TCT Europe 21.5 by TCT Magazine

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ISSUE

SEPT 13 JUNE 12

21|5

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Avi Reichental Outlines 3D Printingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Central Role in Education Product Development Showcase Materials Roundup 3D Printing | Additive Manufacturing | Product Development

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tct

additive manufacturing and professional 3D printing

ISSN 1751-0333

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

DIGITAL AND COMMUNITY EDITORS Rose Brooke | rose.brooke@rapidnews.com Daniel O’Connor | daniel.oconnor@rapidnews.com

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

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

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

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

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

C.E.O. Mark Blezard e: mark@rapidnews.com t: + 44 (0) 1244 680222 Published Prices Print Subscriptions - Qualifying Criteria UK - Free Europe - Free US/Canada - £79 ROW - £99 Print Subscriptions - Non Qualifying Criteria UK - £79 Europe - £89 US/Canada - £99 ROW - £119 Newstand Subscriptions (Via Apple) All Territories Annual - £24.99 p.a - equates to $35.99, €28.99 or 37.99 AUD All Territories Single Issue - £4.99 - equates to $5.99, €4.99 or 6.49 AUD The TCT Magazine is published bi-monthly by Rapid News Publications Ltd Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QE, UK. t: + 44 (0) 1244 680222 f: + 44 (0) 1244 671074 © 2013 Rapid News Publications Ltd While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained within this publication is accurate, the publisher accepts no liability for information published in error, or for views expressed. All rights for The TCT Magazine are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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THE EDITOR Welcome to the Show! Are we all destined to be pirates? Page 15

TCT Show + Personalize is one of the major milestones on the calendar for the whole of our team, it’s always on the horizon. But, despite being able to see it every year I blink and it’s on top of me. That said, this year’s show promises to be the biggest and best yet! Now, I hate reading that and I didn’t much like writing it, but it is the truth and, gentle reader, I am here to avail you with as much of the truth as I can. Pre-registered visitors for the show are up over 150% year on year — an enormous increase that is mirrored on the show floor, which features the most companies we have ever hosted. The Conference lineup (which has formed part of the work keeping me out of trouble, or bed, for the last 12 months) is something quite different to previous years and better reflects where the power-base of the industry is moving to. Whether this will be the same in 6, 12 or 24 months is anyone’s guess of course, but that’s one of the joys of the TCT portfolio — we can deliver minute-by-minute coverage over twitter, follow the daily news cycle on the web, dig deep into the stories in print and each year we can bring it all together to share with the community.

A New Age of Empire Page 19

If you can’t make it to the show itself be sure to check the @TCTShow, @TheTCTMagazine and @prsnlz Twitter feeds and keep an eye out for how you can see the conference proceedings too. Jim Woodcock Group Editor james@rapidnews.com Hitting the piste? Find your balance Page 53

Take TWO bottles in to the shower? Probably for the best Page 53

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www.tctmagazine.com

TCT VOLUME 21 | 5

contents

Todd Grimm 6

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feature:

Empire Cycles: A New Age of Empire Bringing bicycle production back to the UK sounds like an impossible task these days, but one company is stepping up.

feature:

feature: Taulman3D: Developing Materials Blurs the Lines We’re used to materials development being a top down process, but could future development come from elsewhere?

Joris Peels

25 Enthusiastically Realistic about 3D Printing.

joris column: Pirate, Privateer or Shipyard?

editorial insight

grimm column:

19 empire cycles

joris column

For more detail, please see pages 8 and 9.

grimm column

on the cover: Education Matters: Avi Reichental, 3D Systems’ President and CEO, explains how he sees 3D printing and education working together for a bright future.

solar impulse project

08 cover star Lead News

editorial insight

on the cover

innovating materials

ALM: Innovating Materials Development A major part of deploying the right AM solution for your business is the materials, and for that you need experts.

feature: Solvay: Pushing the Limits of Laser Sintering Green transport needs futuristic manufacturing techniques.

feature: Brian Bauman Securing a Second Source for 3D Printing materials — how secure is your materials supply chain?

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3D Printing | Additive Manufacturing | Product Development

Print It 3D We take a look at what sets Print It 3D apart from others in the space.

feature:

feature: Bloodhound SSC — updates from Ogle and Renishaw What’s new in the 1000mph race.

feature: Data Control for Data Controllers Using Omnify PLM to streamline data management.

feature: Live(r) Long and Prosper Keeping human livers healthy outside of the body for over 12 hours is a challenge that, if solved, could save hundreds of lives.

feature: Avant Ski Can LS help skiers get their balance?

feature: Modern Technlogy, TimeTested Results Expectations of quality only ever increases, so how can modern tech keep up?

66 ctrl-alt-del

50 through the doors:

53 Making Art AND Making Money Can modern technology help artists with their age-old problems.

Hybrid Machine Tools One UK-based company believes the future of additive is hybridised with subtractive — we examine this latest offering.

61 omnify plm

feature:

57 bloodhound

feature Patently Obvious What will MakerBot take from the Stratasys patent cupboard?

balance n the slopes

43 print it 3d

patently obvious

hybrid manufacturing

CTRL-ALT-DEL: Take TWO bottles into the shower?! Why have five boxes if one can do it all? 7

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[Lead News]

Giving Kids Tomorrow’s Skills,

Today The future lies not with us but with the generations that follow us, and the biggest gift we can give to them and to ourselves is education. 3D printing’s roles in education are myriad — from teaching how to harness the power of 3D printing to help solve the challenges faced by humanity, to employing 3D printing technology to enhance the teaching of maths, biology, chemistry and more. Here 3D Systems’ Avi Reichental — one of the CEO Keynotes at this year’s TCT Show + Personalize — outlines his position on education for TCT magazine. WORDS | AVI REICHENTAL, PRESIDENT and CEO, 3D SYSTEMS

tct [21:5]

“

With 3D printing in particular, there is an opportunity to create a new wave of peer-to-peer learning that is powered by a new literacy, a new language that transcends borders and leaps over barriers, a language of creativity, connecting virtual and actual through shapes and geometries.

“

t’s no secret that I am very optimistic about the significant impact 3D printing is having on the world today, and about its potential in the coming years. Something not everyone knows though, is that as excited as I am about how it is compressing and advancing design-to-manufacturing cycles of sustainable air and land vehicles and delivering new classes of patient-specific medical devices, I am even more passionate about how we educate kids today for this new, digital world and the exponential rates of development within it. To realise dreams like localising manufacturing for a more stable global economy and providing healthcare that is customised to the patient’s anatomy, we urgently have to educate tomorrow’s problem solvers and innovators today. It is easy for people to look at 3D printing and see how it is a great fit for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and even science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) education programmes. It is straightforward to see how it fits with an engineering curriculum and next-generation technologies. Many teachers also see how fundamentally it fits in with mathematics and science, incorporating the ability to use 3D models to show geometries and biological and chemical structures. More innovative educators go a step further and imagine using 3D printing in geography and history classes with the ability to recreate physical versions of historical articles and geological transformations. These are all great foundational uses for 3D printing in the classroom.

But I am not convinced that these types of curricula will unleash the greatest potential of our next generation creators, makers and entrepreneurs – the potential to empower children to experience their own creativity, to believe in their ability to create and make, to taste entrepreneurship early enough so that it becomes a way of life to use those skills and provides the confidence to create things that contribute, move the world forward and solve humanity’s grand challenges. Technology is becoming ubiquitous and with it a new universal language is evolving. With 3D printing in particular, there is an opportunity to create a new wave of peer-to-peer learning that is powered by a new literacy, a new language that transcends borders and leaps over barriers, a language of creativity, connecting virtual and actual through shapes and geometries.

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To make good on this vision, 3D Systems is building a platform for both professional and consumer use that hosts all the tools and services necessary to create, make, innovate and contribute positively to our communities. We’ve added more capabilities, developed new intuitive design tools and delivered new functional materials, ever mindful to democratise access to our solutions every step of the way through greater simplicity, ease of use and affordability. With our recent acquisition of TeamPlatform, we plan to incorporate cloud-based collaboration capabilities, inviting professionals and consumers to co-create with each other and their favourite designers and brands. I believe that online collaboration and co-creation has incredible potential for unlocking communication barriers and unleashing the power of crowd-co-creation. But with all of these strategic efforts, we recognise that as powerful as our platforms are, they do not seamlessly lend themselves to educators and classroom environments. Recently, we’ve assembled the best of our 3D printers, design software and scanning tools and created an online zone for educators all over the world. Teachers will find packages that are optimised for classrooms of all ages and levels, resources for projects and curriculums and most importantly, a collaborative space for teachers and students to communicate and co-create in groups and communities they form. We expect this to be an evolving space powered by TeamPlatform’s technology and influenced by the changing needs of students the world over. We hope the education platform we provide will be as beneficial to a private school class in the UK as it will be to a self-motivated student in Kenya. In partnership with TCT Show + Personlize and Black Country Atelier, we are bringing this education ethos to life through the BrightMinds UK programme. By helping to introduce some 300 school kids to 3D printing we’re opening their eyes (and the eyes of their teachers) to one of today’s most transformative technologies. We call on all the students and educators participating to pay it forward by inviting their peers to get involved and take part in manufacturing the future. tct

3D Systems www.3dsystems.com

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[Grimm Column]

What’s new: Enthusiastically Realistic about 3D Printing WORDS | TODD GRIMM, PRESIDENT, T. A. GRIMM ASSOCIATES

a stalwart of About the author: Todd Grimm is having held stry, the additive manufacturing indu in some of eting mark and s positions across sale currently is Todd es. nam est bigg s the industrie G. AMU the AM Industry Advisor with the m.com agrim m@t tgrim on You can contact him

hese are interesting times for 3D printing, to say the least. Every day I awake to a Google news feed with a dozen or more articles discussing the latest breakthroughs, the amazing applications and the grand future that is just around the corner. Four years ago, Google served up one or two a day. Several times a week, I pick up the phone to field questions on 3D printing’s amazing future. Most of these calls are prompted by the latest headlines. Those conversations usually go something like this: Caller: “When will <insert latest headline> disrupt the status quo and change the world forever?” Todd: “It won’t.” Although the line goes quiet after my response, I can sense the disappointment and confusion. After letting the comments sink in, I follow up with my enthusiasm for 3D printing’s bright future. However, I note that this future will be built on steady progress rather than rampant and disruptive change. And that is why I now label myself as enthusiastically realistic. I am enthusiastic for the short and long term. I am a believer. But at the same time, I feel that I am being realistic as to how fast and how significant the changes will come and be. Yes, the pace has quickened, but 3D printing is still evolving with incremental advancement, as have most other engineering and manufacturing technologies.

