We’re talking about business and materials in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. First, the ExOne Company has been added to the Russell 2000 and 3000 Indexes, while 3D Printz has signed a distribution deal with Monoprice. Moving on, CNPC is introducing a new aluminum alloy powder for additive manufacturing, and Liqcreate has released its own new 3D printing material.
ExOne Added to Russell 2000 and 3000 Indexes
This week, the ExOne Company announced that it has officially been added to the Russell 2000® and 3000® Indexes. FTSE International Limited, trading as FTSE Russell, is a British provider, wholly owned by the London Stock Exchange, that creates and manages a variety of stock market indexes, data, and analytic solutions in order to meet its clients needs. Roughly $15 trillion is presently benchmarked to its indexes, now including ExOne, which was added after the 2020 Russell annual reconstitution of its indexes closed at the end of the US stock market’s day on June 26th.
“We are optimistic about our long-term growth prospects and believe that the inclusion of ExOne in the Russell indexes is validation of the progress we are making with our binder jetting 3D printing technology, the strength of our backlog and the breadth of our updated machine portfolio,” stated ExOne CEO John Hartner. “We look forward to the increased exposure to the investment community.”
3D Printz Signs Distribution Deal with Monoprice
3D Printz director Peter Roberts with the Monoprice printer
3D printing specialist 3D Printz Limited is now the UK supplier of Monoprice 3D printers after signing a distribution deal with the company. The Monoprice printer that 3D Printz is currently stocking comes fully assembled, and at an affordable price as well, which is why the Shropshire company, already a distributor for Magigoo, 3D Gloop!, Micro Swiss LLC, and Antclabs, is glad to supply it. Through this new partnership, will be able to provide some of Monoprice’s 7,000 affordable, high-quality products to customers.
“Our collaboration with 3D Printz means we have a reliable partner to help grow our business in the UK 3D printing industry,” said Christoph Esser, Monoprice sales director for Europe. “We are hoping to expand our working relationship to include more items from our product line before the end of this year.”
CNPC Produces New Aluminum Alloy Powder for AM
Vancouver-based company CNPC Powder announced that its Automated Metal Production (AMP) line is now producing a brand new range of aluminum alloy powder designed specifically for powder bed fusion (PBF) 3D printing. The company already produces many other metal powders, including copper and iron alloys, stainless steel, and nickel, and its new aluminum alloy material exhibits good sphericity and flowability. CNPC says that the material could be valuable to large-volume additive manufacturing applications in the aerospace and automotive industries.
“We have achieved success with our AMP line and suite of Al alloys by redesigning atomisation beyond existing atomisation capabilities, such as VIGA, PREP and EIGA. This bottom-up redesign has allowed for increased efficiency and lower production costs, all while improving flowability and sphericity, almost eliminating impurities, and increasing output,” the company stated.
Liqcreate Releasing New Material on 4th of July
Professional-grade 3D printing materials manufacturer Liqcreate has announced that its latest material, Liqcreate Flexible-X, will be available for purchase through its distributor network starting on July 4th. The soft material, perfect for open source DLP, LCD, and SLA 3D-printers in the 385 – 420 nm range, is an opaque black photopolymer with 55 Shore A hardness, excellent tear strength, and an elongation up to 160%.
With its durability, excellent rebound, and toughness, Flexible-X, part of Liqcreate’s line of engineering materials, is a great choice for manufacturing industrial-grade flexible touch and elastic parts.
We’re discussing an upcoming event and some business news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. 3D Systems is holding a virtual trade show next month. nTopology and Yamaichi have signed an agreement, and a 3D printing platform has announced the onboarding of Europe’s largest purchasing and marketing association for industrial B2B.
3D Systems Holding Virtual Trade Show
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020, 3D Systems will be holding an exclusive virtual trade show centered on helping manufacturers keep their competitive advantage by using digital manufacturing solutions to fix supply chain dependencies, streamline supplier distribution, reduce supply interruptions, and lower risk. By integrating both additive and subtractive technologies into the environment, businesses can improve their productivity and agility, and offer customers new innovations. 3D Systems’ own Phil Schultz, Executive Vice President, Operations, and Radhika Krishnan, Executive Vice President and General Manager – Software, will give the keynote address for the event.
“Phil Schultz and Radhika Krishnan outline the essence of agile manufacturing, explaining in practical terms how to transform your environment to deliver a digital end-to-end manufacturing workflow that is fit for today and perfect for tomorrow.”
The event will kick off at 9:30 am EST and, in addition to the keynote, will include live webinar presentations and a virtual exhibit hall. Register here. If you’re unavailable to attend on the day of, the virtual trade show will be available on demand for the 30 days following the event.
nTopology and Yamaichi Sign MoU
Software startup nTopology has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yamaichi Special Steel (YSS) to bring its next-generation nTop software platform to Japan. YSS is part of the automotive and heavy industry manufacturing supply chain in Japan, and its additive division promotes 3D printing and DfAM in the aerospace, automotive, and medical industries. The two have set up a reseller and service agreement, where YSS will bring nTop to its Japanese customers, providing support and training to users. Then, the Cognitive Additive solution of YSS will be connected to the nTop platform, to help users predict cost and printability.
To kick off the partnership, the YSS Additive Manufacturing team used topology optimization to redesign a brake caliper. As the part is used in a high temperature and fatigue environment, YSS designed a TPMS-based heat exchanger for the caliper, and also added an oil circuit and shielding surfaces. The brake caliper was 3D printed out of aluminum alloy AlSi10 using laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technology.
