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Michael Gorski of Filament Innovations On FDM for Manufacturing

I kept hearing from people about Michael Gorski and Filament Innovations. I was repeatably told that in Pennsylvania a small firm was making open FDM systems made for manufacturing. I’ve predicted for a number of years now that the small scale open desktop FDM systems, first not suitable for much of anything, would morph into the manufacturing systems of the future over time. I really think that for large objects such as car bumpers or dashboards medium format FDM will be the technology of choice while for many smaller parts clusters of FDM printers will be the norm. Open FDM just gives you tough, dimensionally accurate parts at low cost without a lock in with a materials vendor or an OEM. For many industries at volume I think that open FDM is the manufacturing solution of the future. For that to happen we need intelligent clusters of machines (which Ultimaker and Prusa seem to be working on) and much more reliable medium format machines with high throughput, yield, and repeatability. The latter challenge is what Filament Innovations is taking on.

 

What is Filament Innovations? 

Filament Innovations is a family-owned FDM 3D Printer manufacturer located near Allentown, Pennsylvania. We focus on selling FDM printers to businesses across America. We specialize in advanced 3D Printers that are both robust and affordable for all size businesses. We really pride ourselves on the level of quality and craftsmanship that goes into each 3D Printer we build. We often tell our customers that we are the “hot rod shop” of 3D Printers as we can custom build a printer to suit a customer’s needs.

When and why did you start it? 

The company was started in October 2015; when we launched we were not building printers, but selling our own private line of filament. As FDM 3D Printing grew, we saw the hardware market get split into two segments – the “race to the bottom” imported printer and the expensive larger format printers, costing over $50,000. Many business owners who wanted to adopt FDM 3D Printing were scared of the lack of after-sales support and reliability from the imported machines, or did not have $50,000 on hand for a capital investment to buy a more well-known machine. With that in mind, we quickly saw market opportunity for a large scale, American built, and high quality FDM unit in the $15,000 – $20,000 range. 

Tell us about your Icarus printer? 

Our BFP-ICARUS 3D Printer is the backbone of the company. Our business model is simple, make the best printer we can with no cheap add-ons and sell it for one flat, shipped price with as many USA components as possible. At $15,000 shipped via LTL Freight, our BFP-ICARUS is a leader in the FDM market in terms of quality and craftsmanship. Our linear motion system is a full ballscrew design with HiWin linear rails and TBI ballscrews, running on custom made NEMA 23 motors. Our extrusion system is produced by Dyze Designs, with their PRO series hotend and extruder combination, which comes equipped with a PT100 sensor and Tungsten Carbide nozzle. Every printer is factory equipped with a Gecko print plate, allowing customers to print common filaments and have them release easily with the removable print plate. The entire frame of the printer is wrapped in quarter inch Optix USA Made acrylic which stiffens the entire body of the unit so you don’t have to worry about any frame slag or shaking. The build area satisfies customers’ needs at 470x381x915 (mm).

What kind of customers buy it?

We love selling printers to industries that put them to work and use them on a daily basis. The majority of our customers are in the Prosthetics and Orthotics industry where they print customized below the knee check sockets for patients. Since every prosthetic socket is unique, this is a great application for our BFP-ICARUS units. Beyond the O&P market, we also work with the US Army Research lab and the Navy, specifically NAWC (Naval Air Warfare Center). We are continuing to grow our relationship with other defense departments and are in the planning phase of putting more BFP-ICARUS units into defense work soon. 

What makes it different?

What makes the BFP-ICARUS different in terms of being an FDM Printer, and Filament Innovations different in terms of being a FDM manufacturer, is how we do business in the industry. At Filament Innovations we are not selling you a product and then moving on to the next customer, we are creating a partnership to bring FDM 3D Printing into their company. Businesses can be hesitant to buy an FDM 3D Printer because they do not know what they need it for, how to run it, or how to service it. We get to know each customer and their business individually and help them understand how FDM 3D Printing can help their business. For example, when you buy a BFP-ICARUS unit, we schedule a two to three hour video chat with you on the day you receive it (Skype, FaceTime, etc). On that chat, we walk around the printer with you and go over its basic operations and how to maintain it. We really go the extra mile in terms of customer service and that is why our customer’s come back to use for future printers. Plus, as a fun “wow” moment for the customer, we laser etch their logo right next to ours on every machine that goes out the door. This gives our customer’s a personal touch that provides them confidence in their decision of partnering with Filament Innovations.

