TCT Europe 26.2 by TCT Magazine

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RENISHAW ON NEW POSSIBILITIES WITH MULTI-LASER ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

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FROM THE EDITOR

BRING YOUR ‘A’ GAME

usic and mathematics are two seemingly different subjects which happen to be kindred spirits. When I was at school my friend had a tutor who told her if she wanted to be a musician, she would also need a good grasp on maths. As a precocious 11-year-old who envisioned us as the second coming of the Spice Girls, I viewed this as a cheap ploy to make sure she did her homework but still, I have never forgotten his words and recently have started to come around to his philosophy. I began thinking about this concept more broadly at last year’s Additive Manufacturing Users Group Conference, when Jason Lopes, then of Legacy Effects, spoke about the importance of STEAM over STEM - that’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics. Nurturing arts as much as sciences is key to getting the most out of the technologies and applications on these very pages – it’s all well and good understanding the ins and outs of material properties, hardware specifications and algorithms but without thinking creatively, you’re never going to reap the benefits. We can see examples of marriage between creativity and logic throughout; in Ollie Burley’s account of surgeons thinking resourcefully within the confines of clinical regulations to execute life changing surgery

(p. 15); or in Studio RAP’s unique take on construction and design (p. 42). Just this month I was asked to judge a student competition centred on 3D printing in PEEK, a notoriously difficult material. Overcoming that challenge requires knowledge of the medium at hand but it also means looking further than textbooks to make something previously unworkable, function. The tutor’s assertions were perhaps intended to resonate more literally in the sense that music relies on understanding concepts in a similar vein to maths but at the core is a lesson we can all take heed of. Particularly as we’re encouraging more young people to come into an industry typically seen as the domain of lab coats and heavy machinery, we will need a balance of each of those subjects to fill the burgeoning skills gap and think differently about manufacturing. This is true in the TCT Awards where creative applications have their own category alongside that of industrial, healthcare, aerospace and automotive design-to-manufacturing innovations – all equally valuable. So, whatever your function in this industry, embrace the fundamentals but don’t forget to bring your ‘A’ game too you may just be surprised at what you can create.

LAURA GRIFFITHS DEPUTY GROUP EDITOR

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VOLUME 26 | ISSUE 2

Lead news

8. UNLOCK YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

Renishaw on new possibilities with multi-laser additive manufacturing.

Medical 12. MAYO CLINIC

Group Editor, Daniel O’Connor looks at the rise of point-of-care manufacturing facilities.

15. RECONSTRUCTING SURGERY Deputy Group Editor, Laura Griffiths looks at North Manchester General Hospital’s Maxillofacial and 3D printing Laboratory.

18. FEET FIRST

Laura Griffiths puts 3D printed orthopaedics to the test.

23.GUEST COLUMN

Bio-compatible refractory metal alloys for patient-specific orthopaedic and dental implants.

3D Scanning

MACH

25. WALKING WITH ROBOTS

Sam Davies looks at how a university research group is applying 3D scanning to create a tailored fit exoskeleton.

36. PREVIEW

A look at the new products and dedicated TCT AM conference track at MACH 2018.

32 Reverse Engineering

27. CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK How a vintage car buff used 3D technologies to reengineer a Delage Type S engine block.

Metrology 29. Q&A

A few questions for Andrew Cuﬄey, Managing Director at GOM UK on 3D metrology in Industry 4.0.

31. THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS How West Surrey Racing (WSR) is taking metrology seriously as it gears up for the 2018 season.

Architecture 39. CONCENTRATING CONCRETE

Sam reports on the consortium aiming to develop a hybrid manufacturing system for large-scale building processes.

42. ADDITIVE AND THE ARCHITECT Laura looks at how advanced technologies are changing the role of the architect.

47. IN OTHER NEWS

More stories from this issue’s focusses.

50. SCOURING RECENT NEWS FOR ONGOING PATTERNS Todd Grimm discusses trends in AM.

32 TCT ASIA 32. REVIEW

Sam Davies reﬂects on technology and talks from this year’s event in Shanghai.

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RENISHAW ON NEW POSSIBILITIES WITH MULTI-LASER ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

SHOWN:

WHAT YOU COULD ACHIEVE IN A SINGLE WEEK: SINGLE, DUAL AND QUAD PRODUCTIVITY

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COVER STORY

wo heads are better than one when it comes to creativity, but are four lasers better than one when it comes to metal additive manufacturing?

The evidence speaks for itself; the new Renishaw RenAM 500Q four-laser system is expected to significantly improve productivity in the most commonly used machine platform size. By speeding up the process by up to four times, Renishaw expects the RenAM 500Q to broaden the market appeal of metal additive manufacturing into applications that are presently uneconomic, and potentially into new industries that have yet to embrace AM in production applications.

PRODUCTIVITY UNSHACKLED The new four-laser system improves productivity up to four times without increasing platform size. Larger systems face additional challenges including increased material inventory, mechanical handling of heavier substrates, shielding gas efficiency over a larger working area and the inevitable higher capital cost and factory footprint of larger systems. For larger parts these compromises must be accepted, but for a broader appeal, mid-sized machines tick more boxes and are presently mostly hampered by a lack of productivity due to a limited number of lasers. The RenAM 500Q builds on the system architecture of Renishaw’s RenAM 500M single-laser system for series production, but with some significant differences. The most obvious is four lasers but all subsystems must be re-engineered to cope with the additional throughput. Of high importance is the ability to deal with the additional process emissions generated by four lasers. Resolving this with a higher throughput of gas, and greater gas velocity, places an increased burden on other subsystems such as filtration, used to capture the process emissions. Here Renishaw has added an intercooler into the gas stream to maintain consistent processing temperatures and a pre-filter cyclone that separates smaller particles from larger particles to help preserve filter life and increase powder re-use. Other areas that have been enhanced include improved gas ﬂow consistency across the processing area, significantly reducing cleaning between builds. With four lasers that work over the entire build area, it is also vital to maintain a precise relationship between the optical system and the powder bed. A number of engineering advances contribute to achieving this, including precision kinematic mountings used to locate the re-coater, improving set-up time and repeatability. 4

 ABOVE:

QUAD GALVANOMETER MOUNTING BLOCK, ENABLED BY METAL ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

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COVER STORY

SMALL FOOTPRINT, BIG POSSIBILITIES Using four lasers efficiently requires more up-front programming and process engineering work. The easiest place to start is to assign each laser to an individual or group of independent parts. The lasers can then work in parallel. Initial findings suggest that some care is needed when processing adjacent parts simultaneously, where the emissions from one might affect the other. Results show some marginal differences in surface finish but overall this is the simplest processing scenario to manage and is the recommended start point for most users. Beyond this the application plays a more significant role in the choices around multi-laser processing. It is clearly possible to use all four lasers to work on a single part and the ability of the Renishaw system to address the entire powder bed with each laser allows for the most optimised processing strategy possible. The example shown in the images is the Renishaw RenAM 500Q galvo mounting block, which is additively manufactured in 19 hours using four lasers. It is an ideal AM part and an application where the operational demands are focussed on thermal stability, leak proofing and geometrical repeatability. It is not under significant structural load and so component testing can be confined to verifying functional design requirements. For more challenging structural parts, particularly those in safety critical applications such as aerospace, healthcare and motorsport, most users will want a detailed understanding of the effects of multi-laser interaction and this will require more testing and evaluation, something potential users can experience through the Renishaw Solutions Centre access program.

Each user will have their own perspective on how to approach multi-laser technology, whether using it to enhance productivity for an already mature AM application, or to unlock new markets and applications that significant productivity gains allow. “Additive manufacturing is now a viable series production technology,” explained Robin Weston, Marketing Manager, Additive Manufacturing Products Division, Renishaw. “The technology is moving towards applications where it’s not just the technical benefits of AM that are attractive but also the production economics of using it in a serialised manufacturing process for high quality components.” What’s more, the Renishaw RenAM 500Q system is several times faster, but at a modest increase in initial capital investment – this translates into a reduction in piece part component cost which will both broaden the appeal of metal additive manufacturing and allow existing users to achieve more.

