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MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

MAY 2016

ISSN 1751-0333

EDITORIAL HEAD OF CONTENT

James Woodcock james@rapidnews.com GROUP EDITOR

Daniel O’Connor daniel.oconnor@rapidnews.com ASSISTANT EDITOR

Laura Griffiths laura.griffiths@rapidnews.com NEWSDESK

+44 (0) 1244 680222 REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

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ADVERTISING GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER

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PRODUCTION Sam Hamlyn Tracey Roberts

MANAGEMENT C.O.O. / PUBLISHER

Duncan Wood C.E.O.

Mark Blezard

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The Outside Looking In

elcome to the second European edition of TCT Magazine in 2016, as I glance towards my editorial calendar to ensure we’ve covered all bases I notice that the focus of this particular issue is ‘Medical’ and one of the features is a review of the second ever TCT Asia. Those two subjects combined in quite disastrous circumstances for me over in Shanghai, as a medical emergency… ok, perhaps not emergency… a tooth abscess… had me spending time in a Shanghai Hospital as opposed to the TCT Asia show floor. Fortunately Assistant Editor, Laura Griffiths picked up the slack and ran with it in her TCT Asia review (Page 23). A week before my quite disastrous trip to Shanghai, some fortunate timing meant I was able to go to two different medical 3D printing events in London; the first the opening of an art installation at Great Ormond Street Hospital (Page 15) and the other a talk from Dr Andrew Dawood and patient Josh Stephenson at Digits2Widgets (Page 17). They were tales of the unexpected; when it comes to medical 3D printing we’re used to hearing how different technologies are being used in surgery or lifelong medical care, whilst the two events touched upon that the overriding feeling, as I boarded the 20:50 train from Euston to Chester, was one of amazement at the inspirational qualities 3D printing brings to people who are newcomers to the technology.

While the novelty of seeing another 3D printed body part or topologically optimised aeroplane may wear off for those of us who have been in and around the technology for some time, to a newcomer, especially those with creative dispositions, it opens up a world of possibilities. Sometimes it takes people from the outside looking in to reinvigorate old curmudgeons like myself. The next trip in the pipeline, for which I plan on being 100%, is the 2016 edition of RAPID in Orlando, you may have seen some pretty exciting news (of which there is more of on Page 47) regarding TCT and the 2017 edition of the RAPID 3D Manufacturing event. We’re all very excited about the partnership with the SME and know that we can bring the added value and success to that event as we have done with partners VNU and Mesago on TCT Asia and formnext respectively. Until the next time... Druck on

Daniel O’Connor Group Editor

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31/03/2016 16:24:03 MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com 05

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

FROM THE EDITOR

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

CONTENTS

TCT | MAY 2016 EDITION

LEAD NEWS

AMUG 2016

THE BRAINS BEHIND METAL ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING Robin Weston from Renishaw reflects on industry leaps in metal additive manufacturing and how they’re tapping into to the life sciences community through a new Healthcare Centre of Excellence.

ke Your Ideas Matter with the ProJet® MJP 2500 Series

t precision parts in your office

NEWS

bining professional-grade capabilities with A roundup of all the latest news from ffordable, office-friendly footprint and theeasylast month, for more on each processing, the newest series of 3D Systems’ story visit www.tctmagazine.com y of MultiJet Printing, the MJP 2500 and 2500 are designed to enable a broader range of essionals to create precision parts without ng their workplace.

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MODERNISING MEDICINE

We take a look at 3D Systems’ new state-of-the-art Healthcare Technology Centre in Colorado

¹5

FOLLOWING THE HEART

Editor, Dan O’Connor reflects on his a touching visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Under the Microscope arts research project exhibition.

HANDLE WITH CARE

Dan also visits Digits2Widgets’ London studio to hear the story of how medical 3D printing not only helped to reconstruct a man’s face but also revitalise his career.

TCT ASIA REVIEW

We look back on another successful trip to Shanghai for the second TCT Asia + Personalize exposition and summit including product launches, conference highlights and TCT Inspired Minds.

AMUG REVIEW

Assistant Editor, Laura Griffiths reports on her first trip to the Additive Manufacturing User Group Conference in St. Louis.

INTRODUCING THE M1

Laura takes a closer look at Carbon’s product debut and unique materials offering during a Q&A with Carbon’s Silicon Valley dream team.

31 34

BRINGING THE MOON TO EARTH

A unique piece of industrial 3D printing has enabled Kudu Studio to create the most accurate replica of the moon available on earth.

STEREOLITHOGRAPHY EVOLVES

Laura speaks with Chuck Hull and team to find out how 3D Systems is combining stereolithography with automation to mark 30 years in the industry.

VISUAL FX AWAKENS

Dan gets to see how reverse engineering principles helped in reproducing the famous Holochess in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

UNDER THE ARMOUR

FATHOM INTERVIEW

Laura speaks to the co-founder of one of the largest 3D printing service providers in the U.S. about speeding up product development.

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

We talk to UK-based prototyping company, CA Models, about how they’re bringing bigger metal AM capabilities to Formula 1.

PERSONALIZE PRINTING PRESS

In this AMUG special we celebrate the winners of one of the industry’s most prestigious awards, The AMUG Technical Competition.

BREAKING DOWN THE SILOS BETWEEN ADDITIVE AND SUBTRACTIVE MANUFACTURING

We dissect Delcam’s latest AM case study to highlight the key considerations of process planning from design to post-processing.

RAPID 2016 PREVIEW

North America’s largest 3D manufacturing event lands in Orlando this year. We highlight some of the things you can expect to see on the show floor.

REINVENTING INVENTION

Laura visits Otterbox HQ in Colorado to get a first look at Stratasys’ fourth generation multicolour, multi-material machine, the J750.

Dan speaks with Alan Guyan at Under Armour about how generative design and 3D printing helped create a world-first, ultimate training shoe.

REGULARS

05 17 66

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK GUEST COLUMN TODD GRIMM COLUMN

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

LEAD NEWS: RENISHAW

The brains behind metal additive manufacturing

Wor ds : Ro b i n W e s t o n R e n i s haw

We may look back on 2016 as the year metal additive manufacturing (AM) took another leap. I have been actively involved in the industry for over 10 years and have experienced at least two other instances of a marked change in consciousness. Those who have been in the industry longer will be able to identify other shifts of gear. This is a pattern with many emerging manufacturing technologies; technical breakthroughs provide the thrust and markets shift in response. Early on, technologies can be over hyped, especially when the mainstream press catches on to a story, as evidenced by our industry. There are positives and negatives. Simply ask anyone who has held, or holds, shares in some of the big names in additive. Timing is everything and scratching below the surface is a must.

o what of the current status? Are we entering another over-hyped phase as the promise of these technologies entering the manufacturing arena at scale, turns up the gas? Renishaw is both a user and a developer of metal AM technology and we are privileged to experience both sides. Parts of our business are highly dependent on the use of AM to manufacture end use components, particularly in Dentistry and emerging healthcare applications. Since 2004 we have operated our own Rapid Manufacturing Centre and AM has been a fundamental part of our product development strategy. It is, however, our new product innovations that go beyond prototypes and pre-production parts that will disrupt our own finely tuned manufacturing systems. An increasing number of our new metrology and healthcare products will be dependent on AM for serialised component manufacture, allowing us to unlock the significant performance improvements that AM can offer. At Renishaw a huge amount of effort,

MAY 2016â&#x20AC;&#x192; www.tctmagazine.comâ&#x20AC;&#x192;

ď&#x20AC;śBELOW: Titanium 3D printed

medical implants time and care goes into engineering highly productive automated processes and systems specifically to meet our own stringent requirements for ultrahigh quality, cost controlled manufacturing. We have always invested in technologies that allow us to keep our manufacturing and production engineering teams tightly integrated with our new product development teams and innovators. We expect AM to play an increasing role in further unlocking process and product improvements to deliver exceptional value, both for Renishaw and our AM customers. How do companies ensure that the adoption of new innovative manufacturing technologies does not endanger a finely honed operation? In the case of AM we believe one of the first steps is to recognise that AM is not an island, a stand-alone solution or a cure all. Over the years there has been much talk of the displacement of machine tools. Our experience tells us that the truth is somewhat different. AM must be integrated into businesses as part of existing tool chains. There may be adaptation required and there needs to be greater consideration when designing for the process (Design for Additive Manufacturing; DfAM) if the full and perpetual benefits of AM are to be realised. Alongside this is the requirement for ever more advanced software solutions that ease the implementation of AM, including consideration for tooling, fixturing, cleaning and surface treatments with the ever present golden thread of metrology running though all our processes.

Freeform Plus software ®

One major challenge for companies is how to become educated in the use of AM, particularly as much of the knowledge and experience lies with a relatively small group of early adopters who can be cautious to share their hard won knowledge. My experience, however, of the recent Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) meeting in St Louis, Missouri, is one example of a very open forum where vendors and users share a great deal of knowledge and expertise. Another positive note is that many of our applications team members and process specialists who support our customers have not grown up with AM but with conventional subtractive technologies. Far from being a hindrance, this experience positively enhances their suitability when implementing AM into production because they already understand how to implement and maintain process capability. It is important not to underestimate the ability of your existing staff to rapidly adopt AM with the right guidance, although initially it makes sense to start with small groups of enthusiasts before scaling up. Our aim at Renishaw is to share our experiences of integrating AM with our other processes through our global network of Solutions Centres. Here, users can spend time in private AM incubator cells with the full support of dedicated applications engineers and technicians, enabling them to evaluate their AM deployment without the substantial initial outlay. This way customers can develop the products and the business case in a cost controlled manner, before integrating AM into their own ABOVE: Solutions Centre additive manufacturing software training factories, thereby significantly reducing the risk of disrupting their manufacturing processes in an unmanaged way. A specialised example of the solutions centre concept, which cuts across multiple technologies and disciplines, is Renishaw’s Healthcare Centre of Excellence, based at our plant near Cardiff. This dedicated facility is designed to educate and train our customers, whilst working with the wider life sciences community. Renishaw offers a growing range of innovative healthcare products, from molecular diagnostics, Raman spectroscopy, neurosurgical products and therapies, to implantable devices produced on Renishaw AM systems. The educational aspects of the Healthcare Centre of Excellence comprise a lecture theatre, software training theatre and a non-sterile simulated neurological

ABOVE: Dental build

plate in Renishaw metal additive manufacturing system

We expect AM to play an increasing role in further unlocking process and product improvements to deliver exceptional value, both for Renishaw and our AM customers.

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

LEFT: Case design using Geomagic

operating theatre, complete with an operational CT scanner and viewing gallery. The operating theatre specifically allows intheatre training on Renishaw’s neurological therapies and procedures and serves as an environment for the successful deployment of AM technologies in healthcare. The whole centre is fully connected with state-ofthe-art audio visual and video conferencing technology. Simulated procedures taking place in the operating theatre can be shared worldwide, in real time, via video conference or straight into the adjacent lecture theatre, making the centre a truly flexible resource. The manufacturing aspect of the facility produces Renishaw’s dental AM products (LaserPFM and LaserAbutments) and its most recent medical product, LaserImplants, that offer a digitised solution to producing craniomaxillofacial patient specific implants (PSIs), jigs and guides. Manufactured under an ISO13485 quality management system, LaserImplants allow Renishaw to connect with, and better understand the end users of alloplastic implantable devices – the surgeons. This in turn benefits Renishaw’s machine customers by offering solutions, not just systems, which have been developed with the end-user in mind whilst maintaining strong business fundamentals. Investing in resources such as our Healthcare Centre of Excellence is not undertaken lightly. However it is a necessity if metal AM technology is to be successfully implemented into a modern production environment without causing unmanaged disruption. We believe that an eyes wide open pragmatic approach, supported by a period of evaluation and learning in one of Renishaw’s global Solutions Centres, is a perfect starting point for a more detailed appraisal of AM. A recurring word throughout this article is ‘disruption’. Most probably, AM will either disrupt your business for the better, as you deploy it in a planned and structured way, or your business may well be disrupted by someone else’s use of AM. I know where I’d rather be. 

BELOW: Cobalt chrome 3D printed dentures

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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NEWS ROUNDUP ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

FORMLABS LAUNCHES FIRST BIOCOMPATIBLE DESKTOP 3D PRINTING RESIN ‘DENTAL SG’  Formlabs has announced the launch of the first certified biocompatible resin in the desktop 3D printing space - Dental SG Resin. Designed for surgical guide applications, the Class 1 material will allow dental professionals to quickly go from a 3D model to a directly printed surgical guide using the Form 2 3D printer. Formlabs describes the material as “a key driver in growing the adoption of digital dentistry powered by 3D printing.” 

