TCT Europe 21.4 by TCT Magazine

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tct xxx

ISSUE

JUL 13 JUNE 12

21|4

additive manufacturing and professional 3D printing

SLM Solutions Gears up for the Future How to Make it in London TCT Show + Personalize Preview and professional 3D printing additive manufacturing

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additive manufacturing and professional 3D printing

ISSN 1751-0333

GROUP EDITOR James Woodcock e: james@rapidnews.com t: + 44 (0) 1244 680222

3D SC SCANNERS ANNERS

DIGITAL AND COMMUNITY EDITORS

3D PRINTERS

Rose Brooke | rose.brooke@rapidnews.com Daniel O’Connor | daniel.oconnor@rapidnews.com

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Todd Grimm | T. A. Grimm & Associates | tgrimm@tagrimm.com Joris Peels | www.voxelfab.com | joris@voxelfab.com

GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER

3D SER SERVICES & SALES RVICES VIC V

Carol Hardy e: carol@rapidnews.com t: + 44 (0) 1244 680222

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER Samantha Lomax | sam.lomax@rapidnews.com

DESIGN Sam Hamlyn e: sam@rapidnews.com Tracey Roberts e: tracey.mol@btinternet.com

C.O.O. / PUBLISHER Duncan Wood e: duncan@rapidnews.com t: + 44 (0) 7798 844259

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h over 20 year s experience in 3D scanning nning and printing,, Europac3D has an install tall base o of more than 200 systems throughout hroughout the UK and provides hardware ardware and a software staff training. uropac3D D also offfeer a bespoke scanning ser vice to capture in 3D almost any object fo or the purposes of rever se engineering,, prototyping, archiving,, 3D inspection,, 3D printing or rotatable web imager y. Objects from fro small jeweller y items to QYPXMWXSVI] FYMPHMRKW ERH JVSQ WYRKPEWWIW XS ½PQ WXEV W can be scanned,, using a wide w range of proffessional e 3D scanner s, including the new Ar tec Spider (left), XLI ½V WX PS[ GSWX LMKL EGGYVEG] LERH LIPH WGERRIV on the mar ket.

All Territories Single Issue - £4.99 - equates to $5.99, €4.99 or 6.49 AUD The TCT Magazine is published bi-monthly by Rapid News Publications Ltd Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QE, UK. t: + 44 (0) 1244 680222 f: + 44 (0) 1244 671074 © 2013 Rapid News Publications Ltd While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained within this publication is accurate, the publisher accepts no liability for information published in error, or for views expressed. All rights for The TCT Magazine are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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www www.europac3d.com w..europac3d.com opac3d.com sales@eur sales@europac3d.com T eel:: 01270 0127 216000 Tel: 3

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THE EDITOR Mid-Atlantic Tales

ast issue, you may recall, concentrated on some of the most exciting companies and characters in North America following an 11-day jaunt (I’m resisting the urge to say ‘jolly’ as it was genuinely hard work… at times) for Duncan Wood and I up the US East coast. This issue brings us geographically closer to home to the UK’s capital, London. With both New York and London riding the crest of the 3D Printing wave better than any other global cities, it’s not surprising that so much is happening on the ground for both. Rose Brooke and Daniel O’Connor took to the Underground (which, by the way, looks positively safe and sterile after you’ve spent a week using New York’s grimy Subway) to discover what’s happening in one of the planet’s hottest cities. Elsewhere in the magazine you won’t fail to notice the 16-page TCT Show Preview in the central pages. It’s a matter of weeks rather months until the doors open and the two-day event is really coming together well. See the speaker line up, the exhibitors’ news and the special events we have planned for you (you can arrive, park for free, enter for free and watch the presentations for free by the way).

We also take a look at how technology from complete metrology to composites are ‘driving’ the automotive industry and we catch up with Laser Lines to celebrate their 20 years association with Stratasys. Finally — and I leave this for last as you’ll already have seen the cover — SLM Solutions recap their progress for us and set out their exciting plans for the future of the company. Until next time, Jim Woodcock Group Editor james@rapidnews.com

58 17

Design today... ...build tomorrow Unlock the potential for Additive Manufacturing Renishaw’s laser melting system is a pioneering process capable of producing fully dense metal parts direct from 3D CAD. Find out more at www.renishaw.com/additive

www.renishaw.com 5

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www.tctmagazine.com

TCT VOLUME 21 | 4

contents

Upended: Fundamental changes are harder to implement because the change the rules, says Todd Grimm Todd Grimm 6

AMF is no longer just about bowling: The AMF file format needs some love, thinks Joris Peels

tct [21:4]

5867

Joris Peels

69 TCT Show + Personalize Preview Sixteen pages of exhibitor news, conference updates and information to help you plan your participation in this year’s spectacular.

editorial insight

column:

feature: Capturing a 3D point in time RePliForm’s Sean Wise has is pioneering 3D portraits — here we see which 3D printers are up to the job of creating platable models.

tct show + personalize

For more detail, please see pages 8 and 9.

joris peels

Lübeck-based SLM Solutions is growing not only the size of its machines but also its workshops. Here the laser melting specialist reviews progress and give a glimpse of what else is in store.

todd grimm

on the cover: SLM Solutions Gears Up for the Future

automotive applications

08 cover star lead news

editorial insight

on the cover

future portraiture

automotive focus: 58 — EOS: AM race components 60 — FARO: Complete RE 63 — VOXEJLJET: Production parts 65 — ARRK: Composite benefits 67 — GX GROUP: AM in design

AM & 3DP conference review Rose Brooke reports from the Nottingham AM and 3D printing conference.

feature: Engage the Safety How gun maker Holland & Holland ensure their modern production techniques are as safe as their guns.

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additive manufacturing and professional 3D printing

Central Scanning demonstrate how 3D scanning is helping to ensure expanding waitlines don’t impact Health and Safety offshore.

feature:

ctrl-alt-del Do-it-alls Vs Know-it-alls A new system promises FDM, EBM, and LS out of one machine, but as always there are naysayers...

Inition

MakieLab Breaking down the barriers between the physical and digital world’s is just one of this startup’s missions.

Modla We take a tour of the innovative Modla and the impressive Ravensbourne College.

Digits 2 Widgets Building a 3D printing community in Camden,

Experimenting with new materials with the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

Ahead of the Curve: Laser Lines 20 years of partnership with Stratasys is not the only news from Banburybased Laser Lines.

MAKE IT IN LONDON

Nick Allen is on a mission to change the face of the 3D printing bureau.

high street pioneers

Tracking changing body shapes; a matter of safety

HOW TO 20 3DPrintUK

london special issue

feature:

82 ctrl-alt-del

3d scanning for safety

engage the safety

am & 3dp conference

laser lines ahead of the curve

Chalk When the application is right, 3D printing is the only tool for the job.

High Street Pioneers The high-street is the next big frontier for 3D printing, and four companies are taking on the challenge today. 29 — The Color Company 31 — iMakr 31 — Replicator Warehouse 33 — Maplin 7

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[SLM Solutions]

SLM gears up for the i

future

SLM Solutions www.slm-solutions.com

round two years ago the additive manufacturing of metals started to come into focus for the wider industry. The governments of countries such as the USA, China, Russia, Singapore and others have started investment programmes to support their local industries upgrading to this ‘exciting new technology’. In turn this has generated a sudden high demand for equipment that has put the few global manufacturers under pressure to fulfill the requested production capacity demands. Add the obvious and also desired technology upgrades to it and the pressure on the manufacturers rises further. SLM Solutions of Lübeck, Germany, has been monitoring this developing trend and reorganised the company setup in 2011 accordingly (as we reported in TCT after visiting the company early last year). Since then a lot of things have happened in the small but picturesque ancient city, which was also voted Germany’s “city of science” in 2012. This is a title granted for one city only each year in the country that proves to be most innovative and active in science. High Tech meets the Hanseatic League! As a medium-sized company within the so-called “German Mittelstand”, SLM Solutions had to find partners to support its aggressive growth potential. German private equity funds were put into the business at the end of 2012 resulting in a large increase of working capital to support various expansion plans and measures. Discussions with key international accounts clearly indicated a massive planned growth in production for the coming years that underlined the need to expand production capabilities to reach four to five times today’s production rate. The concurrent expansion of the product range to four SLM machines, as well as vacuum casting equipment, need more room production floorspace. As a consequence the company looked like a building site for the first six months of the year. Relocation of the warehouse helped to streamline material flow while a concurrent expansion of the shop floor level by at least 600 m2 has grown the available manufacturing space. This expanded space will have assembly island platforms for the individual machines that can be tailored to the customer’s requirements during production and testing. The demand for more SLM machines brings with it an increased demand for high-quality metals powders and consumables — the supply of which remains an important concern for users of all additive manufacturing systems.

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pansion plans M Solutionsʼ ex 2 Above and top: SL new high-tech of t at least 600 m ou g tin kit e lud inc ace manufacturing sp

In response to this increased demand and continuing concern, SLM Solutions has also invested in a state of the art QA and testing laboratory for metal powders that enables fast and specific analysis of the metal powders and produced parts. Large global aerospace customers like GE and various German automobile manufacturers will continue to demand such investment from AM machine providers as it will give them additional confidence for their future investments into this technology. Growth = Innovation The large platform SLM 500 HL has been improved in size, speed and handling to make it well suited for the production environments of the types of company ready to adopt AM into their manufacturing processes. A state of the art production-cycle-orientated powder handling system is currently under development and will be ready to be released before the end of 2013. The growing number of research, design and development engineers also work on the small and midsize platforms SLM 125 HL, SLM 250 HL and SLM 280 HL to keep one step ahead in innovation leadership and address the needs and requests for more controllable and transparent production cycles of the metal parts. These demands mainly stem from the medical device and aerospace industries that want to implement the SLM technology into their daily production cycles. Multiple aerospace companies

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[SLM Solutions] have stated in press releases that SLM production of parts for flying aircraft with full flight certification will become reality around the end of 2014 to middle of 2015. Medical Miracles In the medical device and implant industry things are even further ahead and individual implants from this technology are already placed in living humans. Animal testing for a broader approach is underway and delivering the first positive results for the certification processes. Here the SLM technology can in future bridge the gap of not enough transplant organs and parts being available for clinical routine. Imagine the scenario: you have to be taken to hospital after a serious accident, clinicians are scanning your broken bone and building a metal implant on-site in the hospital in only a matter of hours. This is not utopia but will be reality in many hospitals in very near future, even more vital in potential military and human mission activity scenarios. In another step forward the first machines have been designed and built to produce parts in magnesium — the SLM 125 HL Mag-Mix version. Magnesium is the latest material and topic of research for resorbable long term but temporary implants. The goal of research is to find out a solution where the artificial material being put into the body during surgery will get resorbed and exchanged by own body tissue over time. Parts are being designed and built currently for planned test surgeries on a special SLM Solutions machine with pressurised build chamber. Results will follow in a few months with the progress of the project. Sky Team In the aerospace field production capacity of parts has become a significant demand of the customer aside general size of parts. Here SLM Solutions has come up with the “clone” solution. Existing platforms are equipped with two optical tracks and lasers, thus being able to produce twice the amount of parts in the same time frame. If you know how many small turbine blades are assembled into a jet engine you might appreciate this doubling in production capacity. The aerospace customers do! The automotive companies also see a huge potential for direct production of the first series of metal parts for their preproduction vehicles that have to undergo various testing procedures and usually require modifications in design after results. Previously this required expensive mould modifications or renewals of moulds but can now be achieved by using selective laser melting technology. A quite fast return on investment can be justified through this and also a new market is opened for service providers in this field.

the 3D printing in polymers: at least 200 years of decent research in metals processing will directly apply in judging the parts from selective laser melting technology and all existing preparation and secondary finishing of metal parts can be applied. Therefore this new and exciting technology is harmonically integrated into existing process chains and will even be enhanced by them. No matter how we look at it, this selective laser melting technology is too good not to be a winner.

ady inhabit Top: SLM Solutions alre on the gs ldin a group of large bui . eck Lüb of rts outski ts are just Above: Automotive par the for e mis pro of one area ng companyʼs fast-developi y. log techno

Education, Education, Education To support all these trends in industry last but not least the educational sector has understood and analyzed that qualified engineers and scientists are required for the next generation work environment. Consequently more and more institutes and universities globally are investing in this technology to educate and produce experts in this field and to cater for the hunger for those from the global industries. This is leading to a continuous demand for the latest status selective laser melting equipment in the educational sector and will spread the awareness about this new and exciting technology through the universities into the industry. In summary, a bright future lies ahead for multiple uses of selective laser melting technology. One simple fact will make it grow much faster than 9

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Industrial 3D Scanning Technology

Visit us at TCT Live on Stand A16 Visit from 25th - 26th Sept. NEC Birmingham from

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Upended

[Grimm Column]

WORDS | TODD GRIMM, PRESIDENT, T. A. GRIMM & ASSOCIATES

It’s often said that humans have a status quo bias, which means there has to be a disproportionate benefit offered before a change of behavior will be elicited. The benefits of AM are easy to see when the proverbial planets align, but most of the time it’s not the easiest route and the critical mass required for a revolution may never build, explains Todd Grimm.

ncremental change is easy…easy to comprehend, easy to justify, easy to accept and easy to embrace. Taking a known entity and modifying it to make it better, faster or cheaper represents that incremental change. Other than the desired gain, everything else remains the same. What was previously known, expected, understood and taken for granted continues to hold true. The opposite is occurs with sweeping change. When the big picture and all of the details are upended, the fundamental “givens” may no longer apply. This makes change very difficult. For additive manufacturing in bespoke or series production, everything is inverted. Existing rules are no longer true; best practices become barriers; and standards of performance become obstacles. Success requires a new mindset and new expectations. This makes change challenging and slow to come.

The Four Pillars Last year at TCT Live (as it was then known), I spoke of the “four pillars,” the four cornerstones for great additive manufacturing applications. These were offered as guides in finding the best applications. What I failed to appreciate at the time was that I was discussing a set of conditions that exist nowhere else on the production floor. These four pillars upend conventional wisdom. For those that did not join me in that keynote presentation, the four pillars are 1) low volume 2) high complexity 3) efficiency 4) flexibility. The first two are obvious and often discussed, so I will move on to efficiency. Efficiency encapsulates additive manufacturing’s ability to produce physical objects with few steps, little effort and great speed. Flexibility comes in two forms and both are advantages that flow from the efficiency. Additive manufacturing’s flexibility allows frequent changes to a design or changes to a production schedule with little negative impact. Can you name one other production-oriented process that simultaneously offers low-volume production of highly complex parts while having an efficient, almost effortless, process that can flexibly adapt to day-to-day changes? If you can, please contact me. I have posed that question in three presentations in the past month, and no one has been able to cite a process other than AM. Continued on p13

THE FOUR PILLARS

LOW VOLUME

HIGH COMPLEXITY

EFFICIENCY

FLEXIBILITY

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[Grimm Column]

Since those four pillars do not concurrently exist outside of additive manufacturing, they create a new reality, one that is the opposite of what has been traditionally held as true. That presents a powerful advantage, but at the same time, it creates the disadvantage of inverting what is true and what is false. Square Peg, Round Hole The inversion of reality does not stop with the four pillars. It also applies to material options, performance measures, output qualities, business models, production practices and so much more. The advantages with conventional methods are liabilities with additive manufacturing. Conversely, the advantages of additive manufacturing are liabilities with conventional methods. The impact is that without a change in mindset, production applications with additive manufacturing are difficult to adopt. Holding on to the practices and expectations of the past will hinder, and perhaps doom, the use of additive manufacturing in a production role. There are three scenarios where a mindset change is most likely to occur: innovation, innocence and desperation. The innovators are actively pursuing breakthroughs. They are seeking to change the game and willingly dispose of conventional wisdoms and old practices. The innocents are new entities that have no previous operating guidelines. With respect to additive manufacturing, they have the advantage of having no status quo from which to adapt. The desperates are those with only two options: remain unchanged and fail or try something new and different to have the possibility of succeeding. That desperation is a powerful motivator to adjusting ones preconceptions of how things should be done. In each of these scenarios, the sweeping change of additive manufacturing is welcome. Also, the inability to match what is currently being done has no consequence. Instead, the innovative, innocent or desperate are focused on what will be gained rather than what will be lost or sacrificed. Additive manufacturing’s challenge is that the intersection of the four pillars and three scenarios is quite rare. There are few existing products that warrant low volume and high complexity while demanding process efficiency and flexibility. There are few instances where companies are truly innovative, just getting started or in a try-something-new-or-fail mode. Multiply a small fraction by another small fraction and you have a very tiny sliver of the market. Status Quo Bias For that reason alone, the heralded revolution will not occur. The population of ideal candidates is just too small to change the world overnight. Instead, there will be a continued evolution that expands as the new additive manufacturing mindset becomes commonplace and as new products are conceived with the four pillars as their foundations. For the very same reasons, additive manufacturing will not be a disruptive force. The world will still need high-volume, reasonable-complexity products that are profitable when designs and process are static and efficiency gains are measured over hundreds of thousands of parts. For those, additive manufacturing is a poor choice. Lacking innovation, innocence or desperation, status quo will continue to be the preferred method.

There is another moral to this story, however. Upended may also apply to your business. Competition may arise from the shadows, not your known competitors. What, or who, could upend, overturn or topple your current position? Start-ups. Start-ups are the most likely to possess the qualities of the innovator, innocent and desperate. They often have that brash, bold attitude of innovate or die. Replicating status quo holds little interest to them. As a new entity, it has no rule book, guidelines or processes from which they need to break free. And most often, they are desperate for cash, so anything that can minimize upfront investments in their untested ideas is welcome. When it comes time to manufacture its brilliant product, a start-up embraces the four pillars. Low volume — perfect, just what it needs. High complexity — brilliant, it can get more from a single part. Efficient — ideal, matches the nimble, quick-tomove style. Flexible — godsend, change is inevitable and sales forecasting is impossible. The big corporations waving the 3D printing banner as a testament to how innovative they are would worry me less than all the yet-to-be-born start-ups that will enabled by additive manufacturing. They have no challenge in adjusting to a technology that upends everything. Rather than being something different, it additive manufacturing is their normal.

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:08 Page 14

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[Joris Column]

AMF is no longer only for bowling WORDS | JORIS PEELS

’m a huge fan of the AMF file format, the File Format Previously Known As STL2. I’m also happy that they’ve stuck with triangles since they’re one of my favorite shapes. They even have curved triangles, which are like regular triangles but sexier. The ASTM International Committee F42 on Additive Manufacturing Technologies, subcommittee F42.04 has been defining and working on this file format for a number of years now. For the uninitiated, the format is XML based which should make it extensible and versatile. Files will be smaller than STL files typically are and the geometry will be more accurate. It lets you define colours, materials and allows for textures. It even lets you do microstructures and functionally graded materials. It also lets you do multiple volumes, multiple materials and even includes constellations of objects. I love the sound of that, constellations. It’s probably the most evocative and romantic sounding term any ASTM International subcommittee has ever come up with. It will be wonderful to use this regularly around the office. “Mary, could you have a look at this constellation for me.” “Bob, have you nested the new constellation?” We should all then switch to using the word galaxy instead of build volume. And your total 3D printing capacity per month should be referred to as your universe. Alas it is perhaps too early to be dreaming of us using sufficiently magical and poetic language for our bewitching technology with its complex interplay between man, machine and numbers. We may be working in the foundries of a new era but we’re not exactly quick to effect change. Perhaps its because we often work with 3D printers, temperamental stallions rather than reliable oxen. 3D printers are not so much workhorses but rather a Mariah Carey-like machine that at times suddenly refuses to work erupting into the technical equivalent of a diva tantrum because there are not enough white lilies in her dressing room. Other people think we whistle while the machines do the work, while really the work is often more like counting and sorting out M&Ms for a rock band rider than some kind of high-tech dream state where we just press buttons on these incredible machines and stand back in awe all day. Other people work with machines that make one mistake in a million, meanwhile we’re happy that our $300,000 machine didn’t catch fire, again. We’re relieved that all our parts don’t come out looking like fuzzier soapier versions of themselves (only to discover that this is because someone turned up the thermostat on the building heating which changed the humidity and screwed everything up). Rather than our shoes squeaking on a spotless floor while we, tricorder in hand, survey gleaming marvels of manufacturing, we’re anxious because if Bill presses down too hard with the sandpaper he might ruin a $20,000 part that BMW needed 3 hours ago. But, if you tell people you work in this industry they won’t think of all the Bills of this industry, the careful craftsmen, artisans that make the machines look good. Instead they have visions of us lounging in Space Station V. If 3D printing is the future, the future is going to suck and have a lot of sandpaper in it. A future

About the author: Joris Peels is a business development, strategy, product deve lopment and marketing consultant to the 3D printing industry you can read his blog at http://voxelfab.com/blog/, follow him on Twitter @voxelfab or email him joris@voxe lfab.com

filled with depowdering, waiting for service technicians to show up as well having as long discussions on what the best way is to extract a hair gel like substance from a hole. A technicolor dream held together with masking tape and super glue. A technological revolution powered by people stirring wooden ladles in t-shirt dye baths. Maybe it is this disconnect between the poetry that is evoked by the possibility of this industry and the prosaic nature of every day production that keeps us so grounded and leads to us not rushing to change. After all if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But, STL is broken. I’m still confused at how a file type that does so little can lead to such gigantic files. Millions of endlessly winding triangles clogging my hard drive. Don’t get me wrong, STL has been fantastic so far and it is wonderful that it exists and wonderful that 3D Systems made it and let us all use it. A grateful prolonged heartfelt golf clap followed by an affectionate hug to 3D Systems for that. But we need to give STL a headshot. We should kill it. Kill it with fire. Whatever switching costs you may have they will pay for themselves in money saved in storage. And just think of all the aggravation that bounced emails, too large attachments and confusion about colour, size and materials bring. Apart from inefficiencies with the file type the limits it sets also limit us. It limits us in exploring gradient materials or trying out our own fun Objet razor multimaterial print (NB, did you know that Gillette has a patent on 3D printing razors?). It limits us from pushing out the envelope of this technology. So I propose that we hold a funeral and burial ceremony for STL. How about on the 1st of June next year we hold an STL commemorating that it was released in June of 1988? And we thank STL for all of the wonderful work it has done for us, we hold some speeches commemorating the long and dutiful service it has provided for us, and then bury it. I think this is a great idea and would provide us with a lot of closure. I could ask Hod, he’s done wonderful work on the subcommittee, maybe we could ask Jonathan Hillier? I mean, we should ask Chuck. But, I’ve never met Chuck and probably wouldn’t have the guts to call him Chuck let alone ask him to speak at the funeral of STL. But maybe you could ask him? And we could sing some songs together, perhaps dry a tear or two, and them move on into the future with AMF. Because we seem to not really be implementing AMF. We seem to be rooted in our ways. I’ve gotten thousands of files from people over the past few years and no one has ever sent me an AMF file. Not even for the heck of it. Apart from Magics, Sculpteo and OpenSCAD there are precious few applications and services that support AMF. Slicing tools, machine software and a lot of the tool chain doesn’t support the format. I know it seems so boring and a lot of hard work to switch. But, we need to make this happen so that we can all move on and actually make the future with a file type fit for the future. Continued on p17

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[Joris Column] Continued from p15

