case study Archives - Perfect 3D Printing Filament

3D Printed Orthotics for Kids Reduce Production Times by 40 Percent

In a recent case study released by Moscow-headquartered Thor3D, we see how their Calibry 3D scanner made a huge difference in the production of foot orthotics for children in Germany. Phoenix GmbH & Co., an engineering company specializing in product development with 3D printing technology, was tasked with improving the creation of orthotics for a German clinic.

Employing Calibry Nest software, the Calibry 3D scanner, Geomagic Wrap software with algorithms created by Phoenix, and the Tractus 3D printer, Phoenix was able to develop a new and reproducible solution. Able to save doctors up to 40 percent in production time, the new process is so easy it can be used by orthopedists with no previous experience in wielding 3D tools.

“Before Calibry, we had to use more expensive, less user-friendly scanners to do the same tasks. This is a limiting factor in B2B scanning applications, where the user is no scanning expert,” comments Emil Wörgötter, Application Engineer 3D Scanning & Additive Manufacturing.

Even more important is the new level of comfort afforded to young patients. Historically, being fitted for a prosthetic or an orthotic could be a long and painful process for anyone, but especially a child who needs constant updates. 3D printing has already proven itself in countless instances regarding hand and arm prosthetics—helping amputees—as well as offering a much better way to fit kids for orthotics too.

Some of the greatest advantages of 3D printing are on display in this latest case study, as children are able to enjoy completely customized medical devices that can be re-sized in a matter of minutes rather than hours. They may ultimately be able to walk more comfortably (and perhaps even look forward to their visit to see the orthopedist). This is in stark comparison to the old-fashioned and highly inefficient method of creating orthotics, beginning with taking measurements and modeling the footbed. Afterward, plaster is used to mold the orthotic—this is not only messy but can be difficult when testing the patience of a child. An orthopedic specialist is required to perform the work, which can be extremely high maintenance; in fact, if one step goes awry, the entire uncomfortable process may have to be repeated all over again. Ultimately, however, the positive form is created.

The plastering process

In using the Calibry 3D scanner to create an orthotic, the Phoenix team still required a positive form from a previous fitting:

“For now, in orthosis production a traditional process of creating the initial positive form has to remain. The scan of a positive form differs from foot scan,” states the Phoenix team in the case study. “A 3D scan has a lot of anatomical details of an existing foot which needs treatment, whereas a positive form has simplified and anatomically correct geometry. Currently Phoenix develops algorithms, which will automate the creation of the initial positive form too. So, in the future orthosis production will become completely contactless.”

Scanning an existing positive form

Based on measurements, a fully automated design of a new positive form is done

The new positive form is 3D printed.

Vacuum thermoforming of the new orthosis shell

After measuring the foot and then scanning the patient’s positive form, they were able to 3D print a new one and then create a new shell with vacuum thermoforming. The patient experienced no discomfort or long wait times, and no storage is required for the forms as all of the data remains online.

Orthotics are expected to continue to evolve further via 3D printing as they are a smaller item that is easy to produce and can be made much more quickly and affordably now, with amazing customizations.

[Source: Thor3D; Images courtesy of Phoenix GmbH & Co.]

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Digital Survey Technology & 3D Printing Used to Create Model of Ancient Mayan Acropolis

Located in the northern Petén Department of Guatemala near the Salsipuedes River, La Blanca is an ancient Mayan settlement, and one of its main archaeological focal points is the Acropolis, which was built as a residence for the city’s rulers during the Late Classical Period (AD 600-850). It consists of three buildings, two with thatched roofs and one with a soil layer, on a platform reached by a large staircase. Research into the settlement has been frequent over the years, which is why in 2010, a Visitor’s Center was built there as part of the La Blanca Project framework. Tourists receive support there, while locals have a good place to participate in cultural heritage workshops and view educational materials.

Southeast area of the Acropolis.