 ABOVE:

X 1 LASER OVER 19 HOURS

 ABOVE:

X 2 LASER OVER 19 HOURS

 LEFT:

X 4 LASER OVER 19 HOURS

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MODEL PATIENT WORDS : DANIEL O’CONNOR

n 1 October 1971, Godfrey Hounsfield fired up a new piece of equipment in London’s Atkinson Morley Hospital. Previously, his invention had performed X-rays at various angles to create an image of a cow’s brain in “slices”, but in Atkinson Morley he was about to change the human medical world forever by CT scanning a patient helping to diagnose a cerebral cyst. Hounsfield’s work on the CT scanner earned him a knighthood and he received the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Later Sir Godfrey went on to say: “Each new discovery brings with it the seeds of other, future inventions. There are many discoveries, probably just around the corner, waiting for someone to bring them to life. Could this possibly be you?” One person who took the seeds of Sir Geoffrey’s CT technology and fertilised it with 3D printing to yield another medical revolution is Andy Christensen. Andy launched Medical Modeling in 2000 with the idea that medical imaging studies should not only be used for diagnosis but that they should drive clinical treatment. At TCT Show 2014, shortly after Medical Modeling was acquired by 3D Systems, as keynote speaker, Andy Christensen said: “3D printing is an ideal technology for manufacturing CT Scans. They’re not just models being collected for a surgeon’s shelf, they are used to save time and money, and in some cases, lives.” Since Medical Modeling’s pioneering work on printing anatomically correct models both for diagnostic and pre-surgery planning purposes, hospitals around the world have taken 3D printing on board. In Japan, certain oncological diagnostic models are now even available through the national healthcare service. In the U.S., TCT’s partners on next month’s RAPID + TCT event, SME, have recently published a white paper on ‘Physicians as Manufacturers: The Rise of Point-of-care (POC) Manufacturing’. The report reveals that hospitals are looking to bring manufacturing in-house thanks to benefits including quicker turnarounds, on-site quality control, improving patient consultation and collaborative skills of physicians. 96% of those POC professionals say they expect to see an increase of the use of AM/3DP medical applications in 2018 and the leader in medical 3D printing software, Materialise, say that there’s been a 3200% increase of hospitals in the U.S. using its Mimics technology. Another stat shows that 16 of the top 20 hospitals in the U.S. now have a 3D printing strategy. Leading those strategies through sheer volumes of prints is Mayo Clinic. The Rochester, Minnesotabased healthcare provider printed over 700 anatomical models in 2017. Leading the charge at Mayo Clinic is Jonathan M. Morris, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology / Co-director of the 3D Anatomic Modeling Lab. Dr Morris was a keynote speaker at the Day Zero event that opened the TCT Asia 2018 Summit. His talk delivered at 1,000 mph left everyone in awe such is his passion for improving lives and the volume of life-changing 3D printing uses he could present.

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A HEARTFELT STORY

One story Dr Morris didn’t touch on during the presentation but discussed with TCT afterwards was that of Kieran Vietz. In February 2018 Kieran celebrated her third birthday, which is some going considering that before she was born, she was diagnosed with an extremely rare condition called ectopia cordis. The condition in Kieran’s case meant that she would be born with some vital organs outside her body, critically the heart. Although her parents found out about Kieran’s condition shortly after a routine 20-week ultrasound scan, they wanted to give her the best shot at living. The couple’s doctors referred the case to the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Morris recalls Mayo’s approach to solving this most complex of procedures:

MEDICAL

NT MODEL “I was sitting in a room of 21 people; surgeons, paediatric cardiologists, physiologists and we made this (3D printed) model from an MRI. It wasn’t some gorgeous, elegant part with a great surface finish; it was a rough estimate. With the model, they could discuss, ‘this is the baby, this is how much heart is outside, this is how much of the liver is outside’ - they were able to pass it and consult one another. ‘What if you take more of the liver out?’ The paediatric surgeon says ‘that’s no problem I can take the whole liver out’ and the physiologist then says ‘we can deal with the PDA later,’ and then the surgeon says ‘we just need a stitch in the heart and hold it, so it doesn’t kink.’ “That baby lived, and the model was just one part of it.” Dr Morris repeatedly stressed during his talk that what 3D printing medical anatomical models bring is a level of interaction and a greater understanding of the possibilities that on-screen CT scans simply cannot. However, the model is nothing without the talent of the surgeons and physicians Mayo can call upon.

“THAT BABY LIVED, AND THE MODEL WAS JUST ONE PART OF IT.”

SEGMENT AND CONQUER Mayo’s printing laboratory is substantial; a $1 million facility with one full-time radiologist, two engineers, full-time segmenters and others on site. 3D printing’s return on investment is difficult to measure but in surgical planning alone the ability to significantly decrease the number of facilities that need to be open in an operating room or reduce the hospital stay time can save a phenomenal amount of money. But you’d be mistaken if you thought buying a host of 3D printers means you have a POC manufacturing facility. “If you’re doing a thousand prints a year, you can’t be taking phone calls and emails; you’re way past manufacturing one-offs,” says Dr Morris. “You need the hospital IT structure to handle it, and then you have to have a manufacturing facility printing it. I’m a radiologist working inside Mayo Clinic, we’ve taken the role of working like a medical device company, locking down our resin for six months, ensuring they can’t change the product, and having our printers in a CGMP type facility (an FDA approved manufacturing facility).” Regulatory bodies like the FDA may well be a reason why hospitals are choosing to set up in-house manufacturing systems. While the FDA doesn’t regulate Dr Morris’ anatomical models if Mayo were to begin offering 3D printing as a service for other hospitals and selling across state lines, the FDA would then see it as a medical device company and begin to regulate and potentially slow the progress of medical modelling. Another bottleneck for 3D printing in hospitals is to do with the technologies themselves. Although Dr Morris has a host of 3D printing hardware, software and materials available, he says we need more medical-grade materials, better multi-material / multicolour 3D printers, and most importantly, reliable segmentation solutions. “Segmenting can be painful,” says Dr Morris. “It should go from the scanner to segmentation to the printer but right now we can spend a day segmenting a tumour, arteries, veins, urethra, bladder, tumour, they don’t pop out.” Those seem like hurdles the 3D technologies world is striving to overcome, and once they do, who knows? Perhaps 3D printing in hospitals will be as ubiquitous as Sir Godfrey’s CT scanner.

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MEDICAL

RECONSTRUCTING SURGERY WORDS : LAURA GRIFFITHS

HOW NORTH MANCHESTER GENERAL HOSPITAL BROUGHT 3D TECHNOLOGIES IN-HOUSE TO MAKE IMPOSSIBLE SURGERIES A REALITY.

 BELOW:

PREOPERATIVE SITUATION SHOWING PATIENT WITH A LARGE CANCEROUS TUMOR

n the door of a lab inside The North Manchester General Hospital is a sign that reads “Maxillofacial and 3D printing Laboratory”. Part of one of the largest NHS Trusts, the centre specialises in treating head and neck cancer patients and for this hospital in particular, the latter part of that signage has not only got patients intrigued but has enabled surgeons to deliver life-changing procedures to a number of big cases that otherwise might not have been possible. Led by Ollie Burley, Reconstructive Scientist & Maxillofacial Laboratory Manager, the hospital is one of only three in the UK designing and 3D printing patient-specific implants, prostheses and medical guides on site with in-house technology. The hospital has been applying 3D printing using an external provider for around three years but when Ollie came to the trust in 2016, he saw there was a potential to take the technology into the team’s own hands. “Within my training programme as a student and visiting other units across the country, I realised that having an in-house 3D printing service was pretty much a necessity to fully explore and utilise the potential of 3D technology within medical,” Ollie explained. “The cost savings, opportunity to use with different patients to improve outcomes, saving on theatre time - there were just so many overriding reasons as to why we were desperate to get an in-house 3D printing service.”

SHOWN:

OLLIE BURLEY AND MR P KYZAS DURING A PLANNING SESSION

Weighing up the benefits, previously outsourced head and neck cases were costing the hospital greatly, so the lab decided to install its own Stratasys Objet 30 prime Polyjet 3D printer from Tri-tech 3D in April 2017. The lab has three full-time members of staff who work with eight oral-maxillofacial consultants, one restorative consultant and three orthodontists. Still a relatively new tool, each team member is learning how to apply the technology as the enormous demand for 3D has made design work an integral everyday part of the lab, even taking over much of Ollie’s usual responsibilities. The demand for printing is creeping up too, with everything from small dental implant guides and restorative work, to large head and neck cancer cases coming through on an increasingly regular basis. One particular case recently saw the team put the technology through its paces. They were presented with a patient who had a large cancerous tumor in the upper maxilla, involving the skin of the cheek and extending into the right orbital rim in the infraorbital fissure and the infraorbital nerve (just below the right eye). This patient was under the care of Mr P. Kyzas, an Oral and Maxillofacial consultant who is leading the way in advances in Oral and Maxillofacial surgeries and used CT scans of the patient and Materialise Mimics, ProPlan and 3-Matics software to plan a radical surgery and reconstruction. Scans were taken of both the diseased area and the pelvis where bone would be harvested for the facial reconstruction. Patientspecific medical models and cutting and implant

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MEDICAL

 LEFT:

3D PRINTED SURGICAL GUIDE PLACEMENT

guides from both areas were 4 printed to give Mr. Kyzas a clear guide of where to remove the diseased tissue, the exact amount of bone needed for the graft, where the artery was coming out of the bone and tissue, and where to plumb the artery back into the patient. “Previously they had to harvest more bone than was needed to make sure we had enough to fill the hole,” Ollie commented. “Now we’ve got a guide we can literally place on the hip, we can cut around it and we have a high degree of confidence that when we translate that up into the face, that it’s going to fit to the millimetre.” There is no how-to guide for this type of surgery and the procedure required some imagination and tweaking from the team to adapt the software for this particular case. The surgery was a success and Mr. Kyzas reports the patient is doing brilliantly, communicating and walking after just a few weeks. “The shape, the contour and the design work we’ve been able to do with the software has made an amazing difference to the patient,” Ollie explained. “The cosmetic and functional outcome of the surgery would have been significantly inferior without the use of the 3D technology.” The SME study on point-of-care (POC) additive manufacturing (AM), which TCT looks at on page 12 of this issue, found that 70% of applications of the technology in hospitals are for medical models. This is certainly the case for Manchester North right now which uses plastic anatomical models to increase clinical accuracy and also as a communicative tool for patients. However, the lab is keen to explore 3D printing in titanium for implant applications and already has a few cases lined up with an external service provider. Metals are a whole different ball game not just in terms of initial costs but also footprint, environment, training, safety and beyond, but Ollie hopes in the next five to eight years, Greater Manchester will have a fully integrated and equipped central hub, including metal 3D printing capabilities, for all hospitals within the area.

In capable hands, 3D technologies have the potential to be life changing and that’s especially true in medical where 3D printing has already proved its worth. As Ollie points out, pretty much every hospital department will have a use for it. If you need more proof, just ask the 90% of medical professionals who believe we will see an increase in use of AM in the medical sector this year for models, guides, implants, and more. Examples from North Manchester include growing interest from other specialists within the hospital including orthopaedic surgeons and anaesthetists who are looking to print models of patient airways to help with complex procedures. Crucially, for many patients, particularly younger generations, 3D technologies are increasingly becoming a part of their expectations in medical. Whether that’s down to a sign on the door or increased awareness in the public domain, the impact is undeniable. “We absolutely cannot go backwards from having 3D,” Ollie insists. “It’s just about making [other departments] realise that we’ve got a service here and we can utilise it with them. They just need to knock on the door and see what we can do.”

 FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

- GUIDE IMPLANT DESIGN OVERVIEW - PLATE PLACEMENT - PLANNED GRAFT FROM PELVIS

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FEET FIRST WORDS : LAURA GRIFFITHS

A CLOSER LOOK AT 3D PRINTED ORTHOTICS

ver since I was around 10-years-old and measured for a new pair of back-to-school Hush Puppies, I have been very aware of my lack of arches and rolling ankles – otherwise known as, ‘ﬂat foot’.

Fast forward 17 years, my mother, similarly cursed, recently returned from her doctor prescribed with some run of the mill size-six orthopaedic insoles dug out from a pile in her doctor’s desk and some advice for me to take heed of. Hardly the story I had in mind when I envisioned a piece inspired by my mum who has more pairs of shoes than an average Clarks store but in an attempt to avoid the same fate, I started to look more closely at orthotics.

solution from RS Print, a joint venture between rs scan and Materialise. The clinic has been offering footscan technology since 2014 and as the only facility in the area to do so, has found itself a niche in providing to everyday patients, sports enthusiasts and the area’s rambling community alike. “It gives us more strings to our bow,” explains Ruth. “We can offer more services, people will call up specifically for a footscan or orthotics and of course if we’re here we’re assessing someone for something

Orthotics are devices worn in the shoe to correct foot and ankle problems. Similar to how a problem in the ear often comes hand-in-hand with symptoms in the nose and throat, any misalignment or abnormality in the foot can result in issues with the lower limbs all the way up to the knees, hips and lower back. Devices range from standard off-the-shelf insoles all the way to highly customised devices made from patient specific data. Technavio’s market research predicts that the global foot insoles market will grow at a CAGR of close to 7% between 2017 and 2021 and 3D technologies will play a significant role in that. That’s because companies like Podfo, Wiivv and RS Print are exploiting the creative freedom these technologies offer to deliver data-driven customer-specific insoles, which fit more accurately and deliver better patient outcomes. For comparison, I started my search with a pair of over-the-counter insoles from a highstreet store, a mid-range pair costing around £30. They were relatively comfy, seemed to do the job, but just didn’t fit properly and after a few days of wear, the insole itself began to move around and cause mild pain. I decided to pay a visit to Ruth Partridge, Chartered Physiotherapist BSc (Hons), MCSP at Conwy Physio Clinic in Wales to find out if 3D printing could be the answer. The clinic specialises in physiotherapy and sports injury and is one of only a handful of healthcare providers in the UK which offers custom 3D printed orthotics by Phits, the high-end

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 ABOVE:

PHITS 3D PRINTED ORTHOTICS

MEDICAL SHOWN: INSOLES PRINTED WITH SLS IN PA 12

else we can deal with it rather than having to refer them elsewhere, so it does give us a broader spectrum of tools.” The process begins with a physical assessment to determine levels of ﬂexibility and stiffness along with a few lifestyle questions to ensure you’re getting the right solution whether you’re an avid runner or on your feet all day at work. As an editor, most of my day is spent sat at a desk so no specific running shoes were required but I did report some mild knee and lower leg pain. Most people’s feet will fit into a standard shoe size but it’s unlikely both will be dynamically identical and as it turns out, I am no exception. My left foot is much stiffer and would therefore require a different level of correction compared to the right. The scan process takes around 20 minutes. First, the patient stands on the footscan mat which gives dynamic pressure measurements using sensors measuring at speeds of up to 500 Hz. The patient then walks back and forth across the mat to get an accurate gait analysis reading. It takes a few attempts to capture enough images of each foot in to get an overall digital profile. This provides information about pressure points, which part of the foot you are landing on when taking a step, if you’re showing any signs of excess pronation, and so on. This data is then instantly available for the therapist or practitioner to view on screen where they can then create a pair of customised insoles tailored to the scan information in a simple design wizard. The insole is then ordered for manufacture and can be delivered to the patient in two weeks for 199 GBP. “It’s easy enough to run the footscan and then when you go through the design it’s quite intuitive,” Ruth adds noting the ease of adopting the technology into the

clinic. “It’s like anything, once you get used to the ﬂow of it, it’s really simple.”

FIRST STEPS

The technology was first developed in the 1980s by rs scan founder Jempi Wilssens, a record-breaking athlete and engineer who wanted to help people to stay injury free. The first scanner was built from a modified photocopier and installed inside Wilssens’ small sports shoe store in Belgium. By 1994, at the request of Adidas’ CEO who wanted the company to be the first sports brand in the world that could advise an injury-risk-free shoe using foot measurements, a new footscan system was developed. As commercial interest grew, so did clinical applications, and as a result in 1998, rs scan International was established. “[Wilssens] understood the necessity of orthotics, when a shoe wasn’t helping enough or wasn’t the right fit, so he created an insole based on an algorithm which he got from the footscan data,” explains Tom Peeters, Brand Manager Phits Insoles. “It was a good insole, scientifically

proven by the British Navy, and he wanted to digitise the complete process and came across 3D printing. He started experimenting but pretty soon found out that to scale and make this economically viable he would need a very solid partner to make it happen and that’s when he coincidentally ran into Materialise in a research project which resulted in the first R&D of 3D printing for orthotics.” The two formed RS Print in 2014 which led to the creation of Phits. The company has since served around 30,000 people with custom insoles worldwide from manufacturing facilities in Europe and North America. Phits’ orthotics take the form of a lattice structure which are manufactured using selective laser sintering and PA12 due to its strength and durability. This means devices can withstand the forces of daily wear and also last much longer than traditional insoles usually milled from rubber or cork. They also look a lot sleeker and if the fabric cushioning on top begins to wear after a few years, patients can simply have it recovered without having to have their correction re-produced. “It makes the orthotic a lot more compact and lightweight, you don’t have the bulk of an insole that’s been made by hand,” Ruth explains. “A lot of the correction is printed into the device, so it becomes easy to fit it into people’s shoes and that increases compliance because it’s all well and good putting an insole in but if they are not going to wear it because it doesn’t fit into their fancy shoes, you might as well not bother. From an orthotic perspective that’s the major perk really and is largely4

 ABOVE:

PERSONALISED CORRECTION IS PRINTED INTO THE LATTICE STRUCTURE

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MEDICAL why we changed because we were getting feedback whereby the handmade orthotics were just lifting them too far out of the shoe. For example, if you’ve got correction built in through the heel, your heel can end up slipping out. You don’t get that with the 3D printed ones because they’re nice and slim.” Phits has identified three core markets; healthcare, sports, and workwear. Inspired by the sporting activity in some of their most popular territories, the company has developed insoles specifically for sports such as skiing, cycling and golf. Cross country skiers, marathon world runners, pro cyclists and beyond have already benefitted from these devices and that can only continue to grow as demand increases. “Every one of these specific applications has its own unique specifications and different characteristics,” says Tom. “It’s about understanding the need and the specifications and then characteristics of certain movements of a certain sport or activity.”