NEWS ENVISIONTEC LAUNCHES NEW TOUGH AND FLEXIBLE RESIN  During AMUG 2016 EnvisionTEC teased some of its upcoming releases, one of which was the new PolyPro MAX 3SP resin. The newest 3SP material is a tough and flexible photopolymer representation of polypropylene and is perfect for a host of applications especially the likes of snap and fit parts and living hinges, which require a high-level of resilience to repeated use. The material is recommended for use with a wide range of EnivisonTEC machinery including; ULTRA 3SP, Xede 3SP, Xtreme 3SP, Xtreme Hi-Res 3SP and Vector 3SP. 

In this issue we highlight much of the news that has taken us away from our desks and off on planes to various events but that doesn’t mean that equally big news hasn’t been happening in workshops and on factory floors elsewhere. This news roundup provides a snapshot of some of the latest launches and changes that have taken place over the last few months.

STRATASYS LAUNCHES J750 3D PRINTER FOR ONE-STOP REALISM Stratasys has launched its most advanced multi-material multi-colour 3D printer to date, the J750, designed to transform the product development cycle.

FOR THESE STORIES IN FULL CLICK TO WWW.TCTMAGAZINE.COM CARBON EXPANDS CLIP TECHNOLOGY TO FOUR 3D PRINTING SERVICES PROVIDERS  Four leading 3D printing service providers, Sculpteo, CIDEAS, The Technology House and WestStar Precision, have become the first companies to offer Carbon3D’s CLIP 3D printing technology as part of its early customer program. Launched onto the marketplace in April, customers will be able to benefit from the Californian start-up’s unique resin technology, which continuously grows 3D parts at rapid speeds using a tunable photochemical process to transform 3D models into physical objects. 

The new solution aimed at product designers, engineers and manufacturers, as well as service bureaux, breaks restrictive technology barriers and allows customers to mix-and-match full colour gradients alongside an unprecedented range of materials to achieve one-stop realism without post-processing (Read more on page 53). 

AIRBUS GROUP EXPANDS MUNICH SITE WITH AEROSPACE FACTORY FOR 3D PRINTING  Airbus Group continues to expand its research capacities at its Ottobrunn/ Taufkirchen site near Munich with the launch of a new material research laboratory, partnership with Siemens in the field of electric flight and the establishment of a new 3D printing centre, dubbed the ‘Aerospace Factory.’ The Factory, envisioned as a centre for 3D printing, will research innovative production methods for the aerospace industry and develop them to maturity on the Ludwig Bölkow Campus. 

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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Medicine WOR DS : DA N I E L O ’C O N N O R

3D Systems has opened a state-of-the-art healthcare centRE that marks an “important day in medicine.” TCT finds out more

f there’s is

a sector driving the 3D printing industry it is healthcare; 3D Systems have been pushing the envelope in the field for a number of years and in March 2016 the Today is an company opened its Healthcare Technology Centre to further advance 3D printing’s unique important day ability to solve complex medical solutions for the in medicine,” benefit of countless humans across the globe. Makwera said. The new facility in Littleton, Colorado will serve “My story as the central hub for the company’s global illustrates how healthcare activities, and support its full and life changing comprehensive portfolio of precision healthcare this technology and medical 3D printing solutions. The ribbon can be, and I cutting ceremony for the new 70,000 square am overjoyed foot facility took place on March 10. to think of the Among the guests in attendance was many lives that Zimbabwean Blessing Makwera, at the age of 15 Blessing was left without the ability to use will be impacted his jaw after suffering horrendous injuries from and improved by vapour barrier system, has its own air handling a land mine explosion. He went eight years the capabilities and ventilation systems as well as systems before being discovered by the Operation made possible to ensure the proper segregation of return of Hope organisation, which referred him to here.” and input air. The work up front with the the Dr. Joel Berger, a specialist in oral and infrastructure of the Center helps in ensuring maxillofacial surgeries. Blessing underwent a safe, manageable manufacturing lines.” series of successful surgeries in 2013 that were The facility houses 3D Systems’ huge made possible through advancements in Virtual portfolio of technologies including, Surgical Planning and 3D printing. Stereolithography, Selective Laser Sintering, “Today is an important day in medicine,” Makwera said. ColorJet Printing, MultiJet Printing and Direct Metal “My story illustrates how life changing this technology Printing, the last of which McAlea told TCT is becoming can be, and I am overjoyed to think of the many lives that almost the norm for some medical applications: “More will be impacted and improved by the capabilities made off-the-shelf devices, such as implants, are being possible here.” manufactured using DMP technology because of the complexity and quality of titanium parts that can be created using this process.” CLEARING THE HURDLES What is clear from the investment poured into the As 3D printing becomes more prevalent in medical applications so does the growing burden on authorities healthcare facility, that we’re no longer talking about what to clear technologies through the rigorous tests that are the healthcare sector can do for the 3D printing industry required for the likes of FDA approval. 3D Systems have but what the 3D printing industry can do for healthcare. Dr. Oren Tepper, Director of Craniofacial Surgery at moved to make those tests go as smoothly as possible, the Littleton facility is ISO 13485 certified for healthcare the Montefiore Medical Center, who was also present solutions, and operates in accordance with the FDA and for the grand opening said: “Awareness and access have been the biggest hurdles to adopting 3D technology MDD regulations for applicable medical devices. “With such a high number of printing technologies in healthcare,” Dr. Tepper said. “This facility will be under one roof, segregation and contamination a tremendous asset to the healthcare community in prevention is essential,” Kevin McAlea, Executive Vice developing and proving precise methodologies for some President and Chief Operating Officer, Healthcare, 3D of medicine’s most trying cases.”  Systems told TCT. “Each lab is protected through a For more information visit www.3dsystems.com

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

013

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Following the

hances are a fair chunk of those reading this know somebody who was born with complications to their ticker - nearly 1% of births have congenital heart defects (CHD). For me it is my nephew Joseph, he spent much of his formative years in and out of hospitals having been born with complete Atrioventricular Septal Defect. The wonders of modern medicine means, at approaching 11-years-of-age, Joseph can often be found having this uncle in a headlock shouting “Can’t see me!” or other such WWE catchphrases. Since Joseph’s major heart surgery a decade ago those wonders have become even more wonderful, according to many sources 3D printing regularly plays a part in making surgery safer and helps with communication between doctors and patients. Surgeons at one of the UK’s leading Children’s hospitals, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), regularly use 3D printed models in order to explain complications and surgery processes to parents. In order to quantify the usefulness of 3D printed models in communications a team including Dr Giovanni Biglino, Lecturer in Cardiovascular Bioinformatics & Medical Statistics at the University of Bristol, conducted research that was published through the British Medical Journal, it concluded:

HEART W O R D S : DA N I E L O ’C O N N OR

Parents of children with CHD and cardiologists both appreciated the use of 3D patient-specific models during routine/follow-up consultations. “I’m still looking at the heart [model] in absolute amazement and am guarding it like a Doberman! [...] It really does help knowing and understanding what is planned” (email communication from one of the parents of a patient). These models are useful for enhancing engagement with parents and, importantly, for improving communication between cardiologists and parents. In turn, this may also have a positive impact on parents’ and patients’ psychological adjustment to living with CHD.

Some of that research and the 3D printed medical models were an inspiration behind an exhibit in the Under the Microscope arts research project I was lucky enough to attend the opening ceremony of last month. The project, led by GOSH Artist in Residence, Sofie Layton, explores how children and families interpret and understand medical information and disease. One of the installations, Making the Invisible Visible, includes a series of 3D printed hearts displayed at the Institute of Child Health’s Winter Garden Gallery Space, some are facsimiles taken from MRI scans some are interpretations, all were created in conversation with the cardiovascular team, clinicians, parents and patients on GOSH’s Bear Cardiac Ward. “Sofie had the idea of putting the 3D prints in bell jars and suddenly they take on a museum quality,” Dr Giovanni Biglino tells me as we look upon a Victorian looking nurses trolley adorned with different heart models. Of the dozen or so models most are full heart models taken from MRI scans and printed in nylon using SLS technology. There are two that stand out from the crowd: “One incorporates the image of a heart as a Rubik’s Cube,” says Biglino. “The idea that putting a heart back together once it is out of place is difficult. Another is a normal heart, scaled down, cast in bronze and suspended like a piece of jewellery to give a sense of the preciousness of the heart.” The installation is touching, invoking memories of Jospeh’s ordeal years ago, but I was interested to find out if 3D printing really is aiding surgeons perform operations or if this is just hype and marketing talking. “Scientifically we don’t have the evidence to say that it definitely helps with surgery,” Dr Biglingo tells me. “One small study looked into Atrioventricular Septal Defects and it showed that of about 30 medical students surveyed all reported that a 3D printed model gave them a better appreciation of the defects but I would say that evidence is lacking on a large scale. We are working with Materialise in order to conduct a multicentre piece of research but until there is extensive research I don’t think we can say for sure.”  MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

015

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Inspire delivers an easy-to-use set of tools for generating structurally efficient concepts. When paired with a 3D printer, users often reduce costs, development time, material consumption, and product weight while increasing part performance. ď&#x201A;Ź Learn more at solidThinking.com/TCT

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Handle with Care



BELOW: Josh Stephenson with his Umbrella Handle and 3D Printed Skull

WOR D S : DAN IE L O’ C ON NOR

There have been many words written, in this very issue even, extoling the virtues 3D printing offers towards advances in healthcare. Additive technologies have been applied to many patient specific devices whether that is in order to aid with surgery in the case of medical modelling or improve lives as seen with thousands of 3D printed prosthesis in use. A recent talk at the London-based 3D printing specialists Digits2Widgets showcased how medical 3D printing has not only helped reconstruct a man’s face but also reinvigorate his career.



ABOVE: Umbrella Handeles are printed using Nylon SLS

RIGHT: Josh Stephenson

and Jonathan Rowley discuss the handles

n 2009 Josh Stephenson, a graduate of the Royal College of Art, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma – a type of skin cancer which can spread to other organs. After unsuccessful radiotherapy treatment Josh went on to have drastic surgery to remove his left eye, upper left jaw and roof of his mouth. The reconstruction process was extensive and required the expertise Dr. Andrew Dawood of Dawood & Tanner clinic, who have been using 3D printing in dentistry since 1999 and is the founder of Digits2Widgets (D2W). “Josh had a life threatening cancer behind his eye, he received fantastic treatment at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the Royal London Hospital from surgeons Dr David Verity and Professor Iain Hutchison.” Dawood told TCT. “I was required to be part of the reconstruction process using dental implants, we used both 3D printing and digital milling technology

to make the reconstruction as accurate and seamless as possible.” Dawood & Tanner has become synonymous with hi-tech dentistry having worked on many high profile reconstruction cases. Josh’s surgery required all the digital expertise Andrew and his team have acquired over two decades; scanning, digital modelling, 3D printing, milling and more; though it is the 3D printing that catches the headlines, Dawood thinks it is a long way from a complete technology: “We mostly use milling technology rather than strictly 3D printing. We use mills in restoration, which are fitted onto 3D printed models. The ideal scenario for us in implant dentistry is a hybrid technology that combines the worlds of 3D printing in metals for structures, which are then milled for precise mechanical connections. 3D printing is no magical tool; we’ve been using it consistently and steadily for years. Ten years ago I thought we’d be where we are now, in hindsight if I’d

››

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

017

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MEDICAL FOCUS

SPONSORED BY

GETTING A GRIP After the technology had aided in his facial reconstruction Josh and Andrew became quite close. He accompanied Andrew to a conference talk on how 3D printing was enlisted in his surgery, Josh was able to hold the 3D printed model of his own skull and it was there and then that Josh had his eureka moment: “I have worked in the design industry for 25 years since graduating from the RCA in 1990, specialising in fashion accessories and luxury gifts.” Josh told TCT. “I have long had the idea of creating luxury umbrellas with handles that have some character but due to costs involved in setting up for injection moulding, it never seemed possible.” Josh’s idea was to take beautiful objects used in other walks of life and adapt them to create modern curio style umbrella handles: “In design nothing is new,” said the designer who has worked for brands such as Hugo Boss, Laura Ashley, Aquascutum and Harrods. “Products are reworked and adapted to create something new, having a gut instinct about timing is a key importance to a designer.” When he told Andrew Dawood about his idea, he instantly knew where to turn to, to bring this idea to life; his own 3D printing design studio Digits2Widgets (D2W): “Josh brought us objects he loved from his home that he thought would make an interesting basis for umbrella handles and our team helped make that a reality,” explained Dawood. In the main those items were traditionally door furniture and other home items; crystal doorknobs, Bakelite handles, dog-headed corkscrews and the likes; all items Josh considered beautiful and perfect for re-purposing into umbrella handles, but how to get them into a printable file?

