NORTH AMERICAN EDITION VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2 www.tctmagazine.com
MAG
PRODUCTION READY DESKTOP METAL PREPARES TO UNLEASH ITS PRODUCTION SYSTEM
THE MAGAZINE FOR DESIGN-TO-MANUFACTURINg INNOVATION
A Strong Future Stands Behind Us! ARMSTRONG RM COMBINES OLD-WORLD CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH INNOVATIVE, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS . . . . . EVERY DAY
FUNCTIONAL ALUMINIUM & PLASTIC PROTOTYPES RAPIDLY
ISO 9001:2008 Certified • ITAR REGISTERED • AS9100 Rev.C email: sales@ARMstrongRM.com • tel: (315) 437-1517 For more info visit us at: ARMstrongRM.com
• Machined Aluminium Castings • One Shot Casting • Rubber Plaster Mold • Precision Air Set Sand • Graphite Die Casting • RIM – Reaction Injection Molding • CNC Machining & Hogouts • Painting, Finishing & Assembly
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
Dozens of process parameters to control… Hundreds of ways for your build to go wrong…
ISSN 2059-9641
EDITORIAL GROUP EDITOR
Daniel O’Connor e: daniel.oconnor@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 398 DEPUTY GROUP EDITOR
Laura Griffiths e: laura.griffiths@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 389 EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Samuel Davies e: samuel.davies@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 390 NEWSDESK
+44 (0) 1244 680222 REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS
Todd Grimm tgrimm@tagrimm.com
ADVERTISING HEAD OF MEDIA SALES
Carol Hardy e: carol@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 386 ADVERTISING MANAGER
Kelley-Jo Beattie e: kelley-jo.beattie@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 365 ADVERTISING MANAGER
Empower your powder-bed customers to create the complex parts they want by giving them the laser control tools they need with the AGV by Aerotech.
Christine Joinson e: christine.joinson@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 385 SENIOR SALES
Paul Lindon e: paul.lindon@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 360
PRODUCTION Sam Hamlyn
Matt Clarke
Tracey Roberts
MANAGEMENT C.E.O. / PUBLISHER
Duncan Wood
VP, CONTENT, STRATEGY AND PARTNERSHIPS
James Woodcock e: james@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 391
SUBSCRIPTIONS PUBLISHED PRICES N. America Print Subscriptions USA/Canada/Mexico - FREE Outside of these territories - $249
Does the galvo in your system give you the tools to get the job done? Aerotech’s AGV-HP high-accuracy galvo scanners give you more control of your process. • Position Synchronized Output (PSO) enables laser output as a function of true position, not time. • Velocity Power Scheduling and Power Correction Mapping enable direct control of power and energy density delivery to the part.
Also available on iOS and Android devices – including back catalogue and Buyers’ Guides.
The TCT Magazine is published quarterly by Rapid News Publications Ltd Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QE, UK.
t: 011 + 44 1244 68022 f: 011 + 44 1244 671074 © 2018 Rapid News Publications Ltd While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained within this publication is accurate, the publisher accepts no liability for information published in error, or for views expressed. All rights for The TCT Magazine are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
Visit http://go.aerotech.com/metal-additive or call an Aerotech Application Engineer for more information.
www.aerotech.com • 412-963-7470 AH01217A-LPM
FROM THE EDITOR BRING YOUR ‘A' GAME
M
usic and mathematics are two seemingly different subjects which happen to be kindred spirits. When I was at school my friend had a tutor who told her if she wanted to be a musician, she would also need a good grasp on maths. As a precocious 11-year-old who envisioned us as the second coming of the Spice Girls, I viewed this as a cheap ploy to make sure she did her homework but still, I have never forgotten his words and recently have started to come around to his philosophy. I began thinking about this concept more broadly at last year's Additive Manufacturing Users Group Conference, when Jason Lopes, then of Legacy Effects, spoke about the importance of STEAM over STEM - that's Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. Nurturing arts as much as sciences is key to getting the most out of the technologies and applications on these very pages – it's all well and good understanding the ins and outs of material properties, hardware specifications and algorithms but without thinking creatively, you're never going to reap the benefits. We can see examples of marriage between creativity and logic throughout; in Ollie Burley's account of surgeons thinking resourcefully within the confines of clinical regulations to execute lifechanging surgery (p. 11) or in Studio RAP's unique take on construction and design (p. 38). Just this
month I was asked to judge a student competition centered on 3D printing in PEEK, a notoriously difficult material. Overcoming that challenge requires knowledge of the medium at hand, but it also means looking further than textbooks to make something previously unworkable, function. The tutor's assertions were perhaps intended to resonate more literally in the sense that music relies on understanding concepts in a similar vein to maths but at the core is a lesson we can all take heed of. Particularly as we're encouraging more young people to come into an industry typically seen as the domain of lab coats and heavy machinery, we will need a balance of each of those subjects to fill the burgeoning skills gap and think differently about manufacturing. This is true in the TCT Awards where creative applications have their own category alongside that of industrial, healthcare, aerospace and automotive design-to-manufacturing innovations – all equally valuable. So, whatever your function in this industry, embrace the fundamentals but don't forget to bring your ‘A' game too - you may just be surprised at what you can create. LAURA GRIFFITHS DEPUTY GROUP EDITOR
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2 www.tctmagazine.com
03
The Leader in Industrial 3D Printing Technology Transform your business with additive manufacturing. The factory of the future is here! Visit our EOS Experts at RAPID + TCT! Booth #1118 | Fort Worth, TX | April 23-26
info@eos-na.com
linkedin.com/company/EOS
@EOSNorthAmerica
facebook.com/EOSGmbH
Together, we are shaping the future of manufacturing.
www.eos.info
TCT | VOLUME 4 | ISSUE 2
lead news
6
38
6. PRODUCTION READY
Desktop Metal prepares to unleash its production system.
11. RECONSTRUCTING SURGERY
Laura looks at how advanced technologies are changing the role of the architect.
43. CONCENTRATING CONRETE
25
A look at the rise of point-ofcare additive manufacturing in hospitals across the globe.
Metrology
15. FEET FIRST
Deputy Group Editor, Laura Griffiths puts 3D printed orthotics to the test.
Architecture 38. ADDITIVE AND THE ARCHITECT
11
medical
Reverse Engineering
27
Sam reports on the consortium aiming to develop a hybrid manufacturing system for largescale building processes.
25. Q&A
21
A few questions for Andrew Cuffley, Managing Director at GOM on 3D metrology in Industry 4.0.
27
21. WALKING WITH ROBOTS
Sam Davies looks at how a university research group is applying 3D scanning to create a tailored fit exoskeleton.
22. CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
How a vintage car buff used 3D technologies to reengineer a Delage Type S engine block.
RAPID + TCT
More stories from this issue’s focusses.
48. SCOURING RECENT NEWS FOR ONGOING PATTERNS
Todd Grimm discusses trends in AM.
27. PREVIEW
A look at the new products set to launch at RAPID + TCT in Fort Worth.
38 15
46. IN OTHER NEWS
43
PRODUCTION READY DESKTOP METAL PREPARES TO UNLEASH ITS PRODUCTION SYSTEM
WORDS: DANIEL O’CONNOR THIS TIME A YEAR AGO, AHEAD OF RAPID + TCT 2017, I WAS HEADING TO SEE A COMPANY THAT EVERYONE IN THE ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING (AM) WORLD MAY HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, BUT FEW KNEW MANY DETAILS. THE NAME ALONE GOT TONGUES WAGGING "DESKTOP METAL? METAL 3D PRINTING ON YOUR DESKTOP? SURELY NOT"
06
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2 www.tctmagazine.com
cover story
L
ittle did they know Desktop Metal housed some of the greatest minds in the industry and was gearing up to launch its first product, The Studio System - an office-friendly metal 3D printing system. In a bid to shift the paradigms of metal 3D printing Desktop Metal launched the $120,000 eco-system that took users from design to print through to post-processing and is capable of manufacturing in a host of previously unprintable metals. Many companies in this industry and across the tech world have talked a good game in the quest for world domination, few, if any, have rolled out the strategy as quickly as Desktop Metal. In a conversation, CEO Ric Fulop explains how, in the twelve months since my visit, the Burlington, MA-based company has significantly ramped up operations: "We're almost two and a half times the size in comparison to a year ago; we now have 226 full-time employees, 200 of whom are engineers. At that time, we didn't yet have any channel partners, today we have over 100 sales partners and resellers with distribution in over 40 countries. We had about $100m in funding last time we spoke, and today we have $277m, the latest is a $65m investment led by Ford Motor Company with their CTO joining our board." The stats kept pouring in; Desktop Metal began shipping the Studio System to its first Pioneer, Google's ATAP Program in December 2017, with expanded shipping in 2018; the system has been granted two patents for the interface layer and separable support strategies, with over 100 patents pending covering more than 200 inventions; it's expanded the HQ of 40,000 square feet to 60,000; and received a host of accolades including the Rising Star Award at the inaugural TCT Awards.
BUILDING RIGHT Stats are nice but as Ric tells me, Desktop Metal's primary job is to "make the customers successful". This can only be achieved by delivering on the promises of price, materials, ease-of-use, and speed. For Built-Rite Tool & Die, one of the pioneers of its Studio System, those boxes have been ticked. Built-Rite, the mold-making and design firm with expertise in precision mold manufacturing, was initially enlisted to manufacture a plastic part of the Studio System used for ejecting the media cartridges. After experiencing first hand the shorter lead times and reduced costs for quick-turn mold services available with the Studio System, Built-Rite soon realized that a metal 3D printing solution at this kind of price could transform the company's prototyping and give them an edge over the overseas manufacturers that consistently drive down prices. Built-Rite put the Studio System's Bound Metal Deposition technology through its paces by identifying and replicating an existing mold insert previously made using CNC machining. The mold was printed, debound and sintered using the Desktop Metal Studio System. It was then finished using in-house grinding and EDM equipment to achieve the tolerances and surface finish required when it comes to injection molding. When compared to a third-party, quick-turn machines shop, the part 3D-printed with the Studio Systems was 41% lighter, 30% faster to manufacture and staggeringly 90% cheaper. 4
 SHOWN: DESKTOP METAL PRODUCTION SYSTEM
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
07
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
SMALL-VOLUME BATCHES MATERIAL DIVERSITY
OPEN SYSTEM HIGH QUALITY FUNCTIONAL PARTS
INTUITIVE OPERATION
18 .0 4.20 24.-26 tes 429 2 ited Sta th o Bo xas, Un orth, Te W rt Fo
Additively manufacturing functional plastic parts: with our innovative freeformer, you can industrially produce high-quality one-off parts or small-volume batches from 3D CAD data – quickly and simply, without a mold. Our open system: for greater freedom in the selection, combination and processing of plastics. www.arburg.com
08
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1 www.tctmagazine.com
cover story
LIVE AND KICKING
With the Studio System launching and shipping in 2017, the start of 2018 saw Desktop Metal turn its attention to a software preview. Coming out of the recently formed DM Labs R&D project, Live Parts was unveiled in February. Ric Fulop is incredibly excited about the generative design tool created by Senior Software Engineer, Andy Roberts: "Andy is a pioneer in parametric modeling, he was a VP at PTC and designed many of the features in Pro/Engineer. He'd been thinking about this concept of applying cell-based growth principles to generative design for quite some time." Whereas many other generative design tools take the load cases of static inputs, Live Parts tackles transitional forces in between multiple load cases and looks at part assemblies in the context of multiphysics. On-screen demonstrations of Live Parts show components growing in what almost seems like a time lapse of plant-life. "There's a vacuum in 3D printing tools that enhance productivity," Fulop suggests. "One of the many things that's exciting about Live Parts is that it works for all 3D printing, whether you're printing in plastics or metal, any system can take advantage of Live Parts, and as part of growing the industry, we would like to expose this tool to all.".