MOVING FORWARD

Other major players like HP are seeing the value and last year the tech giant launched its FitStation platform with over-the-counter insoles manufacturer, SuperFeet. The plan is to provide an end-to-end solution for the scan to manufacture of custom insoles with its HP Jet Fusion Technology and the technology is already being adopted by the NFL. Going one step further, UKbased engineering solutions provider, KW Special Projects recently teamed

4 SHOWN:

DYNAMIC FOOTSCAN DATA IS USED BY THE CLINICIAN TO CREATE THE ORTHOTIC

up with orthotics manufacturer Podfo and Newcastle University to create a ‘while you wait’ service for personalised 3D printed insoles. Part funded by Innovate UK, the overall goal is to create a functioning process by early 2019. In a recent release, KWSP’s Managing Director, Kieron Salter noted the potential for the technology to reduce time and development cost in producing orthotic whilst also giving clinicians a new tool to facilitate accurate on-the-spot measurement These developments, whilst signalling a technological change, also point to a shift in business models. Tom sees two possible tracks; small and medium podiatrists who will install the scan technology in house, and also larger orthopaedic groups transitioning towards 3D printing. BELOW: 

3D PRINTED ORTHOTICS ARE TAILORED TO INDIVIDUAL FOOTSCAN DATA

“RS PRINT HAS SERVED AROUND 30,000 PEOPLE WITH CUSTOM INSOLES WORLDWIDE”

“These large prosthetics groups really want to start thinking about how they can transform from traditional manufacturing to a completely digitalised process with 3D printing,” explains Tom. “Of course, we want to produce orthotics but it’s not our purpose. Our purpose is offering the technology, the tools to provide orthotics and whether we print them and service these individual practices or we service and support the larger groups with know-how and guide the transition, we know it is coming. It is something we need to embrace, and we need to be ready to guide these people into the next level of manufacturing to a more durable and more environmentally friendly process.” But most importantly, do these devices actually work? I’ve been wearing mine for several weeks now, building them in gradually starting with only a few hours each day. They are comfortable, robust, fit perfectly and I can’t be sure if it’s too early to tell yet but the pain I was experiencing in my knees and lower legs has disappeared. Unlike the off-the-shelf pair which felt bulky and harsh these fit discreetly and are even personalised to the point of including my name within the print – a non-functional touch but a nice example of the benefits of mass customisation. Working within this industry, I sometimes take for granted that the technology applications I see every day, whether 3D printed orthotics or medical models, are not commonplace. When I returned from collecting my insoles after a brief test walk along the Conwy harbour, I showed them to my mum. Had these technologies been readily available at the doctor’s office, there is no doubt that the benefits would have outweighed the cost. Perhaps as adoption and accessibility increases within the healthcare sector, more people will be able to reap those benefits too.

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BIO-COMPATIBLE REFRACTORY METAL ALLOYS FOR PATIENTSPECIFIC ORTHOPEDIC AND DENTAL IMPLANTS

lthough in principle, additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are perfect for ‘patient-specific’ applications, given 3D printing’s suitability in making complex one-off parts with no added cost, there are still some hurdles to overcome. One hurdle that needs to be lept is that of the biocompatibility of materials. With direct metal 3D printing, in particular, to comply with constraints from the organisations like the FDA, concerns of the toxicology must be addressed.

Orthopaedic and dental implant materials are exposed to high mechanical loading. Even though many current materials used in the direct metal 3D printing processes, like stainless steel and cobalt-chrome alloys, can cope with the mechanical stresses, there are concerns surrounding the release of toxic or allergenic elements that could result in inﬂammation of tissue. Metal alloys based on titanium (Ti) and niobium (Nb) represent higher biocompatibility with appropriate mechanical properties for avoiding stress-shielding and consecutive implant loosening. It is with this in mind that one of the forerunners of alloy materials development, H.C. Starck Tantalum and Niobium GmbH has designed AMPERTEC Spherical Ti-42Nb specifically for AM processes. AMPERTEC Spherical Ti-42Nb powders are produced using electrode induction-melting gas atomisation (EIGA), the powders are fully spherical with a negligible amount of satellites. The spheroidal shape results in better processing properties in both powder bed fusion-based and lasercladding processes.

Atomised alloys such as Ti-42Nb are compositionally entirely beta-phase (β-phase) alloys with a body-centered cubic (bcc) crystal structure, which is associated with a higher ductility to pure hexagonal close-packed (hcp) Ti or the commonly used Ti-6Al-4V alloy.

Thanks to unique processing properties, AMPERTEC Spherical Ti-42Nb powders can be printed to almost full density (99,95%) using the selective laser melting process. Internal stresses are usually low, accordingly, thermal post-processing such as diffusion annealing or HIP is not necessarily required. The phase composition is not affected by the laser melting process; similar to the atomised powders, as-printed Ti-42Nb is pure β-phase. Printed parts have a fine-grained microstructure with extremely homogeneous element distribution. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) investigations confirms that there is no segregation of Ti or Nb-rich phases.

Mechanical investigations by means of tensile and compression tests display a combination of high elasticity and strength. The Young`s modulus (tensile elasticity measure) of as-printed Ti-42Nb specimen measures ca. 60 GPa with strengths values of ca. 700 MPa. By comparison, standard Ti alloys such as Ti-6Al-4V of Ti-6Al-7Nb possess elastic moduli of 110 – 115 GPa, the elastic modulus of cortical bone is 16 - 22 GPa. The closer match of Ti-42Nb in tensile elasticity to that of cortical bone means that stress shielding between bone and implant and associated inﬂammation or implant loosening due to mechanical mismatches is suppressed. Finally, cell-biological investigations point to the fact that both osteoblasts (a cell that makes bones) and fibroblasts (the cell that synthesises collagen) exhibit higher metabolic activity on Ti-42Nb than on Ti-6Al-4V. This is of crucial importance since the implant adaption is mainly inﬂuenced by proper bone and tissue ingrowth, which are steered by osteoblasts and fibroblasts, respectively.

Fig. 1: SEM images of gas-atomised AMPERTEC Spherical Ti-42Nb powders at 100x (left) and 1000x (right) magnification

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3D scanning

WALKING WITH ROBOTS WORDS : SAM DAVIES

he more you walk with your robot, the faster you are going to recover. That’s what the users of lower leg exoskeletons in a select few rehabilitation centres around the world are being told. They are used to help people with paraplegia walk again, motors generating forces like torque to move the human leg via an interface and spring. But typically, there are problems surrounding fit and comfort which can discourage patients from persevering.

SHOWN: THE R&MM’S LOWER LEG EXOSKELETON WITH 3D PRINTED INTERFACES.

That’s where a certain Belgian University Research Group comes in. “The problem with interfaces in lower leg exoskeletons is that they slip, so the actuation system is trying to provide torque to the leg and the interface is trying to move the leg, and because the connection isn’t perfect, the interface is moving and slipping over the skin without actually moving the leg. This is a problem we wanted to stop,” explains Kevin Langlois, of the Free University of Brussels’ Robotics & Multibody Mechanics (R&MM) research group. “The way we wanted to do that was instead of interacting with soft tissue, we wanted to interact with bony prominences. This is why we turned to 3D scanning technology.” R&MM, almost a year ago, began using an Artec Eva scanning system as it sought to ditch the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, and focus on tailored fits. It identifies this as a gap in the research already carried out – so far, most research has concerned the actuation and control of the robot. An exoskeleton transfers energy from robot to human, but

SHOWN: MESH LEG

if the interface does not fit properly, much of that energy is lost, and that also means soft tissues can be damaged and unpleasant burning sensations can compromise comfort. A simple tenminute 3D scan from knee down to foot is the first step of a solution that works to solve these issues. With the digital information gathered, R&MM can process the data within the Artec Studio 3D software, design the orthotic, in this case the interface, to fit the patient, and then proceed to print it on an Ultimaker 3. It’s a process said to be much quicker and more costeffective than the traditional plaster moulding method, and one generating better results too. It’s the enabler for R&MM to set about an exoskeleton that interacts with the bony prominences of the leg: the malleolus, the tibia, and the femoral condyle. These are bony projections at the ankle, shin, and the femur, and by pushing forces through these areas the soft tissue is protected and a

stiffer connection is achieved. It serves to assist people with paraplegia in regaining locomotory capabilities quicker and safer. The exoskeleton R&MM is developing also has an assistance paradigm which can lower its workload as the patient becomes more independent. It will initially provide 120 newton metres of torque – the standard amount a healthy human generates at the ankle when walking – and come down as their walking ability improves. Langlois is currently adding the finishing touches to the paper that will cover the intricacies of the exoskeleton project and its potential impact. He told TCT he sees robotic devices of this kind being adopted in other settings, away from medical, such as occupations which require heavy lifting. He also highlighted the benefits of having the Artec Eva scanner, of which he believes to have used for only 10 hours in 12 months. Applied intermittently, it is testament to the speed and accuracy of the device, which has been a small cog with a big impact. “We believe that we have found a way to achieve a stiffer connection to the human body and that way is to interact with bony prominences and the way you can do that is by using customised solutions by means of 3D scanning,” Langlois says. “The main goal here was to reduce migration which will lead to increased comfort and increased efficiency. Already it’s a promising result.”

