3D Printing News Sliced, Formnext 2018, ExOne, Stratasys, DyeMansion, America Makes, DSM

This edition of Sliced, the 3D Printing Industry news digest, focuses on the latest developments from the international additive manufacturing show Formnext in Frankfurt, Germany. Innovations in additive manufacturing hardware With Formnext in full swing, a plethora of 3D printing hardware has been showcased for the first time. WASP, the Italian manufacturer behind DeltaWASP 3D […]

Formnext 2018 – the 3D Printing Industry first look

3D Printing Industry took a morning run through what is set to be a record breaking event. Here are some of our first impressions of Formnext 2018. Our team will be in Frankfurt all week to bring you detailed coverage of the 4th edition of what has become the main event on a crowded additive […]

Additive Manufacturing European Forum 2018 to take place in Brussels next week

Next week, on the 23rd and 24th October 2018, a consortium of industry stakeholders will take to Brussels to for the Additive Manufacturing European Forum (AMEF2018). Funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 Programme AMEF2018 is the work of AM-Motion, a consortium created to encourage the rapid uptake of 3D printing across the continent. It is […]

3D Printing News Briefs: October 7, 2018

We’ve got a shorter edition of 3D Printing News Briefs for you today. Siemens Corporate Technology is working on process simulation for additive manufacturing. BIOMODEX is launching a realistic, 3D printed new training product, and an orthopedic surgeon is using 3D printing to repair bone fractures. Finally, several companies are collaborating and using metal 3D printing to make a customized component for the upcoming Ironman race.

Siemens Working on 3D Printing Process Simulation

Often in metal 3D printing, all kinds of defects can occur, such as distortion and local overheating. Getting the 3D print right the first time around is the goal that experts of Siemens Corporate Technology are working to achieve. Process simulation for additive manufacturing is a pretty important step on the way to industrializing the technology, as getting complex geometries correct at the beginning of the process could save time and money down the line.

“Our vision is to develop this additive manufacturing process in such a way that we can actually print a model created in the CAD system, getting it right the first time and printing it perfectly,” said Ursus Kruger of Siemens Corporate Technology in Berlin. “We call this the first-time-right principle, which we want to achieve here.”

Learn more about Siemens’ work in the video below:

BIOMODEX Launching New 3D Printed Training Product

The Left Atrial Appendage Closure Solution (LAACS) station

With the launch of its new training product, medical technology startup BIOMODEX is officially entering the interventional cardiology space. Its new Left Atrial Appendage Closure Solution (LAACS) lets physicians work on their skills using a super realistic, 3D printed multi-material heart. The startup’s patented INVIVOTECH technology makes it possible to create 3D printed organs based on a patient’s medical imaging, like CT scans. It’s also possible to reproduce an organ’s surrounding tissue and biomechanics as well.

“Our mission is to provide as realistic an experience as possible for physician training,” said Carolyn DeVasto, the Vice President of Global Commercialization at BIOMODEX. “Our advancements in patient specific 3D printing using INVIVOTECH and ECHOTECH allow physicians to train in a clinical setting using the same techniques they use in an actual procedure.  Ultimately, we want to provide the physicians an opportunity to test drive any procedure on our solution to improve safety and clinical outcomes.”

BIOMODEX’s patented ECHOTECH also allows physicians to observe the 3D printed heart using fluoroscopy, or any TEE ultrasound system. This means that they will be training with the same techniques they’ll be using in real life procedures, which is invaluable in the operating room.

Repairing Fractures with 3D Printing

Nathan Skelley, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute, is working on a research project about a specific issue related to trauma orthopaedics – reducing and fixing bone fractures.

“In the United States, we’re very fortunate that I have an almost endless supply of plates and screws,” Dr. Skelley said. “I’ve never been in a situation in the OR where I don’t have another screw or I don’t have another plate to fix one of these fractures. But in the developing world or in rural environments, those resources are not always the case.”

