an entire bike. He needed to print bigger, and he had a lightbulb moment, fast-forward two years, and Blackbelt 3D is smashing its goal on Kickstarter having been funded 15 minutes from launch. The Blackbelt 3D printer uses an angled FDM-style printhead and a carbon fibre composite conveyor belt that allows series production of specific shapes and geometries including parts over five metres long. The angled printhead and axis enables the printing of specific overhanging geometries that do not require supports. The innovation may well be simple but sometimes simple innovations catch on quick. 

TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES

IMPOSSIBLE OBJECTS

XACT METAL As mentioned in the Desktop Metal article, the most expensive part of 3D printing is the laser but as Formlabs have proved for plastics the laser doesn’t necessarily have to be prohibitive towards affordable printing. We met CEO Juan Mario Gomez at RAPID + TCT who told us about how the Pennsylvania-based company is making powder bed fusion

metal 3D printing more affordable. “We have a metal 3D printing system that replaces traditional galvo servers that are used in these type of machines to do powder laser fusing. In order to make the technology more affordable we are using a different scanning technology to bring the laser to the part.”

With a build area of 5 x 5 x 5 inches, able to print in reactive and non-reactive metals the machine is attractively priced at about half the price of similarly sized laser based metal machines. “We believe that customers should be able to print parts and not have to have a big bankroll to do so,” said Juan Mario “The machine is $120,000 and we have a very attractive powder pricing strategy.” 

Impossible Objects deserves a feature of its own and in the next issue of TCT Magazine you’ll get just that as we go behind the scenes of the company bringing composites to additive manufacturing at unparalleled speeds. But it would be amiss not to mention the launch of the Model One at RAPID + TCT. The Model One harnesses the Illinoiscompany’s composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) technology to 3D print functional parts, at scale, with a wide selection of materials. Impossible Objects’ flagship machine enables the use of a range of composite materials to build lightweighted parts with maximum strength. These materials include carbon fibre, Kevlar and fibreglass together with PEEK, and other high performance polymers. Robert Swartz, chairman and founder of Impossible Objects commented: “Until now, there was no way to print functional parts with the mechanical and material properties at the scale these companies need. The Model One is just the beginning of what CBAM can do. Our CBAM technology has the potential to transform manufacturing as we know it.” 

BELOW: Impossible Objects Model One

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Tradition and Innovation Sodickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new OPM250L: additive manufacturing plus CNC milling combined for the first time in one machine

The new and unique Sodick OPM250L combines the latest metal additive manufacturing technology with the very best integral linear motor drive milling centre - creating the first one-step solution to the entire additive manufacturing/CNC milling process. If you are looking for the rock solid security of Sodickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unsurpassed machining expertise together with the ultimate flexibility of additive manufacturing to give you that all-important competitive edge, you need to check out the OPM250L. So, call us today and get ahead of the game. Sodick Europe Ltd., Rowley Drive, Baginton, Coventry, CV3 4FG Tel. +44 (0)24 7621 4314 Email europe@sodick.eu.com www.sodick.org

