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Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing in 2019

Additive manufacturing is changing the world. Another term for 3D printing, additive manufacturing differs from other forms of manufacturing in that, rather than removing material like machining, it adds material to create a product. This offers many unique advantages, from unprecedented customization and precision to a whole new world of shapes that are not possible with other techniques.

3D printing works by providing a carefully planned CAD file to a computer that runs a 3D printer. This machine prints the material layer by layer. There are a variety of materials and methods for 3D printing. You can 3D print plastic, nylon, metal, and more. Products can be printed through traditional 3D printing or through more specialized processes like selective laser sintering (SLS) or multi jet fusion (MJF), where there is no need for support structures to print complex designs. Between the design, material, and the process, no additive manufacturing job is quite alike.

These factors allow for some incredible customization of designs. You don’t have to modify an existing template or object. Additive manufacturing allows for strangely shaped spaces and corners. Weight can be more easily managed thanks to this kind of customization and the wide range of available materials. Some designs are incredibly delicate yet smooth. There is no need for support structures for these designs, allowing a lot of creative freedom that wasn’t previously available once you got off the drawing board.

Additive manufacturing already sees a lot of use. There are plenty of hobbyists out there, certainly, but it’s also being used by businesses to do things like produce prototypes or even their main product from custom parts for almost anything to modeling kits. Companies such as HP and Honeywell are developing 3D printing technology as we speak. They’re looking to improve quality and efficiency as well as allow for a new range of materials to be printed. These are not pie-in-the-sky ideas, but real developments that are already making a mark. 

This is because a company has a lot to gain from switching from traditional manufacturing techniques to additive manufacturing. 3D printing is a great way to save money. The ability to reduce weight can be a major factor, especially if you are looking to make parts. It’s possible to create hollow or honeycomb-structured parts that are just as strong and capable as solid ones, but much lighter.

You can also order to demand. other manufacturing techniques may require you to order a minimum number of products that is much larger than what you actually need. This is because there is a much larger start-up cost to these techniques for a product line and the company needs to make a profit, not a loss, on your order. Additive manufacturing does not work this way. You can order three or three-hundred products, whatever you need. The cost of an order largely comes from the material that needs to be used to make it.

This makes 3D printing an excellent choice if you do not need a massive, expensive order. The quality will still be high, but the price will be much lower and you won’t be stuck with stock you can’t sell, taking up room that can be better used for other things.

Additive manufacturing is less wasteful, too. Traditional manufacturing techniques are messy and leave a lot of scraps behind. Not so with additive manufacturing. It’s far more efficient with material. What scraps are produced are often recycled, melted back down to be used for more 3D printing. You are only charged for the material that is actually used to create the product(s), not what’s used plus the scraps that end up on the shop floor. 

This incredible and increasing cost efficiency of 3D printing means additive manufacturing making waves in manufacturing. It’s not just for custom phone cases and graduate student research projects anymore. More and more businesses are choosing to use 3D printing to make their products.  This has prompted new technological developments as the possibilities of 3D printing have been explored. 

Check out these major developments in 3D printing for 2019 (which is only half over!):

  • HP just opened its 3D Printing and Digital Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Barcelona, Spain. HP has been on the leading edge of 3D printer development. HP has just released new materials like Nylon 11 and TPU (a material that is highly flexible like rubber). This facility is a center for testing and collaboration between industry experts and customers alike. Expect to see a lot of additive manufacturing news to come out of here. 
  • Photocentric introduced its Liquid Crystal (LC) Magna system. This is their second largest LCD printer.This new 3D printer is 10 times faster than its predecessor. It has 23.8 inch 4K Ultra HD screen with a custom backlight. These allow for an average print accuracy of within 50 µm and model tolerances of less than 100µm. It takes only a few hours to produce batches of custom products. 
  • Autodesk, one of the major players in the additive manufacturing software world, released new add-ons for its 3D modeling software Fusion 360. This entry-level platform now provides cost-estimation and generative design. It’s a popular choice for those looking to start getting into 3D printing design and it is now an even better choice.