Josh’s idea was to take beautiful objects used in other walks of life and adapt them to create modern curio style umbrella handles

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

have thought it would take us a decade to get to where we are now I might not have bothered!” Like many long-in-the-tooth 3D printing users Andrew’s attitude towards 3D printing is slightly curmudgeonly, the technology has, after all, only incrementally improved in the some 17 years since he first invested in it. But its ability to inspire those who have been less exposed to technology must never be underestimated and it is such stimulation that makes Josh’s story even more wonderful.

“All the items were all different materials, shapes and textures,” explained the Design Director at D2W, Jonathan Rowley. “The idea was initially to try to scan them all but some of the objects were easier to draw in CAD from scratch. The crystal doorknobs are faceted transparent spheres, transparent is difficult to scan, because of this and its nice geometric shape we said ‘forget about scanning it would be easier to draw this.’” It would be easy to forget the product design intricacies involved in manufacturing an umbrella handle, particularly those smaller collapsible ones ladies often produce from handbags on feeling an initial droplet hit a recently coiffured hairdo. “The handles of collapsible umbrellas are very sophisticated,” said Rowley. “They have a recessed collar around the top of the handle that allow the spokes of the umbrella to clip in, holding it together and features like chords that allow you to dangle it off your wrist. We had a good look at these existing design features, the shapes and size of Josh’s original pieces went pretty much untouched but at the drawing stage we added in features like thoses recesses and channels so that you could pop the chord through, come out the bottom, take it back through and knot.” A few print iterations later in order to perfect the ergonomics, and Josh’s umbrella handles were ready to print. D2W used both SLS and SLA technologies to make the final pieces, the nylon SLS printed pieces were vibro-finished and died black and the metallic looking pieces were printed in SLA and spray-chromed. The results are unique fashionable umbrellas that would not be out of place in the upmarket stores Josh once worked for but it’s not just old household objects that have been given a new lease of life thanks to 3D printing: “This is a designer who had been out of the picture with illness for a little while,” added Andrew Dawood. “Josh has seen all this 3D manufacturing technology being brought to bear on his medical condition and is now using it to get himself back in to the working world.”  For more information visit www.DIGITS2WIDGETS.COM

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MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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COLUMN BEL AIR ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

ADAPTING MASS FINISHING TECHNIQUES

Steven Alviti’s Bel Air Finishing have been manufacturing and supplying mass finishing equipment for 15 years, as the demand for end-use 3D printed parts increases Steve has penned a guide through the world of surface finishing for additive manufacturing.

for Post Processing of 3D parts

BEFORE WOR D S : S te v e n A lv iti, O wner of Bel A ir Finis h in g C or p.

here are numerous challenges in achieving

quality surface for additive manufactured (AM) parts. Those challenges can stem from the chosen method of 3D printing – FDM, DMLS, SLS, SLA etc. The size and deviation of these layers as well as the orientation of the parts in the working envelope are significant factors that affect the surface finish on the manufactured part. Complications can also arise from the material choice itself; the range of particle size, the way the material reacts to the AM process, etc. There are abundant benefits of 3D manufacturing; the ability to create complex geometries with intricate detail, parts with complicated internal passages, etc. However, just like anything else - where you gain on one front, you may lose on another. In the case of 3D printing, the cost associated with all the benefits is achieving a quality Surface Finish. Many industry leading companies and research labs are looking to understand the available finishing techniques, their limitations, and the costs associated with making a qualified 3D part within industry surface requirements. For more information visit www.BELAIRFINISHING.COM

AFTER

DOs & DONTs If you want to successfully use 3D technology for DON’T - Design manufacturing components a part with conventional that require fit, form and manufacturing thought process. Chances are that you will have function… you must consider dimensional challenges and/or the surface finishing requirements before starting surface finishing problems when you take your part from the printed the design:



DO - Consider your

surface finish requirements before you choose your 3D printing method and technology. Speed of a build and resulting surface finish seem to be at the opposite ends of the spectrum. The surface of a part can vary between a Ra (measurement of surface roughness) of 100 to 1000 micro inches. The surface of the printed part is directly affected by the printing technology and the material grain size. The lower the Ra the more likely and faster you can get to your required surface specification



DON’T - Design a part with the “3D Hype mentality”.



ABOVE: Shown is excessive edge wear during the finishing process. This is a result to the amount of conditioning needed to give the part an even quality finish due to the gross variation of defects on 3D printed parts.

Hype suggests that you can take a five-piece assembly turn it into a “one shot build” with your printer. If you consider surface finish requirements and understand that conventional finishing methods will not be applicable, you may find that you need to breakdown and simplify your design. For instance, your “one shot build” may be divided into a two-part build with a single assembly. This may allow you to use standard finishing techniques to handle dimensional requirements and still have a more efficient process of production.

build and attempt to integrate it into its functional assembly. You will probably need to build your corner, angle and surface geometries in an unconventional manner. Loss of material at a surface, other than a corner, can range between .001 in. to .005 in.



DO - Take the time to understand and experiment with conventional finishing methods. Have some specifically designed shapes made in several machine technologies and have the surfaces finished by conventional methods to analyze the results and limitations before you purchase or before you design a part.



DO - Take the time to define your surface requirements before you design. Understanding the 3 dimensional topographic features of your build are necessary to define the surface as well as the conventional simple Ra measurement. A part after finishing, can have an Ra that meets the print specification but it can also have left over divots from your build. Typical convention surface call outs do not take this into account.

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.medical

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

Photos: uwe-muehlhaeusser.de, finamedia.de Machine layout: newkon.info | Artwork: brandnew-design.de

Source: Fraunhofer IWU

MACHINE SOLUTIONS FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING WITH METALS

TCT ASIA REVIEW ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

AT THE DEBUT TCT ASIA + PERSONALIZE EVENT IN 2015, WE WERE LEFT WITH A PROMISING OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING IN A REGION THAT MANY HIGH-PROFILE VENDORS WERE CALLING THE INDUSTRY’S “BIGGEST MARKET” AND “FASTEST GROWING”. THOSE CLAIMS LEFT THE 2016 EDITION WITH SOME SUCCESSFUL SHOES TO FILL BUT JUDGING BY THE STAGGERING ATTENDANCE LEVELS AND POSITIVITY FROM EXHIBITORS AND VISITORS ALIKE, THOSE EXPECTATIONS WERE MET AND EXCEEDED.

TCT Asia Review INNOVATION EVERYWHERE

Just like the stands themselves at the Shanghai Convention & Exhibition Center of International Sourcing, the number of metal 3D printing technologies had grown significantly at this year’s show with several players like Bright Laser Technology (BLT), Farsoon, Union Tech and Syndaya 3D Technology Co., all displaying new machinery alongside established names like Concept Laser, SLM Solutions and Renishaw. BLT launched its latest industrial AM system, the BLT-S200 on the TCT Introducing stage aimed primarily at the medical and dental markets along with the DiMetal-280 from Guangdong Syndaya 3D Technology Co. Ltd. and the TSC 350A from TSC Laser. Hori 3D turned heads with a display of stunning 3D printed knights and horses that were produced on a large-scale FDM machine and finished with a smooth surface texture and paint. Prismlab debuted its RP600 large-scale stereolithography-based printer, complete with its patented MFP technology and Raise3D brought its latest machines, the N2 and N2 Plus to the show floor with ambitions to become “the best largeformat 3D printing company in 2016”. Materialise, a company that’s been active in the region since 2005, also launched the Materialise Controller, an integrated additive manufacturing control platform which increases the flexibility, agility and processing power of a given AM platform. We also got a close look at Shining 3D’s new EinScan-Pro multi-purpose handheld scanner and Tiertime’s UP Mini 2 whilst SprintRay, another Kickstarter success story, made its TCT Asia debut.

TCT INSPIRED MINDS

The TCT Inspired Minds program has become an integral part of the TCT events portfolio and this year’s TCT Asia edition was a fantastic reminder of why this program is so important. Introduced by industry stalwart, Graham Tromans and complete with 3D printing equipment from sponsors, Shining 3D, the classroom on the show floor remained packed throughout the

TCT ASIA SUMMIT 2016

Anyone wishing to catch up with the state-of-the-art in aerospace, medical and creative applications of additive technologies both across Asia and the rest of the world was once again presented with an unbeatable opportunity during TCT + Personalize Asia. Taking place in a grand room above the exhibition show floor, the opening sessions were delivered by some of the most important commercial players in the world of 3D technologies in the form of new-to-AM HP, engineering giants Renishaw and China-based commerce leader JD Smart, part of JD.com.

KEYNOTES SET THE SCENE

entire event, including the final day which was reserved for giving the teachers themselves an opportunity to learn more about 3D technologies. This saw around 600 educators eager to get their turn in the 100-person capacity classroom. Inspired Minds also hosted the second TCT Inspired Minds Student Design Competition. We saw a whole range of innovative ideas by students from across the region enter for the chance to have their idea crowdfunded. First prize went to students at the Taiyuan Institute of Technology for their ‘Cell Phone Joystick’. Second prize was awarded to Southwest University (last year’s competition winners) for a re-design and 3D print of Da Vinci’s Code Tube. Finally third prize went to East China University of Science and Technology for an Earphone Protector inspired by popular anime cartoon, One Piece.

As the first speaker of the event HP’s Marc Torras immediately set the tone for the summit with a comprehensive overview of the heritage that sets up HP as a potentially groundbreaking player in the additive world. The company’s ability to draw on their world-class ink-jetting knowledge base from the world of 2D imaging allows them to tackle problems that the 3D printing world has grappled with for years. The unique proposition of speed with either colour, novel material properties, or both, means that HP’s Multi Jet Fusion platform potentially has something to offer any enterprise user. Up next Renishaw’s Marc Saunders again showed how knowledge from different industries can be used to accelerate the development of additive solutions. Renishaw has a long history in engineering applications and is a major player in the industrial metrology space. This history has been invaluable in developing the company’s metals additive MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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TCT ASIA REVIEW ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

manufacturing line up for true industrial and manufacturing applications. Marc was able to shed light on the company and the technology for the expectant audience, further evidence that AM in metals is a major topic of interest across Asia at the moment. The third and final speaker of the keynote session came from Leslie Liu, VP of JD Smart. Well known to the local audience though not known internationally, JD Smart is part of the JD.com — part of the Big Three in the Chinese online world. Leslie’s presentation focused on 3D printing and connected devices, and how the two technologies are able to interact with one another. The involvement of large companies like JD.com in the 3D printing world is significant for the industry and the audience were aware of this, with Leslie facing many questions after his keynote.

STREAMS BRING CONTENT INTO FOCUS

After a short break to allow attendees to digest the morning keynotes, three content streams covering Aerospace and Aircraft, Advanced Manufacturing and Medical applications kicked off. The Aerospace industry is set to become one of China’s next boom areas — indeed it’s already moving at a significant pace. With domestic production of aircraft for domestic consumption set to skyrocket

(no pun intended) in the coming years, additive technologies have a real opportunity to make an impact from the very beginning. Speakers from GE Aviation China, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and Shanghai Jiaotong University addressed the challenges with deploying AM in jet engine manufacture, airframe manufacture and repair and opportunities for deployment in space exploration. The Advanced Manufacturing stream, moderated by Shanghai Volkswagen, explored a broad range of application areas from tooling and moulding, product development and prototyping, functional electronics, and automotive R&D. Speakers from Changan Motor, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Gincare and Schneider Electric contributed to the well-attended sessions. Medical applications continue to show great promise for additive technologies, capitalising on the technologies’ ability to create bespoke parts with complex geometry at an accessible price. The local China market is well supported and well funded in the medical sphere, with significant research and application expertise in the country. Many of the leading researchers and practitioners delivered a fascinating series of presentations covering implantables,

surgical aids, regulation and policy, and digital dentistry. A further session on bio-printing explored this fledgling related sector, including perspectives from Regenovo, Plastic Surgery Hospital (Institute)/ Shanghai 9th People’s Hospital and Sichuan University.

WORKSHOPS DIG INTO MORE DETAIL

Alongside the conference two special sessions proved very popular. The Jewelry and Creative workshop saw academia, designers and manufacturers explore some of the applications, tips and tricks of using 3D printing to produce pieces high in both function and aesthetics. The second workshop came from Graham Tromans and his ‘Fundamentals’ session. Ideal for beginners or those requiring a refresher, Graham continually tracks developments in the global AM market and delivers updates in the UK, Europe, USA, China and beyond.

MORE TO COME

Looking forward to 2017 the TCT Asia exhibition and Summit is set to take place in heart of Shanghai once again, allowing attendees and delegates the opportunity to easily see the technologies first hand and learn about the use cases, applications and real-world challenges of each. 