Dr. Skelley and his team are testing if they can easily replicate the plates, screws, and tools they use so often in these types of common trauma and sports procedures with 3D printing, so physicians in areas not quite as developed as the US can perform necessary orthopaedic surgery. You can learn more about his work in the video below:

Metal 3D Printing for Ironman World Championship

Next week, the Ironman World Championship, a yearly culmination of several Ironman triathlon qualification races held around the world, begins in Hawaii. For this particular race, Canyon, Swiss Side, and Sauber Engineering are working together on Project 101 for Patrick Lange, last year’s Ironman World Champion. The goal is to make the Lange, the fastest Ironman, even faster, by using metal 3D printing to fabricate a customized aero cockpit that fits Lange’s arm shape and position perfectly. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations were used to confirm that his tri-bar extensions were producing a decent amount of drag, so the project partners worked out a design to integrate them into Lange’s arms.

Swiss Side 3D printed the first concept and tested it back in May, and Lange’s arms were scanned at Sauber to ensure the perfect fit. Canyon and Swiss Side designed and optimized the aerodynamics for the new aero cockpit, and using FEM (Finite Element Method) structural analysis, the parts were optimized for weight and stiffness. The most recent iteration was 3D printed in plastic and tested in another wind tunnel session so Lange could approve its performance. Then, Sauber used titanium to 3D print the final parts; aluminum was used to create ultra-light shells for the elbow pads.

“While working on Project 101, we did something that has never been done before in triathlon,” Lange said. “I am very proud to be part of this project. We tested my new aero cockpit in the wind tunnel and the results confirmed a significance performance improvement. This will have a direct impact on my bike-splits in Kona. I can’t wait to show the world my new aero cockpit and deliver a strong performance on October 13th at the big race in Kona, Hawaii.”

What do you think? Discuss these stories and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below. 

Siemens Saves Time and Money, and Lowers CO Emissions, with 3D Printed Gas Turbine Component

German engineering group Siemens is on a roll in its quest to determine just how many benefits can be offered by 3D printing in the power generation industry. The company completed the first full-load engine tests for its 3D printed gas turbine blades last year, only a few weeks before completing the first commercial installation of a 3D printed part in a nuclear power plant. Earlier this year, it had 3D printed and installed its first industrial steam turbine replacement part into customer equipment, and as of this April, Siemens had over two handfuls of 3D printed gas turbine components qualified and released for serial production.

Now, the company has hit another milestone – Siemens announced that it has 3D printed and engine tested a dry low emission (DLE) pre-mixer for its industrial SGT-A05 aeroderivative gas turbine; 3D printing was also used to improve aerodynamic development testing for this particular turbine last month.

“This is another excellent example of how additive manufacturing is revolutionizing our industry, delivering measurable benefits and real value to our customers, particularly as they look to further reduce emissions to meet environmental target. Our achievements using AM are paving the way for greater agility in the design, manufacturing and maintenance of power generation components,” said Vladimir Navrotsky, Chief Technology Officer for Siemens Power Generation Services, Distributed Generation.

A 3D printed dry low emission pre-mixer for the SGT-A05 gas turbine. [Image: Trade Arabia]

The results of this 3D printed combustion component show that it could help significantly lower CO emissions, and numerous other achievements have also resulted from using 3D printing to fabricate this specific component. Complexity in the production process is simplified, and the geometry of the component was improved upon, which led to a better fuel-air mix. In addition, 3D printing the DLE pre-mixer helped to decrease external dependencies in the supply chain.

First, the development of the component only took seven months from start to finish – this is a pretty impressive timeframe for a complex, high-temperature component with tight tolerances that works with high loads. When made with traditional manufacturing processes, the DLE pre-mixer has over 20 parts, but this was reduced down to only two parts by 3D printing the component out of Siemens’ qualified nickel super alloys; this also helped lower the lead time by about 70%.

Siemens recently completed the first engine testing of the 3D printed component, which shows some promising data. The test revealed that there were no combustion dynamics or noise, no start issues, and that all of the fuel transitions were completed without needing any controls modifications. In addition, full power was achieved and there was a measurable reduction in CO emissions.