PUTTING ON A PRODUCTION Desktop Metal used RAPID + TCT 2017 to launch the company to the world and the focus was very much on its Studio System's ability to revolutionize metal prototyping. This year, the focus will shift its focus to metal 3D printing's holy grail, production. "The Production System is a much more complex, sophisticated system," says Fulop. "It is almost five meters long and in terms of output is the equivalent of having 100 mid-ranged powder bed fusion machines. It is super fast, it produces parts with very high resolution at a cost that is dramatically lower than powder-bed fusion."
there was a clear path for SPJ to be at the core of a genuinely innovative development in metal 3D printing, recognized as such by the MIT Technology Review, Popular Science and the prestigious Edison Awards.
mature Metal Injection Molding (MIM) materials market. MIM materials, thanks to their abundance, are up to 80% cheaper than metal powders explicitly designed for 3D printing. The separation also means that Desktop Metal can utilize a host of alloys that fundamentally are not printable with powder-bed fusion's welding type technology.
"The primary innovation in Single Pass Jetting is captured in the name," explains Sachs. "If you look at the implementations of binder jet until very recently, they raster scan a printhead over a powder bed, while it is pretty fast it still might take 10 seconds to print each layer, plus you have to add on time to spread the layer. Firstly SPJ has dramatically increased the speed with which we can spread the powder and we're printing in a single pass in both directions so the rates can be as high as the technology can support, and there is no lost time in retracting the printhead."
The Production System's printing process is called Single Pass Jetting (SPJ), and its roots run deep into the history of 3D printing. Professor Emanuel (Ely) Sachs is a co-founder of Desktop Metal and is a crucial contributer to the SPJ project. While at MIT in the late 80s he created a core technology that permeates much of today's 3D printing in binder jetting. The choice to use inkjet heads to jet a binder onto a powder 30 years ago is, according to Ely, only just beginning to realize its real potential. "We went with binder jetting because it had a lot of flexibility regarding what materials you could build with," remarks Sachs. "I wanted to move away from polymers and use ceramics and metals for functional parts and tooling, but the real clincher for me is I saw a path to creating a technology that could build parts quickly. The fact that you have a fundamental interest in metal 3D printing and tremendous advances in inkjet printing, which is now used to print books on demand, means we're seeing a resurgence in binder jetting." These factors combined with the growth of the MIM industry meant that
For a long time, 3D printing has promised democratization of manufacturing by affording smaller companies the chance to iterate and get products to market faster. While this may have happened to an extent in the world of plastics, the Production System may be about to do that for metal manufacturing.
See Desktop Metal's latest innovations in action at RAPID + TCT | Stand 1530
below: BUILT-RITE 3D PRINTED INSERT
left: 3D PRINTED
THROTTLE ARM MADE WITH LIVE PARTS
The Production System cost-saving analysis is linked to the decision taken early on to separate the printing from the thermoprocessing. The separation allows Desktop Metal to leverage the much more
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
09
www.lpwtechnology.com
From Prototyping to Production AM, TRUST LPW metal powders Comprehensive range of metal powders manufactured for all types of Additive Manufacturing machines and applications.
Our experienced team of LPW applications engineers offers you technical support to ensure the correct powder selection to suit your AM machine and application.
Powder traceability and control through repeated builds Consistent powder quality from small prototyping quantities to large production volumes. Metal powders shipped within 24 hours of receiving your order.
For AM in production, add peace of mind with our complete PowderLife solution offering custom powders, products, material testing and solutions to ensure consistency and full traceability through repeated builds.
Committed to quality, LPW is certified to AS9120, AS9100, ISO9001, ISO13485
LPW adding intelligence in powders To choose the right metal powder, contact LPW
+1-412-788-2856 sales.america@lpwtechnology.com
MEDICAL
RECONSTRUCTING SURGERY WORDS : DANIEL O'CONNOR & LAURA GRIFFITHS
A LOOK AT THE RISE OF POINT-OF-CARE ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING IN HOSPITALS.
BELOW:
PREOPERATIVE SITUATION SHOWING PATIENT WITH A LARGE CANCEROUS TUMOR
O
n 1 October 1971, Godfrey Hounsfield fired up a new piece of equipment in London's Atkinson Morley Hospital. Previously, his invention had performed X-rays at various angles to create an image of a cow's brain in "slices," but in Atkinson Morley, he was about to change the human medical world forever by CT scanning a patient helping to diagnose a cerebral cyst. Hounsfield's work on the CT scanner earned him a knighthood, and he received the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Later Sir Godfrey went on to say: “Each discovery brings with it the seeds of other, future inventions. There are many discoveries, probably just around the corner, waiting for someone to bring them to life. Could this possibly be you?” One person who took the seeds of Sir Geoffrey's CT technology and fertilized it with 3D printing to yield another medical revolution is Andy Christensen. Andy launched Medical Modeling in 2000 with the idea that medical imaging studies should not only be used for diagnosis but that they should drive clinical treatment. At TCT Show 2014, shortly after Medical Modeling was acquired by 3D Systems, as keynote speaker, Andy Christensen said: "3D printing is an ideal technology for manufacturing CT Scans. They're not just models for a surgeon’s shelf, they are used to save time and money and in some cases lives." Since Medical Modeling's pioneering work on printing anatomically correct models both for diagnostic and pre-surgery planning purposes, hospitals around the world have taken 3D printing on board. In Japan, certain oncological diagnostic models are now even available through the national healthcare service. WHAT'S THE POINT-OF-CARE? In the U.S., TCT's partners on the RAPID + TCT event, SME, have recently published a white paper on 'Physicians as Manufacturers: The Rise of Point-of-care (POC) Manufacturing.'
The report reveals that hospitals are looking to bring manufacturing in-house thanks to benefits including quicker turnarounds, on-site quality control, improving patient consultation and collaborative skills of physicians. 96% of those POC professionals say they expect to see an increase of the use of AM/3DP medical applications in 2018 and the leader in medical 3D printing software, Materialise say that there's been a 3200% increase of hospitals in the U.S. using its Mimics technology. Another stat shows that 16 of the top 20 hospitals in the U.S. now have a 3D printing strategy. Leading those strategies through sheer volumes of prints is Mayo Clinic. The Rochester, Minnesota-based healthcare provider printed over 700 anatomical models in 2017. Jonathan M. Morris, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology / Co-director of the 3D Anatomic Modelling Lab at Mayo Clinic was a keynote speaker at the Day Zero event that opened the TCT Asia 2018 Summit. His talk delivered at 1,000 mph left attendees in awe such is his passion for improving lives, and the volume of life-changing 3D printing uses he could present. Dr. Morris' Mayo's printing laboratory features heavily in the SME POC report; the facility is substantial; a $1 million investment with one full-time radiologist, two engineers, fulltime segmenters and others on site. Although 3D printing's return on investment may be difficult to measure in purely fiscal terms, 3D printed models and guides can help to decrease the number of facilities needed in an operating room and potentially shorten hospital stays. Considering an inpatient day in the U.S. costs on average roughly $2,000 per day, the potential cost savings thanks to 3D printing and the talented surgeons are phenomenal.4
SHOWN: OLLIE BURLEY AND MR P KYZAS DURING A PLANNING SESSION
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
011
Take control of your Additive Manufacturing With our dynamic adjustable systems settings, you have the freedom to print what you choose.
What will you make?
Realize your vision See our solutions at: RAPID +TCT 2018 Booth 904 April 23-26 Fort Worth, TX
MEDICAL
LEFT:
3D PRINTED SURGICAL GUIDE PLACEMENT
Over in the UK POC is still in its infancy, the Maxillofacial and 3D Printing Laboratory at North Manchester General Hospital is one of only three in the UK. The team is designing and 3D printing patient-specific implants, prostheses and medical guides on site with in-house technology. That technology was put through its paces recently when the team worked on a patient with a large cancerous tumor in the upper maxilla, involving the skin of the cheek and extending just below the right eye. Under the care of Ollie Burley, Reconstructive Scientist & Maxillofacial Laboratory Manager, and Mr. P. Kyzas, an Oral and Maxillofacial consultant who is leading the way the advances in OMFS surgeries, Materialise Mimics, ProPlan and 3-Matics software was used to plan a radical surgery and reconstruction. CT scans were taken of both the diseased area and the pelvis where the bone would be harvested for the facial reconstruction. Patient-specific medical models and cutting and implant guides for both regions were printed to give a clear guide of where to remove the diseased tissue, the exact amount of bone needed for the graft, and where to plumb the artery back into the patient. “Previously they had to harvest more bone than was needed to make sure we had enough to fill the hole,” Ollie commented. “Now we've got a guide we can place on the hip, we can cut around it, and we have a high degree of confidence that when we translate that up into the face, that it's going to fit the millimeter.” There is no how-to guide for this type of surgery and the procedure required some imagination and tweaking from the team to adapt the software. The surgery was a success, and Mr. Kyzas reports the patient is doing brilliantly, communicating and walking after just a few weeks.