One thing it was lacking, however, was a scale replica of the Acropolis to use as a tool for the dissemination of Mayan architectural heritage. This would have been difficult to achieve before digital survey techniques, but 3D technology is changing how we document and preserve cultural heritage sites. A trio of researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) published a case study about using 3D printing for this purpose at La Blanca, and how the team was able to document the complex using digital survey technology “to obtain a high-fidelity model of the Acropolis’ buildings.”

The objectives were to improve the contents of the Visitor Center’s exhibition hall with a model of the Acropolis, perform an in-depth study of “all the procedures used to obtain the Acropolis reality-based model and propose a workflow that could be used in similar cases,” and test these resources for use in dissemination of Mayan history.

The project actually began in 2012 with a Faro Focus3D S120 scanner, which is a fast but compact Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) that can provide efficient 3D measurements. Between 2012 and 2015, three digital survey campaigns were conducted at various parts of the Acropolis, for a total of 118 scans.

Acquisition Parameters and final Point Cloud Model

“Having acquired these scans, we carried out the point clouds registration in a laboratory and obtained the reality-based Point Cloud Model of the Acropolis,” the researchers stated. “This model showed a very high geometric accuracy and was useful for extracting 2D classic drawings and for obtaining 3D polygonal mesh models.”

It was important to create a methodology for reverse modeling of the Acropolis, which started with the laser scanning data.

“In general, it is possible to print 3D objects starting from a traditional 3D model that has been modeled directly (as in the case of the model of a building we are designing) or from a reality-based 3D model that has been obtained from real data acquired by laser scanning or by digital photogrammetry,” they explained.

Reverse modeling software can create a 3D polygonal mesh from a point cloud model, but the first mesh typically needs to be optimized to achieve a model with high enough quality that it can be 3D printed. Optimizing and building the 3D mesh model of the Acropolis was tough because there was a lot of redundant data from earlier scanning, and the highest parts of the wall lacked data, as “the thatched-roofs system caused occlusion areas,” but they managed.

“First, the 3D point model of the Acropolis was exported into .ptx format in 9 parts. Then, every section of the model was imported into the software 3D System Rapidform with a ¼ factor of reduction. In the same software, we built separately 9 different high-poly meshes,” they wrote. “The heterogeneous structure of the single 9 meshes was an additional problem caused by the higher or lower redundancy of data acquired in different field seasons.”

Reality-based mesh of the Acropolis.

They completed a “global re-meshing” of these nine to reduce the number of polygons in the final model and homogenize the average size of their edges, as well as their number and distribution. Then each mesh was processed separately to fill boundaries and negate topological errors, like overlaying or redundant polygons. Once all the meshes were combined, the team had a medium-poly model of the Acropolis.

They still needed to integrate the 3D model with these procedures, and turned to reverse modeling and other software tools to finish it. They completed a manual retopology of the model’s boundaries, which allowed them to obtain simplified contours; these were then used “as references for the direct modeling of the missing sections of the Acropolis.” They had to then homogenize the structures of both meshes using Luxology Modo and 3D System Rapidform, and then merged the meshes into one model.

Integration of the model. 4a: Retopology of the boundaries; 4b: Direct modeling; 4c: Resultant mesh; 4d: Smoothing the mesh.

Maxon Cinema 4D’s sculpting tools were used to improve the model’s homogenization, which also “helped emphasize the difference between the reality-based parts of the model and the directly modeled surfaces that had been undetected by the laser scanner.” Finally, the terrain mesh was integrated with the help of a geometric modeling tool, and the 3D model of the Acropolis, “consisting of 6,043,072 polygons with a homogeneous structure over the entire mesh,” was ready to be 3D printed. The team did note a slight mesh deviation between one of the original high-poly meshes and the final model, but the FDM 3D printer they used could handle it.

The final Acropolis model.

The team conducted a few print tests with different configurations and scales in order to select the proper settings before printing the entire model out of PLA, the results of which were very accurate when compared with the virtual 3D model.

