TCT North America 8.4

EDITORIAL

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• Get hands on with our toughest, fastest-in-hand SLS nylon copolymer parts

•

• Be stunned by large 1:1 scale molds printed at up to 10 times the usual speed at a fraction of the cost

•

Cover story

06. CREATING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

6K on how it’s creating sustainable materials for AM and importance of LCAs. 09.

SHIPSHAPE

Anna D’Alessio shares how Ivaldi is helping customers in heavy industry to digitize their inventories for ondemand manufacturing. 10.

IN FULL FLOW

Sam Davies speaks to John Crane about how its UK-site is pushing the envelope in AM production. 12.

AM GOES NUCLEAR

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation on how it is using 3D printing in the production of its FCM fuel form. 15.

A NEW ENERGY

Laura Griffiths explores the possibilities for AM in nuclear in a conversation with the Nuclear AMRC’s AM Tech Lead, Udi Woy.

AM

RECIPES FOR SUCCESS?

Sam explores how viscous materials are opening up new application opportunities in polymers. 35.

AMGTA’S GREEN MISSION

New AMGTA Executive Director Sherri Monroe answers our questions. 36.

THE FACTS OF LIFE

Industry thought leaders on sustainability and the value of lifecycle analysis projects in AM.

IMTS AT A GLANCE

41.

STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF SMALL SOLDIERS

Sam looks at 3D printing’s growing presence in Hollywood, from a cameo in Small Soldiers to the means of prop manufacture in some of the industry's biggest franchises.

46.

A PERFECT FIT

Naomi Kaempfer, Art, Design and Fashion Creative Director for Stratasys discusses direct to textile 3D printing and sustainability opportunities.

DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY

3D Systems’ Jamie Garcia considers the sustainability opportunities in commercial and public transportation.

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FROM THE EDITOR

SAM DAVIES

Let’s PUSH things forward

The month of May is always a significant one for the additive manufacturing (AM) sector owing to the annual RAPID + TCT event. But this year, it was doubly so as weeks earlier President Biden launched an initiative designed to support the take-up of AM at small and medium businesses (SMB).

AM Forward will see manufacturing leaders like GE Aviation, Honeywell and Lockheed commit to purchasing 3D printed parts from smaller USbased suppliers, while also training workers and engaging in AM standards development.

In response, Fortify CEO Josh Martin described AM Forward as a ‘great signal’, noting how the local use of AM during the COVID-19 pandemic helped ease supply chain issues, while Xerox's Tali Rosman told TCT it was now a matter of national security that AM adoption is supported.

The notion that AM is a matter of national security may seem dramatic, but when you consider, for example, the prospect of the military not having an efficient procurement process for mission-critical spare parts or the economic impact of supply chains in other essential industries breaking down, it makes sense. Countries can’t run without manufactured parts and products, and as the pandemic showed, they can’t always rely on supply from elsewhere either.

Of course, AM isn’t the answer to every manufacturing problem –in fact, it’s not for most – but when it does make sense, it’s known to add value, reduce lead times, cut costs, and as was exhibited during the pandemic, provide solutions at the point of need.

It didn’t go unnoticed in the US, though it must be said that AM Forward, at this stage, is only a plan. But it is significant in both its timing and structure. After the supply chain issues brought on by COVID-19 (and the Suez Canal blockage, and the Russian war in Ukraine), AM Forward is part of a strategy to encourage the reshoring of manufacturing by incentivising the adoption of 3D printing and building out AM supply chains from smaller suppliers up to blue chip brands.

Others should follow suit.

In the UK, for example, AM strategies have been drafted with little to no take-up. There have been isolated government investments in companies like Wayland Additive and WAAM, and the creation of catapult centres like the MTC and AMRC, but a broader structure to move the technology forward is lacking. That a nation with such AM legacy isn’t deploying such a strategy has led to much frustration – not least when the 2017 Industrial Strategy to ‘build a Britain fit for the future’ made only one mention of AM across 255 pages.

Across the pond, the Biden Administration seems to have recognized the value AM can bring in a prospective era of reshoring. What’s more, they’ve put a plan in place that has the buy-in of manufacturers big and small. Similar initiatives in other countries would be welcome. Without them, those nations risk being left behind.

As JEOL USA President Robert Pohorenic told TCT, manufacturing is going in this direction with or without government support, but it’ll go a lot quicker with it.

CREATING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

ABOVE:

Sustainability across the value chain is a trend that is getting increasing coverage internally and externally and is becoming a key part of decision-making for companies that are looking to lower their carbon footprint. Additive manufacturing (AM) has typically been recognized as a much more sustainable way to manufacture in comparison to conventional manufacturing but this does not take into consideration how the metal AM powders are manufactured.

6K Additive has changed not only how metal AM materials are produced but has completely changed the sustainability game for AM powders, helping organizations achieve their goals in a very tangible way.

6K Additive has a storied 25-year history of recycling and upcycling metals such as titanium, where they are made into an additive compact for the aluminum melt industry. Chances are if you drive a Ford F150 your truck bed contains 6K Additive products or if you have had an MRI, your scan was enabled by metal components utilizing 6K Additive products. The company has taken its expertise and extensive knowledge in milling technology and process and combined it with the UniMelt spheroidization technology to develop the most sustainable manufacturing technology for AM powders. As a result, 6K Additive can produce premium AM powders including nickel 718 and 625, titanium 64 grade 5 and 23, copper 18450 and GRCop, stainless steel 316 and 17-4, and refractories like tungsten and tantalum, all made from sustainable sources.

THE UNIMELT PROCESS

With its proprietary UniMelt technology, the world's only microwave productionscale plasma system, 6K Additive specializes in the sustainable production of metal powders for additive manufacturing. This fast and environmentally friendly process uses virgin, scrap and used powder as feedstock to make high-quality and infinitely flexible metal additive manufacturing alloys. 6K Additive uses a proprietary milling and cleaning process that ensures contaminationfree, high-quality powders in under two seconds. UniMelt provides 99% efficiency (microwave to plasma) and is 99.999% contamination-free.

SUSTAINABLY SOURCED FEEDSTOCK

Using feedstock from the manufacturing process, including used AM powders, support structures, failed prints, and certified chemistry scrap, 6K Additive is able to source materials economically and without reliance on overseas sources. UniMelt then achieves nearly 100% yield within the targeted particle size distribution (PSD) producing zero waste.

Customers can also benefit by selling their scrap material to 6K Additive for credit towards their next metal AM powder purchase, creating a circular economy that is valuable and sustainable for the future of AM. With this realization, organizations now recognize that there is more value in their scrap material both in terms of sustainability and ensuring certified chemistry as the feedstock for the powder-making process. Additionally, having the ability to control supply chain

not only for companies but equally important for the Department of Defense and other government agencies, has become vital. Lastly, the availability of new materials that are simply not available for additive in any scalable way, is now being demanded by aerospace and medical companies whose applications surpass the capabilities of today’s available AM powders.

LIFECYCLE ANALYSIS

6K Additive on changing the sustainability game for AM powders.

technology for the production of both nickel and titanium AM powders.

While many impact categories were modeled and are included in the full report, the two most relevant categories for reducing the environmental impact were Energy Use and Carbon Emissions. The high-level results are highlighted in the graph (left).

It was found that for nickel, 6K’s UniMelt process used 6,265 MJ of energy and produced 301kg CO2-eq for every 100kg delivered to the customer. This represents a 91% energy reduction and 92% carbon emissions reduction from traditional processes in the Cradle-to-End User Scope.

It was found that for titanium, 6K’s UniMelt process used 56,268 MJ of energy and produced 2,748kg CO2-eq for every 100kg delivered to the customer. This is, at minimum, a 74% energy reduction and 78% carbon emission reduction from traditional processes in the Cradleto-End User Scope.

environmentally friendly - the performance of the UniMelt metal powders surpasses that of other providers’ materials because of the 6000K microwave plasma process that utilizes a much lower gas volume during spheroidization. A uniform plasma beam eliminates gas entrapment within the particles, producing dense powder particles that are highly spherical, without satellites and have no internal porosity, resulting in smooth flowability and higher tap density than traditional methods.

The shape, flow, density, and porosity of UniMelt powders are such an improvement that any AM operator will immediately see the difference. Gas atomized powders, for example, include many elongated particles that are under-finished. With UniMelt, the targeted PSD, consistent spheroidicity, and surface smoothness improves flowability, feeding of powder into the 3D printer, and helps with the density of the powder in the build chamber, thereby improving part quality and printer productivity.

6K Additive customers have seen an overall improvement in printed part specifications including improved part density when using 6K Additive’s powders. The added benefit of an environmentally friendly process and domestic supply chain adds to the overall benefit of looking at 6K Additive for your powder needs.

“6K

Highly productive serial 3D printing

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Based on, dare I say it, the hype around additive manufacturing’s (AM) role in supply chain over the last two years, the notion of ‘send files, not parts’ might seem novel. But for Ivaldi, a company which specializes in helping heavy industry to digitize its distribution networks, that mantra has always been at its core.

Back in 2017, the company set its sights on the maritime industry, first partnering with Wilhelmsen, which operates the world's largest maritime network, to create an inport AM ‘micro factory’ which could deliver 3D printed marine parts on demand. In the years that followed, Ivaldi’s business model shifted away from ‘factory in a box’ style solutions, but the principal, that shipping files can reduce inventories, speed up delivery times, lower costs and emissions, remained.

“The original idea was to build these local manufacturing centers at different locations around the world,” says Anna D’Alessio, Director of Engineering and one of Ivaldi’s first hires. “So, focusing on the ports because we had started with the maritime industry but also, once you get into the port, you're very close to other heavy industries as well - it's very easy to get parts from those locations to where they need to go. […] We came to realize as we started to look through the data that there are more and more parts that had a wide variety of materials that made the most sense, which meant there were a wide variety of technologies that made the most sense. Instead of limiting ourselves to creating these parts using the specific technology and materials we have, we wanted to be able to expand.”

While Ivaldi initially offered in-house polymer 3D printing capabilities, the focus today is on analysis – identifying parts and partnering with on-demand manufacturers. To support that, the company has developed proprietary software which screens procurement and supply chain data to determine which parts are ripe for digital distribution.

“What we're trying to do is shift to a digital world, helping companies become digitally ready,” D’Alessio explains. “We start by looking at their procurement data, supply chain data, trying to understand what that means. What types of parts are they

producing? How much do they cost? Where these parts are coming from, how long it takes to procure, how often they order them, how many parts they have in stock because of supply chain issues or just in case.”

From there, Ivaldi creates a digital twin of those suitable parts, sometimes implementing minor design changes to better suit the manufacturing process, and stores them in a digital warehouse, together with design and manufacturing files and relevant testing and certification data to provide to local manufacturers as needed.

D’Alessio says the company is having ‘promising conversations’ and there’s an overarching understanding that digital is the future. The challenge, however, is: how? To answer that, Ivaldi has started helping companies identify specific steps they can take to digitize their assets. That often means low-risk parts such as spider couplings and scupper plugs, which are prone to wear but can be produced quickly and inexpensively with polymer 3D printing. Progress is happening, and D'Alessio notes the upturn in joint industry projects and dedicated divisions within larger organizations focused solely on AM.

“I have definitely seen more companies starting to say that we know we need to use AM, or we know that we need to shift to this digital world or create a digital warehouse, we just need to figure out exactly how to do it.”

Part of that, D’Alessio says, is about recognizing where AM makes sense.

“There's a difference between having a part that is hard to source that you need to find a new way to make or be able to make on demand versus finding parts that are specific to AM. It's important to understand what the benefits of the technology are, which technology makes the most sense based on how this part is used and what it looks like, as opposed to just trying to fit something into that technology, just so you can say that you have a 3D printed part.”

But it’s not just end-users that need to be convinced. The shift to digital requires buy in from OEMs who have long been the main source of spare parts and equipment. Rather than replacing their role within the supply chain, Ivaldi is actively trying to work with them to rethink their own business models.

“What we're trying to do instead is work with the OEMs, to say, you're only usually supporting these parts physically for X number of years. If you work with us, you can support them digitally forever and there's no extra work. Once that part exists as a digital file in our digital warehouse, then you can continue to earn those royalties every time they're produced.”

There are other challenges, namely around certification, and Ivaldi is working with DNV in maritime and API in Energy, for example, to help create standards, but that trust will come with time and sharing of successes.

“There'll be more data, more longevity of these parts,” D’Alessio concludes. “And that'll help people to understand that this is a technology that will work.”

SHOWN: IVALDI’S ANNA D’ALESSIO WITH 3D PRINTED SCUPPER PLUG

WORDS: laura griffiths

IN FULL FLOW

risk management process, with John Crane first deploying the technology on tooling, jigs and fixture applications – parts in which the company has complete control over the design, implementation and monitoring –before stepping things up.

One of the key points of contention for engineers was placing confidence in a polymer material, for example, when a metal had previously been used. The responsibility of the team leading the AM charge within John Crane was to prove additive manufacturing’s capacity to deliver the performance requirements engineers were used to.

As a 100+-year-old company with more than 5,000 employees, John Crane operates 200 global facilities. But there is one unlike any other.

While there are multiple facilities running 3D printing technology within the company’s footprint, its site in Berkshire, UK is the one that is pushing the envelope in terms of additive production. At least that was the case towards the end of 2021 – John Crane’s utilization of the technology continues to gather pace.

A manufacturer of mechanical seals, power transmission couplings, filtration systems and more, John Crane was increasingly hearing demands from customers that lend themselves well to additive manufacturing technology, encouraging the company to purchase a Stratasys Fortus 450mc.