Technology launches ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES

ABOVE: Fuse 1 machine is a

high-quality desktop SLS

then. Now we look forward to taking this technology to consumers to further improve athlete performance.” Then for the left-field announcement, Formlabs has had a mysterious page listed on its site for a month or so prior to the launch . There was speculation as to what the ‘Fuse 1’ might be. Formlabs is aiming to replicate the success it had in transforming the desktop stereolithography (SLA) market but this time with selective laser sintering (SLS). The Fuse 1 aims to deliver the The Form Cell combines robotics, 3D renowned benefits of SLS, while also printing and finishing technologies for a boasting the reliability of its Form 2 3D full production system printer. Prices starting at $9,999, the Fuse 1 is at least 10 x less expensive than current industrial SLS solutions on the market. While not At Rapid + TCT Formlabs showcased its latest the first company to attempt to crack a desktop auxiliary technology the Form Wash and Form Cure, SLS solution, Formlabs’ reputation for quality and designed to automate the sometimes tricky postreliability does suggest this machine could be the process involved in curable resin 3D printing, they real deal. also dropped a couple of hints as to what they had Supporting Nylon PA 12 and PA 11 materials, the lined up for its Digital Factory event the following industry-standard for strong, durable and reliable month in Boston. prototyping and end-use parts, Formlabs believes the Formlabs announced two major technologies Fuse 1’s output is as good, if not better, than that of its at the MIT Media Lab event and while one was counterparts with regards to material properties. an innovation on top of existing proprietary “When we launched the world’s first desktop technologies, the other came from left field. stereolithography 3D printer in 2012, Formlabs The Form Cell is an automated production solution created new possibilities for designers and engineers that uses Form 2 machines, the Wash and Cure to create physical products by giving them access systems alongside a robotic gantry. Companies like to professional 3D printing technology that had New Balance and Google are already on-board. historically been unavailable,” said Max Lobovsky, “New Balance is excited to work with fellow CEO of Formlabs. “With Fuse 1, we are taking the Boston-based Formlabs on our next evolution in 3D same approach to making powerful SLS technology printing,” says Rob DeMartini New Balance President available to a huge range of customers. And with and CEO. “We have been a leader with 3D printing Form Cell, we are making an efficient, scalable technology for many years, when we were the first production solution by leveraging the Form 2, an SLA to bring customised spike plates to our professional print engine that’s already stood the test of printing runners and have expanded into other sports since more than 10 million parts.” 

FORMLABS

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Large scale 3D printing made affordable with the Builder Extreme 1500 The Builder Extreme is the most reliable large scale 3D printer available today. The Extreme is build in the Netherlands and available in 3 different sizes. The Extreme 1500 has a print volume of 1100x500x820 mm (XYZ), comes with Builders Dual-Feed extruder, a heated bed and an on-board camera. The Extreme 1500 fits through every door and can easily be moved. builder3dprinters.com

UK MAP ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing

SERVICE PROVIDER MAP

The ever-popular annual TCT 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing UK Service Provider Map is back for 2017.

EATURING SERVICE BUREAUX from all over the UK, this bumper pull out (free with this issue) is designed to provide you with all of the information you need to find a local manufacturing partner that fits the needs of your project. Whether you’re looking for a first prototype or to manufacture products that are ready for your customers, use and keep this handy guide as your go-to point of reference for your upcoming projects to help you find the technology you want and the lead times you need.  For our digital subscribers, the map is also available to download for free on Android and iOS. 25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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WORDS : LAURA GRIFFITHS

AST YEAR in our annual 3D printing service bureau update, we discussed the importance of people power in an industry where the technology is only as good as the skilled men and women behind it. Twelve months on and TCT paid a visit to a new service provider first teased in 2016, specialising exclusively in metal 3D printing. Meeting with ex-Renishaw Director, Simon Scott, we were toured around a new facility in Newcastle-under-Lyme, home to Eclipse AM, a new additive manufacturing (AM) service provider that’s focussing on what he knows best, metal AM. Inside that same facility is Staffordshire Precision Engineering (SPE), a 30-year old machine tool shop, serving customers in aerospace, automotive and beyond. Eclipse AM has set up shop inside the building with two Renishaw AM250 machines working in Stainless Steel and Aluminium with the aim of being the go-to-stop for metal 3D printing in automotive, aerospace and Formula 1. Already working with high-profile automotive names, the vast majority of which are under strict non-disclosure agreements, Eclipse can’t say too much about its customers at the moment but Director, Gary Smith tells us the company is “in a good place”. As one of the first companies to offer AS9100 certification for aerospace, additive manufacturing and CNC machining, combining the knowledge SPE, it’s positioned well to hit the ground running with a firm understanding of sub-contract manufacturing, delivering all of the components to be a Tier 1 supplier. Eclipse AM is also targeting customers that are interested in metal 3D printing but not quite at the point of purchasing their own machine. Being that necessary stepping stone, one of the challenges has been getting people to understand the

work. Bryan Dransfield, Managing Director at Digital Echo says that it’s all about “higher quality, complexity and volume” for customers seeking low volume or prototype castings produced without the requirement for tooling. Viewed as an alternative to direct metal 3D printing, one of the biggest benefits