 How capable is it? 

The unit is extremely capable in terms of what it can do as the unit is enclosed, the Dyze PRO series hotend can go to 450C with ease, and the unit comes with all the bells and whistles you would want (auto bed leveling, independent Z motor bed leveling, WiFi, etc). The one unique selling points that really impresses our customers is its upgradability for the extrusion systems. Filament Innovations may have one of the best relationships in the history of FDM with Dyze Designs. We have made every BFP-ICARUS unit upgradable to accommodate Dyze’s 2.85mm high flow Typhoon system and the Pulsar pellet extrusion system. This means customers can buy one 3D Printer, and upgrade that one unit to a high-flow filament or pellet extrusion system once these systems come to market. For example, in the prosthetics industry, a below the knee socket is a large, relatively basic, but unique shape that needs to be printed quickly. Customers who choose to buy their BFP-ICARUS now can get their feet wet with 3D Printing and then buy the upgrade kits to retro-fit their 3D Printer as Dyze Designs releases these new systems. We designed our BFP-ICARUS platform with ballscrews for a reason, it can handle the additional weight of these extrusion systems out of the gate, which means customers do not need to buy an additional printer. This is just another example of how we are putting the customer’s needs first and not forcing them to buy an entirely new printer.   

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Makerbot Launches Method X Brings Real ABS 3D Printing to Manufacturing

MakerBot, a global leader in 3D printing, announces the launch of METHOD X, a manufacturing workstation engineered to challenge traditional manufacturing with real ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) material, a 100°C chamber, and Stratasys SR-30 soluble supports to deliver exceptional dimensional accuracy and precision for complex, durable parts. METHOD X is capable of printing real ABS that can withstand up to 15°C higher temperatures, is up to 26% more rigid, and up to 12% stronger than modified ABS formulations used on desktop 3D printer competitors.1 Real ABS parts printed on METHOD X have no warping or cracking that typically occurs when printing modified ABS on desktop platforms without heated chambers.

Desktop 3D printer manufacturers attempt to get around part deformation that occurs, due to the high shrinkage rate of the material, by using a heated build plate in combination with altered ABS formulations that are easier to print but compromise thermal and mechanical properties. MakerBot Precision ABS has a heat deflection temperature of up to 15°C higher than competitors’ ABS, which are modified to make material printable without a heated chamber. With METHOD X, the 100°C Circulating Heated Chamber significantly reduces part deformation while increasing part durability and surface finish.

The MakerBot METHOD X combines industry expertise and technologies from Stratasys® (Nasdaq: SSYS)—the worldwide leader in industrial 3D printing—with MakerBot’s accessibility and ease of use to provide professionals with an industrial 3D printer at a disruptive price point.

MakerBot ABS for METHOD has excellent thermal and mechanical properties similar to ABS materials used for injection molding applications—making it ideal for a wide range of applications, including end-use parts, manufacturing tools, and functional prototypes. A 100°C Circulating Heated Chamber provides a stable print environment for superior Z-layer bonding—resulting in high-strength parts with superior surface finish. With the MakerBot METHOD X, engineers can design, test, and produce models and custom end-use parts with durable, production-grade ABS for their manufacturing needs.

Also new is the availability of Stratasys SR-30 material for easy and fast support removal. METHOD X is the only 3D printer in its price class that uses SR-30—enabling unlimited design freedom and the ability to print unrestricted geometries, such as large overhangs, cavities, and shelled parts. The combination of SR-30 and MakerBot ABS is designed to provide outstanding surface finish and print precision.

“When we initially launched METHOD, we broke the price-to-performance barrier by delivering a 3D printer that was designed to bridge the technology gap between industrial and desktop 3D printers. This made industrial 3D printing accessible to professionals for the first time. Since then, we have shipped hundreds of printers and received positive feedback from a number of our customers on the precision and reliability of the machine,” said Nadav Goshen, CEO, MakerBot. “With METHOD X, we are taking a step further to revolutionize manufacturing. METHOD X was created for engineers who need true ABS for production-ready parts that are dimensionally-accurate with no geometric restrictions. METHOD X delivers industrial-level 3D printing without compromising on ABS material properties and automation in a new price category.”