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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Tradition and Innovation Sodick’s new OPM250E combines 3D printing and CNC milling in one machine

The new and unique Sodick OPM250E combines the latest metal 3D printing technology with the very best integral linear motor drive milling centre - creating the first one-step solution for the entire metal 3D printer process. So, if you are looking for the rock solid security of Sodick’s unsurpassed machining expertise, together with the ultimate flexibility of 3D printing technology, in order to outperform your competitors, you need to check out the OPM250E - on show in the UK for the first time ever at MACH. Come and see the OPM250E for yourself on Sodi-Tech’s stand 5470 Sodi-Tech EDM, sole UK distributor of Sodick technology. Rowley Drive, Baginton, Coventry, CV3 4FG Tel. +44 (0)24 76 511 677 Email sales@sodi-techedm.co.uk www.sodi-techedm.co.uk

AMUG REVIEW ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

AMUG 2016 REVIEW W O R D S : L A U R A G R I F F I T HS



ABOVE: Technical competition winner for Advanced Finishing

hen you tell people you’re headed to Additive Manufacturing Users Group as a first timer, the first thing they will tell you is that it’s different to any other trade event. In the build up to this year’s conference, I had been excited by stories from AMUG regulars who were keen to sing the praises of what feels like a rite of passage in the AM calendar. I’m happy to report, they were right - AMUG is very different. From the types of conference sessions to the networking luncheons and surprise trip to Six Flags, AMUG for me was a unique chance to soak up some new perspectives, catch up with friends and make new ones. Taking place in St. Louis with a whopping 1,000 attendees, AMUG began with a casual evening expo complete with open bars dotted around the stunning St. Louis Union Station Hotel, much larger than the usual AMUG floor space, so I’m told. I set out to meet with as many people as I could but before I knew it, 2 hours had gone by and I had

only managed to visit 5 booths, distracted by conversations about what companies are up to behind the scenes and getting the chance to play around with some hotly anticipated tech – more on that later. The conference proceedings kicked off with a packed out opening address from Mark Barfoot who took to the stage to honour Mark Abshire with the AMUG President’s Award, shortly followed by Todd Grimm who gave his keynote presentation on ‘The Age of Innovation”. Highlighting the plethora of cutting edge technologies that are just entering the scene, Todd’s message was that innovation is

everywhere and we still have a good 10 years of it ahead of us to get stuck into. The ever-popular Jason Lopes of Legacy Effects then took to the floor for a 90 minute rundown of the best 3D prints from his team’s some 4,679 builds since the last AMUG meet. From Hollywood blockbusters to Superbowl adverts and even Cristiano Ronaldo replicas, Legacy Effects have been using 3D printing in a huge array of creative pursuits over the last year and Jason enthralled the jam-packed conference room with tales of the unexpected – including the story of how a group of three young makers – aged 10, 12 and 14 -

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TCT AMUG SHOW REVIEW REVIEW

ABOVE: Prints from 3D Systems

SLA-bot 2

managed to get him out of a bit of a ‘3D printing funk’. Of course one of the biggest stories from this year’s event was the official debut of Carbon’s much anticipated – and much hyped – first machine, the M1 3D printer. Having eagerly awaited the launch of this machine that’s received so much attention for its impressive speeds, I was surprised when I spoke with fellow AMUG attendees who were unaware of CLIP technology and asking questions like: “so it is a carbon 3D printer?” With its own room to the side of the expo, kitted out like an Apple store (understandable as the Silicon Valley company includes people from the original iPhone development team), the reveal of Carbon’s first machine was truly impressive not just for the M1 itself but the materials (Read more on page 31). The following morning, the AMUG Diamond Sponsor Panel Session featuring representatives from 3D Systems, Carbon, Concept Laser, ExOne, GE, HP, Renishaw, SLM Solutions, DSM Somos and Stratasys saw the main conference room filled once more. Our Editor Dan summed the mood up perfectly in his AMUG Blog – “AMUG is a place where hype goes to die, you’re not going to get a good reaction from the baying audience if you talk in marketing lingo.” This was evident in the fantastic remarks from company founders and leaders in response to the mixed bag of questions that came from the audience covering everything from materials to better training on machinery. Another main stage highlight was the Scott Crump interview session, which saw Todd Grimm delve into the mind of 3D printing pioneer and inventor of FDM technology. Scott spoke of how his thrill seeking life style has allowed him to take greater risks in business and delivered



Left: Carbon M1 Printer

RIGHT:

queues for their room

an interesting tale of how he first went on to invent fused deposition modelling thanks to entertaining his child and also offered his thoughts on the future for the industry. The following extensive conference tracks provided attendees with the difficult decision of deciding which to stop by, including myself. GE had people queuing out of the door for much of their sessions whilst the medical track featured speakers such as David Escobar for Formlabs talking about more training in healthcare, a surprising talk from Boeing on a community-based project, which helps wounded war veterans with assisted devices and dental presentation from Perry E. Jones at the Virginia Commonwealth University which proved both highly informative and entertaining. Carbon provided a run down on the leaps they’re making in materials science whilst 3D Systems provided visitors with a first look at their new SLA-Bot 2 demonstration. Not forgetting the technical sessions from companies like; ExOne, Renishaw and Stratasys, and updates from Voxel8 and industry newcomers, Xjet. These are just a mere snapshot of the sessions that were on offer. Of course AMUG is also about recognising the achievements of those in the industry and

the annual awards banquet serves as the place where those figures are acknowledged. For this year’s ceremony, we were all sent off in a convoy of busses to a secret location, so secret in fact, our bus driver himself claimed even he didn’t know where we were headed right up until the moment we set off. We found ourselves at Six Flags theme park where the entire AM community emptied the gift shop of its stock of souvenir sweaters thanks to the unexpected evening chill and 10 new DINOs were welcomed into the fold. These were: ANDREW ALLSHORN, At 3D-Squared, Ltd. BEN DOLAN, UC Irvine VITO GERVASI, Milwaukee School of Engineering ELIZABETH GOODE, GoodeInk MIKE HASCHER, Eagle Engineered Solutions Inc. JOE HOLLAND, Hyphen BONNIE MEYER, Stratasys TODD REESE, Realize, Inc. DAN WELKER, Yazaki North America JACK ZIEMBA, AristoCast, Inc.

Another huge feature of AMUG is the Technical Competition, which each year invites competitors to submit their wares for the chance to win one of two awards for Advanced Concepts and Advanced Finishing. The impressive shortlist included several ‘Star Wars – The Force Awakens’ inspired pieces and even a support cleaning apparatus but the final winners were Alan Guyan from Under Armour for the Architect shoe featuring a generatively designed 3D printed midsole (more on page 34) and an incredible replica of Van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’ painting from Custom Prototypes which perfectly replicates every point and colour of the original piece. AMUG has grown so much and it’s a real testament to its team of volunteers who work tirelessly, year round to get every detail perfect from the keynote speakers all the way down to the dessert choice at the dinner table, that the event continues to emanate its inimitable sense of openness and friendliness. I learned a great deal from my first AMUG trip, some of which you will read about over the next few pages and I’m already looking forward to what AMUG 2017 has in store for sunny Orlando, Florida. 

LEFT: Advanced Concept

Technical Competition winner

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

One of the biggest stories from this year’s event was the official debut of Carbon’s much anticipated – and much hyped – first machine, the M1 3D printer

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MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

CARBON AMUG ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

WO R D S : LAUR A GR IFFITH S

met with carbon’s

dream team during a panel session with Joe DeSimone, CEO and Co-founder; Jason Rolland, Vice President of Materials; and Kirk Phelps, Vice President of Product Management, at AMUG 2016. Speaking about the company’s collective disciplinary diversity of materials researchers, hardware, software engineers and developer experience from the original iPhone team, Joe says he believes this diversity of people is a “fundamental tenant of innovation”. “When you start a company, getting the right people in the very beginning is essential,” Joe commented. “The Valley has an amazing cando culture there’s an ecosystem to tap into of fabrication and capabilities.” Listening to Joe, who describes himself as “a polymer guy”, dressed casually in a smart jacket and trainers combo, he’s not talking in the sound bites you might expect from someone heading up a company that’s been hyped to this level. Instead he paints a California-cool picture of employees bringing their dogs to work and spending lunch breaks doing group fitness activities – and you can very much believe that’s exactly how it is. Carbon’s M1 machine, the first to utilise Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP), is itself a sleek and modern product. Standing at around 6ft tall, the machine is full of cool gadgets and features including a browserbased interface and foot-operated sensor that activates the closure of the screen. Of course, it’s all fair and well to have a machine that looks good – and it really does look good – but the real test is whether the parts match up. The parts on show in Carbon’s Apple store-styled room, paired with their exact print times, were very impressive and that’s thanks to the strong line-up of materials - one member of the Carbon team told me that he’d used one of these functional parts on his very own car.

INTRODUCING THE

If there’s one name that’s been hot on the lips of everyone in the 3D printing world, it’s the rising star formerly known as Carbon3D - Carbon. For months the industry has been equally excited and speculative about a technology that promised to change the game in terms of build speed. But in the weeks leading up to the Silicon Valley startup’s product launch, we learned that the story here isn’t really about speed, it’s about something much more significant and potentially ground-breaking for the industry; materials.

THERE ARE FIVE CLASSES OF RESINS:

RPU - Carbon’s stiffest and most versatile polyurethanebased resin FPU - Flexible Polyurethane, a semi-rigid material with good impact, abrasion and fatigue resistance EPU - Elastomeric Polyurethane, a high performance polymeric elastomer CE - Cyanate Ester-based resin, high performance material with heat deflection temperatures up to 219°C PR - Prototyping Resin available in six colours, prints quickly, has excellent resolution, and can withstand moderate functional testing. “The reason they feel like real parts is because it’s real chemistry,” Kirk explained. “We’re not confined to this small area of chemistry that’s just light activated we get to a play into this much larger area of chemistries and that allows us to make real parts. From a customer perspective, it’s great to say

‘hey those chemistries you’re already using in urethane casting or reaction injection moulding, we have these very similar resins that are from the same chemical families’.” Jason added: “Ours behave like real parts so you can take this and go really crazy on it. We have videos of us rolling over it with a steam roller - they behave like the plastic objects people are used to in their everyday lives.” One of the biggest surprises of the M1 launch was its unique leasing system, an industry first which sees the machine available on a 3-year minimum subscription basis at $40,000 per year. The idea is to bring together the printer, software and service to provide a futureproof model that is accessible and constantly updated with the latest technology. Kirk explained: “We said not only should we design the product to be a great product experience but let’s design our business model to align our incentives with our customers so that when they subscribe to a Carbon printer they can be assured that the product experience is going to be great all of the time.” Much of this is thanks to the connected nature of the machine built with a web serverbased architecture, which allows new data to be pushed out to all printers as new resins are developed. Joe envisions a sort of ‘resin app store’, which will be continuously updated with the latest materials. Jason adds: “The printer doesn’t become irrelevant. If we introduce a new resin you don’t have to get a new printer - we can upgrade your software.” This combination of connectivity and materials science are what Carbon believes is going to really excite future users. Learning with customers that already include Ford, Johnson & Johnson and BMW, and having a platform that’s ready to be upgraded for future innovations, I’m positive we’re going to see more of the unexpected coming out of The Valley. Joe commented: “The more people use the printer the better it’s going to get because we’ll take this aggregated knowledge of all these different arbitrary shapes and we’ll constantly improve the process.”

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PUSHING THE ENVELOPE FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

The Arcam Q20 represents the 3rd generation EBM technology. It is a manufacturing equipment specifically designed for production of components for the aerospace industry. Key Features: • Arcam LayerQam™ for build verification • Latest generation EB gun • Closed powder handling

www.arcam.com 032

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

STEREOLITHOGRAHPHY

’ve been in this industry for near on two years - I know my stuff, I can happily go to a trade event and feel like I’m amongst friends but still I find that when I meet the big names, the ones that come pre-fixed with “thought-leader”, “inventor” or “godfather of 3D printing”, I can’t help but get a little nervous. At this year’s AMUG, I got the opportunity to meet with Chuck Hull, the inventor of stereolithography and as a result, much of this blossoming industry of ours. Before I could make a joke about thanking him for my pay check, I was invited to take a close look at what’s been going on at 3D Systems since the company demoed its latest groundbreaking technology - the SLA Bot-1 at CES. Four months down the line, they’re showcasing a scaled up version of the Figure 4 installation, a modular concept featuring ultra-fast stereolithography designed for integration into an automated manufacturing environment. Conceived out of the original stereolithography patent filed by Hull back in 1983, the SLA Bot has grown considerably and the company is presenting a much meatier iteration featuring six modules working in a chain with two robotic arms to take the print from start to finish. This year marks 3D Systems’ 30th anniversary and the evolution of stereolithography is a hot topic. This latest ‘technology demonstration’ represents the next phase in that evolution – the SLA Bot2. Hull himself has been very hands-on in the development process and the team tell me he was right there when they got the first prototype working “well after hours”. This is a fully automated production line and it’s integrated with secondary processes including material recovery, solvent bathing, part washing and curing, encompassing the entire manufacturing flow to speed up the process and eliminate the need for manual handling. This way, customised parts can be created in seconds and it’s completely flexible - you can really go as big as you want. Scott Turner, Senior Researcher at 3D Systems, shows me the output from a two and a half hour cycle and there are already hundreds of small-scale prints (custom glasses frames and finger splints) piled up ready to go. “When you look at that compared to what you get out of other printers in two and a half hours it’s very different,” Scott explains. “It doesn’t have to end here either. Typically as we envision our customers, they’ll have secondary operations, they can put electronics in there, fasteners, coatings, all of those things that are used in end-part production.”