Jellypipe Onboards PVH Future LAB and E/D/E
German 3D printing platform Jellypipe uses its Jellypipe Eco-system to help companies take their 3D business to the next level, and features a comprehensive marketplace and the largest 3D printing factory in the D-A-CH region. Now, it’s announced the onboarding of PVH Future LAB, an innovation platform for technology-driven business models, and Einkaufsbüro Deutscher Eisenhändler GmbH (E/D/E), which drives PVH and is the largest purchasing and marketing association for industrial B2B in Europe. Both will now connect to the Jellypipe Eco-system.
“With Jellypipe’s 3D ecosystem – the connection with 3D specialists and our partners is a most important step in the digital automation and supply of 3D printed parts,” said Thilo Brocksch and Frederik Diergarten, both General Managers at PVH FUTURE LAB GmbH. “We can now offer our customers a new and wide process range for 3D printed products.”
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California-headquartered digital manufacturing company VELO3D, which recently raised $28 million in a Series D funding round, just announced that it has developed a process for 3D printing parts out of foundry-grade Aluminum F357 on its Sapphire metal 3D printers. The commercial release of this capability is significant, because the material is traditionally manufactured with casting technology, but now it can be 3D printed in intricate, complex shapes that casting just can’t achieve.
“Aluminum F357 has already been certified for mission-critical applications—unlike some exotic alloys—so it was a logical addition to our materials portfolio. We will continue to add more compatible materials that enable customers to print parts they couldn’t before, yet with even better material properties than traditional manufacturing,” explained VELO3D Founder and CEO Benny Buller.
This aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, which is well-suited for laser powder bed fusion 3D printing, lets companies in the aerospace, defense, and military sectors 3D print parts that used to be made through casting. Specific components that VELO3D specializes in 3D printing with Aluminum F357 are for thin-walled heat transfer applications.
These photos of 3D printed components demonstrate various perspectives of the design freedom that VELO3D’s SupportFree capabilities offer when it comes to heat exchangers.
VELO3D worked with global advanced cooling solutions supplier PWR to develop the Sapphire metal 3D printing process for Aluminum F357. This was a smart partnership, as PWR has provided cooling solutions to several racing series, including Formula 1 and NASCAR, and customers in the aerospace, automotive, and military industries.
Matthew Bryson, General Manager for PWR, said, “We chose Aluminum F357 due to its ideal material properties to suit thermal performance, machining and weldability.
“Our ability to print free-form and lightweight structures for heat transfer applications with our Sapphire system from VELO3D will further enhance performance and packaging optimization opportunities for our product range and provide significant value to our customers.”
VELO3D’s patented SupportFree capability for metal 3D printing means that support structures for steep overhangs, low angles, and complex passageways are not required, allowing users to attain geometric freedom. The Sapphire metal 3D printing system is built with a semiconductor mindset to ensure repeatability in serial manufacturing, and paired with a con-contact recoater, its print process is able to fabricate the high aspect ratios and extremely thin wall structures needed for flight-critical applications.
Notice the ultra-thin features in the core (cross-section image). Such complexity is near-impossible to attain with existing AM technologies.
While other aluminum alloys, like AlSi10Mg, are used in metal 3D printing more often, Aluminum F357 is ideal for thin-walled AM applications due to shared characteristics with popular casting alloy A356, and because it can be anodized. SmarTech Analysis reports that aluminum alloys accounted for close to 10% of 3D printed metal content last year, which led to a 43% growth in shipments of aluminum powder. The lightweight material is obviously growing in AM popularity, as VELO3D wasn’t the only company this week to roll out the material – Optomec just announced the use of its LENS DED systems for 3D printing aluminum parts.
VELO3D’s Sapphire metal 3D printer is now compatible with Aluminum F357, INCONEL alloy 718, and Titanium64. If you’re interested in a 3D printed aluminum alloy prototype, contact the company. Last month, VELO3D also announced that a 1-meter tall Sapphire system would be available in Q4 2020 for industrial customers, like Knust-Godwin, interested in using LPBF technology to print tall parts without supports.
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We’re starting out with some formnext news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, as the show is currently taking place in Frankfurt this week. SCANLAB is introducing a new scan system control extension at the show. We also have some metal stories today – Desktop Metal has launched 4140 chromoly steel for its Studio System, while QuesTek Innovations and the German Aerospace Center are exploring the potential of a high-temperature aluminum alloy. Moving on, XJet’s Carmel 1400 AM system was installed at KU Leuven University. Finally, Additive Minds investigated EOS 3D printing without the use of supports.
SCANLAB Integrating Process Data into 3D Printing
Laser scanning solutions manufacturer SCANLAB GmbH is at formnext 2019 this week, and will be introducing a scan system control extension that uses a smart data-acquisition interface that reads external sensors. It’s a functioning model of an intelligent interface, and can integrate sensor data into scan system control – giving AM users the ability to inquire about, and evaluate, centralized process data.
Two tradeshow demonstrators were created that show how diverse the integrable sensor range is. The first incorporates a surface-temperature pyrometer into the scan head control, and the sensor system’s data merges with laser beam position data. In the second, an OCT (optical coherence tomography) sensor from Precitec is integrated to measure the powder bed’s surface topography. Visit SCANLAB at formnext this week at Booth B41, Hall 12.0.
Desktop Metal Launches 4140 Chromoly Steel for Studio System
Massachusetts-based company Desktop Metal is expanding its material portfolio by launching 4140 chromoly steel for industrial applications for its office-friendly Studio System. 4140 is a versatile material, with high tensile strength, abrasion and impact resistance, and toughness. DM Studio Systems users can now use this material to 3D print parts like connecting rods, couplings, pinions, press brake tools, and more for industries including automotive, agriculture, industry, and defense.