“A lot of our RFQs are coming through with increasingly shorter, tighter demands around lead time,” Liam Johnston, John Crane AM Program Manager, told TCT. “Cost as well is a big area, being able to drive cost not just out of our products but also out of production processes. Being able to consolidate certain processes, consolidate part assemblies, that’s a big demand for us. Another big one that’s become a focus recently is environmental impact and footprint. A lot of customers are starting to see that, in some cases, they wouldn’t mind paying a little bit more for a product if we can show that it’s

having a positive impact on footprint and carbon emissions with production.”

As a company with such legacy in its areas of expertise, it has developed deep manufacturing competency over the last century. It has enabled the firm to become a leader in its field, serving users in oil and gas, power generation, chemical, pharmaceutical, mining, food and beverages, and more. But it has also brought John Crane to a point where, when customers asked for parts that could run without fresh water supply or needed a reduced footprint or required an improved strength to weight ratio, a change in approach was needed.

“I think we’re starting to reach that point where we squeezed as much as we can out of our conventional manufacturing processes and design methodologies, so I think additive opens up a whole new raft of opportunities for how we can approach these types of problems,” Johnston noted.

In bringing AM into the Berkshire facility, John Crane had to contend with the apprehension that comes with enacting change. This internal hesitancy has been overcome with an education and

“Naturally, people hear the term polymer material and they think it’s a downgrade [on metal],” Johnston said, “but they don’t understand that with 3D printing, you can design with the function of the purpose in mind, so you can reinforce the part, you can design with lattice structures, use different geometries, different ways of design that can redefine how you solve a problem. People were naturally apprehensive to some of those changes, some of which were coming from an industry perspective, thinking there might be certain standards that specify it has to be a certain grade of stainless steel or whatever it is.”

“I think we’ve educated the workforce to think much more scientifically in such as this part was made of metal, the part has to have a tensile strength of whatever, polymers, composites can now achieve this,”

Matthew Bourner, John Crane Advanced Manufacturing Engineer, added. “I’d say the skill set is often the hardest part. As a business, you can always buy machines, you can buy people if you want to, but if you want to grow the skill set organically, that takes a bit of time. But with engineering, some of our commercial teams, they [have] come around to the idea of utilizing the technology for what it has to offer.”

John Crane thus has an increasing number of success stories. As it progressed from tooling components to end consumer products, the company threw polymer 3D printing at some installation and transportation components for seals –chosen because of their low performance requirements, simple geometry and high level of design variation – of which 6,000 devices were produced annually at around 70% cheaper than their metal counterparts.

SHOWN: IMPELLER CASING PRODUCED WITH 3D PRINTING

WORDS: SAM DAVIES

The parts are now printed on-demand, reducing the need to hold large amounts of inventory on site and indicating the technology’s potential application for spare parts.

“The oil and gas sector, that’s a massive area for them,” Johnston said of spare parts. “Every hour of downtime on your refinery is X many millions of pounds lost, and they’re distributed all over the place in some of the most arid, out of the way areas. So, ensuring that we can get parts to customers quickly, having spare parts on-demand, is something that we think additive will hugely benefit us on.”

To create the infrastructure that will facilitate the distribution of spare parts on-demand from a digital warehouse will take time, but the confidence in AM is now comprehensive. So much so, John Crane has also widened its adoption of the technology to include metal processes.

As it stepped into metal 3D printing, the company targeted its filtration system products. Here, internal flow vortices can reintroduce contaminants that reduce system efficiency, impacting the life of the seal or rotating equipment and costing the end user maintenance and repair expenses. But with AM, John Crane has sought to address those challenges by developing a bespoke flow straightener which is installed in front of the filtration element and removes vortexes from the gas flow.

This flow straightener is an integral part of John Crane’s Indufil FCF Series Seal Gas Filtration System that removes liquid and particle contamination for reliable dry gas seal operation, complies with international pressure vessel and design codes, and is designed in alignment with the API614 and API692 standards. It has been designed with a honeycomb lattice structure to have minimal wall thickness while maintaining part strength, is scalable for different filter sizes and helps to achieve a 50% lower loss of pressure and up to 60% improved flow capacity. Able to be additively manufactured in Inconel 625 and Ti64, John Crane expects to produce hundreds of filter parts per year using AM, and also wants to explore how the straightener’s lattice structure can be adapted to meet the properties of the customer’s gas flow by varying the unit cell size across diameter of the element.

“I asked the engineering team afterwards,” Johnston recalled, “why is that honeycomb lattice uniform throughout? Your flow is not uniform throughout, so why have you kept a uniform lattice? Why don’t you look at considering the varying unit cell size as we get towards the edge of the flow? That’s surely where you’ll get more disturbance, friction and drag as you get to the edge. Because that was something they couldn’t ever do using conventional manufacturing, they were used to buying the off the shelf standard honeycomb media.”

The learning process continues and John Crane’s appetite for AM technology intensifies. Johnston and Bourner confirmed the company is exploring other 3D printing processes, with wire arc suggested as a technology that could facilitate spare parts and binder jetting touted as one that could enable more applications like the lattice flow straightener in its filtration systems. The technology is changing the way John Crane produces parts, from production line tools through to the systems in its extensive product portfolio. And starting in Berkshire, the hope is that these gains will gradually be attributed across its global footprint.

“We’ve always had some level of 3D printing across the business, largely for rapid prototypes, jigs and fixtures on the relatively small scale, but the UK was the first site where we pushed production levels,” Johnston finished. “We see that as our primary site where will try new processes, not just specifically for printing but the whole process chain, quality management systems, workflow management systems, the skill and design tools, and then replicate and expand those out to some of our other sites.”

SHOWN:

AM GOES NUCLEAR

Our mission is reliable energy anywhere,” Dr Kurt Terrani begins.

The former National Technical Director at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) speaks to TCT in his latest role as Director at Seattle-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC). He believes USNC is on the ‘bleeding edge’ of nuclear fuel and reactor design, with the commercial availability of Fully-Ceramic-Microencapsulated (FCM) fuel set to represent a ‘watershed moment in zero-carbon energy production’ in the US and beyond.

Supporting the company’s ambition is ExOne’s binder jetting technology, which facilitates a key step in the manufacture of UNSC’s FCM fuel. USNC is working with two value propositions. The first is nuclear reactor designs that, as long as gravity is present and hot fluid rises to the top while cold fluid goes to the bottom, are inherently safe. And the second is the FCM fuel form which brings multiple barriers to radionuclide release, thus ensuring nuclear safety.

FCM sees industry standard TRISO fuel, which contains the radioactive by-products of fission within layered ceramic coatings, encased within a fully dense carbide matrix. Terrani explains: “The whole game is to keep the radiation inside the nuclear reactor core. In some of the [conventional] designs, they build big vessels and big concrete containment domes [but] these folks decided way back when to pass that burden to the fuel itself, so they made small particles of fuel –about a millimeter in diameter – and they

put various ceramic coating layers around them.”

Historically, fuel particles might be placed in a carbon glue that keeps small pressure vessels together, but this isn’t deemed to provide ‘a lot of benefit on radionuclide release.’ Mitigating that release is USNC’s goal, and to do that it has sought to place fuel particles in silicon carbide shells, which are mechanically, thermally, and environmentally stable. It has previously been a challenge to manufacture highpurity silicon carbide, but additive manufacturing is considered the enabling technology that is facilitating the transition at USNC.

“The gold standard is to sinter the material at very, high temperatures –over 2,000°C – or do this process called chemical vapor deposition, [which is] extremely expensive,” Terrani says. “Then you get big chunks of material that you have to machine. That’s another challenge [because] the only thing that can cut silicon carbide is diamond, so you get down into this game of extremely expensive material, extremely expensive machining. Anybody who looks at that eventually decides to walk away. Well, we couldn’t walk away. Silicon carbide is a material that we need in our value proposition.”

Binder jet 3D printing is the solution here because of its ability to process materials at room temperature – silicon carbide would start dissociating at higher temperatures, so processes that use an electron beam or laser beam can be counted out.

“We use binder jet to form silicon carbide in extremely complex structures and what’s unique about this technique is it gives you the full 3D freedom,” Terrani continues. “A lot of times with additive, there’s a certain space where you can make parts, but with binder jet, any kind of geometry is achievable. So, then we take this silicon carbide, highly porous, and we take it to another process called chemical vapor infiltration. We have a body that’s made up [of] silicon carbide particles glued to each other. We pick very pure, highly crystalline silicon carbide – because that’s what we want for our application – and then the small amount of binder goes away as you heat it up. Then, you deposit more silicon carbide in the pores via chemical vapor infiltration.”

During the chemical vapor infiltration process, the silicon carbide structures are poured into the furnace, with more silicon carbide being used to fill all the open space. The outcome is a ‘relatively dense, fully sealed on the surface, strong and highly pure silicon carbide in very complex geometry’ that forms the shells that become part of USNC’s FCM fuel form. For the thousands of fuel elements coming off ExOne’s binder jet 3D printers, unique barcodes are integrated during the print process to allow USNC to manage quality. From the outside, these elements look like a chunk of silicon carbide, but inside, the fuel particles have been arranged in a very particular way to integrate things like cooling channels where applicable.

These fuel particles are then used in USNC’s Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) energy systems which, uses helium as

WORDS: Sam Davies

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation explains how it is using ExOne’s binder jet technology in the production of its FCM fuel form.

an inert gas because it does not react chemically with the fuel or reactor core components. USNC believes its MMR design has the lowest power density and highest surface area to power ratio of any reactor ever commercialized. When multiple MMR systems are linked together, they will be able to power chemical plants, large industrial sites, remote communities, and entire cities. Testing is currently underway in a Dutch reactor, with advanced licensing in progress in Canada for first application and demonstration units scheduled for first nuclear power in 2026.

As USNC plugs away at the development of its MMR systems and FCM fuel form ready for future implementation, the company anticipates investing in more ExOne binder jet systems. It currently runs both the X160Pro machine, which is used for the printing of large non-fuel structures and the X25Pro for making the structures that the fuel is integrated into. USNC also has an Advanced Technology Division focused on space and propulsion applications which also leans on the in-house 3D printing capacity. Some machines are running silicon carbide, and others are running zirconium carbide, with the same chemical vapor infiltration process occurring post-print.

“With these machines, we are doing nuclear quality work,” Terrani says.

“Once it goes with a certain kind of powder, forever thou shalt not be changed. We’re not going to switch even though the systems are designed that way. [With] the nuclear quality rigor that’s imposed on us, we need to keep the systems very clean and dedicated to a very specific process. That’s why we have multiple systems; for different components and also different ceramic carbides that lend themselves to our different designs.”

Terrani believes that previous reactor designs, for example, have been starved by the constraints of conventional manufacturing processes, citing the array of rods that make up traditional light water reactors which have only been produced uniformly because the manufacturers didn’t want to change their tooling for each rod. Additive manufacturing provides a solution here for UNSC, just as it does in the silicon carbide shells for its FCM fuel form.

Today, USNC is confident it has overcome all the key research and development hurdles in its path and is now embarking on engineering, licencing, and deployment. As the climate emergency intensifies, the need for cleaner, more reliable energy increases. USNC set out on its mission in 2011, the same year the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility saw all but one of its power generators

destroyed by a tsunami. It was the most severe nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, with 154,000 people having to be evacuated.

Those incidents, while rare and unforeseen, significantly damaged the reputation of nuclear energy. Many sites were decommissioned in the aftermath, while the likes of Greenpeace have long campaigned against the use of nuclear energy. But by bringing about advances in the technology that powers its MMR and FCM – and emphasising the low carbon output of nuclear energy – USNC senses a potential change in the mood music and is one of those pushing forward with a modern and more efficient reactor, powered by newer and cleaner fuel.

“Climate change is upon us,” Terrani finishes. “Anybody who says there’s one solution, I think they’re being insincere, but nuclear is clearly a very significant part of this. Look at nuclear energy as it’s available today, they are 1950s/1960s designs that have been modified a little bit in the 70s and 80s. There are two things that are out of tune with where we are in 2022. Number one, economically, they’re very expensive – you're talking about spending 10-20 billion dollars to build one of these things – and number two, the philosophy of safety was different. In the 50s and 60s, they came up with some bounding scenarios and said, ‘we’ll make sure the reactor is safe under these boundary scenarios […] and anything beyond that, we don’t care about it.’ And I’m not talking about the Eastern designs that dismissed even those basic principles, like Chernobyl.

“The principles of design and philosophy are outdated, and economically, nuclear as it was done previously is doomed. What’s needed? I can tell you. A lot of the time, people think that nuclear is not there as a matter of public opinion. That’s an excuse. Nuclear is not there because the vendors aren’t able to offer it.”

SHOWN: INSIDE THE USNC FACILITY

"Nuclear as it was done previously is doomed."

The UK government has ambitions set on delivering 24 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2050 as part of its new energy security strategy. The Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC), with its base in South Yorkshire and specialist manufacturing centers around the UK, is exploring how advanced manufacturing processes may help us to get there. Additive manufacturing (AM) is one such process and Udi Woy [UW], Nuclear AMRC Additive Manufacturing Technology Lead, who is responsible for developing the center’s strategy for AM and AMfocused projects, recently spoke to TCT about the center’s work with DED, where AM is uniquely equipped to meet the demands of the nuclear market, and future application opportunities.

TCT: Hi Udi. Tell us about the types of AM technologies you’re working with at the Nuclear AMRC.

UW: Predominantly we use Directed Energy Deposition (DED). PBF (Powder Bed Fusion) is also of significant interest but our emphasis is on DED because of the flexibility and ability to scale. When you're looking at large-scale or ultra large-scale products and parts, one of the main considerations from an R&D perspective is to investigate the scaling factors because it has a significant bearing on the industrial relevance of our outputs. With

AM, you don't have a linear relationship between inputs and outputs. If you're going to make a small part, you concentrate a lot of heat in a small area. But when you're building a much larger part, you're concentrating heat locally but over the scale of the build. If you're using DED, even if you're using powder bed, you're cooling at different rates, you're heating at different rates. That has implications even beyond the localized heat input so if you're looking at your design requirements, you have to scale that appropriately.