Douglas Willham, Siemens Director of Engineering for the SGT-A05, said, “And now, with AM technology we have an opportunity to go even further with emissions reduction for DLE combustion.”

The 3D printed DLE solution for Siemens’ SGT-A05 gas turbine uses advanced lean burn combustion technology to reduce emissions, which meant that water injection was not needed; this also helps lower costs. The engine model’s high dynamic loading response is not compromised by applying DLE, evidenced by the fact that over 120 engines successfully use the technology to lower CO and NOx emissions.

The DLE pre-mixer was 3D printed at Siemens’ AM Center of Competence in Sweden. These positive test results further show how committed the company is to moving forward 3D printed serial production of highly complex components in the energy industry.

Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

[Source: Power]

Siemens test 3D printed superalloy parts for gas turbine aerospace engine

Siemens has successfully 3D printed and engine tested a complex combustion component for its aeroderivative gas turbine, the SGT-A05. The dry low emission (DLE) pre-mixer, also known as a burner chamber or flame holder, was produced using Siemens’ printable nickel-based superalloys. As a result of the engine tests, the 3D printed DLE pre-mixer demonstrated the […]

3D printing news Sliced GE Additive, Toll Group, EnvisionTEC, Markforged

Today in the Sliced 3D printing news digest, we take a look inside Canada’s first Marine Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence; study colorful 3D printing; explore 3D printed castles; and conduct some heavy lifting. GE Additive, Toll Group, Xometry, EnvisionTec, Markforged and more all feature below. Read on to find out more. Getting educated A study conducted […]

3D Printing & the Proposed Siemens and Alstom Rail Merger

Further consolidation of the rail industry is proposed to occur with the potential merger of Siemens‘ and Alstom’s railway products businesses. Their proposed merger follows the sale of GE’s rail business to Wabtec. Siemens, headquartered in Germany, is the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe. Alstom is a French multinational company that is operating worldwide in rail transportation industries. The merger would create a European powerhouse in the railway industry. Both of these companies utilize additive manufacturing along with their regular manufacturing methods to improve on the way components are produced.

The Research & Development Tax Credit

Enacted in 1981, the federal Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit allows a credit of up to 13 percent of eligible spending for new and improved products and processes. Qualified research must meet the following four criteria:

  • New or improved products, processes, or software
  • Technological in nature
  • Elimination of uncertainty
  • Process of experimentation

Eligible costs include employee wages, cost of supplies, cost of testing, contract research expenses, and costs associated with developing a patent. On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed the bill making the R&D Tax Credit permanent. Beginning in 2016, the R&D credit can be used to offset Alternative Minimum tax and startup businesses can utilize the credit against $250,000 per year in payroll taxes.

Alstom

In 2015, Alstom had a conference that introduced additive manufacturing to its R&D department to help with rapid prototyping. Alstom has integrated 3D printing with prototyping various parts of a train such as the bogie; a bogie is a crucial part of a train that determines how much weight a carriage can bear. Additive manufacturing allows for the production of a single part that can replace several other parts. An example of such a part is an air vent that Alstom created by using polyamide, a flame retardant material. Alstom also likes the versatility of 3D printing; anything that can be made into a CAD model can be 3D printed from materials that range from flame retardant plastics to strong metals. Switching the materials used not only adds customization, but also serves the purpose of weight optimization. Christophe Eschenbrenner, Digital Supply Chain Manager at Alstom, introduced the idea of 3D printing spare parts to optimize time and money on a day to day basis. 3D printing spare parts solves two main challenges in the supply chain: the missing part situation; an essential piece of equipment would be missing which would lead to a train being stored in a depot, and the overstock situation, which would lead to cash being tied up as inventory builds rather than is consumed. Alstom believes that 3D printing is a rapidly advancing technology which is why they will continue to explore the integration of 3D printing into their business model.