RATE LIMITING STEPS Regulatory bodies like the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in the U.S. may well be a reason why hospitals are choosing to set up in-house manufacturing systems. While the FDA doesn't regulate Dr. Morris' anatomical models in the Mayo Clinic, if it was to begin offering 3D printing as a service for other hospitals and selling across state lines, the FDA would then see it as a medical device company and begin to regulate. Materialise recently became the first company in the world to receive FDA clearance for software intended for 3D printing anatomical models for diagnostic use. In August 2017, the FDA announced that this type of software is considered a class II medical device and requires regulatory clearance. Materialise Mimics inPrint software is used for pre-operative planning and the fabrication of physical models for diagnostic purposes, including patient management, treatment, and surgeon-to-surgeon communication. The FDA clearance supports the creation of point-of-care 3D printing facilities in hospitals. Another bottleneck for 3D printing in hospitals is to do with the technologies themselves. Although Dr. Morris has a host of 3D printing hardware, software, and materials available, he says we need more medical-grade materials, better multi-material / multi-color 3D printers, and most importantly reliable segmentation solutions. Those seem like hurdles the 3D technologies world is striving to overcome, and once they do, who knows? Perhaps 3D printing in hospitals will be as ubiquitous as Sir Godfrey's CT scanner.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
- GUIDE IMPLANT DESIGN OVERVIEW - PLATE PLACEMENT - PLANNED GRAFT FROM PELVIS
“The shape, the contour and the design work we've been able to do with the software have made an amazing difference to the patient,” Ollie explained. “The cosmetic and functional outcome of the surgery would have been significantly inferior without the use of the 3D technology.”
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
013
Visit us at Rapid/TCT in Fort Worth, TX booth # 1342
Industrial Additive Technologies TRUMPF offers both key technologies for metal additive manufacturing: Laser Metal Fusion (LMF) and Laser Metal Deposition (LMD). Both processes meet the characteristics and quality required in various applications. Industrial solutions for the entire process by TRUMPF, based on the following keys to success: robust machines, intelligent digitalization and clever services. www.trumpf.com/s/additivemanufacturing
FEET FIRST MEDICAL
WORDS : laura griffiths
A CLOSER LOOK AT 3D PRINTED ORTHOTICS
E
ver since I was 10-years-old and measured for a new pair of back-to-school Hush Puppies, I have been acutely aware of my lack of arches and rolling ankles – otherwise known as, 'flat foot.'
Fast forward 17 years, my mother, similarly cursed, recently returned from her doctor prescribed with some run of the mill size-six orthopedic insoles dug out from a pile in her doctor's desk and some advice for me to take heed of. Hardly the story I had in mind when I envisioned a piece inspired by my mum who has more pairs of shoes than an average store, but in an attempt to avoid the same fate, I started to look more closely at orthotics. Orthotics are devices worn in the shoe to correct foot and ankle problems. Similar to how a problem in the ear often comes hand-in-hand with symptoms in the nose and throat, any misalignment or abnormality in the foot can result in issues with the lower limbs all the way up to the knees, hips and lower back. Devices range from standard off-the-shelf insoles all the way to highly customized devices made from patientspecific data.
just didn't fit properly and after a few days of wear, the insole itself began to move around and cause mild pain.
I decided to pay a visit to Ruth Partridge, Chartered Physiotherapist BSc (Hons), MCSP at Conwy Physio Clinic in Wales to find out if 3D printing could be the answer. The clinic specializes in physiotherapy and sports injury and is one of only a handful of healthcare providers in the UK which offers custom 3D printed orthotics by Phits, the high-end solution
from RS Print, a joint venture between rs scan and Materialise. The clinic has been offering footscan technology since 2014 and as the only facility in the area to do so, has found itself a niche in providing to everyday patients, sports enthusiasts and the area's rambling community alike.
"It gives us more strings to our bow," explains Ruth. "We can offer more services, people will call up specifically for a footscan or orthotics and of course if we're here we're assessing someone for something else we4
Technavio's market research predicts that the global foot insoles market will grow at a CAGR of close to 7% between 2017 and 2021 and 3D technologies will play a significant role in that. That's because companies like Podfo, Wiivv, and RS Print are exploiting the creative freedom these technologies offer to deliver data-driven customer-specific insoles, which fit more accurately and deliver betterpatient outcomes. For comparison, I started my search with a pair of over-the-counter insoles from a high-street store, a mid-range pair costing around 30 GBP (42 USD). They were relatively comfy, seemed to do the job, but
ABOVE:
PHITS 3D PRINTED ORTHOTICS
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
015
+
MEDICAL
BOTTOM:
PERSONALIZED CORRECTION IS PRINTED INTO THE LATTICE STRUCTURE
can deal with it rather than having to refer them elsewhere, so it does give us a broader spectrum of tools." The process begins with a physical assessment to determine levels of flexibility and stiffness along with a few lifestyle questions to ensure you're getting the right solution whether you're an avid runner or on your feet all day at work. As an editor, most of my day is spent sitting at a desk, so no specific running shoes were required, but I did report some mild knee and lower leg pain. Most people's feet will fit into a standard shoe size but it's unlikely both will be dynamically identical, and as it turns out, I am no exception. My left foot is much stiffer and would, therefore, require a different level of correction compared to the right. The scan process takes around 20 minutes. First, the patient stands on the footscan mat which gives dynamic pressure measurements using sensors measuring at speeds of up to 500 Hz. The patient then walks back and forth across the mat to get an accurate gait analysis reading. It takes a few attempts to capture enough images of each foot in to get an overall digital profile. This provides information about pressure points, which part of the foot you are landing on when taking a step, if you're showing any signs of excess pronation, and so on. This data is then instantly available for the therapist or practitioner to view on screen where they can then create a pair of customized insoles tailored to the scan information in a simple design wizard. The insole is then ordered for manufacture and can be delivered to the patient in two weeks for 199 GBP (approx 280 USD). "It's easy enough to run the footscan and then when you go through the design it's quite intuitive," Ruth adds noting the ease of adopting the technology into the clinic. "It's like anything, once you get used to the flow of it, it's really simple."
FIRST STEPS The technology was first developed in the 1980s by rs scan founder Jempi Wilssens, a record-breaking athlete and engineer who wanted to help people to stay injury free. The first scanner was built from a modified photocopier and installed inside Wilssens' small sports shoe store in Belgium. By 1994, at the request of Adidas' CEO who wanted the company to be the first sports brand in the world that could advise an injury-risk-free shoe using foot measurements, a new footscan system was developed. As commercial interest grew, so did clinical applications, and as a result in 1998, rs scan International was established.
shown: INSOLES PRINTED WITH SLS IN PA 12
based on an algorithm which he got from the footscan data," explains Tom Peeters, Brand Manager Phits Insoles. "It was a good insole, scientifically proven by the British Navy, and he wanted to digitize the complete process and came across 3D printing. He started experimenting but pretty soon found out that to scale and make this economically viable he would need a very solid partner to make it happen, and that's when he coincidentally ran into Materialise in a research project which resulted in the first R&D of 3D printing for orthotics." The two formed RS Print in 2014 which led to the creation of Phits. The company has since served around 30,000 people with custom insoles worldwide from manufacturing facilities in Europe and North America. Phits' orthotics take the form of a lattice structure which is manufactured using selective laser sintering and PA12 due to its strength and durability. This means devices can withstand the forces of daily wear and
also last much longer than traditional insoles usually milled from rubber or cork. They also look a lot sleeker, and if the fabric cushioning on top begins to wear after a few years, patients can simply have it recovered without having their correction re-produced. "It makes the orthotic a lot more compact and lightweight, you don't have the bulk of an insole that's been made by hand," Ruth explains. "A lot of the correction is printed into the device, so it becomes easy to fit it into people's shoes and that increases compliance because it's all well and good putting an insole in but if they are not going to wear it because it doesn't fit into their fancy shoes, you might as well not bother. From an orthotic perspective that's the major perk really and is largely why we changed because we were getting feedback whereby the handmade orthotics were just lifting them too far out of the shoe. For example, if you've got correction built in through the heel, your heel can end up slipping out. You don't get that with the 3D printed ones because they're nice and slim."4
"[Wilssens] understood the necessity of orthotics, when a shoe wasn't helping enough or wasn't the right fit, so he created an insole
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
017
Solvay’s New Additive Manufacturing Solutions From an industry leader in specialty polymers, an innovative portfolio of top-class materials and services for your most challenging needs.
Select among our first high performing AM-ready filaments made from KetaSpire® PEEK and Radel® PPSU
Get direct access to our products & services via our new on-line store
Print it right the first time with materialspecific simulation solutions
www.SolvayAM.com
Booth #1924
MEDICAL Phits has identified three core markets; healthcare, sports, and workwear. Inspired by the sporting activity in some of their most popular territories, the company has developed insoles specifically for sports such as skiing, cycling, and golf. Cross-country skiers, marathon world runners, pro cyclists and beyond have already benefitted from these devices, and that can only continue to grow as demand increases. "Every one of these specific applications has its own unique specifications and different characteristics," says Tom. "It's about understanding the need and the specifications and then characteristics of certain movements of a certain sport or activity."
MOVING FORWARD Other major players like HP are seeing the value and last year the tech giant launched its FitStation platform with over-the-counter insoles manufacturer, SuperFeet. The plan is to provide an end-to-end solution for the scan to manufacture of custom insoles with its HP Jet Fusion Technology, and the technology is already being adopted by the NFL. Going one step further, UKbased engineering solutions provider, KW Special Projects recently teamed up with orthotics manufacturer Podfo and Newcastle University to create a ‘while you wait' service for personalized 3D printed insoles. Partly funded by Innovate UK, the overall goal is to create a functioning process by early 2019. In a recent release, KWSP's Managing
4 SHOWN:
DYNAMIC FOOTSCAN DATA IS USED BY THE CLINICIAN TO CREATE THE ORTHOTIC
Director, Kieron Salter noted the potential for the technology to reduce time and development cost in producing orthotic while also giving clinicians a new tool to facilitate accurate on-the-spot measurement These developments, while signaling a technological change, also point to a change in business models. Tom sees two possible tracks; small and medium podiatrists who will install the scanning technology in-house, and also larger orthopedic groups transitioning towards 3D printing. "These large prosthetics groups really want to start thinking about how they can transform from traditional manufacturing to a completely digitalized process with 3D printing," explains Tom. "Of course, BELOW:
3D PRINTED ORTHOTICS ARE TAILORED TO INDIVIDUAL FOOTSCAN DATA
“RS PRINT HAS SERVED AROUND 30,000 PEOPLE WITH CUSTOM INSOLES WORLDWIDE”
we want to produce orthotics, but it's not our purpose. Our purpose is offering the technology, the tools to provide orthotics and whether we print them and service these individual practices or we service and support the larger groups with knowhow and guide the transition, we know it is coming. It is something we need to embrace, and we need to be ready to guide these people into the next level of manufacturing to a more durable and more environmentally friendly process." But most importantly, do these devices work? I've been wearing mine for several weeks now, building them in gradually starting with only a few hours each day. They are comfortable, robust, fit perfectly, and I can't be sure if it's too early to tell yet, but the pain I was experiencing in my knees and lower legs has disappeared. Unlike the off-the-shelf pair which felt bulky and harsh these fit discreetly and are even personalized to the point of including my name within the print – a non-functional touch but a nice example of the benefits of mass customization. Working within this industry, I sometimes take for granted that the technology applications I see every day, whether 3D printed orthotics or medical models are not commonplace. When I returned from collecting my insoles after a brief test walk along the Conwy harbor, I showed them to my mum. Had these technologies been readily available at the doctor's office, there is no doubt that the benefits would have outweighed the cost. Perhaps as adoption and accessibility increases within the healthcare sector, more people will be able to reap those benefits too.
