3D Printing Industry Magazine - Issue 1

Volume 1 Issue 1 September 2019

Medical Applications

Executive Insight

Post-processing

3D printing at the cutting edge of healthcare

CEOs address the challenges and opportunities in today's industry

Unlocking the potential of high-volume 3D printing

2019 3D Printing Industry Awards Who are the AM leaders?

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Welcome The publication of our first print edition marks three years since I became Editor in chief. As one of my first actions was to launch the 3D Printing Industry Awards, it is pleasing to showcase this year’s winners. Moving into the fourth edition of the Awards, I’m looking forward to celebrating the people and technology that make our industry such an exciting place to work.

Those three years have flown. We’ve redesigned the site, published our quarterly index and databases on funding and M&A activity, and also launched our free jobs service, with over one thousand CVs and 150 employers. I’m pleased to say it works; we’re using it to recruit for the growing team.

As AMV’s Arno Held writes in his column this issue, the value of a team is paramount.

3DPI is stronger than ever, with me from day one Beau Jackson - now our Deputy Editor and supported by faces that will be familiar to many readers. We’re friendly, say hello at the conference season this Autumn.

We’ve built a serious review process for new machines, whether our engineers are visiting manufacturers or working at HQ. This issue contains a mix of technical insight, expert perspectives, and conversations with AM leaders across the world.

On the Cover A top view of the 2019 3D Printing Industry trophy illustrating the geometric complexity in Ferran Sánchez Monferrer’s winning design. The trophy was 3D printed by Protolabs using SLA and MJF technology.

You are holding in your hands a collectors edition. This is a new direction for us, and we hope we’ve delivered the magazine our industry deserves.

Let us know.

Michael Petch

Editor in chief

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Content Interviews & Insight 08 Automating Industrialization AMT’s Joseph Crabtree discusses a vital but underserved element of the AM ecosystem and how he is building sustainable solutions to meet the post-processing challenge.

34 3D Printed Medicine A Q&A with the SVP and CTO of Aprecia Pharmaceuticals lifts the lid on the world’s first FDA-approved 3D printed pill.

Behind-the-Scenes

12 Digital Manufacturing Unlocking Industry 4.0 and the future of digital manufacturing, Vicki Holt tells us about the vision for Protolabs.

38 Industry Pioneer Dr. Hans Langer, the 2019 recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to 3D Printing award talks innovation and making the world a better place.

17 AM & Motors We spent the week in Detroit at the largest 3D printing show of the year so far. What did we learn about our industry at RAPID +TCT?

40 The Shoe Fits Adidas gives insights into their 3D printed sneakers and how technology is changing consumer products.

20 High Standards NASA, the DoD, and FAA have exacting requirements, experts from Renishaw, Additive Industries and ASTM International talk about the challenges of certification and qualification for aerospace.

22 Print-to-Product How did a leading manufacturer discover a workflow that transforms 3D prints into highend products? DyeMansion gives details about working with Götti.

24 Art for All Denmark’s National Gallery is using industrial engineering technology in an unexpected way. We asked Scan the World about making priceless works of art freely available.

Dental and Medical 28 Medical Models 3D LifePrints and a practitioner from Hospital Center University De Bordeaux weigh in on the challenges and advantages of 3D printing in hospitals.

32 Digital Dentistry With help from Formlabs, we dispel the “3D printed aligner” myth.

The 3D Printing Industry Awards 44 World Leaders Your winners and shortlisted entries for the 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards.

Project Updates 62 Setting the Stage Dr. Katy Milne takes us inside the MTC’s DRAMA project as the three-year project enters its final phase.

64 Plastic Fantastic Can 3D printing help provide solutions to the global plastic crisis? The industry must work harder.

68 Building on Demand The allure of a ten trillion dollar industry has tripled the number of enterprises hoping to crack 3D printing for construction. We asked the CEO of one leading company about challenges and opportunities.

Review 72 Testing Times We visited Apium Additive Technologies to see how the P220 handles functional materials and put the manufacturer's claims to the test.

Research 76 CrAMmed Print times in seconds rather hours, and the technology behind a new “potent technique” for advancing science. We look at recent research at the forefront of 3D printing.

Columns 79 The Next Unicorn Arno Held of AM Ventures provides a few pointers on how to get your company funded and avoid pitfalls on the road to start-up success.

80 Record-Breaking NewCap Partners Principal Dayton Horvath tracks investments and M&A in a record year for 3D printing.

82 Safety First LEO Lane’s Lee-Bath Nelson talks through the risks of digital inventory, and how to overcome them.

84 More to Metal AM RMIT’s Alex Kingsbury argues that it’s time AM recognized cold spray as a valid modality.

86 In-Depth Marc Saunders, Director of AM Applications at Renishaw, introduces processing strategies for multi-laser PBF. 94 fAMe 3D printing and the media have a love-hate relationship - do any videogames, TV shows or films get its representation right?

Events 96 Events Guide Upcoming industry events and where to find the 3D Printing Industry team.

Team Editorial Editor in chief Michael Petch Michael@3dprintingindustry.com

Umair Iftikhar Umair@3dprintingindustry.com Arlene Lo Arlene@3dprintingindustry.com

Deputy Editor Beau Jackson Beau@3dprintingindustry.com

Production and Design

Writers

Creative Director Matteo Vezzali

Tia Vialva Tia@3dprintingindustry.com

Designer Daniel Martinez

Anas Essop Anas@3dprintingindustry.com

Production Coordinator Sarah Marchand

Advertising Sales and Marketing Manager Oscar Milani Oscar@3dprintingindustry.com

Published by Michael Petch Press Releases info@3dprintingindustry.com No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

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Completing the AM ecosystem Joseph Crabtree, CEO Additive Manufacturing Technologies

By Michael Petch

Crabtree has a background in material science and engineering, after an early career working at “billion-dollar big businesses,” approximately five years ago he decided to do something different, and saw an opportunity in industrialized 3D printing.

The conversation would soon turn to a technology called PUSH, Polished at the University of SHeffield. By 2017, Crabtree had a license to the technology and a grant from Innovate UK to further develop the know-how into a machine with a new acronym behind it - Boundary Layer Automated Smoothing Technology aka BLAST. The more research Crabtree did, the more he became convinced of the importance of a post-processing solution, “no one was talking about it, there was nothing on the Internet about it,” he says, “I thought here’s an opportunity.”

Expanding the range of post-processing options AMT’s PostPro3D system is now commercially available. A manufacturing facility in Hungary, where local expertise in machine building is high, was set up to meet demand. The PostPro3D is an automated post-processing system for a range of polymer 3D printing technologies, including powder bed fusion, HP Multi Jet Fusion, High-Speed Sintering, and FDM/FFF.

His company is now a multi-million pound going concern and meets an increasingly vital, but underserved, need in the additive manufacturing world - post-processing for high volume production.

Building the business

He reconnected with Neil Hopkinson, who was at the time at the University of Sheffield, via Iain Todd - Crabtree’s former professor.

He was right and sold his first machine at Formnext in 2016 before AMT was even set up as a company.

“Everything you see has been done in two and a half years, from nothing to where we are now.” I am sitting in a meeting room with Additive Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) founder and CEO Joseph Crabtree at his company’s headquarters outside of Sheffield, UK.

Cost makes post-processing a critical consideration, and between one and twothirds of a part’s total cost can relate to such work. AMT’s turnkey solution is digital, automated, and simple-to-use and promises to reward users by cutting the cost of post-processing.

Initially, he brought a proposal to Rolls Royce for a plan to 3D print composites. “I was naive,” he says of this initial plunge into the “non-trivial” world of hardware.

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Everything you see has been done in two and a half years, from nothing to where we are now

Formnext 2019 will see the release of a new product, “a scaled-down version” of the current offering. The PostPro3D Mini is for prosumer users with a single printer and not yet operating at the scale that requires the larger system.

“People say that there’s a sweet spot for post-processing hardware that should be between £25,000 to £35,000, I don’t necessarily agree with that.” It is worth noting that if a user is unable to carry out the task required, then in some ways cost becomes irrelevant - as the business opportunity will be lost. “It’s about total cost, from the cost

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of acquiring materials all the way to the final part.”

Also new for Formnext is the PostProCol module. Available as a standalone system, or an upgrade to existing units AMT will introduce color, starting with black and then extending to multi-color in 2020.

On the horizon is PostProMet, a technology developed with the University of Nottingham that can identify the materials used, and whether post-processing has taken place using machine learning.

dyes. The batch process takes 90 minutes, “this is game-changing,” he says. “That’s a key differentiator with our technology, its sustainable and its safe.” In terms of safety, AMT is the world’s first UL certified automated post-processing solution and is also compliant with European machinery directive, CE. Sustainability is a recurring theme during our conversation, and central to AMT’s thinking about scaling the 3D printing industry.

End-use applications and sustainable AM

“For example, there’s no point in introducing loads of chromium [into a process] if it’s going to be banned,” Crabtree explains.

A variety of 3D prints adorn the shelves of the office and illustrate the full range of applications, across medical, automotive, aerospace and consumer products.

Crabtree hands me a print that has been colored and smoothed in a single step, waterless operation, free from solvent-based

The solvents used by AMT are non-cytotoxic, “you can put them in your mouth if you wanted.” Materials are suitable to use in applications that come into contact with the skin, for example, products requiring medical approval, sportswear or even 3D printed glasses. “Our goal is no waste and

sustainable additive manufacturing.”

This approach also carries over to the material cartridges used by the AMT systems, “we send you a cartridge, and we take the cartridge back, repurpose it, and we send it back again.”

I ask Crabtree about some of the applications. He shows me an airplane tray table.

The advantage conferred by 3D printing is having spares available on-demand, due to AMT post-processing, the part looks identical to an injection molded component.

Crabtree points out his process does not degrade dimensional tolerances, “we’re not adding or removing material, so you don’t lose any of that.”

A 3D printed cycling helmet featuring complex lattices and a honeycomb structure is more indicative of AM’s capabilities.

Living hinges allow for folding to store when not in use. AMT resolved several issues, powder residue removal, and applica-

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tion of a surface finish resistant to cracking.

Without a surface finish, the MFJ part will absorb water. Not a desirable characteristic for a product intended for outdoor use.

An FDM ULTEM 9085 component used for aerospace tooling is another example of AMT post-processing. In this case, removing layer lines by reflowing the surface preserves the dimensional accuracy of the part.

The process is so adept at preserving fine-feature detail that a Formlabs Fuse SLS system made part was mistaken for an SLA piece made on the company’s resin-based 3D printers.

For automotive applications such as a headlight reflector, the surface finish is critical. A manual process would involve sanding and filling stages before metal coating, “with this, you can metal plate directly onto the part, you remove the manual finishing.”

Scaling AM - the value of education For AM to become an established manufacturing technology, customer education is critical. Machine sellers have an important role here, “if [end-users] don’t know what printers to buy; they definitely have no idea about post-processing.”

Specialist events are all well and good, but its “preaching to the converted”, the true cost of setting up an AM production facility and conversations about “upgrading your HVAC system, powder handling and storage are sidelined, “I still get the feeling that if you go to Formnext, you don’t get the sense that there is all that detail behind it … the elements of technology are still disparate.” Driving AMT is a focus on the end to end solution.

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It’s about total cost, from the cost of acquiring materials all the way to the final part

With this in mind, Crabtree welcomes increased competition in the currently

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rather sparse post-processing segment, “the more people we get in the industry that are talking about post-processing, the better.

Competition yes, it helps us because it defines the market.”

The future of AMT and industrializing additive manufacturing What’s next? Further international expansion with a US manufacturing facility in Cedar Park, Austin, Texas. AMT plans to create a hundred jobs within the next 18 months, “the US is a lot more pro-business, there are a lot more tax incentives and grants for development, I don’t want to be seen as unpatriotic, but it would be great to put the UK back on the map again.”

The future is, “headquarters in the UK, manufacturing in Hungary, to mitigate against the effects of Brexit and the US manufacturing facility opening in October.”

The next step is a move into the Chinese market.

Regarding future technology, Crabtree’s

metallurgist background means “polymers are only one part of the puzzle; there’s an issue around metal post-processing.” AMT has IP for a method to smooth parts made on Desktop Metal systems or other metal binder jetting technology.

Industrialization of additive manufacturing is never far from Crabtree’s mind, and he envisions future AM systems with fully integrated post-processing. “If you use the steel rolling mill analogy, you put in the material at one end, and you get your finished product at the other, “ he says, “Why would the printer not be part of the post-processing [and] why are we still considering industrial printers as standalone units?

On the horizon, Crabtree sees ultra-fast printing and finishing, a polymer printing press “polymer to part, a truly integrated solution.”

The CEO acknowledges that this may not be an easy journey. Machine sellers should not shy away from highlighting the need for post-processing equipment; even injection molded parts undergo post-processing, typically annealing.

Later that week, I find myself sitting next to Crabtree’s former professor, Iain Todd. The success of AMT doesn’t come as a surprise to him; Crabtree’s university peers were a notably highly motivated group. As our conversation moves to the distant horizon, I pledge to keep in mind that whatever glittering technology arrives - unless there is an ecosystem supporting it, adoption will be unlikely and that while parts of that ecosystem may be considerably less shiny, they are no less important.

Visit amtechnologies.com for technical specifications and details of AMT’s range of post-processing solutions

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Vicki Holt President and CEO, Protolabs

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The future of

Digital Manufacturing Protolabs President and CEO

Vicki Holt

by Beau Jackson

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ith over three decades of experience leading global materials businesses, Vicki Holt arrived to lead Protolabs in 2014. Around this time, Protolabs launched a new service, with industrial-grade 3D printing joining sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, and injection molding. Continually growing its capabilities, Protolabs has gone beyond its foundations as a rapid prototyping provider into end-use production.

In this interview, 3D Printing Industry learns more about the driving force behind Protolabs and Holt’s visions for the future of manufacturing. “We can help entrepreneurs get their products to market, or we can even help large companies successfully compete by being able to commercialize and bring things to market and optimize their supply chain,” says Holt.

Recently, the company celebrated its 20th anniversary with the inauguration of its 12th global manufacturing plant. From these facilities, in North America, Europe, and Japan, the company serves nearly 46,000 industrial customers, producing more than 40 million components each year. “Our mission,” explains Holt, “is to really help companies accelerate innovation, reduce risk and optimize their supply chain for the supply of high-quality prototypes, and on-demand manufacturing services.”

“Our vision is a combination of the digital e-commerce experience, coupled with a very unique fulfillment experience, which allows us to digitally supply these custom parts at unprecedented speeds, and very cost-effectively at low volumes.”

An SLA 3D printing facility at Protolabs.

Photo via Protolabs

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Digital manufacturing and the pace of Industry 4.0

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ith the dawn of Industry 4.0, manufacturers need to adopt digital processes to survive. Although traditional businesses are grappling with the integration of Big Data and the Digital Twin, this is an area in which Holt believes Protolabs already has a competitive edge. “We have the luxury in that we were invented as a digital manufacturer. Most companies out there, and most manufacturers have to reinvent themselves, they already have an established operation in a different way.”

Through involvement with the National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Leadership Council, Holt is also helping other businesses with digitization. “The opportunities for manufacturers are huge,” she adds, “And I will tell you, I believe we’re at the very beginning of this transformation. We’ve got a long way still to go.”

“The opportunities for manufacturing are huge” While it may be too early to name “the next big advance” in Industry 4.0, Holt believes that the vital thing is to just “get started.” In this regard, she emphasizes a solution-based approach, encouraging manufacturers to tackle operational or performance issues by leveraging relevant technologies. As a “technology agnostic” organization, Protolabs’ guidance in this instance is a particular strength. “We’re there to help engineers design the best products for what they’re trying to accomplish with the best manufacturing solution to meet their needs,” says Holt, “We don’t push them toward one solution or another – we really try to be very customer-centric in what we do.”

Sustainability is also an important consideration for Holt both at a personal level and in the management of Protolabs. Within the business itself, initiatives are in place to recycle scrap metals and plastics, including powders used in the 3D printing process. Fundamentally though, Holt believes that companies are in the best position to tackle challenges like global climate change. “It’s going to be companies with technologies that they can deploy to produce energy to change how we manufacture, to take advantage of different approaches to agriculture for example,” Holt comments, “Those are the things that are going to solve these global climate change problems. It’s not going to be a politician. And frankly, it isn’t going to be academia without collaboration with business.”

Those are the things that are going to solve these global climate change problems Holt believes that businesses must implement technology in a valuable and meaningful way. “In the end,” she says, “We’ve got to deploy all of these technologies into the world in a way that allows society to continue to function in an orderly way and to have things like shelter, food, and warmth. That’s what manufacturers do.”

“We’re going to solve these problems,” she states, “The manufacturing community, I believe, is firmly committed to solving these problems.”

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Moving beyond Prototyping

This show-stopping bustier dress, as worn by Canadian actor Nina Dobrev’ to the 2019 MET Gala, was 3D printed by Protolabs for designer Zac Posen. Photo via Getty Images.