“The missing parts of the Acropolis, undetected by laser scanner and then manually reconstructed, appeared to be perfectly integrated in the 3D printed version of the model and showed, at the same time, their diversity from the reality-based parts of the model,” the researchers wrote.

“From the analysis of these tests, we concluded that the representation of the Acropolis was satisfactory.”

The last test, with 1:100 scale and 0.3 mm accuracy, offered the best fidelity, so the team printed the Acropolis model with these parameters. It was printed in 17 different parts, as the final measurements of 90 x 70 cm were too large for the print bed; however, this ended up being helpful when it came time to transport the model to La Blanca. It was reassembled there, and sits in the middle of the La Blanca Visitor Center’s exhibition hall, protected by a transparent plastic dome, for all to enjoy.

Final 3D printed model of the Acropolis.

“Today, this physical replica of the Acropolis is an important resource that allows the visitors to have a complete view of the main complex of the site, which is not easy in the Guatemalan jungle,” the researchers concluded. “It also provides an exclusive view of some parts of the Acropolis, already studied by researchers and now protected with a soil layer to ensure their preservation. Moreover, it is a useful resource for supporting dissemination and also serves as a teaching resource for student visitors.”

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Markforged Metal 3D Printing Replaces Obsolete Part for Legacy Race Car

Founded in 2013 by Greg Mark, Massachusetts-headquartered Markforged quickly became a powerful presence in the 3D printing industry, first with carbon fiber reinforced 3D printing and then developing a novel metal 3D printing technology.

With a range of end-to-end processing systems, Markforged offers its customers access to the boldest advantages in additive manufacturing—not only through rapid prototyping but also rapid speed in the fabrication of high-performance parts. Past the initial investment, industrialists are able to see substantial savings, along with a new ability to innovate upon casting aside the restrictions of older technology. These benefits drew the attention of Tecron, a European company known for its manufacturing and engineering services in the automotive industry.

In a recent case study, the Markforged team details how metal AM processes improved the production of high-performance parts needed for the vintage race cars Tecron has been working on lately. Metal 3D printing offered the opportunity for Tecron to make a shift, especially in working with one of their most important clients, Škoda Motor, to streamline the production of an original, discontinued racecar carburetor.

Tecron’s collaboration with Škoda Motor exemplifies one of the most exciting benefits in 3D printing—offering the ability to create parts that may have become obsolete and are nearly impossible to find. We have followed other projects too within automotive and railways applications, with 3D scanning of original parts allowing for better rebuilding and maintenance.

In the case of the missing design for the carburetor, the original die used in traditional die-casting methods was lost long ago. The Tecron design team not only made an affordable copy of the initial race-car component, but they also modified the structure for better optimization.

Tecron replica carburetor

In another study, Czech Aerospace Research Centre (VZLU) partnered with Tecron for prototyping and testing new parts. Engineers were tasked with creating a new wing design and challenged with finding a method that was not cost-prohibitive. Prototyping can require extensive (and expensive) measures for applications like aerospace, and VZLU realized the need for different, advanced technology in creating complex models like their innovative nozzle design.

“The narrow slit in the design improves overall wing performance, and was crucial to the success of the process. Deconstructing the design into several more manageable parts would have a negative impact on performance,” stated the Markforged case study.

The use of electrical discharge manufacturing (EDM) was another possible choice, but was not cost-effective and would have taken much longer than with metal 3D printing. In using the Metal X by Markforged, the engineers were able to complete their highly customized design, quickly and affordably.

After analyzing over 100 additive use cases, Markforged discovered that industrial users are concerned with the following:

Accessibility
Design freedom
Physical strength and durability
Reliability

Data was compiled from the 2020 Additive Trends Report by Markforged, also showing that 46 percent of companies expect to be using additive manufacturing within the next two years. Download the study here.