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
019
Before
After FINISH3D
TAKING SURFACE FINISH TO A NEW DIMENSION BY FINISHING EXPERTS
Before
After FINISH3D
SHOWN: ISO-TENSILE BAR MADE OF PA12-RC ON SPRO60HD-HS BY 3D SYSTEMS
finish3D@bincindustries.com
visit us on booth #930 (MicroTek Finishing)
finish3D@extrudehone.com
visit us on booth #134
WALKING WITH ROBOTS T
3D scanning
WORDS : SAM DAVIES
he more you walk with your robot, the faster you are going to recover. That's what the users of lower leg exoskeletons in a select few rehabilitation centers around the world are being told. They are used to help people with paraplegia walk again, motors generating forces like torque to move the human leg via an interface and spring. But typically, there are problems surrounding fit and comfort which can discourage patients from persevering.
SHOWN: THE R&MM’S LOWER LEG EXOSKELETON WITH 3D PRINTED INTERFACES.
That's where a certain Belgian University Research Group comes in. "The problem with interfaces in lower leg exoskeletons is that they slip, so the actuation system is trying to provide torque to the leg, and the interface is trying to move the leg, and because the connection isn't perfect, the interface is moving and slipping over the skin without actually moving the leg. This is a problem we wanted to stop," explains Kevin Langlois, of the Free University of Brussels' Robotics & Multibody Mechanics (R&MM) research group. "The way we wanted to do that was instead of interacting with soft tissue; we wanted to interact with bony prominences. This is why we turned to 3D scanning technology." R&MM, almost a year ago, began using an Artec Eva scanning system as it sought to ditch the ‘one-size-fits-all' approach, and focus on tailored fits. It identifies this as a gap in the research already carried out – so far, most research has concerned the actuation and control of the robot. An exoskeleton transfers energy from robot to human, but if the interface does not fit properly, much of that energy is lost, and that also means soft tissues can be damaged and unpleasant burning sensations can compromise comfort. A simple ten-minute 3D scan from the knee down to foot is the first step of a solution that works to solve these issues. With the digital information gathered, R&MM can process the data within the
SHOWN: MESH LEG
Artec Studio 3D software, design the orthotic, in this case, the interface, to fit the patient, and then proceed to print it on an Ultimaker 3. It's a process said to be much quicker and more cost-effective than the traditional plaster molding method, and one generating better results too. It's the enabler for R&MM to set about an exoskeleton that interacts with the bony prominences of the leg: the malleolus, the tibia, and the femoral condyle. These are bony projections at the ankle, shin, and the femur, and by pushing forces through these areas the soft tissue is protected, and a stiffer connection is achieved. It serves to assist people with paraplegia in regaining locomotory capabilities quicker and safer. The exoskeleton R&MM is also developing has an assistance paradigm which can lower its workload as the patient becomes more independent. It will initially provide 120-newton meters
of torque – the standard amount a healthy human generates at the ankle when walking – and come down as their walking ability improves. Langlois is currently adding the finishing touches to the paper that will cover the intricacies of the exoskeleton project and its potential impact. He told TCT he sees robotic devices of this kind being adopted in other settings, away from medical, such as occupations which require heavy lifting. He also highlighted the benefits of having the Artec Eva scanner, of which he believes to have used for only 10 hours in 12 months. Applied intermittently, it is testament to the speed and accuracy of the device, which has been a small cog with a big impact. "We believe that we have found a way to achieve a stiffer connection to the human body and that way is to interact with bony prominences, and the way you can do that is by using customized solutions using 3D scanning," Langlois says. "The main goal here was to reduce migration which will lead to increased comfort and increased efficiency. Already it's a promising result."
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
021
reverse ENGINEERING
CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
I
n the early 20th century, as the automotive industry began to simmer, a French car manufacturer by the name of Delage was proving itself as a worthy supplier to the wealthy, and a worthy winner on the Grand Prix circuit. Its output between 1905 and 1935 earned it legendary status among automobile enthusiasts. Cars like the Delage Type S, which took part in the 1914 French Grand Prix, have been adored for more than 100 years. Stuart Murdoch has been the proud owner of a Delage Type S since 1975, but in 2014 the engine block cracked around an exhaust valve between high temperature and high-pressure exhaust gases and the cooling water jacket enclosed in the engine block casting. It was rendered unusable. "This crack was difficult to access, complex in topography, and impossible to repair without risk to the integrity of the block," Phil Guilfoyle, who would lead a project aiming to restore the engine block, explained. "The repair had to be perfect without affecting the surrounding area. The design of the engine made access to the crack very difficult and, although several other methods were considered, no repair was possible."
a method and materials that would allow for a true replica.
With the CAD data, a sand mold for printing was designed and validated by foundry engineers who used simulation tools to certify the casting process would work. The CAD model WORDS : SAM DAVIES was successfully limited to a total of Guilfoyle is not only a lifelong vintage 14 mold parts – the original consisting car buff but also a keen adopter of digital of 42 components – and printed on technology through his career as an the VX1000 platform in 300-micron industrial designer. The opportunity to sand layers that are selectively glued combine a passion with his profession together with a binder. Then, the arose through Up The Creek Workshop molds were unpacked, excess sand (UTCW), a mechanical engineering cleaned away, and the subsequent and restoration studio who maintained casting procedure was carried out Murdoch's Delage Type S. Guilfoyle and without a hitch. Including printing and the UTCW called on the help of Keech3D, mold finishing, the molds were ready a supplier of castings, Wysiwyg, who for the foundry within three days. The would provide 3D scanning and modeling foundry required a further 48 hours to capabilities, as well as CSIRO Lab22, a seal, dry and assemble the mold set. manufacturing research centre who boast By November 2016, after nine a Voxeljet VX1000 sand 3D printer. months of scanning, CAD modeling, The task at hand, to reproduce the mold design and then reproduction, engine block, was complicated by the testing was complete, the Delage lack of spare parts, design drawings, and Type S was once again road-ready, other engines to reference. Dissembling and the following month Murdoch was the defective engine, 3D scanning reunited with his prized asset. Since, and CAD modeling were harnessed to the engine block has performed reconstruct the failed casting, in a quick faultlessly, with the car clocking up and cost-effective manner. Guilfoyle and hundreds of miles on country roads co didn't want to print the engine block, and completing multiple laps on the just the tool to re-cast the block with track. A vintage car has been reborn thanks to contemporary reverse engineering methods. "3D sand printing is nearly perfect for this kind of high value, small run application of casting technology," assessed Guilfoyle. "It is efficient and flexible enough to do one-offs, which is highly relevant to vintage restoration. It is not dependant on a shrinking legacy of old parts and skills to keep heritage vehicles on the road, [and] it is extremely accurate so parts can be engineered to assemble with remaining parts. Credit: PHIL GUILFOYLE
SHOWN: NEW ENGINE BLOCK INSTALLED INTO THE DELAGE TYPE S
022
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
"The Voxeljet VX1000 is still the only 3D sand printer in Australia, and the CSIRO provided both access and expertise to permit the parties in the project to take this innovative approach to a problem as old as the industrial revolution."
> > > > >
Spherical shape No satellites High tap density Excellent flowability Highest purity
AMPERTEC® Spherical Tantalum and Niobium Powders …when you need to go beyond the limits Based on our 100 years’ expertise in manufacturing and development of refractory metals and their alloys, we have developed high quality AMPERTEC® Atomized Tantalum and Niobium Powders for demanding Additive Manufacturing Technologies including but not limited to Laser Beam Melting, Electron Beam Melting or Laser Metal Deposition. Our powders combine:
> Excellent corrosion resistance
> Low elastic modulus / high strength
> Highest degree of biocompatibility
ampertec3DP@hcstarck.com www.hcstarck.com
We Plate The Unplateable RFI Shielding | Antennas
Conductivity | and more Our plating expertise will bring your product to life Carbon Fiber
248•273•0037
SLA
PEEK Film
www.satplating.com
Ultem™
Visit us at auroralabs3d.com ASX:A3D
S-Titanium Pro DMLS | DMLM
April 8-12 Booth 41
Direct Metal 3D Printer
3x Independent Powder Hoppers Mix metals and create alloys as you print
April 24-26 Booth 331
Large Build Area 200 x 200 x 500mm
Open-Source Software
Freedom to experiment and create
April 30–May 3 Booth 4601
with WorleyParsons
Starting from US$49,999 ex. tax
3D Metal Printing | Heat Treatment | Machining www.3DMT.com
Materials Titanium Aluminum Inconel 625/718 Maraging Steel Cobalt Chrome Stainless 15-5/17-4
Printers 11 - EOS M280 1 - EOS M400 2 - Concept M1 1 - Concept M2 3D printed Implatable Talus made of Cobalt Chrome
3D printed Aerospace part made of Inconel 718
Metal Additive Manufacturing Prototype and Production ISO 9001 / AS9100 / ITAR / FFL
Metal Injection Molding Plastic Injection Molding
Magnesium Injection Molding Metal Stamping
+1-386-626-0001 Headquarters: Central Florida
metrology EDITED BY : LAURA GRIFFITHS
Q&A: ANDREW CUFFLEY, GOM UK
DURING A RECENT WORKSHOP AT GOM’S COVENTRY, UK OFFICE, I HEARD HOW THE 3D METROLOGY INDUSTRY IS IMPACTING THE ENTIRE DESIGN-TO-MANUFACTURING CHAIN. HERE ANDREW CUFFLEY, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT GOM UK TALKS TRENDS AND TAKING MEASUREMENT SERIOUSLY. LG: Inspection and quality control are more than just an end of manufacturing process - can you talk about the importance and benefits of metrology as an integral part of end-to-end manufacturing? AC: It is not unknown for us to encounter people, and indeed senior individuals who regard measurement as just cost, but we believe that this is a rather blinkered way of approaching the technology available. Using full-field measurement techniques, it is possible to obtain a greater understanding of manufacturing processes and gain proper control further back in a cycle and before costly high value and cost has been committed. The increased component and tooling information can provide engineers the means to develop streamlined processes such as adaptive machining, where the presentation of parts in a machining center can mean that only the required areas are worked on. This not only saves time but can also generate the production of superior parts. LG: At the workshop we heard that manufacturers like Jaguar Land Rover are starting to take metrology seriously - is this something GOM sees more evidence of in industry? AC: Some customers are telling us that they see the future in full-field optical measurement and are actively looking to remove tactile CMM technology from metrology areas. The reason is simple, the speed and coverage that is achievable is far superior. We see tactile CMMs as complementary to optical methods but as the capabilities with our technology are better understood further back through manufacture into the design arena it is becoming more accepted that planning the inspection process to consider full-field measurement offers considerable cost and time-saving benefits. LG: What are some of the most significant changes or trends in 3D metrology? How do you see that developing?