What’s New Although we’d like to see a quicker pace for 3D printing R&D, we certainly have not been disappointed. Recently, I raced through the highlights of what’s new in a 25-minute presentation. There was so much to discuss and so little time that all I could offer were brief statements about each development. Yet, I still had to exclude many new items. However, few of the mentioned items were anywhere near a breakthrough. Most were incremental changes: bigger system, new controls, latest software release or a new spin on an existing material. Some of the news had the potential to fuel misperceptions of rampant change. For example, I noted a rebadging of six systems that rightfully could be called “new.” But they weren’t new in the sense that they had never before been seen. These seven systems replaced their predecessors, adding only cosmetic changes and minor modifications. Four other news items covered naming conventions. Technologies that had existed for 8–20 years received a process name; names coined to give each a unique identity. As those names screamed across the Internet, the casual observer could be left with the impression that new technologies had been born. Fuel for Misperception There are several factors that fuel the misperception that there will be amazing developments over a very short span of time. The first and most influential is time itself. Many of those that predict revolutions and disruptions in the near term fail to recognise the long, rich histories that have preceded the latest advancements. Blind to the 10 or 20 years of hard work leading up to the latest development, they incorrectly presume that much has happened in just a few years. That false Continued on p13

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[Grimm Column]

Continued from p11

“

The heart of the innovation process has to do with prospecting, mining, refining, and goldsmithing. Knowing how and where to look and recognizing gold when you find it is just the start. The path from staking a claim to piling up gold bars is a long and arduous one. It is one few are equipped to follow, especially if they actually believe they have struck it rich when the claim is staked. Bill Buxton

“

notion is then extrapolated to conclude that much bigger and more exciting things will come at an even faster pace. GE’s announcement of plans to additively manufacture many parts of its jet engines is a perfect example. Not cognisant of GE’s work with direct metal systems and investment in research over many years, some perceive this to be an overnight success, and therefore, conclude that bigger things are just around the corner. The other factors coalesce in a way that leaves us with the conclusion that there is something substantially new in 3D printing on a daily basis. At the heart of this confluence are the media and its driving need for content to report. A single story— embellished or not, fact or fiction — replicates in web pages, blog posts, twitter posts and social media streams. The bombardment creates a false sense of a lot of news. Of the dozen or so Google news items I receive daily, 30% to 50% are rehashes of the same story. And that story may have little to do with forward progress. Reporting on the birth of yet another consumer-class 3D printer manufacturer or on yet another acquisition is newsworthy. However, these transactions only imply growth and progress. They are not barometers of either. Yet, the business developments support the implication that the 3D printing industry is very vibrant, dynamic and progressive. Sprinkle in household names like Staples and The UPS Store, and it seems obvious that the industry will be taking off like a rocket. A recent example of this confluence is an error-laden article that stated that very-low-cost laser sintering machines are on the horizon due to expiring patents. The author then went on to claim that as result there will be explosive growth. Desperate for content, the headline was tweeted, posted and forwarded by many, all with the assumption that the original story was fact. I fielded three calls within three days to solicit my comments about this fantastic news. All were looking for confirmation from an “industry expert.” All were disappointed when I said explosive growth would not happen. However, along the enthusiastically realistic line of thinking, I did comment that there will be positive changes from expired patents. There will be more competition in the laser sintering field which will lower prices ($125,000; £79,757 is my guess), spur material development, prompt innovation and increase technology adoption. There is a lot of good, significant news, but most of it is not evidence of a game-changing role for 3D printing.

Good Things Come... 3D printing will induce positive change and have an ever-increasing impact. It will continue to experience strong growth by any measure: applications, users, systems sales or material consumption. And the spotlight on 3D printing has and will increase that rate of change. It just won’t be at the breakneck speed that many promise, nor will it be a disruptive force across broad swaths of industries, applications and complementary technologies. Perhaps being non-disruptive is a good thing. A recent Inc. article (September 2013) stated that it is a myth that innovation is disruptive. It cited a report by Bansi Nagji and Geoff Tuff that suggests that the most successful public companies allocate just 10 per cent of their “innovation assets” to transformational, disruptive initiatives. The balance is dedicated to incremental advances in existing product or realignment to new applications. And yet, another possibility exists, according to the “long-nose” theory. 3D printing could experience phenomenal growth and be a disruptive force, but where and how are difficult to predict. Projected against what we hold true today, it is difficult for individuals to foresee the future as it will ultimately exist. Even experts get it wrong much of the time when prediction windows extend over long periods of time, some studies report. The longnose, an idea attributed to Bill Buxton of Microsoft, complicates predictions. In a 2008 Business Week article, Buxton noted that most big ideas are built on the backs of 20–30 year old inventions that are combined and used in unexpected ways. Buxton used the legacy of the computer mouse as an example. Others supporting the long-nose theory cite Apple’s implementation of pinch gestures and capacitive touch screens, both developed long before the iPhone, as evidence.

3D printing is in its third decade, so maybe predictions of phenomenal growth will come true… just not in the ways being predicated. My big-idea prediction is a new application that combines 3D printing with a never-before-seen material. Instead of trying to be as good as injection moulding with nylon, for example, we will see a material that can’t be processed in any other way; a material that performs like no other and creates a new market, a new application and a new growth opportunity. But according to studies, I have only have 50–50 odds of being right. I hope that you will join me in being enthusiastically realistic. Capitalise on what 3D printing can do for you today. Strategise and begin to move forward to create your own future while absorbing — not accepting as fact — the pundit’s predictions. And keep in mind that you can benefit from 3D printing without disruption and revolution. The simple concept model that 3D printing excels at making has the power to lower costs, increase quality and decrease product development time. tct

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[Joris Column]

Pirate , Privateer or Shipyard?

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

WORDS | JORIS PEELS

dward Teach braved scurvy, English cannon and the hangman’s noose to find glory on the high seas. Better known as Blackbeard he sailed the West Indies and craggy Carolina coastline in search of booty while defying the laws of the day. To be on that ship, a rag tag bunch tied together in rope against an empire. Surrounded by the wood, the water, wind and rope. Always everywhere all four, always everywhere rope. The prickling tickle of loose fibres against your hands, the chafing burn of a strong pull, the thud of it on deck, its groaning creaking hesitant transmutation into steel when tightened. Laying loosely coiled, a cobra. Reminding you that with one mistake it will strike, chafe, burn and tickle, turn into steel around your neck. The fierce independent streak and disdain for the law persists long after the piercing sulphur, metal and barbeque smoke blade that is the smell of gunpowder has wafted away. All we are left with are legends, exaggerated quarter-truths retold, a game of Chinese whispers continuing for hundreds of years. In the future what legends will they tell of us? Or will we disappear from view, our collective existence here at this time not meriting even a footnote in the most detailed histories of our age? We are not adventurers but we are plotting a course, a course for ourselves that will influence the lives of many. A choice for ourselves that will have ramifications for a future that may not even remember us. Are we pirates, privateers or shipyards? Pirates Now when we think of pirates we think first of college kids uploading the latest Hollywood blockbusters. Do we side with them? If we are pirates we can help usher in an era of unbridled creativity. We can free art, design and technology from its legal bounds. Everyone will be able to design and remix whatever they want. Creativity will be boundless and spread instantly across the globe. We will work together on improving all of the world’s things. By letting the world’s best minds, unbridled, improve product design and technology even small incremental steps will make lives better for many. By improving some 3D printed products and making them better fit their uses we will encourage all things to improve. The ability to design and remix will spread, pulling many into the 3D printing fold. By staying steadfast on this course we will encourage the maximum amount of global inter-connectivity to unleash the best in product development. Unrestricted we will make the future. Given enough eyeballs, all things are shallow.

On the downside, is there a business model in here anywhere for anyone? Since it is easier to alter something than to make it from scratch won’t many obscure the origins of designs by making many iterations? If we can’t even find nor thank the original designers how can they make money, even indirectly? This pirate universe would not be like today’s movie piracy. Today it is clear that Tom uploaded James Cameron’s Titanic. But with 3D printed designs, who will be able to tell? Where does one thing start and the other begin? If no one can make any money in designing things how will the deep dives and truly original take place? Can amateurs really make everything? Or will the very best and most involved turn away from design leaving us to wallow in mediocrity? Can a million monkeys really write Shakespeare? Or will there just be a million useless works without any one of them being truly great? Yes, Reddit can find, aggregate and rank good content from across the web. But, if the original creator is not rewarded won’t this system be inherently unfair? We can’t recognise, celebrate or reward individual creativity and effort without attribution. Do we really want to build the future on the backs of those who can’t benefit from their creations? Fashion has no copyright and works just fine. But, this is because curators such as editors and readers of magazines recognize and reward those that bring originality. How could we do the same for all creation? There are many fine and excellent jokes being created and spread, as they have been throughout the ages. They don’t have a business model beyond the first few laughs. Can design work like jokes do? If we take this position won’t the lawyers come after us? Won’t we be seen as devices for piracy? Ten million in legal fees will find a way to bite you. Won’t designers and engineers turn away from 3D printing if we are seen to encourage piracy? Will we even get off the ground if we don’t encourage business models and nurture designers? It’s all fine and dandy that information wants to be free, but my mortgage, I assure you, also wants to be free.

Continued on p17

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[Joris Column] Continued from p15

Privateers Privateers were pirates that were given a license to pirate the other guy’s ships. Probably the most successful example is Sir Francis Drake who became a hero by capturing millions in treasure from the Spanish. This is another option open to us. By working with large content firms and enshrining their copyrights and designs we could engage them and make sure that the best content was available to 3D print. We could come up with mechanisms by which designers could spread and earn from their designs while getting attribution for them. By encouraging them to make money from designs we would monetise the entire process and ensure that our ecosystem grows. This would motivate designers to attach a business model to their participation but at the same time we must be sanguine in regards to this approach. It will under this DRM regime not be possible to pirate Disney or Maarten Baas since their designs would be too well known either to the public or the systems. But, what of the small independent designers slaving away in obscurity? What would protect them? Our current IP laws and systems are based upon looking at designs to judge how unique they are when compared to others. IP law is expensive and unable to be used by small players. Court cases are also too slow to adjudicate in matters whereby a design could be taken and remixed in several jurisdictions within minutes. Could we ever really come up with a working system to protect true originality? So much would be created, so much would be too close to call. By the time the courts or the system would judge something to infringe or not, it would have been printed out all over the world. The object’s fame and profitability fungible, its 15 megabytes of fame elapsed. Do we by choosing the path of the privateer reduce the world’s design freedom and return some money to large corporates while making those too small to have a fleet of lawyers unable to collect? And if this is the case will not more and more of the world’s shapes belong to corporations over time? By giving corporates a business model and all others none, won’t we ultimately end up at a place where they own all the shapes? Can we really make art in a world where only one company is allowed to draw mice? Shipyards Or do we not arrange for anything at all with regards to IP? We are simply shipbuilders making a tool. A ship we make can be used for piracy or it may be used to evacuate refugees, it is not our responsibility but that of the owner and user of the vessel. And vessel is a great term here because aren’t we just vessels for others’ creativity? We don’t have any responsibility for the users of our machines or services any more than a pencil manufacturer is responsible for hate speech written with their pencils. Please just give us a safe harbor to launch our ships from and save the chilling effects for those that sail them. This would seem to be the easiest option. In just restricting ourselves to being a tool we, ostrich in the sand, escape the winds blowing above. If we do not do this well and shore up our legal defences however, content companies will still come after us. We would have to build the legal safe harbours guaranteeing our future. If we stay out of this debate we may have to accept the two other options regardless. Who will we sell machines to if the people making things will not be able to make money? Is the hobbyist market going to propel us towards better machines? Or will we get stuck, unable to sell any better devices because there will be little value in