One of the things we were quite clear about at the start were bulk additive manufacturing applications. The emphasis on bulk meaning we’re appropriately scaling the research, the requirements, the parameters, we’re appropriately controlling all of the factors that are of interest in industry so when they come to adopt the process and take the parameters, it's immediately relevant to the work that they want to do.

TCT: Can you share any examples of where AM is being used in the sector currently?

UW: The trajectory is similar in some respects to those of other industries where you usually start with prototyping and tooling applications but there are also opportunities to fabricate high entropy materials, which are generally challenging to process but offer the desired combination of characteristics that are required for critical parts and components. We're quite interested in developing qualification procedures around not just the application but also the alloy. For instance, on one of the projects we've

been investigating 316L and we've produced debris filters, which are usually used in fuel assemblies. It's got a network of holes and features that make it challenging to fabricate using traditional approaches without the right sort of tooling, which is expensive to do and so there is interest in using AM to manufacture stuff like that.

On the other end, we are looking at obsolescence issues and legacy parts. For legacy parts, it's a bit more challenging because it's already been in service so you want to preserve the properties and the performance, you're essentially restoring it or maintaining it to continue being used in service. It's not like starting on a blank canvas where if you make any errors, you can maybe scale it back and start again, these are legacy parts and the industry requires solutions to ensure that plants are operating at optimum capacity and doing so efficiently.

In terms of where AM could be used is in addressing the requirements for obsolescence

WORDS: laura griffiths

and management of legacy parts. I said could because we're not there yet because current applications are in prototyping, tooling. The older the component, the more stringent the regulations to ensure that it satisfies the requirements for safety and performance.

TCT: On a panel at TCT 3Sixty, you spoke about opportunities around designing AM parts for maintainability. How significant is redesigning for AM? Or do certification requirements make those redesign opportunities a challenge?

UW: With AM, it's not like a traditional part where you have homogenized materials from which you're maybe machining. With AM, you're creating the material and even though it looks similar, it doesn't mean it's comparable. In nuclear, the whole point is to ensure that critical requirements have been met and in terms of qualification, that your material and your product complies or is equivalent to existing codes and standards for similar products. But the approach for demonstrating compliance or equivalence is where you have a lot of work in the creation of standards and implementing nuclear design codes and standards for additive because some may be transferable, in terms of maybe the base material or if you're using wire for DED, but there are other elements that are specific without any basis for comparison.

I think durability and maintenance go hand in hand because when you want a part to last for 60 or more years, then you need to be able to maintain it for that length of time. In order to understand how it behaves, then you're looking at fatigue because over time, things wear and tear. In addition to your normal wear and tear, you're also looking at your operating environment so that adds an interesting dynamic to an already interesting situation where you have to think about your long-term implications for design for manufacturing and for maintenance.

TCT: You also talked about the sustainability opportunities, particularly around large structures. Can you elaborate?

UW: You need heavy engineering and plans to forge the reactor pressure vessels and you need special tooling and methods. AM is currently used for prototyping and tooling in the industry so that's another way to look at sustainability, rather than the traditional methods of making tooling, we can explore new methods. Some of the research I've been doing with another partner is on how we stack different types of materials and use AM to layer it or get the finished dimensions to be more creative in the way we apply the technology. I think the most important question is, how can we further exploit the potential of advanced manufacturing technologies to deliver the manufacturing efficiencies that are so desperately needed to address present and future challenges? I think, for instance, deploying AM for advanced on-site fabrication of large structures. There are so many things we could do but the question is, how can we further exploit it? I don't think we're where we

would like to be but I think we're heading in the right direction.

TCT: Where might AM capabilities need to improve in order to meet the demands of the nuclear sector?

UW: I think that work is ongoing, developing standards and submitting code cases but we have to substantiate the outputs on which these code cases and standards are formulated. In terms of the factors that would really help is a combination of skills training and experience. This is essentially looking at the challenges facing the sector and how AM can help. When I did my apprenticeship, I was handed a toolbox and I had to make the tools that went into it but our CEO talked about how he had to make his own toolbox and the tools. Now the next generation has the potential to print the toolbox and print the tools that go into the toolbox. So, I think it's just attracting the next generation of potential nuclear professionals and AM is such an attractive technology because the ability to really create what you're thinking, you can eventually review those designs, but the ability to start there, it creates that freedom for the next generation. I think that's the most important going forward because nuclear is not a short-term thing. It's a long-term approach and strategy. Part of that strategy is not just for the now, it's for the next generation, and the generations that have come before. How do we bring it all together? I think AM has the ability to unify all of these perspectives around a single technology and approach for working. It opens up the world of possibilities, but you have to start somewhere and AM is an accessible way of starting that journey and introducing the next generation to the whole world of nuclear manufacturing because the goal is to deliver clean energy for future needs.

[Editor: Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.]

“Nuclear is not a short-term thing. It's a longterm approach and strategy. ”

RECIPES FOR SUCCESS?

In a university research lab in West Lafayette, IN, a doctoral student is exploring the potential of a novel 3D printing technique to develop solid rocket propellant.

The motivation for trying to 3D print solid rocket propellant is to gain more control over its geometry – since this can affect how quickly propellant burns – and by the end of the research, Purdue University Assistant Professor Monique McClain will prove out the ability to 3D print a traditional mixture with all the volume loading content of traditional propellant and with no defects induced by the 3D printing process.

She does this with a 3D printing technology that utilizes a vibrating nozzle which facilitates the flow of highly viscous materials. The key material is an ammonium perchlorate, which boasts particle sizes of around 200 microns, while the hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene binder used has a honey-like consistency. The viscosity requirement of the build material and binder is important for this application because, per McClain, there is a minimum number of particles required in rocket propellant for it to burn.

SAM DAVIES

Purdue’s novel printing technology –called Vibration Assisted Printing – was developed by Emre Gunduz because there was no such printing technology to be bought off the shelf that could print parts in the viscosities Purdue needed. In 2018, that was not just true of ammonium perchlorate, but polymer materials too. There are markets out there yearning for things to change.

“What we’re doing with solid propellants, doesn’t just have to stay relevant to solid propellants,” McClain told TCT.

Earlier this year, BCN3D joined a select few others in the commercial 3D printing space looking to enable the printing of materials with higher viscosities with its Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM) technology. A material’s viscosity is measured in centipoise (cP) or millipascal-second (mPas) – 1cP equating exactly to 1mPas – and refers to its resistance to flow because of its molecular makeup. Such

flow resistance can make it challenging for some 3D printing technologies to process highly viscous materials.

Though BCN3D has so far specialized in extrusion-based methods, it has not followed in Purdue’s footsteps with a vibrating nozzle technique. Instead, the company landed on a lamination process in its bid to ‘enable manufacturing autonomy.’

“We wanted to bring value to this segment of the market by producing real functional parts, beyond prototyping, using resin,” BCN3D CTO Eric Pallarés Garcia explained. To do that, BCN3D developed a patented photopolymerization technology whereby resin materials are picked up by a roller, laminated to the underside of a transparent film, transferred to the printing area and when the build plate rises to meet the recently laminated resin, a UV light engine cures the resin in specific areas to build up parts. The build plate then retreats,

“We wanted to bring value to this segment by producing functional parts.”

WORDS:

peeling the recently cured layer from the film, with the unused material being recovered for the next print. BCN3D claims VLM can process resins that are ‘50x more viscous than standard market resins’ and says it can also tackle multimaterial applications.

Per Garcia, VLM can process materials of higher viscosities because it is spreading resin like butter, rather than relying on the flow of liquid as in vatbased technologies. Other challenges in the 3D printing of highly viscous materials include the durability of the machinery required. Daniel Rothfuss, Global Head of Application Engineering for 3D Printing at Henkel – a BCN3D partner – noted how the high force load of more viscous materials can damage build trays, while there are also concerns with the creation of air bubbles on the resin. Heating resins can make them easier to process but that reduces the viscosity of the material – something the likes of BCN3D are trying to move away from.

In Xaar and ViscoTec there are two more companies who are channeling their expertise into the development of print heads that can facilitate the 3D printing of highly viscous materials. Four years ago, Xaar exhibited its High Laydown inkjet technology for photopolymer materials at TCT 3Sixty, with plenty of additional R&D ongoing since.

High Laydown allows Xaar to output ‘a lot of material very fast’ and increase the viscosities its print heads can handle from 100 centipoise to 130 centipoise, enabling parts with enhanced material properties.

“What high viscosity is enabling is true additive manufacturing,” Xaar Business Development Manager for EMEA + Israel Gareth Neal suggested. “There’s 3D printing, which makes parts in 3D, and then there’s additive manufacturing things which goes beyond making shape. We can put conductives into the ink, we can put dielectric properties into the ink, ceramics for structure or heat deflection temperature.”

ViscoTec, meanwhile, is developing printheads for filament 3D printing systems, with its vipro-HEAD range said to be able to process pastes with viscosities up to 1,000,000 millipascalsecond (mPas). These printheads are said to be able to gently flow material when building up parts and are compatible with off the shelf epoxy resins, acrylates, silicones, waxes and more.

Xaar has identified several niche applications within 3D printing for High Laydown, including windshield frits (those black dots that protect your eyes from the sun) and digital braille on packaging labels. ViscoTec, on the other hand, sees a lot of scope in automotive, medical and sealing applications, though Business Development Manager Simon Kasböck noted materials supply chain that makes sense for 3D printing volumes are lacking – particularly for silicones.

BCN3D’s solution on materials has been to align with Arkema and Henkel to work on the development and supply of highly viscous 3D printing materials for VLM. With this pair, BCN3D has set its sights on acrylic resins, epoxy resins, silicones and materials filled with inorganic fillers like metals or ceramics. With such an offering, BCN3D is looking at enabling elastomeric applications with good rebound energy return, while also hoping to facilitate parts with flame retardancy, low emissions and good insulation properties.

“If you bake a cake and only have flour, eggs and sugar, you can do a good cake, but if you have access to more ingredients, you would be able to do something more tasty,” Garcia said. “With high viscosity, you’re getting rid of limitations in terms of the ingredients you can use to make your formulation and to make your product.”

“It’s like giving an artist a full color palette when they’ve had monochrome for their entire career,” Neal offered.

It would be fair to say that with this year’s launch of VLM, the print head developments for inkjet and extrusion technology by Xaar and ViscoTec, the

high viscosity is enabling is true additive manufacturing.”

material development at the likes of Henkel, and even the high viscosity capabilities of machines like the ETEC Xtreme 8K, a trend is emerging. McClain also suggested the vibrating nozzle technique developed at Purdue could, in theory, be used for high viscosity polymers.

And you don’t have to look too far to find the applications. Whether it’s in the implementation of braille on a label, the production of a medical device in a hospital, or the development of rocket propellant in an R&D lab, there is a demand for the durability of traditionally made parts, and the geometric freedom of 3D printed ones.

“The additive manufacturing industry is looking for more durable and functional resins and products to unlock new applications in automotive, railway, medical, everywhere where you have very demanding requirements,” Rothfuss said. “Also, long-term stability is one of the many requirements we are frequently asked [about]. And one possible solution to fulfil those needs and to develop new resins is to add functional additives into the formulation.

“What you’re enabling with a higher viscosity printhead, or a higher viscosity technology, is not only material capability, there’s [also] a resolution and speed which makes manufacturing viable,” Neal finished. “You’re giving materials engineers a wider gamut of materials to play with, you’re giving them a wider range of applications they can fix, so really what we’re giving is opportunity.”

SHOWN: PARTS PRINTED WITH XAAR'S HIGH VISCOSITY PRINT HEADS

“What

Hoosier Pattern continues to be an industry leader by setting the bar high to exceed our customer’s expectations. With our state-of-the-art technologies along with our experienced team members, Hoosier Pattern continues to deliver the industry’s best additive manufacturing molds and cores on time and every time.

THE BRIGHTEST MINDS TRANSFORMING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

It’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and con tinues to gain momentum with successes across di verse applications. In addition to ongoing technology advances, AM’s growth is fueled by a host of engaged companies, organizations, and dedicated professionals, all of whom are energized and passionate about developing, implementing—and sharing—new ideas and best practic es throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities SME

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities

IIt’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and con tinues to gain momentum with successes across di verse applications. In addition to ongoing technology advances, AM’s growth is fueled by a host of engaged companies, organizations, and dedicated professionals, all of whom are energized and passionate about developing, implementing—and sharing—new ideas and best practic es throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

t’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and con tinues to gain momentum with successes across di verse applications. In addition to ongoing technology advances, AM’s growth is fueled by a host of engaged companies, organizations, and dedicated professionals, all of whom are energized and passionate about developing, implementing—and sharing—new ideas and best practic es throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

The recent RAPID + TCT conference, which was held May 17 19 in Detroit, is proof positive as to how far AM has come in recent years. The 31st edition of the industry’s mar quee event featured more than 400 exhibitors, hundreds of speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

The recent RAPID + TCT conference, which was held May 17 19 in Detroit, is proof positive as to how far AM has come in recent years. The 31st edition of the industry’s mar quee event featured more than 400 exhibitors, hundreds of speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

The recent RAPID + TCT conference, which was held May 17 19 in Detroit, is proof positive as to how far AM has come in recent years. The 31st edition of the industry’s mar quee event featured more than 400 exhibitors, hundreds of speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall hosted by the Medical AM Advisory Team.