[Source / Images: Markforged]

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3D Printing News Briefs, June 10, 2020: 3D Systems, nTopology, Jellypipe

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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3D Printing News Briefs: December 3, 2019

We’re starting today’s 3D Printing News Briefs out with a new case study, and then concluding with some business. CRP USA has been working with additive manufacturing in the motorsports sector. Moving on, Gardner Aerospace has acquired FDM Digital Solutions Ltd. Finally, the Head of Engineering at Formlabs is joining up with Digital Alloys.

CRP USA AM in Motorsports Case Study

3D printed oil pan in Windform SP, University of Victoria’s Formula SAE race car 2019 version

The University of Victoria (UVic) Formula Motorsport team has been using 3D printed oil pans on their SAE competition cars for the last four years that were created with CRP USA‘s laser sintering process, and Windform TOP-LINE composite materials. As a CRP case study details, carbon-composite Windform XT 2.0 was used to print the oil pans for the race vehicles in 2016, 2017, and 2018, and while they performed “amazingly” the first two years, the engine overheated during a test of last year’s car, which caused the temperature of the oil to rise above what the pan could handle.

For this year’s vehicle, the team decided to use the carbon-filled Windform SP composite material to 3D print the oil pan, as it has a higher melting point. They also made the mating flange thicker to lessen the chances of failure, and both of these changes led to a better, more robust oil pan. At next week’s Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis, CRP USA will be showing off some of the other 3D printed solutions it’s helped create for the motorsports industry at booth 1041 in the Green Hall.

Gardner Aerospace Acquires FDM Digital Solutions

Graeme Bond (FDM) & Dominic Cartwright (Gardner Aerospace)

Global manufacturer Gardner Aerospace announced its acquisition of FDM Digital Solutions Limited, one of the UK’s top polymer additive layer manufacturers. FDM was formed in 2012, and its business model of original design solutions, manufacturing capability, and customer collaboration is successful in the aerospace, automotive, medical, and motorsports industries. The company will now become part of the new Gardner Technology Centre business unit, which is focused on R&D and advanced technology.

“Gardner Aerospace is breaking new ground in terms of technology. The acquisition of FDM and the creation of our new Technology Centre business unit provides us with the perfect opportunity to expand our technical knowledge, R&D capability and product offering, and aligns us with our customers’ growing expectations on innovative solutions, continuous improvement and cost competitiveness,” stated Gardner Aerospace CEO Dominic Cartwright.

“The role of 3D printing within manufacturing is constantly expanding and this newly acquired additive layer manufacturing capability complements Gardner’s long-standing capabilities as a producer of metallic detailed parts and sub-assemblies.”

Formlabs’ Head of Engineering Joins Digital Alloys

Carl Calabria

Carl Calabria, an AM industry veteran and the Head of Engineering at Formlabs, is leaving the company to join Digital Alloys, Inc. as its CTO. The Burlington, Massachusetts-based 3D printing company introduced its unique Joule printing last year, which it claims is the fastest way to make the hardest metal parts, as the wire-feed process doesn’t require any metal powder. By adding Calabria to its team, where he will be responsible for the company’s research and engineering, Digital Alloys can accelerate the release of its high-speed metal AM process.

“Leaving Formlabs was a difficult decision, but I was drawn to the size of Digital Alloys’ market, the team, and the opportunity to use Joule Printing to deliver metal printing solutions that have the speed, cost and quality needed for volume manufacturing of larger parts,” said Calabria. “The remarkable technology is producing titanium and tool steel parts faster, and at lower cost than conventional manufacturing processes.”

Watch this video to see Digital Alloys’ Joule printing process in action:

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3D Printing News Briefs: October 25, 2019

We’re talking about art and business in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. An art installation at Millennium Park was created through the use of 3D printed molds, provided by Fast Radius. Farsoon has signed a joint development agreement with Rapid Manufacturing, and EVOK3D is partnering up with the Currie Group to accelerate its sales growth.