ABOVE: Inside Digital Echo process and for that reason, it’s not always making parts that are well suited to additive. But that’s not such an issue, whilst many automotive manufacturers think of metal AM as a form of prototyping, Eclipse is demonstrating how metal additive is not just about the physical part but rather peripheral benefits such as no tooling and fast turnaround. “It will gain more momentum as people get educated with it” says Gary, and the team is set to host an open house event this summer, which aims to do just that. Another bureau devoting itself to a niche area of the market is St Albans-based Digital Echo Ltd, a service bureau dedicated to providing wax 3D printing patterns for the investment casting industry. Founded back in 2000, it’s the biggest supplier to its target industry in the UK, the welcome result of a happy accident after an initial purchase of a 3D Systems ThermoJet printer proved it would be possible to use these wax prints for casting. Digital Echo has amassed a further four ThermoJet machines and recently invested in three 3D Systems ProJet printers, supplied by Print It 3D, the first of which are described as the facility’s “workhorses” and the latter for high precision

Bryan describes is the lack of restriction in material choice for the end product. Once the pattern is printed, it can be cast in anything from aluminium to nickel, an ideal prospect for customers wanting to use a very specific percentage of a certain alloy. In addition, there’s a level of quality assurance that comes with a tried and tested method like casting which already has its own quality standards in place. Foundries themselves will have a particular aerospace or automotive accreditation which guarantees the quality of the final part produced from the printed pattern. Working directly with foundries often means that the team don’t get to see where the end-part is going to be applied but it can be anything from an automotive component to a complex impeller. As the AM industry has grown, so has the competition between different kinds of technologies but companies like these, operating in very specific corners of the market, are spending time educating customers about what makes the most sense and sometimes more importantly, what doesn’t. Bryan concludes: “We have to manage the customer’s expectations”. 

LEFT: Renishaw

AM250 system at Eclipse AM

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY

Bureau Update

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Bureaux

Andy Stallwood is a Mechanical Designer at Diamond Light Source Ltd., he recently worked on a project that required the expertise of one of the bureaux on our service provider map. Here, Andy talks us through the 3D printing of a complex part enabling the study of objects at a cellular level.

ARRAY OF LIGHT

IAMOND LIGHT SOURCE IS THE UK’S SYNCHROTRON; a 562 m circumference particle accelerator used to produce extremely bright X-rays. From the accelerator the X-rays are fed into 28 operational beamlines where scientific studies are carried out. The whole machine acts like a giant microscope allowing users to see and identify atomic and molecular structures throughout a sample. Scientists are able to study anything from fossils to jet engines to viruses and vaccines. VMXm is a new crystallography beamline being developed to study very small protein crystals measuring just 0.3 µm across with a 300 nm wide X-ray beam. At the sample position

ABOVE: Initial CAD

drawings of the Vessel

many pieces of equipment converge to carry out the analysis. Equipment such as a Scanning Electron Microscope to see the samples, six cameras for clash detection, a fluorescence detector, the sample changer, sample stages,

ABOVE:

Vessel as it comes off the SLM 500 plate at CA Models

cryogenic cooling, beam position monitor and beam clean up slits, beam stop and various sensors. To add an additional level of complexity the sample is also held in a high vacuum. Due to all of these constraints it was clear from a very early stage that the vacuum vessel needed to hold the sample was going to be complex. Initial layouts and vessel designs using conventional manufacturing and fabrication techniques just didn’t work so we looked at designing the vessel to be 3D printed in aluminium using DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering). 3D printing allowed us the design freedom to shape the vessel how we wanted and build in many features that would otherwise require a number of different components. The layout was improved and saved on space that was in very short supply. ›› 24 : 6 www.tctmagazine.com

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Harwell is one of the UK’s best kept secrets, just South of Oxford it is perhaps Europe’s leading science, innovation, and technology campus. The 710 acre site is host to over £1 billion of research infrastructure. Naturally, additive manufacturing and 3D printing plays a big part in developments there particularly in the fascinating Diamond Synchrotron, which opened in 2007.