Which leads me to an incessant thought I’ve been having for days. I usually try to be quite disparaging of the whole future vision, a 3D printer on every desktop type thing. But, we all know where this 3D printing thing is headed right? Eventually. We make more complex things, make better things, add color, develop better material, make integrated things, make complex components, make electronics; then we make everything. If we needed $2 billion in revenue to reliably make approximately 1% of all things, then we could assume we need $200 billion to print everything. And if the relationship holds and we keep growing by 26% CAGR a year then we’ll be able to make everything by 2023. Yes, bigger will be harder. Yes, we have technology silos. Yes, we’ve only done the low hanging fruit. Yes, the machines are too slow. Yes, everything is too expensive. But, with a larger ecosystem more can be developed quicker. And commercial success in hearing aids for example opens up markets for all products with the same requirements as hearing aids. As the market grows more researchers will learn of the technology or rather this make your loaf of bread out of slices paradigm, and this will encourage them to apply their technology, process, innovation, material etc. to 3D printing. Consumers are moving towards the unique and customised. The world is flatter than ever with competitive pressures increasing and markets becoming both more global and fragmented. The mass manufacturing system makes millions of copies of everything and then convinces us through marketing that these copies are all perfect for us. We are surrounded by things that suck. On the other hand we can make individualised perfect things for one individual. I don’t really believe in a 3D printer on every desktop because bread making machines are incredible, the engrossingly beautiful smell of fresh bread permeating your nostrils and home in the morning. Yet, almost no one uses them because people are lazy. And the people that have bought them probably have them in some hard to reach cabinet in their kitchen, the cabinet of an ideal life (above the fridge in a European kitchen), and in this cabinet it sits collecting dust behind your juicer. If we really wanted to customise everything wouldn’t we all using sewing machines to make all of our own clothes? This Singer problem combined with the Blank Canvas problem I’ve spoken about before to me will limit the roll out of 3D printers to home users. But, in manufacturing I do believe that eventually we can take almost the whole enchilada. Make almost all things. Branded things might continue to use other processes for branding purposes, we may never approach the throughput and cost required for the lowest cost objects, screens and other things will probably always be easier and better to be made by other means. But, the high value things, the interesting things, the profitable things, may in 2023 all be 3D printed. I know I’m dreaming here and I know I’m out on a limb. But, let’s dream some more. In the final analysis it would be valuable to have programmable objects and to have the design of the object also reflect all the relevant information the object would need in order

to function or be made. This is especially true if one were to use several processes or materials and will become more logical once objects made with 3D printing become more complex. By making the object’s instructions programmable you could have one language for design and functionality. Hopefully we can also replace the antiquated Gcode and include all the required manufacturing instructions in the file (including, pause/load different material etc.) Then you could also add behavioral or functional elements to the object and make it programmable. So you’d design a robot in 2023, which sounds like it’s an amazing time in the future but is actually really close. You could save a design for a robot in the AMF2 file type. Define all the materials and show where what material needs to go and define all the process steps for production. The toolpaths would be added to the file for the specific machines used. Then the printer(s) would print plastic on the arms, battery material where the battery needs to go, conductive material where the electrical connections are, softer material where the buttons are etc. Instructions to the operator will also be included. This encapsulated information could also tell you what equipment or material would be needed for the part to be made. Another person could then change the color of the robot, easily add another arm, scale it etc. by just using the file and the relatively easy XML-type syntax. You could then also add constraints to the part, e.g., Part Y must have a hardness of X, Part X needs to be conductive, Part Z needs to contain so much pressure. Logic, rules, laws etc could be added so that once particular changes are made the file will compensate for these changes and change the overall design according to these parameters. That way people could still customise, scale or change the robot without it negatively impacting functionality. You could then include the AI or other instructions for the part/machine in the file. The file could be checked automatically for all the required parameters, constraints, wall thicknesses, material requirements etc. That way you could compare it to available 3D printers and see if it will print on them. Once it has been successfully made on one machine (or by a combination of several) this information along with the settings used by the machine are also added to the file. Parent and child relationships between all the individual parts as well as a tree showing the changes to and revision history of the design will be encapsulated also. Rights and IP claims on specific parts, designer information and licensing will also be added not only for the whole file but also individually for each part of it. Perhaps one element is public domain but another part is released under a Creative Commons license, whilst another is under a different license. This would let the file “live” and be able to be changed whilst keeping into account all the different rights, technical constraints and the history of the file. This file would encompass the sum total of the object and its functionality (PS: I may have found a way to come up with even bigger file sizes than STL). The file would contain everything that is alterable and everything that is essential to the object. The behavior of the part, parameters, manufacturing instructions, production instructions and all design information would all be in one place. Because, eventually we’re gonna need a DNA for things. We could call it sDNA for Stuff DNA.

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:08 Page 18

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TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:08 Page 19

[LONDON]

How to make it in

N O D N O L

Following the US travels of Jim Woodcock and Duncan Wood, TCT and Personalize’s most recent editorial recruits headed to London to see how the UK’s hottest 3D printing ecosystem compared to that of our American cousins...

The grass is always greener Talk to designers, engineers, operators and interested parties on across Europe and the US and they all have one thing in common — the perception that the other side of the Atlantic is leading the way in AM / 3D printing. Where Europeans point to MakerBot Americans point to the RepRap movement; where Americans point to individual governments investing in their regions, Europeans point to the centralised NAMII initiative. It’s all very much swings and roundabouts. Or cross roads. When it comes to 3D printing there’s certainly the impression that (like so many things) London and New York are among the best places to be. With that in mind the following pages take a glimpse at London’s 3D printing scene — from bureaux with a twist to entirely new business models built around 3D printing. Certainly London seems to be leading the way in bringing 3D printing to the high-street and across pages 29, 31 and 33 we take a look at iMakr, Replicator Warehouse, The Color Company and Maplin who are all looking to tempt punters off the street and into the world of 3D printing. Also on the following pages you can learn how MakieLab is combining physical and digital and blending toys and games; how Digits to Widgets are scaling up a hobby into a thriving business and community; how Chalk are combining 3D printing with traditional techniques to maximise the possibilities; how 3DPrintUK are changing the face of the bureaux; how Inition are pushing the boundaries of 3D printing materials; and how Ravensbourne College and Modla are providing access to cutting edge techniques across the disciplines.

Continued on p20

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:08 Page 20

[LONDON - 3DPrintUK]

3DPrintUK: Not the ‘same old thing’ TCT met with Nick Allen, the man behind 3DPrintUK, to discuss his views on the UK’s emerging 3D printing industry and what he thinks people need to know about the technology.

hen TCT and Personalize went up to the capital we did as much homework as possible ahead of our packed schedule of meetings, but as always, getting to know the people behind the companies is far superior to any About Us page. This was, essentially, the point of our London mission and when it came down to getting to know Nick Allen, the mastermind behind 3DPrintUK, our face-to-face meeting could not have been a more valuable experience. Some Londoners say that Bermondsey is the new ‘up and coming’ neighbourhood south of the Thames and it was there, in a dusty industrial park on a hot day after two trains and a minicab, that we sniffed out 3DPrintUK’s headquarters. Young team for a young industry We were greeted by the energetic presence of Allen, who bounded up to us and made us feel like we had known each other for ages. A couple of studious designer-types were stationed around the good-sized workshop, which showcases 3DPrintUK’s broad repertoire. One of these startlingly youthful professionals was Mark Little of product design business Luma 3D Print, which operates out of 3DPrintUK, with Little taking on the role of on-site designer and CAD professional. It is easy to understand why experts like Little, and the other young designers who were hard at work in the same room, have chosen to work with Allen. Even before our meeting, a couple of the other 3D printing professionals we met to had dropped his name here and there. Slowly but surely, the designer is gaining a reputation for being something of a major character in the industry — even appearing on the One Show in April of this year. One thing Allen is certainly not short on is opinions. Following pleasantries, our meeting practically began with the statement: “I don’t want to tell people the same thing over and over again about 3D printing. That’s definitely not the way we want to do it.” “It’s not an inkjet printer” What Allen is fanatical about is understanding how to use 3D printing technology for the appropriate applications and getting the message across that it is not a pushbutton revolution.

tct [21:4]

“I get people phoning me up that are 2D printing companies and they want to know about 3D printing and how they can do it when all they know is inkjet printers,” he lamented, explaining that — although it is good people are interested — the concept of technical skill is still passing many by. “And it’s annoying when we have people ring up with a project and they want the print back in the afternoon. I keep saying to these people that it’s not an inkjet printer.” Allen even went as far as to say he wished the industry was called additive manufacturing 3D printing to differentiate the technology from 2D printing. He revealed he has been drafted in to do a talk about the industry at an upcoming event and said he was keen to use the opportunity to “dispel some of the hype”. “I want my information to come across right. Don’t get me wrong — I love 3D printing — but we have to know what we are getting and what it’s about.” Allen studied aerospace engineering at Manchester University and product design at the University of Salford. It was during this time that he first discovered 3D printing, when the traditional manufacturing routes proved too expensive and time-consuming for a particular project. He revealed that he managed to track down a 3D printing company that could build his model for £500 and have it sent over by the end of the week, which was music to the young designer’s ears after receiving quote upon quote for figures as high as £2,000 and timescales going beyond weeks into months. “I was sold. And then I had plenty of time to research the best machine and how much the materials cost.” But while Allen has been getting to grips with the full potential of 3D printing, the rest of the media has not been able to keep apace with developments. “Because of the force of 3D printing interest, I wanted to bring people who are interested back down to earth. I wanted to make a website to show everything as it develops,” he remarked. And so, after a quick domain name availability check online, 3DPrintUK was born and rose swiftly to the top of the Google rankings. Naturally, big-name clients followed suit.

WORDS | ROSE BROOKE “I want to be good at what I do” “I’ve worked with Aston Martin on a remote control car ... I’ve done some work with Bugatti. We got asked to make Terry Tibbs’ head from Facejacker into a pretend perfume bottle,” Allen revealed. But even though the professional is working with some of the most famous brands in the world, he does not feel like rivalry within the 3D printing marketplace is something that affects him. “The thing I like about the industry is there’s no competing. Nobody is stealing other people’s clients.” Indeed, Allen said sometimes he gets calls about printing certain items that he knows could be produced better by somebody else, and he is contacted occasionally by individuals looking for help with their CAD files who are then directed to the experts. “We can help them or I can tell them where to go [for help],” he stated. Nick Allen’s passion is to do justice by both 3D printing and his clients and he is keen for the rest of the industry to adopt this state of mind as well. “What I want people to know is that I just want to be good at what I do.” So, in addition to some of the standard-issue workshop dust that coated the leather couch we were sitting on, we felt some of Allen’s zeal had rubbed off on us as we made our way blinking out of 3DPrintUK into the midday sun. And we know there are more exciting things to come from this busy corner of London. One of 3DPrintUK’s biggest unique selling points is its pricing structure. Nick Allen explains how it works in this video and why it separates 3DPrintUK from the rest of the industry. He explained: “By pricing a swept XYZ volume, we can make it much cheaper for people to buy their 3D prints, as they can cram in as many as they can into a single STL file. They’ve paid for the volume, so they may as well use the space! “This means that instead of paying for just build material, they pay the total swept volume, but at a tenth of the cost per cm3. This means that you don’t need to make walls really thin and weak to make parts cheaper, and you can squeeze loads and around for free!” i

3DPrintUK www.3dprint-uk.co.uk

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[LONDON - Inition]

Key to Inition: Exploring 3D printing with jesmonite Shoreditch-based Inition is exploring using jesmonite as a high-quality 3D printing material, yielding successful results for a project in partnership with the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. WORDS | ROSE BROOKE

he first meeting that kicked off our jampacked trip to the big smoke Shoreditchbased Inition — and what a great way to commence our 28 hours in the capital. Our visit was with Communications Manager Jonathan Tustain and resident 3D printing expert Robert Jeffries, who led us downstairs to Inition’s workshop-slash-exhibition space to better demonstrate the varied work the company does, pushing additive manufacturing technology and its applications further. The Fitzwilliam One of the projects Inition is most proud of is its work with the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. The company has been working alongside the attraction, 3D scanning and then 3D printing exact copies of some of its collection — namely a Han Dynasty ornamental dog, a Buddha Lady and a renaissance sculpture of Bacchus, amongst others - using a ZPrinter 450. Jeffries explained: “Working with Feathercast and the Fitzwilliam Museum, we chose several objects that were suitable for reproduction. The pieces were scanned with our white-light non-contact scanning technology. The data was analysed and processed to create a 3D-printable model that was used to create a mould for each piece.” Tustain noted: “We made the finished items out of jesmonite. They (the museum) are now doing more.” Jesmonite has been something of a revelation for Inition. The material is a composite of gypsum and acrylic resin and is favoured for its durability, flame-resistance and finish - which can be hewn to resemble a variety of materials. Tustain continued: “The Han Dog was made well. You can barely tell the difference between the real one and the 3D print. When you put them side by side it’s so difficult to tell the difference.” Jeffries added: “This process of combining traditional casting techniques with scanning and printing has allowed the cost-effective production of highly accurate replicas without any risk to the original artefacts.”

“The great thing about jesmonite is that it has a weight to it, it’s not like other 3D printing materials - it’s not Lego.” Indeed, one of the main themes of our trip to Inition was that the company is passionate about demonstrating how 3D printers are capable of producing items of high quality, with a good finish that is removed from the plastic Yoda busts and rooks currently associated with the medium. Taking a closer look and handling the items Inition’s machines have produced, you can appreciate the fact people might want these exact replicas of the museum’s collection in their homes — and this is certainly one of the aims of the exercise. Tustain and Jeffries explained that 3D scanning and printing technologies are allowing them to print copies of works that can then be sold in the museum’s gift shop and can therefore become an additional source of revenue. This was something Geomagic Founder Ping Fu discussed at Develop3D Live in Coventry last month, as she explained how having the entire collection available to 3D print at a museum would take some of the financial pressure of establishments, who rely on ticket sales and wealthy donors to make ends meet. But there is still work to be done explaining how the system would work to many museums. Jeffries noted the retail market within the museum community is still learning about 3D printing technology and many do not yet understand how it works.

Inition www.inition.co.uk

“We like to call this sort of thing an ‘infosculpture’. We like using algorithms to create things like this.” Jeffries added that they have done similar work, using MRA scan data and even Twitter data to make snowmen.

Augmented reality This approach to the growing 3D printing market of customisation is fun and appeals to those with an interest in social media interaction, but Inition’s involvement in new technology extends further than this. The company has been working with augmented reality for a decade and is now harnessing the technology with the use of tablet computers, allowing a computer program to apply different, interactive data or images onto a 3D printed architectural model. One such program we were allowed to play with enabled the user to move around the prototype with an iPad, which could show the user visuals including wind resistance, traffic and how light and shade alters over the course of a day. “Tablet computers - the iPad - are now much more accessible, also we do a lot of projects based Customisation on these because the technology is really exciting,” In addition to working with the Fitzwilliam Jeffries stated. Museum on its exact 3D-printed copies, Inition For an established company, Inition is not has been involved in community projects, such as content unless it is at the very cutting edge of its collaboration with Hackney Council. technology. It is an organisation with its fingers in Tustain explained Inition was tasked with a lot of pies, maybe because it truly understands using 3D printing to make something the myriad applications for 3D printing and its representative of the community, and so the related technologies. company tried to engage with the public, We rounded off our meeting with Tustain gathering data about them that would be used as and Jeffries all too soon, but we know it will not an algorithm to create unique 3D-printed trees. be long before we are in touch again to learn of He said: “For example, the large trees have more branches because the individual’s data shows the latest exciting developments to roll off the production line in the Inition basement. they have lived in the area for a long time.

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TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:08 Page 23

[LONDON - Makielab] London was not only basking in the glory of Andy Murray’s famous victory at SW19 but basking in sunshine as the hottest July in recent memory makes the tube almost unbearable and the ten minute walk from Old Street to Scrutton Street quite sweat inducing. That’s the problem with this country “we complain when it is too warm and when it s too cold” sais MakieLab’s US-born Communications Director, Jen Bolton, as I enter the 3D printing elves’ workshop.

The Land of MAKIE Believe WORDS | DANIEL O’CONNOR

akieLab has grown exponentially in its short lifespan and their flagship products the Makie Dolls have become the poster boys/girls for 3D printing in little over a year. Whenever you spot a mainstream press article about 3D printing a finished product Makies aren’t too far away. Two months ago in New York City it was the spotlight rather than limelight that was firmly positioned on UK startup MakieLab, “We were the only British technology company invited over to New York as part of the GREAT Britain showcase of innovation, which was an honour but we had to get the Prince Harry and David Cameron dolls out a lot faster than usual.” Although usually all Makie Dolls are individual and only ever made once (signified by a number inside the head), a two-week turnaround with Prince Harry and David Cameron meant they were printed twice, at different partners just in case they didn’t arrive on time. I got a sneak peak of the two dolls that aren’t sitting on mantelpieces at 10 Downing Street and Windsor Castle; the PM didn’t have his eyes in and Harry didn’t have his clothes on. Those pictures of the Prince and the PM clutching the dolls were pretty much everywhere, from the Tabloids to long-running satirical panel show ‘Have I Got News For You’, “the response was crazy, Charlie Brooker’s people called us and wanted a doll version of him for a show they had on the next night but it just wasn’t possible and Have I Got News For You beat them to it.” Managing expectations is a problem for most 3D printing companies, the ideals spun out by the press that this manufacturing process is pretty much magic is one of constant annoyance. “We often get news companies calling us to ask to film the printing process, but it’s not really that interesting looking at a light shining at some powder.” Though we all know the manufacturing process isn’t magic, MakieLab’s intuitive digitalto-physical experience seems just that to anybody who uses their service. Simply design your doll on an iPad or in browser on a friendly and fun app, order it and a physical facsimile replica of your doll arrives on your doorstep without you having to have any knowledge of 3D modelling or the manufacturing process. You get the exciting stuff while MakieLab do all of the donkeywork.

That donkeywork mostly takes place in their Shoreditch offices. The dolls are printed using SLS by partners such as Digits2Widgets in Nylon and sent to MakieLab where they add the finishing touches; clothing, hair, eyes etc. The dolls are then packed into bespoke cardboard tubes complete with a birth certificate and shipped off around the world to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. The MakieLab elves are constantly working away; some on the app, some designing new prototypes (which they print with a MakerBot), some ironing tiny clothes to make the absolute best product possible. One main attribute that often gets lost often in the talk of bleeding edge technology is that these are toys, the first 3D printed product that can officially call themselves a toy after receiving the CE mark earlier in the year. “We hope that children get as much enjoyment out of the dolls as possible, people are often surprised when they see a Makie doll how poseable they are,” Jen told me as she showed me the workshop were the finishing touches are added. I must admit myself the dolls have a completely different feel and finish than I had previously thought. There’s a real weight and quality to them, they feel a million times more durable and more playable than a Barbie doll does, on that note I asked Jen what she thought of the 3D Printed Barbie with real life proportions that appeared in the press recently”I have spoken to a lot of journalists on this who say

their children know that Barbie is a doll and don’t attribute any body image issues to it but I don’t know, surely it does promote an unhealthy image? Makies try to promote a healthy image.” Despite Makies obviously being miles better than Barbie dolls Jen is quick to point out they’re a small fish in this pond “Dolls are difficult there’s no competing with marketing budget of of Mattel, they’ve been around a long time. We’re mainly gamers in here, so when Alice [Alice Taylor CEO] said we were to be making a doll we thought ‘how can we possibly do this?’”Though the obvious competition is a stumbling block, MakieLab is going from strength to strength, gobbling up coverage wherever they can. Though not all of the attention is extremely helpful especially when people don’t get the process.”When the app first came out it was hard to categorise because there’s nothing else like this on the market so it is under games, but it isn’t really a game as such so we had some bad reviews asking what the point of the game was. But when people get what it is they love it and are amazed.” The digital to physical is a key part of Makies philosophy, the software developers are as important to the startup as anything else, they’re currently working on a couple of interesting updates to the Makies world, one of which could significantly change how people interact with their Makies and perhaps get a couple of those App Store curmudgeons off their backs. There’s plenty of scope for where MakieLab could go next, it is not too unforeseeable that the dolls could get a high street presence in which children go through part of the process of manufacturing the dolls just like the massively popular Build-a-Bear. When I pressed Jen on this issue she remarked “We’ll have an announcement shortly but we’re working on something very exciting with a leading retail outlet in time for Christmas, but you’ll just have to wait and see.” We have since discovered that the major retailer is none other than Selfridges. This move reflects a company going through a massive growth period thanks to the hype surrounding 3D printing and more importantly a workforce who love to make games and toys. With dolls in high places there appears to be no stopping this genuinely innovative 3D printing service.

Makielab www.makie.me 23

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Highlights: Hand-held Laser Sca High Measurement Large Measuremen Tactile Probing

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:09 Page 25

[LONDON [Makerbot] - Modla]

New Modla Army

3D Printing for the masses

Modla www.modla.co.uk

The migration of 3D printing away from the high-security RP lab and into the hands of designers, architects, students and the eternally curious has spread these technologies far and wide. More often than not we stumble across these machines in shuttered garages or at the back of a locked office on an industrial estate — but with the new class of user comes new territories including some that are achingly cool. WORDS | JIM WOODCOCK

avensbourne College’s impressive building is within spitting distance of The O2 arena (formerly the Millennium Dome) with which it competes for admiring glances along the Greenwich Peninsula. The building was designed by Foreign Office Architects and is quite unlike any other university campus I have visited. For one the exterior of the building consists of an intricate repeating tiled pattern broken up only by porthole style round windows the position of which bear no relation to vertical partitions inside the building. Once inside the imposing building the space opens up in majestic fashion with a floor to ceiling atrium flooded with light from the circular windows. Rising on either side are vast open mezzanine style floors that would normally be crowded with the digital media and design students that come from across the world to study in this cutting-edge space. Spread across two floors the prototyping space contains a huge selection of 2D and 3D printers as well as milling/CNC machining equipment available to the entire student population. Lecturer and MD of MODLA Jon Fidler explained: “We have a very open set up from the open structure of the spaces to the ability for each student to use the facilities across all of the courses. You could have fashion students working with product design or interactive digital media students.” This open and collaborative approach is one of the hallmarks of Ravensbourne College, where flexibility is key. Gone are the workstations in the library for example, replaced instead by Wi-Fi enabled spaces that can be reconfigured to suit the students’ needs. Back in the Prototyping Space and there’s a small problem — Channel 4 are using the space to do some filming (quite why this space is not entirely clear, they don’t seem to be using the equipment. Maybe it’s the views up the Thames to the barrier…) When not being used by production companies and film crews the prototyping space houses an enviable array of machines but additive and subtractive.

On the ‘old fashioned’ side lie vacuum formers, laser cutters, CNC routers and the like along with examples of some very modern things being done with them. On the other side there is an enviable range of 3D printing machinery available from Ultimakers and MakerBot Replicators through to Stratasys UPrints, Dimensions, a large Z-Corp Z Printer machine and an Mcor Matrix. The space is staffed with knowledgeable operators but students can and do work a lot of the systems out for themselves, then operate them at will. Jon: “Innovation often comes from mistakes — or if not mistakes then the process of learning for oneself. The ability to have open access to this equipment rather than having someone do all the work for you is important. It’s also important to have someone to turn to when you get stuck, and that’s here too.” Outside of teaching at Ravensbourne Jon heads up a 3D printing company, Modla, that specialises in architectural models with a difference. If you attended TCT Show + Personalize last year you will no doubt have seen Jon exhibiting the Arkitypo alphabet. These architectural explorations of typography could only have been achieved with 3D printing. Unfortunately a number of the models were created on the Z-Corp machine and left as-built, meaning they’re pretty fragile at the best of times and some of the more highly detailed models have already succumbed to the ravages of time. Modla’s other works range from floorplan-based architectural models of houses, to Jon’s incredible 3D depictions of sports stadia. The stadium work shows perfectly how the company operates in the 3D space — including 3D design, scanning and printing — to bring about some original and innovative pieces. One of the most impressive feats of design and printing is London’s Olympic Stadium which was designed by Jon using Solidworks over 6 hours, a condensed video is available at http://youtu.be/qzaaGpskvHU Jon also offers community design courses within the college and out and about within the local community, he explained: “I am passionate about giving people the ability to make things for themselves and a large part of that is the ability to get from idea to design — the design to part aspect is much easier with 3D printing than ever before.” Working as impartial advisors is important to the Modla team who use their eight years of experience with commercial 3D printing technologies as well as a comprehensive knowledge of ‘traditional’ tools to provide the best outcomes for their clients.