WOR D S : L A U R A G R I F F I T HS

Hull adds: “Our product is just this little thing here and the materials so this is to demonstrate to people who want to manufacture, how you would do it and get their minds going – they’re better at that than we are.” THE YEAR OF THE MATERIALS SCIENTIST It seems as though materials scientists are finally getting their moment to play in the AM industry. We might have faster technologies coming thick and fast but one of the first questions that always gets asked is: “great, but are the materials any good?” The beauty of the SLA Bot-2 is the potential for materials like hybrid photopolymers, which bring toughness, durability, biocompatibility, hightemperature resistance, elastomeric and even injection moulded properties to open up a whole new era of possibilities in enduse applications. Hull says: “The traditional thinking has been, ‘oh this material has to sit in this vat for months and years and be stable’ and now we don’t care, it frees up the chemist to really do new things.” 3D Systems has been using hybrid chemistry for years but when that initial Figure 4 patent was filed, the enabling technologies that we have today were simply not in existence. Now the scope for specifying materials and their unique properties for individual use cases is wide open. Working with reactive materials, mixing materials and offering strengths that are on par with injection moulded parts, frees the landscape up dramatically. Scott commented: “It’s about getting our customers and our future customers thinking about this technology - they’re going to come up with much better ways to implement it than we ever could. This is what they do every day, this is what we do every day.” Right now 3D Systems is actively looking for companies that want to get their hands on this technology. Adoption is well under way and the company has already been out to customers discussing how they can implement the technology into the manufacturing process. The plan is to engage with lead customers in the next two quarters and then go all out with the new product in early 2017. Hull jokes: “Who knows what we’ll do next, the SLA Bot-3?”  For more information visit www.3DSYSTEMS.COM

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Stereolithography Evolves

UNDER ARMOUR

Under the Armour

Daniel O’C on nor wit h th e qu e s tio n s , Alan G uyan wit h th e a n s we r s

How the sportswear giant took a huge leap into the world of 3D printed apparel

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

s Steph Curry shot his 402nd three-pointer of the season and Golden State Warriors broke the Chicago Bulls all-time NBA win record the post-match analysis was quick to showcase the MVP’s quick footwork that gets him into the correct positions to effortlessly smash every shooting record in existence. The close up of his Under Armour basketball shoes broadcast to millions across the world is probably just about the greatest exposure a sports brand could ever wish for. Curry’s exploits may have helped the Baltimorebased brand take a huge chunk of a sports footwear market (roughly $700 million in annual sales as of 2015) the company weren’t even involved in less than a decade ago but one of the reasons the likes of Curry, Tom Brady, Jordan Speith and a host of sports teams across the globe is turning to Under Armour in order to give them an extra edge is its focus on technological innovation. And it was innovation out of the Under Armour camp that saw it scoop an award as prestigious in the 3D printing industry as Curry’s MVP is to basketball – AMUG’s Advanced Concepts Technical Competition. The Under Armour Architech is a result of two years in research and development in order to create the ultimate training shoe for athletes using the latest in generative design and additive manufacturing. The striking shoe features a fully 3D printed latticed midsole that offers an unrivalled cushioning thanks to the research into perfect structures in nature and architecture. Alan Guyan, Sr. Innovation Design Manager, stepped up to take the 2016 award for a project that has been his baby since inception, TCT spoke to Alan to find out what goes into redesigning the shoe: ››

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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UNDER ARMOUR ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Q. Generative design is a hot topic; can you tell

us exactly how Autodesk Within’s software has optimised the heel of the UA Architech?

The Autodesk Within software has allowed our team to develop custom lightweight lattice structures, which could be tailored to meet our footwear performance goals. I call this our 3D foundation blocks, which will lead to a number of optimal cushioning options in the future. In the beginning, we were able to eliminate a number of lightweight lattice structure designs with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations, and by conducting multiple mechanical tests. However, this is a two-part equation, and the software requires a number of inputs that can only be achieved by utilising the data from the UA Sport Science team. The inputs of kinematic and/or kinetic data, and material properties were able to give us the road map in creating an optimal structure. We also had to evaluate thresholds between computer simulation, and the final 3D printed products. From here we could determine the performance attributes and the future 3D print technology in all sport activities. This innovation will continue to play an important into our core DNA of performance, and here we will continue to expand our optimisation developments into future footwear product platforms.



BELOW: To achieve a end-use consumer worthy finish the heel was post-processed using the PUSh Process

This performance trainer provides athletes with the ultimate stability and cushioning to take on the most intense workouts.



ABOVE: The 3D printed latticed heel was designed using Autodesk Within software

Q. What 3D printing technology went into not just the manufacture but prototyping too? Can you talk us through the step-by-step process?

A. The UA Architech used a number of 3D printing

technologies not just for manufacturing, but also in the footwear development process. These included a suite of 3D printing platforms, which include Polyjet, Binder Jet, SLS and SLA technologies. The 3D printing process begins with the initial design and 3D model. Moving into digitally fabricated or better known as Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) and from there we can begin the printing process. At the first stages of footwear development, we start off with either 3D Polyjet technology, or a 3D binder jet platform, and from here we can turn around quick and dirty models and prove out our design concepts. This went on for a number of rounds to get it just right, and they provided as a great communication tool for internal stakeholders. We wanted to maximize our efforts on our midsole lattice technology, so we quickly began trials on our SLS platform. The SLS components are the key to success, and the only platform viable for commercialisation. This process was one of the most challenging, and involved many difficult steps to get right, because all the many factors that come into play, and as previously mentioned regarding end-use production. In order to control growth, shrink rates, and scale factors of printed SLS parts, we were able to leverage our Stereolithography (SLA) technology and print out gauges. These gauges served two purposes; a major advantage of the SLA platform is the parts tolerances are almost one to one to the 3D CAD model, and you can print in clear materials. By combining these two benefits, we were able to save time, money, and confirm most of the footwear components without opening a single tool. We are continuing to expand our 3D print endeavours in a number of processes in the product development lifecycle. We feel by pushing these new technologies, we can reduce long development lead times, adapt to market trends, and get our products quicker to market. ››

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UNDER ARMOUR ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Q. How did 3D printing marry with

the manufacture of the rest of the shoe, what challenges were there?

During the shoe manufacturing process, there are always certain levels of challenges to face, and this applies not only to 3D printed sampling, but also with high volume production. Our goal was to create a 3D printed heel component that is engineered specifically for the strength athlete training, and to provide a stable and supportive platform within all three planes of motion. This is demonstrated in the final design by only focusing on the heel section of the midsole. We wanted to focus on heel stability, yet allow for flexibility in the forefoot. Bonding several different types of footwear material components together is always a concern, and it can really make or break a product. In the early stages of development, we conducted numerous bonding trials to ensure we were selecting the right materials. We achieved this with great success, allowing us to focus on the individual component intergradation, and the overall execution.

Q. Is a 3D printed shoe becoming

an in-demand product from UA athletes, in the goal to improve performance however incremental that is?

Again, to Under Armour’s dedication to make all athletes better, and to our core DNA of performance, we see that all athletes can benefit from this technology. This is our first-ever 3D printed performance trainer. The UA Architech is a 360-degree performancetraining shoe that features a functional 3D printed midsole and 3D ClutchFit auxetic upper design that creates a “super-hybrid” trainer. This performance trainer provides athletes with the ultimate stability and cushioning to take on the most intense workouts. The UA Architech, went through the gauntlet of mechanical testing, with over 120 hours of physical testing, and over 80 athletes proving wear-test feedback.



Q. What athletes and what sports will

benefit from this technology? Will Autodesk Within create generative design for different sports depending on what different forces of sporting activity put them under?

A. The UA Architech 3D printed

heel component was engineered specifically for the strength-training athlete to provide a stable and supportive platform within all three planes of motion. The technology is a successful because we engineered it utilising a holistic development approach, considering each aspect of the process and giving those aspects equal importance to the overall outcome of the shoe, i.e. upper design and material geometry, 3D engineering, product testing, and manufacturing. This technology can benefit a variety of athletes, and we look forward to exploring those opportunities with the same thoughtfulness we had for the Architech.

ABOVE: To achieve a end-use consumer The UA Architech combines two types of training shoes in one thanks to 3D printing

Autodesk Within will utilise data from the UA Sport Science team to determine the performance attributes, and inputs of actual kinematic and/ or kinetic data. From there we can look into the future of additional sport activities, but it starts with real biomechanical research and testing.

Q. Are professional athletes now

using scanning processes for shoes specifically tailored to each foot? And if so will that trickle down to amateur athletes and the broader consumer base?

A. The innovation team has made

substantial investments in scanning technology, and we’ve been amassing a large 3D scanning database of all athlete foot and body geometry. We see this as the 3D digital blueprint, where we can evaluate their geometry based on their sport and position. We build performance-based products for all athletes, but the process begins with our top tier athletes. From there we can ensure our product meets or exceeds our consumer needs by leveraging our professional assets. Eventually, we see this as a platform where all consumers and all athletes can benefit from this amazing 3D printing technology. We are just getting started…  For more information visit

RIGHT:

Printed in LUVOSINT TPU using SLS technology.

www.underarmour.com/en-us/ 3d-architech

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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CA MODELS ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Formula for SUCCESS

T THE DEBUT FORMNEXT powered by tct event in Frankfurt, one company that had a constant crowd of people on its stand was SLM Solutions, a sight that didn’t go unnoticed by UK-based service provider CA Models who were visiting the event on the lookout for their next metal additive manufacturing machine purpose. Immediately impressed by the build size and part quality from the German-SLM machine manufacturer’s SLM 500 model, CA Models took the plunge to add the machine to its already competitive arsenal of AM technologies. I speak with Clark Campbell, Managing Director at CA Models just as he finishes up a call with another high-profile Formula 1 customer. They’re proposing some challenging time frames for the Scottish prototyping and model-making company and Campbell has had the task of bringing them back down to Earth to understand what they can realistically achieve with AM. “When you’re being pushed to the limit it’s the only attitude to have,” Campbell says. Established in 1983, the company has been working with motorsport clients for a long time and a lot of its business comes from Formula 1 teams who are benefiting from the huge advantages that metal additive manufactured parts can bring in terms of light weighting and reducing part count. CA Models houses a complete in-house manufacturing service with an extensive range of machines and technologies including the Concept Laser M2, SLA machines from 3D Systems, SLS from EOS and FDM and multi-material printing from Stratasys. The addition of the SLM 500 with its 500 mm x 280 mm x 365 mm build volume and quadruple 400 watt laser power, will bring new possibilities in terms of size and build speed to CA Models metal AM capacity, particularly in the motorsport sector where bigger metal parts are in increasingly high demand. “I think a lot of the F1 designers have embraced this metal additive technology quite quickly. They’re on the money when it comes to knowing what’s available and what’s not available,” Campbell comments. One of these recent projects was for an F1 team – which as with a lot of AM examples in the automotive industry, cannot be named – that wanted to manufacture a hollow double water inlet/outlet component using metal AM to