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Bureaux ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

After finalising a design (not optimised for the DMLS process) that achieved all of our goals, the vessel was sent out for quotation. Through this process we received a number of replies; some saying the job was too high risk and declining to quote, while others wanted to re-model the component quite considerably and quoted a very high price. Then we were lucky to come across CA Models based in Stirling. On first contact they quickly supplied us with a competitive price with no re-design conditions attached. Being wary of such a good offer I spoke with the managing director Clark Campbell, a very enthusiastic man confident of his company’s abilities and

Functional finishing of the 3D print leaves an impressive looking part

up for the challenge. He showed me some of the work they had previously produced and that was enough to place the order. Clark was excited about working on this particular project. Though extremely challenging, the vessel would be an ideal showcase opportunity for their new quad laser SLM 500HL metal additive manufacturing machine. After interrogating the CAD file and associated machining PDF details, the optimal build orientation and support

WHAT IT IS?

strategy were formed. Once set up, the aluminium build took two and a half days to complete. The build structure was then removed and the vessel was hand finished, polished, inspected, CNC machined and finally (at the request of the principal scientist) painted in Ironman colours! The finished vessel was delivered in March this year and looks fantastic. It is now in vacuum testing and will be used to prototype other parts of the beamline design. If no changes are required it will be installed on the final beamline which is due to be operational early 2018. Diamond has now been operational for 10 years and has been using DMLS technologies for a number of these. DMLS is often the only manufacturing choice for some of our designs that work in extreme environments where space, mass and complexity are key requirements. 

LEFT: The finished part

The sample vessel for the national synchrotron’s new VMXm beamline endstation. Made from aluminium the vessel will hold a vacuum of 10-6 mbar.

TECHNICAL DETAILS.

Manufactured by CA Models Material: Aluminium Mass: 4 kg Machine: SLM 500HL Build time: 60 hours Dimensions HWD: 262 mm x 300 mm x 200 mm Wall section: 3 – 12 mm 8x Equipment ports 5x Camera / Inspection ports 4x Laser sensor ports 3mm X-Ray input hole and large output window cone Internal and external features for mounting additional equipment 70 Tapped Holes Polished internal surfaces Painted external surfaces

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Research

RESEARCHERS PRINT FUNCTIONAL BIOPROSTHETIC OVARIES WORDS : Sam Davies

Biomedical scientists from Northwestern University in Chicago are on track to develop ovary implants for humans with 3D printing technology after successfully testing 3D printed scaffolds on mice.

FTER THREE YEARS OF RESEARCH the group recently publicised their findings, which led to three of seven mice giving birth to pups, with another generation following later. The motivation for this research centred on providing hormone functionality and fertility solutions for cancer sufferers, who have been left sterile after their treatment. Currently, the only option is to preserve ovarian tissue in a freezer. Previously, researchers have had some success with the transplanting of tissue back into patients when they are ready to conceive, or for their hormone functions to be restored. However, for many cancer patients this would be an unsafe procedure since their ovarian tissue contains cancerous cells. “We wanted to engineer an ovary that would be a step forward in trying to have a way to remove the cells that we don’t want, including the cancer cells, and just put in the cells that we do want, which would be the potential egg cells, and the steroid-producing cells,” Monica Laronda PhD, a co-author on the study, told TCT. “That’s what we did with mice.” Laronda and her colleagues isolated the mice’s ovarian follicle units, which contain the centralised potential egg

A scaffold for a bio-prosthetic mouse ovary 3D printed in gelatin

cells surrounded by the support cells, to produce the ovarian sex hormones. Needing a way to maintain the ovarian follicle’s spherical shape, Leronda and Teresa Woodruff, Women’s Health Research Institute Director, Northwestern University, turned to Ramille Shah, an Assistant Professor, and Alexandra Rutz, a fellow in Shah’s lab. They work in a nearby laboratory and work with 3D printing technology. After a trial and error process, Rutz eventually found an architecture and structure that worked with the ovarian follicles that Laronda and Woodruff had seeded. “After confirming that it worked with our follicles in culture, we transplanted them into mice whose ovaries we surgically removed,” explained Laronda. “We put the bio-prosthetic ovary in the same spot of where their natural ovary was an we mated them, and they were able to produce healthy pups.” Laronda believes the scaffolds, 3D printed with an EnvisionTEC Bioplotter, provided the sufficient support required to maintain a spherical