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall hosted by the Medical AM Advisory Team.

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall hosted by the Medical AM Advisory Team.

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and Nicolas Tomanelli (Digital Manufacturing Challenge).

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and Nicolas Tomanelli (Digital Manufacturing Challenge).

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and Nicolas Tomanelli (Digital Manufacturing Challenge).

The AM community took center stage throughout the show. This includes the passing of the baton in two key leadership positions. John Barnes assumed the chair of the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee, succeeding Christopher Williams; and Sarah Rimini now chairs the Medical AM Advisory Committee, succeeding Amy Alexander. I’d like to thank Christopher and Amy, who provided exemplary leadership and vision during their tenures, and welcome their replacements.

The AM community took center stage throughout the show. This includes the passing of the baton in two key leadership positions. John Barnes assumed the chair of the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee, succeeding Christopher Williams; and Sarah Rimini now chairs the Medical AM Advisory Committee, succeeding Amy Alexander. I’d like to thank Christopher and Amy, who provided exemplary leadership and vision during their tenures, and welcome their replacements.

The AM community took center stage throughout the show. This includes the passing of the baton in two key leadership positions. John Barnes assumed the chair of the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee, succeeding Christopher Williams; and Sarah Rimini now chairs the Medical AM Advisory Committee, succeeding Amy Alexander. I’d like to thank Christopher and Amy, who provided exemplary leadership and vision during their tenures, and welcome their replacements.

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufac turing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production met al AM parts, and developed a pilot metal production facility.

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufac turing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production met al AM parts, and developed a pilot metal production facility.

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufac turing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production met al AM parts, and developed a pilot metal production facility.

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries, and is a tireless crusader for advancing AM.

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries, and is a tireless crusader for advancing AM.

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries, and is a tireless crusader for advancing AM.

As senior manager of Ricoh’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, Sarah is developing a curriculum for the com pany’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

As senior manager of Ricoh’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, Sarah is developing a curriculum for the com pany’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

As senior manager of Ricoh’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, Sarah is developing a curriculum for the com pany’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Team and moderated a panel at RAPID + TCT.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Team and moderated a panel at RAPID + TCT.

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified. I hope you enjoy their stories.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Team and moderated a panel at RAPID + TCT.

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified. I hope you enjoy their stories.

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified. I hope you enjoy their stories.

SME

SME

Although their movie counterparts possess awesome superpowers, the 3D-printed Baby Yodas (at left) and Groots (right) that Olga Ivanova gave to visiting high school students are unable to do so much as dissipate electrical charge--but they’re still very popular with the kids.

Although their movie counterparts possess awesome superpowers, the 3D-printed Baby Yodas (at left) and Groots (right) that Olga Ivanova gave to visiting high school students are unable to do so much as dissipate electrical charge--but they’re still very popular with the kids.

From 3D-printed figurines for students to “quantum dots” and nanocomposites, Olga Ivanova is a force to be reckoned with in the AM universe

From 3D-printed figurines for students to “quantum dots” and nanocomposites, Olga Ivanova is a force to be reckoned with in the AM universe

Paging Dr. O

Paging Dr. O

Hanson Contributing Editor

Kip Hanson Contributing Editor

lga Ivanova has 3D-printed plenty of interesting parts during her time in manufacturing. Rocket nozzles. Turbine blades and impellers. Neonatal tracheostomy tubes. There are more, which we’ll get to in a moment, but to Star Wars fans, it’s the Static Dissipative Yoda that’s most intriguing.

developer near Phoenix. “It’s our way of getting young people interested in additive manufacturing.”

OOlga Ivanova has 3D-printed plenty of interesting parts during her time in manufacturing.

Rocket nozzles. Turbine blades and impellers. Neonatal tracheostomy tubes. There are more, which we’ll get to in a moment, but to Star Wars fans, it’s the Static Dissipative Yoda that’s most intriguing.

“We printed a bunch of Yoda and Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy) figurines for high school students who visited our facility recently,” said Ivanova, director of technology at Mechnano, an additive manufacturing materials

“We printed a bunch of Yoda and Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy) figurines for high school students who visited our facility recently,” said Ivanova, director of technology at Mechnano, an additive manufacturing materials

developer near Phoenix. “It’s our way of getting young people interested in additive manufacturing.”

Padawan

Learning

Padawan Learning

She’s quick to point out that those educational giveaways were made of a gray-colored base resin, not the more expensive static dissipative material (which is black) that she spends much of each day working with—and yes, which she occasionally uses to print Yodas that are just as resistant to electrical charge as they are to the Dark Side of the Force.

She’s quick to point out that those educational giveaways were made of a gray-colored base resin, not the more expensive static dissipative material (which is black) that she spends much of each day working with—and yes, which she occasionally uses to print Yodas that are just as resistant to electrical charge as they are to the Dark Side of the Force.

Kip

Olga Ivanova Master networker RAPID + TCT Director of Technology Mechnano

Voices AMplified

Fluorescent Frontiers

AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

It’s not her first attempt at using technology to reach young people. She’s been known to make soap bubbles in her spare time, and according to her LinkedIn feed, she recently fabricated a family of polar bears for a girl who lost her brother in a car accident. “I made two larger ones to represent mom and dad and seven smaller ones that are engaged in various activities to represent kids doing kid things entirely unaware of the fact that the family had seven children. I was told that the girl was overjoyed.”

It’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and con tinues to gain momentum with successes across di verse applications. In addition to ongoing technology advances, AM’s growth is fueled by a host of engaged companies, organizations, and dedicated professionals, all of whom are energized and passionate about developing, implementing—and sharing—new ideas and best practic es throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

It’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and con tinues to gain momentum with successes across di verse applications. In addition to ongoing technology advances, AM’s growth is fueled by a host of engaged companies, organizations, and dedicated professionals, all of whom are energized and passionate about developing, implementing—and sharing—new ideas and best practic es throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

The recent RAPID + TCT conference, which was held May 17 19 in Detroit, is proof positive as to how far AM has come in recent years. The 31st edition of the industry’s mar quee event featured more than 400 exhibitors, hundreds of speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

The recent RAPID + TCT conference, which was held May 17 19 in Detroit, is proof positive as to how far AM has come in recent years. The 31st edition of the industry’s mar quee event featured more than 400 exhibitors, hundreds of speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

The AM community took center stage throughout the show. This includes the passing of the baton in two key leadership positions. John Barnes assumed the chair of the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee, succeeding Christopher Williams; and Sarah Rimini now chairs the Medical AM Advisory Committee, succeeding Amy Alexander. I’d like to thank Christopher and Amy, who provided exemplary leadership and vision during their tenures, and welcome their replacements.

That’s how Dr. O rolls. After earning her master’s degree in Physical Chem istry at Perm State Univer sity in Russia, she pursued her Ph.D. at Kentucky’s University of Louisville. The school awarded Ivanova a Ph.D. for her thesis, titled “Size and Composition Dependent Electrochemical Oxidation and Deposition of Metal Nanostructures.” She said that working on her Ph.D. forced her to step out of her comfort zone. In her case, it meant setting aside studying bulk parts and “big stuff” to research the me chanics of the ultra-small.

The AM community took center stage throughout the show. This includes the passing of the baton in two key leadership positions. John Barnes assumed the chair of the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee, succeeding Christopher Williams; and Sarah Rimini now chairs the Medical AM Advisory Committee, succeeding Amy Alexander. I’d like to thank Christopher and Amy, who provided exemplary leadership and vision during their tenures, and welcome their replacements.

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufac turing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production met al AM parts, and developed a pilot metal production facility.

That was in 2011, and Ivanova has continued to push the boundaries of her chosen field ever since. Working under the tutelage of Tom Campbell, research associate professor and associate director for outreach of Virginia Tech’s Insti tute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, and co-advisor Chris Williams, director of Virginia Tech’s DREAM lab, she spent the next two years or so devel oping nanocomposites for use in additive manufactur ing. She set up a laboratory to synthesize semiconduct ing nanocrystals made of cadmium selenide, better known as “quantum dots,” then found ways to ink jet-print them.

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities SME

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities SME

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall hosted by the Medical AM Advisory Team.

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall hosted by the Medical AM Advisory Team.

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and Nicolas Tomanelli (Digital Manufacturing Challenge).

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and Nicolas Tomanelli (Digital Manufacturing Challenge).

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

The good thing about additive manufacturing is that you can print practically anything, she explained. The bad thing is that it’s also fairly easy for anyone with a machine to produce illegitimate copies of these items, then sell them as genuine. This leaves one of the most promising technologies of our time rife for fraud.

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufac turing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production met al AM parts, and developed a pilot metal production facility.

It turned out to be a wise decision. While looking for a postdoctoral position, Ivano va responded to an adver tisement from Virginia Tech; the university was looking for someone with expertise in nanocomposites for 3D printing.

As senior manager of Ricoh’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, Sarah is developing a curriculum for the com pany’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

As senior manager of Ricoh’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, Sarah is developing a curriculum for the com pany’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

“I had plenty of experience with nanocomposites but no clue on 3D printing,” she laughed. “Additive manufacturing wasn’t even a term back then. So I Googled it. I watched some YouTube videos and looked at all the parts people were making, and I thought, ‘This is so cool. I want to be part of it.’ So I applied for the job.”

“Because they fluo resce when exposed to UV (ultraviolet) light, quantum dots are often used in the biosciences to tag cancer cells, for example,” Ivanova said. “Our goal at Virginia Tech was to develop the technology to 3D print them. It was seen as a way to prevent counterfeiting, using quantum dots as a type of barcode that’s invisible to the human eye.”

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries, and is a tireless crusader for advancing AM.

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries, and is a tireless crusader for advancing AM.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Team and moderated a panel at RAPID + TCT.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Team and moderated a panel at RAPID + TCT.

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified. I hope you enjoy their stories.

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified. I hope you enjoy their stories.

By the end of Ivanova’s term there, she had written six peer-reviewed articles on these and other topics, and con tributed to a host of 3D printing conference proceedings.

Olga Ivanova is interested in all aspects of 3D printing, and is amazed at the technology’s rapid growth.

Although their movie counterparts possess awesome superpowers, the 3D-printed Baby Yodas (at left) and Groots (right) that Olga Ivanova gave to visiting high school students are unable to do so much as dissipate electrical charge--but they’re still very popular with the kids.

‘KABOOM!’

From 3D-printed figurines for students to “quantum dots” and nanocomposites, Olga Ivanova is a force to be reckoned with in the AM universe

Paging Dr. O

Kip Hanson Contributing Editor

Following her stint in academia, Ivanova went into the private sector, and for the next five years focused her energies on the macroworld over the micro. As a scien tist for Texas-based government contractor Lynntech, she managed a number of novel research projects, among them the development of UV-curable silicones for use in neona tal medical devices, culminating in the tracheostomy tubes mentioned earlier. There was the HAMMER project, in which Ivanova used a custom-built printer with an “unconventional energy source” to fuse test specimens made of polymers like polyamide-11 and metals such as iron and copper. And she explored ways to additively manufacture uniforms and undergarments on Navy ships, developing new materials that replicate textiles and techniques to adjust the strand spacing for improved breathability in 3D-printed fabrics.

Olga Ivanova has 3D-printed plenty of interest ing parts during her time in manufacturing. Rocket nozzles. Turbine blades and impel lers. Neonatal tracheostomy tubes. There are more, which we’ll get to in a moment, but to Star Wars fans, it’s the Static Dissipative Yoda that’s most intriguing.

“We printed a bunch of Yoda and Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy) figurines for high school students who visited our facility recently,” said Ivanova, director of technology at Mechnano, an additive manufacturing materials

One of Ivanova’s favorite (and loudest) projects was also for the Navy, which focused on developing a more capable pyro technic flare for military aircraft. The traditional MTV flare they were using contained just one flammable material—magne sium—it could only create a single infrared (IR) signature; given

recent advancements in electronics, the Navy had determined that decoy flares were becoming easier to outsmart. What better way to create one with multiple materials (and therefore multiple IR signatures) than to 3D print it?

“Many of the powders I worked with were flammable and in some cases quite explosive, so we collaborated with Texas A&M University, which has facilities for safely testing such materials,” Ivanova said. “And due to its high melt ing temperature, there was no commercial way to print the Teflon used in MTV, at least not at that time. We actually had to modify the chemical composition to make it extrudable. It was challenging work, but it was also a lot of fun printing and then setting off these little kabooms in my lab. It was like making fireworks.”

Olga Ivanova Master networker RAPID + TCT Director of Technology Mechnano

developer near Phoenix. “It’s our way of getting young people interested in additive manufacturing.”

My Friend PANDA

Padawan

Her next endeavor was with Universal Technology Com pany, now ARCTOS, in Dayton, Ohio. Here again, she was involved in numerous America Makes and DoD-sponsored research and development projects—Ivanova developed a handful of “recipes” for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)

Learning

She’s quick to point out that those educational give aways were made of a gray-colored base resin, not the more expensive static dissipative material (which is black) that she spends much of each day working with—and yes, which she occasionally uses to print Yodas that are just as resistant to electrical charge as they are to the Dark Side of the Force.

Olga Ivanova 3D-printed this polar bear family as a small gesture to a young girl dealing with the grief of losing her brother in a car accident.

Voices AMplified

feedstocks, and produced a variety of nozzles, impellers, and turbine blades for aerospace and military use.

AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

She also got to be good friends with PANDA, the metal 3D-printing system that she used there and whose manu facturing has since been spun off into a separate company: Open Additive in Beaver Creek, Ohio. One might argue that her experiences with that machine helped cement her love of additive manufacturing. Ivanova referred to one of the parts she made with it as “ginormous, sumptuous, glamorous, and splendiferous”—which is very high praise for a hunk of metal.

