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thyssenkrupp to be One Stop Solution Provider for Metal 3D Printing?

thyssenkrupp is a 42 Billion Euro a year revenue steel giant that makes elevators, escalators and many metals components. The firm is taking a real interest in 3D printing now starting an MOU with TÜV SÜD to deliver industrial 3D printing solutions in Singapore. The German steel giant and certification leader will work together on testing, certifying, and inspecting parts for the mobility, industrial and land transport industries in APAC. It is an interesting approach that will see the two firms do the heavy lifting to develop competency in certified parts for industries that could really benefit from 3D printing. It is notable that there is no aviation focus specifically and that this initiative focusses on APAC. By focusing away from the traditional industries where 3D printing is being applied by many other players the firm can perhaps make real headway in being the one-stop partner for 3D printing for other sectors. I think this is a really interesting play and by far one of the most creative market entry paths I’ve seen from a large company. thyssenkrupp have put out a White Paper outlining its outlook for Additive in APAC that goes more into the firms’ prognoses and thinking. We interviewed Abhinav Singhal, the Chief Strategy Officer Asia Pacific at thyssenkrupp to find out more.

What is thyssenkrupp Innovations?

thyssenkrupp Innovations is a new venture of thyssenkrupp AG to incubate and commercialise new Industrie4.0 technology based solutions for our customers in Asia. We want to bring the best of our innovations and engineering expertise closer to our customers in Asia and tailor our offerings according to the local requirements. It also hosts our Additive Manufacturing Tech Center in Singapore which was set-up in partnership with the Singapore Economic Development Board earlier this year. This is an extension of our Global AM Tech Centre in Mulheim and works closely with our experts in Germany to provide the best solution for our customers in the region.

 

Why are you interested in 3D printing?

thyssenkrupp is a diversified industrial group with 200+ years of engineering expertise in designing and creating components, machinery and end to end plants. We believe 3D printing as technology empowers us to design new components in a more efficient and sustainable manner and also helps us be more responsive to our customers by digitalizing the inventory and printing spare parts on demand. This helps us derive operational performance benefits and ultimately ROI improvements. Right now we see penetration of 3D printing still quite low in the industrial sectors (e.g., mining, chemicals, cement) or even maritime sector and we see a huge opportunity in bringing our process knowhow and deep engineering expertise to identify more and more parts which can be 3D printed and generate economic value.

What are your plans in 3D printing?

We are building up in APAC a team specializing in AM selection diagnostics and DfAM, that will offer services in segments that we are traditionally strong in from an engineering perspective, such as industrial plants and automotive technology as well as marine systems. Combined with thyssenkrupp’s materials expertise and deep process knowhow we can offer to customers differentiated solutions that typical fabricators cannot. Our solutions are process and material agnostic and we want to be the one stop solution provider from AM part diagnostic, material supply, design optimization, process definition, printing, post processing to testing and quality assurance working closely with our partner network.

Why work with TÜV SÜD?

TÜV SÜD is a renowned provider of testing, inspection and certification services. They bring complimentary skills for us on board as ultimately any part that we design or 3D print for commercial applications needs to be tested and certified.  Together we offer an end to end solution for our customers and to begin with we will focus on developing industrial additive manufacturing solutions for land transportation and mobility, and industrial plant services in the region. Infact, we are already working together on a project for testing and commercialization of a train component for a leading local train operator. The project seeks to significant improve functionality through redesign for additive manufacturing and also reduce the overall weight of the part.

Will you be selling powders, parts?

We are one stop solution provider for our customers from AM part diagnostic, material supply, design optimization, process definition, printing, post processing to testing and quality assurance working closely with our partner network. We already sell metal AM powders in Europe, and will extend that into APAC as well. We serve both internal and external customers on the design and fabrication of AM components.

Do you use additive extensively already in house?

We have now successfully delivered 200+ in house projects, ranging from models to prototypes and have successfully deployed 3D printed components in extreme operating environments such as furnaces and submarines. We have seen benefits including design optimization, weight

reduction, use of alternate materials and overall supply chain complexity reduction across wise range of our businesses from aerospace, automotive, maritime, cement, infrastructure and other industrial products.