Engineered as an automated, tinker-free industrial 3D printing system, METHOD X includes industrial features such as Dry-Sealed Material Bays, Dual Performance Extruders, Soluble Supports, and an Ultra-Rigid Metal Frame. METHOD X’s automation and industrial technologies create a controlled printing environment so professionals can design, test, and iterate faster. The lengthened thermal core in the performance extruders are up to 50% longer than a standard hot end to enable faster extrusion, resulting in up to 2X faster print speeds than desktop 3D printers.2

These key technologies—combined with MakerBot ABS for METHOD—are designed to help engineers achieve dimensionally-accurate, production-grade parts at a significantly lower cost than traditional manufacturing processes. Engineers can print repeatable and consistent parts, such as jigs, fixtures, and end-effectors, with a measurable dimensional accuracy of ± 0.2mm (± 0.007in).3

METHOD X can be used with MakerBot’s lines of Precision and Specialty Materials, including MakerBot PLA, MakerBot TOUGH, MakerBot PETG, MakerBot PVA, MakerBot ABS, and SR-30, with more to come.

MakerBot METHOD X’s automated and advanced features provide users with a seamless workflow to help them optimize their design and production processes. The MakerBot METHOD X is one of the most intelligent 3D printers on the market, with 21 onboard sensors that help users monitor, enhance, and print their projects, including RFID chips, temperature sensing, humidity control, material detection, and more. The METHOD platform provides a seamless CAD to part workflow, with Solidworks, Autodesk Fusion 360 and Inventor plug-ins and support for over 30 types of CAD files, helping users turn their CAD files to parts quicker.

The METHOD platform has been tested by MakerBot for over 300,000 hours of system reliability, subsystem, and print quality testing.4

Shipping of METHOD X is expected to begin at the end of August 2019. To learn more about the MakerBot METHOD X, visit www.makerbot.com/method.

1 Based on internal testing of injection molded specimens of METHOD X ABS compared to ABS from a leading desktop 3D printer competitor. Tensile strength testing was performed according to ASTM D638 and HDT B testing according to ASTM D648.
2 Compared to popular desktop 3D printers when using the same layer height and infill density settings. Speed advantage dependent upon object geometry and material.
3 0.2 mm or ± 0.002 mm per mm of travel (whichever is greater). Based on internal testing of selected geometries.
4 Combined total test hours of METHOD and METHOD X (full system and subsystem testing) expected to be completed around shipping of METHOD X.

About MakerBot
MakerBot, a subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS), is a global leader in the 3D printing industry. The company helps create the innovators of today and the businesses and learning institutions of the future. Founded in 2009 in Brooklyn, NY, MakerBot strives to redefine the standards for 3D printing for reliability, accessibility, precision, and ease-of-use. Through this dedication, MakerBot has one of the largest install bases in the industry and also runs Thingiverse, the largest 3D printing community in the world.

We believe there’s an innovator in everyone, so we make the 3D printing tools that make your ideas matter. Discover innovation with MakerBot 3D printing.

To learn more about MakerBot, visit makerbot.com.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statement

The statements in this press release relating to Stratasys’ and/or MakerBot’s beliefs regarding the benefits consumers will experience from the MakerBot METHOD X and its features and Stratasys’ and MakerBot’s expectations on timing of shipping the MakerBot METHOD X are forward-looking statements reflecting management’s current expectations and beliefs. These forward-looking statements are based on current information that is, by its nature, subject to rapid and even abrupt change. Due to risks and uncertainties associated with Stratasys’ and MakerBot’s businesses, actual results could differ materially from those projected or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that consumers will not perceive the benefits of the MakerBot METHOD X and its features to be the same as Stratasys and MakerBot do; the risk that unforeseen technical difficulties will delay the shipping of the MakerBot METHOD X; and other risk factors set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Stratasys’ most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 7, 2019. Stratasys (or MakerBot) is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by the rules and regulations of the SEC.