It’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and con tinues to gain momentum with successes across di verse applications. In addition to ongoing technology advances, AM’s growth is fueled by a host of engaged companies, organizations, and dedicated professionals, all of whom are energized and passionate about developing, implementing—and sharing—new ideas and best practic es throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

Mechnano founder and CEO Steve Lowder agrees on both counts. “Whether it’s printing Groots and Polar Bears for youth, volunteering at area food banks, or painting small homes for families in transition, Olga illustrates the goodness and care for others that each of us should strive for—these are qualities that our business culture whole heartedly supports.”

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities SME

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities

It’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and con tinues to gain momentum with successes across di verse applications. In addition to ongoing technology advances, AM’s growth is fueled by a host of engaged companies, organizations, and dedicated professionals, all of whom are energized and passionate about developing, implementing—and sharing—new ideas and best practic es throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

As noted earlier, Ivanova currently serves as director of technology at Mechnano. It’s a company where she can apply her love of 3D printing to the furtherance of her first darling: nanotechnology. Even better, Mechnano’s address is in sunny Mesa, Ariz., allowing her to stay warm enough—al most—to fend off her constant case of the chills. “I’m cold all the time,” she laughed. “Walk into our office and I’ll be the only one wearing a hoodie.”

The recent RAPID + TCT conference, which was held

The recent RAPID + TCT conference, which was held May 17 19 in Detroit, is proof positive as to how far AM has come in recent years. The 31st edition of the industry’s mar quee event featured more than 400 exhibitors, hundreds of speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

The AM community took center stage throughout the show. This includes the passing of the baton in two key leadership positions. John Barnes assumed the chair of the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee, succeeding Christopher Williams; and Sarah Rimini now chairs the Medical AM Advisory Committee, succeeding Amy Alexander. I’d like to thank Christopher and Amy, who provided exemplary leadership and vision during their tenures, and welcome their replacements.

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufac turing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production met al AM parts, and developed a pilot metal production facility.

As senior manager of Ricoh’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, Sarah is developing a curriculum for the com pany’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

Focused on the Little Things Mechnano is a materials company. It develops and manufactures master-batches and formulations for use in 3D printing feedstocks using discrete carbon nanotubes. It’s here that Ivanova hands out 3D-printed Yodas—ones that are not static dissipative, anyway—to young people interested in manufacturing. And it’s here that she spends her days quite literally unraveling the mysteries of carbon nanotubes. “Ever since their discovery nearly thirty years ago, carbon nanotubes have offered enormous promise,” she

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall hosted by the Medical AM Advisory Team.

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall hosted by the Medical AM Advisory Team.

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and Nicolas Tomanelli (Digital Manufacturing Challenge).

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries,

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries, and is a tireless crusader for advancing AM.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Team and moderated a panel at RAPID + TCT.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified. I hope you enjoy their stories.

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified.

Thanks to their ability to fluoresce under UV light, quantum dots like these might one day be used as a tool to prevent counterfeiting

SME

Although their movie counterparts possess awesome superpowers, the 3D-printed Baby Yodas (at left) and Groots (right) that Olga Ivanova gave to visiting high school students are unable to do so much as dissipate electrical charge--but they’re still very

said. “They have extremely high tensile strength, are very light, and their elec trical conductivity is roughly one-thou sand times that of copper. For these and other reasons, the government has poured billions of dollars into their de velopment. The challenge, however, is that when you synthesize carbon nano tubes, they take on an agglomerated bundled state, so you can’t harness their unique properties. Our intellectual property centers around untangling those bundles.”

Ask Ivanova how she goes about this unlikely task, and she’ll just smile and politely decline. “I can’t tell you much about that, except to say we’re having great success.”

Peering Ahead

Despite her understandable reluc tance to discuss proprietary technol ogy, Ivanova is clearly fascinated by all things infinitesimal, with carbon nanotubes and nanocomposites at the top of the list. “It’s groundbreaking work, especially in the context of additive manufacturing,” she said. “Think about it. Many of the current challenges here come down to material selection. Maybe it’s not strong enough, or it’s

Here’s the aerospace component that additive manufacturing geek Olga Ivanova once referred to as “ginormous, sumptuous, glamorous, and splendiferous.”

From 3D-printed figurines for students to “quantum dots” and nanocomposites, Olga Ivanova is a force to be reckoned with in the AM universe

Paging

Kip Hanson Contributing Editor

Olers. Neonatal tracheostomy tubes. There are more, which we’ll get to in a moment, but to Star Wars fans, it’s the Static Dissipative Yoda that’s most intriguing.

“We printed a bunch of Yoda and Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy) figurines for high school students who visited our facility recently,” said Ivanova, director of technology at Mechnano, an additive manufacturing materials

not conductive, or it can’t resist high temperatures—pick your property. Many companies have looked to ceramics and composites as a means to break that barrier, and some have enjoyed increased material performance as a result. I see discrete carbon nanotubes and other nano-engineered materials as the next frontier, and think we’ve only started to scratch the surface of what’s possible.”

Olga Ivanova Master networker RAPID + TCT Director of Technology Mechnano

When not peeking beneath the covers of the atomic universe, Ivanova keeps a close eye on the additive industry. As many of those who call her Dr. O will attest, she’s keenly interested in all aspects of 3D printing, and is amazed at the technology’s rapid and continuous growth.

developer near Phoenix. “It’s our way of getting young people interested in additive manufacturing.”

Padawan Learning

“You have to keep learning and digging and look at what others are doing if you want to keep up with it all,” she said. “For example, when I visit trade shows like RAP ID + TCT and Formnext, I make it a point to stop by every booth whose name I don’t recognize. I look back at the state of the industry as it was when I first graduated and am blown away by the advancements. The cat’s definitely out of the bag.”

She’s quick to point out that those educational give aways were made of a gray-colored base resin, not the more expensive static dissipative material (which is black) that she spends much of each day working with—and yes, which she occasionally uses to print Yodas that are just as resistant to electrical charge as they are to the Dark Side of the Force.

A close-up view of 3D-printed fabric, which the U.S. military has investigated for use in uniforms and undergarments.

AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

It’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and con tinues to gain momentum with successes across di verse applications. In addition to ongoing technology advances, AM’s growth is fueled by a host of engaged companies, organizations, and dedicated professionals, all of whom are energized and passionate about developing, implementing—and sharing—new ideas and best practic es throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall hosted by the Medical AM Advisory Team.

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall

Carl Dekker (left) presenting at RAPID + TCT along with Brennon White of General Motors.

The recent RAPID + TCT conference, which was held May 17 19 in Detroit, is proof positive as to how far AM has come in recent years. The 31st edition of the industry’s mar quee event featured more than 400 exhibitors, hundreds of speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

The AM community took center stage throughout the show. This includes the passing of the baton in two key leadership positions. John Barnes assumed the chair of the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee, succeeding Christopher Williams; and Sarah Rimini now chairs the Medical AM Advisory Committee, succeeding Amy Alexander. I’d like to thank Christopher and Amy, who provided exemplary leadership and vision during their tenures, and welcome their replacements.

The AM community took center stage throughout the show. This includes the passing of the baton in two key leadership positions. John Barnes assumed the chair of the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee, succeeding Christopher Williams; and Sarah Rimini now chairs the Medical AM Advisory Committee, succeeding Amy Alexander. I’d like to thank Christopher and Amy, who provided exemplary leadership and vision during their tenures, and welcome their replacements.

What’s in a Name? “Y

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufac turing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production met al AM parts, and developed a pilot metal production facility.

Kip Hanson Contributing Editor

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufac turing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production met al AM parts, and developed a pilot metal production facility.

As senior manager of Ricoh’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, Sarah is developing a curriculum for the com pany’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

As senior manager of Ricoh’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, Sarah is developing a curriculum for the com pany’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

es, we also do plastic.” It’s a common re frain at Met-L-Flo Inc. of Sugar Grove, Ill., where President Carl Dekker and his team of 20 oversee five of the seven ASTM-recognized addi tive manufacturing (AM) technologies. These include vat photopolymerization, material extrusion, material jet ting, binder jetting, and powder bed fusion (the latter in both metal and polymer). Within this list are several AM subcategories, such as Carbon’s Digital Light Synthe sis (DLS) and 3D Systems’ MultiJet Printing (MJP).

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and Nicolas Tomanelli (Digital Manufacturing Challenge).

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries, and is a tireless crusader for advancing AM.

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries, and is a tireless crusader for advancing AM.

As if that weren’t enough to keep this small company busy, Met-L-Flo also offers machining, rotational and plastic injection molding, and more. “We’re primarily a low-vol ume contract shop, and utilize additive manufacturing and AM-enabled technologies to develop parts for end-use applications,” said Dekker.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Team and moderated a panel at RAPID + TCT.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Team and moderated a panel at RAPID + TCT.

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified. I hope you enjoy their stories.

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified. I hope you enjoy their stories.

For example, Met-L-Flo employees are currently pro ducing metal castings for various automotive applications. They’ve made fiberglass layups for trucks, vacuum-formed pieces for aircraft, and built countless tools, jigs, and fixtures

SME

Met-L-Flo’s eclectic business mix demands innovative AM solutions Carl Dekker Seasoned Conference Presenter and Industry Leader President Met-L-Flo Inc.

SME

for their customers. They also provide design validation ser vices and guidance on making designs more manufacturable. In a nutshell, Dekker explained, Met-L-Flo team members take a customer’s application need, drill down to whatever manufacturing process will deliver the best possible result, and put together a proposal. If successful, they then manage that program for the client until completion.

make a better product that will give you a stronger position against your competition in the marketplace?”

Although their movie counterparts possess awesome superpowers, the 3D-printed Baby Yodas (at left) and Groots (right) that Olga Ivanova gave to visiting high school students are unable to do so much as dissipate electrical charge--but they’re still very

It’s an eclectic mix that even many large manufacturing firms can’t lay claim to, yet Dekker is anything but boastful. When asked how they keep up with it all, his answer was straightforward. “Our focus is on meeting our clients’ de mands and helping to make them successful. That’s it.”

He freely admits that not all of his printers are state-ofthe-art. But at the end of the day, he suggested, owning the latest and greatest technology isn’t going to make a better part. That’s where having “really knowledgeable people” comes in. With that is a willingness to let machines sit idle from time to time when demand ebbs, and an understanding that the “latest and greatest” crown grows tarnished within a year or even a few months in the 3D-printing industry.

“New equipment is great, as is a high-level of utilization, but success boils down to one basic question: How do you

More than Metal

So why the mismatch between the company name and its service offering? It’s a long story. In 1969, Dekker’s father started Met-L-Flo Engineering as a consultancy to the metal-forging industry. Dekker joined the firm after a two-year stint with a Japanese import/export company attempting to advance silicone molding in the U.S. market. The year was 1991, and his stint was ending, so Dekker began looking for ways to develop what he had learned into the family business. He discovered what at that time was a novel prototyping technology—stereolithography. Within a few years, the consulting side of the company branched off to become Met-L-Flo Inc., one of the first 3D-printing service bureaus.

“Back then, we were still very focused on the casting and forging markets, so there weren’t any branding issues at first,” said Dekker. “That began to change with the introduc tion of direct metal systems in the early 2000s. By then, we’d expanded into other areas, so we started playing with the

Paging

Kip Hanson Contributing Editor

Olers. Neonatal tracheostomy tubes. There are more, which we’ll get to in a moment, but to Star Wars fans, it’s the Static Dissipative Yoda that’s most intriguing.

“We printed a bunch of Yoda and Groot the Galaxy) figurines for high school students who visited our facility recently,” said Ivanova, director of technology at Mechnano, an additive manufacturing materials

spends much of each day working with—and yes, which she occasionally uses to print Yodas that are just as resistant to electrical charge as they are to the Dark Side of the Force.

From 3D-printed figurines for students to “quantum dots” and nanocomposites,

The production floor at Met-L-Flo is home to five of the seven ASTM-recognized additive manufacturing technologies.

Voices AMplified

idea of a name change, but ultimately decided to leverage our brand recognition and continue with Met-L-Flow.”

AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

No matter the company name, Dekker has more AM expe rience than most. Early in his career, he began presenting at seminars for SME in and around Chicago, an opportunity to “get the word out and connect with others in 3D printing.” These efforts led him to a group known as the Rapid Proto typing Association, which soon joined forces with SME, and which Dekker chaired at one point.

It’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and con tinues to gain momentum with successes across di verse applications. In addition to ongoing technology advances, AM’s growth is fueled by a host of engaged companies, organizations, and dedicated professionals, all of whom are energized and passionate about developing, implementing—and sharing—new ideas and best practic es throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

Today, he’s president of the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG). It’s a post he’s held for the past two years, preceded by two years as vice president. Dekker is also the current chair of SME’s Direct Digital Manufactur ing Tech Group. “When a technology changes as quickly as additive manufacturing, it’s important to stay current,” he said.

That standards body turned out to be ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials), which formed the ASTM Committee F42 on Additive Man ufacturing Technologies in 2009. Dekker has served on the committee ever since—first as vice-chair, then chairperson, and now past chairperson. Knowing that wide-scale adoption of such standards is critical to the future of manufacturing overall, he and his colleagues have continued to grow the organization, while looking for ways to increase AM adoption and further develop the F42 standard.

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities SME

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities SME

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall hosted by the Medical AM Advisory Team.

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applica tions. The panel was one of several during a special town hall hosted by the Medical AM Advisory Team.

In an attempt to bring F42 to other countries, the ASTM committee joined forces with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and developed a presence in Eu rope. Together, they help direct any company wishing to es tablish its own standards back to the collaborative activities of the F42 committee, ISO, and the ANSI Additive Manufac turing Standardization Collaborative (AMSC).