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[LONDON - Digits2Widgets] When is a bureau not a bureau?

Digits2Widgets wants to distance itself from the bureau and stoke a 3D printing community in Camden. TCT met the man at the helm, Jonathan Rowley, to learn more.

When it’s

Digits to Widgets WORDS | ROSE BROOKE

t did not take TCT and Personalize very long to realise that as we followed our print-out map from the station, the drilling and hammering sounds that started as background noise were getting louder and louder. We greeted Jonathan Rowley, Design Director of Digits2Widgets, in a sunny residential area of Camden. He was standing on the pavement opposite a building that was undergoing a fairly serious facelift — his new 3D printing headquarters. New digs Digits2Widgets is currently based on Wimpole Street in Westminster but this new space will allow the growing company to spread its wings and form a first-class base for 3D printing, which it is hoped will attract users and designers and form a community. Rowley said that he was lucky to find the new location, as the process of commercial property hunting led him to Rochester Place, which is based in an area he revealed used to be the old design hub of London. “It was a happy accident, relocating to this part of town. I’ve got a background in architecture and I understand the history of Camden as a design centre, so there’s something quite nice about us being back in this area and drawing from the old world of design in London,” he said. Rowley explained that the owner was looking to sell the space for flats and Digits2Widgets was the first buyer to approach him to use the space for its original purpose. The design professional took us through his new work digs, skirting round the team of builders and handymen hard at work. Rowley showed us where every 3D printer would be installed and every workbench carefully positioned, with electricity and lighting fixtures planned to complement each workstation. There will be a reception at the front, leading to two large spaces and a small outdoor enclave at the back. Rowley has certainly given himself a lot to play with - and his ambitions continue upstairs. The first floor is set to be transformed into studios for design students, who Rowley hopes will act as CAD troubleshooters in exchange for free space to work. “It’s about talking and building a group of people that can all help out and feed off each other.” The big move is set for Saturday June 8th and Rowley is keen to make sure Digits2Widgets is seen as a class act by the 3D printing industry when the new office opens. He insists he is not going to put on any displays that are runof-the-mill or sub-standard. “I don’t want to show any crap plastic and tell people it’s great when it’s not,” Rowley insisted. Distinguished from the bureau Rowley’s background in architecture, as well as his work concerning both the dental and medical side of 3D printing has given him a firm footing in the industry and the professional is keen to promote the best of what the technology has to offer by engaging the user community.

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“What we do is try to distinguish ourselves from other companies,” he stated. “We want people to come to us and not other bureaus because we provide a different service to a different category of customers than others like us. We meet a different set of needs.” Rowley explained that in some instances, designers send their files to bureaus and pay the privilege to wait ten days for what is essentially “a dud”. “A bad first experience in anything is not good,” Rowley stated. “We are keen to speak to our customers and understand their expectations. If they want their printed design to move, for example, or if they want it to do something unusual in some way then I want to understand that. “That’s really important and we hope that if we are friendly and helpful then if they have a good experience they will come back and work with us again and we have a good relationship.” But even though Rowley recognises there are bureaus tapping the same client base as Digits2Wigits, he insisted that as things stand the market is big enough for everybody and he is not jealously guarding every enquiry that comes his way. “We might subcontract to somebody else from time to time for whatever reason, or when our workload would become unmanageable if we added to it,” he admitted, but noted that in the event the customer could be a long-term client he will take steps to protect that business. Not everybody is a ‘maker’ Rowley is, after all, running a business and he has a better idea than most of where 3D printing is headed - and he does not necessarily believe the current message purported by the media that the technology will transform the populace into a gigantic maker community is the right one. “It’s a lovely idea that everybody has this creativity but it’s going to take centuries for that to happen,” he said. He explained why by using his own analogy. “For years and years I used to wear a jumper that my gran knitted for me and it was falling apart. I loved it because she made it, but for 90 per cent of the population, they want something branded - not knitted by their gran. “People tend not to have the self-confidence to wear what they love and it’s the same with saying everybody wants to make - not everybody wants to make.” No sooner had our meeting with Rowley come to an end than another one began, with the Digits2Widgets boss immediately going to greet some designers looking to hotdesk at his new office. The expert never stops and, as a result, has become a prominent figure in the British 3D printing community. His opinions have made their way into prominent broadsheet articles in recent weeks about the rise and rise of 3D printing, while he has also made broadcast appearances, and TCT Magazine is looking forward to meeting Rowley again and seeing the new Digits2Widgets headquarters when it is up and running this summer.

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[LONDON - Chalk]

Chalk’s mission to demonstrate 3D printing at its best WORDS | ROSE BROOKE TCT had the pleasure of meeting some of the Chalk team to discuss their work and the importance of showcasing the best of 3D printing to the market.

ateral thinking and applying years of expertise to 3D printing technology and its functions has made Chalk a compelling company to write about. Based just off the leafy Essex Road in Islington, Chalk is a compact operation, which provides high-res 3D printing, digital sculpting, CNC milling, CAD preparation and drawing, and laser cutting on the back of a quarter of a century’s design experience. We met with Directors Simon Hamnell and Mark Lim and Product Manager Courtney Cornelius to find out more about their fascinating projects and how they are using their years of knowhow to push 3D printing further and further. The best of 3D printing One of the major themes TCT picked up on over the course of our visit to London was that the medium is perfect for certain builds and projects, but in some cases, traditional manufacturing or design methods can be better. As such, the crucial point 3D print users such as Chalk are trying to make is that when expertise and a true understanding of the technique is applied, the end products can be very exciting. Hamnell explained: “People are just starting to come to terms with what 3D printing is, and it’s something that we’ve been working with for years.” Lim added that he and his colleagues are used to prospective clients coming to them and requesting things to be 3D printed, but the professionals at Chalk know their materials and they know 3D printing, and so if 3D printing is not the perfect fit for a client’s specification then they will advise them accordingly. “Quality is very important,” Hamnell noted. “When you spend the sort of time we do with the technology - years - you understand when an object is suited to 3D printing. We are now completely au fait with the work we do and we know what we are going to get back from the 3D printer.” Hamnell’s background is in architectural modelmaking and the expert is also Director of Millennium Models, which specialises in this field. Around 60 per cent of Chalk’s clients are architectural as well, but the company also takes on projects from customers in other sectors. Hamnell feels strongly that 3D printing as an emerging technology should be more open to enable users to master it, with users adopting a different attitude to sharing their knowledge to move the technique forward. Lim explained that Chalk’s modelmaking background has allowed its staff to gain valuable expertise when applying 3D printing to these projects and, as such, they have been able to push the technology further than others. The Chalk designers showed us a feather their Z Corp machine produced to demonstrate how their experimentation has stretched the limits of what the 3D printer can do. The feather tapered to tracing paper-thinness and was as light as the proverbial. It had been delicately spray-painted to make what was a truly remarkable piece that is worlds away from the plastic items we are used to seeing as examples of the fruits of 3D printing. 28

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But it is this capability the wider market is less aware of, particularly as the media is still fascinated by the novelties 3D printers can produce. Banishing parameters Chalk takes pride in its expertise and its approach to working. Lim noted that neither he nor his colleagues likes to “set parameters, saying what will and will not work”. He noted: “If you start setting parameters, you limit what work you can do.” Hamnell remarked: “It’s that cross-fertilisation about what you plan for something and using that experience to help the next person.” “It’s about saying we will spend the time. We will give customers that service and take the time,” Cornelius added. But what about Chalk’s position in the growing marketplace? The company’s knowledge and reputation cannot be questioned, but as the profile of 3D printing and its applications is raised, is the company concerned about competition? Lim said: “In terms of competition, I think we are quite unique. I have much to say about our skillset and the full range of equipment we have to offer.” But, he noted Chalk has sensed rivalry from one side of the market - the universities. “Often, the people that are the biggest threat in terms of competition are the universities. This is because they have so much technology.” He explained that universities are supported by government funding and have access to top-of-the-range equipment and are being encouraged to compete in the industry so they can bring in more funding. “You could get a massive company going to a university because it’s being subsidised,” Lim remarked, “But with us, you get people who are more willing to spend time on the job, while you get somebody who is a professional.” Hamnell added that Chalk’s central location also enhances its position in the market, as many of its competitors, he stated, are based outside of the M25. Fantastic location and impressive portfolio aside, Chalk’s greatest asset is its staff of professional designers who truly understand the materials they work with and take ownership of every project. What is so great about this bustling London studio is it does not jealously guard its craftsmanship, instead sharing its knowledge to ensure better quality products. Indeed, Lim has started lecturing at Central St Martins about 3D printing software and its architectural applications. “We’re doing more with individuals about how the technology can be used,” Cornelius noted. “We have professionals and students come by to learn from us. Ultimately, we are more professional than some - and that has not gone unnoticed,” Hamnell concluded.

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[LONDON - The High Street]

High Street 3D Printing

PIONEERS Picking up a 3D print along with your shopping could become a reality as four companies bring the technology to the high street. We chatted to The Color Company, iMakr, Replicator Warehouse and Maplin. WORDS | ROSE BROOKE, DANIEL O’CONNOR and JIM WOODCOCK

ven though 3D printing has been on the scene for decades, much of the general public remains unaware of the technology and whether they could be making use of it. All this could change, however, with the arrival of 3D printing on the high street. We travelled to London to get the lowdown on some of the industry’s most exciting developments and emerging businesses and it was over the course of this research trip we met with four exciting companies with the same ambition — to bring 3D printing to the masses — albeit in different ways. The Color Company — a successful reprographics franchise — has made the dimensional leap from 2D to 3D by offering a 3D printing service at its central London store; iMakr in Farringdon is hyped as being the world’s largest store dedicated entirely to 3D printing; Replicator Warehouse based in the hubbub of Elephant and Castle; and veteran of the DIY electronics scene, Maplin. So what exactly are these four very different operations offering the man on the street, and could high street 3D printing be the last leap the medium needs to make to become a fully mainstream technology?

The Color Company After taking a scenic route via the wrong office, we arrived at The Color Company’s Poland Street store off the frantic main drag of Oxford Street. At first glance, the outlet does not look any different from an ordinary Color Company branch, but shortly after entering the shop you cannot fail to spot the sizeable 3D printer in the office behind the front desk. We were greeted by Design & Marketing Manager Vanessa Ball and 3D Print Manager Dave Summers, who showed us their HP Designjet — AKA the Stratasys U-Print — and the King Rat model their machine had just finished building. The Color Company’s high street dreams are big — and you don’t get much bigger or more high street than Oxford Circus — but just how are they harnessing the 3D printing market? Summers explained that they began their 3D printing venture last year and the business has been bubbling away steadily since then. “We are in the right area for it,” he added, noting that there is no shortage of enquiries and he will gladly take the time to explain the technology and the service The Color Company offers to anybody who takes an interest. Indeed, Summers’ sheer enthusiasm for 3D printing is likely to be instrumental in the venture’s success, as he has clearly caught the 3D printing bug. The resident 3D printing expert even discussed having a catalogue of designs on offer to print for customers, making The Color Company’s own version of Thingiverse. So what about The Color Company’s existing customer base? Summers revealed his dealings are mostly with students who cannot afford their own printer — or at least not a 3D printer that offers them the quality of print they require — or the sort of prices bureaus are quoting them. Ball stated: “This machine fits with our market.” Summers added that it is thanks to the student community that their 3D printer has been put to such good use since it was installed. “We’ve done about 40 models in that time, so I can’t say it’s never been out of use but it is a building process,” he admitted, continuing, “I’d say for such a new technology and the short amount of time we’ve had it then it will be a success.” “If demand grows The Color Company can grow with it now having tried out this service in one of the busiest branches,” he asserted. 29

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[LONDON - The High Street] iMakr Few in the 3D printing industry would have missed the media campaign leading up to the grand opening of the new iMakr store in fashionable Farringdon. The event itself had to be spread over two nights to accommodate the number of people clamouring to get a peak inside the world’s largest 3D printing store. But what is a 3D printing store and how does Founder and Director Sylvain Preumont plan to change the 3D printing industry landscape with his 2,500 sq ft of prime real estate? We attended the iMakr opening night of course, but we waited until the dust had settled and the last of the canapés were polished off to schedule an interview and take a peak inside the iMakr store on a normal business day. Preumont was pleased with how well the opening night had gone and told us how astonished he was to see the queue of eager 3D printing fans snaking down the street to the subway. “The British love queuing,” he joked, adding that people were afraid of losing their place in the line if they ventured up to grab some of the refreshments they had laid on to tide the baying crowds over. The iMakr store is spread over two floors, with the ground floor showcasing a variety of 3D-printed artefacts, decorations and jewellery for sale, as well as a range of 3D printing gadgets. Downstairs, the space was still being organised for training events and seminars, which Preumont says will equip attendees with a knowledge of 3D printing. “From newbie to expert,” he smiled. Preumont’s interest in 3D printing started in 2006 but even though he had a business in mind, he did not believe the market, or indeed the technology, was ready. So the businessman bided his time and sensed a shift in the 3D printing market years later. “The traction was incredible. It wasn’t journalism or blogdriven,” he remarked. Like The Color Company, Preumont’s zeal for 3D printing is infectious and he has great confidence in the technology’s ability to change how people think about the way they consume. The businessman - who hails from the Loire Valley in Central France - accepts that this seismic shift will take many years, but he hopes the arrival of iMakr on the high street will encourage the 3D printing revolution. Nevertheless, Preumont understands that 3D printing is still quite esoteric and stated that the store will likely be a “destination store” for many of its patrons, which is why his business model includes the retail of 3D printers and filaments, 3D-printed objects and training. Indeed, Preumont is so proud of his offering that he revealed he has received orders from US customers for 3D printers that are manufactured in North America, because he can have them sent from his shop to their address across the pond in such good time. “The world is changing … people are discovering that it’s not hard to make,” he stated. It seems clear that even the businesses behind these pioneering ventures admit that making the technology as commonplace as printing out your digital camera snaps is not going to be an overnight success - it will take a little more thought and time than that. Nevertheless, 3D printing has infiltrated the high street and it seems likely that the four highligted here will be two of many before too long.

Replicator Warehouse place, Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre is a fascinating nt adjace halls bingo , arkets superm Asian s beside Polish food delis in ng buildi t uglies to hair extension salons, despite being voted London’s London by Time Out readers it remains a symbol of of a crux the is centre ing shopp The . multi-cultural society in 2006 yet started which plan, nt lopme redeve on-off versial contro has never come to fruition. ated It may come as a surprise to some that such an antiqu edge ng bleedi to home be could lition, demo for set building, floor, technology such as 3D printing. In a kiosk on the second ouse, Wareh ator Replic lives shop, ion next door to said hair extens street. high n Londo the on shop ng printi the first 3D featured Yes, while other companies we may or may not have n Londo the on outlet ng printi have claimed to be the first 3D about going been y alread had ouse Wareh ator high street, Replic is an easy store their business in zone one for close to a year now. It kiosk but case phone e mobil to miss, bearing a resemblance to a and PLA ABS less count of sight e takabl once you spot the unmis store. ng printi 3D a found you’d know you models after a We met Company Secretary, Chiaki Ishii at the store , Castle and ant Eleph in patch their on rather hectic Maker Faire since up clean to e chanc had not have we mess, the “Please excuse i tells us. the Maker Faire this weekend”, the ultra polite Chiak company the up set she how of Chiaki regails us with the story time “The : Farkas l Korne or Direct any Comp with partner and l knows a lot Korne ng, printi 3D for store a open to right d seeme rs for a long about the technology and he has been building printe his passion.” of out ss busine a make to had time. So I told him we Prusa kits ap RepR the for parts the offers only not store The of 3D variety a offers it that Kornel is an expert in building but o-print scan-t re in-sto an ing includ s printing filaments and service g to lookin are who ects archit are ers custom main service: “Our it print we and l mode create models for their ideas, they send us a your scan to service a offer also for a very reasonable price. We you, it takes head with our equipment and then make a print of it is a very but re softwa our on l mode the up clean to time some popular service.” ng store What may seem like a strange place for a 3D printi they are only a ouse, Wareh ator Replic for t perfec works ly actual off the small team and are already too busy to fulfil orders only due to t ntmen appoi to e chang to street. The store has had r Faire in Make recent The by. s passer by ated gener the interest unication Comm of ge Elephant and Castle at the London Colle ology in techn the for n passio and shows that there is a hunger the area. s’ Despite RepRap accounting for the majority of maker shop a is street high the on machines it is still unusual to find ity of selling kits and parts to build a RepRap Prusa, the major of sources. variety a from online cts produ their buy appers RepR Velleman Maplin have recently started selling their kits for the leave you to n Mapli as where nce; differe printer but there’s one big hops works offer ouse Wareh ator Replic style, Ikea build the kits as seeing Plus hand. and demo days to show how it is done first the isn’t there too kits Prusa ap Kornel has built countless RepR to help you. issue that a member of staff isn’t going to know how logy it techno Replicator Warehouse is very much like the of spirit real a with but offers, a little rough around the edges be We’d better. things make to e chanc community and the ry, delighted to see more of these kiosks around the count this for trail a g blazin Replicator Warehouse are very much s. succes a it make can they g industry, here’s to hopin

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Headquartered in Baltimore, MD Phone: 410-242-5110 Fax: 410-242-5227 Email: info@RePliFormInc.com www.RePliFormInc.com

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[LONDON - The High Street] Maplin The news that Maplin were to become the first high-street chain to sell 3D printers has garnered plenty of column inches in the weeks after their announcement. The printer, a K8200, is also a first for the Belgian electronics developer of 36 years, Velleman and it costs just £700 ($1040, €814). July saw the product’s official launch at Maplin’s Monument store. Personalize were invited along for a demo and a chat with some of Maplin and Velleman’s people in charge of this leap into 3D printing. The printer is exclusive to Maplin on the UK high street but has been available previously in another guise the ‘3Drag.’ Maplin Commercial Director, Oliver Meakin, informed us that the company chose Velleman due to a long-standing partnership with the firm: “We’ve an on-going relationship with Velleman, we buy a lot of our products (electronics) off them and they approached us with this printer. I think it is a fantastic bit of kit, even though the price is lower than most printers, you’re not compromising in quality.” As for the printer itself, it may just look like a RepRap kit and the fact that you have to assemble it yourself may allude toward that but this is a machine is made of sturdy stuff. It is designed in Belgium using European parts, something which Velleman’s Pieter Nartlis is very proud of: “…the quality of our machine is completely different (to RepRap kits). You will find some companies make a machine with a machine, the quality can be variable but this is produced in Belgium with a European design and European parts. “The first test we did with this machine was at a show in Hong Kong, there were three 3D printer manufacturers there including us. Not only was our machine the cheapest but we had the best specs too, people were most impressed with our £700 machine next to a £1,500 one and a £40,000 one.” Those specs are nothing ground breaking but the build area of 20cm x 20cm x 20cm is quite impressive, as is its maximum print speed of 300mm/s and a 0.781μm Z-axis. It prints in both PLA and ABS, we saw it demonstrated with PLA. For the price, this is a handsome bit of kit though there is some assembly required… “The printer comes as a kit, it takes anywhere between four to ten hours to assemble depending on your skill level.” Said Mr. Meakin “The assembly process fits with Maplin’s ethos, our customers build their own computers, it’s about doing stuff for yourself, electronic DIY. It’s half the price of anything similar and we believe the quality is even better than those machines at twice the price.”

While we were chatting the machine was whirring away in the background, diligently going about its job as it had been all day, printing a particular model in just 32 minutes, working every single time. It has to be said the quality of the PLA model we were given for 32 minutes was exceptional. Though, as we all know, nothing in 3D printing is plain sailing and Maplin are prepared for that: “We have a contact centre with a technical help desk, Velleman have got step-by-step guides for set-up and troubleshooting sections.” Product Manager Alphonse Madamombe interjected: “One of the things that will also be huge for us is putting a community together so people can share their ideas and give each other hints and tips.” The interest in the product is certainly there, Maplin had over 25,000 hits on the 3D printing page as soon as they announced it, Mr. Meakin told us that 25% of their first order with Velleman is taken up by pre-orders for the machine: “The only place you can get this machine on the high street is here at Maplin, they’re available to order now, we’re expecting our first batch anytime, we’ve already got a lot of pre-orders to fulfil but once those are despatched, we are going to have five demonstration units in Central London, and customers will be able to order in-store. We’ll also be stocking the filament at £30 a kilo in a variety of colours.” Desktop 3D printing may have plenty of detractors but the arrival of this printer on the high-street and the interest it has already reaped shows a real demand from the public. Maplin are first who will be next?

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Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing Prototyping Product Development Software Scanning Digitising

Show Preview

25-26 September 2013 NEC, BIRMINGHAM, UK

www.tctshow.com

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Inclusivity is at the heart of the TCT Show + Personalize. Whether you are an expert industrial user, a professional looking for the current state-of-the-art or a cutting-edge consumer who wants to learn more about how 3D printing, additive manufacturing and complementary product development technologies can impact your world, TCT Show + Personalize is the only event you need to attend.

Up Close and Personal

Inspection, Digitising & Metrology Session

The exhibition floor at TCT Show + Personalize features the entire spectrum of 3D printing and additive manufacturing equipment — no other event can compete with the number of different 3D printing and additive manufacturing machines we have brought together under one roof! In addition, all of the supporting hardware and software for scanning, digitising and inspection and for design and manufacturing will be on display. If you are looking to source AND purchase this is the only show you need attend.

Supported and chaired by leading journal Quality Management Today these sessions highlight the latest technology available in this sector, along with real-world applications designed to ensure you leave with more ideas that you came with. If you can’t measure it, you can’t make it!

CEO Sessions Each morning begins with a bang — three back-to-back keynote addresses from the most inspirational and influential CEO-level executives the industry has to offer. They will share insight into their motivations, their methods and their masterplans for the future of these technologies. The confirmed line up can be seen overleaf.

World Leading Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing Conference Sessions TCT Show + Personalize also presents world leading additive manufacturing and 3D printing conference sessions where internationally recognised speakers from across industry give visionary insights into the technologies today and how they will develop in the future. The confirmed line up can be seen overleaf.

Additive Technology and 3D Printing Introduction Sessions This highly oversubscribed free seminar session presented by leading expert Graham Tromans gives newcomers to “additive” technologies the opportunity to get up to speed as fast as possible and to be aware of how they can best access the vast range of options available on view on the show floor. If you are new to these technologies and want to get the lowdown, make sure you register for this session.

Software for Product Development Session Keynoted by GrabCAD CEO Hardi Meybaum the software session offers an intense afternoon of condensed information to bring you up-to-speed with this integral and increasingly important aspect of design, validation and production processes.