“As global demand for the Studio System grows, Desktop Metal is broadening its materials portfolio to include 4140 chromoly steel, enabling designers and engineers to print a broad variety of critical industrial applications, such as couplings, forks, pinions, pump shafts, sprockets, torsion bars, worm gears, connecting rods, and fasteners. Now, teams around the world will be able to leverage the Studio System to iterate quickly on 4140 prototypes and ultimately produce end-use, customer-ready parts faster and more cost-effectively,” said Desktop Metal’s CEO and Co-Founder Ric Fulop.
QuesTek’s 3D Printable Aluminum Alloy
Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) technologies leader QuesTek Innovations LLC and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are working on a joint project to explore the potential of QuesTek’s new 3D printable high-temperature aluminum (Al) alloy. The material, able to perform at temperatures between 200-300°C in its as-built condition, is being developed by QuesTek under several US Navy-funded Small Business Innovation Research awards, and is believed to be the first powdered Al alloy to meet necessary requirements without any subsequent heat treatment. The DLR will be 3D printing demonstration components with the material, which can be used to fabricate more lightweight precision components like heat exchangers.
“The accelerated design and development of a printable aluminum alloy capable of meeting so many current needs is especially exciting, as it will enable concurrent design of material composition and component geometry,” stated Greg Olson, QuesTek Chief Science officer. “Based on our internal test results, we see broad application of this material in manufacturing components for aerospace, satellite, automotive and high-performance racing.
“We are particularly pleased to be collaborating with the DLR. Their unrivaled reputation, expertise and close relationship with industry needs will bring an important new scope to our efforts.”
XJet’s Carmel 1400 3D Printer Installed at KU Leuven University
Professor Shoufeng Yang, KU Leuven, shakes hands with Avi Cohen, VP of Healthcare and Education at XJet.
For the first time, a 3D printing system has been installed at a European academic institution. XJet recently delivered its Carmel 1400 AM system to the KU Leuven University in Belgium, where it will be used to for university research and to help develop regional 3D printing medical opportunities. The 3D printer, and its proprietary NanoParticle Jetting (NPJ) technology, will be put to good use at the European research center, as academics will used it to explore medical applications and AM educational and research purposes. XJet’s zirconia material will also be used to 3D print ceramic medical models.
“Since the Carmel was installed, we are already reaping the benefits. The XJet system offers the high levels of precision and exceptional detailing required, levels which were previously impossible or extremely time-consuming in post-processing. The use of soluble support materials, with no harmful powders, makes it a much easier process and opens up opportunities to innovate that simply did not exist before,” said Professor Shoufeng Yang, who is heading the AM research at KU Leuven. “It’s an amazing and fantastic technology for R&D in universities and for the manufacturing industry, and it’s very exciting to be a part of. I believe that this is the best ceramic additive manufacturing method which can be easily upgraded into future multi-materials additive manufacturing, which is a grand challenge in the AM industry.”
XJet is also attending formnext this week – you can find the company at stand #C01 in Hall 12.1.
3D Printing Without Supports
Image credit: EOS
Michael Wohlfart, DMLS Process Consultant for the EOS Additive Minds Process Consulting team, wrote an article on LinkedIn, titled “Building without support? Possibilities and limitations,” about the design aspect of printing without supports in metal powder bed fusion technology, which can reduce build time, material consumption, and cost. The three main reasons for supports are heat transfer, residual stress, and recoater forces, but there are workarounds for all three. In recoater forces, forces are acting on the part while spreading powder, and the recoater will wipe away parts not connected to the baseplate. Prop supports, such as cones and stacking parts, can be used to negate the need for a baseplate connection. Wolfhart discussed a few examples that were 3D printed on an EOS M290 out of titanium.
“Let’s move on to a more advanced design and even incorporate stacking,” Wohlfart wrote. “Since Christmas season is coming up, how about a Christmas tree designed with Siemens NX and pimped with nTopology? By turning it upside-down, the tree is self-supporting and the tree trunk can act as a shell for the next tree. You can see a small overlap of 0.1 mm in x-y-direction between the lattice and the solid parts in order to assure a good connection.”
We’re starting off this 3D Printing News Briefs edition with some good news from Xometry – this week, it announced the availability of Carbon DLS technology as one of its process options. Moving on, Markforged published a case study and Aeromet announced new properties for its A20X powder. Finally, HP has launched a design competition.
Xometry Offering Carbon DLS Technology
Just this week, custom on-demand manufacturing network Xometry announced that it will be offering Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) technology by Carbon as one of its available 3D printing process options, in addition to SLS, SLA, FDM, DMLS, PolyJet, and HP’s Multi Jet Fusion. Through its Instant Quoting Engine, Xometry customers can get quotes, design feedback, and lead times for production-grade parts 3D printed with Carbon’s DLS. You can learn more about how to get the most out of this technology, and the Xometry platform, during a live webinar on Wednesday, August 14, from 12 – 1 pm; each attended will be entered to win a pair of Adidas Futurecraft 4D shoes with 3D printed soles by Carbon.
“We are very excited to add Carbon’s cutting-edge DLS technology to Xometry’s capabilities. Our additive customers have been asking us for it due to its reputation for speed and quality,” stated Bill Cronin, Xometry’s Chief Revenue Officer.
Aeromet Announces New Properties for A20X Alloy
announcement covering new record-breaking properties achieved by the A20X alloy after a research project involving Rolls-Royce, Renishaw and Aeromet.