It’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and con tinues to gain momentum with successes across di verse applications. In addition to ongoing technology advances, AM’s growth is fueled by a host of engaged companies, organizations, and dedicated professionals, all of whom are energized and passionate about developing, implementing—and sharing—new ideas and best practic es throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

The recent RAPID + TCT conference, which was held May 17 19 in Detroit, is proof positive as to how far AM has come in recent years. The 31st edition of the industry’s mar quee event featured more than 400 exhibitors, hundreds of speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

Embracing Change

The recent RAPID + TCT conference, which was held May 17 19 in Detroit, is proof positive as to how far AM has come in recent years. The 31st edition of the industry’s mar quee event featured more than 400 exhibitors, hundreds of speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

About twenty years ago, Dekker noticed a shift in the way that products are sourced and produced, and the term “direct manufacturing” was becoming more widespread. Met-L-Flo responded by preparing for AS9100 certification, which it achieved in 2010. The company also moved to its current location, a facility with better environmental controls and much more floor space for the growth in contract manufac turing that Dekker saw coming. Finally, with a goal to pursue more defense and aerospace work, Met-L-Flo added ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) certification to its expanding accreditation list.

The AM community took center stage throughout the show. This includes the passing of the baton in two key leadership positions. John Barnes assumed the chair of the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee, succeeding Christopher Williams; and Sarah Rimini now chairs the Medical AM Advisory Committee, succeeding Amy Alexander. I’d like to thank Christopher and Amy, who provided exemplary leadership and vision during their tenures, and welcome their replacements.

The AM community took center stage throughout the show. This includes the passing of the baton in two key leadership positions. John Barnes assumed the chair of the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee, succeeding Christopher Williams; and Sarah Rimini now chairs the Medical AM Advisory Committee, succeeding Amy Alexander. I’d like to thank Christopher and Amy, who provided exemplary leadership and vision during their tenures, and welcome their replacements.

This move has brought a high degree of AM conformity in Europe, said Dekker. Unfortunately, the U.S. has been slower to climb aboard the standards bandwagon.

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and Nicolas Tomanelli (Digital Manufacturing Challenge).

Other highlights included the winners of the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Community Awards: Slade Gard ner, founder of Big Metal Additive (Industry Achievement); VELO3D and IMI Critical Engineering (Aubin AM Case Study); and Virginia Tech students Daniel Chirvasuta, Nathanael High, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nguyen, Omkar Shinde, and Nicolas Tomanelli (Digital Manufacturing Challenge).

“We don’t have a mechanism that designates F42 or any other document as the official standard,” he said. “In fact, there are more than a dozen SDOs [standards development organizations] at work here in the U.S., any of which is free to publish its own AM guidelines.”

Facing Challenges

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

To help foster the next generation of innovators, the SME Education Foundation’s Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students to RAPID + TCT. There also was a special networking lunch for young profes sionals and a Career Forum Panel. The initiative is led by Ellen Lee and Jennifer Coyne, who are both advisors on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Community Leadership Committee.

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufac turing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production met al AM parts, and developed a pilot metal production facility.

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufac turing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production met al AM parts, and developed a pilot metal production facility.

As senior manager of Ricoh’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, Sarah is developing a curriculum for the com pany’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

As senior manager of Ricoh’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, Sarah is developing a curriculum for the com pany’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

While all this was going on, Dekker began working on another more fundamental problem: a lack of standards within the AM communi ty. “Back then, most of my customers had developed their own sets of procedures, technical processes, material specifications, and so on,” said Dekker. “Following each of them, many of which were inconsistent, was becoming a serious complication for Met-L-Flo and others like us. That’s when we as a group started pushing for a standards body to take on the activity of developing what was initially a set of established guidelines for rapid prototyping, but that would soon become a much broader series of industry-wide addi tive manufacturing standards.”

Until everyone is singing from the same AM hymnal, Met-L-Flo and other additive manufacturers will struggle with ambiguity and inefficiency. “How do we get to the point where our customers can say, ‘I want my parts made via this standard’? Once you have that, we’ll be able to re spond with certainty, ‘Okay, we understand how to print the part. We understand how to inspect and post-process it and what materials we can use in its construction.’ Without that, universal confor mance and part qualification will remain a question mark in certain applications.”

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries, and is a tireless crusader for advancing AM.

SME Media also interviewed dozens of AM leaders during RAPID + TCT as part of its Voices AMplified initiative that showcases the people behind the technology. This month’s Voices AMplified report profiles two such visionaries: Olga Ivanova and Carl Dekker. Known as “Dr. O,” Olga has worked on innovative projects for the medical and defense industries, and is a tireless crusader for advancing AM.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Team and moderated a panel at RAPID + TCT.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed prod ucts. He also chairs the Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Team and moderated a panel at RAPID + TCT.

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified. I hope you enjoy their stories.

Carl and Olga represent the spirit behind Voices AMplified. I hope you enjoy their stories.

As the industry continues to gain steam, such scenarios will become increasingly common, especially as 3D-printer ownership expands to the consumer market. Dekker de scribed a futuristic scenario in which a parent prints a bicycle

“When a technology changes as quickly as additive manufacturing, it’s important to stay current.”

Although their movie counterparts possess awesome superpowers, the 3D-printed Baby Yodas (at left) and Groots (right) that Olga Ivanova gave to visiting high school students are unable to do so much as dissipate electrical charge--but they’re still very popular with the kids.

safety-critical items like these on a home printer, but that part of the discussion really resonated with me. It provided some insight into the industry’s maturation level and how far we have yet to go.”

Manufacturers grapple with similar liability questions, he added. Without robust process controls, reliable equipment and materials, and a well-established set of stan dards to follow, the legal waters can quickly become murky. “As a contract manufacturer, it’s my responsibility to prove that any parts we produced were made according to the customer’s data set and requirements, and that we followed agreed upon and docu mented procedures,” he said.

The Right Hammer

From 3D-printed figurines for students to “quantum dots” and nanocomposites, Olga Ivanova is a force to be reckoned with in the AM universe

Other questions abound. Dekker men tioned growing concerns over industrial cybersecurity, and the need to comply with NIST 800-171 requirements and the DoD’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification as additional burdens in this brave new man ufacturing world. Add to that the ongoing struggle to find and retain qualified employ ees, people who not only have the right skill set but also the right attitude, and a desire to grow with the company.

Paging

Kip Hanson Contributing Editor

Ohelmet. The child gives said helmet to a friend for his birth day, the friend falls off his bike, the helmet breaks, and the friend’s family sues for damages. Who is liable? The 3D-print er manufacturer? The raw material provider? The internet site that provided the design model and printing files? Or the well-intentioned consumer?

lga Ivanova has 3D-printed plenty of interest ing parts during her time in manufacturing. Rocket nozzles. Turbine blades and impel lers. Neonatal tracheostomy tubes. There are more, which we’ll get to in a moment, but to Star Wars fans, it’s the Static Dissipative Yoda that’s most intriguing.

“We printed a bunch of Yoda and Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy) figurines for high school students who visited our facility recently,” said Ivanova, director of technology at Mechnano, an additive manufacturing materials

Said Dekker, “I served on a GAO panel that was putting together a report on 3D printing for congress, and one of the members raised some of these same questions. We’re not yet at the point where people will be making

developer near Phoenix. “It’s our way of getting young people interested in additive manufacturing.”

Training and workforce development is a huge issue, he noted. So is the need to continually reinvent yourself. “When all you have is a hammer, everything’s a nail. That’s why manufacturers need diverse capabilities. I can’t tell you how many times a customer has called us to say, ‘Hey, sorry to tell you this, but we just bought a 3D printer and no longer need your services.’ My response is always, ‘Congratulations, but your machine is only good for certain parts and materials. Can we help you with any of the other six additive technologies?’

Padawan Learning

Olga Ivanova Master networker RAPID + TCT Director of Technology Mechnano

“Throughout our history, we’ve always invested in whatever’s needed for the application, learned everything we could about it, got it producing successfully, and then added it to our capabilities list. That’s how you grow as a manufacturing company.”

She’s quick to point out that those educational give aways were made of a gray-colored base resin, not the more expensive static dissipative material (which is black) that she spends much of each day working with—and yes, which she occasionally uses to print Yodas that are just as resistant to electrical charge as they are to the Dark Side of the Force.

Met-L-Flo customers are eligible to receive the components needed to build this Saturn IB rocket replica, designed and built by Carl Dekker’s engineering team.

North America’s largest and most influential Additive Manufacturing event.

3D PRINTING & AM SERVICE PROVIDER MAP

If the last few years have taught us anything, at least in manufacturing, it’s that our supply chains need to be more agile. Additive manufacturing (AM) has come through as a viable pathway to achieve this responsiveness with the potential to design and produce products ondemand in a matter of days versus

months. But that doesn’t necessarily mean installing a 3D printer on your own shop floor. For that, 3D printing and AM service providers provide an agile solution to leverage AM processes and expertise for prototyping to production. The 2022 edition of TCT’s annual 3D Printing & AM Service Provider map, which you

can find enclosed inside this issue, provides details on location, lead times and in-house equipment of some of the leading providers in North America.

Stick this map on your office wall (or access the digital version via Issuu) and use it for your next project.

Access the digital map here: mytct.co/22MapNA

AMGTA’S GREEN MISSION

TCT: What compelled you to join the AMGTA?

SM: This role, when I was first approached, really intrigued me. It really made use of my background and my interests. I've worked for a couple of very large non-profits in the US so I have that experience of bringing together a broad group of stakeholders around a common cause and understanding their sometimes competing objectives. I also have a background in the for-profit side and in innovations. So this is very much like that, not only in the fact that this is a new organization so there's a lot happening and a lot of wheels turning, but also that innovation side of new technology and getting that out there and helping a broader audience understand the value and the potential.

TCT: You’ve previously said ‘AM has the potential to be transformational in how we sustainably manufacture.’ Can you elaborate?

SM: AM has been around for many years but really is coming into a new stage of life where we're going beyond just using it for things like prototyping, which is always going to be a big part of it because of how effective that is, but moving beyond simply making the same part that was made traditionally and making that through additive. Now, there are certainly instances where that provides huge value but I think where we're really going to see this next stage is where we're leveraging the power of AM design. The organizations that are able to do that now and leverage that are really seeing huge gains and so I think it really has the potential for really transforming the manufacturing landscape.

I think we're going to see new processes, new supply chains, new systems, new

products, and it's really going to be a matter of finding those best uses.

TCT: We’ve recently seen more emphasis on LCAs in AM. What do you think this says about the industry’s commitment to sustainability?

SM: Talk is cheap, as they say, and actions really are where it's at. The work that 6K and Materialise and others are doing is so important because it provides information but it also shows the transparency involved. Transparency is critical because transparency leads to credibility and if you're making claims or suggesting that things are more sustainable, you really need to

be able to demonstrate that. Part of that process is actually defining what the lifecycle is. So how far back do you go? And how far out do you go in the life and the end of life of this product? So really studying that full lifecycle because the gains are in different places than it would be through traditional manufacturing.

TCT: There’s a worry around ‘greenwashing’ in AM. Where do you think the biggest challenges or unknowns lie?

SM: Whether it's looking in the hearts of an individual or looking into the heart of a corporation, sometimes it's hard to assess what their motivations are. I think we all know that there are companies that simply want something they can put in a paper or put on their website and say ‘we're green’ and move on about their business, while other organizations truly are committed to this. Sometimes those first steps that companies make may look like greenwashing but it may just be their first steps. They went for a couple of easy wins. What can we do quickly, easily? Why wouldn't you do that?

The low hanging fruit, let's go there first. So I think we have to be careful in labelling some of those things as greenwashing when it just may be, they're getting started. Let's recognize that, let's applaud that. Let's assist them, how can we help them share learning so that they can move further?

What I see in our membership is companies that are truly committed to this, this is not something that's being forced on them, that they see this as a strategic benefit.

Sherri Monroe [SM], Executive Director at the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA), on the importance of data and transparency in sustainability.

Listen to the interview in full: mytct.co/SherriQA

[Editor: Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.]

THE FACTS

The subject of climate change is now a mainstay of our news cycles. Whether it’s protests by activists, pleas from campaigners or the policies (or lack thereof) set by governments, rarely a day goes by without the theme debated or the latest developments reported.

In additive manufacturing (AM), it is not quite a daily occurrence, but the soundbites in interviews and declarations in marketing messages aren’t exactly rare. Through TCT’s editorial and conferencing channels, we have covered the topic extensively, platforming those who believe AM can be used to boost the sustainability of products, and those who warn of potential greenwashing.

As recent extreme weather events would suggest, it is important that AM, like any other manufacturing sector, gets it right.

In 2019, Sintavia led the charge and set up the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) - read our Q&A with the AMGTA's Sherri Monroe on page 35 to learn more. In establishing the AMGTA, Sintavia CEO Brian Neff suggested that while the AM industry focuses on its cost and time benefits of the technology, less emphasis is placed on the ‘very real environmental benefits of AM over traditional manufacturing.’ That point may be up for debate, but from the outset, the AMGTA aimed to raise awareness of said benefits… in good faith.

To do that, the organization was to commission its own research efforts, and as of this year, award those members of its organizations that did the same. In May, the AMGTA handed out 27 awards to 20 of its member companies –including 6K Additive, EOS and Materialise, all of whom have recently carried out lifecycle assessments (LCA) on 3D printed products.