W O R D S : L A U R A G R I F F I T HS

We’ve taken this metal technology and we’ve made it our own for aluminium in the UK

guarantee both strength and weight saving. CA Models’ in house team began by choosing the optimum build orientation for the part and the CAD model was altered to provide additional stock on the component, an essential requirement when post-machining is required. The part was then sent for manufacturing in aluminium on the Concept Laser M2 and post-machined in CA Models’ CNC department exact tolerance specifications using a 5-axis machine before being inspected with CMM Inspection tool. Campbell describes the lead-time as “phenomenal”, having managed to take the six to eight week production time for an investment cast and machined part down to just six days with AM. “I’m so proud of some of the parts that we’ve produced. We’ve taken this metal technology and we’ve made it our own for aluminium in the UK,” Campbell comments. “The F1 teams are really liking the parts that we’re getting off our Concept Laser machine so the SLM 500 will bring more of the same, only we can now do bigger components.” The new machine is set to take that even further by offering the largest metal AM build volume for hire on the UK market. Once the machine is up and running, the plan is to exclusively manufacture parts in aluminium and then revert their current Concept Laser machine to making parts in Inconel – a material commonly used in building F1 engines. Campbell says his ideal setup would be to have an additional two machines to offer even more flexibility and material choices to customers – much like their current plastic offering – but for now, the company is excited to be offering this unique service to the UK. “I’m hoping to take us to a new level with the SLM 500,” Campbell adds. “The new machine will give really good quality parts, very quickly. Metal technology is definitely on the march.”  For more information visit www.camodels.co.uk

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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DELCAM BRACKET ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Breaking down the silos between additive and subtractive manufacturing W OR DS : L A U R A G R IFFITH S

Earlier this year, TCT visited Delcam’s headquarters in Birmingham to get an update on what’s been going on at the manufacturing software and solutions company over the last few months. In addition to a new robotic arm for AM research and appearances on BBC’s ‘The One Show’, one of the most interesting developments was a study happening behind the scenes inspired by the BLOODHOUND SSC project.

s a company that’s been involved in the production of metal additive manufactured parts for some time, they understand the importance of designing coherent workflows to take a known design all the way through to manufacture and post-processing, With a traditional part in mind – a hinge bracket from an air brake - the team set out to explore whether current software and processes could be used to enable the additive and subtractive manufacture of quality metal parts. As a result, Delcam has produced an extensive case study that addresses the various design and manufacturing decisions that must be considered to successfully produce a part. Inspired by the BLOODHOUND car, the air brake is a movable flap that helps reduce the speed of a moving object. To put this into context, in order to stop the BLOODHOUND car within a distance of 5.5 miles, the brakes must virtually double the cross-sectional area and drag of the car. This means BLOODHOUND’s airbrakes are the biggest ever seen in land speed racing. Using the brake as a model and working with colleagues at Autodesk, a topologically optimised shape, which respects the weight and stiffness constraints of the airbrake – now called Opti-Opti - was created using Inventor’s Shape Generator Tool. This shape was then smoothed out and re-simulated against the original loads in Fusion Simulation to verify its integrity. The resulting design achieved a significant 22% mass saving compared to its original (430.3g) which was machined from a solid block.

However due to some support fixtures, this iteration was not suitable for manufacturing or post processing as some support fixtures were impossible to remove. Equally, topology optimisation is relatively new and will certainly become more used in the future but until then, chief engineers will need to be convinced of its effectiveness and reliability before being in critical design components. So, as a stepping stone, the next step was to use the Opti-Opti as a template to produce a more ‘acceptable to chief engineers’ part, which later became known as the Opti-Trad – a traditional CAD design using topology optimisation to explore design concepts. But there was a catch and this version gained a 2% mass increase compared to the original machined part, completely foregoing all weight savings. As the Opti-Trad bracket was slightly heavier than the original bracket, using the optimised bracket again as a shape inspiration, stricter manufacturability considerations were applied while maintaining the weight saving benefits of the topology optimised bracket. The third and final iteration accounting for performance, shape and mass gains originally obtained by topology optimisation achieved a 19% mass reduction compared to the original machined part. Designs in hand, the team moved on to the three P’s - plan, prepare and produce. Each step had to be thoroughly calculated to ensure no potential implications in the downstream process. ››

KEY CONSIDERATIONS OF PROCESS PLANNING: 1. MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS What standards does the product have to conform to? This can include material, quantities, tolerances, mechanical and surface properties. 2. TECHNOLOGY CHOICE What technologies are required to realise the requirements - additive, subtractive, or ‘other’ processes in some combination? 3. PROCESS CHOICE What processes are needed for each technology? This can be AM-powder bed, milling, turning, wire EDM or other processes such as thermal and surface treatments. 4. MACHINE CHOICE What machines are needed and available for each process choice? This can be laser/EBM based powder bed AM, 3-5 axes milling, mill-turn, turn, and/or submerged wire EDM machine. 5. SUB-PROCESS What sub-process are involved for each on the process choice? Face or surface milling, drilling, boring, threading, wire cutting, powder and support removal etc. 6. SETUP What set-up does each machine, process and sub-process need? 7. WORK HOLDING How will the part be held and fixtured in each setup? It can be that the base plate or some surfaces on the part itself are suitable, or perhaps standard clamps are enough or even that special machining fixtures need to be made. 8. EXECUTION SEQUENCING What is the execution order of each operation? It can be first build on a powder bed machine, clean excess powder, machine holes with the parts still on the base plate, then wire EDM a profile, or some other complex mix of operations.

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Potential

Performance

Precision

THERE’S GOOD. THEN THERE’S WORLD CLASS The difference is in the detail

Market leading in-house technology combined with a skilled, experienced team ensures that CA Models prototyping services continually surpass customer expectations across the UK and internationally.

• Stereolithography (SLA) • Metal Additive Manufacturing • Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) • Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) • Multi-Material Printing • Vacuum Casting • CNC Precision Machining • CMM Inspection and 3D Scanning • Specialist Painting and Finishing sales@camodels.co.uk

www.camodels.co.uk

DESKTOP DECLAM3D BRACKET PRINTING ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

ABOVE (L-R): Original bracket;

Design 1 - Opti-Opti bracket; Design 2 Opti-Trad bracket; Design 3- Mass optimisd with manufacturability considerations

“You cannot define a process plan in isolation before moving on to preparation and production,” the team state in the study. “If only it were that simple. In reality the process plan must be adapted to reflect the real decisions and compromises that have to be made as you consult with individual process experts and embark on each step.” With these considerations in mind, the plan was to: build the brackets, heat treat to relieve stresses, machine only interfaces and holes while on the base plate, wire EDM the bottom profile and finally clean up. After planning, the iterative preparation starts. Manufacturing preparation means thinking about each process and sub-process in the process plan from the smallest design change down to part orientation to see how they impact the final part. Delcam calls this ‘Modelling for Manufacturing’ (MfM). The shape that is built is the sum of the decisions and compromises made along the way during planning and preparation. These were used as guidelines to construct a near net shape for the bracket iterations using Delcam’s PowerSHAPE software. Preparing for wire EDM (electrical discharge machining) is challenging because there are strict conditions such as part positioning that must be satisfied, which can have a big impact on AM preparation. In this case, this led to an additional 0.2mm stock allowance to surfaces that would be cut by wire EDM as well as defining the nesting positioning on the AM build platform. Preparing for milling mainly means ensuring that enough material is present on surfaces

that will be machined and thinking about how to hold the parts during machining. In this case, 1.5 mm stock allowance were added for the holes while planar faces received 1.0 mm allowance. To mill these brackets, a 5-axis machine with standard clamping was

You cannot define a process plan in isolation before moving on to preparation and production

used alongside PowerMILL CAM software to generate milling toolpaths. For AM, PartBuilder preparation software, was used for orientation, nesting, support fixturing, and to create reference datums as well as the exposure data for the laser. The remaining ancillary process included heat treatment, surface treatment, manual fixture removal and any other steps identified in the process plan.

Following the builds, the parts were inspected with conventional touch probing and optical 3D scanning which revealed nonuniform shrinkage in some areas and other artefacts. The conclusion was, for metal AM technology, we need to apply more measurement and quality operations to the production process to better understand what is happening to the part and how each process effects the shape before we can reliably predict the shape of parts. The case study highlights the level of understanding that is required to tackle additive technologies successfully and the role that various software can play throughout the entire process chain. You need to think about finishing processes, limitations of your chosen technology and potential overlapping issues from the start to ensure that all of those considerations are addressed in the design and can be accounted for in decision making and planning. It’s also important to remember that right now there are no definitive guidelines and these will always differ depending on the given project and proposed technology. The need for more standards and to draw on the experiences of other manufacturing processes is clear. “Our experience designing, optimising, preparing and manufacturing these brackets has left with us many topics to discuss and reflect on,” the study concludes. “Until we can freely share and understand the ‘black arts’ and artisanal secrets of AM, the process will not become a standard technique within the manufacturing family alongside casting, forging etc.” 

ABOVE: Finished parts

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W W W. 3 D P R I N T B U R E AU . C O . U K

DESKTOP RAPID 3D PRINTING PREVIEW ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

SME and Rapid News Publications Ltd to Partner on RAPID Event

Beginning in 2017

THE TWO ORGANISATIONS ARE COMBINING NEARLY 30 YEARS OF INSIGHTS AND EXPERIENCE TO ACCELERATE THE ADVANCEMENT OF 3D TECHNOLOGIES IN THE U.S. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.

The TCT Group, Rapid News Publications Ltd, have announced a strategic alliance that will see the organisations teaming up to produce the annual RAPID 3D manufacturing event starting in 2017. The two organisations are combining nearly 30 years of insights and experience in accelerating the adoption and advancement of 3D manufacturing technologies and are confident that the new event, to be renamed RAPID + TCT, will result in an increased impact on the U.S. manufacturing industry. RAPID has been produced by SME since its inception 26 years ago as an additive manufacturing and 3D technology conference and exposition. It has seen significant growth in attendance, exhibits and activities in recent years. Through its TCT portfolio, Rapid News has been at the forefront of the 3D printing, additive manufacturing and product development movement for more than 20 years. The new partnership will leverage SME and TCT’s collective industry knowledge and global networks to draw significantly more industry professionals together to address the challenges of 3D manufacturing and drive even greater adoption and progress across all industries. Emerging technologies such as additive manufacturing (3D printing) and other 3D technologies are enabling manufacturers to reduce time to market, produce stronger and lighter parts, improve efficiency, reduce waste, cost and emissions and create products and geometries they couldn’t create before. Increased awareness of these real benefits of using advanced manufacturing technologies will encourage more companies to adopt these technologies which will improve their ability to compete on the global stage. me and owner of

This is a strategically important and exciting move for both of our organisations “RAPID has developed significantly in the last five years and still we recognize that even more 3D manufacturing knowledge and expertise is needed now,” said Debbie Holton, director of Events and Industry Strategy at SME. “By combining the resources of SME with TCT’s trusted and respected global brand and media reach, we will create an even stronger event that has a greater national impact on manufacturing, helping companies compete with these high tech tools in a quickly changing market.” “This is a strategically important and exciting move for both of our organisations,” said Duncan Wood, chief operating officer, Rapid News Publications Ltd. “This partnership with SME fits with our mission of accelerating 3D technology adoption worldwide. RAPID is the leading 3D manufacturing show in the U.S. and we are delighted to be able to add our experience, ideas and media power to the fantastic team at SME, We look forward to building an amazing RAPID + TCT event with them in the coming years.” 

The RAPID + TCT partnership will go into effect for the 2017 event.

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

Rapid

ollowing its 25th anniversary celebrations in Long Beach last year, North America’s largest 3D manufacturing event is back for 2016 to showcase the latest updates, expertise and innovation from the 3D technologies’ industry. Taking place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, on 16-19 May, visitors can expect exhibits from all the big players, speakers, tours, tech briefings and workshops covering the entire breadth of 3D technologies.

2016 PREVIEW

Showfloor highlights ENVISIONTEC (BOOTH: 711) EnvisionTEC will be continuing to build on their tradition of dedication to excellence. Along with showing a range of their professional grade 3D printing solutions, they will be previewing additional expansions to their material offerings for their 3SP line. Be sure to stop by booth #711 to witness an exciting new development as the company announces a brand new technology platform that opens up new possibilities for industrial customers, particularly aerospace and automotive.

CINCINNATI INC. (BOOTH: 467) SME recently worked with a group of 3D technology leaders to take the first ever scan of the Orion crew module. Cincinnati Inc. will be using its Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) technology to 3D print Orion in several large pieces and assemble onsite at RAPID. Florida Tech students will be available to discuss how the next generation of manufacturing professionals are being educated on advanced manufacturing technology.

XJET (BOOTH: 411) One of the most anticipated launches at this year’s event will be that of the Israeli startup who will be demoing its potentially groundbreaking metal 3D printing technology, Nanoparticle Jetting. At AMUG, Chief Business Officer, Dror Danai detailed how XJet’s technology will allow for metal 3D printed parts to be built without lasers or having to handle powders, the process which derives from inket technology also allows for greater design freedom due to the ability to print in a different support material. Nanoparticle Jetting has been developed by a number of former Objet employees including the founder Hanan Gothait, whose experience in adapting inkjet technology is largely unparalleled, hence the excitement.