A20X cements its status as a leading aluminium powder for additive manufacturing after breaking the critical 500 MPa UTS mark.
6th August 2019: A20X, the aluminium alloy developed and patented by UK foundry specialist Aeromet International, has cemented its status one of the strongest aluminium additive manufacturing powders commercially available after surpassing the key 500 MPa UTS mark.
As part of a recent research project involving aero-engine giant Rolls-Royce and additive manufacturing equipment specialist Renishaw, heat-treated parts produced using A20X Powder have achieved an Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of 511 MPa, a Yield Strength of 440 MPa and Elongation of 13% – putting the powder at the forefront of high-strength aluminium additive manufacturing.
Crucially, parts additively manufactured with A20X Powder maintain high-strength and fatigue properties even at elevated temperatures, outperforming other leading aluminium powders.
Mike Bond, Director of Advanced Material Technology at Aeromet, commented: “Since bringing the A20X alloy to market for additive manufacturing 5 years ago we have seen significant adoption for high-strength, design-critical applications. By working with Rolls-Royce, Renishaw and PSI we have optimised processing parameters that led to record-breaking results, opening up new design possibilities for aerospace and advanced engineering applications”.
The HighSAP project, backed by the UK’s National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP), was led by Aeromet and involved Rolls-Royce, Renishaw and atomisation experts PSI. A20X Powder for additive manufacturing is derived from the MMPDS-approved A20X Casting alloy, the world’s strongest aluminium casting alloy, which is in use by a global network of leading aerospace casting suppliers.
Aeromet announces new properties for A20X powder
Case study: Dunlop uses Markforged technology to save thousands
Continuing with the week’s second edition of 3D Printing News Briefs, or rather formnext 2018 News Briefs, we’ve got more announcements coming from the huge trade fair, which just ended today in Frankfurt. 3D Systems introduced two new 3D printers and a new material, while Solvay showcased its two new medical grade filaments. ViscoTec revealed its new two-component print head, and Additive Industries announced a partnership with Air Liquide on the show floor. Finally, Honeywell FM&T engineers are using topology optimization to shorten the design process at the DOE’s Kansas City National Security Campus.
3D Systems Showcases Two New 3D Printers
DMP Factory 350
This week at formnext, 3D printing leader 3D Systems announced two additions to its DMP metal 3D printing platform, along with a new aluminum alloy material. This platform allows customers to scale from the new DMP Flex 350 – successor to the ProX DMP 320 – all the way up to the new DMP Factory 350 as their production needs shift. These 3D printers were built to provide repeatable, robust metal parts production 24/7. The $575,000 Flex 350 offers an improved print productivity of 15% over previous models, comes with improved gas flow technology for uniform part quality, and allows for more efficient production of very dense, pure metal parts. The $763,000 Factory 250 combines all of these advantages and features with a little something extra – integrated powder management. An in-unit viewing panel allows for a visual inspection of the ultrasonic sieve, and also includes real-time process monitoring. In addition to its two new DMP 3D printers, 3D Systems also introduced a new aluminum alloy material, LaserForm AlSi7Mg0.6 (A), which offers electrical ductility, corrosion resistance, and high-thermal conductivity.
“At Formnext 2017, I announced 3D Systems’ intent to bring 3D printing to the factory floor with a new generation of additive manufacturing solutions. Today I am happy to report that over the last year we have brought to market an unrivalled series of plastic and metal 3D printers, materials and software that are optimizing workflows, enabling new design innovations, and reducing costs,” said Vyomesh Joshi, the President and CEO of 3D Systems. “The new innovations we are announcing today – DMP Flex 350, DMP Factory 350, and LaserForm material– further expand 3D System’s customer-first, solution approach to drive the transformation of manufacturing.”
The DMP Flex 350 and DMP Factory 350 should be available in late Q4 2018.
Solvay Introduces New Medical-Grade Filaments
Global specialty polymer supplier Solvay was also at formnext this week to launch new products. The company introduced three new additions to its high-performance 3D printing filament portfolio – KetaSpire PEEK (NT1 HC), a 10% carbon fiber-reinforced KetaSpire (CF10 HC), and Radel PPSU (NT1 HC), which are Solvay’s first medical-grade materials for limited contact applications in the healthcare industry. The KetaSpire PEEK filaments enable high part density, achieve great printed layer fusion, and provide excellent part strength, along the z-axis in particular. Radel PPSU delivers the same exceptional fusion, and also has toughness, transparency, and high elongation. These three new grades are available immediately in both North America and Europe through Solvay’s e-commerce platform.
“The healthcare industry is quickly emerging as a leading market to benefit from AM technology which makes customized parts for single use or low volumes possible. However, there is still a very limited choice of high-performance filaments that meet the stringent regulatory requirements in healthcare and this is the gap we want to close with our new selection of medical grade products,” said Christophe Schramm, Additive Manufacturing Business Manager at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers global business unit.
VisctoTec Launches New Two-Component Print Head
This spring, Germany-based ViscoTec, which is well known for its innovative 3D print heads, introduced the vipro-HEAD, a print head with an optional heating function for viscous fluids. The vipro-HEAD 3 and vipro-HEAD 5 allow the company’s 3D printing customers to process viscous fluids and pastes, and now ViscoTec has delivered again. At formnext this week, the company launched its new two-component print head, vipro-HEAD 3/3 and 5/5, which allows for the 3D printing of two-component viscous fluids and pastes.