“We want data-driven decisions,” 6K Additive President Frank Roberts told TCT. “Our goal is, ultimately, we want carbon neutrality. The only way to understand how to get there is to generate the data and benchmark, so that was the first step. But other companies are starting the process – some are doing more ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance),

some are doing LCA – but the fact that people are talking about it, I think it’s awesome. I spent a lifetime in wrought products, and no one really talks about it, so it’s exciting that that’s now happening. But getting the data is key.”

Getting the data is what 6K Additive has sought to do via Foresight Management, which recently carried out two LCAs on behalf of 6K. While a titanium material processed with UniMelt was found to use up to 76.7% less energy and produce up to 78.4% fewer carbon emissions compared to plasma and gas atomization processes, its nickel material faired even better. Measuring UniMelt against induction furnace gas atomization for the nickel LCA, Foresight Management reported that UniMelt used 125kg of material for 100kg product compared to 400kg with the gas atomisation process, while also only using 6,265 megajoules (MJ) of primary energy and 5,135 MJ of non-renewable energy compared with 69,780 MJ and 58,759 MJ. This is said to amount to a 91.5% reduction in global carbon emissions.

want data-driven decisions.”

When carrying out LCAs, vendors like 6K Additive typically seek to outsource the testing of processes to third-party organizations that have no dog in the fight. Then, the organisation will make a holistic assessment of a process, considering, for example, the extraction and raw processing of raw material, the inbound shipping, the printable powder production, and the distribution of the final product to the customer.

The information gathered here can then be used to either promote the sustainability benefits of a product and its manufacturing process or to guide the relevant parties in finding ways to mitigate whatever issues have been highlighted – often bringing things into scope that hadn’t previously been considered.

As LCAs become more prevalent, the process is becoming slicker and companies like EOS are learning to re-use findings where applicable.

“What we see is we’re getting faster because [for] some parts,

“We

WORDS: SAM DAVIES

OF LIFE

you can use them again for other [LCAs],” Björn Hannappel, EOS’ Head of Sustainability, said. “If we’re doing an LCA on PA 1101 and then we have the next one which is based on a PA 1101 but [with] more ingredients added to it, then we already have half of it. We don’t need to do this again.”

“It’s similar to where we were years ago when it came to calculating business cases and cost per part,” added Florian Alefeld, Senior Manager, Academy & Consulting, EOS. “It used to be we have a time study, now we need to measure the energy input into the system – it was

pretty manual, we had to do a lot of calculations to get a very accurate cost per part that was more than +/- 20%. Now, we’re at a point where we need a few input data, we have a database in the back end that spits out a cost per part and even a return-on-investment calculation. It’s the same for carbon footprint. Today, we do a lot of manual labor and data collection, but we will get to a point where, just like a fi ve-dollar cost per part, we will have a fi ve-kilogram carbon equal emissions per unit and additional data, such as how much agricultural lands have to be used.” Last year, both EOS and Materialise carried out LCAs on 3D printed eyewear products, with both returning positive assessments compared with conventional means of manufacture. In the EOS study, which was carried out by Fraunhofer EMI, the 3D printed YOU MAWO eyewear product was said to yield a carbon footprint that was 58% lower than the conventional product and create 80% less waste. It also posited a reduction in powder refresh rate, the development of

bio-based materials and the use of less expensive packaging as areas for improvement.

Though all the LCAs highlighted in this feature point to positive environmental benefi ts of AM, it would be remiss to suggest as a blanket statement that AM is a sustainable technology. As industry consultant Phil Reeves noted during a panel session at TCT 3Sixty, “it’s application based.”

He continued: “I did some studies years ago with Virgin Atlantic on metal additive parts and what we realized was if we were making airframe components that would last for the duration of the aircraft, which is 30 years, it would be sustainable. But cabin interiors are refi tted every fi ve to seven years, so a fi ve-to-sevenyear lifecycle on a metal additive lightweight part doesn’t off set the fuel gain. So, even in aerospace, you could say, well, lightweight, aerospace, [it] must be good in terms of reduction of fuel. But it’s not always the case.”

Not every LCA carried out for an AM process, then, can expect to yield a positive outcome. But as the world looks to turn greener in the face of a climate emergency, it will provide valuable intel for technology suppliers as to what application opportunities they can target today, and the improvements that need to be made to widen that scope tomorrow.

In its role as the foremost sustainability organization in the AM space, the AMGTA will continue to recognize efforts made by the industry players, but the true incentive will come from manufacturers who are working toward ever more demanding CO2 emission targets.

“We need to do more work around the lifecycle analysis,” Stephen Fitzpatrick of the National Manufacturing

Institute Scotland added on the same TCT 3Sixty panel. “Until we’re able to measure that, we can’t prove something as sustainable or not. We all talk about the design opportunity for additive manufacturing and when you look at manufacturing in general, 80% of the top three emissions are locked in at the design phase. So, additive, with that design opportunity, does present that opportunity for us to be more sustainable. But we do need to measure that and until we do, we can’t prove that.”

“Additive does present the opportunity for us to be more sustainable.”

JOIN US!

The America Makes TRX event provides opportunities for the industry to gather and discuss America Makes projects at a technical level. This event gives a deep dive into America Makes collaborative projects and offers a unique networking experience for those in attendance. www.americamakes.us

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WORDS: Sam Davies

IMTS AT A GLANCE

In September, TCT will be on the ground at the largest manufacturing technology trade show in North America to bring you latest product launches and application developments relevant to additive manufacturing.

IMTS will feature more than 100 exhibitors within its Additive Manufacturing Pavilion and TCT will be doing its best to visit each and every one, sitting down with a select few for more in-depth conversations.

As the agenda fills up with press conferences, interviews and other meetings, here’s just a glimpse of what we’re anticipating.

Four years after the initial announcement of its Metal Jet 3D printing technology (made at the last IMTS no less), HP is expected to declare that its metal binder jet technology is commercially available.

Over the last few years, parts produced with Metal Jet have been accessible via GKN Powder Metallurgy and Parmatech – two partners that were trusted to aid HP in the development of the technology. Since then, the US Marine Corps, Cobra Golf and Volkswagen have all publicly been revealed as users of the technology, with the latter teaming with Siemens to incorporate the process into its vehicle production operations. HP is believed to have a product unveil lined up for the first day of IMTS, while tentative invites have been sent out to press for interviews with key members of the company’s metal 3D printing team.

Back in 2018, HP suggested the technology was 50x more productive than other binder jet technologies, while also boasting a 430 x 320 x 200 mm build volume and the ability to process metal injection molding powders.

Nexa3D has established itself in the additive manufacturing market with its Sterolithography 3D printers, which today include the NXE 400, NXE 200, NXD 200 and the XiP desktop system.

But back in 2020, the company made the move to acquire NXT Factory, which fell under the same XponentialWorks umbrella as Nexa and was coming to market with a powder-based polymer additive manufacturing technology. Quantum Laser Sintering (QLS) technology has since been a feature of Nexa’s trade show stands and IMTS is set to be used as the launchpad for the technology’s commercial availability.

So far, we know that the QLS 820 is equipped with a 350 x 350 x 400 mm build volume, 4 x 100W CO2 lasers and a print speed of up to 8,000 ccm per hour. It is also able to process materials such as PA12, PA11, Polypropylene, and aluminum, glass and fiber-filled options.

Though the company has made some key personnel redundant in recent weeks, it is understood that the company’s launch of the QLS 820 platform will go ahead at IMTS.

Directed Energy Deposition firm FormAlloy Technologies will have a presence at IMTS and is to showcase its DEDSmart software offering.

A key component of the company’s DED portfolio, DEDSmart has been developed for autonomous DED builds and build data logging with in-situ monitoring. This platform enables users to record all build parameter data, export time-stamped data and analyze the data post-build, helping manufacturers to verify the build quality of components. There is also a playback feature to allow processes to be frozen and repeated as desired, while the software also creates a comprehensive build history by utilizing system speeds, feeds and sensors.

CEO Melanie Lang says DEDSmart ‘provides insight and confidence to customers’ so they can ‘produce consistent and high-quality parts, with unprecedented open access to data sets foe analysis, performance correlation and part certification.’

“More than 100 additive manufacturing exhibitors.”

STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF SMALL SOLDIERS

Why the use of 3D printing in TV and film is going from strength to strength.

Afilm crew is down on its haunches, barking instructions back and forth, cameras trained on a bulky grey box, waiting as the birth of a futuristic action figure happens before their eyes. It will be 72 hours before they have all the footage they need.

One year later, Major Chip Hazard emerges from a tank of liquid in mere seconds, lasers firing toward his anatomy as he makes his ascent. Archer, his co-star in 1998 movie Small Soldiers, joins him immediately after.

As rapid prototyping made its Hollywood debut, it represented a 3D printing machine operator’s dream: functioning parts – in this case nefarious action figures – produced in the time it takes to send an email. But the creation of the Small Soldiers was just a fantasy in a world where missile technology is used to improve the functionality of action figures that subsequently wreak havoc. As a movie, it may not age all that well, but its credentials as an anecdote, piece of trivia and the premiere of an industry trend are in a healthier state.

BEHIND THE SCENES

The location for this piece of filming was a 3D Systems Tech Center in Valencia, California in 1997.

“Three days of shooting for 20 seconds of action,” was the assessment of Jan Richter, who ran the Tech Center at the time. “It was unbelievable. I’ve never been on a movie shoot before, and I’ve heard the comments of ‘hurry and wait.’ That was it.”

Typically, the Tech Center was used for prototypes and design validation models, and while there were prop shops making molds with 3D printing technology at this time, the Small Soldiers call came as a surprise to 3D Systems – so much so, the company wasn’t sure what to charge the studio to use its facility. In the end, it was a very tiny fraction of the movie’s 40m USD budget.

“We’d been brought up on this is for prototyping,” said Covestro’s Andrew Graves, who worked for 3D Systems in the 1990s. “All the applications were in aerospace, automotive and consumer goods, and there had been a few artists that had been using it making direct use models or masters for metal casting, but it was the first time that we’d heard of the movie industry [being interested in 3D printing]. It was just cool. Our industry was expanding to making films.”

For 3D printing’s initial step into movies to happen, 3D Systems agreed to dedicate

an SLA 5000 within its Tech Center to the Small Soldiers film crew. For three days, a tent was erected around a machine based in the corner of an L-shaped configuration of nine printers. Before filming commenced, a mock figure was printed with an early Accura resin (the actual figures would be fabricated by hand), but when the film crew set up their equipment, Richter told TCT that syrup was used to fill the vat due to concerns that the lighting used by the crew would cure the resin while filming was underway – the studio had to pay for that. Once the syrup was loaded, the cameras started to roll and captured the footage you see in the opening scenes of the movie. Because the filming took so long, the crew set up camp beds by the machine. They also captured other footage within the facility, such as passing shots of the other printers, but these were never used.

When the movie hit the cinemas a year later, the reaction was muted, at least outside of the industry. Richter jokes that even by 1998 people still didn’t want to listen to him talk about his job at parties – that would change in time – though people within the industry had begun sharing files to print their own molds and make their own models. At some point thereafter, Jason Lopes of Legacy Effects, an American special effects studio, had got wind of the story and would share his perspective on it at industry events like the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG).

WORDS: Sam Davies

“Those Small Soldiers characters were not made with 3D printing, but it was a glimpse of what was to come.”

“My whole thing was to really understand this tool from a different perspective,” Lopes told TCT at this year’s AMUG. “Everyone sees it for product development, prototyping, this and that. For me, it was how do we see it as an extension of ourselves, and especially with the younger generation, to start understanding there are different ways of doing things. Every idea now has a chance. It’s a lot easier to prototype something today, even if you’re not good with your hands, there’s a way to bring something into this world and give it an opportunity. [I wanted to] A) get people hooked by showing them the history of these films that they’ve seen, and then B) inspire them to think that I’m going to be more daring, I’m going to try, try, try more and I’m not going to fear failure.”

Lopes has spent the last 15 years at the intersection of movies and 3D printing, working on Iron Man, Jurassic World and Pacific Rim. In all that time, he hasn’t come across an earlier on-screen depiction or end-use application of a 3D printer. Today, they’re often used as a prop to convey a futuristic feel, and, increasingly, to produce the props themselves.

“The irony is,” Lopes continued, “it’s shown in the opening scenes. The way those [Small Soldiers] characters were made was not with 3D printing, it was [with] hand traditional fabrication [techniques], but it gave us a glimpse of what’s to come.”

SHOWN:SLS3DPRINTINGWAS USEDTOPRODUCE COSTUMEPIECESIN BLACKPANTHER(2018)

…AND ACTION!

What was to come was 3D printing’s role in movies, like any great actor, evolving over time. Three years after Small Soldiers, a ‘rapid prototyper’ was used by a character in Jurassic Park III to portray the prototyping of a velociraptor’s resonating chamber, and now, you’d be spoilt for choice to pick your favorite Hollywood application of 3D printing.

Lopes counts the work carried out by Legacy Effects on the Iron Man movies as a key milestone. The company used Stereolithography to prototype the Iron Man suit for the first movie, before producing a pair of customized gloves for lead actor Robert Downey Jr during filming for the sequel. Ten years on from the first Iron Man film, Black Panther turned to Selective Laser Sintering to produce pieces for Queen Ramonda’s costume, after Guardians of the Galaxy had applied an Objet500 Connex printer to produce Star Lord’s mask. More recently, LAIKA deployed 3D printing to produce 102,000 different animated character faces for Missing Link – a 5x increase on its first movie Coraline. During the writing of this article, Formlabs announced its Form 3L machine was used by the makers of HBO Max series Raised By Wolves to produce molds, end-use props and make-up effects for the show’s second season.