measurement providing highend optical measurement closer to the production areas. It is not unreasonable to consider that within the next five years the majority of our installations could be automated. LG: With increased adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies like additive manufacturing, does this pose any challenges to current measurement methods? AC: Additive manufacture has enjoyed considerable expansion over the past five-ten years, and the technology has improved massively in that period. The performance capabilities of the systems have improved greatly, and we often engage in programmes to help users develop their processes around the results we present. This is a key advantage with full-field measurement over single touch point measurement. There is no need for specific prior knowledge about the part. The sensor will gather information for what it can see. With a conventional CMM, the operator needs to know exactly what particular geometries are required and everything has to be set up just-so. Parts produced
by additive manufacture, particularly in the development stage, are often subject to material deformation, something that is difficult to identify as a trend with only limited measured points. The technology is also very helpful for us, allowing us to utilize generic referencing frames with bespoke holders printed directly from our measured data - to secure components. LG: What role will advancements in metrology (such as robotics and measurement moving closer to the factory floor) play in Industry 4.0? AC: Industry 4.0 is the buzzword, and we are heavily engaged. Processed data being fed straight from the metrology system back into the factory management system is becoming increasingly common, and indeed the use of automated measurement is on the rise. Inspection requirements can be imported with the CAD, and a measurement programme generated automatically to move a robot mounted sensor as required.
AC: There remain challenges in some applications, but the improvements in computer processing and camera technology mean that the considerable amounts of measure data can be acquired and used for interrogation. The biggest changes are toward automated
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
025
Global leader in additive manufacturing finishing system
DYEMANSION TURN 3D-PRINTED RAW PARTS INTO HIGH-VALUE PRODUCTS DyeMansion Print-to-Product Workflow STEP 1 CLEANING DyeMansion Powershot C Automated, damage-preventive part cleaning in 10 minutes Reduces manpower, costs and lead times Very easy part handling
STEP 2 SURFACING DyeMansion Powershot S Automated, proprietary blasting process Creates dirt- and scratchresistant surfaces Improves look, feel and color quality
STEP 3 COLORING DyeMansion DM60 + DM60 Reservoir Automated coloring for polymer parts Unlimited color options Clean process through color cartridges
Metal Powder Recovery System. Convey, Screen, Recover & Reuse VAC-U-MAX AM-MPRS for Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Conveys, Screens, Recovers and Reuses Metal Powders including Inconel, Stainless Steel, Haynes 282, and Cobalt Chrome. Closed-Loop System eliminates operator and plant exposure to metal dusts.
Cuts Metal Powder Recovery Time by 85%! Let us solve your material handling challenges. Visit us at www.vac-u-max.com/AM-MPRS and fill out an RFQ!
Visit us at RAPID + TCT, booth 942 More information www.dyemansion.com
www.vac-u-max.com
(800) VAC-U-MAX
RAPID + TCT
APRIL 23-26, 2018 | EXHIBITS APRIL 24-26 | FORT WORTH CONVENTION CENTER, FORT WORTH, TX
RAPID + TCT 2018 SHOW PREVIEW
F
rom the April 23, the additive manufacturing (AM) world will descend upon Fort Worth, Texas for four days of over 150 presentations and three days of exhibits from over 300 companies at the 2018 edition of RAPID + TCT. As evidenced in Todd Grimm's column (page 48) the last twelve months has been a hectic one in the world of 3D manufacturing. With the constant emergence of new technologies, machines, and materials, additive manufacturing is evolving so quickly that if you do not stay up to speed, you will be left behind. RAPID + TCT provides everything you need to know about 3D technologies, all under one roof. Experience hundreds of hands-on exhibits, groundbreaking product announcements, education from the industry’s most respected experts, and unparalleled networking.
THE KEYNOTES The RAPID + TCT Keynotes are free to attend for all attendees and give an incredible overview of what is possible in 3D manufacturing today. FROM HOLLYWOOD TO THE WINTER GAMES – MAKING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR INNOVATION. April 23 | 2018 | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Winners work harder. That’s why leaders in sports and entertainment are increasingly adopting next-generation additive manufacturing to spur innovation. Join us to learn first-hand how the USA Luge Team went for the medal in South Korea and LAIKA brought new life to award-winning, stop-motion animation – all with the power of 3D printing!
Talks from:
Rich Garrity | President - Stratasys Americas Phil Reeves | PhD, Vice President Strategic Consulting - Stratasys John Owen | Technical Programs Manager - USA Luge Brian McLean | Director of Rapid Prototype - LAIKA
SHOWN: GRAPHIC RECORDER OF DAY TWO OF THE 2017 EVENT
RISE OF POINT-OF-CARE MANUFACTURING: IMPACTING MORE PATIENTS WITH 3D PRINTING April 25 | 2018 | 8:30 am - 9:45 am As a leader in medicine, Mayo Clinic has also become a leader in point-of-care manufacturing, establishing their first 3D printing lab in 2006. Combining the diverse expertise of medicine and engineering, the Mayo team has experienced substantial benefits while addressing many challenges. Join us to learn how point-of-care manufacturing is providing patient care advantages, presenting unique obstacles of engineering within a hospital, creating the need for collaboration across disciplines, and impacting the lives of many patients and their families. Talks from: Jonathan Morris | MD, Co-director, Anatomic Modeling Laboratory, Neuroradiologist Mayo Clinic Amy Alexander | BME, MS, Biomedical Engineer, Anatomic Modeling Lab - Mayo Clinic
PRINTING THE FUTURE April 26 | 2018 | 8:30 am - 9:45 am New AM companies, products, and services are developing at a staggering pace. With so much new activity, clarity on where to invest an organization’s efforts is paramount. The AM industry is excited about new approaches to design, and even biomimicry, but designers and engineers must now decide what is practical and where to focus their attention. Meanwhile, the AM industry is faced with opportunities and challenges related to material pricing, supply chains, quality, and infrastructure development. Can users of AM really achieve digital inventories and on-demand manufacturing? And, will they uncover the AM industry’s dirty little secret? Talk from: Terry Wohlers | Principal Consultant and President - Wohlers Associates, Inc.
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
027
Developed in collaboration with
Production Control Software for Additive Manufacturing Visual AM traceability Track every batch through all builds, splits, blends and recovery operations, for complete control of material traceability
Chemical analysis records Record internal and external chemical analysis results, predict the chemical make-up of blended batches, and identify out-of-tolerance values
Visit Valuechain on Stand 2328 at Rapid & TCT 2018
DNAam.valuechain.com
If your parts were 4x stronger, what else could you do with them?
Serving the 3D Printing Industry for more than 15 years. Electroplating 3D Printed Plastics for Strength, Stiffness, Durability, EMI Shielding, Electrical and Thermal Conductivity, Abrasion Resistance, and much more... Reach us at: 410-242-5110 • info@repliforminc.com Repliform USA half page 1.indd 1
05/02/2018 15:01
RAPID + TCT
EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS EXHIBITS | APRIL 24-26 3DEO | STAND 1642
3D PRINTERWORKS | STAND 424
This year at RAPID, 3DEO is announcing an expansion to its high-volume metal additive manufacturing service. 3DEO says that its low-cost, highly repeatable technology is making it possible, for the first time, to compete head-on with traditional manufacturing. In 2018, 3DEO launched a service bureau to offer its tech-nology to customers for highvolume production of up to 10,000 pieces per month. Due to the repeatable and predictable process, 3DEO maintains very high quality in its production, such as exceeding MPIF Standard 35 and hitting extremely tight tolerances (+/0.004"). 3DEO’s manufacturing capabilities are consistent with the quality associated with traditional manufacturing but with all the benefits associated with AM.
3D PrinterWorks will be showcasing its expansion into larger scale 3D printing. After a successful release of their CreatorBot Pro Series II, 3D PrinterWorks has launched the new HT-5800 3D Printing System. A versatile high temperature industrial 3D printer with a large 18 cubic inch build volume. With dual extruders and an insulated build chamber, users can print complex geometries with consistent quality and performance. Printing large-scale models with high temperature and engineering grade polymers is now easy and affordable with the HT-5800 and will be available for demonstrations.
ARBURG | STAND 2429
CARBON | STAND 2210
Arburg will show new developments featuring Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) for industrial additive manufacturing. A Freeformer exhibit will process standard PP (Braskem CP 393), as well as the specially developed Armat 12 support material to produce functional cable clips. The delicate yet durable structures have the click effect typically found in injection molding. The APF experts will explain the functionalities and wide range of applications of the open system. They are continuously expanding the existing database with new materials. The spectrum includes e. g. ABS, PA, PC, PP and elastic TPU. The processing of PMMA and a medically approved SEBS (Cawiton PR13576, 28 Shore A) was presented for the first time at the Arburg Technology Days in March 2018.
Carbon will showcase new possibilities with its Digital Light Synthesis technology using its M-Series printers and materials. Learn more about its new partnership with Vitamix, who have reimagined the design of a micro-fluidic nozzle to be produced at scale and made ten times more durable with 30% less material. Also on display will be Carbon’s new dental resins in partnership with DREVE and DENTCA. Carbon is delivering a complete 3D Manufacturing solution for industries across a wide range of verticals.
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
029
ConďŹ gure the modular MetalFAB1 system to ďŹ t your applications Larger capacity, Multiple materials, Additional functionality
Small series Full automation
Process & Application Development, Prototyping
www.additiveindustries.com C96 / M93 / Y44 / K55
C70 / M55 / Y0 / K0
PMS 282c
PMS 2727c
VISIT US AT:
team@additiveindustries.com
#1418
RAPID + TCT
EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS EXHIBITS | APRIL 24-26 CHEMSON | STAND 734
ENVISIONTEC | STAND 1304
As one of the world’s leading manufacturers in the PVC stabilizer additives industry, Chemson will display and demonstrate the latest developments of the company’s industrial Additive Manufacturing material, known as 3DVinyl at this year’s event.