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3D Printing News Briefs: February 16, 2019

We’ve got business, events, software, and materials news for you in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. MELD has introduced a new operator training course, and Protolabs is launching a range of secondary services. AMUG announced the keynote speakers for its upcoming conference, while the call has gone out for submissions to the 2019 Altair Enlighten Award. This week at SOLIDWORKS WORLD 2019, Stratasys introduced AdvancedFDM software for GrabCAD Print. Finally, a gold partner at America Makes has created an Ultem 9085 materials database for FDM 3D printing, and 3D MicroPrint is using a powder rheometer to push the limits of additive manufacturing.

MELD Manufacturing Offers Training Program

MELD Manufacturing Corporation is launching a new operator training program to teach participants how to operate its award-winning technology, which uses an innovative no-melt process to additively manufacture, repair, coat, and join metals and metal matrix composites. The 4-day courses will provide both classroom instruction and hands-on machine training, and attendees will also review the history of MELD’s development.

“This program creates certified MELDers and delivers the capacity to integrate and innovate with MELD. Our customers have raved about the elegance of the MELD process and the ease of training. We’re excited to offer more of these opportunities,” said MELD’s CEO Nanci Hardwick.

The size of the classes, which will be held at MELD’s Virginia headquarters, will be limited so that each attendee can have the maximum amount of machine time in order to become certified, so you should register ASAP.

Protolabs Launches Secondary Services in Europe

Protolabs is a digital manufacturing source for custom prototypes and low-volume production parts and offers all sorts of traditional and additive manufacturing services. This week, the company announced that it was introducing detailed measurement and inspection reporting, which will be only the first part of its newly launched in-house Secondary Services across Europe. These services will provide support for the company’s On-Demand manufacturing requirements, and will also help in launching more value-add secondary operations, like assembly and surface treatment, in the future.

“Our customers really value our rapid manufacturing services for low-volume parts and prototypes, but they now want the benefit of On-Demand manufacturing for production parts, which have higher expectations for sampling, measurement and process documentation,” said Stephen Dyson, Protolabs’ Special Operations Manager. “The marked increase from customers across all industries wanting to take advantage of the speed and flexibility of On-Demand manufacturing brings with it a desire to simplify the supply chain. We are offering Secondary Services to reduce the number of process steps that the customer has to manage, saving time and resources.”

Protolabs will hold a webinar for designers and engineers on February 28th as part of its Secondary Services launch.

AMUG Announces Keynote Speakers

L-R: Brian McLean, Brad Keselowski, Todd Grimm

The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) recently announced who the keynote speakers will be for its 2019 conference, which will be held in Chicago from March 31st to April 4th. The conference, which will have nearly 200 presentations, workshops and hands-on training sessions, is designed for both novice and experienced additive manufacturing users, and the three keynote speakers will address the use of additive manufacturing in a variety of different applications. Brian McLean, the director of rapid prototype for LAIKA, will take attendees on a visual journey of how 3D printing has helped to redefine stop-motion animation, while NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski, the owner and founder of Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing (KAM), will share how technology such as 3D printing can help companies win the race. Finally, Todd Grimm, the president of T. A. Grimm & Associates, is returning to the conference as a keynote speaker again.

“We are extremely excited about our 2019 AMUG Conference keynote speakers,” said Gary Rabinovitz, the AMUG chairman and chair of its program committee. “They will provide a snapshot of the most transformative ideas shaping the AM industry today.”

2019 Altair Enlighten Award Submissions

Michigan-based technology company Altair, together with the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), are now taking submissions from around the world for the 2019 Enlighten Award, which is the only award from the automotive industry for dedicated lightweighting. The award will be presented in the categories of Full Vehicle, Module, Enabling Technology and The Future of Lightweighting, and winners will be recognized during the CAR Management Briefing Seminars (MBS), along with getting the chance to ring the Nasdaq stock market opening bell in New York. Suppliers and manufacturers can learn more about the criteria and submit an entry for the awards here.