The print head, which comes in two sizes, has parallel, independently running motors, which receive direct signals from the 3D printer itself. Bleeding screws can be adapted to the vipro-HEAD 3/3 and 5/5 for venting during start-up, and optional integrated pressure sensors can monitor the output pressure at the static mixer, so dosing is automatically stopped if any pressure fluctuations occur so the rotor and stator aren’t damaged. With ViscoTec’s new print head, nearly all two-component viscous fluids and pastes can be dispensed continuously and gently.
Additive Industries and Air Liquide Announce Partnership
The last piece of formnext 2018 news to share with you today is the newly announced partnership for industrial 3D printing between France-based Air Liquide and Netherlands company Additive Industries. The two have long enjoyed a working relationship, and decided to increase this into a professional partnership, in order to develop a dedicated infrastructure for gasses. Air Liquide will add its solutions for supplying and storing shielding gasses, and an infrastructure blueprint for Additive Industries’ MetalFAB1 3D printer will allow customers in demanding markets to increase the safety, quality, and post-processing of 3D printing.
“On our continuous quest to improve the performance of our systems while offering our users a fully integrated solution, we have identified the gas infrastructure for argon and nitrogen as an often overlooked but important piece of the puzzle,” said Daan Kersten, CEO of Additive Industries. “Because of our partnership with Air Liquide, we now can offer a blueprint to our customers to guarantee a reliable gas storage and supply as well as a higher level of safety, our number one priority.”
Topology Optimization Used by Honeywell FM&T Engineers
Honeywell FM&T, an engineering, manufacturing and sourcing enterprise that’s part of the aerospace company Honeywell, manages and operates the Kansas City National Security Campus for the US Department of Energy. It used to take the engineers months to design and produce materials to use for tooling and testing purposes. But Honeywell FM&T is now saving time by using digital manufacturing technology, which allows the engineers to bring their ideas to fruition in days, instead of months.
Topology optimization, or TO, shortens the normal design process by creating a prototype based on the functional and physical requirements, and then simulating production with it. 3D products designed with TO are less expensive, more lightweight, and stronger, and the Honeywell FM&T team recently used the technology to redesign a part that would meet structural requirements, but also weighs 46% less as well.
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Tomorrow, North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing event, FABTECH, will begin at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Many industry announcements will be made at the trade show, including one from advanced manufacturing startup MetalMaker 3D. The Connecticut-based company has just launched its new rapid prototyping service for on-demand 3D printing of metal parts. The process, which integrates investment casting with 3D printing, is said to be a more practical alternative to direct metal laser sintering, or DMLS, 3D printing.
“Until now, there has been a clear divide between the promise of metal additive manufacturing and reality of the types of metal parts that can practically be used in industry,” Eric Sammut, the CEO of MetalMaker 3D, told 3DPrint.com. “We are bridging that gap and offering a solution that maintains the performance of traditional manufacturing while delivering on the promise of additive manufacturing.”
Backed by seed accelerator Techstars and Stanley Black & Decker, MetalMaker 3D offers an industry-compatible solution for 3D printing metal parts that addresses many limitations of DMLS. Because parts made with DMLS 3D printing don’t have the same material properties as traditionally manufactured components, they are often also too expensive to use for the purposes of prototyping. But, MetalMaker 3D claims that it can offer truly isotropic metal parts, which are up to ten times cheaper than parts made with DMLS, with just one week of lead time.
Sammut explained, “Our goal is to enable manufacturers to use this additive pattern investment casting process in-house to produce custom metal parts in less than 24 hours.
“By combining additive manufacturing with investment casting, we get the best of both worlds: the design freedom, customizability, and rapid iteration of additive, along with the consistent mechanical, dimensional, and material properties of metal casting.”
The startup’s process can make functional metal parts with the design freedom inherent to 3D printing, while also providing the “isotropic mechanical and dimensional properties” that occur with high precision casting.
Currently, MetalMaker 3D is developing small-scale foundry systems for in-house investment casting so manufacturers can use the process for prototyping and low-volume production of complex metal parts, and is already working with several manufacturers, including partner Stanley, on real-world case studies. But, at FABTECH tomorrow, the startup will officially launch its rapid prototyping service, which involves working closely with its manufacturing customers to “refine their commercial product offering.”
While MetalMaker 3D does plan to expand its range of material options in the future, it will begin by offering rapid prototyping for aluminum parts with the aluminum 356 casting alloy – one of the most widely used in both the aerospace and automotive industries. In addition, the startup will also be offering optional T6 heat treatments as part of its new prototyping service.
Sammut said, “We can match the alloy, process, and heat treatment to create functional metal parts that are indistinguishable from commercially manufactured components.”
MetalMaker 3D will be running its prototyping service at the same time it works to continue developing its product offering, so its manufacturing customers can complete the process in-house. To request quotes and order custom 3D printed metal parts through the startup’s new on-demand rapid prototyping service, just fill out the quote form to receive a response within 48 hours…once FABTECH is over, of course.
If you will be attending the trade show in Georgia this week, visit MetalMaker 3D at Booth B5642 in the Additive Pavilion.
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We’re sharing some business news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, followed by some interesting research and a cool 3D printed statue. Meld was listed as a finalist in the R&D 100 Awards, and Renishaw has introduced 3D printed versions to its styli range, while there’s an ongoing Digital Construction Grant competition happening in the UK. A researcher from Seoul Tech published a paper about in situ hydrogel in the field of click chemistry, while researchers in Canada focused on the Al10SiMg alloy for their study. Finally, an Arcam technician tested the Q20plus EBM 3D printer by making a unique titanium statue of Thomas Edison.