For the first time in North America, EnvisionTEC will be showcasing its Viridis3D Robotic Additive Manufacturing (RAM) technology, which uses a proprietary print head on a robot arm to 3D print large sand molds and cores for foundries. The Viridis3D RAM system is the only commercially available robotic 3D printing system available to the foundry market, delivering a large scalable solution. Additionally, EnvisionTEC will be launching a breakthrough high tensile-strength material, E-RigidForm, which was specially formulated for printing on the company’s large-frame 3SP printers, the Vector, Xtreme, and Xede, which use a laserbased system of curing photopolymer in a vat.
After the initial technological breakthrough, and Chemson’s successful participation in RAPID+TCT 2017, the 3DVinyl invention has undergone rigorous lab and field testing, including applications development of formulations to optimize compatibility with large format, high-flow rate, large aperture, pellet extrusion systems. These advances have enabled Chemson to gather a deeper understanding of the industrial 3D printing requirements and thus the larger potential of the invention.
EOS | STAND 1118
EXTRUDE HONE | STAND 134
One of the most anticipated launches at this year's RAPID + TCT will be from German additive manufacturing experts, EOS. Although details at this current time are limited EOS, have told TCT that it will be launching an entirely new polymerbased additive manufacturing platform at the show. On top of the polymer launch EOS will be showcasing its flagship EOS M 400-4 metal machine. The company's booth will also feature the unique Additive Mile display illustrating a journey to additive manufacturing excellence.
For several years, Customers have approached Extrude Hone for support in 3D finishing projects; this interest has led to the company strengthening its approach to additive and at this year's RAPID + TCT it is launching Extrude Hone Additive. Extrude Hone Additive's new team will partner with machine builders and current customers to unlock freedom of design while ensuring the final roughness can be achieved to deliver functional parts. Extrude Hone's finishing technologies, and know-how gives an understanding of how to balance building and finishing to get the optimum production time.
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
031
INTRODUCING
See you at RAPID + TCT
Booth 134
RAPID + TCT
EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS EXHIBITS | APRIL 24-26 FABRISONIC | STAND 837
GRANUTOOLS | STAND 646
Innovative manufacturing technology company, Fasbrisonic, will use its booth at RAPID + TCT to demonstrate a novel application of its 3D metal printing, Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing technology for the space race. Heat exchangers are used to remove heat from critical components, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has exacting requirements such as light-weight and high-performance systems for harsh environments like Mars. Fabrisonic developed heat exchangers for NASA achieving a Technology Readiness Level 6 (prototype demonstrated in relevant environment). Fabrisonic has completed all tests required by NASA JPL for flight qualification.
Granular materials and fine metallic powders are widely used in many processes (SLS, SLM, EBM). During these processes, powders need to have an excellent spreadability to create a homogeneous layer in the printers; however, during this step, electrostatic charges may appear due to the triboelectric effect and lead to the formation of agglomerates and to powder sticking. New to RAPID + TCT, GranuCharge is a unique instrument which can determine powder initial charge density and after a flow inside a selected pipe material with high accuracy (± 0.5nC). This device allows users to characterize the powders physicochemical modifications due to the recycling process.
Printing HX’s allows the metal tubing to become integral to the surrounding structure, allowing conduction from the heat source (electronic package) to the cooling fluid in the most efficient path possible. The new design increases thermal performance and lowers weight. See it in action at RAPID + TCT.
LINK3D | STAND 143
PHOTOCENTRIC | STAND 208
Additive manufacturing software company, LINK3D, will be introducing Digital Factory MES at Rapid +TCT, which includes Build Planning, Machine Scheduling, Data Analytics and API integration to help OEMs and Service Bureaus connect the Digital Thread. Businesses can now streamline additive manufacturing processes across CAD, PLM, ERP and 3D printers into their Digital Factory ecosystem with blockchain protocols and security.
The photopolymer manufacturer will present its new Ultraflex flexible 3D printing material offering extreme toughness combined with high flexibility. Developed in-house by Photocentric chemists, the material was created using a radically different type of chemistry for constructing photocurable polymers. Ultraflex can create soft, flexible and durable structures with high tear resistance, low tensile properties and high elongation and will be available at 380nm, 405nm and 460nm.
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
033
RAPID + TCT
EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS EXHIBITS | APRIL 24-26 POSTPROCESS TECHNOLOGIES | STAND 631
RUWAC USA | STAND 2236
The post-processing specialist has expanded its software platform with the new CONNECT3D application. Complementing their existing AUTOMAT3D platform, the new CONNECT3D platform accommodates the digital thread through the final post-printing step of AM. Starting with native CAD-file or 3D printer sliced files, CONNECT3D defines necessary requirements and strategies to automatically post-process metal or polymer parts on the PostProcess machine platform.
The worldwide provider of industrial vacuum systems will introduce the new NA26 immersion separation vacuum for AM dust. The NA26 collects explosive or glowing media particles entering the vacuum by immediately mixing them in a turbulent liquid bath, submerging and neutralizing them in the process. The vacuum’s hydrophobic and oleophobic demisting system ensures that only clean dry air exits the immersion system and the final HEPA certified filtration returns clean air to the work environment. This process stops contained materials from finding any ignition source that may be introduced into the vacuum, guaranteeing a safe, explosion-proof work environment.
SLM SOLUTIONS | STAND 1004
SOLVAY | STAND 1924
The German metal additive manufacturing leader will present its Additive.Intelligence software allowing for the implementation of additive in manufacturing and production environments. Additive.Designer’s features include imports of all native CAD formats, eliminating the need for STL files, reducing supports with an optimized exposure strategy, guiding users to the best plate positioning with component orientation processing and offering a preliminary calculation of build costs based on machine and build set-up. The goal of the software is to lower the learning curve of additive manufacturing by reducing the software skills necessary to be successful while optimizing builds with less supports and workflows based on specific part preparation.
The global supplier of specialty polymers, is leveraging its unmatched materials expertise to combine the manufacturing possibilities of AM with the mechanical, thermal and chemical properties of its unique high-performance materials portfolio. The event will mark Solvay’s first commercial introduction of several AM ready advanced polymer technologies including KetaSpire polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and 3D printing simulation and service solutions to expand the boundaries of AM for the most demanding applications.
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
035
Photo credit: MBFZ Toolcraft GmbH
THE WORLD’S LEADING PROVIDER OF HEAT TREATMENT AND SPECIALIST THERMAL PROCESSING SERVICES Optimise material properties of 3D printed metal parts with a comprehensive service model: • Heat treatment • Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) • Part removal from build plate • Quality testing and inspection
Fort Worth, Texas USA 24-26 April 2018 Visit us at BOOTH 335
www.bodycote.com © Bodycote plc 2018 – Ref: ID188527, Design by ID
test,
analyze, characterize for
additive manufacturing Metal powders for additive manufacturing Nickel & Cobalt alloys and steels
powder@eramet-aubertduval.com www.aubertduval.com
RAPID + TCT
EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS EXHIBITS | APRIL 24-26 STRANGPRESSE LLC | STAND 2420
STRATASYS | STAND 1104
The manufacturer of polymer pellet-fed extruders, has been granted exclusive U.S. and International licensing to manufacture a multiorifice polymer deposition nozzle, invented and patented by Oak Ridge National Lab for use in most current AM systems. This invention improves the deposition, quality, and speed of producing AM parts by coaxially adjusting the nozzle orifice during deposition, including multiple deposit configurations and a stop feature.
Stratasys has announced it is developing a new metal 3D printing platform for short-run manufacturing, which will be exclusively unveiled at the show. The new technology is being developed to directly address the production of pilot series parts, small-batch manufacturing and customized, lightweight and complex parts in a range of readily available metals. The previously purely polymer company has long been asked if it was developing a metals machine, and it would appear this is a project that has been in the works for a number of years.
As a result, this multi-orifice nozzle significantly improves the deposition quality and speed of AM parts by selectively adjusting the nozzle orifice during deposition to provide the desired bead size without delay.
VALUECHAIN | STAND 2328
XJET | STAND 1604
Valuechain is set to launch its additive manufacturing software, DNAam in the US Market at the Rapid + TCT. First launched in the UK in September 2017, DNAam is now being distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Developed in collaboration with Airbus UK, the DNAam system integrates complex workflow and operations, such as build planning, comprehensive inventory management and critical chemical analysis of powder batches and test pieces.
XJet will showcase its Carmel 1400 production system in North America for the first time. The machine was launched at the 2017 formnext powered by TCT and was the subject of dozens of orders throughout the week. Printing ultrafine layers of NanoParticle inks, the machine produces metal and ceramic parts with ‘new levels of accuracy, smooth surface finish and efficiency to market.’ “XJet’s participation at the internationally renowned RAPID + TCT event forms an important part of our expansion plans and underpins our commitment to the North American market,” Dror Danai, XJet CBO, comments.
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
037
ADDITIVE AND THE ARCHITECT WORDS : LAURA GRIFFITHS
D
o you know the origin of the word architect?” asks Eric Barendse, Designer and Researcher at Studio RAP during a phone conversation last month. I enjoy a good bit of etymology. I’m from a town called Widnes, which apparently earned its name from the Vikings who took a liking to the “wide nose” shape of the land projecting into the River Mersey. It’s not the most glamourous origin story but I can appreciate its history in the same way the source of “architect” got me thinking about how words and their meanings change over time. It comes from “arkhi”- and “téktōn”, which mean “chief” and “builder”, the latter of which doesn’t exactly fit the job description of a modern architect.
I call Eric following a visit to Studio RAP’s space inside Port of Rotterdam’s Innovation Dock, an oasis of technological research and creativity featuring giant robotic arms modified for 3D printing, water drones, and all. Studio RAP also has its own hidden meaning; robots, architecture and production, which is exactly what the team deploys across a wide field of work ranging from the functional to the weird and wonderful. “We are an architectural practice, but we don’t just design buildings, we also develop technology to make those buildings,” Eric explains. “What is very difficult about many of our projects is we design projects with technology that does not exist yet and we then develop the technology to make what we have designed.” Advanced design and manufacturing technologies have changed much of the way we create our world.
4 RIGHT:
STUDIO RAP INSIDE ROTTERDAM’S INNOVATION DOCK
038
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2 www.tctmagazine.com
“IT REALLY TAKES A DIFFERENT MIND-SET THAN MANY MAINSTREAM ARCHITECTS ARE USED TO.”