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hat’s next at Protolabs? Further expansion is on the cards. The speed of sheet metal services at Protolabs is now the fastest it’s ever been, due in part to the company’s acquisition of New Hampshire’s Rapid Manufacturing Group. “We can turnaround requests for our sheet metal offer in as little as three days, which in custom sheet metal businesses is just unprecedented,” says Holt.

In 3D printing, the company is currently in the process of launching direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) to meet customer demand. “As companies want to use us more for production parts, the service we offer has to change a little bit,” explains Holt, the reason being that there is “usually quite a bit of upfront engineering that takes place to really finalize the part” for end-use. “As we get these high requirements projects, we also have to work out quality control plans with the customer, and how we’re going to make sure that we can meet their needs for production part.”

A render of the Zac Posen clear bustier dress. Image via Protolabs.

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A CNC machining plant at Protolabs. Photo via Protolabs.

Currently, all of Protolabs’ North American 3D printing orders are handled by a 77,000 square foot factory in Raleigh, North Carolina. Though presently not as large as its North American counterpart, Protolabs’ has two European 3D printing facilities located in Germany, just south of Munich. Within the next year or so, Holt explained that the company plans to merge these two sites to make more of a “showcase” additive manufacturing facility for the region.

Reporting another record quarter for 3D printing in its Q1 2019 earnings report, Holt says that Protolabs will continue to target “high-teen growth rate” in 3D printing throughout 2019 as this business “is actually growing faster than other services.” In general, across the full Protolabs service offering, Holt says the persistent goal for the year is to move “beyond just prototyping.”

“Our high requirements DMLS project is clearly one of those services that is helping to make sure we’re positioning ourselves to move beyond just prototyping, and we are doing similar things in every one of our services: injection molding and CNC machining, even sheet metal.”

Now, Holt concludes,

We are much more than just prototyping solutions.

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Carbon 3D printed hexagon mesh that forms the basis of padding inside the Riddell SpeedFlex Precision Diamond Helmet. Photo via Carbon

Trends in Additive Manufacturing from RAPID + TCT 2019

By Beau Jackson

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per wheel in the second generation set thanks to further 3D printed optimization.

he biggest show of the first half of the year, RAPID + TCT 2019 brought together 434 exhibitors under the airy roof of the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit.

This year, three trends stood out: a higher number of consumer applications, less focus on the machines used to make the products, and increasing adoption of AM by the automotive sector. The latter trend took center stage thanks, in part, to the host city’s heritage.

AM - the difference between winning and losing Making the most of Motor City, RAPID + TCT 2019 dedicated an automotive conference track to run alongside exhibits. In keeping with this theme, many exhibitors showcased automotive partnerships at the show.

Global manufacturing service provider Jabil used RAPID to announce a 3D printed part supply agreement with the Renault F1 Team car. The world-class sporting team has used 3D printing as a prototyping tool for some time, however recently it has moved toward the production of end-use components.

To maintain a competitive advantage, the exact details of the parts 3D printed by Jabil remain undisclosed.

Building on its 2018 partnership with HRE Wheels, GE Additive presented a set of second-generation rims 3D printed from titanium using Arcam EBM technology. The wheels were exhibited at RAPID on a striking purple Ford GT, and are much lighter than the original set. On average, HRE is saving 4lbs

In a press briefing with 3D Systems I was introduced to Reneau Van Landingham, Aerodynamic Design Group Manager at title-winning NASCAR team Stewart-Haas Racing. With an emphasis on speed, Landingham shared how reverse engineering, coupled with 3D printing, has enabled Stewart-Haas to shorten its product development cycle.

Stratasys also confirmed two automotive collaborations at the May event - one with IndyCar racing team Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and the other with leading drag racing company Don Schumacher. In both cases, the teams are using Stratasys 3D printers to improve part performance and reduce weight, boosting performance on the track. Mike Lewis, SVP at Don Schumacher Racing, explained, “The difference between winning and losing at one of our races is inches, at the end of the thousand-foot strip. So every piece that could be improved even just incrementally makes a difference between winning and losing.” A sentiment which is undoubtedly echoed by the increasing number of racing teams deploying AM.

Every piece that could be improved, even just incrementally makes a difference between winning and losing.

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View of the Cobo Center in Downtown Detroit, host of RAPID + TCT 2019. Photo via Cobo Center.

Getting a head, midsoles are so 2017 Away from automotive, 3D printing for consumer products was another observable theme at RAPID 2019. Origin, a DLP 3D printer provider, taking on Carbon, stepped out of stealth mode with a midsole 3D printing partnership for Danish shoe brand ECCO. Elsewhere several companies demonstrated their take on a new consumer sportswear trend: 3D printed helmets.

Carbon’s keynote segment featured Vittorio Bologna, R&D Manager at American football equipment specialist Riddell.

Using the Carbon L1, bespoke padding is 3D printed for Riddell’s SpeedFlex Precision Diamond helmet.

According to Bologna, the sportswear manufacturer plans to use the technology across its full range of headgear, from Elite athletes to young players.

of aligners. The move provides further validation for the utility of 3D printing in dental, most vividly demonstrated by the success of 3D Systems and Invisalign. With 49 HP MJF 3D printers, SmileDirectClub is currently capable of producing upwards of 50,000 mouth molds per day, targeting an annual volume of 20 million by the end of 2019. Align Technology, already produces over half a million 3D printed parts for clear aligners each day.

Also in healthcare, Naomi Murray, Director of Advance Operations for Additive Technology Solutions at medtech firm Stryker, made a public comment about the company’s consolidation of the spinal implant sector. With its acquisition

Also showing sportswear, HP exhibited a football helmet prototype made for Canadian protective headgear producer Kupol. The helmet was 3D printed on the HP Jet Fusion 5200 series. Both the SpeedFlex Precision Diamond and Kupol prototype helmet designs demonstrate 3D printing’s ability to enhance the comfort and performance of helmet padding with a bespoke fit.

At the show, HP also announced custom aligner manufacturer SmileDirectClub is now a customer. The company will use 3D printing in the production

Prototype helmet design by Kupol.

3D printed using HP Multi Jet Fusion.

Photo via HP/Kupol

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Growing post-processing segment completes AM ecosystem of K2M, Murray asserted that Stryker now holds “the largest portfolio of 3D printed [spinal] cages on the market.”

The encouraging sign about all of these applications is that, in most cases, 3D printing is being used to make parts found in the end-use product. 3D software developer General Lattice is one of the startups I spoke to at the show that has chosen to create a product specifically tailored to 3D printing’s role in consumer goods. Describing his company’s goals, co-founder and CEO Nick Florek said the idea of General Lattice is to support mass personalization with “design driven by the consumer.”

The encouraging sign about all of these highlighted consumer applications is that, in most cases, 3D printing is being used to make parts found in the end-use product.

Of the new releases and exhibits at RAPID + TCT, post-processing solutions were the most scarce. This is understandable as currently, only a few companies are specializing in this segment. For example, DyeMansion, AMT, and PostProcess Technologies, all of whom had new releases in Detroit. While such companies are working with leading 3D printing providers, according to EOS’ Gungor Kara, some solutions just aren’t accounted for yet. Specialist additive manufacturing powder handling units, especially automated devices, are currently being developed by 3D printer OEMs themselves or adapted from the systems used in other industries. The Additive Industries’ powder load tool which debuted at RAPID + TCT 2019 is one example of such a system which has been developed as an auxiliary unit by a machine manufacturer. There is still space here for companies that have unique solutions to challenges like powder handling and build removal.

Several show attendees highlighted post-processing solutions as an area of particular interest for the future. This area will see more activity at Formnext 2019, and RAPID + TCT 2020.

As conference season begins for the second half of 2019, what trends will emerge? 3D Printing Industry will be reporting from all the major shows, with detailed articles in our next issue.

2nd generation HRE Wheels 3D printed by GE Additive for Ford GT.

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Setting the standard for AM in aerospace

By Beau Jackson From ULTEM aircraft interiors to structural spare parts and engine components, additive manufacturing is a decades-long overnight success story in aerospace. However, the fact remains that most 3D printed parts in flight today are certified using internal standards, specific to the aerospace manufacturer. Aerospace companies are necessarily protective of their internal processes as lengthy development cycles are vulnerable to the leaking of trade secrets.

This situation poses a challenge to the scaling of additive manufacturing.

Present qualification protocol, or lack thereof, leaves a lot up to chance. According to Jon Porter, AM Business Development Manager at Renishaw, “Essentially part qualification is currently being done by trial-and-error testing [...] There are no ‘normals’ in the qualification process so timescales can vary enormously.”

As a result, in some ways, the need for standards can be seen to be holding back the development of additive manufacturing.

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the likes of America Makes and ANSI. With organizations like ASTM, members also request the development of standards specific to their needs.

As far as priorities go when considering “what next?” in standards, the direction seems clear.

Where polymers may have dominated the early years for aerospace Shane Collins, General Manager at Dutch metal 3D printer maker Additive Industries, says, “it is the metal processes of powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition that are

There are no ‘normals’ in the qualification process so timescales can vary enormously

Where are we now?

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At global standards bodies, such as The Society for Automotive Engineers (SAE) and ASTM International, several initiatives are underway to provide guideline requirements for aerospace AM. With Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) a prevalent technology, it is understandable that it is one of the methods best supported by standards. Relevant documentation relating to LPBF includes SAE’s AMS7003 for process repeatability, ISO/ASTM52901 on the general principles of purchased parts made using AM, and aspects of documents like F2924 for powder specifications. At the bodies mentioned above, the process for creating standards follows a consensus gathered from roadmaps developed by

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driving the current standard needs.” Recent part certification news, for example, Norsk Titanium’s momentum with its DEDbased process, adds weight to Collins’ point, though other useful material classes such as ceramics must not be neglected, says ASTM’s Dr. Mohsen Seifi. As Director of Global Additive Manufacturing Programs at ASTM International, Dr. Seifi adds that areas of process qualification, feedstock characterization, specification, testing, and inspection are also “high priority areas.”

Current challenges in AM aerospace standardization Qualification and inspection in particular present a challenge to standards development with legacy methods not always fully applicable to AM. AM’s status as a “special process” also presents some barriers, “This means that the process itself can have a significant impact on part performance,” adds Collins, therefore “The process control aspect of AM is the biggest challenge in order to achieve widespread aerospace part certification by groups such as FAA, ESA, NASA, and the DoD.” Yet the task is not insurmountable. “Additive manufacturing is Final, flight-approved, 3D printed ducting for air conditioners. 3D printed in Stratasys ULTEM™ 9085 resin on the Fortus 450mc. Photo via Marshall Aerospace and Defense Group

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Additive manufacturing is starting to transform the aerospace and aviation industry

not unique in that it calls for a complex network of variables within software and hardware systems to successfully combine,” explains Porter. Already, enterprises such as Renishaw undertake process monitoring as an essential point for ensuring consistency. Also, Porter states, “we have to accept that parts produced with additive manufacturing technologies have properties that can be different from those achieved with subtractive manufacturing. This naturally complicates the quality assurance and certification process.”

”

Standardization solutions Several workgroups and initiatives have been set up within stakeholding organizations to address the gaps in current aerospace AM standardization. Groups include the F42 subcommittee F42.07, ASTM’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence and collaborative efforts such as that between Lufthansa Technik and Oerlikon. Active cooperation with these programs and sector-specific organizations like the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (Nadcap) and the FAA also ensure that AM is meeting its mark.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner which, thanks to Norsk Titanium, became the “first commercial airplane to fly with certified additive-manufactured titanium parts in structural applications.” Here a model 10 is seen on a test flight, illustrating commercial service clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Photo via Boeing

While standards development continues, it is apparent that cutting the cost of AM development and implementation is also crucial to success.

Katharine Morgan, the President of ASTM International, sums up the reason behind getting this right, “Additive manufacturing is starting to transform the aerospace and aviation industry, and new standards are coming online to support that innovation.”

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DyeMansion helps the eyewear industry reinvent itself

The story of Götti shows how

By DyeMansion

The DyeManion Print-to-Product workflow

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ooking at powder bed fusion technologies, 3D printed eyewear is by far the most successful application in the consumer sector today. A crucial step in bringing these products to life is the DyeMansion technology, providing solutions for finish and color. Götti, the largest Swiss eyewear manufacturer has already been using AM for more than four years.

THE CHALLENGE

1

Finding the perfect finish When the Götti 3D printed eyewear project commenced, it quickly became apparent that 3D printing brought many advantages to Götti’s eyewear production, including the flexibility and lightness of the material.

However, at the time, there was no industrial dyeing solution that met the company’s demands for custom, yet reproducible colors as well as allergen-free and light-resistant color.

“We were facing a big challenge: we wanted to dye 3D printed glasses in any color of our choosing with an individually created color palette,” explains Sven Götti, CEO of Götti.

After an extensive search, Götti finally discovered DyeMansion, and it’s Print-to-Product workflow.

THE SOLUTION

2

Reproducible finishing and coloring solutions by DyeMansion DyeMansion’s Print-to-Product workflow consists of the blasting systems Powershot C and Powershot S, as well as the DM60 coloring system.

Applying them to the finishing of Götti’s eyewear achieved an ideal surface finish for the frames and homogeneous, reproducible coloration, resulting in a marketable 3D printed collection named “Dimension.”

End customers were impressed by the 3D printed Dimension collection. Partly because of on-trend colors, but also the lightness and flexibility of the material, ensuring a comfortable fit. Sven Götti adds, that “the consumer products only became marketable when it became possible to apply the colors that appealed to the consumer.”

3

STEP 1: CLEANING

After production on an EOS FORMIGA P 110 the raw parts are cleaned with the Powershot C.

STEP 2: SURFACING

After being polished, the parts are then treated with the PolyShot Surfacing (PSS) in the Powershot S for a homogeneous and matt glossy surface.

STEP 3: COLORING

And with the DeepDye Coloring (DDC) they finally get their color in the DM60.

INFO VDW Vere Cor Tel.: emo

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MPA1

THE BENEFITS Individually designed colors With the DyeMansion color matching technology, eight customized colors were individually developed for Götti based on physical color samples. The developed color portfolio fits perfectly with the design requirements of Götti and can be expanded as desired.

Skin compatibility & long lasting colors Skin compatibility is a critical factor with lifestyle products like eyewear. Light resistance also plays an important role. The developed colors provide that and allow a long-term wearing of the glasses without fading and or loss of color intensity.

Short innovation cycles Thanks to AM new models can be designed without having to consider any material or technology deviations. Also regarding their colors, Götti can respond very quickly to the needs and ever-changing trends of the market.

Interested in the DyeMansion Print-to-Product workflow?

Find more information at dyemansion.com or contact hello@dyemansion.com.

INFO: VDW – Generalkommissariat EMO Hannover 2019 Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken e.V. Corneliusstraße 4 · 60325 Frankfurt am Main · GERMANY Tel.: +49 69 756081-0 · Fax: +49 69 756081-74 emo@vdw.de · www.emo-hannover.de

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22/08/2019 21:18:27 04.07.19 11:03

Scan the World’s Jonathan Beck at the Statens Museum for Kunst, National Gallery of Denmark

By Tia Vialva

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he Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK), National Gallery of Denmark holds over 260,000 artworks, including paintings, works on paper, and sculptures depicting royal Danish and European history.

However, less than one percent of the museum’s collection is on display to the public.

I spoke with Jonathan Beck, founder of the My Mini Factory cultural heritage

project, Scan the World, to discuss his recent visit to the SMK, the task of digitizing cultural artifacts and the philosophy behind the project.

“The SMK has always inspired me with the forward-thinking approach they have to their collections,” says Beck. “Their open access initiative, The SMK Open, unlocks artworks by making their whole digitized collections open-source (CC0), all while still ensuring its integrity in research.”

Digitizing artwork became a passion for Beck after discovering the preservation power of photogrammetry and 3D scanning during his time at university. This led to the Scan the World project in 2014, which has now become the largest platform of free to download, 3D printable cultural artifacts.

“I thought because sculptures are probably the most accessible thing, and people like to go to museums and study objects there, that it would be the easiest means of contributing to the archive,” says Beck.

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Setting art free

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he SMK was founded in 1849 as a result of the Danish royal art collections becoming the property of the people. With the desire to build a more creative and reflective society that values its history, the SMK Open initiative was launched in 2016. This aims to digitize all pieces by 2020 to “set the artwork free.” As an advocate for the open data of galleries, libraries, archives, and museums, Beck is an integral part of this process.

explains Beck. “Their main museum in Sølvgade holds an expansive collection of Western culture, including an important aggregate of Danish artwork.

Their Royal Cast Collection, which is currently closed to the public, is made up of over 2,000 plaster casts and serves an important resource for education and preservation.”

“This was my second visit to digitize the collections which span over two buildings,”

Presently, Scan the World has collected over 15,500 sculptures on its platform.

In the genesis of the project, Beck scanned his first few hundred sculptures as part of a series of ‘scanathons’ with friends and other photography enthusiasts.

Institutions in London, such as the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum and the British Museum, were chosen as their training grounds for the process of photogrammetry.