buying them? If there is no business model will anyone have the money to buy the next generation of 3D printers? What if we maintain this defense and see a world being formed where no business models exist for designers or where a few companies control all form? Will a stifling of creativity stifle us? If we do not create a bedrock of attribution, creativity and reward, who will? Isn’t it naïve of us to make book presses without trying to promote reading or writing? After all would YouTube exist without its piracy heyday? I do not have a definitive answer to these questions. I’m not sure what we should do. From a business perspective a Shipyard approach whereby we would be able to keep IP considerations far from our shores would seem to be the logical thing to do. If we would be able to cement our industry as a tool whose operational use was squarely in the hands of the user we would seem to have the least liability and highest degree of operating freedom. Positioning ourselves as a screwdriver, pair of scissors or box cutter would seem to be the easiest path. But, in looking back many years from now I don’t know if this would be the right choice. In a world of crumbling institutions, lobbying and state capture, guardians of individual freedoms must come forth. Our technology is the easiest way through mechanical means to express oneself through the production of things. It is not a simple case of us making machines that make things but rather one of us serving as the simplest path to creation and freedom of expression through manufacturing by any one individual. Whether we like it or not this conveys certain responsibilities upon us. In a world where wealth, power and influence become ever more concentrated in the hands of the few we represent a way for the many to regain those powers. What if with every layer we can be the pinprick in the Leviathan’s skin? Marxism is thoroughly discredited now, the realm of cooks and curmudgeons, but what if 3D printing is the bolt cutter for all our chains? What if we could all attain the means of production? Libertarianism can often be seen as a movement consisting of the wrong people reading the wrong books at the wrong time. A fairytale of architects and industrialists feeding the minds of those whose critical thinking has not yet escaped the limits of their idealism. But, what if there were one device that could free one completely from the state? Capitalism seems a default, like gravity or rain, something one can’t live outside of. But, what if this device made us all the puppeteers gently holding the invisible hands? What if, salt embedded in our skin, wind tousling our hair, ocean beating the wood; a never ending thudding drum, the sea spray misty before us and the ever present skin tingling tightening of the rope around us, we know deep in our hearts that we should be pirates? tct

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tct [21:5]

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[Empire Cycles]

A New Age of

EMPIRE

WORDS | JIM WOODCOCK

years. Few The bicycle is one of the most enduring designs of the last 150 run. Show a products can have changed so little since the initial production Show the same Victorian a modern car and he’d be non-plussed but excited. and ride it. Or claim industrious chap a modern bicycle and he’d probably jump on it would be obvious it for Queen and Country as was the Victorian MO. Either way e a BMW X6. what it was, how it worked and what it was intended for. Unlik i

Empire Cycles www.empire-cycles.com

Global Phenomena Such is their ubiquity that everyone can call to mind the image of a bicycle — from the Dutch gliding around in suits and skirts sat upright, to mud-covered downhill bikers charging down impossible slopes, and all variations in between. Two wheels, driven by a chain with a saddle in the middle all mounted on a tubular frame of two triangles and front forks. Nearly everyone imagines one of the above when you mention ‘bike’. But there’s one person that sees something quite different, and he’s putting some novel production methods to the test to make it a reality. Chris Williams dreams of bringing bicycle production back to his native UK — but to do so will require something beyond the traditional tubular frame that would be so recognisable to the Victorian. Nearly all commercially available bicycles on sale today are manufactured in the Far East, specifically China and Taiwan. The predominantly steel or aluminium frames are made up of hyrdoformed tubing with rough external welding that offers the requisite strength for the cheapest price. Even higher-end bikes follow the same construction methods with tweaks to the design to allow for easier marketing. Chris Williams: “Even experts can’t tell the make of a bike just from the frame. Without the paint, stickers and peripherals all frames are virtually identical and made in the same way from the same materials. And nearly always this manufacture takes place halfway around the world. “My dream was and is to bring bicycle manufacture back to the UK. We have a glorious manufacturing past and present but we’re totally underrepresented in this area. The problem comes from being price competitive with lower-cost economies in the Far East. It’s simply not possible to compete like-for-like with the higher energy and labour costs here in the UK.” Continued on p21

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[Empire Cycles]

Figure 1. A full-size bike incorporating the 3D printed prototyped components

Continued from p19

Natural Attraction There seems to be a natural link between engineers and cycling beyond the design, development and manufacture of the bicycles themselves. Empire Cycles is housed within Merlin Engineering, general and precision engineering company established in 1969 and like most engineering companies you will find one or more mongrel cars in the car park (where someone has dropped a short-block Chevy V8 into a Triumph Herald for example) and a row of neatly parked mongrel bikes set for use in a variety of on- and off-road scenarios. So how does Chris plan on making a world-class bicycle at a competitive price in the UK? By changing up the way the frames are made for a start. His first project as Empire Cycles came about as a result of his work on cast swing arms while working for a motorcycle company designing motocross bikes. In motocross, cast aluminium parts are bolted together to create simple yet strong fames that can easily take the punishment the relentless riders subject them too. With all this in mind Chris started Empire Cycles off with another bike that is subjected to repeated wanton violence — a downhill bike known as the AP-1. Envisioning a frame with an adjustable wheelbase and high single pivot like a motocross bike Chris set about designing the front end and rear swing arm in single pieces of cast aircraft-grade aluminium. The bearings have also been upgraded to needle rather than ball/cartridge style as they can take up to five times the load…

In the spirit of adventure that embodies all fledgling empires, Chris had to move from design to cast frame in one fell swoop — meaning the first bike was the first prototype and first production piece. Chris rode the unproven AP-1 into battle and: “…it rode killer.” The design certainly caused a stir and many doubters had to try the thing for themselves. Without fail they came back impressed. One of the issues with a cast frame is image. Bike aficionados may remember a series of cast magnesium frames made by another UK company, Kirk Precision, in the late 1980s. From scare-mongered worries that riders would be consumed in a ball of white-hot fire should friction build up (showing both a propensity for status quo bias and a fundamental misunderstanding of reactive metals chemistry) to the unfortunate fact that the frames didn’t ride particularly well and were more fragile over time than their contemporary tubular counterparts meant that the Kirk cast efforts are now little more than museum curios.

Continued on p23

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[Empire Cycles]

Continued from p21

The AP-1 went on to be ridden to victory by junior national champion Lewis Buchanan, and receive a ‘Best in Show’ at Eurobike, a coveted Red Dot Design Award and ‘Component of the Year’ in the 2011 Cast Metals Industry Award. Not bad for a first attempt and certainly enough to dispel the fears of even the most ardent doubter. The second bike in the Empire stable is the MX-6 EVO, which takes on a second manufacturing technique, CNC machining. Still in aluminium and still adhering to most of the motocross design language, the MX-6 EVO thankfully had a slightly more standard development process including extensive prototyping thanks to Merlin Engineering’s Stratasys uPrint 3D printer. When I heard that the bike had been prototyped with 3D printing I was initially dubious — in my head I saw a 1/10th scale model of the frame that at best would have some movement an at worst would effectively be a small statue of a bike. What greeted me at Empire was, in fact, exactly this. Chris explained: “I thought it would be fun to make a scale model of the frame in the printer if only because I could. In fact, when playing around with component geometries it’s quite useful because of the perceived limitations. The weakness compared to the cast or machined metal parts means that very small forces can be used to deform the components and see where any weak spots are. While you would never dream of using this for validating a design it’s a useful tool when you’re at the stage of throwing ideas around.” Thankfully this is where the prototyping started, not finished. The next parts to be printed were full-size prototypes of sections of the soon-to-be-machined frame components. Chris used these ABS prototypes to mock up a full-size frame and then a full-size bike (which is displayed at TCT Show + Personalize) to use for promotion, testing and to help raise capital for the production run. Tony Anderton, MD at Empire Cycles’ manufacturing partner, Merlin, explained: “We have a long history of ‘traditional’ precision and production engineering and invested in a 3D printer as a way of complementing and expanding our offerings to our clients. When Chris mentioned that he wanted to use the system to prototype a bike I was initially a little sceptical, but the printer may as well be running so away he went.” As is often the case for owners of 3D printers Merlin Engineering don’t need to use it 24/7 so now offer out time on the machine to anyone looking for their own ABS prints. The uPrint has a useful 203 x 203 x 152 mm build volume and can build with soluble supports that are easily ‘washed’ off revealing the final printed structure. For companies like Merlin bring a printer in-house starts to make sense as soon as the build time can subcontracted out to other companies or interested individuals. It was once said that “the sun never sets on the British Empire”. Could this new ‘British Empire’ be a brave new dawn for cyclists around the world? tct

Figures 2, 3 & 4. Closeups of the 3D printed components integrated with the extruded frame sections

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[Advanced Laser Materials]

Innovating Materials Development WORDS | JIM WOODCOCK

When it comes to developing new materials for additive manufacturing (AM) processes a number of challenges present themselves — highly specialised knowledge of the chemistry, physics and business models are needed before any work can begin. Advanced Laser Materials have spent the last 10 years developing that knowledge and deploying it in some of the fastest paced and most heavily regulated industries around the world.

Advanced Laser Materials www.alm-llc.com

aterials for additive manufacturing processes are many and varied but the ubiquity of laser sintering systems in the design, prototyping and production phases of many product development and engineering applications means that the market for powdered polymers has been slowly opening up. One of the pioneers of AM materials development is Texas, US-based Advanced Laser Materials (ALM). This year marks the 10th anniversary since ALM was incorporated under licence from the University of Texas, at Austin, in late 2003, initially with a remit to develop ‘rapid manufacturing’ (RM) materials. These days, the company gets involved with all facets of materials development for additive manufacturing, whether employed in modelling, prototyping or manufacturing. Although based in the US the company has representation and distribution channels in the UK, Germany, and Japan giving a global reach. The company has purposely followed a more purposeful growth strategy than others in the sector and now, 10 years on employs just 14 people. I spoke to Joe Tucker, Vice President of Application Support, who explained: “We only employ real experts with an entrepreneurial spirit which means we don’t add to the team all that often. Keeping the team small is key to the way ALM works with its partners however and our relatively small size has never been a disadvantage for us.” I caught up with Joe while he was in the UK visiting one of ALM’s customers in Formula 1, which has been one of the most important sectors for the company over recent years. Joe explained that Formula 1 represented the ‘ultimate innovation platform’ for many technologies including AM processes and materials. “Formula 1 teams are looking for exceptionally fast innovation to shave thousandths of seconds off lap times. Teams work constantly on the car and never stop pushing for improvements throughout the year, whether they

are racing or not. For larger materials companies, which tend to be huge conglomerates with limited product offerings and application knowledge, where the material volumes are in the in thousands of tons, the world of Formula 1 would seem both daunting and impossible to manage.” “When Formula 1 teams first reached out to us it was to provide easy-to-manage, off-the-shelf speciality materials for their processes. Over time we have become a development partner for innovative new materials, manufacturing methodologies and design-for-manufacture. “With our small size and insistence that every team member is a true expert in their field, we are able to be reactive very quickly — something the development engineers in our partner teams are very grateful for!” In a setting like Formula 1 the development of materials must make use of a huge range of skills employed concurrently — in depth knowledge of the specific machine to be used, the polymer, and the desired properties must be combined with knowledge of design requirements for the type of AM part and ultimately knowledge of the end-use. Another of ALM’s core industries is aerospace; indeed they have been a supplier to The Boeing Company for many years, supplying the ALM FR-106, a fire retardant nylon 11 sintering powder. In this industry innovation is considerably slower owing to the huge (and necessary) regulations imposed on aircraft Continued on p27

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[ALM Materials] Continued from p25

manufacturers, retrofitters and operators. Despite the difference in pace the fundamental requirements — for new materials that are conceived and developed in a holistic manner and conform to a strict set of criteria — remains. With their focus on laser sintering powders, ALM has grown its offerings to some 40 materials suitable for nearly all industries including filled and unfilled nylon 11 and nylon 12, flame retardant materials, thermoplastic elastomers and materials suitable for use in the investment casting process.