shape. Maintaining the follicle’s natural shape is important to preserve the cell-cell connections between the oocyte and the surrounding cells, which enables cells to develop into a fertilisable egg. These eggs were then pipetted into scaffolds, and transplanted into the mice. The scaffolds were printed in gelatin, a biological hydrogel, which brought a number of advantages. It’s a relatively cheap material, and it has been FDA-approved for other uses. Laronda outlines a third benefit - one which expands the translational capacity of the group’s research. “Gelatin is derivative of collagen which is the most abundant structural protein in most organs, including ovaries,” Laronda said. “Alex Rutz devised a technique that was able to print gelatin in a very smooth, homogenous way, different to what other people have been able to do before. It provided a great scaffold for us that was able to expand its own weight, it has multiple layers, and normally when you print gelatin it collapses on itself, but she was able to do it in a way that was able to maintain those layers separately. “The great thing with 3D printing is we were able to discuss what we think would work and Alex was able to hand them to us the next day,” Laronda reflects. A five-minute print time is a welcome transient compared to the rest of the project, which has taken the best part of three years. And there’s still some way to go before these 3D printed gelatin scaffolds are implanted into humans – this method would be tested in cultural models first as a safety measure, just as it was for the mice, and as it will be for the next animal model: Mini pigs. “We’re doing the same thing in larger animal models, so we’re scaling it to see if we can restore hormone function and fertility in the same we did in mice. That is our next step” concluded Laronda. “The animal we’re using is closer with their anatomy and hormone cycles to humans than mice are, so we’re hoping well get some answers from that. We’re really excited to do that research.” 

A scaffold being printed on an EnvisionTEC bioplotter

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Microscopic look at a bio-prosthetic mouse ovary

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Fashion and 3D ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

WORDS: Sam Davies

THE APEX OF FASHION 3D PRINTING’S PRESENCE IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY has flown under the radar in comparison to its burgeoning influence in such sectors as healthcare and aerospace. At RAPID+TCT the light was shone on 3D printing’s foray into the fashion world with a catwalk dedicated to additively manufactured clothing. TCT Magazine spoke to two designers, one of fashion and the other of product and architecture, who, together, utilised Voodoo Manufacturing’s Direct Print service and cluster of MakerBot machines to print parts of the APEX Coat. The APEX Coat is a women’s garment with hundreds of decorative, 3D printed plastic studs. Alexis Walsh and Justin Hattendorf teamed up after meeting through a mutual friend. Realising they had similar interests in design, they discussed the idea of working together, and eventually landed

on the concept of using 3D printing as an applied hardware in fashion. “We’re a pretty great team. It has been so much fun working with Justin,” Alexis told TCT. “We have a similar way of working, and our interests in aesthetics and design complement each other.” The APEX Coat is a black, knee-length garment which features 900 stud pieces, printed in PLA material on MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printers. Valued at $5,000, the coat’s design took six months to complete and was presented at the Harvard Identities Fashion Show. Initial prototyping began through trials on a MakerBot, and deciding to stick with the FDM platform, leveraging Voodoo Manufacturing’s factory of MakerBot machines via the company's Direct Print service. “Because of the sheer volume of printers that Voodoo has at their facility, we knew that working with them would help us scale our project in a small time window,” Justin notes.

Jonathan Schwartz, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Voodoo Manufacturing adds: “[Voodoo’s] involvement was rather limited, but that’s what we think is so great about Direct Print. Anyone with a 3D printable file can log onto our website, upload their file, and print up to 100 units of nearly any plastic part.”