“Once set up, we’d let loose on the collections as to gather as many scans as we could. From thereon, it was a lot of guerrilla scanning; a commission from an artist in Paris led to me scanning the entire cast foundry collection from the French cultural umbrella organization RMN without them noticing, and then the Louvre under the noses of security guards, and so on.”

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Archiving with Artec 3D

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urious about the technology leading the charge on the SMK Open, I asked Beck to describe his 3D scanner of choice for the initiative. “On this occasion I worked with the Artec Eva, using their recently released Artec Studio 14 Professional software,” Beck replies.

Artec 3D, which is based in Luxembourg, launched the Artec Studio 14 mid-year with new features made to facilitate quality inspection and automatic operation. The software is capable of working with datasets up to 500 million polygons and is designed to capture both small and large scale objects.

Beck says the Artec Eva is one of the leading handheld 3D scanners, thus, had high expectations for its performance. Considering his strict time limit Jonathan Beck holding an Artec Eva 3D scanner Photo via Scan The World

The Artec Eva was an exciting opportunity for me to work with objects of all sizes and materials so that I could really push the hardware its software to its limits. The newly implemented Automatic Glare Removal and speed boost were two particular facets which I wanted to put to the test. and the quantity of data he was scanning to archival quality, he was banking on its capabilities. “I could feel a difference in speed and quality in Artec Studio 14 in comparison to previous versions; though there are no changes to the UX, the software felt lighter and more intuitive to use. I have used the Eva previously, so the hardware wasn’t much different.”

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Up close and digital

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Photo via Nick Furbo

n total, Beck scanned around 300 artifacts from two SMK collections. Of these art pieces, choosing a favorite was not an easy task. “In the main SMK collection, I digitized the bust of Camilla Barbadori by Bernini, an artist known for his progressive style of sculpting.

“Working in harmony with objects made by some of the greatest sculptors of our time is a huge privilege, especially when you’re able to get up close to inspect every carving and drill hole made by the artist,” Beck says.

“From the cast collection, I worked on the colossal Moses by Michelangelo, as well as some sculptures from Bertel Thorvaldsen and other copies from collections I’ve seen before in British collections.”

have a few plans of our own which I can’t talk about just yet.”

Nevertheless, he added, “Because all of these models will be made available from Scan the World and MyMiniFactory under a CC0 license, the community will be telling some incredible stories of their own. From Mardi Gras floats to costumes and art projects, there will be a huge amount of stories coming from the collection very soon!”

The scanned artifacts are available to download from the SMK’s profile on MyMiniFactory.

Beck goes on to highlight the expansiveness of the SMK’s Cast Collection. In his eyes, the building provides a valuable insight into artifacts from across Europe,

Each of these objects hold so many stories, so using 3D technologies to share them openly gives them a platform to unlock these narratives whilst the physical artifacts are currently closed to the public. mixed with artworks by ancient masters and architectural fragments.

I asked Beck if any of these digital artifacts would be 3D printed for display elsewhere, to which he responded, “We All renders from data captured on the Artec Eva at the SMK by Jonathan Beck.

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3D printing - coming soon to a hospital near you A 3D printed kidney model. Photo via Stratasys

By Beau Jackson

3D printing models for surgical planning can reduce time in the operating room by ten to twenty percent, according to the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.

3D printing is making inroads as a vital part of a hospital’s pre-surgical planning procedures, training, patient communications, and bespoke treatment. Is bringing 3D printing on-site the next logical step?

I spoke with the CEO of a company bringing AM into hospitals and a doctor using 3D printing in his work with patients to learn more.

Do hospitals have the budget for 3D printing?

Henry Pinchbeck is the CEO of award-winning UK based 3D LifePrints.

His company provides production, consultancy, and training services to support

the further integration of additive within the healthcare sector.

A primary barrier surrounding 3D printing’s implementation in hospitals is whether they have the budget to introduce it. “Hospitals, particularly those in the UK at the moment, are faced with the daunting task of delivering improved services on a reduced budget,” says Pinchbeck, “Realistically this means bringing in effective technological solutions and increasingly creative approaches to things like process redesign.” 3D printing’s first hurdle is proving that it is capable of considerable and cost-effective improvements to patient care.

Excluding implant production, which is done off-site, a valuable use of 3D printing in healthcare is in pre-surgical planning. Since introducing 3D printed models, Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth

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Hospital has cut operation times by an average of 3-4 hours per surgery.

Professor Jean-Christophe Bernhard is a practitioner in the urology department Hospital Center University De Bordeaux (CHU de Bordeaux) in France. His department recently acquired a Stratasys J750 and prints anatomical models for patient communication purposes and to understand how physical tumor models compare to data provided by 2D CT scans.

According to Professor Bernhard, “the biggest potential” for the 3D printer is in surgical training, “This helps a lot of surgeons and trainees to prepare and train before complex surgeries.” Preliminary studies using 3D printed models to improve patient-physician communications at CHU de Bordeaux are positive. Patient understanding of a procedure is 50 percent greater for those seeing a 3D print rather than a CT scan. Not only does this give patients more peace of mind, but it also increases the satisfaction of care.

Other procedures, including the complicated removal of cancerous tumors, and treatment of pediatric heart defects, benefit from planning with 3D printed models at institutions including Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic and Phoenix Children’s

Hospital, Arizona. Cases like these are supported by studies that show how 3D printed devices can save surgeons costly minutes in the operating theater.

A University of Oxford review of relevant studies found 100 percent of relevant research abstracts sampled from January 2017 deemed 3D printed models and surgical guides “clinically effective” in musculoskeletal and maxillofacial applications.

For the patient, benefits include a lower risk of surgical complications, a shorter recovery, and, ultimately, less time spent in the hospital.

More than money The next significant hurdle for on-site integration is the financial cost of setting up and staffing such a 3D printing facility.

“For the patient, such findings lead to less risk of surgical complications, a shorter road to recovery, and, ultimately, less time spent in the hospital.”

Professor Bernhard explains, “The biggest constraint is that someone needs to dedicate all their time to the 3D printing process [...] Surgeons do not have the time to dedicate themselves to this, and you need someone trained.”

Recognizing this challenge, 3D LifePrints offers a service to both setup and manage on-site 3D printing facilities.

3D printed soft tissue mimicking models are used to aid clinical decision making at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. Photo via 3D LifePrints

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3D printed model of a patient's kidney and tumor viewed in the operating room. Model 3D printed on the Stratasys J750 at CHU de Bordeaux. Photo via Stratasys

Currently, three hospitals benefit from the 3D LifePrints service, with a further three expected by early 2020. Leading OEMs have similarly encouraged hospital integration through strategic agreements, for example, Stratasys and US Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, and GE Healthcare and VA Puget Sound Health Care System.

“3D printing’s first goal is proving that it is capable of considerable improvements to patient care.”

The FDA’s clearance of the Materialise Mimics Innovation Suite to make 3D printable anatomical models is another step towards integration. By attaining validation for the suite from Materialise, 3D printer manufacturers can attest their machines’ suitability for use in a medical setting.

Will all hospitals have a 3D printer one day?

Both Pinchbeck and Professor Bernhard envision on-site 3D printing becoming more commonplace in hospitals in the future.

Relevant regulatory bodies, such as the FDA and counterpart bodies around the world, are continually reviewing

guidelines to support the production of 3D printed medical devices. “What will happen,” Pinchbeck predicts, “is that the percentage of medical devices that have a patient-specific element will increase until it is standard practice.”

Professor Bernhard believes that implants 3D printed on-site should also be considered “Applications to simulate bones are made easier nowadays, and that is certainly something we will see expand more.” Earlier this year, longtime Arcam AB partner LimaCorporate broke the ground for an on-site hospital facility dedicated to 3D printing patient-specific implants. With precedent established, it could be the case that other institutions will opt for the same approach.

Prior to the invention of 3D printing, the on-site production of patient-specific surgical planning guides, or implants, were not an option for hospitals. Though regulation, money, skills, and value will continue to challenge implementation, these barriers will all be overcome with time, and as the technology continues to advance.

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Modeling dental impressions for teeth alignment.

Photo via Formlabs

Additive manufacturing myths: 3D printed dental aligners

By Tia Vialva

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hether it’s clear aligners, retainers, or dentures, additive manufacturing has digitized a range ofdental devices. This has not only accelerated the rate at which these products can be made, but also refined the level of customization possible.

With this ability to personalize and with increased access to 3D printing technology, the clinical nature of dental devices is sometimes marginalized - so much so that Amos Dudley, a design student from the New Jersey Institute of Technol-

ogy, tried his hand at creating his own clear braces using 3D scanning and desktop SLA. Coupling this with the rise in direct-to-customer teeth aligning services, some may get the impression that orthodontic consultation is a thing of the past. The now commonly used term “3D printed clear aligners” implies that clear braces are being produced straight off of the print bed and sent to the patient. However, 3D printing remains only a step in the teeth straightening process.

I spoke with Samuel Wainwright, Dental Product Manager at Formlabs, to go through the steps of creating custom clear aligners with a fine-tooth comb and how additive manufacturing plays a part in disrupting orthodontic treatments.

Thermoforming at the mouth The workflow for a clear aligner treatment begins with a digital impression of a patient’s mouth, or a traditional impression that is later digitized using a 3D scanner. This impression is converted into a clear aligner in dental CAD software, which is then approved by a dentist or orthodontist.

3D printed dental impressions and a thermoformed clear aligner. Photo via Formlabs

Based on the number of steps needed for treatment, a series of models are 3D printed to help create the aligners.

Models are made using an SLA system due to its ability to print at high resolution. The 3D printed clear aligner models are then washed in isopropyl alcohol to remove any excess resins from the surface, and UV cured for optimal materials properties. This model is used in a thermoformer with the desired clear material in the appropriate thickness.

Wainwright explains, “Even Invisalign, the company that created the invisible braces, 3D prints models for thermoforming. There are some materials used for directly 3D printed

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We are still very early in 3D printing direct appliances and prosthetics in dental. It’s exciting and we can get a bit ahead of ourselves but it is certainly the future of the dental industry Cutting and finishing a dental aligner thermoformed on a 3D printed impression. Photo via Ashford Orthodontics

dental appliances but none that meet the material properties for direct clear aligner manufacturing. For example Formlabs LT Clear Resin, a class II long term biocompatible product, is used for 3D printing splints and retainers but to meet the strength requirements it needs to be 1.5 to 2 mm in thickness, which is not ideal patients looking for ‘invisible’ tooth movement.”

outlined in the biocompatible resins instructions for use are followed correctly, there is very little risk.”

More than you can chew

Grin and 3D print it

Considering the necessary post-processing for a clear aligner, it is safe to say that directly using a 3D printed clear aligner mold would be unsafe. However on a material level, Wainwright explains “Photopolymers that can be used in a patient’s mouth, for example surgical guides or splints, must past rigorous toxicity testing,” and so “If the specific process

Additive manufacturing also has potential for the production of dentures. Much like the clear aligner workflow, producing 3D printed dentures can be more efficient and cost-effective compared to those conventionally made.

Sam Wainwright, Dental Product Manager at Formlabs. Photo via Formlabs

“That being said, there is no approved (FDA, CE, or otherwise) 3D printed clear aligner material on the market, yet. However, this is all changing pretty quickly so this statement might not age well.”

“Making dentures traditionally is a very high skill profession that requires a lot of labor and the need for these products is exponentially raising. I think the efficiencies and affordability gained through digital workflows combined with 3D printing will allow better care and accessibility to treatment on a broader scale,” adds Wainwright.

“Even without considering the labor savings, a traditional denture can cost between 40 and 60 dollars in consumables, a 3D printed denture on a Form 2 3D printer costs under 10 dollars.”

Wainwright estimates that the majority of dental appliances and prostheses will be additively manufactured in the next 10 years. This is due to the importance of personalization of such products for the patient: no one aligner can straighten all sets of teeth. Already industrial 3D printers are enabling mass production of millions of orthodontic devices each year - productivity that can meet the growing industry demands.

Wainwright concludes, “Every appliance and prosthetic in dental is unique, so there is no better way to create what the market demands in a cost effective and efficient way than 3D printing.”

Even Invisalign, the company that created the invisible braces, 3D prints models for thermoforming

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What happened to the world’s first 3D printed pill?

Q&A with Jae D. Yoo, Aprecia Pharmaceuticals

By Beau Jackson

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ommercially available from early 2016, Spritam® is a tablet produced using ZipDose® Technology, the 3D printing method of Ohio’s Aprecia Pharmaceuticals. Over the past few years, Aprecia has been working quietly to scale production and is currently preparing further commercial promotion of its products In a Q&A with Jae D. Yoo, PhD., MBA., Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer at Aprecia 3D Printing Industry receives a status update on Spritam, and a taster of the company’s ongoing development plans.

3D Printing Industry: Would you define ZipDose Technology as a mode of binder jetting?

Jae D. Yoo: Yes, Aprecia’s roots can be traced back to MIT where

binder jetting was developed in the early ’90s. ZipDose Technology is a formulation platform in which powder blends are stitched together layer-by-layer without using compression forces or molds. The spreading of thin layers of powder, and depositing pre-programmed patterns of liquid droplets onto selected regions of each layer is carried out repeatedly until tablets form.

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“Taste masking, dispersibility and overall form and shape of the tablet can all be dictated by the interaction between the powder and liquid during the 3D printing process.”

By controlling the properties of input materials and how they are combined at each voxel level, the process allows modulation of tablet hardness in whole, or regionally within the tablet. Taste masking, dispersibility, and overall form and shape of the tablet can all be dictated by the interaction between the powder and liquid during the 3D printing process.

One of the distinguishing features of Aprecia’s version of binder jetting is its speed. To attain the high throughput required to manufacture pharmaceutical products, Aprecia developed a 3D printing system that continuously loops around while building tablets. This design optimizes the utilization of powder spreading and inkjet printing mechanisms.

Robotic arm aiding SPRITAM® pill fabrication at Aprecia. Photo via Aprecia Pharmaceuticals Company

3D Printing Industry: How would you describe the current scale of Spritam production?

Jae D. Yoo: The approval of the Spritam (levetiracetam) Tablet for Oral Suspension proved the concept of commercial scale 3D printing for pharmaceuticals, initially launching from Aprecia’s cGMP facility in East Windsor, NJ.

Aprecia continued to focus its investment in scaling up and introducing automation to its process, which ultimately was implemented at its state-of-the-art cGMP commercial manufacturing center in Blue Ash, Ohio. Now, with full-scale commercial manufacturing underway in Blue Ash, Aprecia plans a significant U.S. commercial launch of Spritam in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Spritam will be available only in the U.S. initially, with plans for ex-U.S. approval in the future, and it will compete primarily with traditional forms of levetiracetam such as oral solution or tablet for oral use.

Aprecia builds thousands of Spritam units, the exact number being dependent on dose strength, simultaneously during its commercial 3D printing process. Since multiple “build cycles” can be run within a unit time (e.g., hour, shift, day), the exact throughput of the process is highly dependent on each product and strength. Typical throughput ranges from thousands to tens of thousands of units per hour.

Aprecia HQ in Blue Ash, Ohio. Photo via Aprecia Pharmaceuticals.

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3D Printing Industry: To what areas of medicine do you think ZipDose Technology is most valuable?

Jae D. Yoo: ZipDose Technology enables a highly porous solid oral dosage form which can disperse rapidly, even with an unprecedented 1 gram of API, in the oral cavity with just a small sip of liquid.

Previously existing technologies struggled to provide quick dispersion at high API strengths, leaving patient needs unaddressed, especially ones burdened with drug load (number or size of tablets) or ones suffering from swallowing difficulty or clinical dysphagia.

Across any disease state, pediatric and elderly patients may benefit from ZipDose Technology which presents patients and caregivers an easy-to-take and easy-to-administer delivery option that can lead to improved compliance and better disease management.

“ZipDose Technology [...] presents patients and caregivers an easy-to-take and easy-to-administer delivery option”

Inside the Aprecia tablet 3D printing system. Photo via Aprecia Pharmaceuticals Company.

3D Printing Industry: Are there any new products currently in development that you can discuss?

Jae D. Yoo: Aprecia has been collaborating with different part-

ners to address unmet patient needs, with current emphasis on populations with swallowing difficulties. As announced in December 2017, Aprecia has a partnership with Cycle Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize orphan drugs using 3D printing.

Treating patients with rare diseases is certainly a major part of Aprecia’s current focus. While details cannot be disclosed, we are also working with major pharmaceutical companies to incorporate different active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) into ZipDose format.

In addition, Aprecia is working on its own pipeline of ZipDose products towards commercialization. Aprecia is well poised to bring a string of new filings to regulatory agencies in the coming years, thanks to the investment it made to bolster product development and commercial manufacturing capabilities.

Lastly, we are continuing to improve the speed, quality, and cost of our processes. There are developments in progress that will have substantial impact on each of these aspects.

SPRITAM®, a 3D printed, rapidly disintegrating oral medicine for the prevention of seizures in people who suffer from epilepsy. In 2015 it became the first 3D printed tablet to receive approval from the FDA. Photo via Aprecia Pharmaceuticals Company

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3D Printing Industry: What is the long term goal for Aprecia looking to the future of 3D printng for pharmaceuticals?