“

There are quite a few large-frame LS machine owners/operators that we unfortunately cannot introduce to our high performance or speciality products due to the restrictions imposed by the manufacturer. Our hope is that our customers will voice their concerns about being restricted in their ability to innovate and deliver the most accurate solutions for their downstream processes and clients.

“

Where the right off-the-shelf solution can’t be found, ALM works extensively with its clients to create custom materials especially for specialist end-use manufacturing applications. With in-house lab facilities the company can ensure the paper trail of material development for analysis and verification purposes and for quality assurance once production begins. “Another advantage of a small, agile company when compared to the large traditional materials suppliers is flexibility at the manufacturing stage. Many highly specialised applications will not require tons and tons of powder to be produced — ALM is able to produce its custom materials in small or large batches giving our clients further flexibility as they navigate the often unchartered waters of the development cycle.” An important consideration in the development of novel materials is ensuring that the machines can process them. ALM has developed materials to work with all makes of Laser sintering systems especially legacy systems that precede any efforts to ‘chip’ materials in an effort to control the supply chain. Working with companies like Integra, RP Support, LSS, and EOS, ALM can ensure that systems are able to process new materials with the correct parameters. In spite of ALM’s best efforts the old-school ‘locked system’ philosophy still permeates the industry as Joe explained: “There are quite a few large-frame LS machine owners/operators that we unfortunately cannot introduce to our high performance or speciality products due to the restrictions imposed by the manufacturer. Our hope is that our customers will voice their

concerns about being restricted in their ability to innovate and deliver the most accurate solutions for their downstream processes and clients. I could only guess that if enough forward thinking innovators discontinue purchasing “chipped” LS machines, the manufacturer will embrace the continuous advancement of our industry and discontinue producing them, or remove the restrictions.” With the experience gathered from a decade of collaboration with some of the most innovative companies in the most innovative sectors in product development, engineering and manufacturing it’s no surprise that Joe expects the future to be as much about switching new users on to AM as it will be supplying materials: “Our team knows as much about designing for AM as making materials to realise those designs, and knows as much about machine set up as supply chain management. Increasingly we see our role as an impartial facilitator that helps get individuals and companies access AM and reap the rewards. In closing Joe explained his hopes for the industries and technologies central to AM in the future: “We strongly believe in establishing and maintaining close relationships with our customers. By encouraging an open dialogue with our customers we can freely exchange ideas with each other and develop new solutions based on current and forecasted needs. We are excited about the rapid growth in our industry and encouraged by the new ideas we see daily. Our hope is that any current AM users or budding enthusiasts just venturing in will contact us to see how we can combine their great ideas with our expertise to provide the right solution to continue to grow this industry.” tct

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[Taulman3D]

Materials Development

Blurs the Lines

t ut dividing 3D printing into nea Until recently the discussion abo on d use foc sumer’ and ‘professional’ segments like ‘consumer’, ‘pro the user, machines, the qualifications of the of t cos the as h suc les iab var and created. With the development or where the parts were being le sty MFD h polymer for 3D printing wit commercialisation of a Nylon cona. are this discussion into the materials machines Taulman3D has moved

ylon was first produced in 1935 and has over the subsequent 78 years become ubiquitous. As the best-known polymer in non-technical circles it has been used in everything from clothing to rope to food packaging to firearms. The properties of nylon are also exactly as required for the replacement of cartilage in human joints. Durability, pliability to allow some ‘give’, and a low-friction surface to provide a smooth movement of the joint. Couple these ideal properties with increasingly accessible 3D printing technology and you have a situation that has allowed doctors, surgeons and specialists from all over the world to begin evaluating a new 3D printing-specific material called 618 Nylon. Top surgeons and doctor’s from the Hague to Cambridge have already determined that 618 meets or exceeds the requirements to support several possible uses inside and out of the human body. From bone replacement to electronic sensor enclosures, hospitals and clinics can now design and print on-demand “patient specific” support components. In the past, a prosthetic designed specifically for a patient’s shape, weight and structure would require iterations of models and try-outs. With the combination of 3D scanning and on-demand 3D printing, a patient can now leave the doctors office with a pliable prosthetic or orthopedic device designed specifically for their needs and body shape all printed, while they wait, on a low cost RepRap style 3D printer. All at the same cost as current 3D printing materials. Within just a week of 618’s release, printed samples along with evaluation material were sent by request to the Applied Sciences Department: Technology, Innovation & Society at the Hague University, The Netherlands. Joris van Dam, at the Hague was starting 3D printing-specific courses in “Human Technologies”. The response from Joris and his associates was immediate: “With the strength and pliability of 618, we can now design patient-specific shoe inlays with cutout sections for pressure sensors (for measuring pressure feet on ground). Currently,

these are made by hand by cutting out sections. In time we would have the ability to add the sensors while printing, as we pause the print, insert sensors and then resume printing. The result would be a total integration of form, fit

and function. “Next, for the integration of electronics housings with the human body such as measuring (e.g., chest or arm sensor signals) nylon 618 would give housing flexibility, so the sensor feels more comfortable on skin. And extremely important are the applications where rotating joint parts are printed (e.g., ankle and other rotating joints). Currently there is no experience with printing these yet because the current plastics are not capable of handling the extreme forces. Printing these parts in ABS or PLA would have too much friction and wear, whereas 618 is a solution due to its strength and ‘slippery’ properties. “In sports medicine, there are similar cast and compression wraps that are used in all sports. However, the range of body size and shape varies from sport to sport. While a knee support or wrap may be designed for a soccer player at a specific size, it would not be applicable to a gymnast. With the combination of 3D scanning and 3D printing, a team doctor can now scan, modify and print on-demand an athlete-specific knee brace that protects as well as feels ‘proper’ in day-to-day use,” he concluded. One of the most exciting and closely watched new uses of patient specific 3D printed

components in 618 is joint cartilage replacement. These are often more difficult than bone replacements as the part must accurately conform to an existing internal bone structure, be pliable enough to conform to unusual mounting methods, be inherently strong to keep the joint from becoming misaligned by stress, and most important, provide long term lowfriction at the mating surface. Dr. Kevin A. Mansmann of Formae, Inc., Arthroscopy Research Institute, Orthopaedic Sports & Arthritis Surgery evaluated parts 3D printed in 618 nylon and immediately began research for uses in Arthroscopy /Arthritis Surgery. Dr. Mansmann will be the first to use the new 680 nylon 3D printing material as it’s specifically designed to meet ISO 10993 medical grade requirements: “We are seeing the features needed in preliminary samples of 618. We are very excited about the possibilities and are continuing work with this material in the medical grade 680.” Of course, one of the most significant features of 3D printing is the ability to print a part that is difficult or impossible to make with a CNC machine. Parts with intricate tubes, passages, chambers and internal pliable valves can easily be 3D printed with 618. Take those features from the mechanical to the clinical and one can print sensitive electrochemical components that otherwise would require very expensive tooling for a limited number of parts. At the Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology University of Cambridge, UK, Dr. Dave Bailey is involved in this specific type of research where 618 is the only 3D printed material that will provide the set of features needed for several new components: “I am designing and printing novel reaction chamber configurations for human and environmental diagnostics applications. I cannot be more forthcoming at the moment but will update when I can. We are currently using a Delta style filament 3D printer and 618 nylon.” Away from the medical industry, nylon 618’s semi-translucent surface properties have 29

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Performance Sintering Materials What we offer to you In addition to being a leading supplier of commercial and custom laser sintering materials, Advanced Laser Materials offer the latest industry solutions to your most complex Additive Manufacturing challenges.

Over 40 high performance custom laser sintering materials Machine maintenance and custom upgrade packages through Integra Services Custom material formulations designed for your specific applications Design and application consultation Basic and advanced applications training Laboratory analytical services for material testing, certification,and evaluation in accordance with ASTM standards

Joe Tucker at jtucker@alm-llc.com

www.alm-llc.com T: 254.773.3080 | F: 254.773.3084

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[Taulman3D]

i provided artists with a unique addition to their creative tools. 3D Printing is the latest “canvas or clay” in their transitions from imagination to real art. Ben Malouf, Creative Designer and Artist, designs and sells 3D printed art: “Before I started working with taulman 618 material I had never 3D printed anything I really considered beautiful with my RepRap printer. It didn’t really matter how nice the design was, the materials all looked cheap. The 618 looks amazing right off the printer and can be dyed any shade of any colour with common fabric dye. Add the additional durability to the mix and I feel like I’m making objects people will actually want to display in their homes as works of art.” As noted, the human body tolerates nylon well. In addition, a wide range of common chemicals do not affect nylon. The solvent acetone would dissolve current 3D printed plastics yet nylon is unaffected by acetone along with most other solvents. Now parts can be printed and used where the chemical environment within the assembly would be detrimental to other 3D Printed materials. Nylon’s slippery surface texture not only allows for gears to be printed needing no lubrication, but also the direct printing of moulds for fiberglass and epoxy resins where no mould release is required. Released less than three months ago, 618 is a new material for all RepRap style 3D printers and truly raises the bar on functionality for 3D printed parts. 618 is designed for the inventor, engineer, designer, artist and machinist that has an older or newer 3D printer. 618 has been completely tested by the 3D Printing community and costs no more than current 3D printing materials. Users simply change from their current material to 618 and continue printing. A consistent reaction by those that have printed parts in 618 is:

Taulman3D www.taulman3d.com

“This changes everything!” To quote Mike Moseley, a CNC house operator, “In 30 minutes, we went from a part we were afraid to drop on the floor, to one we can slam with a sledge hammer.” According to Taulman3D one of the most surprising outcomes from the release of 618, was the huge number of information requests that came not from the users already within the 3D printing community, but from the medical, clinical and high-tech industries. Engineering managers, lead designers, development engineers, doctors and technical specialist were quick to ask about the specifications of 618 and it’s possible use within their speciality. It became clear that while these designers do not normally post to the forums, IRC channels and blogs, they do indeed watch and read every bit of available information, check out every upload and read every post. These contacts afforded Taulman3D the ability to ask some general questions of industry executives about their use of 3D printed parts. The one significant question on the minds of most 3D printing houses is apparently: “Why doesn’t industry use more 3D printed parts in limited or small production runs?” Taulman

received the same answer from at least four different design executives: “While these parts may look acceptable for use within an assembly or product, quite simply, they will not consistently survive a consumer product drop and shipping test. Say what you will, but if a unit comes back to service due to a faulty electronics part, that’s one thing, but if it comes back after a support boss has broken when someone moved the unit to dust behind it, that is a significant failure. Those types of failures get you bad press.” Since the release of the open source RepRap 3D printer, there has been a constant stream of technical improvements to the 3D printing “machine”. The 3D printing material of choice for years has been the standard plastic ABS. A type of plastic toys and other general consumer products are made from. Stronger materials have required the design of a considerably more expensive 3D printer. The nylons have been tried in the past, but proven to require much higher print temperatures. Even with these higher temperatures, consistent bonding from layer to layer was still an issue. RepRap style 3D printer users have been aware of the structural limitations of ABS from their first few prints and with no new materials; they concentrated on machine improvements as a goal to making more esthetically appealing parts. Nylon 618 along with the newer RepRap style 3D printer now allows the designer to meet all three manufacturing goals. The newer units are fast, reliable and have repeatability on all axis for printing to a specific “form”. These new units have resolutions in the 20 micron Z axis and .2mm XY axis range allowing them to consistently print accurate curves and holes for “fit”. And with 618, the printed parts are capable of high strength, pliability, chemical resistance and excellent surface textures completing the “function” requirement. tct