ARCHITECTURE CAD and simulation tools allow designers to draft ideas and apply different forces to test how a structure will fare in a real environment. Cloud computing means that entire construction teams have access to the same data and can communicate and resolve any challenges quickly. Additive manufacturing (AM), though not commonplace on a building site, is a tried and tested way of quickly producing accurate scale models in architectural offices and we’re also seeing more and more examples of how large-format concrete AM might be adopted to produce alternative housing. Studios like RAP are embracing that with a range of robotic fabrication and design process including wire cutting, AM and brick stacking to make complex or curved optimized shapes which could not be made in a traditional mold. “There are a lot of things starting up, some making pace, but the technology is not mature enough to be implemented on a larger scale,” Eric comments on the adoption of AM in the field. “That will come in the next few years, I’m quite sure about that but it will still start on a small scale.” Along with design and consultancy work, the studio has a sister company which has developed its own software called RAPCAM which allows designers to take 3D models and translate that into code that can be used in industrial robots. The entire chain is connected digitally so there is no loss of data from the CAD model to production. Eric started out in his own backyard with a giant 3D printer which he built himself and used it to experiment with concrete printing. It’s not identical to the type of concrete you would find in a DIY store and it has a slightly different consistency to make it suitable for extrusion but in the Netherlands the material has been deemed appropriate for use in construction. Using 3D printing, the studio can design and build a column or wall in a matter of hours compared to the 12 weeks it would normally take with traditional construction tools. When I visited the studio, there were examples of structures built using a similar process with clay which show how the technology might be used to print hollow structures filled with traditional materials or to produce interesting color gradients which fade through the visible print layers. There was also a prototype of the Circular Experience project for ABN Amro’s new building in Amsterdam’s financial district, where RAP proposed a design for the pavilion’s interior walls where wooden strips and waste material are reused in a parametrically controlled, robotic fabrication process. 4
ABOVE:
ROBOTIC BRICK STACKING CAN CREATE COMPLEX AND CURVED STRUCTURES
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
039
Performing complex measuring jobs at a glance. ZEISS Computed Tomography
ZEISS X-ray family Industrial computed tomography gives you entirely new insights by making it possible to capture the whole volume with all internal structures. With the ZEISS X-ray family, you can successfully perform complex analysis, measuring and inspection jobs with only one scan. Visit ZEISS at RAPID + TCT, booth 1523 www.zeiss.com/ct
ARCHITECTURE “It’s very efficient but also very flexible and quick,” says Eric on the range of processes. “You can respond to what someone is asking very quickly so that takes away a lot of problems with a client. It takes a lot of slowness and frustration out of the process.” Now the studio is working with a small Dutch concrete construction company, Bruil who approached the company around three years ago with an interest in reducing waste using 3D printing, a tool, Eric tells me, it felt would be crucial to its future due to the declining numbers of traditionally skilled workers coming into the industry. The role of the architect has changed. Once a chief builder, their job now is to design and plan a building or structure. You might see them on a construction site wearing a high-vis jacket and hard hat but it’s unlikely they’ll be taking part in the physical building. Without that hands-on experience, adopting and exploiting those new technologies may pose a challenge. “There is a lot of curiosity,” Eric says. “Mostly from more engineering minded people, many structural engineers come with lots of ideas as to how to optimize structures and shapes which couldn’t be produced before. Many architects have a hard time coming up with ideas that are appropriate, it really takes a different mindset than many mainstream architects are used to.”
consumption, which geometries are possible and perhaps most importantly, is it the best process for this particular project? “There is a huge, widespread, bonfire explosion of shapes, forms, images, colours and textures but at the moment the question of why you would want to do this, I haven’t seen a very good answer for yet,” Eric says of the more elaborate headline-stealing examples of AM in construction. “Often these buildings are extremely well optimized and perfect but they’re holding up nothing, or there’s nothing on it, or it doesn’t translate well if you step out of your technical viewpoint. There are other ways that are a lot cheaper, more efficient.” Demands from the construction industry are also evolving at a similar pace. Nicholas Mangon, VP AEC Strategy at Autodesk recently spoke about the need to double the size of some cities by 2020 during the launch of the
software giant’s new manufacturing site in Birmingham, a city which he later referred to fondly in a tweet as “a giant construction site”. Advances such as pre-fabrication off-site in controlled modules (think cells where individual blocks might be built in a high-tech manufacturing facility and slot into place on the construction site) or transportable robotic systems for large AM parts, may provide a solution to achieve that goal in this short time frame. Rather than a case of technology killing the carpenter, this is about becoming more hands on in order to embrace the benefits of automation, sustainability and beyond. In order to design and plan efficiently for these technologies, perhaps the role of the architect needs to adapt once again (archi-tech, anyone?) or go back to the roots of chief shipbuilders and carpenters it once reflected.
Architects will consider not just the look of a building but also functionality, safety and economics. With something like 3D printing, that list of considerations becomes even greater; optimization, material behaviour, best print paths to reduce material
4 SHOWN:
CONCRETE 3D PRINTING ALLOWS DESIGNERS TO REALIZE STRUCTURES IN A MATTER OF HOURS
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
041
NEXT LEVEL MANUFACTURING.
DISRUPT YOUR INDUSTRY. With the constant emergence of new technologies, machines, and materials, additive manufacturing is evolving so quickly that if you do not stay up to speed, you will be left behind. RAPID + TCT provides everything you need to know about 3D technologies, all under one roof. Experience hundreds of hands-on exhibits, groundbreaking product announcements, education from the industry’s most respected experts, and unparalleled networking.
WHY GO ANYWHERE ELSE?
IT’S ALL AT RAPID + TCT 2018.
Visit rapid3Devent.com to learn more.
ARCHITECTURE
CONCENTRATING CONCRETE WORDS : SAM DAVIES
I
ntended as an event funded by Denmark to enlighten Denmark, 3D Printhuset's 3D Construction Printing Conferences attracted visitors on an international scale, and in doing so now has an uncertain future. The second edition, held in Copenhagen in November, welcomed an audience of more than 240 people – 50% of which were foreign – to revel in the knowledge of industry experts and the spectacle of 3D Printhuset's 3D printed office hotel, The BOD (Building On-Demand). This 50-square-meter building was constructed with the company's 8 x 8 x 6 metre (approx 26 x 26 x 20 feet) gantry printer and supplemented a full programme of speakers as the conference went from strength to strength. But now, the Danish Government has taken a step back, and 3D Printhuset is without financial support to organize any follow-up events. Though the future of the 3D construction printing sector's only dedicated conference is in doubt, the future of the market itself isn't, at least not for want of trying. Numerous examples of 3D printed construction structures, like cycle bridges and bus shelters, are being put forward as suitable applications, and there are even EU-backed projects looking to deliver new manufacturing tools. XtreeE, one of the companies represented in Copenhagen last November, is part of a consortium of 12 companies in the middle of a 36-month project aiming to develop a hybrid manufacturing system for large-scale building processes. HINDCON (Hybrid INDustrial CONstruction) is funded by the European Commission under the H2020 Program and was launched in September 2016. The 5 million EUR (approx 6.2 million USD) project brings together VIAS, the project leader; LafargeHolcim; Siemens Program and System Engineering SRL; Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA); FUNDACIOcim; ESTIA; University of Patras' Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems & Automation; SINTEF; Institution of Construction Sciences; ATANGA; XtreeE; and LCA Consultants APS. Between them, they will pool their resources and expertise into
nine key areas which include, but are not limited to, Additive Material Development; Printing and Robotics Technologies; Manufacturing and Construction Processes; and Demonstration of the All-in-One Machine.
construction industry of the pertinence of hybrid 3D concrete printing technology for added-value in specific applications," Justin Dirrenberger, from XtreeE's R&D department, told TCT. "If used wisely, the results of HINDCON, regarding manufacturing technology and methodology, could generate significant revenue for the early-adopters within the industry."
The Manufacturing and Construction Processes sector is mainly the responsibility of XtreeE, and will see it design a footbridge which adequately demonstrates the potential of the hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing technology. At the forefront of XtreeE's approach is the buildability, accounted for through ‘proper material modeling' and the optimization of time, cost, and material and energy consumption. It hopes this effort can contribute to an impactful solution for the construction sector.
XtreeE's design of a demonstrative application is wholly reliant on the development of additive-compatible materials, printing and robotic technologies, and control software since the project wants to instill a process-based design strategy. As well as pioneering a new construction technique, HINDCON wants to move away from the process by which buildability is only considered after a structure is designed. Its website reads ‘the design of complex, lightweight and optimal structural elements will fully pay attention to the specificities of AM.' Those specificities include materials, process, and software.
"Hopefully, the success of HINDCON will convince the
Additive material development will be overseen by LafargeHolcim, and 4
4 RIGHT:
THE BOD OFFICE HOTEL BEING BUILT WITH 3D PRINTHUSET’S GANTRY 3D CONSTRUCTION PRINTER
ABOVE:
THE BOD UPON COMPLETION
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
043
®
(888) 496-3406
dinsmoreinc.com/contact
DESIGN FOR PROTOTYPING® • 3D PRINTING • ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING Dinsmore is advancing the use of innovative 3D printing technologies to go beyond prototyping and find new application opportunities for true additive manufacturing. Parts Shown: Customer, BIOLASE, who replaced urethane cast parts with Carbon DLS technology for accurate, repeatable additive manufacturing.
Industries Served Aerospace
Medical
Consumer
Industrial
Dental
Automotive
Contact us today for a quote — dinsmoreinc.com/contact DinsmoreInc_TCT_HalfPageAd_No6_FInal.indd 1
3/26/18 8:38 AM
ARCHITECTURE
occurring throughout the AM sector, and one seemingly applicable in the 3D construction printing market too. "Nobody produces The. Best. Car., so why should anybody produce The. Best. Construction 3D Printer?" Henrik Lund-Nielsen, 3D Printhuset CEO asks. "I think there will be lots of 3D construction printers out there, more or less suitable for each of their special type of buildings or structures." comply with the quality standards and robustness required and expected in the construction sector. They will need to be cementitious, suitable for additive processes and reinforced with composites. Fraunhofer IPA, meanwhile, is designing and building robotic devices that will facilitate the additive and subtractive processes. Two robotic end-effector tools will add and subtract material - an extruder system depositing material, while a subtractive tool will work to remove material and finish the built structures. ESTIA is in charge of writing the software that will power the all-in-one machine. It will control the cable root system and the additive and subtractive processes, supporting CAD, CAM, data management, and path optimization and simulation modules. HINDCON is also considering the bearing on the environment the development of this machine might have. Construction waste is a significant contributor of surplus materials that saturate public landfill spots, and so the HINDCON project is undertaking a life cycle assessment (LCA) ‘from cradle to grave' to ensure use of primary energies, greenhouse gases, and freshwater resources aren't excessive.