Jae D. Yoo: As the first and only commercial manufacturer of an FDA-approved 3D printed drug, Aprecia plans to continue its momentum in paving the way for 3D printed pharmaceutical manufacturing. Our company is at an exciting time in its evolution. We are poised to develop and launch our own products as well as those of our pharmaceutical partners. We are designing our next generation of equipment which will incorporate substantial improvements and expand Aprecia’s capabilities in many different aspects.

Our R&D team is working on pharmaceutical innovation that will continue to address the unmet needs of patients. As the global leader in commercial-scale 3D printed pharmaceutical manufacturing, Aprecia is committed to creating technology platforms that enable patient-centric products and take medicines to their fullest potential.

“Typical throughput ranges from thousands to tens of thousands of units per hour.�

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Outstanding Contribution to 3D Printing: Interview with

Dr. Hans Langer founder, EOS

By Beau Jackson

Dr. Hans Langer, Founder and CEO of EOS Group. Photo via EOS GmbH

Dr. Langer’s introduction to 3D printing came in 1985

Maintaining his vision from the very early days of his company, Dr. Langer firmly believes that 3D printing has the potential to completely transform manufacturing as we know (or knew) it. This belief is clearly evidenced by the company’s commitment to new initiatives such as the NextGenAM Project, and its developing LaserProFusion technology.

when he joined laser system specialist General Scanning and began looking into early patents on the technology.

Recognizing the ways 3D printing could become an accepted method within the manufacturing sector, Dr. Langer eventually left General Scanning to set up his own company in 1989 with $500,000 in seed funding. “Very early on,” he comments, “I have been envisioning industrial 3D printing to become suitable for mass-customization and EOS to become the leading provider in this field.”

Over the past decade, he says that developments in computed processes have made manufacturers more open to the potential of 3D printing. “The industry is currently going through a fundamental shift where technology is at the core,” he comments, “We’ve moved away from 3D printing being a novelty and ‘nice to have,’ to something that’s vital to the success of digital manufacturing.”

Through NextGenAM, EOS and its collaborators have built an automated, digital factory, introducing additive manufacturing to series production. The first part produced on the line so far is a replacement diesel engine bracket for aerospace partner Premium AEROTEC.

We’ve moved away from 3D printing being a novelty and ‘nice to have’ to something that’s vital to the success of digital manufacturing

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Going hand-in-hand with the goals of NextGenAM, LaserProFusion is the evolution of EOS’ polymer 3D printing process. Powered by nearly one million diode lasers, the technique promises to expedite 3D printed production 10 fold, rivaling the short run throughput of injection molding.

“With the LaserProFusion technology, we are achieving a new level of productivity in polymer industrial 3D printing for serial manufacturing,” Dr. Langer comments. “It is a technology that can be an alternative to injection molding in many applications, respectively enabling tool-free injection molding. This will make industrial 3D printing attractive for a completely new market in the future.”

Demonstration of EOS' LaserProFusion technology, currently in development. Image via EOS GmbH

3D printing comes into its own when the limits of conventional manufacturing are reached Can 3D printing make the world a better place?

crucial part in solving societal issues. Seeking to make the world a better place, the company will focus on a “humaneering” approach - applying science and people-centric ethics to achieve its goals. “Besides business benefits, our technology contributes to making the world a better place to live in. To address this, among others, humaneering will be a big focus for us,” he adds.

To think that the future is all in the hardware though would be single-minded, and it’s not just “innovating for innovation’s sake” as Dr. Langer puts it. EOS’ long term goal is to create a complete ecosystem to help customers meet their specific needs. Looking at an even bigger picture, Dr. Langer also believes that additive manufacturing will play a

Both for the present and near-future of EOS mass customization may be the focus, but under such an innovation-focus leadership team it is unlikely that the company will ever become stagnant. “3D printing,” Dr. Langer concluded, “comes into its own when the limits of conventional manufacturing are reached.”

Dr. Langer was awarded the 2019 3D Printing Industry award for his outstanding contribution to the industry. Photo via EOS GmbH

Concept image of the NextGenAM factory developed by EOS and partners Daimler and Premium AEROTEC. Image via EOS GmbH

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Crafting the future of consumer 3D printing with ADIDAS 4D

The lattice structure on ADIDAS 4D is made from a UV-curable resin and polyurethane mixture.

By Anas Essop

Adidas and the future of 3D printed footwear ADIDAS 4D, the 3D printed midsole sneaker technology, is one of the most visible consumer applications of 3D printing on the market today.

When the FUTURECRAFT 4D sneaker was first released as a limited run in 2018, it sold out almost instantly. Sneakerheads, with sufficiently deep pockets, who missed the retail launch could expect to pay $20,000 on the resale market.

We spoke to adidas to learn what makes ADIDAS 4D so popular and if 3D printing is the future of mass production for Europe’s largest sportswear manufacturer.

ADIDAS 4D comfortably wins the popularity contest Sifting through hypebeast subreddits and forums, general consensus revolves around its comfort. Consumers claim that the shoe is comfortable even when worn for long periods, preventing aching feet. The 4D midsole is reported by several wearers to provide optimized levels of cushioning for different areas of the midsole, with one user stating that “You can also feel the different areas of the 4D providing different levels of cushioning.”

“You can also feel the different areas of the 4D providing different levels of cushioning.”

ADIDAS 4D is made from a UV-curable resin and polyurethane mixture, arranged in com-

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plex lattice structures and comes in a standard ‘Aero Green’ hue, while the newer Stella McCartney edition uses a white variant.

“shorter lead times, decentralized manufacturing, greater product flexibility, and the potential for individualization.”

Marco Kormann is Director of Platform Innovation at adidas and is in charge of acceleration and commercialization of 3D printing at the brand. For Kormann, the popularity of the ADIDAS 4D midsoles is bolstered by the allure of 3D printing as modern technology, allowing for individualized consumer products catered to the needs of the user.

“The technology uses data to translate the needs of a performance category, and eventually individual athlete or consumer, with the required movement, cushioning and stability directly into a midsole,” he explains.

The history of 3D printing at adidas Adidas has an extensive history with 3D printing, using it in the product development cycle as a rapid prototyping method for over twenty years. The company has ex-

plored 3D printing as an end-use production technique for the past ten years. FUTURECRAFT 4D was announced in 2015, as “an open-source partnership with Materialise,” however, Carbon publicly revealed their involvement in 2017. Production of the range now uses Carbon 3D printing technology.

3D printing as a manufacturing process brings significant benefits to the company.

Kormann says the technology enables “shorter lead times, decentralized manufacturing, greater product flexibility, and the potential for individualization.”

Kormann also discusses the choice to manufacture the midsole with Carbon’s patented CLIP process and DLS technology specifically at a commercial level. He cites the materials and surface finishes available on the platform that allow for the production of exceptional quality parts, making it suitable for end-use production.

Kormann claims that using Carbon 3D printing, “adidas engineers and designers can create previously impossible designs, from single-part combinations of complex assemblies to un-moldable and un-malleable geometries like lattices.”

The 3D printed midsole, ADIDAS 4D, produced by Carbon technology.

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riant of the A k va DI c a DA bl S A

4D ake sne r.

There are now a variety of adidas sneakers using the 3D printed midsole. Speaking with Ilse Gottlieb, the company’s PR manager for Global Brand Concepts, she explains “In 2018, we produced more than 100,000 pairs of shoes with 4D technology, and we intend to further expand production in the future.” It’s fair to say then that adidas is guiding its efforts into harnessing 3D printing technology to successfully meet demands for the midsole.

Disrupting the footwear market The ADIDAS 4D midsole, therefore, presents several unique selling points that benefit both adidas and the footwear consumer. The wearer gets its hands on an incredibly comfortable shoe, whereas the company can harness the unique design capabilities of additive manufacturing.

Both parties, however, can look forward to a personalized consumer experience, which Kormann believes will cement 3D printing as a standard manufacturing process for adidas. “The unique benefits of 3D printed midsoles and ADIDAS 4D will eventually enable adidas to cater to the individual performance needs of our consumers, which we believe will help to establish 3D printing as a standard production technique.”

IDAS 4D Triple W AD hit e

Although cycle times are higher than conventional production techniques, Kormann suggests 3D printing for mass production has potential. “It is the set-up of a world-first, large-scale 3D printing supply chain - from raw materials to availability of capable hardware - that has to be built out to support the availability of product at mass scale,” he explains.

3D printing has proven itself as a key technological innovation for the German footwear giant. Thanks to the success and popularity of the 3D printed midsoles, the company plans to expand the capabilities of ADIDAS 4D to cover more application areas and components of sneakers in the future. The technology has, therefore, gained a significant foothold in the consumer market, with Kormann concluding that 3D printing will make a lasting impact in footwear as a staple adidas technology. “We believe ADIDAS 4D will not only change the way consumers experience performance footwear but also become recognizable in its adaptability across a variety of sport-specific and lifestyle categories.”

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3D Printing

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WINNERS OF THE

3D Printing

Industry AWARDS 2019

The 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards official trophy 3D printed by Protolabs

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Winners of the 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards on stage with the 3DPI team

By Beau Jackson Who is leading the additive manufacturing world? Since 2016, we have invited our readers to help answer this vital question.

Recently we hosted the third annual 3D Printing Industry Awards in central London. As voted for by our readers in their thousands, this year’s winners represent the very best in additive manufacturing. From large scale aerospace parts, frontier medtech, cutting edge research and, most importantly, the people that make it all possible.

More than 80,000 public votes decided the results, in the following pages we proudly present your winners of the 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards.

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Community Advocate of the Year: Lauralyn McDaniel, Industry Events Manager, ASME. A former employee at SME, and now Industry Events Manager at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Lauralyn McDaniel has advocated for the additive manufacturing community for over 20 years. Recognizing her outstanding commitment to the industry, McDaniel was selected by our readers as the 2019 Community Advocate of the Year.

“To be honored as the community advocate of the year for doing what has become my purpose in life—to impact people’s lives with 3D printing—is something I will carry with me for those moments when the challenges seem insurmountable,” said McDaniel. “I’m grateful to everyone in the medical AM/3DP and standards communities for allowing me to be a part of their efforts.”

Aerospace or Automotive Application of the Year: Cranfield University and WAAM3D Cranfield University in the UK is leading research and development of largescale Wire+Arc Additive Manufacturing technology, and WAAM3D is its commercial spinout. The Eurofighter Typhoon rear frame that won 2019 Aerospace or Automotive Application of the Year is one of the most high profile parts made by the team to date. In addition to its impressive scale, the fatigue properties of this part, made to hold dual Eurojet EJ200 engines, make it an outstanding example of AM in aerospace.

WAAM3D CEO and Cranfield senior lecturer Dr. Filomeno Martina accepted the award on behalf of his team. “Winning such an important award for such a critical aerospace component recognizes how AM is much more than powder-bed only and gives us even more motivation to bring large-scale metal AM to all of you,” said Dr. Martina. ”The team has been focusing on commercialization for a while, and 2019/2020 will see large-scale metal AM become affordable and doable by everyone.”

Josef Prusa, founder of wildcard 2019 Desktop FFF 3D Printer of the Year winner Prusa Research, for the Prusa i3 MK3.

Innovation of the Year: Digital Metal, high-precision 3D metal printing Digital Metal’s high-precision 3D metal printing is the proprietary binder jetting technology of Swedish multinational Höganäs, the world’s largest producer of powdered metals. Currently available in the DM P2500 system, this technology is capable of producing fine quality parts, accurate within a single micron.

Miniature metal models comparable to a grain of rice in length demonstrate the potential of the technology.

Alexander Sakratidis, Sales & Marketing Manager at Digital Metal AB, thanked readers for voting. “We are honored to be awarded Innovation of the Year and truly glad that the industry has recognized our efforts.”

“We promise to continue to innovate, develop, and improve our Digital Metal technology to make it even better.”

Lauralyn McDaniel, Industry Events Manager, ASME, accepts the 2019 Community Advocate of the Year Award.

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Desktop non-FFF 3D printer of the year: Photocentric Liquid Crystal Precision 1.5 Founded in 2002, British 3D printer provider Photocentric markets a patented daylight photopolymerization 3D printing technology that harnesses the power of an LCD light source. The company was awarded a grant to develop its first-ever 3D printer in 2014 by Innovate UK. Some iterations later, the company launched the Liquid Crystal (LC) Precision 1.5 system, delivering print speeds of up to 4-11 sec/ layer and an x/y resolution of 47μm.

Leah Melling, Marketing Manager 3DGBIRE, accepts her company’s award for 2019 Value Added Reseller of the Year.

Value-added reseller of the year: 3DGBIRE As the name suggests, 3DGBIRE focuses on reselling 3D printers and related accessories to customers in the UK and Ireland. Its current range includes systems from Ultimaker, Photocentric, Raise3D, and JCR, as well as 3D scanners from SHINING 3D. More than machines, the company offers its customers free technical support, as well as an official forum for all queries relating to Ultimaker, compounded by training courses, spare part supply, and hardware upgrades.

“3DGBIRE was set up to provide the support needed to drive the adoption of 3D printing,” commented Paul Croft, Director 3DGBIRE, UltimakerGB & Founder of Create Education.

“We’re delighted to accept this award as validation of the value the team try to add every day and would like to thank everyone who took the time to vote.

Exciting times ahead!

Desktop FFF 3D printer of the year: a wildcard entry, the Prusa i3 MK3 For the second year in a row, the Prusa Research i3 MK3 RepRap 3D printer took home Desktop FFF 3D printer of the year.

The difference this year, however, was that the machine didn’t make it onto the official shortlist, and instead garnered overwhelming support from its community at the wildcard stage.

“This mark of recognition for one of our earlier LCD innovations, Liquid Crystal Precision 1.5, is a sign of the hard work and dedication that everyone at Photocentric has poured into our unique method of LCD 3D printing,” said a company spokesperson in acceptance of the Desktop non-FFF 3D printer of the year accolade.

“The LC Precision 1.5 is just a glimpse of what the future holds for Photocentric.

We have been developing the next generation of LCD 3D printers that will revolutionize the additive manufacturing industry. These developments will firmly place LCD 3D printing in its rightful place as an effective method of custom mass manufacturing.”

A firm favorite of the maker community, the i3 MK3 is capable of print speeds exceeding 200 mm/s and includes features such as a removable magnetic heated bed for ease of use, Bondtech gears, a Noctua fan, and near-silent Trinamic drivers.

“I am extremely excited about our second win in this category, and it was quite a pleasant surprise,” commented Josef Průša, CEO & Founder, Prusa Research.

“We cannot wait for next year’s round, where Original Prusa SL1, Prusament and PrusaSlicer will be fighting in three new categories!”

Nikita Chibisov, 3D Printing Software and Technical Development specialist, Photocentric, enthusiastically accepts Desktop Non-FFF 3D Printer of the Year for the Photocentric Liquid Crystal Precision 1.5.

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3D Printing for a Better World Award: 3D LifePrints’ anatomical models for patient care

The Desktop Metal team take to the stage in acceptance of Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year (Metals) for the Studio System.

Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year (Metals): Desktop Metal Studio System

Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year (Polymers): Stratasys J750

Shortly following the 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards, Desktop Metal commenced European shipments of its Studio System. First announced alongside the more substantial, binder jet Production System in April 2017, the Studio started shipping pre-orders in 2018. It uses an extrusion-based process, with debinding and sintering to create 96-99.8 percent dense metal parts. 2019 is the second time the Studio System has been awarded Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year in the metal category.

For many, the J750 has become a staple for full-color, functional prototyping. It is the machine of choice for companies including Don Schumacher Racing, Kärcher, Columbia University, Google, Audi, and PostNord among others, and now, through integration with Materialise’s Mimics inPrint software, is finding its way to point-of-care applications in hospitals. Since April 2019, the colors produced on the J750 have been Pantone validated, matching an industry-wide standard of over 500,000 different shades.

CEO Ric Fulop said, “Desktop Metal is proud to receive the 2019 Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year in Metals award for our Studio System, the world’s first and only office-friendly metal 3D printing solution.”

“This recognition is especially momentous as it marks the second consecutive year that the 3D printing community has recognized our innovative technology and further validates our leadership position in driving the adoption of metal 3D printing.”

New for 2019, the 3D Printing for a Better World Award is made to recognize initiatives actively improving the lives of others. Such is the ambition of UK-based healthcare company 3D LifePrints. From its base in Liverpool, 3D LifePrints is helping private, NHS and university hospitals integrate 3D printing for anatomical modeling. With this service, it is helping improve clinician-patient communications, as well as planning steps for complex surgery.

“When we started 3D LifePrints we wanted to create a company that has humanitarian values at its core, and that values people as highly as the technology,” said Henry Pinchbeck, CEO. “This award means a lot to us as it reinforces our belief that our clients and partners agree with our stance. It will drive us to work even harder to grow our business and the wider medical 3D printing market.”

“Every day, global customers such as Google Arts & Culture, LAIKA, and Audi seek to push creative boundaries with 3D printing. We’re proud to deliver the technology necessary to make this possible,” said Omer Krieger, EVP of Products at Stratasys.