Fast Radius Makes 3D Printed Molds for Art Installation

Artist Edra Soto was commissioned to build an outdoor art installation in Chicago’s popular Millennium Park, which resulted in her freestanding Screenhouse, constructed by Navillus Woodworks out of over 400 custom-cast concrete blocks and opening today in the park’s Boeing Gallery North. Navillus enlisted the help of Fast Radius to create 3D printed molds for the blocks, which helped save on development time and money. The company printed the molds out of PA 12 material, using HP’s MJF technology. 3D printed lattice structures were used in the construction, which also helped reduce the weight of the piece.

“Our mission is to make new things possible to advance the human condition. I can think of no better way to serve that mission than helping bring Edra Soto’s beautiful design to life in Chicago’s Millennium Park, where it will be enjoyed by our fellow Chicagoans and visitors from around the world. This project with Navillus shows the potential of additively manufactured molds to redefine construction project design,” Fast Radius CEO Lou Rassey said in a case study about the project.

Farsoon and Rapid Manufacturing Sign Joint Development Agreement

PA12-based parts fabricated by Rapid Manufacturing on the beta-Flight-HT403P in Rümlang.

Stuttgart-based Farsoon Europe GmbH, a subsidiary of Chinese company Farsoon Technologies, has signed a joint development agreement for beta testing of its Flight technology with Rapid Manufacturing AG, headquartered in Rümlang, Switzlerland. Per the agreement, earlier this month Farsoon installed its new Flight-HT403P, with a 400 x 400 x 540 mm3 build cylinder and 500W fiber laser, at Rapid Manufacturing. After completing initial tests successfully, the Swiss company is now using the laser sintering system to make plastic PA12 components and parts with high resolution, low surface roughness, and good mechanical properties for its customers.

“We are impressed by the strong will power to increase the competitiveness of laser sintering, which Rapid Manufacturing is systematically implementing with the installation of our machine,” stated Dr. Dirk Simon, the Managing Director of Farsoon Europe GmbH.

EVOK3D and Currie Group Partnering

Australian company EVOK3D, which supplies and supports both professional and production 3D printing solutions and is the HP 3D Production Specialist Partner for the country, announced that it has signed a partnership equity agreement with Currie Group, a top end-to-end Graphic Arts service supplier in New Zealand and Australia. Currie Group provides and services high-quality printing equipment, and EVOK3D will leverage its management experience to continue growing its sales and support capability.

“3D printing has moved beyond just prototyping and is now a viable direct manufacturing technology. To meet the growing demand for these technologies we needed to scale the business and Currie Group is ideally positioned having pioneered digital disruption of the 2D print industry over the last 20 years. For our clients across education, design, industry and healthcare it means they can continue to invest with confidence,” stated Joe Carmody, the Managing Director for EVOK3D.

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3D Printing News Briefs: September 2, 2019

In this edition of 3D Printing News Briefs, we’ve got stories to share about a new material, a case study, and an upcoming symposium. Liqcreate has released a new 3D printing material for dental professionals. FELIXprinters published a case study about its automotive 3D printing work with S-CAN. Finally, ASTM International will soon be hosting an AM symposium in Washington DC.

Liqcreate Releasing New Dental 3D Printing Resin

Manufacturer of professional-grade 3D printing materials Liqcreate has been hard at work on a new 3D printing resin to help dental professionals optimize their digital workflow and scale up their in-house manufacturing. The hard work has paid off, as the company is announcing the release of its newest material, Liqcreate Premium Model – an accurate, low shrinkage resin for fabricating dental and aligner models.

The opaque photopolymer is matte, and the color of skin. Parts 3D printed with Liqcreate Premium Model have low shrinkage and excellent dimensional stability, and its low odor makes it great for office use. Other benefits include high detail and accuracy, and temperature resistant for aligner production. The resin is compatible with the Anycubic Photon, Wanhao D7, and Kudo3D Bean 3D printers, in addition to all open source 385 – 420nm LCD and DLP systems. You can purchase Liqcreate Premium Model through the company’s distributor network starting September 2nd.