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[Solvay]

Pushing the Limits of Laser Sintering

The challenge of green transportation is perhaps greatest when it comes to flight. Where the extra weight of batteries can be accommodated on the ground, every gram is increasingly precious in flight. The Solar Impulse project aims to be the first piloted, fixed wing circumnavigation of the earth using just solar power. To achieve the necessary strength, lightness and area for solar cells the team is employing cutting edge process and materials technology.

olar Impulse — a revolutionary innovative project leveraging technological prowess and the spirit of adventure — has completed the historic crossing of the United States, west to east, over a 2-month period in the summer of 2013. On the footsteps of aviation pioneers like the Wright brothers and Charles Lindbergh, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg underwent the coast-to-coast challenge to spread a message. By flying from San Francisco to New York powered solely by the sun, the two pilots were on a mission to demonstrate what can be done with the spirit of innovation and with clean technologies. The Across America mission was also the first time Solar Impulse launched a global initiative: "Clean Generation" meant to engage likeminded people to speak out for greater investment in technological innovation for a cleaner future Solvay, first main partner of Solar Impulse, has collaborated with Sinterline polyamide 6 powders, to produce two parts for the next aircraft, which is now under construction and will be used for the 2015 flight around the world. Those parts have been created using Laser Sintering, an industrial 3D printing technology that allows the rapid creation of complex parts with a high degree of design flexibility. An Air data computer (ADC) house, an essential avionics component found in modern glass cockpits and lighting clips integrated in the wings for the lights used in landings and promotions, has been designed and produced in order to save 78% of weight compared to aluminium. tct

Figure 1. Thermal Aging: Sinterline Maintains all mechanical properties after 504h at 130˚C in air.

Figure 1

Figure 2. Sinterline Benchmark vs PA 11 and PA 12: Opening up the market to the higher properties that PA6 provides.

Figure 2

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[Bauman]

Securing a Second Source for 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Materials

About the author: Brian Bauman is President of Sintergy that offers solutions for Selective Laser Sintering users including low cost materials from Farsoon. Brian is a 3D printing and additive manufacturing expert having prev iously worked in various management roles at DSM Somos, 3D Systems and DTM Corporation. He is a passionate supporter of additive technology since 1991 having previously been Cha irman of the AMUG (Additive Manufacturing User s Group).

WORDS | BRIAN BAUMAN, PRESIDENT, SINTERGY

Most manufacturing companies today have programmes in place outlining second sources for material and equipment supply. Although this is good on paper, action is another story. With the industry still in its infancy, 3D printing is relegated to niche suppliers for the main technologies including stereolithography (SL), laser sintering (LS), fused deposition modeling (FDM), digital light projection (DLP) and PolyJet. Many of these companies command high prices because of the control of the limited raw material supply chains as well as strong patent positions. Could this be set to change?

ince RepRap.org, the home of the global RepRap movement, came online an explosion has occurred with over 30 different companies offering ABS and PLA materials that are interchangeable into these low cost FDM type printers. Unfortunately for users of SL, LS and PolyJet equipment the materials here are still controlled by a select few companies. DLP does not have a strong patent position in many areas so there is a growing list of suppliers for high-resolution projection technology photopolymers. SL and LS have some independent companies offering second source supply but many of these companies use the same raw material suppliers to make variations of their products. Many popular SL materials are produced with expoxy/acrylate chemistries where LS plastic material sales are dominated by Nylon 12 powders. In September 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of Louisiana in the United States. Peroxymeric Chemicals (PXC), a business unit of Epoxy Products and Intermediates (EP&I) of The Dow Chemical Company, announced it was declaring force majeure for all products, including CYRACURE cycloaliphatic epoxides; FLEXOL epoxidised soybean and linseed oils; and TONE polyols, polymers, and monomers. Dow had produced all PXC products using raw materials from a plant at the Union Carbide facilities at St. Charles Operations (SCO) in Hahnville, LA.1 These cycloaliphatic epoxies are used extensively in many SLA resin formulations. At first the supply chain was able to absorb this major catastrophe. However, Dow later announced it was shutting down the plant and removing itself from this line of Epoxy product supply due to the costs of refurbishing the plant and bringing it back online. This created a huge supply issue for many industries because the only other supplier at the time for this important epoxy was in Japan. Customers were able to get supply of SLA materials but many experienced delays and allocation controls.

On March 31st 2012, a tragic explosion occurred at the Evonik chemical plant in Marl, North Rhine-Westphalia, killing two workers and also cutting the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supply of nylon-12 in half, according to the Financial Times Deutschland (FTD).2 Nylon 12 is a resin used in car brake and fuel lines as well as the most popular SLS powders. Soon after, many SLS customers eventually experienced allocations and shortages disrupting production of 3D printed parts. One of the larger Asian suppliers in Japan, Ube, was also suffering production setbacks following the 2011 earthquake. Late in 2012, Evonik eventually brought the plant back online and recently announced a second plant in Slovakia that can supply the feed stocks for Nylon 12.3 In China, many companies using 3D printing and additive manufacturing machines and materials were the last to get supply of SLS powders from these suppliers. This created an opportunity to develop new supply chains for the industry while many companies are locked into just a few suppliers that utilise many single source raw materials. While Chinese machine and material suppliers are often looked at negatively based on quality, this is not necessarily true in a country devoting vast resources to 3D printing and additive manufacturing. With the recent Chinese-Swiss free trade agreement signing, costs of importing are becoming reduced.4 Chinese SLS powdered materials such as those from Farsoon, supplied by Sintergy, are specifically developed for all Selective Laser Sintering systems offering a new low cost source for SLS users. tct References

ares-forcehttp://www.adhesivesmag.com/articles/dow-decl majeure-for-peroxymeric-chemicals le/49856/German-chemical2: http://www.hazardexonthenet.net/artic into-turmoil.aspx ustryplant-explosion-throws-global-car-ind EWS/130739974/ 731/N 0130 3: http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/2 2 ylon-1 t-for-n evonik-opens-bio-feedstocks-plan 7/06/us-china-trade4: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/0 idUSBRE96503E20130706

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[Patently Obvious?]

Stratasys Patents that could turn

r te n ri P 3D te a im lt U e th to in t o MakerB WORDS | DAN O’CONNOR

he Is are now dotted and the Ts crossed in one of the biggest 3D printing deals in history. MakerBot and Stratasys have completed their merger worth a reported $400m. Stratasys CEO David Reis said upon completion: "Stratasys and MakerBot share a vision about the potential for 3D printing to transform design and manufacturing. Our goal now is to maximise the benefits this merger creates for our shareholders, our customers and our employees.” The benefits for MakerBot are technological as much as they are business — they can now open the vaults and start the pick-and-mix of 20+ years of R&D knowledge. By joining forces with Stratasys, MakerBot now has access to four important patents, which could significantly advance its own line of 3D printers. So what Stratasys-owned patents are most likely to improve MakerBot’s next-gen machines and how likely do we think it is that they will be implemented?

High temperature modeling apparatus, Patent Number: 6,722,872

Although the MakerBot Replicator 2 has an enclosed chamber it would be an infringement for any non-Stratasys 3D printer to have a heated chamber. The benefits of this are obvious; a heated chamber would not only prevent any warping and deforming due to the plastic not cooling as quickly but it could make support material easy to remove in post processing. How likely? Extremely. MakerBot’s Replicator 2 already contains a chamber it wouldn’t be a leap of faith or particularly difficult to imagine that chamber being heated.

Soluble material and process for three-dimensional modeling, Patent Number: 6,790,403

This is a big one, support material is the bane of our lives when it comes to 3D printing on the desktop, practically impossible to remove from some models, always fiddly and very time consuming. It is one of the aspects that the consumer likes least about 3D printing. The ability to simply wash away the support material is desirable to the extreme. How likely? Likely. This is one MakerBot may run with. It is a fantastic feature to have for the professionals however as with the smoothing method patent will the consumer want to have a bath sitting on their desk as well as a printer and a scanner. This is something MakerBot may offer in different versions, perhaps for true prosumer use.

Whatever MakerBot do or do not take on-board from Stratasys you can be sure that their next printer will be a huge leap for desktop 3D printing, Stratasys have over 20 years of expertise in the arena and that added to MakerBot’s standing in the consumer market makes this a match made in heaven but a match made in hell for the competition. tct

Smoothing method for layered deposition modeling, Patent Number: 8,123,999

MakerBots already print with reasonable resolution in the Z axis, however like all FDMderived systems the layer lines are still visible. Stratasys owns the patent for the best method of smoothing FDM printed parts. By submerging the plastic model in a liquid bath of a vaporising substance, such as acetone, the plastic melts slightly to give a smooth effect. A similar effect can be achieved by heating acetone in a jar as demonstrated by a member of the RepRap community here: http://mytct.co/smoothwithacetone How likely? Unlikely. MakerBot’s machines currently only print in PLA not ABS, PLA and acetone don’t mix well, the baths would be difficult to sell to MakerBot’s target audience, the consumer who wants plug and play not plug, play and post-process.

Filament container and methods of use thereof, Patent Number: 8,157,202

Not only does this patent allow filament to be kept protected in a case it allows filament to be fed through to the printer at a continuous speed, stopping any issues with filament feed. Stratasys also owns a similar patent that switches filament spools automatically when one is empty or a colour change is needed. How likely? That depends. It depends on how much of an influence Stratasys has over business decisions — will MakerBot truly continue to be self-governing? This innovation could give MakerBot the chance to only allow MakerBot branded filament to be used in its machines and — in a move that would mirror the current fashion (in the UK at least) for pod-based coffee machines — maybe reduce the price of the machine by making more money from filament. However this would not go down well with the community and would be very expensive to implement.

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[HYBRID HSTM 1000]

Hybrid Machine Tools: The Next "Game Changer"

dditive manufacturing systems for metals have made incredible advancements over the past decade and the arrival of a new hybrid machine will set the latest benchmark for the technology. Compared to CNC-machined components, most metal parts produced by additive layer manufacturing processes often require post-machining due to their sub-standard surface finish and are subject to inferior production rates. Furthermore, the cost of metal additive manufacturing systems can be difficult for manufacturers to justify, even for high-performance components. This historic feud between additive and subtractive technologies, however, could be about to end with the rise of hybrid machines. TCT Magazine was invited to a preview of the newly developed concept machine at The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry. The MTC — which is supported by the UK Government’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult — is a purpose-built facility for developing the future of manufacturing and has played host to a collaborative effort to combine additive manufacturing and CNC into a single hybrid machine. The results have been described as "game-changing". The HYBRID HSTM 1000 concept machine is a world first in manufacturing technology, as the machine combines laser cladding, milling and probing all in one unit, potentially saving companies time and money, and streamlining the supply chain for more efficient production. The machine is the result of more than five years of research and development. It began as a Technology Strategy Board (TSB) supported collaborative research project christened RECLAIM, initiated by the MTC’s Net Shape & Additive Manufacturing Technology Manager Prof David Wimpenny, Jason Jones, CEO of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies, and Development Director at Delcam Steve Hobbs. Its objective was to develop a hybrid additive and subtractive machine that could also be used for the automated repair of damaged high-value parts. Hobbs summarised the outcome by saying the project "unlocked a lot more potential".