What technologies are you interested in?

We have an emphasis on metal fabrication, and are agnostic to the specific process. Given the proliferation of new systems, it is an exciting time for the industry as the cost of technology is approaching a point where widespread adoption is potentially possible.

What do you think the market outlook for additive is?

We recently published a comprehensive perspective on the AM market in ASEAN – “Additive Manufacturing: Adding Up Growth Opportunity for ASEAN” (here). To summarise we are very positive on our outlook for AM overall. The technology has come a long way since its introduction in the 1980’s, growing at over 25% per annum over the last 30 years and yet it only represents less than 0.1% of $12.7 trillion  manufacturing output globally. The technology is rapidly improving by the day and as with any innovation, the economics only gets better with increased adoption and usage. In our experience, the biggest roadblock for AM’s adoption is not the technology itself but its know-how. Most companies still lack an awareness of the application potential of AM, a structured approach to identify attractive AM projects, and ability to develop a business case based on thorough understanding of the underlying cost drivers which is where we come in.

Why the focus on land transport, mobility, and industrial plants?

More than 60% of AM adoption globally has been in four sectors — aerospace, industrial machines & tooling, medical/dental implants, and automotive. We believe other sectors such as maritime, land transport, mobility and industrial plants are equally attractive for AM as well but lack today players with deep engineering expertise and knowhow to identify and fabricate the right parts for these industries.  For example, the mobility and natural resources industries (mining, cement, chemicals, oil and gas) are characterized by geographic fragmentation and remote locations, posing challenges around logistics and inventory management of parts. These problems can be partly addressed by 3D printing and building a digital spare parts warehouse optimizing the overall inventory and cost of logistics.

What advice would you give to a company that wants to get started with 3D printing?

Before starting any AM initiative, it is important to define the value proposition from using the technology and its alignment with the overall strategic intent of the company. Ultimately, any AM initiative needs to address a current business need and make commercial sense. For e.g., some companies successfully use AM for R&D and new product development while others use it for operational efficiency and overall supply chain cost reduction. So think through the business rationale for adopting AM and then work with partners to accelerate its adoption and de-risking your exposure in the initial set-up phase.

What advice would you give a firm that wants to manufacture using 3D printing?

AM is truly disruptive as it offers the ability to manufacture with batch size of 1 unit compared to a conventional process. Having said that, in our experience today not more than 10% of existing components can be 3D printed in a commercially viable manner for a typical manufacturing company. So it’s important to invest time upfront in identifying these parts, building up the business case and also quantifying the additional upside that AM offers over traditional process (e.g., quantifying the impact of weight reduction or reduction in sub-assemblies leading to lower in-process inspection cost, or lower inventory and logistics costs or longer product life) but also additional risks (e.g., build failure, IP loss) to make an informed assessment.

Given your size is 3D printing a niche business for you?

As with any new innovation we start with a relatively small base today compared to our global size and scale. But we have seen tremendous adoption and applications over the last few years across all our businesses. We believe AM is a truly disruptive technology and will fundamentally change the way we design and fabricate components and machines in future.

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How 3D Printing Jigs and Fixtures Transforms Manufacturing Part II – All About Fixtures

Fixtures are essential for custom manufacturers. Fixtures hold the workpiece in place so it does not move during a step in manufacturing. Some shapes are easy to hold such as a rectangular block. For example, the part can be simply held in a vice. For shapes with various curves and angles, it can be difficult to hold them sturdy using standard tools. Fixtures solve this problem by clamping onto parts while matching the part’s geometry like a glove.

Jig or Fixture?

Fixtures may sometimes be called jigs, but they are not the same thing. Jigs guide the motion of tools and they are usually used in manual operations such as drilling holes. Fixtures are very sturdy and will accurately hold the workpiece at the correct angle, but fixtures do not guide tools. Fixtures are more often used with automated manufacturing methods. For more information on Jigs, check out our article about jigs.