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reverse ENGINEERING

CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK I WORDS : SAM DAVIES

n the early 20th century, as the automotive industry began to simmer, a French car manufacturer by the name of Delage was proving itself as a worthy supplier to the wealthy, and a worthy winner on the Grand Prix circuit. Its output between 1905 and 1935 earned it legendary status among automobile enthusiasts. Cars like the Delage Type S, which took part in the 1914 French Grand Prix, have been adored for more than 100 years. Stuart Murdoch has been the proud owner of a Delage Type S since 1975, but in 2014 the engine block cracked around an exhaust valve between high temperature and high pressure exhaust gases and the cooling water jacket enclosed in the engine block casting. It was rendered unusable. “This crack was difficult to access, complex in topography, and impossible to repair without risk to the integrity of the block,” Phil Guilfoyle, who would lead a project aiming to restore the engine block, explained. “The repair had to be perfect without affecting the surrounding area. The design of the engine made access to the crack very difficult and, although several other methods were considered, no repair was possible.”

Guilfoyle is not only a lifelong vintage car buff, but also a keen adopter of digital technology through his career as an industrial designer. The opportunity to combine a passion with his profession arose through Up The Creek Workshop (UTCW), a mechanical engineering and restoration studio who maintained Murdoch’s Delage Type S. Guilfoyle and the UTCW called on the help of Keech3D, a supplier of castings, Wysiwyg, who would provide 3D scanning and modelling capabilities, as well as CSIRO Lab22, a manufacturing research centre that boasts a Voxeljet VX1000 sand 3D printer. The task at hand, to reproduce the engine block, was complicated by the lack of spare parts, design drawings and other engines to reference. Dissembling the defective engine, 3D scanning and CAD modelling were harnessed to reconstruct the failed casting, in a quick and cost-effective manner. Guilfoyle and co didn’t want

to print the engine block, just the tool to re-cast the block with a method and materials that would allow for a true replica. With the CAD data, a sand mould for printing was designed and validated by foundry engineers who used simulation tools to certify the casting process would work. The CAD model was successfully limited to a total of 14 mould parts – the original consisting of 42 components – and printed on the VX1000 platform in 300-micron sand layers that are selectively glued together with a binder. Then, the moulds were unpacked, excess sand cleaned away, and the subsequent casting procedure was carried out without a hitch. Including printing and mould finishing, the moulds were ready for the foundry within three days. The foundry required a further 48 hours to seal, dry and assemble the mould set. By November 2016, after nine months of scanning, CAD modelling, mould design and then reproduction, testing was complete, the Delage Type S was once again road-ready, and the following month Murdoch was reunited with his prized asset. Since, the engine block has performed faultlessly, with the car clocking up hundreds of kilometres on country roads and completing multiple laps on the track. A vintage car has been reborn thanks to contemporary reverse engineering methods. “3D sand printing is nearly perfect for this kind of high value, small run application of casting technology,” assessed Guilfoyle. “It is efficient and ﬂexible enough to do one-offs, which is highly relevant to vintage restoration. It is not dependant on a shrinking legacy of old parts and skills to keep heritage vehicles on the road, [and] it is extremely accurate so parts can be engineered to assemble with remaining parts. “The Voxeljet VX1000 is still the only 3D sand printer in Australia and the CSIRO provided both access and expertise to permit the parties in the project to take this innovative approach to a problem as old as the industrial revolution.”

SHOWN: NEW ENGINE BLOCK INSTALLED INTO THE DELAGE TYPE S

Credit: PHIL GUILFOYLE

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metrology EDITED BY : LAURA GRIFFITHS

Q&A: ANDREW CUFFLEY, GOM UK DURING A RECENT WORKSHOP AT GOM’S COVENTRY OFFICE, I HEARD HOW THE 3D METROLOGY INDUSTRY IS IMPACTING THE ENTIRE DESIGN-TO-MANUFACTURING CHAIN. HERE ANDREW CUFFLEY, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT GOM UK TALKS TRENDS AND TAKING MEASUREMENT SERIOUSLY. LG: Inspection and quality control are more than just an end of manufacturing process - can you talk about the importance and beneﬁts of metrology as an integral part of end-to-end manufacturing? AC: It is not unknown for us to encounter people, and indeed senior individuals who regards measurement as just cost, but we believe that this is a rather blinkered way of approaching the technology available. Using full-field measurement techniques it is possible to obtain a greater understanding of manufacturing processes and gain proper control further back in a cycle and before costly high value and cost has been committed. The increased component and tooling information can provide engineers the means to develop streamlined processes such as adaptive machining, where the presentation of parts in a machining centre can mean that only the required areas are worked on. This not only saves time but can also generate the production of superior parts. LG: At the workshop we heard that manufacturers like Jaguar Land Rover are starting to take metrology seriously - is this something GOM is seeing more evidence of in industry? AC: Some customers are telling us that they see the future in full-field optical measurement and are actively looking to remove tactile CMM technology from metrology areas. The reason is simple, the speed and coverage that is achievable is far superior. We see tactile CMMs as complimentary to optical methods but as the capabilities with our technology are better understood further back through manufacture in to the design arena it is becoming more accepted that planning the inspection process to consider full-field measurement offers considerable cost and time saving benefits. LG: What are some of the biggest changes or trends in 3D metrology? How do you see that developing?

the improvements in computer processing and camera technology mean that the considerable amounts of measure data can be acquired and used for interrogation. The biggest changes are toward automated measurement providing highend optical measurement closer to the production areas. It is not unreasonable to consider that within the next five years the majority of our installations could be automated.

CMM, the operator needs to know exactly what particular geometries are required and everything has to be set up just-so. Parts produced by additive manufacture, particularly in the development stage, are often subject to material deformation, something that is difficult to identify as a trend with only limited measured points.

LG: With increased adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies like additive manufacturing, does this pose any challenges to current measurement methods?

LG: What role will advancements in metrology (such as robotics and measurement moving closer to the factory ﬂoor) play in Industry 4.0?

AC: Additive manufacture has enjoyed considerable expansion over the past five-ten years and the technology has improved massively in that period. The performance capabilities of the systems have improved greatly and we often engage in programmes to help users develop their processes around the results we present. This is a key advantage with full-field measurement over single touch point measurement. There is no need for specific prior knowledge about the part. The sensor will gather information for what it can see. With a conventional

The technology is also very helpful for us, allowing us to utilise generic referencing frames with bespoke holders printed directly from our own measured data - to secure components.

AC: Industry 4.0 is clearly the buzzword and we are heavily engaged. Processed data being fed straight from the metrology system back in to the factory management system is becoming increasingly common and indeed the use of automated measurement is on the rise. Inspection requirements can be imported with the CAD and a measurement programme generated automatically to move a robot mounted sensor as required.

AC: There remain challenges in some applications, but

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METROLOGY

THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS F WORDS : LAURA GRIFFITHS

rom additive manufacturing to automation, the motorsport industry isn’t one that shies away from technological advancements, and like the nature of the sport itself, the race to innovate is just as critical. In such a fast-moving, highly-competitive sector, data accuracy is paramount which is why reigning British Touring Car Champions West Surrey Racing (WSR) is taking metrology seriously as it gears up for the 2018 season.