WORDS | ROSE BROOKE

Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies www.hybridmanutech.com

Continued on p41

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[HYBRID HSTM 1000]

demonstrated in public for the first time.

Continued from p39

MTC Net Shape & Additive Manufacturing Group Research Engineer Riccardo Tosi explained that the newly-unveiled machine is a follow-on effort from from the success of the initial RECLAIM project. "The first project was a real success," Tosi said. "Its purpose was to repair high-value components and give them a second life if they got damaged. We remove the damaged material and put back new material to give the component a second life. A lot of people were very interested in this project." Among those interested was machine tool manufacturer Hamuel Reichenbacher, which "immediately saw the potential of this technology," according to the company’s Jürgen Bader. Collaborative effort The HYBRID HSTM 1000 machine was made possible by the collaborative efforts of four companies. The MTC provided the laser cladding head, parameter development and material science; Hamuel Reichenbacher — which is headquartered in Meeder, Germany — provided a large high-speed 5-axis HSTM 1000 mill-turn machine tool; Coventry-based Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies (HMT) — a new spin out company from the early RECLAIM research project — developed the patent-pending docking system to enable services to be coupled to the cladding head; and Birmingham-based Delcam provided adaptive CAD/CAM software, which coordinated and drove the milling, inspection and cladding throughout the process. Although this system is fully capable of new component production, the early focus includes repair applications. Tosi explained that virtually any component can be put inside the HYBRID machine and can then be subject to all three processes, including probing — the inspection of a machine part. "This is the only machine that can do this," Tosi emphasised. An exclusive open day held at the beginning of September at the MTC showed the HYBRID machine in action and included an exhibition of various successfully remanufactured components given their “second life” by the new technology. Examples included parts from the aerospace and power generation sectors, including a compressor blade, an underground train wheel from locomotive engineering and a turbocharger impeller demonstrating automotive applications. The team is preparing to ship the huge, one-of-a-kind machine to the EMO trade fair for machine tools in Hannover this month, where the never-before-seen technology will be

"Not invention for its own sake" The HYBRID system is not only capable of the automated repair of damaged high-value parts, but can be used to manufacture new components and customise standard parts for low-volume applications. Prof Wimpenny and Technology Director at the MTC Ken Young both believe the UK can take a leading position in the development and use of HYBRID manufacturing systems. "It is good to see a collaborative project like RECLAIM deliver something commercial. This is exactly what the Government set up the TSB for. Not invention for its own sake, but to develop wealth for the UK," Wimpenny stated. "As a nation, we need to be pursuing this exploitation of inventive ideas. That’s one thing we’ve been bad at in the past." Wimpenny continued that at EMO the team is anticipating a positive reception, not least because the machine is offering the world of manufacturing something that has never been done before. "Even though it’s about additive manufacturing and extends that envelope, the HYBRID machine becomes something different. It’s a complementary technology with a complementary approach to machining, cladding and investigation. This new technique could bring additive manufacturing to other companies’ portfolios. "The robustness you get with a machine tool coupled with the flexibility this system offers is what makes HYBRID HSTM 1000 a real game changer," the expert remarked. Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies’ Jason Jones explained: "From the outset, we wanted to make it convenient to combine complementary processes. Process change-over is now as easy as a CNC tool change." The HYBRID HSTM 1000 will be unveiled at EMO Hannover, which runs from September 16th-21st and the team is confident the cutting-edge technology will attract companies from across a huge range of industries, while numerous international corporations have already expressed an interest in the new machine. tct

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[Print It 3D]

Print It 3D:

WORDS | JIM WOODCOCK

Through the Doors In many ways the story of South Wales-based Print It 3D mirrors the changing fortunes of various aspects of the product development sector as a whole. From the heady early days of CAD resellers to the current direct online selling approach and from the birth of rapid prototyping to the current boom in access to 3D printing at all levels of the process. Jim Woodcock took a trip to Bridgend to see what life was like at the coalface of the reseller network.

Print It 3D www.printit-3d.com

ack in the late 1990s and early 2000s — in the days before Internet marketing was quite so savvy and the cloud was a sure fire sign of an upcoming precipitation event — people sold CAD, as they did all manner of software, as a physical product in a box. Resellers could stock the latest versions, help with difficult installations and offer the training required to get the most out of the software. They could maybe even recommend a workstation supplier that would be able to help users seek the most out of their newly purchased box of software. As time went by broadband Internet connections, faster processors and clouds that didn’t spell rain started to change the way people thought about, bought and used CAD software. For the resellers times were about to get tough. Or at least, tougher; the Value-Added Reseller network is still up and running but with a slightly different focus than before. Ian Mason, cofounder and MD at Print It 3D explains: “When I started selling software it really was a premium product that commanded an eye-watering price that reflected the hours of development needed to create what would be seen today as pretty basic stuff. These days the products are coming down in price and access is increasing. Power users still rely on the reseller network to assist with high-end deployments however.” One could therefore compare the early days of how CAD was sold to the recent past for additive manufacturing systems and 3D printers. Still being a niche product, the link between the machine maker and the final customer has always been key to success, a fact that Ian capitalised on in setting up Print It 3D.

“

So many companies want to be a ‘one stop shop’ these days that the meaning of that phrase has been eroded. We know what we’re good at and in — order to do that to the best of our ability — that’s what we concentrate on.

“

In the company’s offices there are the usual tools of the trade which, in this particular trade, includes three 3D Systems ProJet 3510 (3510 CP, 3510 MP & 3510 HD) machines purring away running the final calibrations and tests before they’re delivered to their new owners. One of the striking things about the company is that they don’t offer a bureau service like so many resellers now do. “So many companies want to be a ‘one stop shop’ these days that the meaning of that phrase has been eroded. We know what were good at and — in order to do that to the best of our ability that’s what we concentrate on. There are a thousand places you can turn to that will make run your files and send you the results but that’s not our goal. To us, customer service is absolutely key and is the reason that over 87% of our clients become repeat customers.”

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[Print It 3D]

Indeed the reality of buying, setting up, owning and running a 3D printer at any level is far from the plug-and-play ideal seen in the marketing for lower-end systems. Even the most basic machine needs skill to get the best results. And let’s not forget that these machines are not cheap and nor are the requisite service and maintenance contracts. “What we offer is a service focussed on ensuring our customers have the right machines for their needs and that those machines work as they’re supposed to with the greatest uptime. Without an ongoing relationship with a reseller it’s all too easy for machine users to become exasperated with their pride and joy and write off 3D printing altogether.” Another issue faced by resellers across every level of technology is the effect of wayward marketing messages from makers of low-end machines. While it’s easy to make claims in marketing materials it’s much harder to substantiate those claims in the real world. Working closely with 3D Systems as a fully authorised servicing reseller, Print It 3D offers the full range of 3D printers covering the ideation, development and production spectrum — from the CubeX to the ProJet 7000. Customers range from automotive, aerospace, medical, jewellery, industrial design and prop making — which is bound to make for an interesting exhibition stand when the company teams up with Propshop, the Pinewood Studio-based prop and model makers, for TCT Show this year.

As Propshop’s Technical Director Carl Wilson explains: “Propshop has been based at Pinewood Studios for over 14 years, providing TV and film productions with a specialist fabrication facility and talent. We continue to work across a diverse range of areas, at the very highest levels of the industry. Print It 3D has supported our development every step of the way, the dedicated and responsive technical abilities within the company have allowed us to perform to the highest calibre allowing us to deliver our products in a timely manner. “Our rapid prototyping department is equipped with a wide range of the very latest, cutting edge technologies, enabling us to deliver highly detailed, precise and intricate parts, ranging from a minute scale through to large, full size set pieces and models. “Our in-house technologies can produce anything from a one-off prototype for design approval and testing, through to end of use production components which can be used in true working environments. We have a variety of 3D printers and Print It 3D have been instrumental in helping us build this capability.” tct

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[Geomagic]

Making LAinre t

Jordan Spieth with the John Deere Classic Trophy (Credit John Deere Classic)

The Bottom

Translating talent into products is a perennial problem for artists, designers, engineers and craftsmen — but modern technologies are on hand to help bring imagination to life (and help pay the bills in the process)...

“To have creative talent is awesome,” says Malcolm DeMille, master sculptor and designer. “But if you don’t know how to actually build it and can’t make it accessible, then it’s all in vain.” It’s the age-old conundrum of the starving artist: how to make money and keep doing what you love. How to meld raw aesthetics with boxy business. How to efficiently create quality, marketable artistic pieces. DeMille, a jewellery sculptor since the age of 13, didn’t think he’d ever mass-produce anything; he didn’t think he’d ever make a mould of his sculptures or sell them on a large scale. But things change. “I needed to make a living for my family,” he says. Yet he wanted to be a profitable artist, not a businessman dealing in art. To see his mission through, he tapped technology as a way to promote harmony between art and business while preserving the organic, creative heart of his work. For the better part of a decade, one of his primary tools has been Geomagic Freeform 3D modeling software. At its core, Geomagic Freeform helps artists and designers maintain some of the tactile character of hand sculpting while also making for quick manufacturing preparation, mould preparation and 3D printing. The platform uses digital clay and haptic force-feedback so users can actually feel their 3D virtual sculptures, and it has all the efficiency and timesaving benefits of a digital workflow. It’s art for manufacturing. Thirty-eight years later DeMille is going strong as the owner and chief sculptor at Malcolm DeMille Jewelers, Sculptors and Artisans. With a team of 15–20 employees, DeMille’s company has established itself as a major trophy supplier for the Professional Golf Association (PGA). The AT&T National, the John Deere Classic, The Greenbrier Classic, and numerous other tournaments have all featured exclusive sculptural trophies by DeMille. Beyond these large, one-of-a-kind pieces, he also produces several stock sculptural trophies, trophy tray awards, money clips, jewellery, belt buckles