All about Fixtures

Fixtures make inserting and removing parts much easier. They are typically designed in an intuitive way that reduces the risk of human error. Fixtures can be re-used for large production runs, or created specifically for a small number of custom parts.

Fixtures must be mounted to a sturdy surface before they can be used effectively. Some fixtures are designed to fit onto a standard bench vice, others attach to standard mounting boards like  T-slot tables or hole grids. Fixtures are rigidly bolted or mounted onto shop equipment.

Traditionally, custom fixtures are made manually. The design is planned out, then work material is cut, milled, and drilled into shape. This process requires costly materials, expensive equipment, skilled machinists, and a considerable amount of labor. It may also require purchasing new tooling for unique shapes.

Benefits of 3D Printed Fixtures

3D printing is a viable alternative when it comes to creating custom fixtures. It is more cost-effective to 3D print a custom fixture than it is to machine one in-house. With 3D printing, a fixture only needs to be designed using CAD software and sent out to a 3D printing service such as www.shapeways.com After a few days, it’ll get printed, shipped and delivered, ready to use.

3D printed fixtures are made from strong and lightweight plastics such as nylon. Nylon is tough and durable. Fixtures made from nylon will last for many production cycles. As a plastic, it is not as dense as metal, so large fixtures will be lightweight in comparison. Nylon is softer than most rigid materials, and this is good because the fixture will not scratch or damage the part’s surface. The softer material aids in providing a more uniform clamping pressure. Under high clamping loads, the nylon can deform to the shape of the part, saving both from being damaged.

Here are a few examples of innovative fixtures that have been designed specifically for 3D printing.

1”x1” Board Fixture

This fixture is mounted onto a 1”x1” mounting grid board or mounting table. It can be used to hold your working piece in place to either be cut, drilled or assembled. The working piece is clamped by the fixture as screws are tightened, holding it securely. This fixture can also be used as a cylinder holder for cutting pipes and tubes.

Material: Multi Jet Fusion Plastic – Gray PA12 (nylon 12)

Bench Vice Jaw Adapter Fixture

This fixture is an accessory for a bench vice that when attached, can hold a wide arrangement of objects. This is done by inserting magnets (not included) into the provided spots on the back of the fixture and then placing the fixture onto the jaws of a bench vice.

Material: SLS – PA11 (nylon 11)

Door Lock Installation Fixture

This is a fixture used to assist in the installation of a doorknob or lever. It provides accurate alignment between the working parts of a doorknob or lever. This is done by finding the centerline of your door edge, aligning the two smaller holes with the centerline and securing the fixture to the door with screws temporarily at those points. Once that is done, you can now use the recommended hole saw and the fixture as a guide to drill the remaining holes out where you would be left with perfectly aligned holes to install a doorknob or lever.

Material: Versatile Plastic – White Processed

Cut Down Your Production Costs

If you would like to learn more about how 3D printing can help your business save money and reduce manufacturing costs, get in contact with Shapeways using our Sign up form.

The post How 3D Printing Jigs and Fixtures Transforms Manufacturing Part II – All About Fixtures appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

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Kodak Launched New Design to Print Service, Showcased 3D Printing Ecosystem

Just a couple of short years ago, Kodak entered the AM market with its 3D Printing Ecosystem, which includes specialized software, the dual extruder, professional Portrait 3D printer, and a line of premium, low moisture content filaments. I learned a lot about this ecosystem while visiting Kodak’s booth at the recent RAPID+TCT show in Detroit, as the Portrait, and a wide array of example prints made on it, were being showcased.

On to new business first – the company launched its new Design to Print Service, which Kodak’s CCO and and co-founder Demian Gawianski told me is helpful for “customers who find designers’ time very valuable.”

“This can go from converting any 3D model into a 3D printable file to tuning the parameters on how to print those files,” he told me. “Basically, if you have complex geometry that wouldn’t go with our preset parameters, because it may have some bridges or overhangs or something like that, we would create the profile for the user, and our designers will actually print out the part to make sure it works.”


The company was offering a launching offer for its new service at the show – any customer who purchased the Portrait 3D printer at RAPID would also receive a $500 credit for the Design to Print Service.