The team first signed a technical agreement with Surrey-based 3D optical measurement specialists, Physical Digital last year and is planning to repeat that success by partnering once again for the 2018 championship where the team will defend its latest title at Brands Hatch. Physical Digital has a strong background in motorsport and applying 3D optical measurement to capture high-accuracy, high-resolution data for continuous development, analysis and improvement of competing vehicles. The company has been providing measurement services for various components of WSR’s BMW 125iM Sports touring car for post-season analysis and was recently was asked to provide a full scan of the race vehicle’s chassis. “We’re one of the only companies in the UK that uses this technology [from GOM] and it’s widely regarded as being the market leader for optical measurement, so we’ve done a variety of different projects for WSR,” explains Benjamin Singer, Metrologist at Physical Digital. “This particular project was scanning a full chassis so it’s quite an interesting one and utilises all of the best aspects of the GOM system.”

avoid incurring large deviation errors. First, the team used a GOM ATOS photogrammetry system to create a reference frame from 2D images of the vehicle that will be applied to maintain accuracy throughout the project. Then the team used a GOM ATOS triple scan system which features a blue light digital projector and stereoscopic cameras to rapidly capture precise 3D measuring data. From arriving on-site to delivering the results, the entire process takes just half a day to complete with 25 million points captured. “The great thing about this system is the resolution so we can capture a lot of very fine detail,” Ben continues. “We don’t get much noise and that’s because of the power of the projector and the quality of the cameras, and we can link this system with the photogrammetry system. It will maintain the accuracy so we’re not increasing the deviation the further we scan.” Last year, the team was tasked with scanning the BMW B48 turbo engine to capture engine mounts and mechanical components to help WSR meet a tight

deadline for the start of the season. The technology has also been applied to detect major problems or investigate part failure by scanning multiple pieces and piecing them back together digitally to find out where the issue materialised. “It’s incredibly important, you need to be able to trust the data that you’re receiving,” Ben adds. “Every image that we capture for the process that’s in the photogrammetry and in the scanning system, is held within that project so we’ve got 100% trust in the system and that’s very rare in optical scanning systems.” WSR and Team BMW took home two prestigious titles last year and WSR believes 3D scan data was essential to the success and development of these vehicles. Managing Director of Physical Digital, Tim Rapley commented: “It was a joy to see all the hard work pay-off last season, with WSR and Team BMW taking home two prestigious titles, so we are really look forward the next championship.”

 SHOWN:

USING THE GOM ATOS TRIPLE SCAN TO MEASURE THE BMW B48 ENGINE

Physical Digital use two metrology systems simultaneously to increase the scanning area and

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031

‘YOU’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER HALL’ I nside Shanghai Ballroom 3 of the Kerry Hotel on February 28th, I get my first taste of TCT Asia. It’s Day Zero of the TCT Asia Summit, a pre-cursor to the main event which will consume the following three days, for myself, my colleagues, the dozens of speakers, the hundreds of exhibitors, and the thousands of attendees.

On the stage upon my arrival, Professor Jonathan Morris of the Mayo Clinic is detailing, in quite graphic fashion, the impact 3D printing has had over the last 20 years, in spinal procedures, the removal of tumours and even separating conjoined twins. The room hung on Morris’ every word, and a swarm of listeners descended on the speaker as he returned to his seat – among them our own Dan O’Connor (see page 12). It is an ample warm-up to what is to be a frenetic show.

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NA R

TCT ASIA

Record numbers of visitors burst through the doors on Day One and are immediately greeted by GE Additive’s stand to the right, Z Rapid and Shining 3D to the left. Farsoon is straight ahead, and with the turn of the corner, SLM Solutions, Stratasys, 3D Systems, EOS, Materialise and Polymaker, each booth welcoming groups at a time to see their latest tech. In that morning, it is a task in itself to navigate from one point to the next. Standing at EnvisionTEC’s booth, it appears I’m not the only one losing the fight against the show ﬂoor traffic: the company’s Managing Director, Sobhi Aris late for our appointment after curiosity, then the hustle and bustle, gets the better of him. What he’s seen at this point, save for a metal FDM process he is unsure of, encourages him. Better than last year. So many metal machines he’s lost count. And assurance that his company has something to showcase that is a little bit different.

 SHOWN:

EnvisionTEC is one of many Western companies looking to capitalise on the ﬂavour for additive manufacturing (AM) that China is indulging. For Aris and his colleagues, the dental and jewellery markets are the most fruitful in the East Asian country, with tooling expected to be profitable too. Other notable outfits taking their chance in a vibrant additive region are Clariant and Lubrizol, two chemical specialists making their 3D printing show debuts, after recent entries into the industry. Clariant unveils a range of different material grades, while Lubrizol will focus specifically on TPU materials, introducing its first three at TCT Asia. While gratifying that Western firms are making their launches at an Eastern event, the show still belongs to the Asian exhibitors. During my conversation with Aris, fresh from his dash around the show ﬂoor, he surmises that the western AM industry “should really have an eye on the Chinese.4

MORE THAN 13,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED TCT ASIA 2018.

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TCT ASIA

China is a beautiful country. It is growing nicely and it is high end. [The government] is investing huge sums of money for high tech. If you have an idea they’ll fund it. Most, if I don’t say all, [of the Chinese exhibitors at TCT Asia] are government funded. The good ones will survive. Don’t take things lightly. I think it’s going to be an interesting show.” He is right. The reason he struggled to count the amount of metal machines present at the fourth TCT Asia is because there is 38 of them, a task Dan and I only manage to complete on the final day when crowds are a bit more dispersed. Shining 3D, Farsoon and Bright Laser Technology each have multiple metal platforms on show, but relative newcomers Laseradd Technology bring with them the most: four different Selective Laser Melting and Laser Sintering systems crammed into their 36-square-metre booth. In the next 12 months, Laseradd is gearing up to sell its DiMetal series internationally, targeting the medical, aerospace, and automotive industries, as well as educators, and also hint at another three new machines before the end of 2018. By Day Three of the show, Farsoon have slapped ‘SOLD’ stickers on the two Continuous Additive Manufacturing Solution (CAMS) machines it has on its stand, and also announce a partnership with Oerlikon which will see the Swiss company supply metal powders to the Chinese firm. GE Additive, Renishaw, Beijing E-Plus, and Markforged are also showcasing their metal 3D printing systems. Dedibot, a company operating out of Hangzhou, presents its SLM-style machine which is capable of printing two metal materials. The firm is one of the show-stoppers this time around, but testament to the creative thinking of the team, it isn’t for its multi-metalmaterial machine, but instead because of the Fly Elephant. This delta 3D printer mounted to a drone is only a proof of concept, but is being touted as a potential solution for the construction market since it is unlimited in the Z-axis. Tucked away in the corner of the hall, it still stands as one of the busiest booths throughout the event.

Attendance at the Summit, meanwhile, reﬂects the rest of the show. A series of speakers take to the Main Stage and TCT Introducing Stage, and judging by the crowds that spill into the aisles, pick up right where Jonathan Morris left off on Day Zero. China is a nation renowned for its manufacturing prowess, and a region that continues to pick up pace in its adoption of and innovation with 3D printing technology. The visitor numbers once again reinforce that: 13,196 in total. TCT Asia serves as a platform for these companies to launch their technologies alongside their Western counterparts in an AM melting pot that can only be beneficial to the industry as a whole.

A recurring bone of contention throughout the show, however, is the number of halls to contain the volume of exhibitors. Coming off the back of formnext powered by TCT 2017, the first thing Sobhi Aris wants to know is where the second hall was. Towards the end of our discussion, a peer of his comes over and enquires about the same thing. Then, Laseradd’s General Manager responds: “You’re going to need it,” when I tell him next year TCT Asia will have two halls. The pile of rebooking forms completed onsite by close of play on the final day, many with significant expansions, mean he’s not wrong.

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CROWDS GATHER AT DEDIBOT’S STAND, A CONSISTENT FEATURE OF TCT ASIA 2018.

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MACH PREVIEW T

he Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) main event, MACH, rolls into the NEC, Birmingham for five days, starting on the 9th April. Showcasing the latest and greatest in manufacturing technologies from CNC machinery to metrology solutions, this year’s edition of the biennial event has more of an advanced manufacturing slant.

A high-performance metal additive manufacturing system, the ProX DMP 320 features a build volume of 275 x 275 x 420 mm. Considered as the heavy-duty alternative to traditional metal manufacturing processes, this Direct Metal Printing (DMP) solution produces very dense and pure metal parts with reduced waste, shorter set-up times and higher throughput.

Additive Manufacturing has often existed on the periphery of these kind of manufacturing shows, MACH, EMO, IMTS and the their ilk. The technologies were either considered a threat to the core competency of machine tools or considered a passing fad.

Figure 4 is the next-generation, high-speed Stereolithography (SLA) system manufacturing parts in hybrid materials that offer toughness, durability, biocompatibility, high temperature deﬂection, and elastomeric properties.