“We’re thrilled to receive this award from the industry experts at 3D Printing Industry, and it’s even more meaningful knowing this was voted for by actual users themselves.”

Justin Cunningham, Marketing Manager North East EMEA, Stratasys, accepts the award for 3019 Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year (Polymers) for the Stratasys J750.

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OEM of the Year (Enterprise): GE Additive

Henry Pinchbeck, CEO, 3D LifePrints, accepts the award for 2019 3D Printing for a Better World. This year, the trophy was awarded for 3D LifePrints’ work in producing 3D printed anatomical models for patient care.

Academic/Research Team of the Year: Digital Reconfigurable Additive Manufacturing facilities for Aerospace (DRAMA) team from the MTC, UK DRAMA is a two-pronged approach. First is the digital aspect, twinning AM as part of a manufacturing facility, creating a knowledge base for those looking to adopt the technology, and developing toolsets for simulation. Second, is education, providing manufacturers with hands-on reconfigurable pre-production facilities where they can come to learn, model, and validate end-to-end process chains. Now over mid-way through this project, the DRAMA team was named our reader’s Academic/Research Team of the Year. Dr. Katy Milne, Chief Engineer of the DRAMA Digital Engineering Group, said the award was “fantastic recognition” for their efforts, adding, “The next 18 months is going to be really exciting.”

Through its Concept Laser and Arcam systems, GE Additive supplies the industry with two leading metal 3D printing technologies. Incredibly versatile, the company’s 3D printer portfolio includes systems as equally suited to materials R&D as they are to serial production. For DMLM, the M2 cusing is considered the workhorse of this range, used in aerospace, healthcare and automotive.

In EBM, the company offers a range of 3D printers especially suited to different applications, such as the Q20plus for cost-efficient aerospace components, and the Q10plus for dental.

“Awards received and voted for by our peers – independently, and in such high numbers - are particularly special and a great endorsement,” said Shaun Wootton, PR & Media Relations Leader at GE Additive in acceptance of the award.

“Thanks from the entire team.”

Shaun Wootton, PR & Media Relation Leader at GE Additive, accepting his company’s award for OEM of the Year (Enterprise)

OEM of the Year (Personal): E3D Online Hotends, nozzles, extruders, upgrades kits, filament, spare parts and now software are all part of E3D’s catalog.

Initially, a passion project serving the hobbyist community, the company now supplies subsystems to businesses both within and external to the 3D printing industry, including work for NASA, Airbus, Prusa Research, Kodak, and Lulzbot. The V6 is considered E3D’s flagship product.

An all-metal hotend, it has since been succeeded by the Nozzle X, the “One to rule them all.”

“As OEM to some of the industry’s biggest FDM 3D printer manufacturers, we at E3D are humbled to realize with this award that the difference we’re striving for is being recognized and appreciated by our customers, and by the end-user,” commented Clare Difazio, Head of Commercial at E3D Online.

“We were barely in existence five years ago: here’s to the next five years and beyond!”

Lina A. Huertas, Head of Technology Strategy for Digital Manufacturing at the MTC and Katy Milne Chief Engineer of the Digital Reconfigurable Additive Manufacturing facilities for Aerospace (DRAMA) project at MTC accepts the 2019 Academic/Research Team of the Year award on behalf of her team.

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Medical, Dental or Healthcare Application of the Year: BCN3D Technolog ies and the University of Girona

From left to right: Arno Held, Chief Venture Office at AM Ventures, Kevin Eckes R&D/Applications Engineer at 2019 Startup of the Year Aerosint, and Beau Jacskon, Senior Journalist, 3D Printing Industry.

Startup of the Year: Aerosint A genuine first for 3D printing, Aerosint is seeking to bring multi-material capabilities to PBF technologies. With dual “patterning drums” in the recoater, Aerosint’s technology selectively deposits fine powder by the voxel which is subsequently melted by the laser. So far, the company has tested its system with a variety of material combinations, including PA12 & TPU, and Titanium & Alumina.

“For the Aerosint team it’s a true honor to be recognized by the industry for our efforts in making 3D printing multimaterial,” commented Edouard Moens de Hase, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Aerosint.

“With this award, we hope even more companies will be interested to learn about Aerosint and start a collaboration with us on the development of their innovative multi-material applications.”

Material company of the Year: CRP Technology Headquartered in Modena, Italy, CRP Technology is the developer and manufacturer of Windform® composite materials for laser sintering. Windform SP, flame retardant FR1, glass fiber reinforced GT, and TPU-based RL are some of the materials on offer. Windform customers come from a variety of highperformance, high-impact industries, including aerospace, motorsport, and medical. Electric motorcycle manufacturer Energica Motor Company is a firm partner of the company and used Windform components in preparation for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. Franco Cevolini, VP and CTO said, “Bringing home this specific award means a lot to us, as it is recognition for our longstanding activity in the 3D printing sector.”

“CRP Technology’s F1 background helped us responding to the demands of the international market, anticipating highly unique manufacturing solutions worldwide.”

In this award-winning application, scientists in the Oncology Unit of the University of Girona used a BCN3D Sigma 3D printer to build a variety of different cell scaffolds. The purpose was to find a cheaper way of culturing cancerous tissues, so they can be studied to help in the journey to finding a cure.

Through experimentation, the team identified a mesh suitable for isolating stem cells from a sub-type of breast cancer. The next step is to try different pharmaceutical products to assess how the tissue reacts.

“This investigation has been considered a significant milestone in the research of triple-negative breast cancer,” commented Xavi M.Faneca, CEO BCN3D Technologies.

“Together with the University of Girona, we’re very proud to receive this award from 3D Printing Industry which reflects the importance of additive manufacturing in the healthcare field.”

Xavier Martínez Faneca, Co-Founder and CEO of BCN3D Technologies, accepts the award for 2019 Medical, Dental or Healthcare Application of the Year.

This year, the trophy was awarded for BCN3D’s work with the University of Girona to create a 3D printed device used to isolate breast cancer cells.

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3D Scanning/ Metrology Company of the Year: Artec 3D

Dick Moerkens (L), SVP R&D and Nuno Campos (R), CMO, Ultimaker, accept Cura’s award for 2019 Software Tool of the Year.

Software Tool of the Year: Ultimaker Cura Arguably the most popular slicing tool on the market, Ultimaker Cura is used by over 1 million people worldwide. Though developed especially for Ultimaker 3D printers, the slicer is compatible with many other desktop systems, with modified versions available for Prusa, Lulzbot and Dremel DigiLab 3D printers.

With new plugins, the tool has also increased its utility within the engineering community, a point highlighted by Ultimaker CMO Nuno Campos, in acceptance of the award.

“This is truly an amazing reward for the hard work and accomplishments of our entire team,” Campos commented.

“By continuously adding new industrystandard software integrations and material print profiles, we will continue to streamline our users’ professional workflow for maximum efficiency.”

“We are very proud of this acknowledgment and would like to thank the 3D Printing Industry team for hosting a fantastic event.”

Creative Use of 3D Printing Award: BigRep NERA E-Motorcycle A functional prototype electric motorcycle, the 3D printed NERA is a demonstration of the visionary designs created at BigRep’s in-house innovation team NOWLAB. A part of the company since September 2016, NOWLAB seeks new and creative ways to emphasize the unique aspects of large-format 3D printing. This particular project was completed in only 12 weeks. Daniel Büning, CIO of BigRep and Managing Director at NOWLAB, commented, “We are thrilled about the award for our prototype NERA, the world’s first fully 3D-printed, functional e-motorcycle.”

“With our creative use of 3D printing, we have demonstrated the unprecedented capacity of FFF large-scale 3D printing technology in AM.” “On behalf of the design and engineering teams at NOWLAB, we’d like to thank all of you who voted for NERA. We promise to excite you again with cutting-edge designs!”

The AM ecosystem is incomplete without scanning and metrology equipment.

Artec 3D scanners are a popular choice for reverse engineering and other creative 3D printing applications. Eva is the company’s most popular product, offering fast, accurate, handheld 3D scanning at a rate of 2 million points per second. The company’s latest product, the Artec Micro, is an automated scanning system and indicative of the next step in the company’s strategy. CEO Art Yukhin stated. “With the release of our metrologygrade desktop scanner Artec Micro, and before that, our long-distance laser scanner Artec Ray, the metrology market has become a very significant one for us, so we are especially proud to be recognized in this area by 3D Printing Industry readers.”

In addition, Yukhin said, “We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who cast their vote for Artec 3D and made it possible for us to claim the top spot in such an important nomination.”

Consumer Product of the Year: Carbon & adidas Futurecraft4D 3D printed sneaker midsoles As hypebeasts already know, the Futurecraft4D project has captured the imagination of the consumer product market. Now in multiple editions, these sneakers with 3D printed midsoles have been known to attract an asking price of more than $20,000 on the resale market.

Carbon CCO Phil DeSimone commented, “Carbon is incredibly excited to accept the 3D Printing Industry Award’s 2019 Consumer Product of the Year for the Futurecraft 4D.”

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Outstanding Contribution to 3D Printing In the year of the company’s 30th anniversary, Dr. Hans Langer, founder, and CEO of EOS Group, received the Outstanding Contribution award. Turn to page 38 to learn more about Dr. Langer’s, plans for the future of additive manufacturing

Markus Glasser, Senior Vice President Export, EOS, accepts the 2019 Outstanding Contribution to 3D Printing award on behalf of Dr. Hans Langer, Founder and CEO of EOS.

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All photos by 3D Printing Industry.

A note on the trophy As featured on the cover, the 2019 3D Printing Industry trophy was designed by Ferran Sánchez Monferrer, a current undergraduate at Fundació CIM-UPC in Barcelona.

Deemed a “yin and yang” of design, the winner was selected by 2018 and 2019 official trophy manufacturer Protolabs.

According to Daniel Cohn, Managing Director at Protolabs in Germany, “We chose Ferran’s ‘Optim’ trophy design as the winner because it represents the possibilities and variability of 3D printing in a very elegant way.”

“It demonstrates how different materials can lead to a superior design, when the right balance is struck.”

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2019 3D Printing Industry Awards: The Shortlists

It’s not just about the winning.

This year the number of nominations from readers broke all previous records. Making it onto the shortlist is no small achievement.

The following enterprises, institutions, applications, and products were all finalists in the 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards.

Medical, Dental or Healthcare Application • • • • • • • • • •

BCN3D Technologies and the University of Girona, A 3D printed device used to isolate cells from one of the most aggressive breast cancers Stratasys, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, 3D printed kidney models in the pre-surgical planning of a transplant for 2 year old boy 3D Life Prints, Anatomical models for patient care Materialise, bioresorbable splint restores baby’s collapsed bronchus Newcastle University, 3D printing human corneas with CELLINK Protolabs and Novax DMA, 3D printed cranial implant 3D Systems NextDent materials with FabPro and Figure 4 printers for Dental Renishaw’s 3D printed drug delivery port for North Bristol NHS Trust’s Parkinson’s disease drug trial Aalto University and Michigan Technological University’s 3D printed customized labware and reaction vessels Stryker, Tritanium TL Curved Posterior Lumbar CageMorem

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Aerospace or Automotive Application Consumer Product • • • • • • • • • •

The European Space Agency (ESA) and BEEVERYCREATIVE’s Project MELT microgravity 3D printer BMW 3D printed cylinder head for the S58 engine Airbus Helicopters’ EOS M400-1 3D printed A350 latches Launcher and EOS, copper alloy E-1 rocket engine DMG MORI & Porsche Energica Motorcycles and CRP, 3D printed end use motor terminal cover Sciaky, EBAM project with Lockheed Martin to make satellite fuel tanks Cranfield University and WAAM3D 2.5m x 1.5 m rearframe for the BAE Systems Eurofighter Typhoon ParaMatters and Renishaw, ECOSSE Moto Works Nightstalker motorcycle bracket design Thales Alenia Space series production of satellites for Eutelsat Communications

• • • • • • • • • •

Carbon & adidas Futurecraft 4D 3D printed sneaker midsoles Align Technology Inc. and 3D Systems, Invisalign custom dental aligners Batch.Works, 3D printed stationery for Paperchase Carbon, the Riddell Speedflex Precision Diamond football helmet EOS and Erpro Group, the 3D printed brush tip of Chanel Le Volume Révolution mascara EOS and Hexo Helmets bicycle helmets Formlabs and Gillette RazorMaker project IKEA Israel, Milbat and Access Israel, ThisAbles Luxexcel prescription lenses Reebok & BASF, Liquid Speed shoe

Community Advocate

Creative Use of 3D Printing

• • • • • •

• • •

• • • •

Peanut3D Thomas Sanladerer, Toms3D 3D Maker Noob Phil Hall, The Windsor Boys’ School Devin Montes, Make Anything Dr. Michael Scherer, Prosthodontist at Sonora Modern Dentistry & Orthodontics Dr. Joshua Pearce, Michigan Technological University (MTU) Lauralyn McDaniel, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Ralph Resnick, America Makes Avi Reichental

• • • • • • •

BigRep NERA E-Motorcycle Materialise Black Panther costumes Polymaker, Coin Robotics & Shanghai Construction Group’s 3D printed composite bridge LAIKA and Stratasys, life-like characters for feature film “The Missing Link” MIT Tangible Media Lab, SensorKnit Scan the World, Bust of a Bearded Man acquired by the V&A Cast Courts Deeptime, Ionic Sound System Microlight3D, world’s smallest 3D printed portrait of artist Michel Paysant Emerging Objects, Cabin of Curiosities DWS, XCluster for lost wax casting trees

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Academic/Research Team • • • • • • • • • •

Complex Materials Group and Soft Materials Group at ETH Zurich, development of a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) material for 3D printers Fraunhofer ILT, futureAM project The European Large Additive Subtractive Integrated Modular Machine (LASIMM) Consortium Digital Reconfigurable Additive Manufacturing facilities for Aerospace (DRAMA) team from the MTC, UK The Colorado School of Mines Alliance for the Development of Additive Processing Technologies (ADAPT) University of Nottingham Institute for Advanced Manufacturing The University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Damien Loterie, Paul Delrot and Christophe Moser at the Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne, Volumetric 3D Printing Open Architecture Additive Manufacturing (OAAM), The Welding Institute (TWI) Ibo Matthews and the Laser Materials Group at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)

Innovation

3D Scanning/Metrology Company

• •

• • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

Digital Metal, high-precision 3D metal printing University of Michigan, rapid continuous additive manufacturing University of Freiburg spinoff Glassomer, 3D printed silica glass XJet Nano Particle Jetting (NPJ) EOS LaserProFusion BigRep MXT Extrusion Technology Farsoon Technologies, Flight Technology for polymer laser sintering Digital Alloys’ Joule Printing Betatype, serial production of LED headlamp heatsink for cars Mimaki 3DUJ-553 UV LED printing solution

Artec 3D FARO Creaform GOM Nikon Metrology Perceptron Renishaw Shining3D Thor3D ZEISS

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Enterprise 3D Printer (Metals)

Material Company

• • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • •

Desktop Metal Studio System EOS M400-4 Additive Industries MetalFAB1 Aurora Labs S-TITANIUM PRO Renishaw RenAM500Q SLM Solutions 800HL 3DEO ExOne X1 25 PRO Arcam Q10plus COHERENT | OR LASER – CREATOR

•

Fillamentum BASF eSun Filamentive DSM Additive manufacturing Solvay Owens Corning Pyrogenesis UL, Plastics for Additive Manufacturing Program “Blue Card” CRP Technology

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3D Printing for a Better World

Enterprise 3D Printer (Polymers)

• • •

• • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • •

e-NABLE Open Bionics affordable bionic limbs 3D Systems and OpHeart’s anotomical models through the Heart-in-Hand Pledge Clean2Antarctica 3D printed, no-emission solar powered vehicle NTU spinoff Nano Sun, 3D printed water filtering membranes Hamilton Labs, 3D printed toilets for India Abi Bush for FieldReady’s 3D printing in disaster zones WASP, village of Shamballa Gaia building Family of the Future, Flam3D SECORE International, 3D printed coral

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Photo via The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) Coventry

DRAMA:

How to build an AM facility for aerospace

By Beau Jackson

L

aunched November 2017, the DRAMA (Digital Reconfigurable Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace) project at the MTC’s National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM) focuses on the adoption of additive manufacturing in aerospace. The first aspect of DRAMA is skills-based. Developed in collaboration with neighbors at the Lloyd’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center (AMTC), short courses give aerospace engineers technical insight into the technology and teach the specific limits of design for additive manufacturing. Throughout 2019, DRAMA’s training programs have undergone pilot runs with aerospace partners. To date, 42 trainees from 26 different companies have taken the five courses.

Second, a digital element focuses on the development of an online knowledge hub for AM FAQs and the creation of a digital twin environment. Two years into the three-year project, the initiative is preparing to make its knowledge hub live to the public. For the best part of this year, the platform has been in the beta-testing stage. Dr. Katy Milne, Chief Engineer of the DRAMA Digital Engineering Group, said that the platform would be the “place to go” for in-depth knowledge relating to the adoption of additive, rather than a simple “what is AM?” For example, answering providing practical answers to questions including “What health and safety processes do I need if I’m operating with aluminum powder?” or “What are the pros and cons of different post-build processes?”