During Small Soldiers, when the decision had been made to push ahead with a set of toys manufactured using missile technology, a deadline of three months to get products on shelves is given – half the time that would usually be set. In the real world, Hollywood is renowned for such demands being made, and at this stage, 3D printing is no stranger to meeting them. Rob Wiggins, who was introduced to 3D printing technology while working as a Concept Artist and 3D Sculptor for Hasbro, now ‘almost exclusively’ uses 3D printing to make props through his own business Get It Done Dudes. The reasons, he and others with knowledge of both 3D printing technology and the movie industry say, are plenty.

SHOWN: LAIKA DEPLOYED 3D PRINTING TO PRODUCE 102,000 CHARACTER FACES FOR MISSING LINK (2019)

“With 3D printing, you’re able to get finer details and it’s repeatable,” Wiggins said. “If you’ve got a part that you’re making from scratch, you’re making a bespoke product. If they say, ‘hey, we need two of these again,’ or ‘hey, it broke,’ you’ve just doubled your entire process time for doing a prop. Whereas with 3D printing, if they come back to us and say, ‘hey, remember that prop you made us, can you make another one?’ you’re cutting down on so much money and time that otherwise would have been spent trying to reproduce that asset over again.”

“Clients change their mind all the time,” Lopes added. “If you’re doing a traditional sculpture and a client changes it, that’s weeks. [Also], symmetry, for us, was amazing. Being able to work on symmetrical things and just mirror to the other side so amazingly fast – time is money. Projects accelerate from project to project to project. This one was six months, the next one is three months, the next is one is two months, faster, faster, faster, more iterations. Just being able to keep up as much in near real time as possible to support their decision making [is a big benefit of 3D printing]. In a traditional world, when it takes a lot to change, the more you’re asking someone to do that the more they’re losing their passion for doing that. It’s going to slow them down. It’s a psychology play too. Everyone likes to do better, faster.”

“It is the definition of a limited production run,” Graves offered. “We’re making ten of these suits, they all need this body armor, we’re not going to make a mold for it, 3D print the parts. It’s limited production, so it totally makes sense.”

Graves believes that Lopes implementing the technology at Legacy Effects and then sharing his insights across to the digital manufacturing and 3D printing conference circuit ‘opened

our eyes to what was being done and what could be done.' In the hands of Lopes, Wiggins and their peers at the likes of Legacy Effects and Hasbro, the technology has facilitated the quicker development and approval of designs, while also allowing props, costumes and even animated faces to be manufactured in low volumes and/or with customized designs. 3D printing is being tasked with standing up to the rigors of movie stunts, conveying the story through character clothes and expressions, and the tight deadlines set by production execs. And there is more to come.

“A lot can be done with CGI,” said Graves, “but where you need a practical prop that an actor has to hold, as materials improve, they’re going to be more functional, so you could have weapons that people could use against another actor and not be afraid that it wouldn’t break, because speaking for [Covestro], we’re working on more durable and functional materials. We’ll see more flexible materials [too] and it could be, for the stop motion stuff, you could print a material that you could bend and move. We’ve gone through a steep curve and now we’re flattening out, but I think there’ll be incremental improvements as there are in regular industry.”

“It’s everywhere, and I feel like it’s expanding and expanding,” Wiggins finished. “One thing that we have coming up is the next Transformers film. We have some designs in there that I’m super excited to talk about as soon as I get the green light. I know they’ll be mad at me if I say anything [but] it’s some stuff I’m really proud of. We’ve been working on that for years, so that’s going to be super exciting once that comes out.”

we’re flattening out, improvements in regular industry.”

“It was just cool. Our industry was expanding to making films.”

Laura Griffiths speaks to Naomi Kaempfer about 3D printed fashion and sustainability.

As creative 3D printing job titles go, it probably doesn’t get much better than the one that belongs to Naomi Kaempfer, Art, Design and Fashion (ADF) Creative Director for Stratasys.

It’s a role Kaempfer has been building towards since 2003 having led fellow 3D printing pioneer Materialise’s .MGX department, working with artists, designers and architects to explore the use of 3D technologies in creative markets. Now at Stratasys, the purpose, Kaempfer tells TCT, of the additive manufacturing (AM) leader’s ADF business is to ‘dig deep’ into 3D technologies and investigate new applications in the design, fashion, and art sector.

“We’re not looking at prototyping,” Kaempfer emphasized, but rather “ways to use 3D printing technology for manufacturing.”

ADF is an area Stratasys has been working in for a long time, with Kaempfer at the helm since 2014 overseeing projects with designers like Jenny Wu and fashion house threeASFOUR on statement jewelry and fully 3D printed garments. Having proven the effectiveness of its multi-color, multimaterial Polyjet technology across numerous creative collaborations, with artists like Julia Koerner already experimenting with printing directly onto fabric back in 2020, these efforts recently led to the launch of a new machine, the J850

TechStyle, an evolution of its J-series 3D printers, engineered towards creative markets to allow inkjet polymer 3D printing onto textiles.

“We’ve [already been] working in fashion activities, […] these were more unique pieces for ladies like Björk or Lady Gaga,” Kaempfer explained of some early projects.

“In this kind of style, it was more the idea of wearing a sculpture on top of an underskirt. The fixture that we needed to figure out for that sculpture to work on the body was quite

complex. Since our R&D team was able to solve the topic of 3D printing directly to textile and now the textile is carrying the dynamics of the 3D print, we can go much more into the details.”

The TechStyle can process a range of CMY Stratasys VeroVivid resins, producing over 600,000 colors, along with Stratasys Vero ContactFlex, a transparent coating which can be used to simulate different soft textures and finishes. The technology was the focal point of a collection at Milan Design Week this summer, which brought together seven design groups to produce luxury garments, accessories, and cosmetics under the theme of ‘Reflection.’

“This collection is a reflection on the last two years and what it means to us as designers and customers and anybody involved in the market,” Kaempfer said of the collection’s inspiration. “What happened in these two years? And how does it change our perspective on design, on consumerism, on production and on our society as a whole looking forward in the design sector?”

Three main pillars: personal space, social inclusion and mindful manufacturing, are woven into the collection which includes work from designers Karim Rashid, Jasna Rok Lab, Ganit Goldstein, FORÆVA, Assa Studio, Illusory Material, and KAIMIN. Stratasys also worked with Dyloan and the D-house fashion innovation center in Milan, where pieces from the collection were presented throughout Milan Design Week, and where Stratasys’ technology has been made the focus of a new D-House Academy for fashion designers. The resulting pieces feature a mix of textures, transparencies and themes inspired by everything from natural textures of the seasons found in Goldstein’s

SHOWN: GANIT GOLDSTEIN 'WEAREABLE' (PHOTO BY MICHAEL T)

heavily textured “GnoMon” collection to Assa Studio’s Origami inspired customizable clutch bag.

“We never had this kind of aesthetic appear or being offered in the past,” Kaempfer said. “If there is any possibility to bring elements on top of textile, this is usually done by hand, very labor intensive, and requires very high skill and a lot of years of knowledge. We're not competing with this or trying to throw this away. But we're offering another solution to bring very highly complex aesthetic solutions to the textile.”

The leap from handcrafted to digital similarly requires an understanding of digital skills in order to design for and exploit the advantages of 3D. While several 3D printed garments have popped up on runways and red carpets over the last decade, 3D printing directly onto textile is a new technique, and Kaempfer shared that the ADF department has sought collaborations with architects, fluent in designing in 3D, to work alongside designers on the project.

“There is a nice link between the architecture way of thinking and construction and the mapping out of forms in the architectural way of design that is very, very relevant here for textiles," Kaempfer said.

FASHION RE-CYCLES

In perhaps one of the best monologues in comedy-drama history, Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly famously uses a lumpy blue sweater (“It’s not just blue, it’s not turquoise, it’s not lapis, it’s actually cerulean.”) to provide a biting lesson on how the high fashion industry influences the clothing selection on your local high street. Just as the icy fashion magazine editor describes the influence of Oscar De La Renta’s color palette trickling down into more affordable, everyday attire, the influence of 3D printing on textiles could, depending

on its accessibility, follow a similar trajectory.

“We are focused on the high-end fashion market,” Kaempfer said. “This is very, very new. Even though [Stratasys has been working] on this for quite a while officially, for sure this is only the first iteration, the first step in penetrating the fashion market. As this is starting to play a role in the high-fashion market, I'm certain that we will also see a huge evolution coming and a rollout that will help us to answer more and more needs and requirements for the fashion market and allow us to embed easier and more accessible solutions.”

While that might not materialize as a clothing rail stocked with wholly 3D printed garments, it could, very feasibly, mean taking advantage of the TechStyle’s ability to print directly onto fabric to add embellishments onto existing garments, potentially breathing new life into tired pieces.

“The possibility of taking a denim that you have in the closet and applying it onto the machine and 3D printing an embellishment on top of your favourite pants or your jacket or your T-shirt,” Kaempfer said of the potential upcycling value. “The idea would be to make it very high-end but also customizing very simple elements that allow us to celebrate garments that we already have and give them a second life.”

It's something renowned fashion trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort has called 'an answer to a million prayers' thanks to the possibilities the machine allows for embellishment. But it also could help answer pressing calls on the industry to reduce the damaging impact of fast fashion by shifting the way we consume fashion from mass produced commodity to a more considered and customized view. That could mean reworking a pre-loved item of clothing or even using 3D technologies to customise a piece to perfectly fit the customer, produced locally and on-demand.

“We try to understand what does it mean to be attached or to consume responsibly and to manufacture responsibly, but these two things are intertwined,” Kaempfer explained. “So we also want to educate our consumers and allow them to feel more engaged with the product. The idea that fashion has to be retailed ten seasons per year and entertain customers for a very short span of attention and then be thrown into the garbage is not wonderful for our environment. Through 3D printing we want to show the story that we can have something that is much more valuable to us as consumers to be involved in the creation of it, customize, personalize, and have aesthetics that are phenomenal and cannot be created by any other means.”

“We want to educate our customers and allow them to feel engaged.”

SHOWN: TRAVIS FITCH SWATCH BOOK

SHOWN: GANIT GOLDSTEIN - GNOMON (PHOTO BY YARON ATIYA)

DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY

With the advent of the pandemic, we’ve been forced to quickly learn how easily economic sustainability can be disturbed. Its negative impact on supply chains and the global economy has been so significant that Governments are implementing initiatives in an effort to reverse the trend (e.g., President Biden’s Additive Manufacturing Forward (AM Forward), India’s National Strategy on Additive Manufacturing (AM)).

Globally, commercial and passenger transportation such as truck, bus, and rail has also fallen victim to this trend. These industries are in the midst of a deep slump due to reduced demand, labor shortages, and supply chain delays. Many of these manufacturers have begun to implement customized product configurations to maintain competitive advantage, however, their ability to deliver these products has been deeply affected. When I worked as a program manager at John Deere Mexico, Antonio Garcia, then-President for John Deere Argentina said, “There is no more expensive part than the part that is not available.” He, like many others currently are, acknowledged the need to implement more agile product innovation and flexible manufacturing processes to maintain sustainability strategies and assure business growth in this new postpandemic reality.

The consequences of the deep reduction in cargo movement and passengers’ transit forced commercial freight companies and public transportation operators to park large portions of their assets. They are now in a position to return them in revenue service, and now find themselves in need of qualified maintenance labor and looking for hard-to-find spare parts. In light of this, transportation manufacturers and direct suppliers are re-evaluating their financial strategies to achieve resilient supply chains – placing increasing value on speed and component availability for critical parts, integrating vertical processes and establishing partnerships with regional suppliers located closer to their assembly sites.

Additive manufacturing (AM) has demonstrated its value in bolstering economic sustainability by enhancing productivity. It also demonstrates environmental sustainability advantages by enabling the production of parts, manufacturing aids, and tooling that requires less material yielding lower waste compared with subtractive manufacturing. Being able to produce parts and production tooling on-demand versus stocking them on shelves also saves warehouse space while eliminating the need to store costly inventory to support discontinued products. Finally, because AM provides design freedom to create parts not possible to produce with traditional manufacturing technologies, it offers engineers a path to design for the application versus designing for the manufacturing capability, thus enabling them to develop more energyefficient products.

Production parts without tooling: AM is a process that inherently eliminates a major artifact in the production process – the tooling. The ability to directly produce a component from its digital representation not only makes the process more efficient but allows for the decentralization of the business model, quick adaption, and delivery for the customer experience, as well as achieving this with less manufacturing overhead and waste.

Digital inventory management: Thanks to the fast growth of digital encryption and IP protection technologies like Digital Right Management (DRM) or Blockchain systems, protecting 3D models and 3D printing parameters is a reality that perfectly marries with AM. Design owners can now distribute digital information globally and control how many physical parts will be produced and guarantee quality while remote users or manufacturers can print them on demand without needing to ship, insure, store or maintain inventory.

Rapid production tooling: Compared to the auto industry, commercial and public transportation requires much larger parts and while AM technology is growing in productivity and build sizes, some critical parts still cannot be produced using current printers. Many parts (e.g., large metal castings, external body parts, large interior panels) also cannot be produced as efficiently as desired for end-use consumption and thus need to be manufactured conventionally. In these cases, AM is the perfect solution to create rapid low-mid volume molds and casting patterns, either sacrificial or re-usable, with the advantage of maintaining them as digital inventory tools and eliminating the need for environmentally controlled storage spaces for years.

Companies with a solid long-term vision for sustainability endeavor to operate in a way that fosters economic growth, solves social challenges, and helps the planet by using renewable resources and eliminating waste. Leading transportation manufacturers and direct suppliers are re-evaluating their financial strategies to achieve resilient supply chains – placing increasing value on speed and component availability for critical parts, and many are realizing success by incorporating AM into their production workflows.

Jaime Garcia, Solutions Manager, Truck, Bus & Rail at 3D Systems on sustainability opportunities in commercial and public transportation.