AM Community Shows Off at RAPID + TCT

Breaking Paradigms

Suzy Marzano Senior Manager Industry Development and Technical Activities SME

It’s official. Additive Manufacturing is thriving and continues to gain momentum with successes across diverse 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 practices throughout a collaborative community of innovators.

A Perfect Marriage

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 marquee event featured more than 400 exhibitors, hundreds of speakers and expert panelists, dozens of technical sessions, networking opportunities, and attendees from 38 countries.

El Desouky will also tell you that many of the materials used in these components are ones familiar to any aerospace engineer. “Parts in semiconductor equipment might not be subjected to the same levels of cyclic loading in aerospace, but they do have to endure extremely harsh chemical environments and are subjected to ultra-high vacuum conditions, which is why we’re quite familiar with materials like Inconel and similar heat-resistant superalloys, 300-series and PH stainless steels, advanced ceramics, and refractory metals such as tungsten and rhenium. That said, I expect there will be a good deal of new material development specific to the semiconductor industry as additive’s use in this area becomes more widespread and mature.”

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 last comment seems ironic given AM’s ability to shorten and simplify manufacturing supply chains, a significant perk in light of the past two years of COVID-impacted semiconductor shortages that greased the legislative skids for the CHIPS Act. Why, then, has it taken so long for this industry to wake up and smell the additive coffee?

Because of its additive capabilities, Veeco can quickly and cost effectively produce even very complex components in small lot sizes, he explained. Compared to traditional manufacturing, that means shaving months and sometimes years off the development and learning cycles—and responding much faster to special requests, orders for replacement parts, or application-specific components. “It also allows us to either fix a supply chain issue where parts are taking too long to make or, conversely, are too expensive to make, and at the same time deliver major improvements by leveraging design for additive practices.”

3D-printing services. At RAPID + TCT, she moderated a panel discussion on 3D printing for point-of-care medical applications. 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 Gardner, 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).

Will these improvements help the semiconductor industry’s continued observance of Moore’s Law, which postulates that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit will double every two years, and which many in the industry predict will soon become obsolete as we approach silicon-based circuitry’s physical limitations?

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 professionals 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.

There also was a special networking lunch for young professionals 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.

No one can say for certain, but according to El Desouky, what AM will do is increase semiconductor equipment’s throughput and reproducibility, thus enabling the next generation of integrated circuitry.

John, who heads The Barnes Global Advisors and Metal Powder Works, has been involved in metal additive manufacturing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production metal 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 manufacturing throughout a distinguished career. He’s led teams that qualified the aerospace industry’s first series production metal 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.

Much of it has to do with Gartner Inc.’s famous “Hype Cycle,” which helps define a technology’s maturity level.

There’s also a less obvious benefit: AM serves to protect intellectual property (IP). This is crucial to Veeco and others that manufacture semiconductor processing equipment (or any type of equipment, for that matter).

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 company’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 company’s Learning Institute that focuses on medical managed

According to El Desouky, the semiconductor industry is transitioning from the third, “Trough of Disillusionment,” to the fourth, “Slope of Enlightenment,” of the five-phase cycle. Doubters have softened their stance, he noted, and now recognize the value that additive brings to the table, while the rapid depreciation of 3D-printing equipment that early investors may have suffered is now behind us as improved productivity and more robust machinery takes its place.

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

“Because we’re now able to combine multiple components that were once brazed or bolted together, it makes cloning and counterfeiting our IP quite difficult,” El Desouky said. “Instead of someone taking that assembly apart, they might now have to cut through a $150,000 component just to see what’s inside. And because we’ve eliminated those joints and connection points, the equipment is also more dependable, easier to service, and less susceptible to contamination.

Carl puts the emphasis on people. He leads a talented team at Met-L-Flo, which produces a wide range of 3D-printed products. 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.

“It’s a win-win all around,” he enthused.