Neither of those perceptions are true as exemplified by an expanded 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing Zone at this year’s event. The many companies demonstrating their additive wears at this year’s MACH will show how the technologies have revolutionised prototyping, eliminated tooling, reduced inventory, consolidated part assembly, directly manufactured spare parts and much more.

Visitors to the stand will also see a metal additive manufacturing system, the ProX DMP 320, next-gem high-speed stereolithography tech in Figure 4 and the new FabPro 1000, an affordable Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printer that delivers parts with smooth SLA surface quality.

EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS LASER LINES LTD | STAND NO. H6-860 Laser Lines Ltd - a total solution provider for 3D printing, additive manufacturing and 3D scanning - will be demonstrating its recently increased portfolio of products to MACH attendees. The company has recently linked up with Desktop Metal and OR Laser to further spread the adoption of metal 3D printing technologies. Laser Lines’ team of specialists will be on hand at the booth to answer any questions and show the capabilities of OR Laser’s ORLAS Creator with live demos of the powder-bed fusion system. Other products on show include the Statasys F370 from their latest range of FDM printers – the F123 Series, a Makerbot Z18 and an Evatronix EviXscan Heavy Duty Quadro 3D Scanner. 3D SYSTEMS | STAND H7-345 3D Systems is going big at MACH 2018 with its engineering-grade additive manufacturing solutions for all budget. 3D Systems will be premiering the ProX SLS 6100 Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) production 3D printer. Designed for the manufacturing ﬂoor, the ProX SLS 6100 produces ready-to-use functional parts and complete assemblies for a variety of aerospace, automotive, patient specific medical devices, fashion accessories, and mobile device use cases. With a range of production-grade nylon materials from which to choose, it brings versatility to applications from functional prototyping to direct 3D production.

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Throughout the event, 3D Systems will display its design and engineering software, including 3DXpert for metal additive manufacturing and GibbsCAM for CNC manufacturing. XYZ MACHINE TOOLS | STAND H18-640 As well as the seven new XYZ Machine Tools’ HD (Heavy-Duty) range of vertical machining centres, the company will be on hand at MACH as a recently announced reseller of FP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing technology. The team will be on hand to discuss a wealth of information on the materials that can be used in developing production parts using HP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing system and HP’s SmartStream 3D Build Manager and Command Centre software, all designed to make 3D printing a simple and productive process. OGM (CO-EXHIBITING WITH MATSUURA MACHINERY) | STAND H6-762 Matsuura Machinery will have a stand dedicated to its hybrid additive manufacturing and CNC milling machine, LUMEX. And exclusively launching on the stand, Oxford-based OGM will showcase a radical Hybrid Additive Manufacturing (AM) bureau service, which offers a step-change in finished part quality from an existing

MACH 2018

W 2018

S P O N S O RE D BY

10:30- 11:00

Added Scientific

Sophie Jones

Additive Manufacturing: Building a skills base in your company

11:00- 11:30

Materialise

Andrew Jones

The Industrialisation of 3D Printing

11:30- 12:00

Valuechain

Tom Dawes

Scaling Additive Manufacturing For Aerospace

12:00- 12:30

LPW Technology

Nick Weeks

The future of Additive Manufacturing Digital integration: from metal powder manufacture to final part qualification

12:30- 12:45

SLM

David Wilckens

Selective Laser Melting for Production Applications

12:45- 13:00

Stratasys

Amos Breyfogle

How to Enhance Production Processes with Stratasys Additive Manufacturing Solutions

13:00- 13:30

MTC

Katy Milne

Drama: Digital Reconfigurable Additive Manufacturing facilities for Aerospace

Powder Bed Fusion process. OGM purchased a LUMEX Avance-25 from Matsuura Machinery in 2017. OGM has already successfully used this new technology to manufacture conformal cooling channels and injection moulding inserts with cycle time reduction and improved part quality, but also plans to offer sophisticated end use parts, delivering to companies a route to create components that currently have no conventional means of production.

THE TCT GROUP 3D PRINTING AND ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SEMINAR @ MACH 2018 WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 10.30 -11.30 Education is a key part of the TCT Group’s mission to accelerate design-tomanufacturing innovation and at MACH 2018 we will be running a seminar dedicated to additive manufacturing. Located in the UK Supply Chain Zone within hall 6 the seminars are free to attend and seating is based on a first come, first served basis.

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HP’S MJP ON DISPLAY FOR THE FIRST TIME AT A MACH SHOW

left: 

ORLAS CREATOR ON DISPLAY AT LASER LINES STAND

3D PRINTING SOLUTIONS At MACH 2018 | Stand No. H6-860 FDM | POLYJET | METAL | SCANNING

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ARCHITECTURE

CONCENTRATING CONCRETE WORDS : SAM DAVIES

ntended as an event funded by Denmark to enlighten Denmark, 3D Printhuset’s 3D Construction Printing conferences attracted visitors on an international scale, and in doing so now has an uncertain future. The second edition, held in Copenhagen in November, welcomed an audience of more than 240 people – 50% of which were foreign – to revel in the knowledge of industry experts and the spectacle of 3D Printhuset’s 3D printed office hotel, The BOD (Building On-Demand). This 50-square-metre building was constructed with the company’s 8 x 8 x 6 metre gantry printer, and supplemented a full programme of speakers as the conference went from strength to strength. But now, the Danish Government has taken a step back, and 3D Printhuset is without financial support to organise any follow-up events. Though the future of the 3D construction printing sector’s only dedicated conference is in doubt, the future of the market itself isn’t, at least not for the want of trying. Numerous examples of 3D printed construction structures, like cycle bridges and bus shelters, are being put forward as suitable applications, and there’s even EU-backed projects looking to deliver new manufacturing tools. XtreeE, one of the companies represented in Copenhagen last November, is part of a consortium of 12 companies in the middle of a 36-month project aiming to develop a hybrid manufacturing system for large-scale building processes. HINDCON (Hybrid INDustrial CONstruction) is funded by the European Commission under the H2020 Program and was launched in September 2016. The 5 million EUR project brings together VIAS, the project leader; LafargeHolcim; Siemens Program and System Engineering SRL; Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA); FUNDACIOcim; ESTIA; University of Patras’ Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems & Automation; SINTEF; Institution of Construction Sciences; ATANGA; XtreeE; and LCA Consultants APS. Between them, they will pool their resources and expertise into nine key areas which include, but are not limited to, Additive Material Development; Printing and

Robotics Technologies; Manufacturing and Construction Processes; and Demonstration of the All-in-One Machine. The Manufacturing and Construction Processes sector is mainly the responsibility of XtreeE, and will see it design a footbridge which adequately demonstrates the potential of the hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing technology. At the forefront of XtreeE’s approach is the buildability, accounted for through ‘proper material modelling’ and the optimisation of time, cost, and material and energy consumption. It hopes this effort can contribute to an impactful solution for the construction sector. “Hopefully, the success of HINDCON will convince the construction industry of the pertinence of hybrid 3D concrete printing technology for addedvalue in specific applications,” Justin Dirrenberger, from XtreeE’s R&D department, told TCT. “If used

wisely, the results of HINDCON, in terms of manufacturing technology and methodology, could generate significant revenue for the earlyadopters within the industry.” XtreeE’s design of a demonstrative application is wholly reliant on the development of additive-compatible materials, printing and robotic technologies, and control software, since the project wants to instil a process-based design strategy. As well as pioneering a new construction technique, HINDCON wants to move away from the process by which buildability is only considered after a structure is designed. Its website reads ‘the design of complex, lightweight and optimal structural elements will fully pay attention to the specificities of AM.’ Those specificities include materials, process and software. Additive material development will be overseen by LafargeHolcim, and comply with the quality standards and robustness required and

4 RIGHT:

THE BOD OFFICE HOTEL BEING BUILT WITH 3D PRINTHUSET’S GANTRY 3D CONSTRUCTION PRINTER

 ABOVE:

THE BOD UPON COMPLETION

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ARCHITECTURE

expected in the construction sector. They will need to be cementitious, suitable for additive processes and reinforced with composites. Fraunhofer IPA, meanwhile, is designing and building robotic devices that will facilitate the additive and subtractive processes. Two robotic end-effector tools will add and subtract material - an extruder system depositing material, while a subtractive tool will work to remove material and finish the built structures. ESTIA is in charge of writing the software that will power the all-in-one machine. It will control the cable root system and the additive and subtractive processes, supporting CAD, CAM, data management, and path optimisation and simulation modules. HINDCON is also considering the bearing on the environment the development of this machine might have. Construction waste is a big contributor of surplus materials that saturate public landfill spots, and so the HINDCON project is undertaking a life cycle assessment (LCA) ‘from cradle to grave’ to ensure use of primary energies, greenhouse gases, and freshwater resources aren’t excessive.