Co-located with 4 other events Running concurrently with TCT Show + Personalize will be Mediplas 2013, MicroNanoMEMS 2013, Sensors & Instrumentation 2013 and Machine Building 2013 which make up an essential visit for anyone interested in the latest design and manufacturing technology.

Bright Minds UK Programme Building on a successful platform that has been running at TCT Show for many years, the 2013 TCT Bright Minds UK programme will see a classroom built in the heart of the exhibition floor where up to 300 schoolchildren will get their hands on CAD and 3D Printing technologies in a workshop setting. Black Country Atelier will run the sessions with the equipment being provided free-of-charge by 3D Systems.

Free Parking We don’t stop our commitment to free access at the main doors — stay beyond 3:00pm, which will be easy with so much to see and do, and your £10 parking fee will be paid for by Rapid News Communications Group.

RepRap Community Hub In another first for 2013, the RepRap community will have a dedicated space on the show floor. TCT Show + Personalize are excited to welcome makers to the show this September and are proud that the addition of this maker space will give the community a platform to showcase the important role it is playing in the growth of the industry.

NOW...

at www.tctshow.com 36

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[Exhibitors]

Exhibitor Listings, Alphabetical Order 3D SYSTEMS 3D Systems is a leading, global provider of 3D printing services ranging from personal and production 3D printers to creative content development and design tools. These expertly integrated solutions replace, displace and complement traditional development and manufacturing methods and reduce the time and cost of designing new products by printing real parts directly from digital input. 3D Systems solutions are used to rapidly design, communicate, prototype and produce functional parts and products, empowering our customers to manufacture the future. 3D Systems invented the first 3D printer almost three decades ago, revolutionising the way companies develop new products. Today we have transitioned our printers to go beyond prototyping to deliver high quality, end-use products. And this is just the beginning of a revolution that will enable companies to print products via easy to use, near zerowaste, affordable methods from a factory, an office or a garage. For 3D Systems this means a commitment to bring 3D printing and software to the mainstream, at-home consumer and inspire the next generation of innovators and makers through education. It is an exciting time for us as 3D printing enters the consumer market and makes its way into the fabric of the community. Stand D36 Web: www.3dsystems.com Tel: 001 803 326 3900 3T RPD Ltd

3T is a leading additive manufacturing company with production experience in a wide range of sectors. As the industrial process matures and is accepted by an ever wider audience of engineers, 3T is focusing on the areas of aerospace and medical production. Companies in these fields can be confident that their production jobs are in safe and experienced hands at 3T because the company has been inspected and awarded AS9100 (Aircraft, Space and Defence) and ISO13485 (Medical) production

certifications. With over 14 years of experience in AM, 3T has built up a strong team with high level experience in production, technical, quality and customer-service. 3T is already trusted by a number of Formula 1 teams to make safety-critical car components in Titanium and hightemperature engine parts in Inconel 718. But it isn’t only metal AM that can satisfy customers’ production demands. 3T has developed specialist expertise in producing industrial and consumer parts to high tolerance (< +0.1mm) in nylon. These function-critical components are being used for anything from factory automation through to mounting brackets for racing bikes. Stand F27 Web: www.3trpd.co.uk Tel: 0044 1635 580284 ALTAIR

As technologies continue to advance, computer simulation techniques are yielding substantial cost savings whether by optimising material usage, or reducing time to market. solidThinking - which forms part of Altair’s HyperWorks Enabled Community is at the forefront of this. solidThinking Inspire enables design engineers, product designers, and architects to create and investigate structurally efficient concepts quickly and easily. Traditional structural simulations allow engineers to check if a design will support the required loads. Inspire enhances this process by generating a new material layout within a package space using the loads as an input. The software is easy to learn and works with existing CAD tools to help design structural parts right the first time, reducing costs, development time, material consumption and product weight. The manufacturing freedom of ALM/3D printing is a perfect application for the design freedom Inspire provides. The designer is able to visualise the optimum material

distribution at the earliest stage in the design process, further reducing development time, material consumption and product weight. Altair will be demonstrating solidThinking Inspire at TCT Show + Personalize with experts on hand to field any questions. Stand F46 Web: www.altair.com Tel: 0044 1454 629 662

AME GROUP LTD AME Group Ltd is happy to be back at the TCT Show in 2013. The company has rebranded its design and rapid prototyping facilities in 2013 to combine them into AME Group Ltd, a single point of contact for a range of product development requirements. AME combines innovative product design with progressive prototyping to enable the effective management of clients’ new product development needs; including initial idea generation, design development, prototyping and design for manufacture. Prototyping is an essential stage in the product development process, giving customers the ability to prove a concept or idea at an early stage and ensuring potential issues can be resolved before going to manufacture. AME’s prototyping services can help reduce project lead times, minimise risk and consequently reduce the cost of investment in developing a product. AME offers a range of rapid prototyping processes including SLS, SLA, modelmaking, Vacuum Casting and specialise in low volume manufacture and the team would be pleased to welcome TCT Show visitors to their stand. “So come on by and say hello, we may just be able to save you time, money and pain on your next project!” Stand D42 Web: www.ame-prototypes.com Tel: 0044 1909 550999 BLUE PRINTER BluePrinter is a global provider and manufacturer of a new breakthrough 3D printing technology called “selective heat sintering” (SHS). After going through the concept and development work over the last three years, BluePrinter is proud to show its first product alongside UK Partner John Burn at TCT Show + Personalize. This will be the first public viewing of the new printer, with parts printed with launch material created with this brand

new technology. The technology is based on a commercial thermal print head, printing layers into loose powder to generate 3D shapes. The plastic powder gives the parts uni-formal strength, giving them functionality at the lowest possible part cost. The system can be easily used by Mac, Windows or Linux users over the network, using our web based printer driver, it’s very economical with no supports to worry about, while powder can be re-used. “The future looks very bright for the technology, with its ability to print in different material offerings, therefore giving different part properties. We will also be able to build larger platforms capable of printing larger parts in the future.” Stand C42 Web: www.blueprinter.dk Tel: 0045 3148 1201 CA MODELS

The last time CA Models exhibited at TCT Show + Personalize was 10 years ago and the company is thrilled to announce that it is travelling all the way down from bonnie Scotland armed to the teeth with stuff that will “blow your socks off … so to speak”. CA Models now has a super-efficient collection of nine SLA machines inhouse, including the latest 3D technology in the form of a ProJet6000 and a 7000, as well as Vipers and iPros. Its CNC machining department is better than ever with another new addition, the monstrous Promac Zephyr. Moreover, the company has upgraded its Objet Eden 500 to a Connex 500 enabling dual material jetting. The business says its customers have found this hugely beneficial for product design, experimenting with a mix of rigid and flexible/transparent and opaque/colour mixing. 37

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Exhibitor Listings, Alphabetical Order CA Models has also moved into Metal Additive Manufacturing, with M2 Cusing machine fusing powdered metals such as titanium and aluminium, allowing significantly more designer freedom, enabling the most complex designs. This innovative machine has been incredibly popular with customers since its arrival in 2012. “So! Scotland’s not all just whisky, salmon and misty blue hills. Come along and see some of our … stuff.” Stand B36 Web: www.camodels.co.uk Tel: 0044 1786 464434 CENTRAL SCANNING

Central Scanning is exhibiting at TCT Show + Personalize and will be demonstrating the latest technologies from Steinbichler and Artec 3D. As resellers of Steinbichler and ARTEC, Central Scanning provides a fully comprehensive equipment sales and support package for new and existing clients. At the show, Central Scanning will be exhibiting the brand new ARTEC SPIDER alongside the market-leading STEINBICHLER L3D fringe projection system on the stand where there will be live demonstrations. Whether it be tooth-sized objects or complete cars, Central Scanning aims to demonstrate that it provides a full bureau service to digitise, reverse engineer or inspect as required. Central Scanning will have its highly trained technicians on hand at the show, who will be more than happy to provide quotations and answer any questions about 3D scanning and 3D printing. “We look forward to meeting you on our stand.” Stand G24 Web: www.centralscanning.co.uk Tel: 0044 1527 558282 CITIM Citim is a leading supplier for metal additive manufacturing components with seven machines on site. Metal additive manufacturing is ideal for short 38

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development times, high launch quality and the successful market introduction of innovative products. Located near Berlin, Citim boasts three EOS and four SLM Solutions machines. Laser melting by Citim offers designers more freedom in form and structure that would otherwise be severely limited by conventional methods or the tooling for mass production. The process shortens development times, reduces tooling costs and enables designs that were not possible before using traditional manufacturing techniques. Beyond this, Citim looks back on many years of experience in the field of rapid tooling. Innovating casting processes completes its range of services, which include nylon casting, vacuum casting, laser sintering, PolyJet, injection moulds, die casting moulds, sheetmetal forming tools, precision casting and sand casting. Need some fast advise on technical possibilities? You can get in touch “anytime at any place”. Stand B21 Web: www.citim.de Tel: 0049 39203 51060 DENFORD The latest UP! 3D Printer - the UP! Plus 2 - leads the field for professional 3D digital printing and additive manufacturing, and is the first machine in its class to offer a full automatic platform calibration system, including platform levelling calibration and platform height calibration. Whether you are a professional or a hobbyist, an engineer, an innovative designer, an inventor, a creative teacher, an amazing thinker, or a hi-tech tinkerer, then having your own 3D printer will enable you to turn your designs into real-life 3D models at the touch of a button. The UP! Plus 2 3D Printer works straight out of the box and comes with everything you need to allow you to start printing your 3D models. It is a compact, portable and affordable desktop 3D Printer, offering a multitude of user features, including selectable layer

medium size; dFab, the fastest and smallest 3D printer in the world; and Temporis, a new biocompatible and customizable material. Moreover, DWS boasts DW 009 J, an entry level machine with a low running cost with the DWS’ fastest system thanks to the DLP projector technology; DW 028 J Plus, the jewellery machine for a medium production, able to produce 150 wedding rings per day with the highest definition in the market; DW 029 X, a fast industrial fabrication which utilises dedicated resins to realises medium-size objects for the professional industrial design; and Irix Digital Stone, a revolutionary biocompatible material for direct DEVELOP 3D printing giving designers the chance to DEVELOP3D Magazine looks at the print directly ceramic-like objects with essential role technology plays in product development, investigating how no creativity restrictions. Furthermore, DWS is proud to it is used at leading design and announce that it has established a engineering firms from concept all the world-record for the realisation of a way to manufacture. jewellery pattern with just 150micron Key topics range from 3D filaments, which was presented at the CAD/CAM/CAE software and workstation technology to 3D printing, Santa Fe Symposium. Stand F32 reverse engineering and mould and Web: www.dwssystems.com die design. Tel: 0039 445 372323 DEVELOP3D is available in print, PDF, online and on the Kindle, Android and the iPhone/iPad. The magazine features ENVISIONTEC a bold contemporary design and is free to UK subscribers. Stand D40 Web: www.develop3d.com Tel: 0044 7872691211

resolution/infill, shell printing and pause printing at a given height. Build volume size is an impressive W:140mm x D:140mm x H:135mm and layer thickness is from 0.15 to 0.40mm. Parts are made from low-cost, highquality and durable ABS filament – available in blue, black, white, green, yellow and red. “Unleash your creativity with the UP! Plus 2 3D Printer and print whatever you want, whenever you want, as many times as you want right from your desk!” Stand E42 Web: www.denford.ltd.uk Tel: 0044 1484 728000

DIGITAL METAL Digital Metal offers an innovative manufacturing technique for metallic components. It is a proprietary precision ink-jet technology for additive manufacturing and 3D printing of metal components and systems. This offers a unique capability to rapidly and costeffectively produce highly complex and intricate designs and features for metallic parts. Key benefits are time to market, design for function, cost effectiveness and high precision and surface quality. Stand C21 Web: www.hoganas.com Tel: 0046 4233 8000 DWS DWS develops stereolithographic additive manufacturing systems for jewellery, dentistry and industrial design. Its latest products include; DW 020 D, the orthodontic printer, specially designed for laboratories of small and

Since its first patent submission in 1999, EnvisionTEC has developed and released a broad array of patented 3D printing solutions supporting the individual engineering desktop, as well as large-scale enterprises and manufacturers. EnvisionTEC’s cost-effective solutions in Solid Freeform Fabrication are widely used for applications in design, industry, micro-, medical-, dental- and bio-technology. Using a team of inhouse experts in chemical, software, optical, mechanical and electrical engineering, EnvisionTEC is highly successful in producing the most reliable Rapid Prototyping systems in the world using its core based

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technology of selective light modulation, which is currently being utilised in its Perfactory machines as well the brand-new 3SP (Scan, Spin and Selectively Photocure) technology. At this year’s TCT Show EnvisionTEC will show its latest range of rapid prototyping systems including the 3Dent, as well as new Ultra 3SP machines. EnvisionTEC will also be displaying the latest generation of Micro printers, which are capable of producing high quality models utilising EnvisionTECs patented ERM technology for the micro design and education markets at a competitively low purchase price and virtually zero material wastage during production. Stand C18 Web: www.envisiontec.com Tel: 0044 1782 418040

ES TECHNOLOGY Concept Laser’s Mlab cusing machine will feature on the ES Technology/Concept Laser booth at TCT Show + Personalize. Visitors to the stand will be able to see first hand, how easy it is to build metal parts directly from 3D CAD designs Parts can be built in just hours from Titanium, Stainless Steel, Cobalt Chrome, Bronze or precious metals such as yellow gold and silver, and the system is designed to operate unattended overnight. The Mlab cusing is aimed at markets that require smaller (less than 90mm x 90mm x 80mm) metal parts. For larger components, Concept Laser use the established M1, M2 and the Xline 1000R which can build parts up to 630mm x 400mm. Since its launch the Mlab cusing EOS Founded in 1989 and headquartered in system has generated significant interest from a diverse range of Germany, EOS is the technology and industries including automotive, market leader for design-driven, integrated e-Manufacturing solutions for aerospace, medical device, tool & additive manufacturing or industrial 3D mould manufacturers as well as the dental and jewellery sectors. printing. EOS offers a modular solution Stand B16 portfolio including systems, software, materials and material development as Web: www.estechnology.co.uk Tel: 0044 1327 701120 well as maintenance, training, application consulting and support. Manufacturing processes include laser- EUROPAC3D sintering of plastics, direct metal lasersintering of such materials as titanium, cobalt chrome and nickel alloys and laser-sintering of sand. They allow fast, flexible production of high-end parts Europac3D will be appearing at the TCT directly from 3D CAD data at a repeatable level of industrial quality and show in September with an array of 3D scanners to demonstrate the latest in are applicable across major sectors 3D scanning technologies. On the from aerospace, automotive, dental, stand will be the new Artec Spider, medical and industrial to consumer. probing and scanning arms, the As a disruptive technology, additive Mephisto EX scanner and the Rexcan manufacturing paves the way for a small-object and dental scanner. paradigm shift in design and Visitors can see these in action on the manufacturing. It accelerates product development, offers freedom of design, show floor with real time demonstrations and information on optimises part structures and enables pricing and training. lattice structures as well as functional With its recent appointment as resellers integration. of 3DSystems’ range of 3D printers, Last year, Dr Hans J Langer, founder and CEO of EOS, was named one of the Europac3D will also be available to discuss 3DSystems printing technology top 20 most influential people in the and show how the printers can suit a rapid technologies industry by TCT variety of business needs, including Magazine. The honour came alongside another accolade for the company itself, prototyping and wax casting. Europac3D has an install base of more which was voted one of the Top 100 than 200 systems throughout the UK small- and medium-sized innovative and provides staff training in software businesses in Germany. and hardware. The company also Stand F18 supplies a full 3D scanning service for Web: www.eos.info the purposes of reverse engineering, Tel: 0044 1926 623107 prototyping, archiving, 3D inspection

and rotatable web imagery, and this has included work for the automotive, aerospace, dental, heritage, film and fashion industries. With over 20 years’ experience in the 3D scanning and printing industries, Europac3D can help realise projects whatever the scale or budget. Stand C24 Web: www.europac3d.com Tel: 0044 1270 216000 EXONE ExOne is a global provider of 3D printing machines and printed products to industrial customers and is a leader in manufacturing and selling 3D printing machines and printing products to specification for customers using in-house 3D printing machines. ExOne offers pre-productions collaboration and print products for customers through its Production Service Centers PSCs, which are located in the US, Germany and Japan. ExOne’s 3D printing machines are built at its US and Germany facilities. The organisation also supplies 3D printing products, including consumables and replacement parts and its services include any necessary training and technical support for customers. ExOne believes its ability to print in a variety of industrial materials - as well as its industry-leading printing capacity as measured by build box size and printhead speed - puts it in the unique position to serve the needs of industrial customers. “We are capable of printing in silica sand, ceramics, stainless steel, bronze and glass; and we are in varying stages of qualifying additional industrial materials for printing, such as titanium, tungsten carbide, aluminum and magnesium.” Stand E26 Web: www.exone.com Tel: 001 877 773 9663 FARO TECHNOLOGIES FARO develops and markets computeraided coordinate measurement devices and software. Portable equipment permits high-precision 3D measurements and comparisons of parts and compound structures within production and quality assurance processes. The devices are used for inspecting components and assemblies, production planning, documenting large volume spaces or structures in 3D, surveying and construction, as well as for

investigation and reconstruction of accident sites or crime scenes. FARO provides a range of measurement arms including the FARO Prime, FARO Edge, FaroArm, FaroArm Fusion, Edge ScanArm, Laser ScanArm, FARO Gage, the FARO Laser Scanner Focus3D, the new FARO Laser Tracker Vantage, FARO Laser Tracker ION and the CAD-based measurement and reporting software CAM2 Measure 10, as well as the 3D documentation software SCENE. Worldwide, approximately 15,000 customers are operating more than 30,000 installations of FARO’s systems. The company’s global headquarters is located in Florida, its European head office is in Stuttgart, while its Asia/Pacific head office is in Singapore. FARO has branches in Brazil, Mexico, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Turkey, India, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea and Japan. Stand C20 Web: www.faro.com Tel: 0044 2476 217690 GOM UK

GOM UK is excited to present its latest 3D scanning system, the ATOS Core at TCT Show + Personalize 2013. Specially-designed for small and medium-sized objects, ATOS Core is new, different and the latest member of the ATOS family. ATOS Core utilises ground-breaking technology to form a powerful 3D scanning solution for quality control, automated inspection, rapid prototyping and reverse engineering applications. At just 206 x 205 X 64 mm in size, the ATOS Core is one of the smallest structured light scanners on the market yet still shares the class leading technology of the proven ATOS Triple Scan. This expands the range of measuring tasks that can be handled by GOM 3D scanning technology. ATOS Core comes in three different product lines: Essential line, simple applications; Professional Line, metrology applications; and Kinematic line, automated applications. 39

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Each morning of the TCT Show + Personalize begins with some must attend sessions — three back-to-back keynote addresses from the most inspirational and influential CEO-level executives the industry has to offer. This is the first time that 3D printing providers and users have been given the stage to share insight into their motivations, their methods and their masterplans for the future of these technologies. Below you will find the six confirmed speakers for these sessions. A line up of some of the most important leaders in the game.

Avi Reichental (@kinnect2print)

CEO, 3D Systems Why we invited him: As the most powerful man in arguably the most powerful 3D printing company, Avi was a natural choice for the newlook conference programme. A passionate spokesperson for 3D technologies, Avi will give us insight into how he sees the industry now and in the future — and that might just influence the industry we operate in for years to come.

Conor MacCormack

David Reis CEO, Stratasys Ltd Why we invited him: Mergers and acquisitions are nothing new to the 3D printing industry but the coming together of three of the biggest players marked a seismic shift for the industry. David Reis heads up Stratasys Ltd, the company that was created when Objet Ltd and Stratasys Inc merged last year, and has recently gone on to announce plans to merge with Brooklyn-based MakerBot. David is now in a uniquely powerful position to influence the future of the industry across consumer/prosumer and professional bases — and he’ll share his vision exclusively at TCT Show + Personalize.

(@conormaccormack)

CEO, Mcor Technologies Why we invited him: Mcor has a unique 3D printing technology and a unique view of the industry as a whole. In just eight years Conor has helped to steer Mcor from a start-up to an established brand with a global reach. The company’s motto, ‘Unfettered Innovation’, is a reflection of the ambition and genuine enthusiasm for the world of 3D printing. Find out what the next eight years have in store for Mcor and Conor’s predictions for the future of 3D printing.

David Burns President & COO, ExOne Why we invited him: David Burns has been President and Chief Operating Officer at ExOne (formerly ProMetal) since 2005 and a Director since the company’s reorganisation and re-branding. With the increased coverage of 3D printing in the mainstream media it is perhaps understandable that people forget the true industrial applications of the technology — not so David Burns. As President of ExOne he has helped to steer the company through an IPO, with the company now publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange. Hear how David sees the progression of true additive manufacturing and how 3D printing will develop in the coming years.

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Peter Weijmarshausen (@weijmarshausen)

CEO, Shapeways Why we invited him: Shapeways is part of the 3D printing industry that really is a revolution — putting the power of 3D printing into the hands of everyone without the barriers that hardware ownership causes. With over 250k members and more than 10,000 designs uploaded each week, Shapeways is growing fast, even in terms of 3D printing. Peter has led the team to New York, to in-house production and to 3D printing super stardom… let’s find out what’s next!