COLLABORATION IS KING

Justin and Alexis enjoyed their collaboration so much; they are planning to design an APEX Series, which will include new garments and accessories, as well as the APEX Coat. Alexis says both of their respective expertise were essential in the completion of the project, which started with hand-drawn sketches going back and forth between the two designers. These were then ‘brought to life’ with 3D model sketches, and eventually 3D prints. “With 3D printing, you can create forms that would be impossible to fabricate through any other means of production,” Alexis adds. “The level of detail, materiality, and speed of fabrication are unparalleled through other processes. This makes 3D printing ideal for fashion design ›› 25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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Fashion and 3D The two designers don’t ever expect 3D printing to disrupt mainstream fashion, but perhaps its impact in unique clothing is enough. It allows designers greater freedom to test more eccentric designs, and also brings time-saving benefits. Before the APEX Coat, Voodoo Manufacturing’s bureau services assisted the printing of the Adrenaline Dress, a smart dress able to react to the wearer’s anxiety levels by expanding an attached lattice structure. Chromat and Intel, the developers behind the Adrenaline Dress project, printed the garment via Voodoo’s Volume Print service, similar to Direct Print but more suited to volume

I love working with 3D printing specifically because the materials are so unconventional for garment making. because you can fully customise your 3D model to work with each particular garment." Justin continues: “Although speed is sometimes an issue for 3D printing at an architectural scale, a body is an ideal scale to test and produce fully custom forms extremely quickly. We knew that the garment would need to drape and flex in a very specific way in areas that were designed to have rigid hardware, which posed a complex and exciting design problem. Through data-oriented design and the material feedback loop provided by 3D printed prototypes, we were not only able to test our design ideas against this issue, but we were able to base our entire hardware design on custom shapes that allow for mobility.” Justin and Alexis used Grasshopper and Processing CAD software to generate forms within the set boundaries of the physical pattern pieces. Then, they opened their application with Rhino, a 3D modelling program, to populate the forms within their patterns. The complicated nature of the stud designs and the need for each stud to attach correctly to a brass screw meant several rounds of testing after the print were needed. Prototypes

Alexis continues: “I love working with 3D printing specifically because the materials are so unconventional for garment making. These materials offer unique textures not usually seen in fashion design. Incorporating 3D printing into fashion requires an entirely different way of thinking, and I love the challenge of successfully integrating these materials with fabrics. This sets 3D printing apart from mainstream clothing.”

orders or those with tight deadlines. Voodoo has enjoyed playing a role in fashion-related projects and is currently working on producing custom mannequins, that will assist the altering of clothes without the need for a tailor being present. “There’s no doubt that 3D printing will continue to grow within the fashion community – 3D printing technology is rapidly evolving, and the fashion industry is notorious for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,” adds Schwartz. “The beauty of 3D printing is that it enables the creation of entirely custom products, anything from smaller embellishments to entire pieces of clothing. We’d love to collaborate on more fashion-related projects moving forward.”  25 : 3 www.tctmagazine.com

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were produced using a MakerBot Replicator 2, and tests on. “[3D printing] has been a way for us to test wild ideas and create them in material form, while being able to reproduce and iterate on what we’ve created,” says Justin.

Machining WORDS : Laura Griffiths

MACHINING GIVES ADDITIVE THE EDGE ABOVE: Two SLM systems at Imperial’s

machine shop

LEFT: Thread Milling  Additively Manufactured Component



ABOVE: Hybrid Manufactured Inconel Component

MPERIAL MACHINE AND TOOL CO. has been in the business of manufacturing for 73 years. A family-run firm, the New Jersey-based machine shop started out in the Forties when founder Michael Joest seized the manufacturing opportunities afforded by WWII. In the decades that followed, the company has continued to evolve with the times and the advancements that came with it. In the 70s that meant becoming early adopters of computer controlled machining centres. Now, the company has turned its hand to metal additive manufacturing (AM). The latter began to materialise a little over four years ago when the team sat down to discuss the company’s future, and the possibility of purchasing another 5-axis machining centre. Around that time, General Electric had just completed its acquisition of Morris Technologies, a significant mark of industry approval that inspired the large machining facility, which had already been using polymer 3D printing for prototyping for some time, to take a closer look at metal AM. “We didn't know for sure what metal AM was going to bring, but we knew that it was important to get involved early,” Christian Joest, Vice President of Sales and Business Development and son of company President, Christian M. Joest, told TCT. “Being a family business, we approached the decision thinking about the next generation rather than next year’s profits. We recognised metal AM was going to play a central role in the future of advanced manufacturing.” After visiting a number of key metal AM companies, the decision to purchase an SLM Solutions 280 HL powder bed fusion system was made. Unsure where the potential market might be, the team spent the first five months learning the machine, getting to grips with its capabilities and teaching its experienced machining engineers how to transpose their years of knowledge to production with metal AM. Four years and two metal AM machines later, Imperial is supplying complex and lightweight end-use additive parts to some of the most regulated industries in the world, including oil and gas, aerospace and defence. But it’s not just additive alone that’s giving Imperial the advantage when it comes to