FELIXprinters Publishes Case Study

Dutch 3D printer manufacturer FELIXprinters published a case study about its work with reverse engineering and 3D scanning company S-CAN 3D Ltd, a UK customer which uses FELIX’s AM platforms to manufacture jigs, create casting molds and masters, and prototypes. Founded in 2012, S-CAN also uses FELIX technology to manufacture automotive parts, like the pictured engine block. FELIXprinters offers a range of systems for industrial prototyping and production applications, inlcuding its Pro 3 & Tec 4 series of AM platforms and its new, larger Pro L and XL models.

“We have found FELIXprinters AM platforms to be very easy to use. You can be up and running within a few minutes of getting them out of the box. We run all of our printers through Simplify3D software so you load the profile, pick a material and you are ready to go. In-house we now have the first machine we bought from FELIX back in 2015 (the Pro 1), and a Tec 4.1, a Pro 3 and the new Pro XL. Our first Pro printer has paid for itself 10 times over,” stated James Senior, MD of S-CAN 3D.

“Internally, S-CAN 3D use FELIX 3D printers for prototyping designs. We might do five or more different concept designs of a particular part or component, as it’s much easier to visualise a part when it’s in your hand. We are putting a lot of work through the newly purchased XL printer and it’s opening up things which we wouldn’t have been able to do before (at least to the same quality and size), so things are very encouraging. We have found FELIX machines to be very repeatable which is our most fundamental requirement for any application, and we also haven’t noticed any accuracy degradation over time.”

At the upcoming TCT Show in Birmingham, September 24-26, the two partnering companies will exhibit together at Stand E50 in Hall 3. Visitors will be able to view FELIXprinters’ Pro series of 3D printers, as well as its new advanced, customizable 3D bioprinting platform.

ASTM International’s AM Symposium

Speaking of industry events, ASTM International, which recently announced that it will be hosting its second Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence Workshop in France, will also host a symposium in the Washington DC area. The Fourth ASTM Symposium on Structural Integrity of Additive Manufactured Materials and Parts, held by the ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AMCOE) from October 7-10 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, Maryland, is designed to give AM professionals a forum to exchange ideas about the structural integrity of 3D printed components and materials, focusing on quality and certification criteria and the lack of design principles and industry standards.

Paper topics for the symposium include the effect of anomalies, process optimization to improve performance, feedstock and its related effects on mechanical behavior and microstructure, and the applicability of existing test methods. Sessions will be organized by sector-specific applications, such as aviation, consumer, maritime, and spaceflight. Registration for the event will be open until October 2nd, 2019.

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3D Printing News Briefs: August 11, 2019

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
HP launches 3D Print Design Competition

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3D Printing News Briefs: August 3, 2019

For this edition of 3D Printing News Briefs, we’re starting off with a celebration – Scansite created 3D printed replicas of the spacesuit that Neil Armstrong wore for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Moving on to business and metals, 3D Hubs has hired a new Managing Director for the US, and DigiFabster published a case study. IAM 3D HUB’s newest technological partner is ArcelorMittal, and finally, SmarTech Publishing released some new research on metal powder bed fusion.

Scansite Creates 3D Printed Replicas of Famous Spacesuit

Just over 50 years ago last month, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon, and people around the world have been celebrating this important anniversary. In 2015, the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum launched a Kickstarter campaign to conserve, preserve, and digitize Armstrong’s spacesuit from that fateful day; this year, to commemorate the anniversary, the museum contacted Scansite to create 15 extremely faithful replicas of the suit for its 50th celebration of the moon landing. The interactive, life-sized “Apollo at the Park” replicas were made to display at 15 MLB ballparks around the US, together with an augmented reality app so visitors can learn important facts about the Apollo 11 moon mission.

“Baseball parks are the perfect venues for new generations to learn more about that summer night on July 20, 1969. The spacesuit replicas allow us to bring a piece of Apollo to Americans everywhere,” said Ellen Stofan, director of the National Air and Space Museum.