Greenbrier Classic Trophy

Geomagic www.geomagic.com

and a range of other accessories. You might say that possibilities have multiplied over the years. They’ve multiplied because he’s found a way to create art with intention. In fact, he’s started to enjoy the process of making a piece of art that he can easily segment in Freeform, mould for reproduction and manufacture. Now his employees can easily assemble and manufacture pieces in large quantities, which has enabled him to introduce what has become a major part of his business: the Custom Club programme. The Custom Club affords members, who pay for one of three membership levels, unlimited reproductions of their logo for a one-time fee. It’s an economical way for customers to set themselves apart with hand-crafted memorabilia, like golf ball markers, cufflinks, pins, wine stoppers or a myriad of other possibilities. Success is good. But in talking to DeMille, you get the feeling that no accolade would be worthwhile if it meant diminishing himself as an artist. “We make art pieces and fine jewellery that become gifts and trophies,” says DeMille. “You don’t find them in a trophy shop, you find them in art galleries.” Thankfully, he hasn’t had to sacrifice anything. Because, with Freeform, he’s

able to still use the hand sculpting methods that he grew up with. This craftsmanship is vital to his clients too, who don’t want pieces that look, well, cheap. “We cannot have things that look like they came from a machine or a mill,” echoes DeMille. They don’t, because DeMille still uses hand sculpting in virtually every project he works on, whether he’s refining a scan of hand-sculpted clay in Freeform or physically tweaking a model he first created in Freeform. While the software can be a beginningto-end modeling solution, DeMille has mastered, to great effect, Freeform’s ability to augment and streamline trusted workflows rather than forcing the user to abandon them. If there is one piece that exemplifies how far DeMille has come as an artist and businessman, it might just be the Greenbrier Classic trophy. This 18-inch diameter PGA event trophy, more so than any other, couldn’t just be designed and cast. It had to be perfectly segmented, split into easily manufacturable parts. This piece required all the tricks and workflows DeMille had developed over his career. So he designed and found a way to segment this expansive trophy in Freeform, then turned to manual methods for detailing and production. That’s where Freeform excels, in providing ultimate freedom of design and process. “Freeform does allow us more flexibility, potential and possibilities in a lot of tasks,” says DeMille. One might even say that the key to DeMille’s success has been flexibility. Flexibility enables him to expertly blend sculpture, manufacturing, digital processes and old-world techniques. Flexibility allows him to change a hunk of metal into a work of art and to reproduce it thousands of times over. Flexibility is why Malcolm DeMille’s studio is known for successfully doing things that other’s can’t do. And finding a niche like that, whether from a business or an artistic perspective, is a great thing. tct

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[Paragon]

Modern Technology, Time Tested Results Paragon Rapid Technologies has a long history in the rapid prototyping service sector providing solutions applicable to cover a vast range prototyping requirements. Always keen to satisfy customers’ ever-changing demands, the company has made continuous investments in equipment and technologies, but its greatest asset is the experienced and dedicated workforce that strives tirelessly to maintain its reputation.

very project is different, across so many different market sectors, but be it model making, functional prototypes or something else they typically all involve a combination of the same inhouse processes including stereolithography, laser sintering, vacuum casting, RIM moulding, silicone moulding and — following the company’s current expansion and investment — CNC milling. But in an increasingly competitive marketplace it is essential to offer more than just the output of these processes. This is where Paragon focuses its attention, adding value to your products by ensuring that the quality is unsurpassed. With increased access to prototyping services and increased competition between providers customers are increasingly knowledgeable and demanding. As a result Paragon has developed some of its specific skills and processes, but is although continually looking forward to new technologies the company remains committed to the roots of the industry. “Inevitably, Paragon and our competitors are often measured by the technologies, materials and machine capacity offered but at Paragon we see that as just the starting point. It’s when we have the opportunity to take those ‘printed’ models and do something really exciting with them that we can really shine. We have to be competitive with manufactured parts through stereolithograpy, laser sintering etc., but it’s when our customers require high levels of finish or complicated assembly that we can give them the best value for money. Whether it’s seen as good or bad, we’re often ‘pigeonholed’ for this level of work, but it means that we get the opportunity to work on some really prestigious, high-level projects, but the success of these is down to our model makers using all of our in-house processes to get the best result,” explained Darren Webb, Business Development Manager at Paragon. Many of these larger projects have been less focused on functional prototyping and more of exhibition models and although Paragon applies the same processes and skills as with a typical rapid prototyped assembly the dynamics of the projects are very different. The key is preparation and planning with meticulous attention paid at the CAD stage to consider the impact of scaling factors on manufacturability and how the final model will be assembled. These projects tend to evolve with changes being applied at staged review points, so a flexible approach is essential. But it’s all down to understanding exactly what the customer requires and the message they wish to convey with their model. Whether it’s a static concept, a functioning display to demonstrate a mechanical process or a scaled replica to look identical to the real product. It seems that in the modern technological world of virtual reality, social media and global communication there’s still a growing demand for physical models and displays. Sometimes the old solutions are the best, but innovators can use the latest technologies to create them. tct

Paragon Rapid Technologies www.paragon-rt.com 49

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[Midas]

Live(r) Longer and Prosper Oxford, UK-based medical device development company, OrganOx Ltd, is using the MRIM tooling and moulding services of Midas Pattern Company to help manufacture a new device that prolongs the life of livers outside the human body. The device, named metra, enables the repair, preservation and objective viability assessment of livers prior to transplantation for up to 24 hours, using normothermic oxygenated blood. Midas supplies the panel upon which the device’s plastic disposables are mounted. Clinical trials involving metra are ongoing with European product release anticipated in early 2014.

or many years, the storage of livers in an ice box at 4˚C has aimed to minimise liver decay. But, despite this technology, liver preservation outside the body remains limited to around 12 hours maximum. OrganOx, a spin-out (founded in 2008) from the University of Oxford, sought to address this issue by creating metra, a device offering 24-hour preservation that aims to increase the number of livers available for transplant. The human body is mimicked by metra by continuously perfusing at physiological pressures and flows with oxygenated blood at 37˚C. To bring this exciting new concept to reality, OrganOx has outsourced many aspects of the device’s manufacture. For the important panel that accommodates many of the device’s plastic disposables, the company’s R&D partner, Cambridge-based Team Consulting Ltd, recommended the services of MRIM moulding specialist, Midas Pattern Company. MRIM is the name given to Midas’ unique composite resin tooling system that is used to produce high quality polyurethane mouldings. “A small number of the Midas panels have already been manufactured and are assembled on metra units undergoing clinical trials,” says Dr Colin Story, Operations Director at OrganOx. “We expect to produce further short runs over the coming months with production ramping up once the product is released in Europe next year.” MRIM from Midas can be used for parts ranging in size from A4 up to 2.5 x 1.0 x 0.5 m. The most complex of mould

Midas Pattern Co Ltd www.midas-pattern.co.uk

tools can be produced, including square faces, undercuts, metal inserts and collapsible cores — all of which are guaranteed for up to 5,000 parts. Wall sections can vary in localised areas without the risk of sinking or distortion, so designing for MRIM can be simple or elaborate, in line with requirements. The minimised distortion is due to the low pressures used by the process, making it ideal for a multi-part assemblies such as metra where fitment build-up is critical. Midas has manufactured the MRIM tooling and is producing the panel mouldings, which are supplied fully painted, allowing OrganOx to brand its product by matching corporate colours – Midas offer a huge variety of looks, colours and paint style options. “Midas staff have been helpful, reliable and astute throughout,” says Dr Story. “We always know where we stand and have no complaints whatsoever. We have invested in the tool and will continue using Midas as we move through the various project stages.” Like many manufacturers who require professionally moulded parts but in relatively low volumes, MRIM composite resin injection mould tools from Midas offer OrganOx a low cost entry to market. Furthermore, modifications for design changes and enhancements can also be completed cost effectively, making it possible to go straight to tooling without the need for expensive prototyping phases. tct

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[Design 4]

i K S t n Ava Learning to ski isn’t easy — the poise and balance required can be testing at the best of times. Add in the fact that everyone else on the slopes appears to be semi-pro and hav e all stopped to watch you fall repeatedly and inelegantly on your poster ior and you have not so much an enjoyable holiday as it is a exploration of masochism. Luckily the compan y Skia, with help from Design4Plastics, hav e developed a concept that me ans anyone can turn up to the mountains and find their feet immediately.

artin Breach of Skia developed the “Sweetspot” concept to help skiers recognise what it feels like to be in correct balance on their skis and condition their bodies while safely off piste. The core idea behind the concept involved fitting a simple block to the bottom of ski boots on which would-be skiers balanced in order to help them find their centre of gravity and become used to the constant adjustments needed to remain stable while hurtling down a mountainside. Martin soon recognised that he needed help to develop his concept into a viable product. Design 4 Plastics were introduced to the project and prepared an initial brief that highlighted the basic requirements and issues that must be addressed. The product had to be easy to fit to all makes and sizes of ski boot and be safe in use. It had to be adaptable to users of varying ability, had to be economical to manufacture, and in the image-obsessed world of the skier had to look good.

Design 4 Plastics www.design4plastics.com

It was very obvious that a “hands on” approach was needed, (or should that be “feet on”?) so practical experimentation was an essential part of the development process. Like most products it had to be driven by function and ergonomics and Design 4 knew that rapid prototyping would be an essential tool. Like any project thorough research and initial sketches lie at the heart of better understanding the problems. Sketches in this instance refer to sketch models as well as pencil on paper — plenty to keep the workshop busy even in the very first stages of a project. Design 4’s first stop was to find out about ski boots and start experimenting with hand fabricated parts to find a viable way of attaching the blocks to the huge variety of ski boots available. This initial research showed that all boots have a mark at the point of balance that is usually used to align them on the ski — and invaluable start for the team. Design 4 worked closely with Martin at Skia when testing the prototypes and agreed on a solution that ticked the boxes in terms of practicalities of the manufacturing processes. With the concept in place the team moved onto 3D CAD assemblies using Pro-Engineer, at which point the final product began to take shape. The final concept included a set of four blocks of different widths that presented progressively greater challenge to the balance. These were screwed on for simplicity.

Continued on p55 3D renders of the Sweetspot concept

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[Design 4] `

Concept sketch

Continued from p53

The CAD data was then used to give the client its first glimpse of what the product could look like and to obtain ballpark costs for injection moulding tooling and components so that the viability of the project could be established early on. Laser sintered parts were produced from the same 3D CAD data to create the next level of functional prototype. A combination of nylon laser sintered parts, fabricated nylon sheet and adapted polyurethane strapping were used to create fully functional working prototypes for exhaustive (and exhausting) testing. This testing highlighted several issues to address to move the project forward. The blocks were not so easy to change using screw fixings so a clip-on mechanism was developed that made fitting and removal easier but sturdy enough to be secure in use. The addition of a rubber face to the blocks to prevent them slipping on tiled floors was also needed for improved safety. These changes were made to the 3D CAD and a second iteration of laser sintered prototypes was produced for further testing. Working with renowned experts in the skiing world Martin demonstrated the concept and received enthusiastic endorsements from them all, sufficient to give him the confidence to let his Sweetspot Trainer fly. Design 4 went on to source the tooling and organise and progress manufacture of the product for Skia, including the display packaging for which the company provided photo-rendered images based on the work done throughout the design and development process. tct

ABOVE: Prototypes designed in 3D CAD BELOW: First SLS prototypes and fitted to a ski boot.

LEFT: Box artwork was developed from the development work

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[Ogle / Bloodhound]

Making an

Icon

As work on the Bloodhound SSC British Land Speed attempt car intensifies, Ogle Models and Prototypes has joined the manufacturing effort by employing its design know-how and laser sintering technology in the final pre-production prototyping of the bespoke steering wheel for the 1,000 mph leviathan.

loodhound SSC has been in development since it was initially launched in October 2008 and is currently on schedule to go for the record in 2014 and 2015. Part of the remit within Bloodhound SSC is to utilise and promote advanced technology for engineering and manufacturing, including 3D printing/additive manufacturing. Someone that knows a lot about this technology area is Dan Johns, Bloodhound SSC’s Materials & Technologies Engineer; Dan has identified a number of parts and components on the vehicle that will bring great benefits to the overall performance of the car by using additive techniques. One such part is the steering wheel for the car. The car’s driver — Wing Commander Andy Green, an RAF fighter pilot — will control the car with the ‘wheel’ at tremendous speeds. Anything that can be done to minimise discomfort and make things as intuitive and responsive as possible could prove to be vital during the land speed attempt. The steering wheel is Andy’s most direct interface with the car and its development is an iterative process to ensure that everything is as good as it can be. Additive manufacturing processes have been fundamental to the various iterations of the wheel to date, which is customised specifically according to the size and shape of Andy’s hands and grip. This approach puts Andy himself in the design seat to determine how the wheel should fit, feel and function in his hands. For the fifth such iteration Bloodhound turned to Ogle Models + Prototypes to produce a quality functional model of the wheel for final design checks ahead of final production.