Alice Taylor

(@wonderlandblog)

CEO, MakieLab Why we invited her: When it comes reinventing the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds few come close to London-based startup MakieLab. The company’s products combine gaming and user-created unique 3D printed toys in a way that truly harnesses the unique powers of 3D printing. Alice will take the stage to let us know how it all happened and why Tech City Insider calls MakieLab “one of London’s most admired tech startups”.

visit www.tctshow.com to view the whole programme

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Exhibitor Listings, Alphabetical Order With a choice of sensors and software configurations cost effective solutions can be provided for reverse engineering and inspection tasks. ATOS Core provides an ideal entry level solution in to full field measurement. From software through hardware, ATOS Core provides the key to greater efficiency, higher quality and smarter production processes. Stand A16 Web: www.gom.com Tel: 0044 2476 639920

do it for you.” HLH Prototypes welcomes TCT Show + Personalize visitors to come and take a look at the kinds of things it could help potential customers with at its stand on the main exhibition floor. “Look forward to seeing you there, enjoy the show.” Stand D38 Web: www.hlhprototypes.com Tel: 0086 755 82569129

LASER PROTOTYPES Laser Prototypes Europe will be showcasing the expansion of its JOHN BURN Vacuum Casting facilities at its Belfast based premises at TCT Show + Personalize this September. Now with GUANGZHOU SEAL LASER even greater capacity than ever before Guangzhou Seal Laser was founded in following the installation of its third 2003 and has since this time Vacuum Casting machine, LPE has cooperated with hundreds of worldwide increased its material providing clients from Europe, America, Canada, customers with more choice. Australia and Japan. Seal-RP provides The new material range includes different kinds of rapid prototyping As one of the UK’s largest independent thermoplastics, variable shore rubbers, products including SLA, CNC food safe casting resins and production machining, SLS, vacuum casting, rapid resellers of 3D printers, John Burn will be using the TCT Show to highlight two grade silicones. Customers can form tooling and RIM. Seal-RP’s products are used by a range new partnerships. The first with Danish heat resistant materials suitable for 3D printer manufacturer BluePrinter will living hinges, applications requiring part of industries including automotive, see the introduction of one of the most rigidity and components requiring high aviation, medical equipment, electrical transparency, source high quality innovative technologies introduced to appliances and leisure products with the market in the past eight years. The production grade silicone casting ideal different finishes. These services for automotive and medical BluePrinter uses Selective Heat include polishing, painting, printing, Sintering technology which is similar to applications, or achieve exact Shore plating and texture effect finishes. Hardness with variable Shore A resins. laser sintering technology, but is Guangzhou Seal Laser is looking for In addition to the new casting materials different in that it uses a thermal print global cooperation partners when it LPE will be showcasing its entire head as opposed to laser. exhibits for the first time at TCT Show material and process range at TCT The second sees John Burn Ltd and Personalize this September. Show + Personalize on stand F42, appointed by The ExOne Company to Stand D39 including Stereolithography, Selective sell its range of large-scale sand Web: www.seal-rp.com/en/ Laser Sintering and Low Volume Tel: 0086 20 8604 1299 casting 3D printers. The systems additive process creates complex sand Production HLH PROTOTYPES casting cores and moulds directly from Stand F42 Web:www.laserproto.com CAD data, eliminating the need for a Tel: 0044 2890 960680 physical pattern to create a core or mould. These two new printers are an ideal fit LAYERWISE LayerWise is a leading European with the existing range of printers supplied by John Burn. The range also production centre exclusively focusing features printers from EnvisionTEC, the on metal 3D printing for the aerospace, TierTime Inspire range and the UP! Plus industrial, medical and dental markets. Uniquely positioned as an additive personal printer. manufacturing technology developer As a company John Burn has a long and user, LayerWise targets both serial HLH Prototypes makes prototypes, and respected history with the design, production and prototyping. The digital models and low volume production prototyping, pattern making and additive manufacturing approach runs of “pretty much anything you can foundry industries and continues to think of”. And this exciting Shenzenbring game-changing technology to this challenges traditional metalworking and moulding practices by producing the based company headquartered in the ever-evolving group of innovators. optimum shape of complex freeform influential 3D printing economy of Stand C42 parts in a single manufacturing step. China believes it does its job “really Web: www.johnburn.co.uk Monolithic additive manufacturing parts Tel: 0044 121 508 4144 rather well”. exhibit improved performance, “We do it with passion, we do in functionality and reliability, using less inexpensively and most importantly we material without scrap.

Recently, the European Space Agency selected LayerWise to build multiple additive manufacturing part variants representative of a bi-propellant communication satellite engine. In collaboration with the Gent University, LayerWise produced a range of complex Tungsten collimators to fit in medical MRI scanners. Typical industrial applications cover complex circulation parts as well as tool inserts with conformal cooling channels. At TCT Show, LayerWise will showcase a variety of innovative, functional additive manufacturing parts that excel in performance and productivity, drastically increasing customers’ return on investment. Stand F26 Web: www.layerwise.com Tel: 0032 0497 787856 LEGOR Powmet is the Legor Group line of very fine metallic powders, in several different granulometries, purposely designed for the Powder Laser Melting (or Selective Laser Melting) process. Manufacturing jewellery pieces with PLM technologies compared to the traditional lost-wax-casting is substantially different. Many advantages arise from reproducing designs directly from the CAD/CAM virtual image to the real metal piece. There are no more barriers to the realisation of jewellery designs and potentially any kind of complex form, hollow object and intricate shape can now be reproduced exactly as the designer intended. PM-AG101P is a gas-atomised silver alloy powder with 925 fineness, specifically developed for laser melting applications. Composition and size distribution have been designed to maximise the energetic absorption from laser beam during the PLM process and such as the flowability behaviour during the stratification process.

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Alongside almost 200 exhibitors TCT Show + Personalize presents world leading additive manufacturing and 3D printing conference sessions where internationally recognised speakers from across industry give visionary insights into the technologies today and how they will develop in the future. This thought-provoking platform is complemented with a range of invaluable technology sessions for both newcomers and experienced attendees. The confirmed speaker line up can be seen here. More will be added. To see the program with timings please log on to www.tctshow.com

Todd Grimm (@tgrimm) President, T. A. Grimm and Associates Why we invited him: Todd is a perennial favourite at TCT Show, having presented for the last three year’s events. Embedded within the community, Todd has access to all the information and all the figures — and best of all he’s happy to talk about it! Though-provoking, entertaining and always engaging, Todd answers your questions before you knew to ask them.

Joris Peels (@pilz) Freelance Consultant, Voxelfab Why we invited him: Joris started contributing to TCT in 2013 after several years in the 3D printing industry. Previously of iMaterialise and Shapeways, Joris has an excellent insight into the world of 3D printing, and pulls no punches with his analysis. His irreverent and uncompromising analysis is certain to offer balance and lively debate to the conference line up.

Richard Horne (@RichRap3D) Commercial Manager, Heber UK Why we invited him: Richard spans the professional/maker divide with a foot firmly in both camps. In his day job as a ‘suit’, Richard is Commercial Manager for Heber UK, but by night he sheds his skin and becomes a ‘wooly jumper’ — one of the growing makers for whom 3D printing offers the chance for creativity, experimentation and personal manufacture.

Jeremy Pullin (@jezpullin) Rapid Manufacturing Manager, Renishaw Plc Why we invited him: If you want to cut through the proverbial and get insight into living with AM and 3D printing, Jez Pullin is your man. He’s forthright, entertaining and full of the uncomfortable truths (and appalling jokes) that every current or potential user needs to hear. A long-time friend of TCT, Jez will return for the umpteenth time but always with something new to say.

Yvonne van Zummeren (@Dyvsign) CEO/designer, Dyvsign Why we invited her: Yvonne represents perfectly one of the dreams of 3D printing — to become a successful business owner and designer without knowledge of jewellery or industrial design. Yvonne will take us through the journey from Art Historian to CEO and designer at dyvsign and show us that 3D printing is not all bad (guns) or futuristic (moon bases) but applicable and available today.

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Josh Harker (@JoshuaHarker) Owner/sculptor, Josh Harker Why we invited him: American artist Joshua Harker is considered a pioneer and visionary in 3D printed art and sculpture. At the crossroads of high art and technology he uses 3D printing & associated technologies as his medium. His work with “unmakeable” technically complex organic forms is credited as the first to break the “design & manufacturing possibility threshold”. This has been considered a landmark event in the chronology of the 3D printed medium & sculpture. He holds the #1 & #4 most funded Sculpture projects in the history of the crowdfunding giant Kickstarter. His work has appeared in WIRED magazine, Wall Street Journal, TED Talks, TIME, The Economist, Entrepreneur Magazine, Forbes, National Geographic, Popular Science, and countless others.

Neil Hopkinson Professor of Manufacturing Engineering, The University of Sheffield Why we invited him: Neil Hopkinson has been one of the most active proponents of AM and 3D printing in his years as a research academic at leading institutions globally. He is currently Professor of Manufacturing Engineering at The University of Sheffield and Director of the Centre for Advanced Additive Manufacturing. Neil is lead inventor of high speed sintering and lead editor of the world’s first book on additive manufacturing for the production of end use products. He has secured over £3.5M of funding from government and industry and has won various international awards and published over 100 papers. In his presentation Neil will discuss the relevance of academia in an increasingly commercial industry.

Graham Tromans (@GPTromans) President, G. P. Tromans Associates Why we invited him: Graham Tromans has worked with additive manufacturing technologies since 1989 or in other words, almost the entire time they have existed. Graham has managed implementation of rapid prototyping techniques at Land Rover and Jaguar cars as well as working with major names across the automotive and aerospace industries. He has represented the UK Department for Trade and Industry in the USA and Japan, and was recently appointed Chief Industry Consultant to the China 3D Printing Technology Industry Alliance. Graham’s ‘Introduction to AM’ session is an annual highlight at TCT Show, and is always — quite rightly — over-subscribed!

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Phil Reeves Managing Director, Econolyst Ltd Why we invited him: Dr. Phil Reeves has worked in the 3D printing and additive manufacturing field for nearly 20 years, having earned a PhD in the subject from Nottingham University in the mid-90s. As the MD of Econolyst Phil keeps his finger on the pulse of the field from R&D through to series production, and advises an international client base on adoption of AM and more. Phil will bring this experience to bear at TCT Show + Personalize.

Dominik Reitzel Technical Integration, BMW Group Why we invited him: It’s easy to see how 3D printing is creating a revolution on the desktop, but it’s often more difficult to see how companies are deploying these technologies in commercial anger — which is where Dominik and the team at BMW Group Rapid Technology Group in Munich come in. Dominik will outline what is currently possible with additive manufacturing, what is purely hype and what challenges lay ahead.

Nick Allen @3DPrint_UK Owner, 3DPrint UK Why we invited him: Nick Allen is to service providers what Bre Pettis is to machine makers. Based in a cool world city (London), challenging the way things are done in the rapidly developing world of 3D printing. Gone is the stuffy corporate feel and ‘all things to all men’ mentality in style, individuality and focus. We invited Nick to share his passion for printing and his vision for the future of making parts. Nick’s also made enough parts to know what can and what can’t be achieved with these technologies today, and at what cost.

Jari Pallari R&D Manager, Peacocks Medical Group Why we invited him Dr. Jari Pallari has been working on medical applications utilising additive manufacturing since 2003. He received his PhD from Leeds University in 2008 and an MSc from the Helsinki University of Technology in 2003, both in Mechanical Engineering. Until 2011 Dr. Pallari worked for Materialise NV in Leuven, Belgium on the applications utilising additive fabrication for orthotics and prosthetics applications. He is currently the Research and Development Manager at Peacocks Medical Group, a Newcastle-based company specialising in the provision of customised orthotics, special footwear and other medical devices. He also acts as the Technical Manager of the AFootprint EU FW7 project.

Andy Jeffery @andyjeff President and CEO, Figulo Corporation Why we invited him Andy Jeffery is a ceramics 3D printing entrepreneur with 20 years experience in additive manufacturing technologies. He is an Australian who has worked in the field since arriving in Boston, MA in 1991 to work at Albany International Research. His career has focused on 3D printing of ceramic products and in 1995 together with Dr Mark Parish founded Specific Surface Corporation that licensed 3D printing from MIT as a manufacturing process. The company 3D printed award winning fully functional ceramic filters for industrial and automotive applications. His latest venture, Figulo Corporation, builds on that earlier 3D printing manufacturing experience in materials, process, and traditional ceramics technology to offer personalised production of 3D printed and glazed ceramics to customers all over the world.

Hardi Meybaum @hardi_meybaum CEO, GrabCAD Why we invited him: Hardi Meybaum is CEO at one of the most exciting companies in the design software space today. GrabCAD is, amongst other things, a CAD library, toolbox of online design apps and collaborative space that is helping engineers and designers make great products. Hardi’s background is in manufacturing, which helps to explain his passion for bringing engineers together. Hardi holds a MSc in production development from Tallinn University of Technology. 43

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[Exhibitors]

Exhibitor Listings, Alphabetical Order Thanks to its characteristics, PMAG101P guarantees high densification during the laser melting process reducing, at the same time, the surface quality issue typical of traditional Sterling silver powders; the objects obtained using PM-AG101P have extraordinary shininess and whiteness after surface finishing such as high tarnish resistant. The PLM object is also age-hardenable. Quality powder as PM-AG101P is therefore a guarantee of perfect results. Stand G28 Web: www.legor.com Tel: 0039 444 46791 LPW

MEASUREMENT SOLUTIONS

was built in the city in November 2011. Since then, the business’s products and services have been in demand, with total sales breakthrough reaching 100 machines in four months in 2012, with designers, engineers, technicians and other users making up the growing customer list. Founded in 2009, Magicfirm is committed to becoming the most advanced 3D printing service providers in China and will be displaying its 3D printers at TCT Show + Personalize. Stand C34 Web: www.mbot3d.com Tel: 0086 571 880 21266 MCOR

LPW has developed an optimised range of metal powders specifically for Selective Laser Melting, Laser Metal Deposition and Electron Beam Melting. To take additive manufacturing from rapid prototyping to rapid manufacture the powder supply chain must be revolutionised. LPW is at the forefront of this change, offering a complete range of Aluminium, Cobalt, Nickel, Steel, Titanium and Tungsten Carbide alloy powders. Standard powders are supplied from stock, adding value through excellent service and quality products that offer LPW’s customers fast delivery and cost effective solutions. Its objective is to help the industrial user control their material costs, increase the range of alloys available and ensure quality and traceability meet the requirements of aerospace and medical component manufacturers. LPW’s focus is on its customers. “We will work with you to select the powder most suitable for your application balancing method of manufacture, powder specification, quality, and cost.” Stand B42 Web: www.lpwtechnology.com Tel: 0044 1925 606520 MAGICFIRM Magicfirm LLC is based in Hangzhou in China, the home of desktop 3D printing in the world’s second-largest economy, as the country’s first personal 3D printer 44

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Join Mcor at TCT Show + Personalize to learn how Mcor’s full-colour, paperbased 3D printers can dramatically cut costs, shorten design cycles, improve designs, create new business possibilities and enable everyone access to 3D printing. Visitors to the exhibition floor can view an Mcor IRIS printing photorealistic 3D models, see the new ColourIT software in action, examine durable, high-quality Mcor 3D printed models, talk with senior executives and watch video demos. Mcor Co-Founder and CEO, Dr Conor MacCormack, will also deliver a CEO Keynote on September 25th, where attendees will learn how Selective Deposition Lamination paper 3D printing evolved from a vision of accessible 3D printing for all to the founding of Mcor and the manufacture of low-cost, professional-class 3D printers. Furthermore, he will discuss the careful technology decisions enabling the lowest-cost, highestquality, full-colour, eco-friendly 3D printers, how paper 3D printers produce a durable physical object from a 3D file, which applications are best suited for paper 3D printing and what’s next for Mcor and 3D printing. Stand D18 Web: www.mcortechnologies.com Tel: 00353 416 862800

Measurement Solutions is the UK’s leading supplier of innovative, easy-touse, portable 3D measurement and scanning systems. TCT Show + Personalize 2013 will see live demonstrations of the latest HandyScan3D and GoScan handheld scanning solutions. A particular focus will be the ease-of-use and the ability to inspect and reverse engineer all types of components to a high resolution and accuracy, from small plastic mouldings to a complete car. HandyScan3D is the world’s bestselling portable, handheld laser scanning system. Aimed at serious scanning applications, HandyScan3D provides high accuracy, high-resolution scan data that is suitable for the most demanding of applications. GoScan offers low cost, reliable, portable white light scanning capabilities. Suitable for a wide variety of applications, the GoScan offers an unrivalled price/performance ratio in the field of scanning. Measurement Solutions is also able to offer a range of on site, contract scanning and measuring services - and specialists will be on hand to discuss any requirements potential customers may have. Stand G38 Web: www.measurementsolutions.co.uk Tel: 0044 1733 325252 MIDAS PATTERN COMPANY Bedford-based Midas Pattern Company specialises in producing large, low-volume, high quality, polyurethane mouldings as well as offering customers the facility to create large prototypes in production materials in very short timescales. The large production mouldings are particularly suitable for use as equipment enclosures in medical, analytical and scientific applications, where valuable and specialist technology needs to be enshrouded in large and complex multi-part moulding assemblies. Midas offers two patented tooling systems: FASTrim - a low-cost

solution to producing prototypes in production materials from CAD data in as little as 10 days - and MRIM - a high quality composite tooling system offering low set-up costs for high quality mouldings in volumes from one to 2000 per annum, with a guaranteed life of 5000 off. Both systems are produced in-house and all Midas mouldings are supplied fully finished, painted, screen-printed and assembled ready for installation. Stand C43 Web: www.midas-pattern.co.uk Tel: 0044 1234 358394 NIKON METROLOGY Attendees can see the first live UK demonstrations of the new Nikon Altera Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs). The ALTERA range of bridge CMMs has been developed to meet the varying needs of manufacturers, both today and in the future. Improved productivity, enhanced metrology and greater flexibility are the hallmarks of this new generation of premium quality CMMs from Nikon Metrology, notably the first with the Nikon insignia. To show the versatility of the Altera, Nikon will have two CMMs on their stand – one running with a 5-axis solution (PH20) and one running with a multisensor system (contact probe and laser scanner). Nikon Metrology will also be showcasing the latest additions to the Measuring Instrument ranges including the SMZ 25 & 18 Stereomicroscopes; the BW-S50X White Light Interferometric Microscope System along with the Nexiv VMZ-R4540 CNC Video Measuring System. Visitors will also be able to talk to the team about the new MCT 225 HA system, which is the fusion of metrology and X-ray Computed Tomography (CT), which makes the system the most accurate in its class. Stand A39 Web: www.nikonmetrology.com Tel: 0044 1332 811349 OGLE At TCT Show + Personalize, Hertsbased Ogle Models and Prototypes invites visitors to try the Laser Sintering strength test. On the stand the company will have sample dog bone swatches for people to handle and see how robust additive manufacturing / industrial 3D printing really is. Ogle will also be launching its range of seven

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[Exhibitors]

colours for impregnating laser sintered parts, the advantages of which will be greater strength and flexibility and longevity of the finish compared to painted parts. Ogle will also be putting on a game of quoits using dyed Laser Sintered parts, get two over the pole to win a highly valued sample. Stand G42 Web: www.oglemodels.com Tel: 0044 1462 682661 OMEGA PLASTICS Omega Plastics are the UK's leading Rapid Tooling & Plastic Injection Moulding Manufacturer. Our highly experienced team have the required skills and knowledge to support your project at any stage, from initial design through to development, tooling and assembly. As well as having a key presence is markets like Automotive & Medical we also have great experience in Product Development – such as the Lifesaver bottle – a complex water filtration system. Other iconic products include the Wind-powered Flettner Ventilator system used on commercial transport vehicles. Although our work has been showcased at the TCT show in the past, we will be presenting some of our finest work this September with some of our leading engineers on site to answer any questions are queries you may have – regarding an existing product or in concept. With continual investment and growth on experienced staff using the latest technology at multiple sites, we’re confident we can help you take your product to market – quicker! Take something valuable from your visit to TCT and visit Omega Plastics Stand B26 Web: www.omega-plastics.co.uk Tel: 0044 1670 541 890 PHYSICAL DIGITAL Looking for a professional, experienced and responsive team to 3D-scan products or components? Physical Digital, offers the benefit of the latest 3D non-contact optical scanning equipment and a portfolio of industry-

leading software to deliver data in the required format. The friendly, approachable team works hard to help customers keep to budgeted costs and delivery schedules. Physical Digital is the only independent 3D measurement bureau in the UK that uses the GOM ATOS Triple scan and TRITOP optical measurement systems, offering clients the highest quality results that help businesses to cut turnaround time and reduce production errors. The nature of its services means customers can send smaller components to Physical Digital’s dedicated facility for off-site measurement, or their experts can come to clients and work as part of their team. “There’s no project we can’t help with; current customers range from medical innovation suppliers to marine businesses, and the objects we measure can be anything from the smallest components to large and complex machinery.” Stand B37 Web: www.physicaldigital.com Tel: 0044 1483 857537

directly used on engine test benches or in real conditions. There are several benefits. The production of parts using laser fusion can be carried out during the development phase, allowing a reduction in timeframe and development costs, while guaranteeing better quality and the possibility of producing very complex shapes. This manufacturing procedure can also be employed for small-series production. ISO 9001 and 13485-certified, POLYSHAPE offers the application of this procedure in particular for titanium, aluminum and nickel-based alloys products. The company has now proven more than 20 different standard materials, has been supplying several Formula 1 and WRC teams and is even certified by powertrain manufacturers in the aeronautic sector. Stand C35 Web: www.poly-shape.com Tel: 0033 164 851345

of Polygonica is the Boolean engine, which has been tested and improved for nearly 20 years. Other algorithms in Polygonica allow solid simplification, slicing, sectioning and spun profile calculation. Stand G33 Web: www.machineworks.com Tel: 0044 114 223 1370 PROTO LABS

Proto Labs delivers fully functional prototypes in production intent materials to dramatically cut the cost and time normally associated with product development. This empowers designers and engineers with the means to rapidly develop, test and get POLYGONICA products to market first in a competitive global marketplace. Protomold delivers injection-moulded parts from moulds manufactured utilising state-of-the-art high-speed CNC machining technologies. Parts can be moulded using almost any engineering grade resin and are ideal Polygonica is a software toolkit for carrying out a wide range of geometric for prototyping, bridge tooling and lowvolume production. operations on STL models such as Firstcut satisfies the need for functional automatic solid healing, selfprototypes much earlier in the POLY-SHAPE intersections fixing, solid offsetting, development cycle for quantities of 1solid simplification and other Boolean 10+. Because Firstcut delivers operations. prototypes in engineering grade resins, Built on MachineWorks’ core aluminium and stainless steel they will technology for material removal and have real material properties and machine simulation, Polygonica’s unique polygonal modelling technology improved surface finishes; in other words they will be functional. takes advantage of years of When clients submit a 3D CAD model, development and successful Proto Labs’ powerful super-computer implementation in the CNC simulation cluster creates an interactive quote POLY-SHAPE is a young and innovative industry. Polygonica has a wide range giving pricing options and, suggesting company that specialises in the direct of applications, particularly in the fastchanges to improve manufacturability. manufacturing and use of a laser fusion growing fields of additive Users interact with their quote online, process. POLY-SHAPE has developed manufacturing and in CAD/CAM/CAE, an innovative direct manufacturing reverse engineering, rapid prototyping, tailor options such as material and delivery to your requirements and with procedure and produces technical parts 3D movies and gaming, geofor the aeronautical, automotive and exploration, urban modelling and other every change, the pricing information automatically updates. This built-in medical industries. From a 3D CAD 3D digital applications. image, POLY-SHAPE materialises the One of the most significant elements of “what if” analysis enables last-minute project refinements to be part through laser fusion. This Polygonica functionality is the accommodated at the click of a button. procedure guarantees short delivery automatic solid healing algorithm, Stand G30 deadlines and parts produced in this which allows solids with gaps to be way have superior mechanical closed and self-intersections to be fixed Web: www.protolabs.co.uk Tel: 0044 1952 683059 properties when compared with without the need for manual foundry-made products and can be intervention. Another important element 45

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Exhibitor List 3D Print UK 3D Systems 3T RPD Limited Alchemie Ltd Alpha Lettering Systems Altair Engineering Ltd AME Group Ltd AMUG - Additive Manufacturing Users Group Arcam AB Armstrong Mold Corporation Beijing Tiertime Technology Co. Ltd Black Country Atelier Breuckmann 3D Scanners BluePrinter ApS Bright Minds Education Programme British Design Innovation CA Models Cadventure cb-printer CDG ProJet 3D Printers Central Scanning CGI 3D Scanning Citim GmbH CMA Moldform Ltd Concept Laser Coventry University Enterprises Ltd Cubify Cubify3D.co.uk Denford Ltd Develop3D Digital Metal DSM Functional Materials Inc. DWS S.r.l Engineering Magazine Envisiontec UK EOS Electro Optical Systems Limited ES Technology

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G34 D36 F27 B22 A24 F46 D42 B39 E28 B41 E42 F45 A23 C42 F47 A17 B36 C32 F41 A19 B23 G24 A18 B21 B16 B20 D36 A22 E42 D40 D17 C21 F32 H39 C18 F18 B16