Meld is R&D 100 Awards Finalist
The global R&D 100 Awards have gone on for 56 years, highlighting the top 100 innovations each year in categories including Process/Prototyping, IT/Electrical, Mechanical Devices/Materials, Analytical/Test, and Software/Services, in addition to Special Recognition Awards for things like Green Tech and Market Disruptor Products. This year, over 50 judges from various industries selected finalists for the awards, one of which is MELD Manufacturing, an already award-winning company with a unique, patented no-melt process for altering, coating, joining, repairing, and 3D printing metal.
“Our mission with MELD is to revolutionize manufacturing and enable the design and manufacture of products not previously possible. MELD is a whole new category of additive manufacturing,” said MELD Manufacturing Corporation CEO Nanci Hardwick. “For example, we’re able to work with unweldable materials, operate our equipment in open-atmosphere, produce much larger parts that other additive processes, and avoid the many issues associated with melt-based technologies.”
The winners will be announced during a ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando on November 16th.
Renishaw Introduces 3D Printed Styli
This month, Renishaw introduced a 3D printed stylus version to its already wide range of available styli. The company uses its metal powder bed fusion technology to provide customers with complex, turnkey styli solutions in-house, with the ability to access part features that other styli can’t reach. 3D printing helps to decrease the lead time for custom styli, and can manufacture strong but lightweight titanium styli with complex structures and shapes. Female titanium threads (M2/M3/M4/M5) can be added to fit any additional stylus from Renishaw’s range, and adding a curved 3D printed stylus to its REVO 5-axis inspection system provides flexibility when accessing a component’s critical features. Components with larger features need a larger stylus tip, which Renishaw can now provide in a 3D printed version.
“For precision metrology, there is no substitute for touching the critical features of a component to gather precise surface data,” Renishaw wrote. “Complex parts often demand custom styli to inspect difficult-to-access features. AM styli can access features of parts that other styli cannot reach, providing a flexible, high-performance solution to complex inspection challenges.”
Digital Construction Grant Competition
Recently, a competition opened up in the UK for organizations in need of funding to help increase productivity, performance, and quality in the construction sector. As part of UK Research and Innovation, the organization Innovate UK – a fan of 3D printing – will invest up to £12.5 million on innovative projects meant to help improve and transform construction in the UK. Projects must be led by a for-profit business in the UK, begin this December and end up December of 2020, and address the objectives of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund on Transforming Construction. The competition is looking specifically for projects that can improve the construction lifecycle’s three main stages:
Designing and managing buildings through digitally-enabled performance management
Constructing quality buildings using a manufacturing approach
Powering buildings with active energy components and improving build quality
Projects that demonstrate scalable solutions and cross-sector collaboration will be prioritized, and results should lead to a more streamlined process that decreases delays, saves on costs, and improves outputs, productivity, and collaborations. The competition closes at noon on Wednesday, September 19. You can find more information here.
Click Bioprinting Research
Researcher Janarthanan Gopinathan with the Seoul University of Science Technology (Seoul Tech) published a study about click chemistry, which can be used to create multifunctional hydrogel biomaterials for bioprinting ink and tissue engineering applications. These materials can form 3D printable hydrogels that are able to retain live cells, even under a swollen state, without losing their mechanical integrity. In the paper, titled “Click Chemistry-Based Injectable Hydrogels and Bioprinting Inks for Tissue Engineering Applications,” Gopinathan says that regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications need biomaterials that can be quickly and easily reproduced, are able to generate complex 3D structures that mimic native tissue, and be biodegradable and biocompatible.
“In this review, we present the recent developments of in situ hydrogel in the field of click chemistry reported for the tissue engineering and 3D bioinks applications, by mainly covering the diverse types of click chemistry methods such as Diels–Alder reaction, strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions, thiol-ene reactions, oxime reactions and other interrelated reactions, excluding enzyme-based reactions,” the paper states.
“Interestingly, the emergence of click chemistry reactions in bioink synthesis for 3D bioprinting have shown the massive potential of these reaction methods in creating 3D tissue constructs. However, the limitations and challenges involved in the click chemistry reactions should be analyzed and bettered to be applied to tissue engineering and 3D bioinks. The future scope of these materials is promising, including their applications in in situ 3D bioprinting for tissue or organ regeneration.”
Analysis of Solidification Patterns and Microstructural Developments for Al10SiMg Alloy
a) Secondary SEM surface shot of Al10SiMg powder starting stock, (b) optical micrograph and (c) high-magnification secondary SEM image of the cross-sectional view of the internal microstructure with the corresponding inset shown in (ci); (d) the printed sample and schematic representation of scanning strategy; The bi-directional scan vectors in Layer n+1 are rotated by 67° counter clockwise with respect to those at Layer n.
The paper also characterizes the evolution of the α-Al cellular network, grain structure and texture development, and brought to light many interesting facts, including that the grains’ orientation will align with that of the α-Al cells.
The abstract reads, “A comprehensive analysis of solidification patterns and microstructural development is presented for an Al10SiMg sample produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF). Utilizing a novel scanning strategy that involves counter-clockwise rotation of the scan vector by 67° upon completion of each layer, a relatively randomized cusp-like pattern of protruding/overlapping scan tracks has been produced along the build direction. We show that such a distribution of scan tracks, as well as enhancing densification during LPBF, reduces the overall crystallographic texture in the sample, as opposed to those normally achieved by commonly-used bidirectional or island-based scanning regimes with 90° rotation. It is shown that, under directional solidification conditions present in LPBF, the grain structure is strictly columnar throughout the sample and that the grains’ orientation aligns well with that of the α-Al cells. The size evolution of cells and grains within the melt pools, however, is shown to follow opposite patterns. The cells’/grains’ size distribution and texture in the sample are explained via use of analytical models of cellular solidification as well as the overall heat flow direction and local solidification conditions in relation to the LPBF processing conditions. Such a knowledge of the mechanisms upon which microstructural features evolve throughout a complex solidification process is critical for process optimization and control of mechanical properties in LPBF.”