Ogle Models and Prototypes www.oglemodels.com

The model, produced by Ogle in a matter of hours on its industrial laser sintering (LS) P730 3D printer, in PA2200 nylon material was created from 3D scanned data that had been reverse engineered from Andy’s hands and modified according to the functionality and placement of the various controls. The comfort / ergonomics are an essential factor when it comes to handling the wheel under the pressure of driving at 1,000 mph to avoid distraction and having to reach too far with his digits to hit the required controls. This particular iteration was a final testing phase in terms of where all the buttons are placed on the wheel when it is fitted within the cockpit and to track Andy’s movements in a simulated environment in order to check the buttons on the front are all precisely on the arc of his thumb as it rotates and that the two triggers on the back of the wheel that he uses with his index finger match the articulation of said digits. This sort of design enhancement and specific customisation is a critical advantage that 3D printing technologies offer over more traditional methods of manufacture. The ability to costeffectively produce single or low volume iterative parts in this way enables precision results for final production without extending lead times. Ogle’s experience in this area is highly regarded, and its proud heritage of British manufacturing excellence is closely aligned with Bloodhound’s goals, the company was proud to make this small contribution to the development of the steering wheel. tct

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Additive Manufacturing

[Renishaw / Bloodhound]

at the cutting edge

ey prototypes for the Bloodhound car will be realised in titanium by UK-based Renishaw. This includes one of the most critical components, the nose tip for the car, which will be the very first part to break through any new land speed record and is subject to forces as high as 12 tonnes per square metre. To cope with such loadings, a prototype tip has been designed and will be bonded to BLOODHOUND’s carbon fibre monocoque body that forms the front-half of the car. Renishaw is providing a manufacturing resource to the project team to produce the nose tip on its laser melting machines. The prototype will be used by the BLOODHOUND team to evaluate possible manufacturing processes and carry out further engineering analysis. Dan Johns, lead engineer at BLOODHOUND SSC responsible for materials, process and technologies, says: “We believe that the key benefit of using an additive manufacturing process to produce the nose tip is the ability to create a hollow, but highly rigid titanium structure, and to vary the wall thickness of the tip to minimise weight. To machine this component conventionally would be extremely challenging, result in design compromises, and waste as much as 95% of the expensive raw material.” The Rt Hon David Willetts MP, UK Minister for Universities and Science, formally opened the new BLOODHOUND Technical Centre in Avonmouth, Bristol, UK, where the iconic car is now being assembled. He also

Renishaw plc www.renishaw.com

announced a £1 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to support the BLOODHOUND Project’s education and outreach mission, which aims to inspire children about STEM subjects. During his visit, Mr Willetts was presented with a special commemorative plaque containing a prototype nose tip manufactured by Renishaw on one of its AM250 additive manufacturing machines. Says Simon Scott, Director of Renishaw’s Additive Manufacturing Products Division: “With 3D printing having such a high profile within the media and political circles, it is fantastic that the only UK manufacturer of a metal-based additive manufacturing machine is able to contribute to this iconic British project which aims to inspire a new generation of engineers here and around the world.” tct

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[Omnify] Nujira 4010 Mounted on a PA: “Power Modulator for LTE Cellular Base Stations and Remote Radio Heads”.

Omnify Software www.omnifysoft.com

Data Control for Data Controllers Data is one of the main drivers behind the exponential rate of development in the modern industrialised world — but it’s also one of the biggest challenges facing consumers, governments and business. For manufacturing companies, decades-old ways of working are being scrutinised under the gaze of growing pressure from an increasingly competitive global marketplace. UK-based Nujira deal in data with its solutions that are helping to reduce power-consumption rates in high-speed mobile Internet provision. But when it came to in-house data management the rapidly expanding company found itself wanting... Introduction Nujira Ltd, based in Cambridge, UK, is the world leader in Envelope Tracking (ET) — a technology that helps to reduce the power needs of radio amplifiers such as those used in wireless data transmission, including the new 4G cellular data standard — and solutions for powering energy efficient 4G cellular terminals, base stations and digital broadcast transmitters. Nujira’s Coolteq solutions power the world’s most energy efficient 4G cellular base stations and digital TV transmitters. Building on this success, Nujira is now applying the same energy efficient technology to smartphones and other portable wireless devices. The Challenge: Find a Modern Solution to Replace Manual Engineering Processes As CAD Engineering Manager, Richard Sharples is responsible for Nujira’s CAD database, component and parts library, and all EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tools. His goal was to find a solution to help Nujira gain better control over their engineering data and processes. The company was using a component management database that was initially sufficient for their needs but as Nujira grew, it became inadequate to control information such as Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) and product documentation. For example, when checking an ECO, engineers would have to compare the previous Parts List with the new Parts List line by line in a spreadsheet or on paper, which was open to error and often took up to a day complete, as they would always double check it for accuracy. They also had to address concerns associated with silos of information that were a consequence of their manual processes.

“Once a product is in production and a company commits to volume and money, any mistake in a Bill of Materials (BOM) propagates throughout,” stated Mr. Sharples. “We had silos of information that were the result of people creating and saving documents locally and we continuously ran the risk of someone using outdated information.” An error from sending the wrong data to a Contract Manufacturer could potentially cost tens of thousands of pounds. Nujira needed a central location to manage and access engineering information in order to eliminate tedious searches for information on the network or loosing information all together as well as ensure the accuracy of the data. Solution: PLM with Direct Integration to Mentor Graphics Expedition PCB Nujira wanted a solution that would easily integrate with their existing Engineering Design Automation (EDA) tools from Mentor Graphics. Their EDA product sales and support partner, Saros, introduced Omnify Software as a solution that would perfectly meet their needs. Omnify Empower PLM could provide Nujira with a central location to manage and access product information, automate their ECO, BOM and document management processes, as well as integrate with their PCB design environment, Mentor Graphics Expedition PCB. Continued on p63

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[Omnify] Envelope Tracking UHF PA Demonstrator has been specifically developed for high power air- or liquid-cooled broadcast transmitters.

Coolteq.t Envelope Tracking Power Amplifier characterisation system is a high performance instrument developed for use by PA vendors, OEMs, and chipset manufacturers.

Nujira implemented the Empower PLM solution within their Engineering department (initially Design Engineering and Production Engineering). Working very closely with Saros and the direct Omnify Software Application Engineer, Nujira converted their existing component database and all testing was complete, including the integration to Mentor Graphics Expedition PCB, within a month. The product was then rolled out to the Test Engineers. “We have had excellent support from both Omnify and Saros since day one,” noted Mr. Sharples. Customer Success: Accurate Data, Huge Time Savings and Peace of Mind Implementing more efficient engineering processes supports Nujira’s mission to ‘push the envelope of power amplifier efficiency.’ By eliminating manual editing of information, Nujira has been able to narrow the window of opportunity to make mistakes, which saves the company a great deal of time and ultimately a great deal of money. “We selected the Omnify Empower solution mainly because it had proven, out of the box integration to our Mentor Graphics

tools,” said Mr. Sharples. “Design engineers are now able to utilise the power of the Empower PLM database by selecting components directly from Empower PLM and placing them onto schematics.” This creates a closed-loop, error-free process that eliminates the need for any manual editing where a BOM is then generated from the final schematic and loaded directly into Omnify Empower. “Our previous process to import a Parts List from a schematic took well over an hour to complete (for every Parts List) and now it takes only a few minutes with Empower PLM.” In addition, checking an ECO has been reduced from a full day to only a matter of seconds with Empower PLM’s redlining capability. The Empower PLM system provides Nujira with better change control, revision control, and documentation control. The company has smoother development through automated processes and centralised information. “We now have very, very good control over our engineering data,” stated Mr. Sharples. “With Empower PLM, engineers can go to a central location to access accurate and up to date information and it gives us the confidence that latest documents, BOMs and changes are in fact the most current versions.” tct

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

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

New

Cube & CubeX 3D Printers

Tel: 01420 88645 www.cubify3d.co.uk

16 Micron Printing / Real Wax / Quick Turnaround / Instant Online Quote / Prices from ÂŁ5

www.protowax.co.uk / info@protowax.co.uk / +44 (0)161 820 4117

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[ctrl–alt–del]

Ohnovation

or the curse of the

2-in-1 Shampoo

ou may remember a series of adverts from a few years ago (quite a few years ago now) for the Vidal Sassoon ‘Wash & Go’ hair cleansing product range. Combining both a shampoo AND a conditioner, Wash & Go catered to a market of people that simply couldn’t abide taking two bottles into the shower with them (PRO TIP: leave the bottles in the shower and take NO bottle in with you). The blond-haired chap in the ad directly questions the viewers’ sanity: “Spend time on shampoo AND conditioner? Take TWO bottles into the shower?”, he probes with increasing incredulity. Not him gentle reader. “I just wash… and go!” Quite aside from the fact that it seems implausible that someone could be so busy as to find the transport of two bottles of product into the shower with them an unbearable chore, it rather begs the question as to why the shampoo and conditioner were ever separate. Certainly, the implication with a 2-in-1 shampoo isn’t that the sum is any less efficacious than the parts. The normal routine of washing first with a shampoo to strip the hair of it’s natural oils followed by slathering on the viscous conditioner to replace them seems — if not entirely logical — defined and plausible. How putting both substances onto your head at the same time works I have no idea. Undoubtedly ‘science’ is involved. Science that’s probably done in a ‘laboratory’ (or for the more expensive version, a ‘laboratoire’) with various aspects of pH, balance, essential oils, patchouli and minerals considered long and hard. The result is that you cannot only do away with a whole bottle — and it’s telling that today a persuasive environmental argument would surely accompany that fact — but with one whole ‘apply 66

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generously, massage and rinse’ cycle. And yet even now people insist on taking two bottles. TWO! Will they never learn? How does this translate to 3D printing I hear you cry? Well, tenuously at best is how. It all comes down to having one box on your desk or shop floor and not two, or three, or even four. The trend for multi-function-maker-boxes is increasing in the consumer and professional spaces with a glut of new machines that combine multiple processes into a single box. To see an overview of how this is in manifesting in the consumer space take a look at this overview from Personalize’s Daniel O’Connor: http://mytct.co/3dtwoinone. Given the standard of 90% of the 3D printers, 3D scanners and CNC milling machines accessible to consumers, putting all three together seems inadvisable. I wait with bated breath to try one out. In the professional world there are times when adding additive manufacturing to a milling setup (or vice versa) a la the Matsuura Lumex-25 or the HYBRID HSTM 1000 (pages 37 & 39 of this issue) has real tangible benefits. If you’re that far you might as well throw in a pro-grade metrology system too. In applications such as repair of specific parts, this approach is not only viable but makes a huge amount of sense. And there are numerous professional applications in which one can imagine this box of trick having a profound effect. For most applications though, having one box means only having one box to use at a time — if you’d like to be able to mill the first piece while cladding a second and measuring a third, you’ll end up with a queue. Or with three boxes, which sort of defeats the object. tct

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