Europol Europac 3Dimensional Europol EXCELTEC Sarl ExOne Faro Technologies UK Ltd Freeform Fabrications Ltd Global TCT GTMA GOM UK Ltd Guangzhou Seal Laser Rapid Prototype Co. Ltd Hanman Advanced Castings Hexagon Metrology (UK) Ltd HLH Prototypes Co. Ltd Hofmann Innovation Group ICR3ATE IPF 3D Printing John Burn Co. Ltd Kaidex Limited Layerwise N.V. Legor Group SpA LMI Technologies LPE Ltd LPW Technology Ltd MachineWorks Ltd Magicfirm LLC Materialise NV Mcor Technologies Limited Measurement Solutions Limited Mech Innovation Limited Midas Pattern Co. Limited MPA Group netfabb GmbH New Design Magazine Nikon Metrology UK Ltd Ogle Models & Prototypes Ltd Omega Plastics

A20 C24 A20 F34 E26 C20 B24 A38 A16 G39 D39 A28 G35 D38 B16 F46 F25 C42 B17 F26 G28 G25 F42 B42 G33 C34 D33 D18 G38 G25 C43 B19 G27 H39 A39 G42 B26

PDR Physical Digital Ltd Poly-Shape S.A.S Polygonica Print-IT 3D Propshop Proto Labs Ltd Rapid News Communications Group QMT Magazine Quill Vogue Wash Stations Rapid Sheet Metal Realizer GmbH Renishaw Plc RepRap Hub RepRapPro Ltd RP Mouldings Ltd Rutland Plastics Limited Shenzhen Esun Industrial Co. Ltd SLM Solutions GmbH Solidscape UK Solidtec GmbH SpaceClaim Corporation Stanford Marsh Group Star Prototype China Ltd Steinbichler UK Ltd Strand7 UK Ltd Stratasys GmbH TEKNA Plasma Europe SAS Triformica Ltd Tri-Tech Engineering Ltd Ultimaking Ltd University of Wolverhampton Voxeljet Werth Metrology Workstation Specialists

G37 B37 C35 G33 E40 E40 G30 E38 A27 F40 C38 F24 D24 G54 F58 H27 D31 E39 B32 B24 F28 B25 D44 F38 F20 F36 E20 B15 D28 H23 D45 G36 A38 C36 A42

Floor Plan

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[Exhibitors]

Exhibitor Listings, Alphabetical Order QMT MAGAZINE Quality Manufacturing Today is a global multimedia B2Bleading magazine dedicated to promoting new technology, continuous improvements in manufacturing processes and products. Through quality management, quality assurance, quality control, test, measurement, inspection and all aspects from management to shopfloor. QMT Magazine leads the way in delivering innovative information to a highly targeted audience by focusing on leading-edge products and technologies that are shaping the future of industry throughout all key manufacturing sectors, automotive, aerospace, power, mechanical engineering, food and pharmaceuticals. QMT is available to read via print, app, digital flipbook, mobile and E-news mediums. The Quality Manufacturing Today App is available to download free from Apple iTunes App Store or Android Market. Stand A27 Web: www.qmtmag.com Tel: 0044 208 289 7011 QUILL VOGUE Visit us on the Quill Vogue Wash Station stand for a chance to have a “hands on” play with the standard fully Mobile Wash Station on display. Designed and manufactured in the Midlands, the successful range of Wash Stations is being used in prototype labs, Universities and manufacturing plants throughout the UK, Europe and the USA. Working in partnership with the leading 3D printer manufacturers we have designed Wash Stations that remove support material quickly, quietly and accurately. The range consists of 6 options from a standard size desk top through to a fully mobile XL self contained unit with a unique recyclable water recovery system of 50 litres. The chamber size for the standard option is H510mmxW520mmxD240mm with the

opening height being 285mm and opening width 200mm. The XL version has a chamber size of H510mmxW660mmxD670mm with an opening height of 360mm and opening width of 530mm. The Quill Vogue Wash Station is manufactured by the Quill International Group of companies, a British manufacturer of engineering products and solutions for over 30 years. Please come along to stand F40 and have a go to see for yourself how easy it is to use. For more information please visit www.quillvogue.com Stand F40 Web: www.quillvogue.com Tel: 0044 1332 864664 RAPID SHEET METAL Rapid Sheet Metal is the fastest source of quick turn prototype sheet metal fabrications and prototype stampings. Rapid is proud to delivering parts on time, while it quotes and manufactures directly from 3D CAD data, returning quotes in just hours and delivering parts in days. SolidWorks and PTC Creo users get instant quotes with SolidQuote. Rapid Machining offers Rapid Prototyping of CNC-machined and turned parts. Quotes are provided within hours and raw metal parts are shipped within one-to-two weeks with faster deliveries available. Capabilities include CNC machining of prismatic, rectalinear parts and CNC lathes for turned parts. Rapid Wire Cable offers Rapid Prototyping of wire harnesses and cable assemblies. Rapid Wire Cable assembles wire and cable prototypes directly from customer provided prints and BOM’s. Together with Rapid Sheet Metal and Rapid Machining, Rapid Wire Cable delivers complete box builds in just weeks. Stand C38 Web: www.rapidsheetmetal.com Tel: 001 603 821 5300 RUTLAND PLASTICS Rutland Plastics’ stand at TCT Show + Personalize will include a range of printed prototypes demonstrating the almost limitless possibilities on offer. High-resolution plastic prototypes manufactured on an Objet Connex 350 3D printer are as close as users can get to the final manufactured product. It is possible to simulate polypropylene, ABS, transparent (similar to acrylic),

SPACECLAIM SpaceClaim Engineer is the world’s fastest, most innovative and easiest to learn and use 3D solid modeler. This must-have tool gives engineers the freedom and flexibility to capture ideas easily, directly edit solid models regardless of their origin, and simplify high temperature with high impact and designs in 3D for analysis, prototyping, a wide range of rubber-like materials. and manufacturing. These high quality plastic models can SpaceClaim lets design and withstand rigorous product testing engineering teams work concurrently, giving customers confidence in the final finish projects at a fraction of the cost design before committing to a and accelerate time-to-market. With production version. SpaceClaim 3D design software, you As a long established plastic injection can edit 3D designs based on your moulder Rutland Plastics offers a full intent, regardless of how the model range of services in addition to rapid was created, and experiment freely prototyping. Of particular importance is with design concepts, unrestricted by the design support and technical regeneration and constraints. advice. In addition other services Stand B25 include tooling and moulding to Web: www.spaceclaim.com machining and assembly. Tel: 0049 451 160820 Stand D31 Web: www.rutlandplastics.co.uk STANFORD MARSH Tel: 0044 1572 723476 Stanford Marsh has been supplying SLM SOLUTIONS SLM solutions GmbH will be displaying its latest developments in the additive metals manufacturing technology at TCT Show & Personalize this year. The new design of the entry level model SLM 125 HL will be displayed at the SLM-booth during the event. This machine has incorporated the latest cost saving technology for reduced gas consumption and increased productivity in the process. SLM’s Export sales and Marketing Manager Stefan Ritt will be present during the event and also inform about the latest company and product developments in a live presentation during the event. SLM’s focus is on the aerospace and medical device industries, however automotive and general tooling are also well working applications that already incorporate this technology into their factories. The SLM team will be assisted by Laserlines, the local UK-representative of SLM solutions. Stand B32 Web: www.slm-solutions.com Tel: 0049 451 160820

Design Offices since 1965 and as design trends change and the industry innovates, Stanford Marsh has been at the forefront of bringing new technologies to the market. When CAD first became both useable and affordable, the business quickly introduced Autodesk products to its portfolio and employed specialist staff to fulfill this essential element of its service. Our 3D printer division is a direct extension of this activity providing customers with the ability to fundamentally change the way they work, enabling them to win projects and decrease their time to market with no impact on the way they design. Today Stanford Marsh has 3D print systems implemented in a wide spectrum of industries and public sector organisations from architectural environments to both aerospace and automotive. Stanford Marsh’s range of industry sectors encompasses in-office rapid prototyping solutions and short run manufacturing products for a wide variety of applications, so regardless of the application - be it Maya-led software for Animation or a Solidworks solution for manufacturing - Stanford Marsh can supply a 3D printer and provide 3D design software advice. Stand D44 Web: www.stanfordmarsh.co.uk Tel: 0844 856 0701 47

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Dedicated RepRap 3D Printing Hub We will be truly honouring our commitment to reach 3D printing users from “hackerspace to aerospace”, when we welcome visitors from every corner of the industry to the NEC in Birmingham this September. Overseeing the RepRap Hub will be none other than Richard Horne, RepRap stalwart and better known to the community as RichRap. He will be speaking at TCT for the first time this year, where he will be championing the maker community in his presentation 3D Printing for Business and Pleasure. Horne said: “I really look forward to meeting and talking to as many people as possible at the NEC in September. The Personalize section of last year’s show was really buzzing and the flow of information was constant — and of a very high quality.” Horne’s reputation among makers is borne out of his keen involvement in the RepRap community. RepRap which is short for replicating rapid prototyper - is a self-copying 3D printer that uses a plastic filament and is much cheaper than buying a desktop 3D printer, as RepRap develops and gives away its designs for a much cheaper machine with a self-copying capability. The technology is giving communities in the developing world access to 3D printing, as well as hobbyists keen to print their own 3D designs at home. In addition to Horne’s own RepRap machines and creations, the RepRap hub will showcase an appearance from Faberdashery - another favourite among the maker community around the world. UKbased Faberdashery provides the 3D printing community with material for 3D printing, while its blog is also closely watched by hobbyists all over the world, and the team will be available to offer expert advice at the Show. 48

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TCT Show + Personalize is the UK's leading additive manufacturing, 3D printing and product development technology show, and in 2013 the event is boasting a first, as it is welcoming the RepRap community to set up camp in a dedicated space on the show floor.

And the organisers are also thrilled to announced that the father of RepRap, Dr Adrian Bowyer, will be joining Horne et al for the show along with RepRapPro Ltd. on the stand, who will have many RepRaps printing RepRaps and will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the future of home 3D printing and how personal manufacturing could evolve in the coming years. Giving the maker community greater focus will also complement the TCT Bright Minds UK programme, which will be given a platform at the Show. In partnership with 3D Systems and Black Country Atelier, the scheme aims to introduce 3D printing to 300 school students. TCT Show + Personalize organisers are excited to welcome makers to get involved in the RepRap Hub at the show this September and expect that the addition of this dedicated maker space will help give the community a platform to showcase the important role it is playing in the growth of the industry. We are delighted to be able to welcome Richard and the wider RepRap community to this year’s show. Staying in touch with such a fast-paced and diverse industry is a challenge and we really value our relationships with everyone that brings us closer to the communities we serve. As one of these contacts, Richard is ideally placed to bring a balanced overview to the conference — we can’t wait to hear what he has to say and to see what the RepRap community do with their space.

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Exhibitor Listings, Alphabetical Order STAR PROTOTYPE

Since its inception in 2005, Star Prototype has earned a global reputation among product development and Fortune 500 companies thanks to its Anglo-Chinese approach to business and promise to cut costs, not quality. The 100 per cent British-owned rapid prototyping company - which is based in Zhongshan, China - intends to use TCT Show + Personalize 2013 to further demonstrate to the British market the comprehensive, innovative and professional nature of its service. Gordon Styles, owner of Star Prototype, said: “We work with clients across the world, many of them household names and importantly the vast majority return to us time and time again - clear evidence that our fusion of Western quality with Chinese prices is proving to be a great success.” Star’s service covers everything from Stereolithography though to Selective Laser Sintering, CNC machining, PU casting and rapid cut injection moulding and pressure die casting tools. Stand F38 Web: www.star-prototype.com Tel: 0086 760 222 2556 STEINBICHLER UK

Steinbichler UK is exhibiting at TCT Show + Personalize 2013 on an even bigger and better stand than last year. Being part of the Steinbichler group of companies, Steinbichler UK benefits from having access to all new product releases from Steinbichler Germany in order to display the latest demo systems, as well as having the expertise on hand to be able to provide customers with a comprehensive demo, sales, training and support package to meet everybody’s digitising needs. At the show, Steinbichler will have the latest generation of T-Scan CS laser scanning systems complemented by the brand new Steinbichler COMET 6 16MP fringe projection system. This is the first time the company will be exhibiting this competitive new system,

which displays high measurement accuracy and is the latest development in the 3D scanning market. Representation from Steinbichler UK and the head office in Germany will be present throughout the show, who will be looking forward to discussing 3D digitising system requirements with visitors. “Please come to see us and we will be more than happy to answer any questions and give you a free demonstration to show off our scanners capabilities.” Stand F20 Web: www.steinbichler.com Tel: 0044 1527 558282

Mojo 3D Printer and the uPrint SE; exhibiting from the Design Series: the Objet30 Pro 3D Printer, the Objet Connex260 Multi-material 3D Printer and the Dimension Elite 3D Printer; and the Fortus 400mc demonstrates the Production Series. High quality model samples across the stand will also highlight some of the wide-ranging applications 3D printing is used for today across industry. Stand E20 Web: www.stratasys.com Tel: 0049 7229 777 2621

[Exhibitors] materials, clear, high temperature, polycarbonates and more. There will be giveaways which demonstrate both the strength of the materials and the unique possibilities of multi material printing. Stand H23 Web: www.tritech3d.co.uk Tel: 0044 1782 814551

ULTIMAKER The Ultimaker is an open source community-driven 3D printer, rated among the best in the world within its price range. Ultimaking sells the Ultimaker in a DIY version as well as an assembled and the printer has been widely praised for its extremely high STRAND7 printing speed and layer resolution that Strand7 Pty Ltd is the company can go as low as 0.02 mm, with a responsible for the research and standard resolution of 0.08 MM. The development of the Strand7 Finite TEKNA Element Analysis (FEA) software. Tekna Plasma Ultimaker supports printing with The Strand7 software is a generalEurope SAS, biodegradable filament (PLA), which purpose FEA system designed located in the means it is environmentally friendly. specifically for Windows and comprises French city of Ultimaking’s knowledgeable and international community innovates pre-processing, post-processing and Mâcon, is a together with Ultimaker to provide the solver functionality in a single European application. Strand7 is used for linear subsidiary of best innovation upgrades for all Ultimaker users. and nonlinear analysis of structures Tekna Plasma Systems Inc. Tekna Stand D45 and components (static, dynamic and Plasma Europe offers plasma Web: www.ultimaker.com heat transfer), and is well suited to processed spherical high purity micro companies of all sizes in aeronautical, powders in the range of 10-45 µm and Tel: 0031 345 712 001 civil, structural, mechanical, rail, 45-90 µm. On top of these standard VOXELJET geotechnical, marine, materials spherical powders, Tekna has the handling, product design and heavy capacity to develop a wide range of industries. specialty powders made on request. Strand7 has gained widespread In addition, Tekna Plasma Europe SAS acceptance as an advanced analysis is equipped with the latest generation tool in several thousand engineering induction plasma systems able to run offices around the world. It is also very research and development services, popular for teaching structural demonstration and pilot production mechanics and is presently installed at trials regarding both nano-powder Voxeljet will be bringing some star several hundred universities worldwide. synthesis and micron-sized powder power to TCT Show + Personalize with Strand7 Pty Ltd offers ongoing treatment such as spheroidisation, its silver screen connections. Innovative technical support and software densification and purification. 3D printing technology from the maintenance, and conducts formal Stand B15 Augsburg-based company can be seen training courses in the use of Strand7 Web: www.tekna.com in latest James Bond film Skyfall – and the applications of FEA to real Tel: 0033 385 231045 more specifically in the scene when engineering problems. Courses are James Bond’s car explodes in flames. A held worldwide. TRI-TECH Stand F36 With the merger of Objet and Stratasys total of three Aston Martin DB5 models were created at the company’s service Web: www.strand7.com - and the latter’s even more recent centre and the models double for the Tel: 0044 1480 211011 acquisition of MakerBot - this TCT now priceless original vehicle from the Show + Personalize will provide an STRATASYS opportunity for the 3D printing industry 1960s in the film’s action scenes. Propshop Modelmakers, which Stratasys, a leading manufacturer of 3D to provide a balanced view of which specialises in the production of film printers and production systems for technology will bring the best results props, assembled and finished the prototyping and manufacturing, has for businesses, manufacturing lines or vehicle models at its Pinewood Studios announced that it will present its latest and personal use. facility, but voxeljet was selected by the 3D printing solutions at TCT Show + Stratasys distributor Tri-Tech3D and Personalize. Central Scanning are offering visitors a British company to create the Aston Stratasys will be located in the main unique opportunity to see 3D scanning Martin DB5s. Stand A38 exhibition hall where visitors can see a and the Stratasys FDM and Polyjet 3D Web: www.voxeljet.de/en diverse range of 3D printing technology printing technology in one place. with six professional 3D printers from Join them to see live demonstrations of Tel: 0044 1245 400955 desktop to production grade on show. the capabilities of the printers which Representing the Idea Series are the use ABS plus materials, rubber-like 49

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TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:11 Page 51

[RePliForm]

Capturing A point in time WORDS | JIM WOODCOCK

in Three Dimensions

ne of the most exciting future developments for 3D printing is in the generation of entirely new business models that simply couldn’t exist without the plethora of additive fabrication techniques available today. Whether these new business models will rely on the low-cost, accessible desktop variants of the technology or the high-end professional systems that require chillers and industrial ventilation is hotly debated. One thing is for certain — when combined with new methods for reverse engineering and data processing the outcomes can be spectacular. One of the ‘problems’ is of course the rate of development in the lower end including accessible stereolithography systems that are able to produce very high-quality prints, ever more refined filament extrusion systems and the blurring of the lines between the companies themselves. One way to put this all to the test would be to devise a new business model and trial 10 systems in the production process ranging. Desktop FDM-style processes vs bone fide FDM; desktop stereolithography vs industrial SLA; and a bit of everything in between. Which would be the natural choice for the startup venture? Could the processes be refined to such an extent that a $1,000 machine was enough to begin production, or would a $100,000 machine be the bare minimum requirement? Sean Wise, owner of US-based Repliform Inc., a company that specialises in plating copper and nickel on 3D printed objects, spotted the confluence of three technologies opening up new opportunities in the bespoke gift market and decided to see which of the 3D printers would be able to produce acceptable parts and at what cost. Sean’s idea started to take shape over the Christmas of 2012 when looking to produce bespoke gifts for family and friends. Sean set about creating a series of figurines and silver charms based of the bust of one of the smallest family members, Sean’s first grandson… a 15-month-old toddler. Sean explained: “I think when we totaled up how much money we spent — we got 11 gifts for $1150 — we knew the cost of doing this, even with the discounts we got, would put it in the range of some consumers. We brought the figurine and my wife had a silver charm that we showed our friends over the holidays and grandparents loved idea.” The first link in the chain is the ability to generate the 3D model of the subject so that it can be printed, copper plated and patina finished. Depending on the subject a number of scanning and geometry capture methods are available but for a toddler the process needs to be quick and repeatable. Most traditional scanning techniques would be either useless at worst or very frustrating at best. This left Sean thinking about ShapeShot from Direct Dimensions, a photogrammetry based system that builds a 3D model from stills images taken on digital cameras. (If you saw the feature in MakerBot in the last issue the 3D Photo

Repliform www.repliform.com

Booth that Jim Woodcock and Duncan Wood were scanned in runs ShapeShot – Ed.) The 2D images are quickly collected and are stitched together to form the 3D model. Sean explained: “We have not tried other techniques for capturing a 3D likeness yet but we are aware of the other two companies that do photographic surface capture work, 3DMD and DI3D. I offered to do plating free of charge on any figurines produced by companies that supplied models for this project but people that tried scanners were not successful, at least when dealing with small children. I think an instantaneous surface capture, at least of the face, is essential when you have subjects that don’t sit still.” One the ShapeShot model had been generated there was some CAD and remodeling work to be undertaken in order to get the most realistic and pleasing model. Sean continued: “In essence, I think this shows the power of photographic surface data capture. It can be very much like a portrait session, even with an un-cooperative child. ShapeShot works really well for skin and fabric surfaces but I think it’s still a bit of a struggle with the hair which needed some reworking and digital sculpting to get it looking like the 2D pictures.” Michael Raphael,CEO of DirectDimensions the company behind ShapeShot, commented: “We took the ShapeShot of Sean’s grandson and then added a bit of 3D digital sculpting to create the quality of hair that we can see in the final model. We call this ‘treating’ the hair, eyes, etc. In other words — we treat the scan data as a sculptor would and modify it to be more art sculpture-like. Over the years artists have created human characteristics in sculpture in certain ways and we’ve emulated those treatments in a digital form. We essentially use the ShapeShot as a basic building block for the dimensional form, size, features, etc. but then add human touch to this data to create a more appealing sculpture. We humans actually don’t like seeing ourselves in the raw actual form — we prefer ourselves to be ‘treated’, or more idealised.” Once the virtual 3D model was complete it was time to fire up the 3D printers and start returning to the physical world. Sean picked 10 systems that include a mix of low-end or consumer machines and high-end professional systems. RePliForm’s bread-and-butter is in plating copper and nickel to improve the structural and/or aesthetic properties of 3D printed models for rapid prototyping, low-level production and even artwork, so Sean knew he had no problems with the final stages of the process. The systems used were: 3D Systems’ Cube; MakerBot Replicator 2; Afinia H-Series; Formlabs Form 1; 3D Systems SLA; 3D Systems SLS; Stratasys FDM; EnvisionTec ULTRA; Stratasys Polyjet; and 3D Systems MJM. The following pages contain images of the initial printed bust, detail from the top of the build (varies depending on build orientation, the final metal plated bust and the surface detail after plating. 51

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TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:11 Page 53

[RePliForm] Secondary smoothing/coating/treatment is acceptable for models made by the cheapest and quickest printers as the labour charges could be offset by savings made in the printing process. AFINIA FRONT

AFINIA FRONT PLATED

AFINIA TOP DETAIL PLATED

“Dark coloured plastic would make it easier to see build artifacts that need to be fixed.” explained Sean.

“Normally we will not plate hollow FDM parts but that is all that is available from the Afinia.”

Taking into consideration the build style, the surface details look good after some secondary smoothing.

Model preparation is still all important in 3D printing and while the Cube’s accessible software allows users to be up and printing within minutes it does not allow for the fine control of build parameters required for a project like this.

CUBE FRONT

CUBE SIDE

CUBE TOP DETAIL

Holow models built with 200 μm layer thickness in ABS.

Severe layer separation occurred, which meant the model could not be plated.

“It appeared to hollow part of an already hollow model,” explained Sean.

ENVISIONTEC FRONT

ENVISIONTEC FRONT METAL

ENVISIONTEC TOP DETAIL

ENVISIONTEC TOP DETAIL METAL

This model represents the EnvisionTEC ULTRA at a 25μm layer thickness.

The models took 27 hours to build at this resolution, certainly something to consider when looking to commercialise.

Very fine build lines virtually remove any traces that this sculpture started life as an 3D printed part.

Once plated and sporting the bronze patina one would be hard pushed to see any evidence of build layers.

FORMLABS FRONT

FORMLABS FRONT METAL

FORMLABS TOP DETAIL

FORMLABS TOP DETAIL METAL

The transparent nature of the FormLabs material makes it difficult to see the details before the plating is applied.

Once plated the parts of the $3,300 desktop stereolithography system look the part, certainly the best of ...

...the consumer systems. Minimum layer thicknesses down to 0.025 mm means few visible layers of the build.

Plating and patina complete the models retain excellent detail and good surface finish. 53

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Central Scanning, established in 2006, use their team of experts in the 3D scanning field to provide high quality scanning related services. They offer Steinbichler and Artec 3D scanning systems for sale as well as using these systems daily.