Scansite conducted high resolution 3D scanning of the original spacesuit, which was tricky because it features many details and different materials. The company used both a Breuckmann structured light scanner and a Faro touch probe to acquire the scan data, which resulted in a file with over 5.3 gigabytes of data. The data was edited, using surrounding topology of each hole in the information as a guide to fill everything in, and Scansite created a full-scale 3D print of the spacesuit, in 16 separate panels, on a Voxeljet 3D printer out of porous acrylic material. The sections were glued together to create the master model, which was then used to make a mold; finally, each replica was hand-sanded and painted, finished with a tough, autobody clear coat, and mounted on an engraved granite base.

3D Hubs Names Robert Schouwenburg as US Managing Director

Online manufacturing marketplace 3D Hubs announced that Robert Schouwenburg, the former COO & CTO of Shapeways, will be joining the company as its Managing Director for the USA. The company recently announced an $18 million funding round, which it’s been using to expand its team in the US, including opening a new North American headquarters at Chicago’s mHUB. Schouwenburg has over 20 years of experience in the industry, and will be working with the Chicago team to better service the company’s North American customer base, in addition to expanding 3D Hubs’ CNC machining services offering in Chicago.

“We’re at the start of ‘industry 4.0,’ an era when automation and data exchange will accelerate manufacturing technologies, and 3D Hubs is uniquely positioned to become a leader in this upcoming industrial revolution,” stated Schouwenburg.

DigiFabster Helps MakeItQuick Lower Costs and Increase Revenue

3D printing software and services provider DigiFabster recently released a case study about its customer MakeItQuick, a UK 3D printing service bureau. DigiFabster helps machine shops and service bureaus like MakeItQuick generate more new revenue, while lowering the cost of labor-intensive activities such as order entry, project management, and quoting. MakeItQuick teamed up with DigiFabster not long after it launched, and quickly started seeing results – the company was able to reduce quoting costs by up to 95% and order transaction costs by up to 85%. This allowed MakeItQuick to scale quickly and grow their revenues by 25% a month.

“The software handles 90% of our quotes without the need to manually review every part that is submitted. The time savings were immediately evident,” said Marco Massi, the owner of MakeItQuick.

“We save even more once a quote is confirmed. All the order details are at hand, giving us the opportunity to analyze the data and decide on the best way forward.

“In less than a year with DigiFabster, our revenue has grown steadily. We’re now experiencing a 25% monthly revenue increase, paving the way for our future success.”

IAM 3D HUB’s New Technological Partner

The latest technological partner of AM technology incubator IAM 3D HUB is ArcelorMittal, one of the world’s top steel and mining companies. The company, which has a presence in 60 countries and an industrial footprint in 18, will support the Barcelona-based hub with its technologies, materials, and knowledge to allow for new applications of and metal materials for 3D printing. The two share similar objectives, but ArcelorMittal hopes to use its experiences to contribute a new point of view.

ArcelorMittal’s membership in IAM 3D HUB will allow it to develop new metal 3D printing materials, as well as leverage the hub’s end-to-end solutions platform and work with stakeholders. By incorporating this company, the hub is welcoming a new member in the value chain of 3D printing “as a material developer.” It joins technological developers like HP, Renishaw, and Wacker Chemie, strategic partner Fira de Barcelona, and post-processing specialist Abrast by Coniex.

SmarTech Publishing: New Research Note on Metal Powder Bed Fusion

Less than a year ago, 3DPrint.com’s owner, 3DR Holdings, acquired an interest in industry analysis firm SmarTech Markets Publishing, and we continue to have a great relationship. If you’re ever interested in reading the firm’s latest data reports or market studies, you can find them all under the Research tab on our home page. Speaking of research, SmarTech’s VP of Research Scott Dunham, who has prepared the company’s Additive Manufacturing with Metal Powders Report for the last five years, recently released a research note on metal powder bed fusion, titled “Who Will Win (and Who Will Lose) the Metal PBF Marathon?”