The UK’s National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM), home of the DRAMA project. Photo via The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) Coventry

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Digital twin at the MTC By the end of the project, the DRAMA group will have also digitally twinned the metal powder bed facilities at the MTC. DRAMA’s digital twin approach pulls the data generated during testing into an empirical model for the application of physics-based modeling. Dr. Milne explains that collecting this data means, “Instead of having to start from scratch, there’ll be this opensource set of models and databases [for companies to adopt].” The team is also developing tools for data analysis and experimental design, which will facilitate process development. Through further publicly funded projects, the NCAM will continuously update its digital twin using data from its facility, further enhancing process knowledge and understanding. With this model, aerospace companies can visit this facility and learn about the practical considerations when building their in-house additive center.

For the final year of the project, DRAMA will continue working with companies in the aerospace supply chain, allowing them to test the AM support packages offered by its MTC team. These support packages will be tailored to answer specific questions and enable companies to do a trial run of their projects through the twinned facility. DRAMA is currently scheduled for completion on 30 October 2020.

Metal additive manufacturing systems at the National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM) within Coventry’s MTC. Photo via The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) Coventry

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Finding solutions to the plastic waste crisis

By Umair Iftikhar Plastic is everywhere, and sadly, so is plastic waste. The level of this waste is at a point never experienced in history and is now considered a marker in time where human activity has negatively altered the Earth. This period is known as the Anthropocene era.

The Sea Education Association estimates that 8,300 million metric tons (Mt) of virgin plastic has been produced to date and 6,300 Mt of plastic waste has been generated as of 2015. Nine percent of the plastic waste is recycled around the globe, 12 percent is incinerated, and 79 percent becomes part of the landfill. To add to the sense of crisis, studies show that microplastic fibers from degraded polymer waste end up in tap water and food products.

In this whole scenario, 3D printing is part of the problem and the solution.

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Additive does not always mean sustainable Additive manufacturing is generally considered a low-waste manufacturing process compared to subtractive manufacturing. More efficient 3D printed parts can have wide-ranging environmental effects.

Len Pannett, Managing Partner and Board Member at the global management engineering company, Visagio, recognizes the impact of such parts on its surroundings. "You can make parts that are far lighter, which then translates into economies in energy," he tells me.

"There are a number of examples where you save one kilo of weight per airplane, multiply that by the number of aircraft, multiply that by the number of journeys that they make per year. It is a significant saving in fuel. Which is also why AM is used in the space industry."

With 25 years in operational supply chain management, Pannett believes that the lack of knowledge of 3D printing among policymakers adds to the waste issue, as the focus of government lies in what to do with the amount of existing waste. He also recognizes the potential of 3D printing as a sustainable manufacturing method. However, Pannett goes on to say that 3D printing, in many ways, is adding to the problem of climate change by creating plastic waste.

As a result of the inactivity from producers and consumers, the development of a circular economy is stagnant.

Bioplastics and spools A general misunderstanding is that compostable bioplastics are a simple solution to the waste problem; this includes the commonly used PLA aka polylactic acid, a material made of renewable biomass like corn and potatoes. Nevertheless, such materials need to be recycled or composted in a commercial facility.

Moreover, filament spools are a cause for concern. Once a plastic spool is empty, it is the consumer's responsibility to either utilize or dispose of it. Currently, most manufacturers are not much concerned about spool waste. There have been many cases where hobbyists have complained about 3D printing companies refusing to take back empty spools for recycling or further use.

This means not only recycled end-use but actually making parts that can be reused, which means making products that have longer lifetimes as well as the materials that go into that.

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To deal with the spool waste, Filamentive, a filament manufacturer headquartered in West Yorkshire, has come up with a creative solution. With a passion for sustainability within new technologies, Ravi Toor, Founder, and Director of Filamentive, explains how such waste can be eliminated.

"Plastic spools are a big problem, very few councils in the UK take this kind of waste. We saw cardboard as the most straightforward option.

We think after the 3D printing is done there should be no waste left with the user. Our cardboard spools can be easily recycled in council bins."

Waste not, want not Plastic waste problems in the 3D printing industry have also created opportunities for waste management and consultancy groups. According to Pannett, waste plastic has been used to 3D print medical devices like microscopes in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Another such example is that of Protoprint, a filament maker based in Pune, India.

Plastic waste collectors in India are among the most poorly paid workforces in the country, earning around 23p per kg of plastic waste.

Instead, Protoprint buys the waste for ÂŁ3.25 per kilo, which is then recycled into filament.

For this reason, material identification is an integral part of the 'Closed Loop Innovation in Fused Filament Fabrication' (CLIFFF) project, which is funded by the British government technology cluster, Innovate UK. Within CLIFFF, Jo Young, Managing Director of GoPrint3D, a UK-based 3D printing service bureau, says that filament companies and service bureaus must step up to create solutions.

Another concern is around the quality of filament made from recycled material. While some may perceive recycled filament having weaker mechanical properties, this is not necessarily the case. Indeed, studies have shown that mechanical properties are only effected after at least five extrusion cycles.

On the topic of future sustainability, Pannett says that for 3D printing to fully realize its sustainability potential, it is not enough to say that a product is 3D printed. "Part of the question about the circular economy and sustainability credentials is that ... you want to be designing for sustainability, and you want to be making for sustainability."

"This means not only recycled end-use but actually making parts that can be reused, which means making products that have longer lifetimes as well as the materials that go into that."

How 3D printing will fit into the solution remains to be seen.

Regardless, there are a lot of challenges in making filament from recycled material, including material identification in the sorting stage.

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A Solid Foundation: 3D Printing for Construction

By Arlene Lo

Skilled-labor shortages and low productivity trouble the construction industry, especially in developed countries. Despite rising wages, there are 347,000 vacant construction jobs as of June 2019 in the US alone. Over the last two decades, the construction industry has an average growth in labor-productivity of 1 percent per year globally. In contrast, the annual growth figures in labor-productivity for the manufacturing sector and the total world economy are 3.6 and 2.8 percent respectively.

Can 3D printing for construction provide a solution? This automated building method promises 24/7 operation and a significant reduction in both construction times and onsite workforce. Avoiding waste and using recycled materials, 3D printing also paves the way to sustainable construction.

I asked Henrik Lund-Nielsen, CEO of COBOD and 3D Printhuset, to shed light on whether 3D printing will become a standard feature in the construction industry.

3D printing is long established in making architectural models, molds, and building components. As early as 1999, Foster + Partners were producing SLA models for the skyscraper commonly known as the Gherkin in London. In a more recent commercial real-estate project, Skanska 3D printed cladding ‘shrouds’ for the canopy of an office rooftop terrace. However, additive manufacturing is mainly applied in the

early phases of the construction pipeline, such as design rather than the actual construction phase. Most attribute this to the viability of the machinery and the slow incorporation into building codes.

Concrete problems and solutions Lund-Nielsen says construction 3D printing companies can be separated into two groups. The focus of most construction 3D printing firms is getting their first printer ready. This involves enhancing the speed and precision of printers and commercializing the product. To this date, only COBOD, CyBee and XtreeE manage to sell construction 3D printers regularly.

For these industry leaders, it is more about getting the rest of the supply chain to follow suit.

While a print head speed of one meter per second is possible, COBOD has yet to find 3D printable materials that can keep up. Currently, available materials limit the speed to 10 - 30 centimeters per second. To fully utilize the maximum building rate 3.6 cubic meters of concrete, weighing a total of 10 tons would need to be supplied per hour. This means equipment such as silos, mixers, hoses, and pumps would be vital in containing and delivering such a load.

Also, concrete needs to set quicker.

Concrete suppliers are geared towards

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“

This is just concrete. We are not printing completely new materials.

That is the only thing we do, except we applied the concrete differently. It’s like you have an automatic drill to screw in the screws instead of doing it by hand. It’s just the tools. Nothing else.

COBOD’s construction 3D printer.

Photo via COBOD.

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the traditional way of building, making concrete that generally takes hours to set. While some concrete 3D printing companies develop their in-house mix of concrete, Lund-Nielsen encourages an open materials policy. 3D printing companies should make material suppliers aware of the needs of 3D printable materials. It is more efficient to leverage the expertise, experience, and resources of concrete suppliers than starting from the ground up.

Opting for cooperation over competition, the most effective and economical solution can be found much more quickly. Several suppliers of building materials have begun engaging with the technology and developed special admixtures for 3D printing.

Cement manufacturer LafargeHolcim teamed up with XtreeE and has developed a range of experimental concrete mixes specifically suited to 3D printing.

“

“I’m not just optimistic about construction 3D printing. I am extremely optimistic”

Sound process but slow progress Concerns about the safety of the machinery and 3D printed buildings, according to Lund-Nielsen, stem mostly from misunderstanding. COBOD’s BOD 2 printer and its M-tec pumping system all come with a CE marking, a certification mark that indicates conformity with health, safety, and environmental protection standards for products sold within Europe.

It might come as a surprise that 3D printed concrete walls are three times the strength of conventional ones. While the norm for

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compressive strength of residential walls is 15 -20 MPa, COBOD’s 3D printed walls are 52 MPa. “This is just concrete. We are not printing completely new materials. That is the only thing we do, except we applied the concrete differently. It’s like you have an automatic drill to screw in the screws instead of doing it by hand. It’s just the tools. Nothing else,” Lund-Nielsen points out.

However, building standards enforced now are prescriptive rather than performance-based. Many regions make no provision for 3D printing techniques, materials or even testing.

The regulatory authorities Lund-Nielsen has spoken to are all positive - they recognize that the technology is visionary and believe in the credibility of materials.

“But this doesn’t change that their role is to make sure that anything being built is according to norms and codes,” Lund-Nielsen adds.

As with all new technologies, it takes

time to gain the trust of authorities.

For Lund-Nielsen, slow incorporation into building codes is inevitable - “Until they put the existing codes based on the old-fashioned way of construction onto the new technology. And the new technology will just have to comply with it. There is no way around.”

COBOD has taken up the challenge to figure out how construction 3D printing can fulfill the strict European building code. In 2017, COBOD debuted Europe’s first 3D printed house in Copenhagen, the BOD. Such efforts have encouraged initial work to list 3D printing as a recognized mode of construction under the international union of experts in construction materials, systems and structures RILEM. Cement suppliers such as Lafarge, Heidelberg, Cemex are working to create standards and licenses for 3D printable materials as well. “It is slow, and it is going to take years before anything comes out of that, but it is good that it is happening,” Lund-Nielsen remarked.

Reaching new heights Among the twenty 3D printed buildings globally, all of them are only demo single-story buildings limited to 50 - 100 square meters. Scaling up is a key focus for future development, particularly for gantry-type printer manufacturers. COBOD’s latest printer is capable of constructing 3 x 300 square-meter buildings. Lund-Nielsen believes we could see large-scale buildings in 2020.

In the coming three years, construction 3D printing most likely will still be, as Lund-Nielsen estimated, below $100 million in the construction industry with global annual revenue of $10 trillion. According to a study by BCG, the number of companies in construction 3D printing has grown from 20 in 2013 to 65 in 2018.

“I’m not just optimistic about construction 3D printing. I am extremely optimistic,” Lund-Nielsen concludes.

A render of the 3D printed BOD building.

Image via COBOD

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The Apium P220 a capable, high performing, polymer 3D printer

By Beau Jackson

The Apium P220 is an FFF 3D printer designed for use with higher grade polymers including PEEK, carbon fiber reinforced PEEK, PVDF, and PEI 9085. Additional functionality added to the system means the printer can also produce green bodies from 316L stainless and 17-4PH hardenable steel. With a robust and highly resistant part output, the system is the main product of Germany’s Apium Additive Technologies GmbH. In this hands-on review, 3D Printing Industry engineers put the capabilities of this compact 3D printer to the test.

Apium P220 setup and training Apium provides optional training for P220 customers, recommended for beginners and those new to working

with materials like PEEK. The program is tailored to the customers’ specific needs and teaches both fundamental know-how and advanced technical specifics. We found the training a valuable experience, mainly due to its emphasis on design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) with high-end materials.

P220 slicer training used Simplify3D; however, customers are free to use their preferred software to prepare prints. The system uses .stl and .gcode file inputs fed via USB or webbased application. Wifi setup using a serial number works seamlessly. The machine can also be connected using WLAN and Ethernet.

Post-training, the Apium P220 is supported by a clear instruction manual, complete with a list of FAQs, maintenance recommendations and

Functional parts 3D printed on the P220, using PEEK, carbon fiber reinforced PEEK, PVDF, PEI 9085 and 316L.

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everyday troubleshooting. Users are guided through the initial set up, on the 3D printer’s screen. Each step is explained clearly, making material selection, loading, and other functions straightforward.

When switching materials, the nozzle must be changed to avoid contamination.

Changing the nozzle is simple and took just over two minutes to complete using a supplied tool. The machine automates both the insertion and removal of the filament.

We changed the filament from PEEK to PEI, and the extruder

pushed the filament through the new nozzle. Following this, we used the humidity tracker to verify the dryness of the material. No bubbles appeared at the end of the nozzle, indicating the material was ready to print.

Another useful feature regarding the exchange of materials is the use of serial numbers for printing settings. The user can type in the number written on an Apium Filament Spool, and the printer automatically knows which temperatures to use. The printer also tracks the amount of remaining fil-

ament. Before each print, the system then informs the user if filament levels are sufficient to complete the job.

Bed leveling on the P220 is a semi-automated process. With three registered positions, users can manually adjust the height of the bed using a trio of knobs, guided again by the 3D printer’s screen and relevant points in the user manual. The company recommends that the customer repeat this process two or three times to achieve optimal positioning.

Understandably, this takes time, but it is a small expense when preparing to work with high-value materials.

First impressions The built plate on the Apium P220 is supported by a threaded rod and two linear

guides. The XY axis is sturdy.

Both features are designed for precision. The sturdiness of the system is also impressive considering the added weight on the hot end from the machine’s Adaptive Heating System. The weight is partly compensated by Bowden-style extrusion.

When active, the 3D printer is very quiet and has minimal vibrations. The build chamber is well insulated, including the glass door.

3D printing PEEK on the Apium P220 The print volume of the Apium P220 is 205 x 155 x 148 mm. To verify the bounds of the bed, the first test was to 3D print four small squares in each corner, and a cylinder measuring 148 mm tall. Each

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Close-up of glass-enclosed build chamber on the Apium P220.

of these parts was completed to our satisfaction, showing proper utilization of the build space.

Increasing the complexity, the second object the team chose to print was a torture test. A 100 x 100 mm square, the torture test was printed without support. It is designed typically for FFF testing of commodity materials like ABS and PLA, and so is unsuitable at demonstrating all capabilities of a high-temperature system.

Many of the smallest features of the torture test plate are beyond the accuracy of 3D printed PEEK, so allowances were made for inevitable failures, one found in a 2 mm cylinder and the other the top

of a small pyramid. Objects that did fall within the P220’s range for PEEK 3D printing, i.e. gradually toppling pillars at the center of the plate and a stacked pyramid were produced very well. Once cooled, and still attached to the build plate, a slight warping was observed in the four corners of the torture test.

Further confirming the need for part optimization, and proving just how challenging it is to 3D print using PEEK, small gears were produced as the next test artifact. The smallest features of these parts failed. In a further test, larger, functional gears, around 5 cm in diameter, were completed perfectly.

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The Direct Print setting on the Apium P220 is a feature used only for simple 3D prints. To test this function, the team produced a replacement lens cap for a camera. The software sliced the part in less than 10 seconds, creating a .gcode saved in the printer’s memory. For the chosen part, Direct Print worked very well and is a welcome feature when in need of a quick, simple object.

After multiple PEEK 3D prints at 480°C, the structure of our test parts remained sturdy with no sign of weakness.

Adaptive Heating System on the Apium P220 One of the most critical features of the Apium P220 is its Adaptive Heating System.

This has been installed to help with the delicate temperature balance needed to work with high-performance polymers.

Visually, the difference be-

Functional black carbon fiber reinforced (CFR) PEEK gear part, approx 5cm in diameter, successfully 3D printed on the Apium P220.

tween a part 3D printed with the system and one without is subtle. However, on closer inspection, there is a definite difference in layer adhesion throughout two otherwise identical parts.

With the Adaptive Heating System on, support structures are more challenging to remove, highlighting a higher rate of adhesion. With this feature, it is also possible to influence the chemical behavior of PEEK. Parts can be printed amorphous or semi-crystalline.

Engineer’s summary of the Apium P220 The Apium P220 is an industry-level manufacturing tool for advanced materials, which is easy to set up and use. This is helpful considering the materials used are so difficult to work with. The training offered

by Apium was especially useful concerning these challenges, and we would recommend it to any potential customers.

Throughout testing, the 3D printer performed consistently at a high temperature of 480°C. It has a durable and robust construction guaranteeing its longevity, and we welcomed additional features like the Direct Print setting, semi-automatic leveling, and the Adaptive Heating System.