3D Scanning

Reverse Engineering

Inspection (part to part, part to CAD)

01527 558 282 info@centrall scanning.co.uk www.centrall scanning.co.uk @CentralScanLtd

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TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:11 Page 55

[RePliForm]

MAKERBOT FRONT

MAKERBOT FRONT METAL

MAKERBOT TOP DETAIL

MAKERBOT TOP DETAIL METAL

MakerBot’s Replicator 2 prints in polylactic acid (PLA) only and produces reasonably tight models.

The striations are noticeable in the final part — ideal if you want to highlight ‘how’ the part was made too.

While the top of the build looks OK, the overhangs of the chin and back of head show severe ‘looping’ of extruded PLA.

After dipping in Weld On #4 solvent the parts are ready for plating and patina.

OBJET FRONT

OBJET FRONT METAL

OBJET TOP DETAIL

OBJET TOP DETAIL METAL

Building with 30 μm layers the Polyjet process (now part of Stratasys’ lineup) is reknowned for fine detail reproduction.

But... “ I cannot figure out it is why the Objet printer leaves such a coarse finish on the surface,” said Sean

The Objet part finish is more textured than other photopolymer process with 2-4 times the build layer thickness.

“The surface finish is very good on the surfaces built horizontally and it consistent with the 30 micron build layers.”

PROJET FRONT

PROJET FRONT METAL

PROJET TOP DETAIL

PROJET TOP DETAIL METAL

On high definition setting the Projet photopolymer parts are built in 30 μm layers capturing fine details...

...which takes some 47 hours of build time per part.

When the wax supports are removed some layering is still visible on the final surfaces of the models...

... which are slightly exaggerated by the plating and platina.

When Sean produced the first Christmas gifts the layers produced by the SLA process were used to help illustrate the building process to recipients. SLA FRONT METAL

SLA TOP DETAIL METAL

Sean’s original models were made by stereolithography, unfortunately there are no images from before the plating...

...process, but the plated models look to have retained much of the detail but with noticeable build lines.

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:11 Page 56

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[RePliForm]

LS FRONT

LS FRONT METAL

LS TOP DETAIL

LS TOP DETAIL METAL

The laser sintered parts were built at 150 μm layer thickness out of Duraform material.

The translucent parts have the grained texture associated with the process though this is not neccesarily displeasing when...

... the parts are finished. The build oreintation could be altered too as the final build — and thus most obvious layers...

... — are on the face of the model rather than the top or back of the head.

FDM FRONT

FDM FRONT METAL

FDM TOP DETAIL

FDM TOP DETAIL METAL

Both sealed and unsealed FDM models were produced, with the same Weld On #4 solvent sealant used as with the...

...MakerBot system. The ABS models (above sealed and plated) were printed at 130 μm as hollow parts.

The final finish looks both smoother yet looser than the other extrusion based systems meaning that sealing is really...

...required to make the most of the parts. Extra steps are a serious concern from a commercial viability viewpoint.

The results for each printer are shown through the images on pages 53 to 57. Mixed results across the prices of machines — expensive FDM fairing only slightly better than cheaper versions, less expensive stereolithography on a par with the top-end professional systems. As Sean explained: “One of the reasons I thought it was important to look at low-cost printers as well as industrial printers is I think 3D portraits might be a big deal. I don’t see it replacing snap shot photography but I do see it as a complement to portrait photography. How many people spend several hundred dollars/pounds/euro on portraits of children as they are growing up? In upper middle class households, I don’t think this is uncommon at all and I suspect there are tens if not hundreds of thousands of these done every year. I envision these 3D portraits being done at a similar cost, at least for these book shelf sized figurines. “While I really hope this will be a mass market item, I am well aware it may take some time to come to fruition and even when it does, it will likely be a seasonal. So there will be a need to fabricate small numbers of parts throughout the year but at Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day one would likely see a surge in orders. “The lower cost printers will be able to produce figurines for less money when you are making one to four at a time. They may also need more

secondary finishing to get the surface quality right but that extra labour would not be a problem when times are slow. The low-cost printers would handle these slow times and also let people who fabricate the sculptures do it for a reasonable cost as the market develops so you don’t price the product out of the market. The cost to produce a few items on an industrial printer is pretty high but if you have sufficient number of parts to fill the entire work area in one of these machines, the price comes down a lot.

would get for the price. I need to have this made at some point in time. I’ve also received quotes for making a bronze casting. A casting would require the creation of a reusable mould that is only capable of casting one part at a time at approximately twice the cost and two to three times the processing time.”

“Additionally, the finish on the industrial machines is more consistent. Work out some automated finishing methods like tumbling or vibratory polishing and there is little labour involved in producing hundreds of unique geometries at once. So with proper planning and development you have systems that will handle high-demand surges quite easily. It was this large potential variance in demand that I thought might necessitate use of consumer and commercial systems. Ultimately, if this becomes a real mass market item that people in all stations of life can afford, it will take a relentless push to move costs down.”

Even if the portraits remain resolutely 2D, Sean gained a lot from the project as he explained: “I must admit I go back and look at a lot of parts a lot. We have made efforts to be able to plate on parts from just about any 3D printer out there using organic resins and sometimes make recommendations to customers about what system they ought to used to get the best results. I was also surprised at how the little Afinia printed parts plated. Normally we will not plate hollow FDM parts but that is all that is available from the Afinia. The parts made in this machine have surfaces as tight if not tighter than most parts you get from much more expensive extrusion systems. I also found that the sealing of parts made by an FDM process can be pretty easy if the parameters are set correctly, and also that two-part urethane coatings can be done in lieu of solvent dipping. albeit by a skilled user.

Sean has also considered other methods for producing the parts but remains confident about the power of the 3D printing followed by plating method: “I have had the file quoted but not built by ExOne for direct metals processing — but it’s not clear the amount of finishing I

Whether or not 3D portraits do become mainstream remains to be seen, but as technology moves on it will only ever be the desire to own them, rather than the ability to create them, that becomes the limiting factor in their success. 57

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:11 Page 58

[Automotive EOS]

AM Steers Young Engineers

key part of a car’s front axle is the steering knuckle, a stub axle that connects the tie rod, suspension, brake and wheel. It transmits all the forces from the wheel to the vehicle chassis, so has to be strong. In the case of a race car, it also needs to be light. This is true of all race car components, but for the knuckle it is especially important, as it forms part of the unsprung mass of the vehicle. Less weight below the suspension improves shock absorption, enhancing handling and bringing down lap times. Designers are therefore faced with the tricky task of finding the optimal balance between rigidity and weight. Moreover, this and other parts often need to be produced quickly. The young constructors of Rennteam Uni Stuttgart (www.rennteamstuttgart.de) found a solution, growing the knuckle layer by layer using additive manufacturing, or 3D printing. The team is an independent club which takes part in the Formula Student racing series across Europe and also participates in other international competitions. Previous production technologies offered the Stuttgart race team too little room to manoeuvre in the search for the perfect weight-strength balance, as team member Yannick Löw explained: “The wheel mount we had been using over the last few years was a good compromise, but we were sure we could improve on it. “We previously produced the part using an aluminium precision casting process, which led to limitations in freedom of design, notably that the part had to be solid throughout. “Investigation into new, innovative ways of manufacturing the steering stub axle led us towards additive manufacture and EOS, which agreed to support us.” As early as the conceptual design phase for their Formula Student 2012 competition car, the engineers used CAD software from EOS partner, London firm Within Technologies Ltd, a young company whose programmers have written software specifically for the additive manufacturing process. The program allows 3D printing of optimised structures of variable density, following examples found in nature. In this case, Rennteam Uni Stuttgart constructors were able to match the steering knuckle’s structure accurately to the required physical properties, leaving it solid where strength was needed and introducing hollow parts where expedient to lower the weight. The part was manufactured using aluminium AlSi10Mg powder

Student engineers use additive manufacturing for the first time to make steering knuckles. Their car went on to win the Formula Student Germany Championship 2012. Here’s how...

The 3D printed aluminium race car knuckle.

The knuckle in place on the Rennteam Uni Stuttgart car.

at EOS’ headquarters in Krailling, near Munich. The fact that the development and production time was significantly shorter compared to the previous production process was important for the team. With direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), there is no need to make a mould to cast the part. In addition, the entire process from design through to fabrication of the finished, fully functional component is more precise, so less reworking and refining is required. In this case, the constructors reached a high level of production quality in a short time, so the part was almost immediately race-ready. The advantages can be summed up in figures released by the team. The weight of the knuckle was reduced by 660 grams, a saving of 35 per cent compared with the previous cast part. At the same time, the engineers succeeded in increasing its rigidity by 20 per cent. These are big numbers in motorsport and translate into faster lap times and reduced fuel consumption. Rennteam Uni Stuttgart won the final race of the Formula Student series last year at the Hockenheimring and were crowned Formula Student Germany Champions 2012. Yannick Löw commented, “We were thrilled to bring the Formula Student Germany title to Stuttgart. The freedom in the manufacturing process offered by DMLS technology from EOS played an important role in our success. “The allure of new technologies like additive manufacturing is central to inspiring young people to take a serious look at a career in engineering.” i

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The race car in action.

EOS www.eos.info

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TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:12 Page 60

[Automotive FARO]

S ’ T A C G I B ision

Speed J

and

Already an enthusiastic user of Faro measuring arm, Jaguar Cars’ manufacturing facility at Castle Bromwich has invested in advanced FaroArm Platinum and Laser Line Probe for use in its Body in White (BIW) department.

aguar Land Rover (JLR) is the UK’s largest automotive design, engineering and manufacturing employer and operates from five sites in the Midlands and the North of England. To help satisfy the rapidly growing global demand for its cars, JLR plans to deliver 40 significant product actions over the next five years. Currently exporting almost 80% of its production to 101 markets worldwide, Jaguar Cars’ impressive Castle Bromwich factory handles body stamping operations, body assembly, paint and trim and final assembly for the Jaguar XF, XK and XJ models.

Inspecting thickness of body panel using the ceramics stylus

The meticulous quality standards administered throughout the Castle Bromwich site are reflected in the thorough dimensional inspection routines undertaken on the facilities manufactured car bodies. Jaguar Cars, Castle Bromwich BIW Supervisor, Martyn Smith explained. “In addition to displaying the required aesthetic and aerodynamic qualities, modern automotive bodies are critical structural members. They perform a wide range of important functions, from helping to reduce noise and vibration, to protecting the car’s occupants in the event of a crash.” 60

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Prec

“The monocoque nature of modern car bodies also means that they act as the platform from which major components such as the suspension, engine, gearbox and axle are attached. Also, as a car’s body is its largest component, any slight inaccuracy or miss-alignment in a given position can be greatly magnified in other locations.” “To help guarantee the highest standards of quality and to ensure strict adherence to dimensional specification, we remove a percentage of assembled bodies that are fitted with doors, boots and bonnets, from our production lines, we then carry-out detailed dimensional inspection routines. In addition to using our Faro equipment for the validation of BIW structures, it is also used for measuring panels in both pre-production and production runs. The outstanding levels of accuracy and repeatability ensures that we can detect micron deviations from our CAD models.” “In addition to the advantages gained by using the FaroArm Platinum tactile probe, we are able to quickly attach our Faro Laser Line Probe to the FaroArm, this gives us high-precision, non-contact 3D scanning capabilities. The advanced ScanArm combination is able to rapidly take millions of data points, then, as well as showing numeric values displays any deviation from our CAD models. This information is provided in a colour graphic format that is extremely easy to interpret. In essence, the areas of the measured part that are shown in green are within tolerance, whilst red indicates high points and blue low points. “An example of the use of our FaroArm Platinum and ScanArm: following a dimensional inspection, a mounting bracket for a rear seat was found to have been located marginally from its nominal position. Although still within tolerance, we have been able to take immediate remedial action. In this instance, the portability of our measurement arm allows us to take the equipment to the shop-floor and precisely measure the relevant mounting bracket fixture. We can then make the necessary adjustments to the fixture to ensure that all subsequent brackets are attached in the nominal position. Other uses include ensuring the optimal gap and flush condition of doors, boots and bonnets.” “The planned launch of new Jaguar models and the anticipated introduction of variants of existing cars means that

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:12 Page 61

Laser scanning rear lamp cluster for comparison to CAD model

the company’s already rapid speed of change is due to accelerate even quicker. In addition to their accuracy and ease of use, the speed of our Faro Platinum Measuring Arms and ScanArms help us to keep pace with our current throughput of work and will help ensure that we are able to handle the expected volumes of future inspection routines.” FaroArms are a range of portable coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) that allows easy verification of product quality by performing 3D inspections, tool certifications, CAD comparison, dimensional analysis, reverse engineering, and more. Used extensively throughout the automotive industry, FaroArm Platinum’s ±0.029 mm accuracy renders traditional CMMs, hand tools and other portable inspection equipment obsolete. Anyone, anywhere can now inspect, reverse engineer or perform CAD-to-Part analysis on components, fixtures and assemblies with previously unheard of levels of precision. The addition of the Faro Laser Line Probe to the FaroArm adds unparalleled non-contact 3D scanning capabilities. This arrangement provides detailed measurement of surface form, making the ScanArm the perfect combination of a contact and non-contact portable CMM. Portable CMMs from FARO simplify the implementation of geometric dimensioning and tolerance (GD&T) and provide

efficient, easy-to-use solutions for CAD-based 3D inspections and nominal comparisons. With their versatile contact and non-contact measuring capabilities, tools such as the FaroArm, Faro ScanArm and Faro Laser Tracker can utilise CAD overlays to check complex geometry against design or CAD comparison to evaluate deviations in surface form and ensure that every part is machined to an exacting tolerance. Martyn Smith concludes. “Before the use of our original FaroArms we inspected our range of bodies and panels in a traditional, relatively labour intense manner, by using a range of fixtures and measuring instruments. Following our implementation of Faro products we were able to vastly improved our accuracy capability and slash our inspection times. In fact, routines that previously took 8 hours to complete could be done in 1 – 2 hours with the help of ‘Gold’ FaroArms. Prompted by the success of our first FaroArms, our purchase and use of our premium quality Platinum FaroArms and ScanArms has further improved both our accuracy capability and speed of operation. “Faro products continue to make a significant contribution towards upholding Jaguar Car’s exacting quality standards. They have also proven to be an ideal, reliable link between our design, analysis and manufacturing departments. As the introduction of new models increases our BIW workload, to make certain that we are able to keep up with the increased throughput we intend to purchase further Faro systems.” Commenting on the company’s current success and anticipated growth, Dr Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, recently said, “Innovation in design, engineering and technology is at the core of our business and for the UK, this means we will continue to invest in new products, develop new technologies and enhance the skills of our employees.” “The launch of our latest Jaguar models, including the new XF Sportbrake and F-TYPE, means it is a very exciting time for Jaguar. These new models will attract new customers to the brand as we look to expand our global reach and further enhance our position in the market.”

FARO www.faro.com

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:12 Page 62

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[Automotive VOXELJET]

Imperia GP Roadster – History reinterpreted

VOXELJET www.voxeljet.de

There will be a little bit of additively manufactured technology in every Imperia GT retro-roadster thanks to German industrial 3D printer maker voxeljet. Using trend-setting hybrid technology, this Belgian eco-sports car combines pure driving fun with a clear conscience thanks to cutting edge production techniques.

hybrid engine with 350 hp and outstanding torque helps the Imperia (www.imperia-auto.be) achieve the driving values of a super sports car. It only takes four seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h. And that’s only the beginning: The roadster also boasts sensationally low levels of CO2 emissions at 50 grams per kilometre. The firm behind this technical innovation is Lüttich-based Green Propulsion, which has already brought several hybrid vehicle concepts to series readiness. For marketing the new roadster, the three company founders Yves Toussaint, Nicolas Naniot and Bernard Loly resurrected the Belgian automobile brand Imperia, which produced a vehicle with a fuelelectric motor as early as 1907. Resurrection of a legend The Imperia GP Roadster is the resurrection of a legend with entirely new technology. It derives its power from a 1.6 litre turbo petrol engine with 200 hp, and an electric motor with an output of 150 hp. It also features an in-house developed gear unit with 4x2 gears. The production of the gear unit required some creativity, given the lack of large-series products available from suppliers’ shelves. But anyone developing innovative vehicles also knows a few innovative development partners. Hence the Imperia developers turned to French foundry

Sicta, which specialises in the production of aluminium die casting prototypes. It looked to 3D printing as the solution for manufacturing the required sand moulds. After the initial discussions with voxeljet’s service centre, everyone agreed: The Augsburg 3D experts would be the right partner for this ambitious project. voxeljet Services is one of Europe’s largest service providers for the on-demand production of plastic models and sand moulds for metal casting. More than ten 3D high-performance printers, including large format printers that can generate moulds the size of a sports car, guarantee the rapid and efficient implementation of customer orders. A monthly print capacity of over 200,000 litres ensures short lead times even during times of high demand. “The 3D printing of sand moulds for a prototype gear unit is one of those classic voxeljet tasks. These projects are always about producing small batch sizes quickly, efficiently and at a high quality. That is precisely the type of product for which our technology is considered the first choice,” says voxeljet CEO Dr. Ingo Ederer. Rapid and efficient: 3D printing of sand moulds In contrast to the conventional manufacture of moulds, in which the production of model plates or core boxes alone can take several weeks, the sand moulds for the gearbox were printed on voxeljet’s VX1000 high-performance printer in

just a few days. The moulds are created without cumbersome and expensive mould set-ups, and are produced in a fully automated process. The voxeljet print technology offers another advantage by using fine quartz sand. Compared to hand-made sand moulds, these finished cast parts feature a significantly smoother surface and impress with perfect quality. “The past few years have seen veritable quantum leaps with respect to printing quality as well as printing speed. The high-performance print heads of the new machines achieve excellent resolutions and printing speeds that are five times higher than even just a few years ago,” says Dr. Ederer. In addition to time aspects, there are also cost savings considerations that favour the use of layer building technologies. When examined with respect to total costs, up to a certain batch size 3D printing is significantly cheaper than conventional methods due to the lack of tool costs. The smaller the batch size, the greater the cost advantage offered by voxeljet’s technology. Imperia and the Sicta foundry were very impressed with the performance of the voxeljet service centre and the printed sand moulds. In addition to the cost advantages, the time aspect was also considered a very important factor. In this context, Sicta was able to deliver a gearbox of perfect quality to the Imperia team just three weeks after receiving the order. This is a big step towards bringing the legend back to life. 63

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Composite Components breathe life into the British Sportscar

the BAC Mono

[Automotive ARRK]

ARRK www.arrkeurope.com

hen the maker of the Mono, Briggs Automotive Company, were looking for a local, tailored composite provider to become part of their supply team, they approached ARRKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engineering experts in Nuneaton to deliver precision low volume production carbon components. Working closely with BACâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design team to understand their requirements, ARRK set about producing components from existing tooling. However, as the relationship developed and we gained an appreciation of what the designers of the Mono were looking to achieve, ARRK decided to step back and review the manufacturing process with a view to improving production methods and component quality. By applying some of the latest techniques and materials available today, the results have seen significant improvements in the carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production. Using a combination of carbon and glass prepreg material - autoclave cured, has resulted in the client being delighted with the new parts. BAC Mono have now commissioned 45 vehicles, which are to be delivered for assembly over a period of time. With each car comprising 34 individual carbon components, ARRK also provide BAC with the option to make bespoke personalisations in order to accommodate client tastes. With the car receiving great reviews from industry experts, motoring journalists and a well known motoring TV programme, and with ARRK continuing to invest and develop its composite capability, this partnership looks set to be a winning combination.

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[Automotive: [RAPID GX Preview] Group]

AM Improves

Automotive Product Function

s designers of innovative products for the automotive industry GX Group relies heavily upon additive manufacturing to bring their designs to life. ‘Rapid prototyping’ can help alleviate the increasing economic pressures placed upon new product development. It allows for quicker, cost effective solutions to accurately simulate the production design and materials thereby cutting down margin for error. Application of technologies such as PU vacuum castings, stereolithography and selective laser sintering has aided GX Group in achieving revolutionary designs across multiple sectors and bridging the gap to production for many of its clients, to successful effect. Increasingly the design process permits less and less experimentation and ideas need to be conceived quickly and realised in rapid succession to enable products and technologies to be licensed, gain commercial backing and get to market fast. Frequently the GX Group’s skills are called upon in advance of impending motor shows where clients have new prototypes they wish to showcase in production cars. In these instances the specifications have minimal tolerance as the concept must fit into a pre-existing vehicle dashboard plus be able to communicate with the car’s CAN Bus — a system that allows incar processors to communicate with each other without the need for a central processor.

PU Vacuum Casting AM affords the precision needed by the GX Group to showcase their innovative ideas, plus it is the most economical way to produce multiple units. In the case of an integrated control panel choosing to produce the outer case via PU vacuum casting meant they were able to add a colour to the resin and then paint the final version to such a high specification that the product seamlessly fitted into the show car. Once the outer casing had been cast for the integrated control panel, the team at GX Group then set about solving the problem of how to integrate electronic circuits whilst allowing the light paths to run true. Here prototyping lead to breakthrough technology as the team cleverly managed to introduce a clear conductive ink for the capacitive switches to solve this problem.

Technological Breakthrough The team at GX Group made another technological breakthrough when prototyping a ‘head-up display’. They were approached to bring this state-of-the-art technology, usually used by fighter pilots, to a demonstration vehicle to promote the technology to mid market car manufacturers. SLA prototyping helped to determine the form and shape needed to fit precisely

Head-Up Display Prototype Unit

SLA Instrument Cluster

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into a standard car dashboard, whilst PCB design allowed the team to ensure the intricate design came to life. A clear combiner lens sited on the top of the dashboard needed to slowly rise into the driver’s view. This lens had to be capable of functioning even in bright sunlight since a projector would display a graphical read out of the car’s speed along with other vital information such as left and right indicator.

Product Environment Climate plays an important part in automotive interior design, not just for a driver’s comfort, but the high and low temperature extremes a car cabin may have to function in. When designing interior cabins the design team at GX Group is always mindful of this and chooses plastics for the construction of any dashboard component that can cope with extreme thermal expansion or contraction. When asked to design an instrument cluster destined for the Middle East, the team were able to make the prototype via SLS and accurately simulate the mechanical and thermal performance of the intended production plastics. “Demand for new technology in the automotive industry will continue at pace,” says Mark Helmich, managing director for the GX Group. “Clearly additive manufacturing has helped with this development, its use will continue to grow, and our design team relies on the level of accuracy it affords to give the product true function.” Capacitance Control Panel

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[Nottingham Conference Review]

Review: Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, NOTTINGHAM

A hot day for a hot topic, Rose Brooke attended the first day of the Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing International Conference in Nottingham.