Co-authors include Hong Qin, Vahid Fallah, Qingshan Dong, Mathieu Brochu, Mark R. Daymond, and Mark Gallerneault.
3D Printed Titanium Thomas Edison Statue
Thomas Edison statue, stacked and time lapse build
Oskar Zielinski, a research and development technician at Arcam EBM, a GE Additive company, is responsible for maintaining, repairing, and modifying the company’s electron beam melting (EBM) 3D printers. Zielinski decided that he wanted to test out the Arcam EBM Q20plus 3D printer, but not with just any old benchmark test. Instead, he decided to create and 3D print a titanium (Ti64) statue of Thomas Edison, the founder of GE. He created 25 pieces and different free-floating net structures inside each of the layers, in order to test out the 3D printer’s capabilities. All 4,300 of the statue’s 90-micron layers were 3D printed in one build over a total of 90 hours, with just minimal support between the slices’ outer skins.
The statue stands 387 mm tall, and its interior net structures show off the kind of complicated filigree work that EBM 3D printing is capable of producing. In addition, Zielinski also captured a time lapse, using an Arcam LayerQam, from inside the 3D printer of the statue being printed.
“I am really happy with the result; this final piece is huge,” Zielinski said. “I keep wondering though what Thomas Edison would have thought if someone would have told him during the 19th century about the technology that exists today.”
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Backscattered electrons images to observe oxidation regions of (a) T6 heat-treated, and not in (b) as-built, selective laser melting samples, (c) magnification of (a).
While many aluminum alloy components are still fabricated using traditional casting technologies, there’s been plenty of research and development into 3D printed aluminum alloys as well. For metallic 3D printing, the selective laser melting (SLM) method is typically used to produce Al alloys; however, AlSi10Mg alloys made with SLM technology must set up different post-printing treatments. This is due to a rapid cooling rate during the solidification process, which causes the microstructure and mechanical properties of the part to be vastly different from conventional cast or forged metal alloys.
Additionally, high heat transfer, high reflectivity to the laser beam, and easy oxidation to a tenacious oxide film make SLM-produced AI alloys more difficult than those of steel or titanium.
The abstract reads, “A two-stage T6 heat treatment has been proposed to tailor mechanical properties of the selective laser melting fabricated AlSi10Mg alloy. The process included solid solution at 535 ºC and artificial aging at 158 ºC for 10 h. The densification, hardness and oxidation behavior have been investigated after T6 heat treatment. The results demonstrate that the hardness of the T6 heat-treated samples are lower than untreated ones. This is because a fine-grained recrystallization microstructure develops during solid solution. Oxides aggregation and dimple distribution occurred due to sufficient diffusion at the artificial aging of the second stage.”
Optical microscopy images of (a) as-built selective laser melting, and (b) magnification; (c) T6 heat-treated, and (d) magnification, samples perpendicular to building direction of selective laser melting.
The T6 heat treatment is most often used to increase the strength of Al-Si components with Cu and/or Mg in conventional manufacturing, which uses a high-temperature solution treatment to both dissolve larger intermetallic particles and homogenize the alloying elements. Then, lower temperature artificial aging is used to form fine precipitates.
New studies show that T6 heat treatment can actually cause cast alloys to soften, instead of harden, when they’re annealed at either 300 ºC or 530 ºC, which contrasts earlier research. In addition, SLM-fabricated AlSi12 post-solution had a 25% increase of ductility.
“However, most research so far focuses on how to increase the tensile strength during selective laser melting processing, only a few can refer to balancing plasticity and the resistance to facture by post heat treatment. Furthermore, only limited comprehensive work has currently been done to study heat treatment processes specific for selective laser melting-fabricated AlSi10Mg alloys, particularly on their influence on the mechanical properties,” the researchers wrote. “Thus, this raises the need to verify conventional T6 heat treatments when it comes to selective laser melting materials, and what would be the influence of these heat treatments on the specific mechanical properties of selective laser melting-produced AlSi10Mg alloys.”
Hardness measurement of as-built selective laser melting and T6 heat-treated samples.
The paper’s proposed thermal treatment uses a solid solution at 535 ºC and artificial aging at 158 ºC for 10 hours on gas-atomized AlSi10Mg powder provided by Renishaw. Then, the researchers investigated the impact of their two-stage T6 heat treatment on both the mechanical and microstructural properties developed in SLM 3D printed samples.
The samples’ mechanical properties depend on the densification mechanism of the parts, and their microstructure during SLM processing.
“In AlSi10Mg alloys, the theoretical bulk density usually is 2.68 g/cm3. After the selective laser melting processing, the densification of the as-built samples was 96%. By contrast, after T6 heat treatment, the mean value of the densification of the samples is 96.52% and the maximum densification is 98.13%,” the researchers wrote.
These similar values are an indication that the two-stage T6 heat treatment had very little effect on the SLM 3D printed parts’ densification. Additionally, post-T6 heat treatment, the hardness of the as-fabricated sample in a building direction significantly decreased as well. Evidence also shows that the T6 heat treatment can spheroidize oxidation regions to even further enhance the mechanical properties of SLM 3D printed samples.