“Despite what headlines, technologists, and marketing executives would have you believe, the metal 3D printing “race” is a marathon, not a sprint. To continue with the metaphor, we’re probably in about mile 10 of the race today –certainly not at the beginning anymore, but also quite a long way from the end. We are now about twenty three years since the first commercial metal powder bed fusion (PBF) systems came into view,” Dunham wrote.

“With so many closely comparable suppliers of metal PBF equipment now vying for market share, this begs the question, who has what it takes to make it? Everyone in the race today is working toward similar visions of an “Industry 4.0” future that hinges on metalworking going fully digital and highly automated from end to end, from prototyping all the way up to scaled production, with varying levels of customization capabilities based on industry needs along the way.”

Dunham goes on to list some of the technology’s “standout traits,” and names the company’s predictions on how the metal PBF race will turn out: which companies will be the front runners (EOS, GE Additive, Trumpf).

To learn more, check out SmarTech’s recently published “Powder Bed Fusion Markets, A Metal Additive Manufacturing Market Analysis.”

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Betatype and nTopology Use Metal 3D Printing and Intelligent Design to Increase Productivity

3D printing consultancy company Betatype specializes in optimizing metal AM production applications to deliver functional components for customers in many industries, including consumer goods, automotive, and medical. Recently, the company, based in London, published a new case study that explains how it teamed up with software company nTopology to create and manufacture a functionally optimized, 3D printed part for a rocket nozzle.

Betatype recognizes that collaborating with companies in industrial sectors, as well as the AM industry, can help produce better project results, with higher standards, than companies working alone can sometimes manage. Its recent partnership with nTopology is a perfect example of how collaboration was able to increase productivity in metal 3D printing.

“For serial production in additive manufacturing to work, it must make business sense. Through the partnership between nTopology and Betatype, and our shared belief in solving engineering problems by linking design, simulation, and manufacturing processes directly, we are able to present a strong business case for additive manufacturing,” said Brad Rothenberg, the Founder and CEO of nTopology. “We enable our customers to design and manufacture complex parts with speed, efficiency and reliability. We could not be happier with the results of this rocket nozzle case study and are looking forward to working on more joint projects.”

The project at the center of this collaboration was a test part for a rocket nozzle, and was created specifically to show how companies can integrate different solutions through partnerships. nTopology used its own nTop Platform software to help design the rocket nozzle part’s base mechanical structure, converting the part’s 3D model into an implicit one. Then, the design was optimized through the use of nTopology’s advanced simulation and topology optimization tools. Finally, Betatype’s software technology was applied to great effect, before the part was 3D printed.

Additive manufacturing offers material, shape, and structure control in one process, and Betatype’s Engine data processing platform helps maximize these capabilities to the fullest extent. The platform helps users manage, manipulate, and generate CAD and CAM data for multi-scale 3D design, in order to create higher fidelity for complex parts – not easily manufactured with conventional technology – at each scale of 3D design.

By combining technology from both nTopology and Betatype, the two companies were able to optimize the design of the complex rocket nozzle part for metal laser powder bed fusion 3D printing. Together, they achieved a major increase in part productivity – a 28% reduction in build time, down from 25 hours to 18.

“Betatype’s partnership with nTopology is an excellent demonstration of how we can work with talented designers to make additive manufacturing perform,” said Betatype’s Founder and CEO Sarat Babu. “The application clearly shows the benefits of combining the functional design and optimization skills of our partner with process optimization through our technology to achieve productivity levels that would not otherwise be possible with a standard metal LPBF platform.”

Rocket Nozzle: As built onto the base plate in Grade 23 Titanium (190 x 190 x 200).

Betatype fabricated the rocket nozzle test part out of titanium on a Renishaw AM250 3D printer. The nTop Platform’s capabilities highlighted how applying intelligent design can improve a part’s functionality, while also making sure that it is fit for its ultimate purpose. But the input from Betatype showed that design alone only gets you part of the way, and that metal 3D printing, complex functionality, and intelligent design is a winning combination.

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[Source/Images: Betatype]

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