This valuable service is an easy three-step process: first, share your project on your Kodak 3D Cloud account. Then, interact with the company’s professional designers in order to get a quick quote for the project, in addition to an estimated completion date. Finally, have your part optimized for a guaranteed result, printed, and tested by the Kodak team. You will then receive an STL file from the company that’s been modified for successful 3D printing. The service is available in English and Spanish, from 8 am to 5 pm EST, for a standard rate of $45 an hour; a priority job is available for an hourly rate of $90.

“We want to make sure that the user has a very successful experience, with any level of knowledge they may have about 3D printing,” Gawianski continued. “We want to have a comprehensive approach.”

This includes providing users with the right materials and hardware, empowered by good software, and Gawianski believes that Kodak’s design solution offers this unique, comprehensive approach.

Then we moved over to the Portrait 3D printer, which features a compact 215 x 210 x 235 mm build volume with a magnetic, heated build plate and dual extruders. With an intuitive color touchscreen that supports multiple languages, HEPA filter with activated carbon, automatic bed leveling, and live print monitoring via a built-in camera, I can see why Kodak calls it “the new standard for ‘desktop’ professional printing.”

Gawianski noted the “fully enclosed chamber,” which helps enable a “high level of control,” stability, and accuracy. He also pointed out the dual extrusion system with automatic nozzle lifting. The #2 hotend on the left is Teflon for high temperature materials, while the one on the right is metal for lower temperatures. The part being printed while we were standing there was out of white ABS.

“It would be difficult to achieve this level of quality on another printer with ABS, because it would warp and have all kinds of problems,” he explained.

Then we walked over to a setup in the corner of the booth that had caught my eye when I first arrived. A Portrait 3D printer – which was currently operating and weighs about 35 kg – had been placed on a rather thin-looking wooden platform, which was suspended by ropes that were attached to nylon hooks 3D printed on the Portrait itself.



The nylon hooks were strong enough to keep the platform stable, so the print could continue uninterrupted with “the same level of quality” while it was fabricating a blue part out of strong but flexible Nylon 6.

“The printer comes with two filament cases. You open the back of a filament, and place the filament in the case,” Gawianski said. “It has a silica gel that continues to protect the filament all the way from the manufacturing plant to the printed part.”

This case protects the filament from absorbing dust or humidity. Kodak is open to Portrait customers using third party materials, but these clear cases are only for its own filament.



He then started to show me various parts made out of Kodak’s other materials, such as a blue skull printed out of PLA Tough with water-soluble PVA supports, an engineering part made out of ABS with HIPS supports that dissolve in Limonene, and a large part with a green top that can lift 700 lbs of weight.

Kodak offers 11 different materials, including strong, food-safe PETG and semi-flexible Flex 98 with high abrasive resistance. Gawianski brought out a 3D printed part that was a good example of the Portrait 3D printer’s dual extrusion. The figure, which bore a strong resemblance to the Egyptian god Anubis, was made with PLA+ (green) and PLA Tough (red), which are the two materials that come with the Portrait 3D printer out of the box.

“We also have Nylon 12, which is FDA certified and has high resistance to impact,” Gawianski said, showing me two parts in translucent white.

“We also have some further ABS parts – this is a delamination test,” he continued, scratching the side of a small container. “It’s difficult to achieve this with an open printer, you need an enclosed one.”

Kodak will soon be releasing some new materials to the market, such as acrylic, which I also got the chance to see.

Our conversation ended by discussing Kodak’s 3D printing software.

“We have a desktop solution, which is the Kodak 3D Slicer,” Gawianski explained. “And we have the Kodak 3D Cloud, that is a cloud management system that enables you to manage an unlimited number of printers in unlimited locations from a single data place. So from your computer, phone, whatever, you can manage this fleet of printer.”

I asked if the company had anything new on the horizon, and aside from new filaments, Gawianski also said we can expect to see a new 3D printer model by the end of the year.

Take a look at some more of my pictures from the Kodak booth at RAPID+TCT 2019 below:




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[Images: Sarah Saunders]