The researchers concluded, “This heat treatment aims to tune the mechanical behavior of selective laser melting-produced AlSi10Mg alloys. The effects of the T6-like heat treatment on the densification, hardness, and oxidation behavior have been investigated. Similar densification of 96% in the as-built samples and of 96.52% in the heattreated samples indicates that the T6 heat treatment has no importance to the densification. Decrease by about 20% in the hardness of heat-treated samples compared with the selective laser melting as-built samples. The T6 heat treatment can spheroidize oxidation regions and thereby form dimple structure. This finding can offer an intriguing insight into explore oxidation behavior and mechanical properties of selective laser melting-fabricated AlSi10Mg alloy using a two-stage heat treatment.”
Co-authors of the paper are Xianglong Yu with the CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials (LMBD) at the University of Science and Technology of China and Lianfeng Wang with Shanghai Aerospace Equipment Manufacturer.
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Aviation is one of the many industries around the world that’s increasing its adoption of 3D printing, which can be used to create the lightweight components and complex parts that are necessary for an airplane. The technology makes these parts with repeatable characteristics and consistently high quality, and can also decrease the amount of time, money, and materials needed to produce them, making the overall supply chain more efficient.
Speaking of these materials, we most often hear about components being made with strong thermoplastics and metals, such as titanium. But there’s another metal out there – a lightweight, corrosion-resistant aluminium alloy nearly as strong as titanium – that could be the hero we all need for the future of aircraft. I am of course referring to Scalmalloy, an aluminum-magnesium-scandium alloy developed and patented specifically for metal 3D printing by APWorks.
Scalmalloy is a highly ductile material that works on all existing powder bed SLM 3D printers. With a stable microstructure at temperatures of up to 250ºC, it’s highly weldable and can easily be machined for use in industries like aviation and automotive. Additionally, the material was developed specifically to use the lowest buy-to-fly ratio when compared to parts designed and manufactured using conventional methods.
Recently, a collaborative group of researchers from the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) published a paper about another scandium-reinforced aluminum alloy, titled “Selective laser melting of rare earth element Sc modified aluminum alloy: Thermodynamics of precipitation behavior and its influence on mechanical properties,” in the Additive Manufacturing journal.
The abstract reads, “The interest of selective laser melting (SLM) Al-based alloys for lightweight applications, especially the rare earth element Sc modified Al-Mg alloy, is increasing. In this work, high-performance Al-Mg-Sc-Zr alloy was successfully fabricated by SLM. The phase identification, densification behavior, precipitate distribution and mechnical properties of the as-fabricated parts at a wide range of processing parameters were carefully characterized. Meanwhile, the evolution of nanoprecipitation behavior under various scan speeds is revealed and TEM analysis of precipitates shows that a small amount of spherical nanoprecipitates Al3(Sc,Zr) were embedded at the bottom of the molten pool using a low scan speed. While no precipitates were found in the matrix using a relatively high scan speed due to the combined effects of the variation of Marangoni convection vector, ultrashort lifetime of liquid and the rapid cooling rate. An increased hardness and a reduced wear rate of 94 HV0.2 and 1.74 × 10-4 mm3N-1 m-1 were resultantly obtained respectively as a much lower scan speed was applied. A relationship between the processing parameters, the surface tension, the convection flow, the precipitation distribution and the resultant mechanical properties has been well established, demonstrating that the high-performance of SLM-processed Al-Mg-Sc-Zr alloy could be tailored by controlling the distribution of nanoprecipitates.”
3D printed Scalmalloy aircraft partition
The researchers fabricated Sc- and Zr-modified AI-Mg alloy using SLM 3D printing, and were then able to provide clarification on the relationships between the convection flow, precipitate distribution, mechanical properties, and scan speed. SEM and TEM characterize the various precipitation behavior between different scan speeds, and a relatively low scan speed helped to evaluate and explain how significantly the material’s hardness had improved.
Authors of the paper are Han Zhang, Dongdong Gu, Jiankai Yang, and Donghua Dai from NUAA, and Tong Zhao, Chen Hong, Andres Gasser, and Reinhart Poprawe from Fraunhofer ILT.
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This week, the ExOne Company announced that it has officially been added to the Russell 2000® and 3000® Indexes. FTSE International Limited, trading as FTSE Russell, is a British provider, wholly owned by the London Stock Exchange, that creates and manages a variety of stock market indexes, data, and analytic solutions in order to meet its clients needs. Roughly $15 trillion is presently benchmarked to its indexes, now including ExOne, which was added after the 2020 Russell annual reconstitution of its indexes closed at the end of the US stock market’s day on June 26th.
Vancouver-based company CNPC Powder announced that its Automated Metal Production (AMP) line is now producing a brand new range of aluminum alloy powder designed specifically for powder bed fusion (PBF) 3D printing. The company already produces many other metal powders, including copper and iron alloys, stainless steel, and nickel, and its new aluminum alloy material exhibits good sphericity and flowability. CNPC says that the material could be valuable to large-volume additive manufacturing applications in the aerospace and automotive industries.
Professional-grade 3D printing materials manufacturer Liqcreate has announced that its latest material, Liqcreate Flexible-X, will be available for purchase through its distributor network starting on July 4th. The soft material, perfect for open source DLP, LCD, and SLA 3D-printers in the 385 – 420 nm range, is an opaque black photopolymer with 55 Shore A hardness, excellent tear strength, and an elongation up to 160%.
cements its status as a leading aluminium powder for additive manufacturing after breaking the critical 500 MPa UTS mark.