The 3D printer’s patent-pending intelligent thermal moderator, control software and advanced extruder verify it as a high performing professional 3D printer capable of working with PEEK, carbon fiber reinforced PEEK, PEI, POM-C, PVDF, and even metals (though metals were not tested in our review). Its compact size would also make it at home in any engineering workshop. Based on our experience, we can confidently say that the Apium P220 delivers its main claims, and we are assured of its capabilities as a high performing polymer 3D printer.

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The Thinker, 3D printed on UC Berkeley & LLNL’s Replicator system in seconds. Photo via Stephen McNally, UC Berkeley

CrAMmed

Research at the leading edge of additive manufacturing

By Beau Jackson CrAMmed is our regular digest of the latest academic research using additive manufacturing.

Kenzan method commences pre-clinical trials for an artificial vessel made using human stem cells.

In this article, we look at how Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is reducing the cost of large-format 3D printing with Metal Big Area Additive Manufacturing (mBAAM). At a much smaller scale, German 3D microfabrication specialist Nanoscribe helps University of Freiburg academics unlock fused silica glass for microfluidic devices. A collaboration between the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) yields a new patented volumetric 3D printing technology. And, in 3D bioprinting, Cyfuse Biomedical K. K.’s

ORNL does the heavy lifting in design for large area AM A recent edition of Elsevier’s Additive Manufacturing journal includes several studies on large-area additive manufacturing. One of these papers introduces design constraints for ORNL’s mBAAM method.

The mBAAM system uses gas metal arc weld equipment attached to an articulated robot arm. Shield gas is supplied at the torch head, and so, unlike in electron or laser beam deposition, the method does

not require the use of a larger inert environment.

In a case study, ORNL applied mBAAM design rules to produce a 5.5-ton arm for a heavy construction excavator. Topology optimization was conducted using in-place hydraulic and torsion loading values, and digging characteristics. Stress analysis gave assurance that the 3D printed arm would have adequate structural integrity for real-world use.

The process of designing the arm for mBAAM provided useful direction for future research — for example, ease of support removal and topology optimization.

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Read more: “Introduction to the design rules for Metal Big Area Additive Manufacturing,” Additive Manufacturing, Clayton Greer, Andrzej Nycz, Mark Noakes, Brad Richardson, Brian Post, Thomas Kurfess & Lonnie Love.

Nanoscribe and NeptunLab engineer a smoother transition for 3D microfluidics Glass is the material of choice for chemistry. It can withstand demanding conditions during chemical reactions, and its transparent nature permits observation of reactions in progress.

Additive manufacturing promises not only the ability to construct specialist reaction vessels but also could also open the door to miniaturized fused silica glassware - desirable due to, “reduced reactant consumption, more stable reaction conditions and new reaction pathways such as ultrafast mixing or kinetic reaction control.”

At the University of Freiburg’s NeptunLab, collaboration with Nanoscribe has aided the microscale processing of fused silica glass. The material is ideal for making microfluidic lab-on-a-chip devices. For example, stem cells can be cultured along the inside of the channels. An experimental drug, in the form of a liquid, can then be pumped through the chip to examine the cells’ reaction.

The mBAAM produced arm installed on an excavator, made at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility of Oak Ridge National Laboratory in collaboration with Wolf Robotics and Lincoln Electric.

Photo via Andrzej Nycz

The NeptunLab team used Nanoscribe two-photon polymerization (2PP) to make a detailed sacrificial template. Through thermal treatment at 1,300°C, this 3D printed template is turned into a glass chip containing features as small as 7μm, approximately seven times smaller than the width of a human hair. The advantage of producing fused silica glass chips using 2PP is that they have exceptionally smooth surfaces. In the study, the mean roughness of 2PP fused silica glass chips is Ra ~20 nm showing that microfluidic chips of optical

quality can be made. In conclusion, 2PP is deemed a “potent technique” for future fabrication of this kind.

UC Berkeley and LLNL patent volumetric 3D printing method Volumetric 3D printing is an exciting prospect for vat polymerization as it enables the fabrication of objects “all in one go.” Some of the earliest studies relating to

Read more: “Fabrication of arbitrary three-dimensional suspended hollow microstructures in transparent fused silica glass,” Nature Communications, Frederik Kotz, Patrick Risch, Karl Arnold, Semih Sevim, Josep Puigmartí-Luis, Alexander Quick, Michael Thiel, Andrei Hrynevich, Paul D. Dalton, Dorothea Helmer & Bastian E. Rapp.

A polymeric microchannel template 3D printed on the Photonic Professional GT. Photo via Nanoscribe

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the technology date back to 2007. Since 2017 Brett Kelly, a graduate student at UC Berkeley, has been working with LLNL to make volumetric 3D printing a reality.

This year, the team published an important update on their method, Computed Axial Lithography (CAL).

The CAL system works by rapidly rotating a cylinder of light-reactive material within a dynamically evolving light field. The light transmits energy into the material as a set of 2D images, representing each facet of the object to be printed. Through the combined exposure of each of these images, enough energy is generated to cure the contained photopolymer in a 3D volume.

The team has created a range of centimeter-scale objects with a minimum feature size of 0.3 mm with print times of between 30 and 120 seconds. The researchers have filed a patent for their method, and already it has inspired another potential invention from RepRap’s Dr. Adrian Bowyer, with his method using electricity instead of light.

Read more: “Volumetric additive manufacturing via tomographic reconstruction,” Science, Brett E. Kelly, Indrasen Bhattacharya, Hossein Heidari, Maxim Shusteff, Christopher M. Spadaccini & Hayden K. Taylor.

Researchers in Japan commence pre-clinical testing of 3D bioprinted vessels Cyfuse Biomedical K. K. is the proprietary owner of a novel 3D bioprinting technology known as the Kenzan method.

Kenzan, a word of Japanese origin, translates as “sword mountain,” a fitting description of the tightly packed needle array. In the Kenzan method, spherical cell samples (spheroids) are skewered by the needles where they grow and culture.

Projection of Rodin’s The Thinker sculpture (in blue) slowly materializes in a small vat of light-reactive polymer (yellow). Photo via Adam Lau, UC Berkeley

Over three months, two out of six artificial tissue samples retained their patency within a live animal. At this stage, histology showed that muscle cells, derived from the living porcine model, had migrated into the wall of the vessel. The movement indicated that the cells were developing into the fibrosing stage, rebuilding damaged tissue following severe inflammation. These findings, published in Nature Communications, are an essential pre-clinical step toward the development of viable regenerative tissue transplants.

Read more:“Development of an immunodeficient pig model allowing long-term accommodation of artificial human vascular tubes,” Nature Communications, Manabu Itoh, Yosuke Mukae, Takahiro Kitsuka, Kenichi Arai, Anna Nakamura, Kazuyoshi Uchihashi, Shuji Toda, Kumika Matsubayashi, Jun-ichi Oyama, Koichi Node, Daisuke Kami, Satoshi Gojo, Shigeki Morita, Takahiro Nishida, Koichi Nakayama & Eiji Kobayashi.

Cyfuse, working with five academic and hospital partners in Japan, recently applied the Kenzan method to produce small vascular tubes. Consisting of human stem cells, these samples were implanted into live animal models, with successful results.

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What’s up, Start-Up?

By Arno Held, Chief Venture Officer, AM Ventures

Arno Held announcing the winning Start-Up at the 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards.

Dear entrepreneurs and start-up enthusiasts, Want to know how to get that great idea funded? Read on.

We all see it every day via 3DPI’s newsletter: our industry is booming. Large corporations starting to adopt AM for large scale manufacturing applications, start-up valuations are at an all-time high, and the total amount of funds invested in AM is getting bigger with every deal.

Entrepreneurs have great opportunities and increased access to financial support. On the other hand, stricter competition and higher expectations from both investors and customers, are raising the bar in terms of expectations for commercial success.

“Entrepreneurs have great opportunities and increased access to financial support”

Since founding the company almost five years ago, approximately 20 pitch-decks per month pass across AM Ventures’ desks.

Considering an acceptance rate of less than 2 percent, one can imagine how many decks must be analyzed before a suitable investment is found and funded.

A common mistake we face daily is how many founders think an invention itself is sufficient alone for success. The good news is, it is a fantastic thing to base a start-up business on a new technical advance. The bad news, unfortunately, for sustainable growth and long-term economic success technical prowess ticks only 20 percent of boxes needed to triumph. A sound business model, your strategic network of industry experts and mentors, as well as a scalable go-to-market approach, are at least as necessary and turn an invention into real successful innovation. Ultimately, the most crucial feature of a successful business is the team itself. A very high level of trust and integrity among the team members, a diverse skill set, ability to close deals, and 100% dedication to market and customer feedback are indicators for a high performing team.

So far, only a small fraction of start-ups manage to tick all the boxes. If you want to find out whether you are one of them, let’s talk!

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Venture Investments and M&A in 2019: A Record Year in the Making

By Dayton Horvath, Principal at NewCap Partners

Ever since desktop 3D printing’s decline from its 2014 hype cycle peak, the industry has been mostly absent from the mainstream media spotlight.

The lofty expectations once placed on 3D printing have largely moved on to drones, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and autonomous vehicles amongst other trends. While desktop 3D printers remain a hobbyist trend, the industrial 3D printing market has continued to grow and is now expanding beyond prototyping applications to tooling and short-run production.

Investments in core printing technologies and specialized software alongside 3D printable materials and applications development have brought renewed interest in the technology. Now, industrial 3D printing is frequently mentioned alongside Industry 4.0, the digital twin, and disruption in manufacturing via digital transformation. Despite the hardware and materials aspects of 3D printing, which are a potential deterrent to investors more comfortable with software companies, strategic and financial venture capital investment in 3D printing has risen dramatically in recent years. With significant confidence from venture investors and a robust entrepreneurial foundation, there is newfound momentum driving this interdisciplinary industry, and recent venture investment trends highlight it.

the 2018 total being attributable to Desktop Metal and Carbon financings, respectively. In the first half of 2019, the total venture investment of $831M matched the 2018 total in large part due to late-stage funding of $160M for Desktop Metal and $260M for Carbon. Even excluding these two unicorns’ extensive financing rounds from the investment totals, 2019 is on track to be at least 30 percent larger than the 2018 total of $631M and nearly 1.5 times larger than the 2017 total of $341M. In terms of capital invested, 2019 will be another record year for the industry, but deal value alone does not tell the complete story - because the metric primarily illustrates growth funding in late-stage startups.

The average financing transaction size and the number of transactions provides a better measure of confidence in the industry and its growth potential. Without the Desktop Metal and Carbon transactions, the average amount invested in 2017 across 40 deals was $8.5M. For 2018, these amounts increased notably to $11.3M across 56 transactions.

“2019 will be another record year for the industry”

Total venture capital investment increased from $456M in 2017 to $831M in 2018 with $115M of the 2017 total and $200M of

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The average transaction size increased even further in the first half of 2019 to $15.8M across 26 transactions. These increases suggest that there are a larger number of promising companies with higher valuations now expected to grow exponentially in 3D printing.

Of the 91 companies funded in the last 30 months, only 25 had multiple transactions suggesting that more than 60 companies will either raise more funds, become profitable, get acquired, or shut down. Since startups raise funds every 12 to 24 months and their investors have particular growth objectives, it is very likely that new rounds of investment will support the growth for dozens of startups in the near term.

“The pressure is on...�

Where there is venture activity, there will eventually be mergers and acquisitions activity. M&A in the 3D printing industry has grown moderately with 16 acquisitions in 2017, 18 in 2018, and 11 in the first half of 2019. The smaller companies that have been acquired generally fall into three categories: 3D printing service providers, core technology developers, and printable materials producers. These types of acquisitions will continue to occur on a strategic basis, but do not indicate a clear path to liquidation for the sheer number of startups taking on venture capital. Fueling innovation with capital is the current trend for industrial 3D

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$831M

Dayton Horvath speaking at Additive International.

Photo by Michael Petch

printing, particularly in the context of the broader Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing agenda.

With such financial momentum for year-end 2019, the pressure is on more than ever for the startups and growth-stage companies to perform both technically and financially.

$900M

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$100M 2017

2018 Core technology

2019H1

56 $631M 26 40

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Left figure indicates total venture capital investment in 3D printing industry, with number of transactions noted above dollar amounts. Right figure excludes the following transactions: 2017 Desktop Metal $115M, 2018 Carbon $200M, 2019 Desktop Metal $160M, 2019 Carbon $260M. Core technology investments include process, printer, and software development for companies that provide printing services, sell equipment, or provide additive-specific software across the CAD-to-part value chain. Applications investments include specialized technology companies focused on a particular application or a single industry such as prosthetics, dental, biological printing, or medical implants. Materials investments include materials suppliers, formulators, and developers.

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Fourth ASTM International Symposium on Structural Integrity of Additive Manufactured Materials & Parts October 8-10, 2019 Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center Washington, D.C.

www.amcoe.org

Join the AM community for this engaging 3-day event at Washington, D.C.’s National Harbor. Topics will include – but are not limited to: ͽ Feedstock and materials related effects ͽ Effect of influencing factors (surface, geometry, post-processing, etc.) ͽ Process optimization to improve the performance ͽ Microstructure-property predictive models

ͽ Multiscale modeling of the mechanical behavior ͽ Fatigue, fracture, tensile, wear, corrosion, & creep of fabricated materials ͽ Effect of anomalies and acceptance criteria ͽ Nondestructive evaluation and inspection issues

ͽ Applicability of existing test methods ͽ Development of new test methods ͽ Special requirements for sector specific standards ͽ Qualification and certification challenges

Achieving an adequate level of structural integrity for AM parts in various industrial sectors requires a thorough understanding of the application requirements, process control, and feedstock-process–microstructure–property-performance relationships.

Symposium Co-Chairs

Register Now

Nima Shamsaei Auburn University shamsaei@auburn.edu

Early registration is now open. To get the discounted registration fee, please visit www.amcoe.org/symposium, by September 1, 2019.

Mohsen Seifi ASTM International mseifi@astm.org

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Sponsorship Opportunities There are limited sponsorship opportunities available for this symposium. For more information on the different sponsorship levels please visit our website or contact amcoe@astm.org.

22/08/2019 21:21:04

Safeguarding the digital so AM can get physical

Another risk is that with virtual inventory the responsibility for consistent parts is pushed downstream in the supply chain. In physical inventory, the consistency and quality of parts are checked before they are entered into inventory. This way when an order arrives it is fulfilled immediately with consistent, on spec physical parts. With digital inventory, manufacturing is on-demand and so consistency is enforced, and quality is checked on-demand, to order. This means that automating consistency enforcement becomes another must.

Again, there are SaaS solutions that can help here and some of them, like LEO Lane, are the same ones we put in place for IP protection.

By Lee-Bath Nelson, Co-Founder and VP Business at LEO Lane Everyone knows that Additive Manufacturing (AM) turns digital into physical. Cool! But what’s even cooler is that AM enables moving physical to digital. There are so many advantages to this transition since digital is so much more versatile, movable, and changeable than physical. However, these same characteristics - versatility, movability, changeability – open risks that in the physical instance were minimized and that’s something every champion of AM must keep in mind and address.

“...easy integration in any chosen solution is a “must have” criterion, at least that’s how we see it”

One of the greatest things enabled by AM is the move to virtual, rather than physical, inventory. There are so many costs, customer satisfaction, and even revenue stream advantages to virtual inventories that are very compelling. All these advantages stem from the move to digital. However, when compared to physical inventory, virtual inventory also opens new potential risks. For one, theft or “leakage” is a much bigger deal. In physical inventory, if a part is stolen the company loses the cost of manufacturing one instance of a part. That’s not fun but tolerable. In digital inventory, if a part is stolen or leaked, several bad things can happen. First, you may not even notice that it’s missing. Second, once someone else has the digital blueprint for a part, they can produce as many parts as they like. The potential economic loss to the company is the income from all these parts. Luckily, there are Software-as-aService (SaaS) solutions that can protect the company’s intellectual property (IP) and limit the quantities producible from digital assets. Once a solution like LEO Lane is in place, it can greatly limit and even eliminate any damage from theft or leakage.

Although I have illustrated these risks on virtual inventories, they apply equally to a single 3D printed part. Putting in place a solution that will protect the company’s IP and enforce consistency of part production across time (and place, when appropriate) is crucial to a corporate-grade AM deployment – something everyone in our ecosystem is driving towards. Another thing that corporate customers want in this context is a solution that is integrated with their other software (and the end machinery). For this reason, easy integration in any chosen solution is a “musthave” criterion, at least that’s how we see it. This way, customers can get a fully integrated, seamless, secure, AM deployment at a corporate-grade!

Lee-Bath Nelson is Co-Founder and VP Business at LEO

Lane, an Israel-based business that empowers industrial manufacturers to securely manage additive manufacturing, anywhere anytime, using the company’s cloud-based SaaS solution. Lee-Bath can be reached at info@ leolane.com

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Giving Cold Spray the Cold Shoulder

By Alex Kingsbury Additive Manufacturing Industry Fellow RMIT University Cold Spray has had a fascinating history. It was, like many extraordinary inventions, happened upon mainly by accident.