“We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Altair because of their global leadership in solutions that produce the optimal balance between weight, performance and cost. This award helps drive innovation in lightweighting, which is critical to the success of e-mobility solutions,” said Carla Bailo, the President and CEO of CAR. “We can’t wait to see the key contributions the 2019 nominations will bring in new approaches to automotive engineering and design, contributing to further reductions in weight, fuel consumption, and emissions.”

Stratasys Announces AdvancedFDM Software for GrabCAD

At this week’s SOLIDWORKS World 2019 in Dallas, Stratasys introduced a new feature for its GrabCAD Print software that will remove more complexity from the design-to-3D print process. Advanced FDM will use intuitive model interaction to deliver lightweight yet strong and purpose-built parts to ensure design intent, and is available now via download with GrabCAD Print from versions 1.24 on up. The software feature will help users avoid long, frustrating CAD to STL conversions, so they can work in high fidelity and ramp up parts production, and it also features CAD-native build controls, so no one needs to manually generate complex toolpaths. Advanced FDM can automatically control build attributes, as well as calculate 3D print toolpaths, in order to streamline the process.

“For design and manufacturing engineers, one of the most frustrating processes is ‘dumbing down’ a CAD file to STL format – only to require subsequent re-injection of design intent into the STL printing process. This software is engineered to do away with this complexity, letting designers reduce iterations and design cycles – getting to a high-quality, realistic prototype and final part faster than ever before,” said Mark Walker, Lead Software Product Manager at Stratasys.

America Makes Ultem 9085 FDM Properties in Database

America Makes has announced that its gold-level member, Rapid Prototype + Manufacturing LLC. (rp+m), has created and delivered a complete, qualified database of material properties for the FDM 3D printing of high-performance ULTEM 9085 thermoplastic resin. This comprehensive database, which features processing parameters and both mechanical physical properties, was released to America Makes, and the rest of its membership community, in order to ensure the widespread use of the Type I certified material for 3D printed interior aircraft components. The database is available to the community through the America Makes Digital Storefront.

“The qualification of the ULTEM 9085 material and the establishment of the material properties database by the rp+m-led team are huge steps forward for AM, particularly within the aerospace and defense industries. On behalf of all of us at America Makes, I want to commend rp+m and its team for enabling the broad dissemination of the collective knowledge of ULTEM 9085 for the innovation of future part design,” said Rob Gorham, the Executive Director of America Makes. “The ability to use AM to produce parts with repeatable characteristics and consistent quality for certifiable manufacturing is a key factor to the increased adoption of AM within the multi-billion dollar aircraft interior parts segment.”

3D MicroPrint Identifying Ultra-Fine 3D Printing Powders

Additive Manufacturing Powder Samples

Germany company 3D MicroPrint uses 3D printing to produce complex metal parts on the micro-scale with its Micro Laser Sintering (MLS) technology, and announced that it is using the FT4 Powder Rheometer from UK-based Freeman Technology, which has over 15 years of experience in powder characterization and flow, in order to push the technology to its limits by identifying ultra-fine metal powders that will process efficiently. The system can differentiate raw powder materials, less than five microns in size, with the kinds of superior flow characteristics that are needed to produce accurate components using 3D MicroPrint’s Micro Laser Sintering (MLS) technology.

“With MLS we are essentially pushing standard AM towards its performance limits. To achieve precise control at the micro scale we spread powders in layers just a few microns thick before selectively fusing areas of the powder bed with a highly focused laser beam. The ultra-fine powders required typically behave quite differently to powders of > 25µm particle size,” explained Joachim Goebner, the CEO at 3D MicroPrint. “We therefore rely on the FT4 Powder Rheometer to identify materials which will perform effectively with our machines, with specified process parameters. Before we had the instrument selecting a suitable powder was essentially a matter of trial and error, a far less efficient approach.”

Discuss this news and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.

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Stratasys goes direct from CAD to 3D print with GrabCAD Print Advanced FDM

With the help of GrabCAD Print, a cloud-based CAD software, Stratasys 3D printers can now go directly from CAD to print, thus removing the conversion to mesh file step to streamline the workflow. Mark Walker, Stratasys’ Lead Software Product Manager explained, “For design and manufacturing engineers, one of the most frustrating processes is ‘dumbing down’ a […]