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these challenging application areas. Christian says it’s the combination of AM with Imperial’s traditional machining expertise that’s provided a “significant advantage”, particularly in the last 12 months as the market has matured. “Our team delivers intricate end-use AM components by employing what we call a ‘Hybrid Manufacturing’ approach. After fabricating a complex design on our metal powder bed systems, we’ll finish the part using precision machining centres. This is absolutely vital in order to achieve the critical tolerances and features our customers need. Many applications require special SAE ports, flatness callouts on critical mating surfaces, or surface finishes that AM systems can’t achieve alone. It’s this holistic approach to AM that has really benefitted us on a competitive level. Rarely do you find metal AM capability combined with other advanced manufacturing services.” As the industry grows, so does the need for better training and education. Imperial has been working to overcome this challenge by developing an internal training program and helping customers understand how AM fits based on real-world experience. “I would say that educating people is probably the most difficult part of additive manufacturing. Most of the time, we have to start customer conversations on the ground floor, and make it very clear when and why additive makes sense. It really has to add something unique to the part. There’s a misconception that additive is a solution to everything, and that’s not the case. Education can be a slow process, but once the ‘light bulb turns on’ and a customer really grasps the value of AM, we’re able to develop some truly incredible designs.” Imperial was invited to speak at RAPID + TCT this year to share insights learned on their journey into metal AM. As the industry rapidly expands, this insight is particularly relevant. “It's extremely important to get the message out that using additive and subtractive manufacturing technologies together – not just additive on its own – is what’s allowing truly innovative breakthroughs. Additive is not going to replace CNC machining; it’s going to complement it.” 

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GRIMM COLUMN WOR D S : T O D D G R I M M

AVALANCHE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING Spanning hardware, software and materials, the avalanche is expanding the available options, which then enlarges the scope of AM applications and opportunities.”

Todd Grimm

is a stalwart of the additive manufacturing industry, having held positions across sales and marketing in some of the industry’s biggest names. Todd is currently the AM Industry advisor with AMUG

tgrimm@tagrimm.com

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ROM THE MAIN STAGE AT TCT SHOW, back in October 2016, I proclaimed that additive manufacturing (AM) had entered an age of innovation. Boy did I underestimate the scope of near-term developments. What we have gained over just the past ten months represents an avalanche of innovation accompanied by a flood of advancement. Viewed collectively, the pace of change is impressive, amazing and exciting. En masse, the number of new options may lead to overwhelm and bewilderment. With intermittent intake of daily or weekly news, you may not have realised that the avalanche is barrelling forward. However, it becomes obvious when you aggregate the announcements in time buckets. From August 2016 to January 2017, there were 54 organizations with newsworthy announcements; January to March had 31 organisations; and March to May had 40 organisations. Over just 3 days at the recent RAPID + TCT event, I was exposed to 16 companies that had revealed something new and interesting. This avalanche count is very conservative. Minor product enhancements and line extensions didn’t qualify nor did the plethora of low-cost, desktop solutions and “me-too” clones. Also, the count does not reflect the number of products that these organizations announced; many had multiple debuts in the past 10 months. Spanning hardware, software and materials, the avalanche is expanding the available options, which then enlarges the scope of AM applications and opportunities and diminishes the barriers to adoption. Among the recent announcements are lower cost metal AM options (Desktop Metal, Xact Metal, OR Laser and MarkForged); large format metal and plastic printing (Ingersoll Machine Tools, Thermwood and 3D-Hybrid Solutions); automation solutions (Stratasys and PostProcess technologies); new AM processes (Paxis, Essentium and 3DEO); new materials (Somos, HRL Labs and Covestro); and much, much more. Curious as to what the avalanche contains? Want the details on all that is available so that you can make strategic and tactical decisions? You won’t get this insight without a bit of effort on your part; there isn’t a shortcut. If I were to document only the highlights of what is new that I have shared in presentations this year, I would need 16 pages (or more) in this magazine. In those pages, there would only be a high-level description that notes what makes the