Siemens

3D printing opens up countless new opportunities for a manufacturing giant like Siemens. Siemens already has a full facility dedicated to producing 3D printed parts located in Erlangen, Germany. Siemens realize that 3D printing allows for a quick and cost-effective way to print components that are rarely replaced. Maximilian Kunkel, head of research and development at the facility, says, “We can produce complex parts without having to worry about minimum volumes or the cost of tools.” With additive manufacturing, components can be made within days instead of waiting weeks for the delivery of the same part. Siemens had a predicament where 3D printing was quite useful; streetcar (trolley) drivers wanted switches on the driver’s seat armrest for turn signals and switching rails but it simply was not cost-effective to manufacture these new armrests due to the volume that was required. 3D printing technology solved this problem by redesigning the current armrest to accommodate the new switches and printing the requested number of armrests in a timely fashion. Siemens is working on perfecting their 3D print process by creating CAD models, improving design and materials then conducting tests on the new products. Siemens believes that 3D printing allows them to stay several steps ahead of the competition.

Conclusion

The proposed Siemens and Alstom rail merger produces new opportunities, not only in the European industry but in the 3D printing industry as well. Siemens and Alstom are both experimenting with 3D printing and its various benefits to their respective business models. 3D printing allows for the rapid prototyping of various parts and leaves room for the improvement of products already in circulation. To date, Siemens and Alstom are only using additive manufacturing on small scale components but they believe the technology will evolve to a point where 3D printing will be viable at all points in their manufacturing process.

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


Charles Goulding and John Chin of R&D Tax Savers discuss the Siemens-Alstom merger.

 

Siemens Releases Solid Edge 2019, Packed with New Tools and Updated Features

Siemens has been delivering its Solid Edge software for several years now, enabling engineers and designers to create in CAD/CAE easily yet professionally. The company has now introduced the latest iteration of the software, Solid Edge 2019, and it reliably includes plenty of new features as well as upgrades to existing ones, in categories including mechanical design, electrical design, manufacturing, simulation, technical publications, and data management.

Users can now reverse engineer imported objects and take advantage of new features such as convergent modeling, generative design, and advanced flow simulation. An impressive array of PCB design tools are also included.

“The global market requirement to develop and deliver increasingly complex products in shrinking timeframes has created many new challenges for our customers, as well as new opportunities to differentiate,” said John Miller, Senior Vice President, Mainstream Engineering, Siemens PLM Software. “I’m confident that the integration of leading technologies and the next-generation design capabilities delivered in the Solid Edge 2019 portfolio will empower our customers to innovate in the new era of digitalization.”

New tools are available for convergent modeling, allowing engineers to incorporate mesh models directly into their workflows. The tools also support milling, casting and molding of generative designs, so that users can model and simulate the entire process, not just the final product. On the electrical engineering side of things, Solid Edge Wiring Design offers design tools that can be used to rapidly create and verify the flow of wiring through electrical systems.

Solid Edge Harness Design adds harness and formboard design using automated part selection, verification and report generation. In addition, Solid Edge PCB design enables the intuitive creation and schematic capture of printed circuit board layouts, including sketch routing, hierarchical 2D/3D planning, and ECAD-MCAD collaboration.

Solid Edge CAM Pro is a new system that allows users to program CNC machine tools, and supports both simple NC programming and high-speed, multi-axis machining. On the additive manufacturing side of things, automated print and color preparation allow designs to be sent directly to the 3D printer. Multi-color and multi-material 3D printing are both supported.

P&ID Design and Solid Edge Piping Design tools offer improved modeling, simulation, and automated placement of piping systems. These systems allow for automated 3D piping design and fully automated isometric drawing output for plant design. There is also a 3D parts library included. These tools, according to Siemens, can help reduce design errors and ensure efficient piping design in the oil and gas industries.

General improvements include better control over shapes, weight and strength. Free cloud-based collaboration tools are included as well, allowing users to work in real time from anywhere with browser-based access to CAD files.

You can learn more about the new features here, as well as check out buying options. Several discount bundles are available at the moment, for a limited time.

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

[Source: Graphic Speak/Images: Siemens]