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

DESKTOP RAPID 3D PRINTING PREVIEW

CIDEAS (BOOTH: 642) The U.S. service provider has been providing rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing solutions since 1998 and has now become one of the first bureaux in the world to offer Carbon3D’s CLIP process. Joining its armoury of over 30 machines and 50 materials, customers can now get access to this competitively fast technology with “injection moulded like” properties

RENISHAW (BOOTH: 555) The UK-based leader in precision management and metal 3D printing will showcase the full scale of its metal AM production chain including the recently launched productionready RenAM 500M metal AM system, sophisticated QuantAM software and extensive range of metrology solutions.

3D PLATFORM (BOOTH: 542) The large-format 3D printer manufacturer is raising the bar with its latest industrial machine, the 3DP Workbench. Featuring a large build area of 1m x 1m x 0.5m, the machine can produce precision prints down to a 70-micron layer resolution and also uses SurePrint Servo Technology to cut print times in half.

CONCEPT LASER (BOOTH: 755) Championing Industry 4.0, Concept Laser unveiled an integrated, modular new machine concept entitled “AM Factory of Tomorrow” at formnext. At RAPID, the German manufacturer will show how AM is shifting towards series production with its metal M2 cusing system and QM Meltpool 3D, process monitoring tool.

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DESKTOP RAPID 3D PRINTING PREVIEW

Returning to the show floor this year is the Contemporary Art Gallery highlighting the innovative ways designers are using 3D technologies. Last year’s exhibition included a 1:1 recreation of John Merrick’s skull and Kinematics dress from Nervous System so expect a mix of weird and wonderful 3D creations. The popular 3D Playground will also feature once again to give visitors the opportunity to play around with various 3D solutions. This year will include hovercraft races, hands on opportunities with STEM educational tools and a close look at state-of-the-art bio-printing capabilities. The RAPID 3D Printing Fashion Show is sure to be a big draw whilst the annual RAPID Puzzle Challenge, representing the various technologies and materials on the show floor, will also feature.

Conference

biomaterial selection allows production of medical devices that change with growing anatomy, also referred to as “4D printing”. Morrison and Hollister will explore the usage of 4D printing to produce patient-specific additively manufactured implants for children with disorders of the windpipe.

TRANSITION TO PRODUCTION (MONDAY, MAY 16) RAPID kicks off on Monday with a special keynote presentation about the opportunities and challenges in progressing additive manufacturing technology to full part production. The discussion will feature Kevin Creehan, director of technology transition, America Makes – National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute (NAMII), National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), Leo Christodoulou, PhD, director, engineering structures and materials technology, chief engineer, materials and manufacturing technology, The Boeing Company, and Barbara Negroe, ‎advanced manufacturing initiatives – additive manufacturing, GE Corporate Supply Chain & Operations. Participants will hear how manufacturers are working to facilitate their transition from prototypes and to larger production volumes. The presentation will help professionals understand how repeatable and reliable processes, standards development and a qualified workforce play a role.

FACTORY OF THE FUTURE (TUESDAY, MAY 17) Stephen Nigro, president of 3D printing, HP Inc., will take part in Tuesday’s presentation discussing additive manufacturing and how 3D technologies impact the “Factory of the Future.” Joining him in the discussion will

be John Vickers, principal technologist, space technology mission directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Dean Bartles, chief manufacturing officer and executive director, Digital Manufacturing & Design Innovation Institute (DMDI), UI LABS. The discussion will delve deep into how 3D technologies and additive manufacturing are uniquely positioned for the digital factory. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) provides a new opportunity for devices to make their own decisions and to create digital twin parts that operate in the virtual realm.

4D PRINTING IN MEDICINE (WEDNESDAY, MAY 18) Additive manufacturing is increasingly being used in the production of medical devices, particularly for static applications in orthopedics and orthodontics. On Wednesday, RAPID attendees can join Robert Morrison, MD, resident, otolaryngology - head & neck surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and Scott Hollister, PhD, professor of biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as they discuss how thoughtful device design and

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING? (THURSDAY, MAY 19) Another highlight this year is Thursday’s keynote, “The Future of Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing” with Terry Wohlers, FSME, principal consultant and president, Wohlers Associates, Inc. Wohlers is a principal author of Wohlers Report, a yearly publication that provides data of critical importance to product developers, manufacturers, service providers, investors, researchers, and educators in the additive manufacturing industry. He will discuss astounding changes in the industry and share why current trends will help to expand the underdeveloped supply chain, resulting in many new jobs, opportunities, and challenges worldwide. “Once again, I am thrilled to be a part of this year’s RAPID event,” said Wohlers. “As additive manufacturing continues to evolve and gain traction for production applications, RAPID gives us a great opportunity to explore ways of further advancing this exciting industry.”  For more information visit www.rapid3devent.com

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ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

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OTTERBOX ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

RIGHT: Shoe prototype

Reinventing Invention ABOVE: Multi-material medical model

W O R D S : l a u r a g r i f f i t hs

the show is the J750, a versatile addition to the Objet Connex family boasting more than 360,000 colour options and a range of material properties, marking a new level of realism for the 3D technologies market. For the additive manufacturing stalwart, this has been its opportunity to reinvent what 3D printing is, or rather fulfil what people already think it is. Stratasys claims this machine comes closest to what a typical 8-year old kid thinks 3D printing is – a simple piece of tech, where you press a button and a full colour, tangible object comes out. For the big reveal, Stratasys invited us to the headquarters of Otterbox, a long-time Stratasys customer, in Fort Collins, Colorado. Without a doubt, the coolest office I have ever visited, like a sleeker version of the coveted Google HQ kitted out with a C-3PO looking after the server cupboard, a kitchen equipped with various smoothies he new star of

“We’re at the beginning of something that’s going to shake up the world” – those are the words of Josh Claman, Stratasys’ Chief Business Officer as he addresses a room of eager journalists surrounded by an impressive collection of colourful print samples for the launch of the company’s fourth generation multi colour, multimaterial technology.

LEFT: Sliding into

Otterbox HQ

and the ever-hipster, office slide (One Otterbox employee told me they’re actually one of two businesses on the street to have one – I’m making the business case for TCT Towers). But Otterbox isn’t just speeding up their employees’ journeys to the break room, they’re also keen on speeding up the product development process for their popular lines of protective tech gear – that’s where the J750 comes in. The company’s founder and CEO, Curt Richardson, spoke about how the consumer electronics accessory company has been using 3D printing since 2005 to improve its product development cycle. Now as one of the first companies to install the J750, the process is being transformed once more with a technology that allows Otterbox to make advanced prototypes that look exactly like their finished retailstandard products. “It’s not about us, it’s about how customers are using it,” Stratasys CBO Josh tells TCT. “For our beta customers, it’s been transformational. We’re learning more about what you can do with this product from our customers than we ever imagined. All of them had this refinement of the prototyping cycle in mind, they were all thinking about it.” Whilst the rest of the industry seems focused on speed (think Carbon and NewPro 3D), Stratasys are quite clear that they’re not out to join that race with the J750. This machine, the most advanced in the company’s arsenal, sits somewhere in between prototyping and final ›› MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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OTTERBOX

part production – whilst the parts produced on the machine are not intended for end-use cases, they are the most accurate prototypes we’ve seen on the market so far. For example, Otterbox doesn’t use printed prototypes in its testing lab as the material properties don’t match that of their retail products – they’re strong but they might not be able to withstand the 6 ft. 1,000 drop test carried out on the ‘drop machine’ which sees demo devices pushed to their limits and hurled on the ground by someone who I can only imagine is the least-stressed employee in the world. With enhanced colours and textures and a 14 micron layer resolution, prototypes look and feel like they would on a final part which makes the iteration process much faster and gives designers, engineers and marketers a realistic product model to work with. Efficiency is further helped by the J750’s large, six-material capacity and new print heads, meaning they’ve effectively done away with the “irritating” materials changing process and builds can now be completed in half the time of other PolyJet systems. The machine currently operates with existing Stratasys materials (Digital ABS, flexible to rigid, matte to glossy, hard to soft) but there was a hint about the possibility of this changing in the near future. “The real driver is this compression of the prototyping time frame but it’s also this compression of the new product introduction itself and the de-risk of that which I think is really exciting,” Josh continues. “You can’t really do that with a traditional prototyping machine because they don’t have the finish, they’re not that realistic. So I think it’s going to be really, really great, I think there’s a lot of demand out there.” A demand that was high on the list was workflows. An example like the medical skull model (page 53, top) takes around 10 hours to print and doesn’t require laborious finishing or manually putting together dissimilar parts - that’s the beauty of the J750. They’ve also partnered the machine

with a new software solution, PolyJet Studio, which is designed to enable anyone with a grasp on Photoshop to access all of these new capabilities, easily. Josh commented: “If you know Photoshop, we can train you to use this machine in 45 minutes.” They want to take the thinking part out of driving a 3D printer, which basically means negating the requirement of a degree to get a design, print ready. Users can simply choose materials, transparencies, rigidity and colours – the entire palette is there on the software to play with - and optimise the build for the most successful and accurate results. “It simplifies the use of the machine, it simplifies the translation of my design to the print. If we’re really going to free up design, we have to do that generationally, do we have to have AI embedded in the design software.” Otterbox has had the machine in beta mode for the last six months and although Stratasys couldn’t tell us exactly how many companies have taken part in this beta program, we did hear that animation company Laika would be producing its 5th film entirely on the J750 – that’s pretty cool. Stratasys debuted the machine to the wider AM community in St. Louis at the Additive Manufacturing User Group Conference and it is now available to order world-wide – no definitive pricing confirmed but we’re told its somewhere in the bracket between the Connex3 and Objet 1000 Plus. For customers like Otterbox, who say they simply “can’t even quantify the savings” 3D technologies have brought since they introduced their first Zcorp machine back in 2006, perhaps we’ll witness other high-profile customers taking heed. “When I started playing with the product and we started planning the launch, I started thinking ‘this really is inventing 3D printing again’ and the reason I said that was because that 8 year old, or more appropriately, the CEO, that’s what they think 3D printing is - and it now is that.”  For more information visit

Functional, multi-colour parts

If you know Photoshop, we can train you to use this machine in 45 minutes.

ABOVE: Otterbox prototypes from J750

LEFT:

Product test model

www.stratasys.com MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

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DESKTOP MOON 3D PRINTING ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

A few years back I visited Yoav Reches in a London design space called We Do Studio to discuss product design of Formlabs’ lauded Form 1 3D Printer. During the visit Yoav introduced me to some of his contemporaries working at the same We Do Studio, one such contemporary is Oscar Lhermitte whose Kudu Studio has just launched an out of this world design project onto the crowdfundsphere.

W O R D S : DA N I E L O ’C O N N OR

BRINGING THE MOON TO EARTH - With a little help from 3D printing technology

oon, is a

topographically accurate lunar globe available for you to buy and having seen chunks of it during a recent meeting in London I can say it is quite spectacular. It is available on Kickstarter and the work that has gone into producing this ground-breaking piece of design includes some 3D printing. “This project started four years ago when I came across highresolution photographs of the moon gathered by NASA,” says Lhermitte. “I figured that with the data I could piece together a realistic 3D model of the moon. The institute of planetary research kindly gave me access to their huge database and I spent countless hours translating the images from 2D to 3D.” That data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been scaled down to a truly accurate 1/20 million replica of the Moon featuring all the craters, elevation and ridges. In order to make a wonderful computer render of our night-time friend Oscar turned to 3D printing and local service bureau, Digits2Widgets who were able to entirely recreate craters likes of Tycho and Clavius using high-resolution SLS technology. The 3D print has acted as the master for the finished lunar globes, which have been rotocast in the Kudu studio in pigmented polyurethane resin in order to give the correct texture and tone to the moon. Such was Oscar’s dedication to create the best moulds he even took a job with a mould making firm in order to learn the craft and perfect the process for the MOON project. Not content with the most accurate replica of the moon in existence, Oscar enlisted the help of friends to make a ring of LED’s exactly imitate the sun’s illumination of the surface of the moon as seen from earth. Owners can manually adjust the location of the sun’s rays; set it to demo mode, letting you observe a synodic month in just 30 seconds; or, most excitingly, synchronising itself with the current position of the real moon.  For more information visit www.moonproject.space/

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WOR D S : dA N IE L O" C ON NOR

hen the term reverse engineering crops up, one tends to think of legacy components for automotive, aerospace, or oil & gas applications that require bleeding-edge technology for the most accurate results but there is a new wave of users who require just the principles of the technology for creative pursuits. One such pursuit was for authenticity by movie director, J.J. Abrams in making the most successful movie of all time, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Though Abrams had the world’s most advanced graphics technology at his fingertips, he was interested in reconnecting with the original trilogy of the 70s and 80s by using the techniques and people that made those movies some of the most beloved in history. The general consensus about the prequel trilogy decades later was that it was over reliant on CGI and lacked the heft of the physical special FX created by using puppetry, make-up and stopmotion animation. In order to seem like a continuation of the original treasured trilogy Abrams didn’t just pick up with the old cast but a lot of the old crew too, especially for visual effects. Phil Tippett is something of a legend when it comes to physical special effects, his work on the original Star Wars trilogy won him and his studio accolades and contracts for years to come, Abrams particularly loved a scene from the first Star Wars in which Chewbacca plays a game called Dejarik – a sort of holographic chess – on board the Millennium Falcon that Tippett and co had created using stop-motion animation and puppetry.