Those printers will likely either be controlled by a gantry system or a robotic arm – the former for the most ambitious builds, like The BOD, for example, and the latter for smaller structures, like the footbridge proof of concept that HINDCON will generate. Not all of the printers, however, will be the result of a dozen companies, each with their own expertise, coming together in the way HINDCON is. The alliance of 12 European outfits is a unique approach and one that could subsequently have a big impact on the utilization of 3D printing technologies within the construction sector. It hasn't gone unnoticed by 3D Printhuset, who stands at once as a leading applier and champion of 3D
construction printing. Lund-Nielsen, despite some doubts, is encouraged by the collaboration between private enterprise and research institutions, as well as HINDCON's ambition to deliver a next-generation system that builds on the progress already made by industry peers. "Do I believe in the concept that they are applying? I think there might be better ways," Lund-Nielsen confesses. "But I think any kind of common approach where you are applying the visionary technologies involved in 3D printing, whether it is a robot printer or a gantry printer, and then the knowledge institutions, the present conventional construction companies, they can use their experience and knowledge about what is the market demand, what is the market requesting, etc. I think it will lead to some useful results." Those results could be pivotal to a relatively niche market at a crossroads. The will is there to incorporate 3D printing to manufacture construction elements at scale, whether there's a way, and perhaps, more importantly, a demand, remains to be seen. The likes of HINDCON, though, will do their utmost to make sure there is.
With its environmental proficiencies secured, it is then that HINDCON will look towards demonstrating the technology, replicating it and even potentially transferring it to other applications in other industries. But that represents another hurdle. "Although the technology might be ready by the end of the project, the market for applications remain to be created, developed and sustained," Dirrenberger concedes. "Part of the work of the HINDCON consortium is to convince key actors within the industry, to develop new practices based on this technology." That thought process serves to support the doing away with a ‘one size fits all' approach, a trend
TOP LEFT:
INSIDE WALL OF THE BOD, PRINTED IN LAYER HEIGHTS OF 20MM
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
045
AND IN OTHER NEWS
MORE STORIES ON THIS ISSUE’S FOCUSSES
MEDICAL CRISPIN REPORTS 40% COST SAVINGS ON PRINTED ORTHOTICS Europac 3D is reporting a strong demand from medical businesses seeking ‘patient ready’ parts at a 50% cost-per-part reduction. Crispin Orthotics is using 3D scanning and 3D printing to create devices that meet patient needs. Models are printed in durable, lightweight nylon using the HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200 Printer in a significantly reduced timeframe and at a fraction of the cost of injection molding. Mark Thaxter, MD of Crispin Orthotics, comments: “Having the ability to create a bespoke device that is lightweight, durable and accurate
to 0.2 mm has obvious benefits to the user. The business also benefits from the speed of 3D printing parts as well as cost savings of up to 40% on each part by removing the need for multiple components in the supply chain and assembly.” John Beckett, MD of Europac 3D, adds; “3D scanning and printing brings greater freedom on the design and the ability to affordably print parts ready for use which is simply not possible with current methods of manufacturing.”
MEDICAL STRATASYS AND DASSAULT SYSTÈMES BECOME SUPPLIERS TO PROSTHETICS INITIATIVE Stratasys and Dassault Systèmes have partnered with Easton LaChappelle, the founder of Unlimited Tomorrow, to
transform the development of prosthetic devices.The alliance sees Stratasys become the exclusive provider of 3D printing technology to the prosthetics initiative and Dassault, the exclusive CAD/ CAE supplier. LaChappelle founded the organisation in a bid to overcome common pain points of customization, weight and cost of prosthetic limbs, particularly those manufactured for children which can cost anywhere between $20,000 and $100,000. Unlimited Tomorrow will collaborate with its new partners to builds intuitive, scalable models to engineer custom devices from start to finish.
NEWS
ARCHITECTURE
NORDAN AB INVESTS IN CUSTOM 3D PRINTER FOR MANUFACTURE OF WINDOWS AND DOORS NorDan AB, a Swedish windows and doors manufacturer, has invested in a custom AM system which can print windows and doors in sizes up to 1.5m wide and 2.5m (approx 5 x 8 feet) in height. The company will install the custom 3D printing machine this spring after entering an agreement with BLB Industries AB, a Varnamo-based outfit specializing in the production of 3D printers and materials technology. The BLB 3D Custom Printer supports a range of different polymers and biocomposites. These biocomposites consist of a large proportion of nonfossil-based natural raw materials and residues from forestry or agricultural by-products such as polymers mixed with wood, cork, straw, or hemp. NorDan AB has already carried out successful tests on doors and plans to manufacture both prototypes and commercial products.
TREATING EAR CONDITIONS WITH 3D SCANNING Dr. Ken Stewart, of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, is using 3D scanning to design implants for patients with microtia, a congenital ear condition. Following successful fundraising efforts from the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, the hospital purchased an Artec Spider scanner to simplify the ear-building workflow. The process typically works by taking a scan of a patient’s unaffected ear which is then mirrored to create a model. For one patient, Ellie who was diagnosed with the condition in both ears, Ken took a scan from her sister, capturing the complex structure of the outer ear and ear canal. Afterwards, the images were uploaded into Artec Studio, aligned, and fused to construct a 3D model and Leios was then used to check the ear’s surface, remove unnecessary elements, and allow for skin thickness by applying an internal offset. Files are then sent to a lab and printed on the Roland MonoFab stereolithography system in just three hours. They are then sterilized, sealed, and sent to the operating room to serve as 3D templates for ear reconstruction.
3D SCANNING 046
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
THE DIRECTORY
THE DIRECTORY TCT business card ad_March 2016.indd 1
2/19/16 10:42 AM
From Prototype to Production, We Plate the Unplateable.
SAT technicalsales@satplating.com
1837 Thunderbird St. Troy, MI 48084 USA +1 248 273 0037 www.satplating.com
Making Plastics Perform
( )
To advertise here and have your business seen by over 5,000 design and manufacturing professionals MAG
Please contact Carol Hardy on +44 (0) 1244 952 386 or email carol@rapidnews.com
TRENDS: SCOURING RECENT NEWS FOR ONGOING PATTERNS
grimm column
WORDS : TODD GRIMM
TODD GRIMM
O
is a stalwart of the additive manufacturing industry, having held positions across sales and marketing with some of the industry’s biggest names. Todd is currently the AM Industry advisor with AMUG
tgrimm@tagrimm.com
n stage, I often recap recent activities and the trends that the news reveals. To present a concise, valuable assessment of activities in additive manufacturing (AM) requires many days of research. This deep dive into AM news is something that you are unlikely to do. Instead, you are more likely to scrape the news of the past week for items that address your needs. This mode of operation is only natural when there is so much activity and so much news to absorb. A recent seminar prompted me to pour over six months of news to update my ‘what's new' lists. The work was exhausting yet exhilarating. It was tedious yet informative. Digesting six months of news took me seven hours, and all I did was read headlines and scan the story to see if it fitted the professional AM market. Even with an entire day dedicated to the research, there was no time for investigation and thoughtful analysis. Doing this research in one sitting does tend to reveal and reinforce ongoing trends. I am pleased to report that nearly all of the trends are positive for AM users. The beneficial trends spanned all aspects of the AM landscape. Companies are attacking the weaknesses in the AM value proposition to ease adoption, improve stability, increase productivity and expand viability. How? They are addressing time, cost, quality, predictability and capability. THE TRENDS Although there is much less hype than in previous years, some companies continue to spout "revolution" and "transformation" to gain attention. Fortunately, the bulk of the announcements were both practical and pragmatic, providing insights into advancements and breakthroughs to make adoption easier and expand the range of applications.
048
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2
www.tctmagazine.com
Hardware: Expansion in all directions—something for everyone. 1. Solutions in metal AM and from China continue rampant growth. 2. Never-before-considered technologies (early research) accompanied by incremental advancement (existing technologies). 3. Emerging trend of addressing OEE (overall equipment effectiveness), the gold standard for measuring manufacturing productivity. 4. Competition yielding downward pricing pressures accompanied by alternatives that provide a low-cost, entry-level solution. Software: Leveraging algorithms to tame AM. 1. Process knowledge is embedded into software to make AM more predictable and easier to use. 2. Generative design tools emerge to counter design for AM knowledge gap. 3. Direct from CAD (no STL) protects data integrity and expedites workflow. 4. Data-to-delivery workflow management aids multi-machine and multi-location operations. 5. Creative IP protection strategies leverage AM capabilities. Materials: Increasing alternatives for properties and sources. 1. Expanding the range of metals, plastics, ceramics and other materials to meet application needs. 2. New players continue to enter the AM materials market. 3. Third-party (open platform) materials dominate the conversations. 4. Downward pricing pressures from competition and the push into manufacturing leading to price reductions and lower-cost raw materials. Process: Taking control and automating end-to-end. 1. The push into process monitoring and control continues.
2. Automated post-processing alternatives increase. 3. "Continuous" becomes an operative word, used for technologies that avoid any layer-tolayer delay and those that combine multiple operations within the AM machine. Applications: Attacking production, often with targeted solutions. 1. The march towards manufacturing (series production) continues. 2. Increasing number of purpose-built machines and technology to address a specific niche, industry or application. Business: More players, bigger operations with collaboration at the heart 1. Partnerships and collaborations dominate; companies recognize that AM is not an individual sport. 2. Big names (huge, global corporations) continue to enter our burgeoning industry. 3. Significant investments to expand operations for increased capacity and global reach. 4. Acquisitions continue, namely for needed technology/solutions and getting voice of the customer directly. The last trend is the widening of the skills gap. Our industry lacks the quantity of trained AM professionals needed to tackle the moderately or highly demanding applications and technologies. For individuals with these skills, this means higher pay. For the companies that need the skills, this means a struggle to find, train and retain the AM professionals needed to make the AM operation run. Progress, advancement, and growth: that is the AM industry in a nutshell. The trends show that these are exciting times with opportunity around every corner. With no sign of abatement, all indicators lead to one conclusion; more opportunities will arise.
The Event for
25
Design-to-Manufacturing Innovation
26
3d printing | additive manufacturing | inspection machine tools | cad/cae/cam/plm software | materials metrology | moulding and tooling | post processing
27 SEPTEMBER 2018 NEC, Birmingham, UK
Being recognised as a world-class company is only achieved by constantly improving every part of your design-to-manufacturing process chain. The pace of development in technology, materials and software is incredible and with over 300 cutting edge exhibitors that CAN help you enhance your design and manufacturing process, it is no surprise that more than 10,000 professionals from product development, engineering and manufacturing functions choose to attend the TCT Show every year. Join them this September.
Whatever your mission, find your insights, intelligence and inspiration at TCT Show.
Register today at www.tctshow.com
SHOW VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1
www.tctmagazine.com
049