Experiments by Soviet Union scientists during the 1980s using metal powders and a wind tunnel found that under supersonic conditions the particles would bond to each other via kinetic energy. In essence, the particles would plastically deform on impact and bond despite an absence of heat energy.

The process was highly effective at producing a coating; and given the absence of heat, the coating was low in oxides, a boon for reactive metals such as titanium, nickel, and aluminum.

Commercialization of cold spray took place in the 1990s as a technique for coating and repair. At this point little was known of the exact particle dynamics, and how far the envelope could be pushed. The advent of additive manufacturing (AM) begged the question – can cold spray, applied layer by layer, be used to create near net shapes? The answer was a resounding yes, and a flurry of patent applications ensued.

“Cold spray AM has now arrived on a global scale and needs the support that only standards development can offer”

The last five years have seen the true commercialization of cold spray as an additive manufacturing technique. Some notable companies such as Impact Innovations, SPEE3D, Hermle, and Titomic have established themselves as commercial providers of cold spray-based AM. Each has a separate value proposition and caters to different market segments.

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Despite this activity, under the ISO/ASTM 52900 standard cold spray is not recognized as an additive manufacturing modality.

Currently, there are seven different, recognized categories of AM; these are material extrusion, material jetting, binder jetting, sheet lamination, vat photopolymerization, powder bed fusion, and directed energy deposition.

Cold spray AM does not fit in any of the aforementioned AM categories primarily due to the nature of its consolidation without thermal energy. This method of joining materials leads to a unique set of manufacturability freedoms and constraints, a different

“Commercialization of cold spray took place in the 1990s as a technique for coating and repair�

microstructure, and different mechanical properties in the built part. Furthermore, the feedstock for cold spray processes differs from most metal powder-based technologies. A cold spray process can accommodate a wide range of alloys and powder morphologies.

However, recognizing a technology as a unique AM modality requires not just a change of definition, but a commitment to invest in standards development. With that must come a conviction from the standards bodies that the technology is not just a fad; it must be widely and universally available and must have a significant commercial presence. For this reason, standards bodies must necessarily lag AM activity, so that that AM technology develops a track record that proves it to be a candidate for standards development.

Five years ago, cold spray AM could not have claimed to be a candidate for standards development; however, it now has an undeniable presence. Importantly, the cold spray AM community of suppliers, users, and customers would benefit significantly from having an approved and globally recognized set of standards from which to work. It would provide clarity in the market, and offer a valuable, impartial source of technical information. Furthermore,

SPEE3D Cold Spray AM System. Photo via SPEE3D

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An introduction to multi-laser processing strategies for high-integrity component manufacture using metal laser powder bed fusion

By Marc Saunders, Director of AM applications, Renishaw

Production-orientated laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) machines feature multiple lasers, that fully overlap to enable independent or combined operation, boosting productivity and lowering cost per part.

With lasers processing close to each other, the potential for process effects due to the interaction between lasers is increased.

Understanding processing conditions with four lasers in the space where just one was working on previous machines, particularly the critical relationship between the lasers and the inert gas flow needs to be understood to ensure the quality of highintegrity components is preserved.

LPBF process emissions Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) involves selectively heating a thin layer of fine metal powder with a laser, causing it to melt before solidifying. The melt pool emits a hot, highspeed vapour plume that cools to form a fine mist of metal ‘condensate’ nano-particles and larger irregular spatter

Figure 1 – cross-section of a melt pool showing process emissions

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Figure 2 - examples of multi-laser zoning and gas flow configurations

Figure 3 – full laser overlap

particles.

Most of these emissions are captured by the waste recovery systems but some can fall back onto the powder bed creating potentially challenging processing conditions.

Multi-laser machine configurations More spatter is produced by multiple lasers, so managing it effectively becomes increasingly important. Dependent on their relative position, process emissions from one laser could affect the other, potentially affecting laser energy transmission.

The first generation of multi-laser machines used zoning to avoid this issue, combined with either linear or divergent gas flow. These systems can be less efficient due to unequal laser duty and the lack of proximity between optical systems, resulting in laser-to-laser alignment challenges. Lastly, non-uniform gas flow is known to significantly alter melting performance, potentially resulting in defects.

Figure 4 – laser assignment for processing in columns

Figure 5 – laser assignment for processing in rows

Multi-laser interaction investigation Multiple lasers with full overlap offer some attractive benefits, but they do present the risk of unwelcome interaction between the lasers. Crucially the relative position of lasers is governed by laser assignment choices at the build preparation stage, so establishing laser interaction effects can be used to allow engineers to minimise the issue. To establish these rules, a 4 x 4 array of vertical tensile specimens is produced with four lasers operating simultaneously,

Figure 6 – laser assignment for processing each part with 4 lasers

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Figure 7 – tensile results for various laser assignment

to explore the various laser assignment options.

On single-laser systems, we typically start melting at the downwind side of the build plate, progressively moving upwind, minimising the chance of encountering spatter already generated by the laser, most of which is carried downwind by the gas flow. We can still use this common-sense approach when working with multiple lasers. On a Renishaw AM system, this means processing from left to right as we look through the window.

The baseline experiment is therefore to process the 4 x 4 array in columns, from

Table 1 – Tensile performance of Inconel-625 ‘as-built’ specimens build with four lasers under various laser assignments

left to right with four lasers simultaneously working in the left-hand column (1, 5, 9 and 13), then move on to the next column.

This choice means that each laser is

Figure 9 – laser assignment for downwind distance investigation

Figure 8 – build set-up for downwind distance investigation

processing in ‘clean air’ with no other laser directly upwind.

By contrast, if the lasers are assigned to produce the same array in rows, then all four lasers are lined up with the gas flow (refer to Figure 5). Laser 1 will always be processing downwind of the other lasers, laser 4 is always upwind of the others, 2 and 3 will have lasers both upwind and downwind.

The final laser assignment that was investigated is to build each of the specimens using multiple lasers simultaneously (refer to Figure 6). Using a stripe hatching strategy, all four lasers are used together to build each part, with melt pools within a few millimetres of one another, neither upwind or downwind to any significant degree.

Results: Figure 7 shows Inconel-625 ‘as-built’ tensile test data for 4x4 arrays of specimens built with different laser assignments. In each case, the stress-strain curves are shown for the 16 specimens, as is the mean elongation at break (measured under load on the tensile tester), the coefficient of variance (CoV) and the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean.

• •

•

The columns configuration shows consistent data across the bed.

The rows configuration produces some weaker samples, all of which are from the left-hand (downwind) side of the build plate.

When 4 lasers are used to build each

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part, the results are almost identical to the baseline columns configuration.

These data demonstrate that the machine can produce consistent results, but that it can also produce poor quality material under specific laser assignment choices.

The distance between the lasers is clearly a factor, since using four lasers close together to build each part delivers the sameperformance that we see in the baseline scenario.

Downwind distance investigation

Figure 10 – variation in ductility with the number of upwind lasers for heat-treated Inconel-718 specimens

To investigate the relationship between melting quality and distance, three columns of specimens are grouped together on the upwind side of the bed. Specimens at various distances downwind to assess the downwind vs distance effect. (Figures 8 and 9).

Ductility As expected, the results are similar to the previous experiment. The ductility of the downwind samples are reduced, their elongation at break is more variable but as we move up-wind towards the right of the build plate, the tensile performance improves and becomes increasingly consistent.

Tensile strength Figure 11 (above) – stress-strain curves for downwind distance experiment. The specimens with three upwind lasers are weaker than the rest of the population with the exception of one specimen (18) from the second column.

Figure 12 – elongation at break for downwind distance experiment by sample number. Elongation data is taken directly from the tensile tester in the loaded condition. Each row of specimens shows a weaker downwind sample, although the effect is less marked as the downwind distance reduces. The samples groups closed together at the right of the bed are much more consistent.

In a similar manner to the ductility results, a drop in ultimate tensile strength (UTS) is seen in most materials as the downwind distance increases (refer to Figure 14). The one exception is Ti6Al4V which, requires a severe loss of ductility before the UTS is reduced.

The relationship between mechanical properties and distance downwind varies slightly between materials, due to the differing nature of their spatter production and tensile behaviour. However, it is clear that the greater the distance between upwind and downwind samples, the bigger the impact on material properties. If the lasers are kept within 60 mm or so, the impact is small, but degradation increases at larger laser separations. Clearly, it is best to keep melt pools close together to maximise component quality.

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Figure 13 – charts showing elongation at break by sample number (left) and loss of ductility of the downwind samples compared to its upwind neighbours (right) for a range of materials.

Figure 14 – variation in ultimate tensile strength with sample number (left) and loss of tensile strength compared to upwind samples (right).

Investigation of degradation of melting behaviour Laser interaction mechanisms There are three likely mechanisms of multilaser interaction: 1. De-focusing by airborne condensate – leading to reduced laser spot intensity.

2. Obscuration by airborne spatter and condensate – preventing the full laser energy transmission.

3. Incorporation of spatter in the component – large particles present that shield powder from the laser energy.

These mechanisms are inter-dependent.

De-focusing and obscuration by airborne material reduces the intensity of the downwind laser spot, impacting spatter formation. The loss of energy intensity leads to a less vigorous melting and spatter emerges at a lower velocity, falling closer to the melt pool and increasing the probability for incorporation in the component.

Surface roughness The weaker mechanical properties of the downwind samples is caused by changes in melting behaviour. Evidence of this is to be found in the surface roughness of the specimens, which correlates strongly with the loss of tensile strength and ductility.

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Figure 15 - SEM image of a fracture surface from a downwind tensile sample of heattreated Inconel-718. The smooth defect regions contrast with the rough ductile fracture regions that make up most of the fracture surface. The upper surface of melt tracks from the layer below are clearly visible, indicating lack-of-fusion in these defect regions.

Figure 16a – fracture surface of an upwind sample exhibiting ductile fracture

Figure 16b – close-up view of ductile fracture surface from an upwind sample, with no visible brittle defects

Figure 17 – the AM process emits light at a wide range of wavelengths

Melting defects

Figure 18 – melt pool data from downwind and upwind samples in both visible and infrared spectra, highlighting changes in the melting conditions

To affect tensile properties, the impact must be more than skin deep. Examination of tensile fracture surfaces shows the quality of the solidified material at its weakest point. In samples furthest downwind, many defects are observed across the fracture surface. (refer to Figure 15). Brittle fracture occurs in these defect regions, placing more stress on the surrounding material, reducing strength.

In this extreme example there are around 100 lack-of-fusion defects distributed

across the 6 mm gauge diameter. Upwind samples, meanwhile, feature no significant lack-of-fusion defects and present a classic ‘cup and cone’ ductile fracture surface.

Sensing technologies Understanding the interaction mechanisms and effects is useful information that allows engineers to choose appropriate processing strategies, but much of what we have discussed so far depends on destructive methods to establish the sensitivity to multi-laser interaction in

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LPBF. To avoid this, we need to look at the detection capabilities of process monitoring technologies.

Melt pool analysis The RenAM 500Q industrial AM machine features melt pool and laser power monitoring capability.

This provides evidence of this inconsistent downwind melting behaviour as it is happening.

Real-time sensing of the melt pool emissions is achieved by using two sensors tuned to different wavelengths, sampled at 100 kHz frequency and matched to the position feedback from the galvo mirrors that are used to direct the laser. The sampling fast rate for these sensors keeps pace with the moving melt pool whilst providing sufficient resolution to spot fluctuations to indicate potential defects.

The melt pool data demonstrates a measurable change in melt pool vigour and consistency when processing in unfavourable downwind situations. The shorter visible wavelengths show increased variation in intensity, with evidence of hot spots’ corresponding to spatter passing through the laser beam. The longer wavelength infrared data shows that the downwind melt pool emits less heat, showing the de-focusing and obscuration phenomena.

Conclusions from these experiments: • •

• • • •

•

Lasers in the same gas flow can interact when one is directly downwind of another.

Airborne spatter and condensate reduce the intensity of the downwind laser, increasing in surface roughness and causing lack-of-fusion defects.

Defects cause premature fracture under tensile load and loss of tensile strength in some materials.

The degradation is more significant as the distance between lasers increases.

When lasers are working near to one another, interactions between them are negligible.

The threshold beyond which degradation becomes significant was demonstrated to be around 60 mm with three upwind lasers, and around 100 mm for a single upwind laser in these experiments.

Airborne condensate is the primary

Figure 19 - galvo mounting block, produced using four overlapping lasers

mechanism for melting degradation.

Note that these conclusions relate to testing on a Renishaw RenAM 500Q quad laser system and are specific to the gas flow on that machine. The relative importance of the different laser interaction mechanisms will vary between machine designs.

advantages compared to zonal laser arrangements. However, multiple overlapping lasers can interact and, under certain circumstances, this interaction can adversely affect part quality.

Laser interactions are distance-related: the effect is minimal when lasers are working close together, but large downwind separations are to be avoided. Using this knowledge, we can derive rules for laser assignment that enable us to build highintegrity components in a productive and flexible manner.

Visit http://www.renishaw.com/amguide for more education resources and to access downloadable versions.

Multi laser processing on the RenAM 500Q

Summary Multi-laser AM systems with full laser overlap offer productivity and quality

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fAMe: 3D printing in popular culture

By Anas Essop

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lade Runner, Frankenstein, 2001: A Space Odyssey, or RoboCop, can the way that pop culture portrays science tell us more about the era we live in?

3D printing is the latest tech to catch the imagination of fiction writers for both the big and small screen. So what visions do creative artists and writers have for where additive manufacturing might go?

It’s worth paying attention. Over half a century ago, Star Trek began inspiring and predicting tablet computers, VR, cell phones and of course the Replicator.

Functional 3D printed organs in Hotel Artemis Hotel Artemis centers around a black market hospital for criminals in a dystopian vision of Los Angeles. Jodie Foster’s character runs the hospital, using advanced technology to treat patients, including a 3D printer for transplanting internal organs. Considering Hotel Artemis is set 10 years in the future, 3D printing functional livers is a stretch.

Full-body 3D prints in Altered Carbon

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So how is fAMe working out for our industry? Not so great actually. There are many examples of popular culture where 3D printing is misrepresented and inaccurately portrayed, in various different ways. The capabilities of 3D printing, as suggested by these examples, go far beyond what is actu-

ally possible, or what could be in the future.

Here’s a round-up for your consideration.

Altered Carbon is set several hundred years in the future, where technological innovations have given humans the ability to upload their consciousness digitally into mi-

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crochips, or “stacks.” These can be swapped between different bodies, or “sleeves” for a price, essentially granting immortality for those that can afford it.

Self-replicating 3D printed killer bees in Black Mirror ‘Hated in the Nation’

Interestingly, the bodies can be 3D printed.

Given everything else happening in the show, this makes sense in the futuristic setting.

In this episode of Black Mirror, 3D printing is used as an off-hand explanation about the construction of miniaturized killer bee robots. The swarm expands by autonomously building hives, which in turn produce more bees. “It’s like a 3D printer”, basically, “says one of the show’s characters. “Exactly,” replies the other. Yeah, exactly. It’s easy for writers to use 3D printing to explain the magic behind their implausible ideas; a modern take on the McGuffin, but we certainly won’t let it pass.

3D printed guns in Lost in Space Lost in Space is a TV show about a family who has ventured out into space to begin a new life on another planet. To help them out on their transplanetary family trip, they’ve decided to bring an FDM 3D printer with them onboard the ship. Initially, its depiction of the 3D printer’s capabilities are pretty accurate and grounded. Until they 3D print an incredibly detailed gun with pre-loaded bullets, somehow. The show ends up portraying a skewed vision of 3D printing as something to fear.

3D printed diamonds in Ocean’s 8 With 3D printing driving the central plot of the star-studded Ocean’s 8, it sadly happens to be executed in a way that is catastrophically out of touch with reality, making it

suitable for Hollywood, but unsuitable as an honest depiction of 3D printing. Amidst the many inaccurate examples of 3D printing presented within the film, the near-instantaneous 3D printing of a perfect, diamond-engraved, $150 million Cartier necklace replica made from zirconium, using a MakerBot FDM 3D printer, definitely takes the cake.

Of course, some examples of popular culture hit the mark with what is and could be capable with 3D printing, however many miss it entirely, with drastic results, as seen above. Often, 3D printing is used as a plot device with complete disregard of the basic principles of the technology. In other instances, it is used as a glamorized symbol of a dystopian future, which only fuels further misconceptions surrounding 3D printing.

Get in touch and let us know other (mis)uses of 3D printing in pop culture.

Senseless game mechanic in Watchdogs 2

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Watchdogs 2 is an open-world cyber-thriller videogame about hacking. The game also attempts to comment on the negative impact of modern technology at large. How? More 3D printed guns. The main character can 3D print whatever weapon he wants, from standard pistols to powerful sniper rifles, as opposed to, you know, buying it. Of course, it’s a video game, so there is room for implausibility, but none for fear-mongering, and for a game about tech, it seems to know nothing about it.

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“3D printing is the latest tech to catch the imagination of fiction writers for both the big and small screen.”

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Industry Events

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