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Whether it is creating thousands of faces for the Oscar nominated stop-motion animation Anomalisa, the suit for Iron Man or a simple prop in thousands of movies 3D scanning and 3D printing have become essential.

Many of the original puppets have since disappeared and creating them from scratch again would have involved painstaking handcraft copying of stills had a spot of hoarding and some hi-tech not come to hand. Tippett Studio contacted the Lucasfilm archive to see if any of the original puppets remained, they managed to track down a gift consisting of four Dejarik characters mounted to a plaque that was presented to George Lucas after the success of Star Wars: A New Hope. Although George had kept the characters the rubber had disintegrated to the point were they were unusable so the team turned to the principles of reverse engineering. Instead of hiring expensive scanning equipment for precise results the team were more interested in simply the shape and for this a simple DSLR camera and photogrammetry was enough to create a workable digital model. It was at this point the team turned to San Francisco-based 3D printing service Moddler, who have plenty experience in the creation of Visual FX for Hollywood.

REVERSE DESKTOPENGINEERING 3D PRINTING ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

The props industry is absolutely in a state of change due to 3Dprinting

“Tippett Studio got in touch will us in May of 2014, about 2 years prior to the release of The Force Awakens” Jared Murnan, Rapid Prototyping Manager tells TCT. “They had determined the optimal way to go about recreating the Holochess scene was by scanning, 3d printing, molding and finally casting.” Although the reverse engineering represents a tiny step of the painstaking process of stop-motion animation for a relatively tiny scene of nostalgia in the new Star Wars movie, it was essential in recreating that authenticity to which Abrams strived. Whether it is creating thousands of faces for the Oscar nominated stop-motion animation Anomalisa, the suit for Iron Man or a simple prop in thousands of movies 3D scanning and 3D printing have become essential; parts of the movie making business and Hollywood is waking up to the potential of reverse engineering in a big way. Recently during a visit to a UK design agency I was allowed to briefly catch a glimpse of some top-secret prop work for an upcoming blockbuster. Although the information is under embargo what I can say is the lengths that were taken for this single prop were quite spectacular, it involved scanning a prehistoric fossil, applying that

fossil’s texture to a 3D printable material designed specifically and handcrafting the shape to wrap this rubber like material around. All for one prop. “The props industry is absolutely in a state of change due to 3Dprinting,” says Moddler’s Jared Munan. “Garage hobbyists, costume designers, VFX houses and worldfamous prop masters are implementing 3D into their process. It speeds up the entire workflow significantly and the more 3d printing becomes accessible the more people use it. “Polyjet technology, like we use at Moddler, is especially great for props as it seamlessly snap fits, sands well, takes paint well, its easy to glue, and most importantly it is fast, has a large build bed and the high surface resolution is undeniable. For prop makers and product designers, The hard part is getting the CAD file, once you have that, printing is easy and will get you 90% of the way to a finished prototype or master for mold making.”  For more information visit www.moddler.com

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28 SEPT - 29 SEPT 2016

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DESKTOP FATHOM 3D PRINTING ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

For prototyping

TIME IS EVERYTHING

f there’s one thing you can’t stress enough about additive technologies it’s that they are not a standalone, answer to all of your manufacturing woes or wishes. There’s no one size fits all, a single machine isn’t going to help materialise every idea you ever had and there are plenty of steps that go into making that perfect printed part both before and after you hit that start button - sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that bubble should have been well and truly burst by now. As one of the largest 3D printing service providers in the U.S. in operation since 2008, one company that knows having the right tools is the key to getting the most out of this technology, is FATHOM. Already one of the largest users and distributors of Stratasys technology and a partner in Autodesk’s Forge initiative, pioneering the SmartQuote system, FATHOM is spreading its roots to bring the best manufacturing options possible to its customers through a series of partnerships and unique business initiatives - the latest being with 3D printed electronics developer Nano Dimension, which will bring the DragonFly 2020 3D Printer to the Silicon Valley and the greater West Coast area. “We feel that every technology has a benefit its not just one size fits all in the industry, you have to have all the other technologies to really offer our customers the best solution possible,” says FATHOM co-founder Rich Stump. For modern product development, speed is vital and the company recently launched two ultra fast FDM and PolyJet 3D printing services, which means customers can now have their ideas in their hands in as little as a day. Designs can be submitted in the morning for pick up later that same day or even sent in the night before for pickup in the morning. “For prototyping, time is everything,” Rich explains. “What we’ve found, especially over the last few years, is customers are demanding faster lead times so they can iterate quicker and get products to the market faster. The industry has shifted as far as what the expectations are - not only from consumers in product development but also from product development specialists so that they can

WOR D S : l a u r a g r i f f i t hs

We feel that every technology has a benefit its not just one size fits all in the industry

develop better products faster. We found a need in the marketplace to create a service offering where we can produce customer parts quicker.” The ‘Make it Happen’, same-day 3D printing service offers same day pick up by 5pm for PolyJet technology in single material Vero and multimaterial VeroWhite+ and TangoBlack+. The ‘Hustle’ next-day service is available for PolyJet in a wider range of materials (including VeroBlack, VeroClear) and FDM in ABSplus/ M30 (white), PC (white), ASA (white), PC-ABS (black) and Nylon12 (white). “We try to separate ourselves by offering more materials to our customers with faster lead times to the point where we’re still trying to push the limits. One of our goals this year is to push the limits of time and complexity for our customers to help them iterate faster,” Rich adds. With a mixed bag of engineering, design and manufacturing teams, all under one roof, FATHOM is working with customers every day to recommend which technologies work best for their designs and often that means a

hybridisation of tools. It’s not uncommon for local designers to come into the studio once their ideas have been prototyped and discuss with FATHOM’s teams how they can move their products forward. Outside of the local manufacturing scene, they’ve also got a wide range of innovative projects under their belt, not least printing 9,000 robotic parts for Intel or working with Prototype This! on a 3D printed leg cast featuring embedded electronics that allow doctors to monitor the patients physical state via the cloud. “FATHOM is all about changing the way that our products are designed and manufactured – solving complex customer projects with speed and also hybridisation of processes so looking at not only 3D printing but also how that coexists with traditional manufacturing. Specifically with this service we’ve changed our internal processes and structures so that we can react very quickly when customers send us files, get them to the production floor, on the machine and off the machine and into customers hands very quickly.” On top of bold ambitions for localised manufacturing, FATHOM also donates a lot of its time and resources into the e-NABLE community. As the first largescale professional partner for the global prosthetics project, FATHOM provides the expertise of its professional design team to help develop designs and solve complex problems and they’re trying to encourage more high-profile AM companies to do the same. Looking to the future, FATHOM is planning on a huge 10,000 square feet expansion to “literally enhance and produce more manufactured goods” and working with its partners like Autodesk, Stratasys and Lawrence Livermore National Lab to increase productivity with better materials and efficient workflows. “We’re so excited about what opportunities exist for this technology in the future and we can’t stress enough the hybridisation of additive and traditional coming together because it’s through this co-existence where we’re going to see a lot of impact. I think the next couple of years are going to be really exciting for the professional space.” 

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PERSONALIZE

We decided to dedicate this month’s Personalize picks to AMUG’S Technical Competition winners. This competition is arguably the industry’s most prestigious awards and each year sees competitors submit their wares to the most experienced judges who select the best in two categories (Advanced Concepts and Advanced Finishing). Every year the quality only seems to go up and this year’s winning pieces are nothing short of stunning.

PRINTING PRESS Advanced Finishing

2nd SECOND PLACE went to this loveable BB-8 robot built by Todd Reese of Realize Inc. to an aggressive timeline to meet the Force Friday merchandising event at Target Stores across the U.S. The perfect replica of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ droid was made using Realize’s unique SLA techniques and finished by hand.and colour on the surface. 

AMUG special

1st Custom Prototypes won FIRST PLACE with this incredible Van Gogh replica, having scanned the original painting and its carved canvas, custom 3D printed the base using SLA and then finished with the help of an art consultant recreating every point and colour on the surface. 

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3rd

Heather Tackett of U.S. based rapid prototyping company Scion Technologies used SLA to print this creature caricature titled ‘Thug’ and finished it completely by hand, bagging THIRD PLACE in the Advanced Finishing category. 

ACCELERATING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Advanced Concept AMUG special

FIRST PLACE was awarded to Alan Guyan from Under Armour for the Architech shoe. This unique sporting shoe concept uses Autodesk’s Within software to create a generatively designed midsole which is printed in SLS using Luvosint TPU material. Read more about this in our interview on page 34. 

1st

2nd

This additively manufactured diesel pump front plate submitted by Professor Phill Dickens of Added Scientific shows how Delphi were able to make a weight saving of 40% from the weight of the conventionally manufactured part by applying additive design. 

Vince Anewenter of Milwaukee School of Engineering took home SECOND PLACE with this unique process for a 3D printed bronze holograph. The process was developed by industrial AM company ExOne and uses any standard JPG file to create a 3D printed holograph image that is then 3D Printed in bronze. 

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IN CONTEXT

i t h o u t c o n t e xt ,

can become fiction and prediction can become fantasy. Lacking a frame of reference that context provides, messages can become distorted and misleading. That is why placing statements in context makes for insightful conversations that yield higher quality information. This is not a rant against the intentional delivery of information out of context. Instead, it is an observation that many additive manufacturing conversations lack the context needed to truly inform, educate, inspire and motivate. It is also a reminder that it is our responsibility to uncover the context when it is not offered. For example, claims that additive manufacturing (AM) will lead to disruption and revolution can be both true and false. The validity of the statement depends on the context provided by clarification in terms of what industries, applications, conditions and timeframes. Attendees of the AMUG Conference witnessed this duality. In an on-stage interview of Scott Crump, Stratasys’ co-founder and chief innovation officer, he made the statement that AM is already a disruptive force that is revolutionising processes. Meanwhile, in a panel discussion, two of Stratasys’ vice presidents agreed that AM will not lead to disruption and revolution. Without context, it appears that these three gentlemen do not share a common vision. However, add the context, which each shared, and both statements make sense. Crump framed his statement in the applications of product development and manufacturing engineering with a dose of manufacturing in aerospace. Like Scott, the VPs cited examples where there has been big impact, but they framed the response in the context of all products and all components for all industries. As each conversation progressed, more details, considerations and conditions were added. Ultimately, all were saying the same thing; they were just coming from different reference points. fact

Context is the key to information clarity, especially when deciphering claims of better, faster or cheaper. At the moment there is a race to be the fastest.

Todd Grimm

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

tgrimm@tagrimm.com

066

MAY 2016 www.tctmagazine.com

Another example from the AMUG Conference came during a panel discussion where 10 of the leading AM companies shared their insights. When asked what percentage of today’s AM use is for manufacturing, the responses varied from 5% to 50%. These percentages were based on their customers’ actual usage. From the responses, there is no way to conclude if we are in an age where AM has been widely adopted for production work. Add some context and the data makes more sense. Those offering metal AM solutions reported higher use for manufacturing. Those working with plastics reported lower values, and those working with photopolymers stated the lowest values. Ah, now things are making sense. But to truly understand how much production work is being done, more context is needed. For example, is the usage percentage based on run time, parts produced or part numbers? Fifty percent of all part numbers in the bills of materials would be outstanding. Fifty percent of all AM parts built would be impressive. Fifty percent of all run time, if dedicated to making just a few big parts, would be uninspiring. Context is the key to information clarity, especially when deciphering claims of better, faster or cheaper. At the moment there is a race to be the fastest. Companies are claiming 10x, 25x, 50x and 100x. Without context, these claims are meaningless. To understand if that speed has any value, you must determine several things: compared to what, for what size parts, for what kind of geometry and for what materials. With this insight, the speed comparison now has meaning. Since there is a tendency to omit the context when discussing the AM industry, applications and technology, it is up to each of us to dig a little deeper. Simply asking the right questions can provide the context that brings clarity. When presented with a claim, belief, comparison or fact, just act like a reporter and ask who, what, when, where, why and how. When the tables turn and you are the presenter, make it easier on your audience by offering them both the content and the context. 

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