CT Magazine’s day at the Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing International Conference began the same way most of these sorts of days do, with a traffic jam. Rush-hour on a hot morning in Nottingham aside, the cab journey from the centre of the city to the Belfry Hotel was definitely not the simple six-mile drive implied on the website, but this journalist at least always leaves margin for error in her travel planning. The Belfry Hotel was a good choice of venue for this popular industry event. Comfortable and well-staffed, after slinging the obligatory welcome pack over my shoulder and finding somewhere to pin my name tag I made my way to the refreshments to compose myself after the rather fraught taxi journey and mingle. The main exhibition space was well set out, with a good mixture of big international additive manufacturing names, as well as an impressive representation of the industry in the UK. Technical Marketing Engineer at Renishaw David Ewing, who I last saw at Siemens PLM Connection in Birmingham, told me later in the afternoon that the day had been “a success” for the British engineering giant and that they had been pleased with the number of enquiries the event had yielded for them. Mercifully, the conference hall where the presentations would be held was air-conditioned. A dark room and a comfy chair are attention death traps when the mercury is on the rise. Signal was weak, but many of us still managed to get Tweets out throughout the day. The first presentation was by Chris Thorpe

of Jaggeree. Thorpe was the Chief Technology Officer of the organisation that invented the Moshi Monster craze still being enjoyed by schoolchildren today and stated that his presentation would focus on users and understanding their needs. He noted that the 3D printing revolution complements the world of designing over the web and using CAD software perfectly, because it offers quick results, with such professionals getting their prototypes back in a physical form in one-to-two weeks. “Massive aberration” Thorpe made an important point about waste. He lauded the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony for showcasing British industry and reigniting the nation’s pride in its factories and manufacturing roots, but said the 20th century was a “massive aberration” in the history of British industry owing to the huge quantities of waste generated by a century of overusing landfill. He implied that the 21st century should be about thinking more about how we use our solid foundations in manufacturing to prevent this overuse of landfill by striving for intelligent design. Thorpe also suggested there was a good chance in the future we may have to mine landfill sites for resources in the same way we mine for coal. Thorpe’s thought-provoking presentation was followed by an interesting speech by Dr Michaella Janse van Vuuren of NOMIL and the Vaal University of Technology in South Africa. South Africa’s 3D printing industry is one to watch and so van Vuuren’s talk was closely followed. With a PhD in Electrical Engineering and a background in designing assistive devices for disabled people, van Vuuren decided to return to her art-world roots by exploring 3D printing in sculpture. She enthusiastically explained that 3D printing allows her to send her works to galleries and other venues across the world without worrying about how they will be assembled at their destination. Utilising powder 3D printing technologies she has made puppets with sophisticated joint mechanisms and articulated body parts (echoing her more scientific past) with the ball and socket mechanism being built in a single 3D print run. She also explained how she is enjoying learning about the applications achievable by new 3D printing hardware and software and that 3D printing could transform a developing country such as South Africa - her mission being to bring the technology to as many people in her home nation as she can.

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JohnBurn www.johnburn.co.uk

The Inspire range of 3D printers now available from John Burn Ltd

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[Nottingham Conference Review]

A short break followed for browsing the stands. 3T RPD had one of the most eye-catching displays of 3D-printed objects and the team were happy to discuss their latest developments with anybody who showed an interest. A smile goes a very long way when networking at these events and moving away from a stand where your reception has not been as welcoming - which comes with the territory if you are a journalist - to one like 3T where the team are happy to chat freely is always a lovely networking experience, especially when we will be seeing them again at the upcoming TCT Show + Personalize this September 25th and 26th. Exciting new processes Presently, the next batch of talks commenced, with the first presentation by MIT Media Lab’s Liz Tsai who showed an intriguing video demonstrating biomimetric additive manufacturing and how experts at MIT have drawn from nature in their research into the technology. The audio-visual display featured a project in which silkworms were placed on a geometric frame and over time wove a thick film of silk over its many sides forming an other-worldly organic spectacle. Tsai’s speech was followed by Mark Tilley from Malibu IQ. The former GE executive, whose company now provides venture capital funding for companies developing technology for the commercial marketplace, discussed a new 3D printing technique developed by HRL LLC, a research institute coowned by the Boeing Corporation and General Motors. The exciting new process uses photopolymer resins and can create flexible products. Tilley even handed out samples of the creation backed by Malibu IQ and demonstrated its applications - pinpointing potentially untapped markets for the additive manufacturing sector. Next to take to the stage was artist Brendan Dawes who had been delayed in getting to the event and so was rescheduled to give his talk just before we broke for lunch - a notoriously difficult time slot, but the expert filled it excellently. It is rare for a roomful of delegates to crack up simultaneously, but Dawes achieved this with his tale of a 3D printing innovation he and his colleagues in Manchester dreamed up for the iPhone. The 3D-printed clicker they created could transform a smartphone into a camera with a manual button for taking snaps. Dawes explained the excitement of their Kickstarter project and the media attention they received, but his tale of triumph fell like a cake after opening the over door too early when the new iPhone incarnation at the time was released with a function that could make the volume button take photos in the same way as their clicker feature would. Dawes lamented that suddenly their wealthy Kickstarter project saw its fans take back their donations and their dreams of success dissolved. This self-deprecating story held excellent lessons for startups and drew a line under the morning’s sessions before lunch - which was held in two shifts. Many delegates enjoyed a

moment in the hotel’s garden in the sunshine before the penultimate batch of talks, which kicked off with a muchanticipated talk by Dr Chris Sutcliffe from the University of Liverpool - a well-respected additive manufacturing authority in the UK who also spoke at the AM Net event hosted by the MTC back in April. Sutcliffe explained the relatively underreported veterinary market as ripe for research and development. He admitted the slides accompanying his talks would contain “blood and snot” but he promised he would advise squeamish attendees when more graphic imagery was imminent - and then promptly clicked to a particularly gory picture without warning, which entertained the majority of delegates. He explained that they first tried to get additivemanufactured dental implants into the market, but dentists’ loyalty to suppliers and the red tape involved made the process very complicated, while the veterinary market - although smaller - was less difficult to penetrate with a new product. “Ideally placed” “In comparison to the dental market, it’s a little space, but additive manufacturing is ideally placed to deal with these applications,” he concluded. Stanmore Implants Worldwide’s Paul Unwin followed Sutcliffe to discuss patents and the use of additive manufacturing in orthopaedic implants, with some interesting case studies of people who have been fitted with additive manufactured implants and have benefitted from the precision made possible by the technology as it has advanced over the years. Coffee and more networking was shortly followed by the final round of speaker sessions, which was entitled The Evolution of Ink-Jet - Enabling Future Production. Now, I get sent a lot of press releases about 2D printing that have absolutely nothing to do with 3D printing and therefore cannot write up, so I was unsure how relevant these talks would be, but I was pleasantly surprised. Speakers Vahid Akhavan of NovaCentrix, Werner Zapka of Xaar and Chris Tuck from the University of Nottingham held up that tricky final slot of talks excellently and Tuck revealed that the University has joined forces with members of the industry looking to become part of a dedicated course in additive manufacturing engineering, which will be taking on its first students in October of next year. I came away from the Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing International Conference with a notebook full of exciting developments and insights into the myriad applications of additive manufacturing. Not only did the event highlight the ways the technology is being used, but it gave British additive manufacturing and engineering a platform, indicating the key role companies such as those exhibiting at the event have to play in bringing new products and creating more opportunities to international industry.

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:12 Page 72

[CG Tech]

ack in the mid 1800s Holland & Holland commissioned a purpose-built gun making facility in Harrow Road, North London. In the space of just 3 or 4 years demand increased rapidly and it became imperative that either the factory was enlarged, or a new factory was build. Henry Holland decided on the latter and a new, larger factory was built. Completed in 1898, the company equipped its new premises with the most modern belt-driven manufacturing machinery available. Taking a ‘cottage industry’ and changing it to create an efficient industrial process with everything done under the one roof, a philosophy still proudly followed today. In 1989, the company was purchased from the decedents of the original founding Holland family by the fashion house, Chanel. It was at this time the company invested in 5-axis machining technology and CAD/CAM software to support the drive to produce a new over-and-under shotgun designed for the American market for clay pigeon shooting. This was when Engineering Manager, John Sperinck, joined from the aerospace industry. “The directors identified an opportunity for over-and-under guns in America. However, the design requires a great deal of work on very deep sections and using EDM and 5-axis machining methods gets you close to size much quicker,” he explains.

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Using VERICUT simulation and verification software Holland & Holland ensures its machine tools can operate safely and efficiently

For the gun-maker engineering and art meet under its roof. The engineering department has a workshop equipped with machine tools and software, while the art element is held in manufacturing where the traditional setting or cutting to finished size and shape with hand-tools occurs. The legacy of the gun designs and the traditional skills passed down result in a product that is as much work-of-art as it is engineering excellence. To support the programming of its 5-axis Kitamura Mycenter the company purchased CAD software. After running for about 10 years the machine had come to the end of its serviceable life, working day and night as components are machined ‘lights out’ overnight to get more productivity from a single shift. “That was around 6 years ago, and we looked for an equivalent type machine in terms of machine structure and also size, because our workshop is in the basement and ceiling height is an issue. The Yasda machining centre we have now was selected because the configuration is very similar, and although a newer version it also featured a Fanuc NC system,” recalls Senior Engineer, Rob Bishopp. The initial decision to invest in VERICUT verification software came about as a method of checking the NC programs, to verify they would run on the new machining centre. As some of the jobs had run for 10 years or more, no CAD data was available. To create these CAD models would mean a substantial amount of work. NC code verification using VERICUT provided a cost-effective approach to making sure the programs would operate. Rob Bishopp says: “Machines had got faster in the period of time that we had the Kitamura, and this is coupled with the fact that we run over night when there is no one there to press the emergency stop button.”

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[CG Tech]

Engage the safety Globally renowned for its bespoke range of shotguns and rifles, Holland & Holland is a company that operates in an environment where art and engineering go hand-in-hand. Protecting the manufacturing technology used by the company is CGTech’s advanced simulation and NC code verification software, VERICUT.

During overnight operation the rapid travels are reduced, running at 50 per cent rather than 100 per cent to extend the life of the machine tools. Typical cycle times range from a few hours to 20 hours or more, for example an action body requires 12 hours as its machined out of a solid 100 by 240 mm billet and has a lot of detailed work involved, including angle faces, drilled holes and tapped holes. Using the full 5-axis capability of the machine to hit five faces in one set up, after machining the part is wire cut off the remnant stock before the final face is spark eroded. All the complex copper electrodes for the diesinker are produced in-house. “So, after 12 hours on the machining centre, wire cut for a couple of hours and sinking for another 10 hours quite a lot of material has been removed and the parts are very delicate. Every part is fully polished, so no machining marks remain,” Rob Bishopp explains. “In engineering, we are creating the foundations of the gun, so it has to be right,” John Sperinck adds. Once components leave the engineering workshop all the remaining operations are hand worked with the fine finishing/setting done in manufacturing using traditional methods. “Each customer’s gun is bespoke in every individual detail so they choose the wood, the engraving – everything about the weapon,” says Rob Bishopp. “It is an item of beauty that requires 4 months of working solidly around-the-clock. Many guns are on a three year order, so the customer is buying time from a skilled person life; the time that is required to complete their gun.” Following the installation of the new machining centre jobs were verified with the simulation software as they required production. Rob Bishopp recalls: “CGTech created the model of the new machine and applied the dynamic parameters. As each job came up I took the old program, run it through VERICUT and made a list of what needed to change to get it to a state where the NC code would run and then checked for any errors, which VERICUT flags up in minutes. Some programs worked, some needed minor changes while some of the older programs had to be updated.”

Rob Bishopp loads a raw material billet into the company’s 5-axis machining centre, and the fully machined gun belt swivel

Today, most of the old Kitamura NC programs have flushed through the system, other than the odd job that has not been made for a very long time. New designs follow the proven process, using Solidworks for CAD, Mastercam for the CAM element and VERICUT to provide 100 per cent machine safety. “For new programs there is no human intervention, no tweaking the program as that is where the errors are introduced,” Rob Bishopp concludes.

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:13 Page 74

GOOD EVENING,

MR BOND

Prestigious companies in the UK car manufacturing and defence industry have already chosen the Quill Vogue Wash Station to support their 3D printing.

The high performance Quill Vogue Wash Station Mobile uses a strong, yet surprisingly gentle jet of water to rapidly remove a range of support material from printed 3D objects, all within a quiet, self contained, portable, compact unit.

Easy to use | Quiet | Compact 520mm2 | Portable Choice of flexible spray heads Unique recyclable water recovery system UK Manufacturer for more than 30 years producing innovative engineered solutions from “Never Say Never Again” to ”Skyfall”

To see the Quill Vogue in action scan the QR code or visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPXy4W2tGa0

WASH STATION

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[3D Scanning: Central Scanning]

Offshore workers 3D body scanning project launched As body sizes and shapes continue to change the data used to make health and safety decisions in some of the most dangerous professions risks becoming outdated. 3D scanning provides authorities to measure the exact measurements they need to ensure equipment is fit for purpose.

Research Associate Robert Ledingham has been appointed to work on the size and shape study.

round-breaking research to measure offshore workers’ body size with 3D scanners to inform the future design of safety equipment, survival clothing and space requirements on offshore installations has been launched in Aberdeen. The research, which will generate an ongoing capability for measuring the size and shape of the offshore workforce, is the first of its kind in more than 25 years and is being led by researchers at Robert Gordon University’s Institute of Health and Welfare Research (IHWR) in collaboration with experts from Oil and Gas UK. The project’s aim is to design and implement a systematic assessment of three-dimensional measurements on a sample of around 600 offshore workers. The data will then be used to inform all aspects of offshore ergonomics and health and safety, from emergency helicopter evacuation and survival suit design to space availability in corridors and work environments. Project leaders Dr Arthur Stewart, Reader, and deputy director of RGU’s Centre for Obesity Research and Epidemiology (CORE), and Dr Graham Furnace, Medical Advisor for Oil & Gas UK conceived the project in 2011 and have built an experienced team to support the research. It includes senior figures from Oil and Gas UK – Robert Paterson, Health, Safety and Employment Issues Director and Bob Lauder, Health and Safety Policy Manager – as well as data modelling experts Professor Patrik Holt and Dr Eyad Elyan from RGU’s Institute for Innovation, Design and Sustainability Research (IDEAS). Dr Stewart said: “The last body size survey of offshore workers was undertaken in the mid 1980s and since then the average weight of the workforce has risen by 19%. As a consequence the size and shape of the offshore workforce has increased to an unknown level.

Central Scanning www.central-scanning.co.uk

“Understanding this change in size and space requirements for the offshore workforce is important as their current workplace is designed for personnel as they were a quarter of a century ago. Knowing the actual size of the workforce, together with size increments imposed by different types of clothing, will enable space-related risk to be managed and future design for space provision optimised.” More than £150,000 in funding for the project was secured through a combination of a Technology Strategy Board Knowledge Transfer Partnership Grant as well as support from several Oil & Gas UK member companies. Aberdeen company Survival One (Survitek Group) has also donated a number of the very latest survival suits for use in the project. KTP Associate Robert Ledingham has been appointed to work on the study and will test and calibrate new portable 3D scanning technology at the University’s Centre for Obesity Research and Epidemiology where the first group of volunteers will be scanned before using it to gather more data at Falck Nutec’s offshore training facility in Dyce. Initial research conducted by the team at RGU has shown that a 90kg man wearing a standard helicopter passenger survival suit increases body volume by 44 litres over that of close fitting clothing. Robert Paterson said: “This research will provide the offshore industry and supply chain with an invaluable insight into how body shape, size and volume has increased over the last 25 years. The information gained will help us to understand how these changes impact a range of safety issues and inform what may need to be done to address these.” Graham Furnace added: “It is already known that the majority of the UK population is overweight, and offshore workers are no different in this respect. The question of ‘big people’ is a major area of medical concern within the industry because of the health risks associated with being overweight, but as the initial scans of the study already confirm, the issues relating to the size and shape of offshore workers also have important safety and equipment design implications.”

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[Laser Lines]

Ahead of the curve:

LASER LINES

anbury in Oxfordshire sits in an enviable location, surrounded as it is with some of the most R&D-happy companies on the globe in the form of local Formula 1 teams and their Tier 1 suppliers. This local industry has been a boon to Laser Lines during its 38-year history, but it’s far from the only industry the company serves. Why Laser Lines? Laser Lines was started by Ted Paine, a physicist and early adopter of commercial laser technology for manufacturing. The company has always been a value-added reseller (VAR) rather than a manufacturer of equipment. Ted retired 8 years ago (though remains involved in the business as landlord of the Banbury facility) and put a team of directors together who undertook a management buyout. The new management team consisted of four shareholder directors with a five-year plan. There are now five directors and the five-year plan took just three years to complete. The company is now made up of three internal divisions: Design Engineering (which covers everything AM and 3D printing); Industrial lasers (which handles laser systems sales); and Photonics (laser system peripherals, e.g. lower power lasers, power meters and accessories) The company’s experience with 3D printing goes back much further than the management buyout — 2013 marks 20 years of reselling Stratasys’ full range of FDM-based solutions to the UK market. I asked Mark Tyrtania about what being a 3D printing VAR entailed: “We never expected people to come to us educated and we have always seen it as our role to explain what can and can’t be done and what the limitations are — at the same time as ensuring potential users are aware of all the possible benefits available to them if they get it right.” Dave Price added: “As a company we have no limit in where we look to expand. For example eight or nine years ago we took on german company MK Technology, based in Bonn, to supply vacuum casting equipment. MK has grown into investment casting with offerings such as autoclaves, infra-red dryers and shelling equipment. FDM parts have to an extent replaced the vacuum casting parts that were once the staple.”

Laser Lines is one of the most well-established suppliers of AM/3D printing equipment in the UK, thanks in part to their long-standing relationship with Stratasys. Jim Woodcock went to find out what the company’s secret to success was, and how the latest changes at Stratasys were impacting on the reseller chain.

Laserlines www.laserlines.co.uk

Adapt or die Adapting to changes in the market is a key skill in the industries that Laser Lines serves. Engineering and manufacturing — especially in big OEMs — is always evolving and adapting. One of the more recent moves by the company to respond to current trends includes the addition of SLM Solutions to the reseller line up 18 months ago. SLM’s laser melting capabilities are complementary to Stratasys’ core FDM technology rather than competing for the same clients or processes, an important consideration for a provider of multiple solutions. Sometimes the range of machines available to a reseller is beyond their control however. For example six months ago the product line effectively doubled with the Objet & Stratasys merger. “We’re selling the entire portfolio of Stratasys’ technologies including the PolyJet range. At the moment we’re still best known in the market for our FDM solutions, but that will likely change to an extent.” The close ties with Stratasys are evident from the makeup of the company —with an £10-11 million turnover, 13 of the 30 employees are directly involved with selling and supporting the Stratasys products. The design engineering department has a split focus — a machines sales focus for FDM, Polyjet and SLM machines and a parts service using FDM. Continued on p78

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[Laser Lines] Managing adoption I asked Mark about the bureau service at Laser Lines: “We’ve been running the bureau for over five years now having started the service out of necessity. Five years ago we were selling FDM machines to OEMs, not to bureaux as at the time there were no FDM bureaux in the UK. The need for our parts service came from three areas. Firstly by customers who have peaks and troughs in their design cycles and who use FDM in those processes. Our machine sales team started making parts for customers — though this wasn’t always well managed and it really needed to be. “Secondly we wanted to make sure all FDM parts in the marketplace were a good standard if they were going to be coming from bureaux. Thirdly was our desire to develop new applications. Clients come to us that have heard about 3D printing, have heard about FDM technology but want to know if the process can achieve X or Y or Z… and when we don’t know we have applications engineers who can play with the 16–17 in-house machines to see if the applications are possible. Half of what we do with the machines is proving out applications for clients.” One of the most successful application developments the company has been involved in is FDM soluble cores for carbon fibre layup, which involves tricking the machine to build in support materials not build material. Being based 30 miles from every British-based F1 team is certainly a help when it comes to development of a composites solution. Laser Lines dedicated 1000s of man-hours and build time with samples to perfect the process. All the major teams now use FDM for soluble cores for carbon fibre ducts and more. Laser Lines is now selling to F1 teams for that application and now to tier one suppliers for F1 (with four machines sold for this purpose in the last month). Dave Price continued: “Part of my role is pushing the unique features of FDM for end-use parts. Some months as much as 90% of our output will be jigs, fixtures and low production run parts and not RP parts or concept models. We can use batchtraceable canister and cassette material that is suitable to the industry we’re doing the work for and can provide inspection reports and traceability. Nobody else was doing it when we started the bureau - and not many are doing it now.”

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Adopter Evolution A few years ago all of Laser Lines’ large machines were building for F1, but after the education phase clients have bought the machines themselves. Mark explained: “We have started to lose that bureau market but we have always been able to move onto the next thing. At the moment it’s jigs, fixtures and assembly aids. We’re making parts and selling machines specifically to make jigs and fixtures. Some companies had an FDM system for RP and ended up using it more for production, so come back to buy a second machine.” Dave added: “My job really is to convince people that they don’t need to go down the route of producing tooling for low volume applications (Laser Lines regularly builds 100-off up to 1000-off for some projects) We have unique materials like the Ultem 9085 for aerospace spec parts which opens up lots of applications including lay up tools, pure end-use parts through to electronic components.” Even with 680 machines (and counting) installed in the UK, ranging from desktop machines through to purely production machines, Laser Lines believes its mission to educate is still as important as ever. With low-end FDMbased 3D printers popping up every week it’s important that the dividing lines between hobbyistspec and production-spec printing don’t become blurred. Mark summarised: “We are often surprised that people base their judgements of all 3D printing based on something that costs £1000 or less. Lightsout operation, soluble supports, stable software controls, a choice of engineering materials… all of these things are unknown to many of the users we now see who would say they know about 3D printing. We still have a mission to educate professionals who are getting their education from the mainstream press!”

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[Directory] To advertise here call Carol Hardy on 01244 680222 or email carol@rapidnews.com

TCT 21-4_Layout 1 26/07/2013 09:13 Page 80

[Directory] To advertise here call Carol Hardy on 01244 680222 or email carol@rapidnews.com

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[Directory] To advertise here call Carol Hardy on 01244 680222 or email carol@rapidnews.com

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[Ctrl-Alt-Del]

Accusations abound as 3D printing hype

grows and

grows

here are always doubters, people who cannot be convinced by even the heaviest weight of evidence. But, when it comes to the world of 3D printing there seem to be more doubters than in most walks of life – and it’s always the same old naysayers, these people that have ‘actually ran these machines’ or the guys that have ‘been in this industry from the beginning’… these so-called experts can’t wait to squash the latest upstart, rain on the parade of the innovative and kill the buzz for the rest of us. Take The MonsterBot 3-D that’s currently seeking funding on Indiegogo (http://mytct.co/14CEdD4). This innovative new 3D printer not only offers an unlimited build volume but the ability to easily swap heads to move from extrusion-based 3D printing to stereolithography or electron beam melting. Like the proprietor Stephen states: “after all, the X, Y, Z drive system pretty much remains the same - only the nozzle assemblies and, possibly, build platforms, change.” Exactly! The dimensions (X, Y and Z) remain the same for all 3D printing, so why shouldn’t it be as simple as swapping out the heads? Your common-or-garden RepRap frame is, in essence almost completely identical to Arcam’s EBM machines. You know the Arcam machines, right? The enormous vacuum furnaces that can process reactive metals using a couple of kilowatts of electron gun power? Yeah, it’s only a swapped head away from your mates Cube is that and the man is pulling the wool over your eyes!!1! One of the most vocal naysayers is this ‘Jez’ character. He seems to think he knows a thing or two about these technologies and my word doesn’t he want us all to know it. Head over to the LinkedIn discussion and I am sure you’ll see that MonsterBot 3D is the only printer you need to consider. And GE just spent all that money on Morris… hahaha.

Check the LinkedIn discussion here:

http://mytct.co/12fgIQh Get your chequebooks ready to back the MonsterBot 3-D here:

http://mytct.co/14CEdD4

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