new offering interesting and a brief explanation of the fundamental process. Beyond that, there would be no other details or commentary. If I had the page space, I still couldn’t comment on each new offering because I am still trying to dig through the mountain of snow to get at the needed insights. Even if there were a shortcut to amass details on what is new, it would be unwise, unnecessary and foolhardy to attempt absorb all that the avalanche offers. Trying to do so will only serve to fuel a sense of overwhelm, which can lead to frustration and possibly paralysis (by analysis). Additionally, the avalanche won’t be abating in the near term; there isn’t an end in sight. It will continue to grow and race forward. There will be a bit of a lull during the summer months, but the avalanche will return, possibly even larger, when the conference season resumes in the fall. What you really need is awareness of just the items that are important to your organization. The goal, therefore, is to identify the handful of snowflakes in the avalanche that can advance your AM usage and expand your AM applications. The approach to do this is to create an on-going methodology of observing the avalanche from a distance with a goal of spotting the opportunities worthy of further investigation. To do so, be keenly aware of your company’s current challenges and near-term opportunities. Translate these into needs and requirements. Next, review product announcements through the filter of what is required to realise some progress through AM. Do the review quickly with the sole goal of placing each item into a bucket of “not applicable,” “future potential,” or “near-term possibility”. When time allows, then proceed to a more detailed investigation of the snowflakes you have extracted from the daunting wall of frozen precipitation. Even with this filtering strategy, monitoring the avalanche may be a full-time job so you may want to appoint a Sherpa (see blog post of 23 November 2016) to lead the way through the snowpack and ascend to new heights. Keeping pace with the unabated flow of new opportunities means that this will be a journey, not a race. Along the way, don’t allow others to become numb or <snow> blind to the constant barrage of new offerings. 

Make everything except compromise. HP Jet Fusion 3D Printing is up to 10x faster1 at half the cost.2 hp.com/go/3Dprint

1. Based on internal testing, HP Jet Fusion 3D printing solution average printing time is up to 10 times faster than average FDM and SLS printer solutions from $100,000 USD to $300,000 USD on market as of April 2016. Testing variables: Part Quantity: 1 full build chamber of parts from HP Jet Fusion 3D at 20% of packing density versus same number of parts on above-mentioned competitive devices; Part size: 30 g; Layer thickness: 0.1mm/0.004 inches. Fast cooling module available in 2017 with some models will further accelerate production time. 2. Based on internal testing and public data, HP Jet Fusion 3D average printing cost per part is half the average cost of comparable FDM and SLS printer solutions from $100,000 USD to $300,000 USD on market as of April 2016. Cost analysis based on: standard solution configuration price, supplies price, and maintenance costs recommended by manufacturer. Cost criteria: printing 1 build chamber per day/ 5 days per week over 1 year of 30-gram parts at 10% packing density using HP 3D High Reusability PA 12 material, and the powder reusability ratio recommended by manufacturer.

Image copyright Harry KH/Land Rover BAR

Renishaw is an official supplier to Land Rover BAR and a Technical Innovation Group member, united in the goal to win the Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup for Britain The Land Rover BAR Technical Innovation Group was formed to bring together the best of British talent and industry. The goal is to find advanced technologies and develop them to give the team a competitive edge. Renishaw is providing its expert metal additive manufacturing knowledge, helping to optimise the design and construction of critical, 3D printed metal parts of the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s race boat. It is also contributing through the design and manufacture of bespoke position encoder technology.

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