That thought process serves to support the doing away with a ‘one size fits all’ approach, a trend occurring throughout the AM sector, and one seemingly applicable in the 3D construction printing market too. “Nobody produces The. Best. Car., so why should anybody produce The. Best. Construction 3D Printer?” Henrik Lund-Nielsen, 3D Printhuset CEO asks. “I think there will be lots of 3D construction printers out there, more or less suitable for each of their special type of buildings or structures.” Those printers will likely either be controlled by a gantry system or a robotic arm – the former for the most ambitious builds, like The BOD, for example, and the latter for smaller structures, like the footbridge proof of concept that HINDCON will generate. Not all of the printers, however, will be the result of a dozen companies, each with their own expertise, coming together in the way HINDCON is. The alliance of 12 European outfits is a unique approach and one that could subsequently have a big impact on the utilisation of 3D printing technologies within the construction sector. It hasn’t gone unnoticed by 3D Printhuset, who stand at once as a leading applier and champion of 3D construction printing. Lund-Nielsen,

despite some doubts, is encouraged by the collaboration between private enterprise and research institutions, as well as HINDCON’s ambition to deliver a next-generation system that builds on the progress already made by industry peers. “Do I believe in the concept that they are applying? I think there might be better ways,” Lund-Nielsen confesses. “But I think any kind of common approach where you are applying the visionary technologies involved in 3D printing, whether it is a robot printer or a gantry printer, and then the knowledge institutions, the present conventional construction companies, they can use their experience and knowledge about what is the market demand, what is the market requesting etc. I think it will lead to some useful results.” Those results could be pivotal to a relatively niche market at a crossroads. The will is there to incorporate 3D printing to manufacture construction elements at scale, whether there’s a way, and perhaps more importantly a demand, remains to be seen. The likes of HINDCON, though, will do their utmost to make sure there is.

With its environmental proficiencies secured, it is then that HINDCON will look towards demonstrating the technology, replicating it and even potentially transferring it to other applications in other industries. But that represents another hurdle. “Although the technology might be ready by the end of the project, the market for applications remain to be created, developed and sustained,” Dirrenberger concedes. “Part of the work of the HINDCON consortium is to convince key actors within the industry, in order to develop new practices based on this technology.”

 TOP LEFT:

INSIDE WALL OF THE BOD, PRINTED IN LAYER HEIGHTS OF 20MM

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ADDITIVE AND THE ARCHITECT WORDS : LAURA GRIFFITHS

o you know the origin of the word architect?” asks Eric Barendse, Designer and Researcher at Studio RAP during a phone conversation last month. I enjoy a good bit of etymology. I’m from a town called Widnes, which apparently earned its name from the Vikings who took a liking to the “wide nose” shape of the land projecting into the River Mersey. It’s not the most glamourous origin story but I can appreciate its history in the same way the source of “architect” got me thinking about how words and their meanings change over time. It comes from “arkhi”- and “téktōn”, which mean “chief” and “builder”, the latter of which doesn’t exactly fit the job description of a modern architect.

I call Eric following a visit to Studio RAP’s space inside Port of Rotterdam’s Innovation Dock, an oasis of technological research and creativity featuring giant robotic arms modified for 3D printing, water drones, and all. Studio RAP also has its own hidden meaning; robots, architecture and production, which is exactly what the team deploys across a wide field of work ranging from the functional to the weird and wonderful. “We are an architectural practice, but we don’t just design buildings, we also develop technology to make those buildings,” Eric explains. “What is very difficult about many of our projects is we design projects with technology that does not exist yet and we then develop the technology to make what we have designed.” Advanced design and manufacturing technologies have changed much of the way we create our world.

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STUDIO RAP INSIDE ROTTERDAM’S INNOVATION DOCK

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“IT REALLY TAKES A DIFFERENT MIND-SET THAN MANY MAINSTREAM ARCHITECTS ARE USED TO.”

ARCHITECTURE CAD and simulation tools mean designers can draft ideas and apply different forces to test how a structure will fare in a real environment. Cloud computing means that entire construction teams have access to the same data and can communicate and resolve any challenges quickly. Additive manufacturing (AM), though not commonplace on a building site, is a tried and tested way of quickly producing accurate scale models in architectural offices and we’re also seeing more and more examples of how large-format concrete AM might be adopted to produce alternative housing. Studios like RAP are embracing that with a range of robotic fabrication and design process including wire cutting, AM and brick stacking to make complex or curved optimised shapes which could not be made in a traditional mould. “There are a lot of things starting up, some making pace, but the technology is not mature enough to be implemented on a larger scale,” Eric comments on the adoption of AM in the field. “That will come in the next few years, I’m quite sure about that but it will still start on a small scale.” Along with design and consultancy work, the studio has a sister company which has developed its own software called RAPCAM which allows designers to take 3D models and translate that into code that can be used in industrial robots. The entire chain is connected digitally so there is no loss of data from the CAD model to production. Eric started out in his own backyard with a giant 3D printer which he built himself and used it to experiment with concrete printing. It’s not identical to the type of concrete you would find in a DIY store and it has a slightly different consistency to make it suitable for extrusion but in the Netherlands the material has been deemed appropriate for use in construction. Using 3D printing, the studio can design and build a column or wall in a matter of hours compared to the 12 weeks it would normally take with traditional construction tools. When I visited the studio, there were examples of structures built using a similar process with clay which show how the technology might be used to print hollow structures filled with traditional materials or to produce interesting colour gradients showing which fade through the visible print layers. There was also a prototype created for the Circular Experience project for ABN Amro’s new building in Amsterdam’s financial district, where RAP proposed a design for the pavilion’s interior walls where wooden strips and waste material are reused in a parametrically controlled, robotic fabrication process. 4

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ROBOTIC BRICK STACKING CAN CREATE COMPLEX AND CURVED STRUCTURES

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ARCHITECTURE “It’s very efficient but also very ﬂexible and quick,” says Eric on the range of processes. “You can respond to what someone is asking very quickly so that takes away a lot of problems with a client. It takes a lot of slowness and frustration out of the process.” Now the studio is working with a small Dutch concrete construction company, Bruil who approached the company around three years ago with an interest in reducing waste using 3D printing, a tool it felt would be crucial to its future due to the declining numbers of traditionally skilled workers coming into the industry. The role of the architect has changed. Once a chief builder, their job now is to design and plan a building or structure. You might see them on a construction site wearing a high-vis jacket and hard hat but it’s unlikely they’ll be taking part in the physical building. Without that hands-on experience, adopting and exploiting those new technologies may pose a challenge. “There is a lot of curiosity,” Eric says. “Mostly from more engineering minded people, many structural engineers come with lots of ideas as to how to optimise structures and shapes which couldn’t be produced before. Many architects have a hard time coming up with ideas that are appropriate, it really takes a different mind-set than many mainstream architects are used to.” Architects will consider not just the look of a building but also functionality, safety and economics. With something like 3D printing, that list of considerations becomes even greater; optimisation, material behaviour, best print paths to reduce material consumption, which geometries are possible and perhaps most importantly, is it the best process for this particular project?

“There is a huge, widespread, bonfire explosion of shapes, forms, images, colours and textures but at the moment the question of why you would want to do this, I haven’t seen a very good answer for yet,” Eric says of the more elaborate headlinestealing examples of AM in construction. “Often these buildings are extremely well optimised and perfect but they’re holding up nothing, or there’s nothing on it, or it doesn’t translate well if you step out of your technical viewpoint. There are other ways that are a lot cheaper, more efficient.” Demands from the construction industry are also evolving at a similar pace. Nicholas Mangon, VP AEC Strategy at Autodesk recently spoke about the need to double the size of some cities by 2020 during the launch of the software giant’s new manufacturing site in Birmingham, a city which he later referred to fondly in a tweet as “a giant construction site”. Advances such as pre-fabrication off-site in controlled modules (think cells where individual blocks might be built in a high-tech manufacturing facility and slot into place on the construction site) or transportable robotic systems for large AM parts, may provide a solution to achieve that goal in this short time frame. Rather than a case of technology killing the carpenter, this is about becoming more hands on in order to embrace the benefits of automation, sustainability and beyond. In order to design and plan efficiently for these technologies, perhaps the role of the architect needs to adapt once again (archi-tech, anyone?) or go back to the roots of chief shipbuilders and carpenters it once reﬂected.

4 SHOWN:

CONCRETE 3D PRINTING ALLOWS DESIGNERS TO REALISE STRUCTURES IN A MATTER OF HOURS

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AND IN OTHER NEWS

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