  • EOS and ALM have just released HT-23, a new PEKK carbon fiber material that is a high-performance polymer that is extremely chemically resistant, has a high melt point, and is inherently flame retardant.


At Jawstec, we are ready to help your business take advantage of 3D printing. We keep track of the latest developments in the industry and our experts can leverage them to help you create the product you want. Whether you’re looking to produce a prototype or a whole product line, our 3D printing services offer an efficient, budget-friendly option. Contact us today to get a free 3D printing design quote so we can help you move your business forward with additive manufacturing.

The post Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing in 2019 appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

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Interview with John Barnes of The Barnes Group Advisors 3D Printing Consulting

We had an opportunity to aks John Barnes of The Barnes Group Advisors some questions about 3D printing and 3D printing adoption. John has been working in 3D printing since the nineties, was a senior manager at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works and helped bring metal 3D printed parts to a number of experimental military aircraft as well as working on implementing the technology on the F-22, F-35, and other programs. He later ran Australian research institute CSIRO‘s metal printing activities before working as a Vice President of metal production giant Arconic. He now is an Adjunct Professor, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Adjunct Professor, Carnegie Mellon University, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University and heads up the Barnes Group. This consulting team helps companies industrialize 3D printing. John is essentially someone who while racking up the frequent flyer miles is a one person ecosystem for industrializing metal 3D printing.

How did you get started in 3D printing? 

My journey in additive started in the 90’s. As a young engineer at Honeywell Engines, I joined a CRADA with Sandia National Labs and nine other companies to help nurture a Directed Energy Deposition system, which later became the Optomec LENS process. I consider myself lucky to have joined the industry so early.

How difficult was it to implement 3D printing in aerospace?  

It takes a lot of work to get the first of any new technology on board a flight vehicle. All parties really have to work well together to combine multiple disciplines and departments. Managing expectations is also critically important. The customer has demanding commercial and technical requirements which can be at odds with supplier’s needs and expectations, so communication is a critical element of keeping management aware and on board. The technology is also highly interdisciplinary and requires juggling many technical issues at once. Having excellent relationships with partners both up and down the supply chain is crucial. It is difficult, but not necessarily more difficult than implementing any new technology, it is also incredibly rewarding.

What are some of the roadblocks to 3D printing adoption? 

Training to me is the number one issue. Cost is important, but training engineers on how to design for the process is highly important in being able to meet the cost goals.

What is some advice you can give for a large industrial company wanting to use 3D printing?  

Get some advice first. Don’t buy a machine and try to figure it out after.  Given the diversity of the technology available, there are many solutions to choose from, and there is likely a service bureau that can help you to start your journey. We utilize a proprietary AM Maturity Model to describe the need and the benefit of starting with prototypes, then tools and fixtures, before moving to direct parts. The requirements increase as you move up in product complexity, as does the learning required. You have to match your organization’s learning to be able to hit the higher product requirements.

There’s a lot of excitement now about PEAK, PEI and these types of materials how do you see them fit into the manufacturing space? 

I think there is still huge opportunity with the advanced polymers in AM. They have similar value propositions to metals like Titanium because they are costly. I believe that we will see innovative uses of high-end polymers where we traditionally saw metals because they can match the mechanical performance of metals like Aluminium, but with superior corrosion resistance. One of the exciting things about AM is the process cost dynamic enable engineers to explore materials that were previously considered to be too expensive.

What kind of customers do you work for? 

We work with all types of organizations across the AM supply chain, as well as start-ups and investment companies. We have a diverse customer base. As I like to say, we’re just here to help.

Why should I work with you?  

For our team.  I believe our team is the best in the business under one roof. We partner continuously with other like-minded firms to provide the best possible outcome for our clients. Our team and our network is unparalleled in the industry.  We can cover all 7 ASTM AM methods from materials through to design and product qualification, and train your organization on how to get the most out of AM quickly and safely.