38 - Additive Wins on Cost, Plus Process Monitoring and More from RAPID + TCT 2023

AM Radio

At the 2023 edition of RAPID + TCT held in Chicago, Additive Manufacturing Media editors noticed evidence of AM’s maturation both in terms of technical capability and utility for end-use applications. Stephanie Hendrixson, Peter Zelinski and Fiona Lawler discuss themes discovered at the event, including more precise DED, new tools for process monitoring, more sophisticated understanding of AM and sustainability, AM winning on cost and much more. Find photos and video from the show in this blog post on our website.

This episode is brought to you by Formnext Forum: Austin.

Mentioned in this episode:

• RAPID + TCT
• Fiona Lawler's work for Additive Manufacturing Media

1. Sustainability
   1. Caracol robot-based DED used to 3D print wind turbines from old wind turbines
   2. Thermwood's LSAM 510 3D printer used to print chairs live at the show
   3. SABIC's LNP ELCRIN WF006NiQ resin made with post-consumer PET
   4. An impeller 3D printed with Uniformity Labs' Ti64 Grade 23, with scan time reduced by 1.5×
   5. Uniformity labs: aluminum powder for LPBF
   6. Uniformity Labs: cut off stock/metal material options
   7. Xtellar's recently launched flexible EVA derived from sugarcane
   8. Thermoform dental aligner tool made with Jabil's PLA3110P powder for SLS 3D printing
   9. NatureWorks' Ingeo for 3D printing
   10. Sustainability episode with Tim Simpson
   11. EOS's PA 12 and PA 11 materials precertified for environmental impact
   12. EOS Cost & Carbon Calculator
2. Cost as a driver of AM production
   1. Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS) for cost-effective 3D printed vehicle chassis components
   2. Wurth Additive Group's automotive body clip now made additively
   3. DMG MORI's Lasertec 30 SLM US developed and manufactured in Davis, California
   4. Fabrisonic's SonicLayer 1600 hybrid ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) machine
   5. Formlabs' Form3B+ for healthcare professionals and medical devices
   6. 3D printed titanium mountain bike brake lever produced by Trumpf as an affordable alternative to machined aluminum and carbon fiber
3. Process monitoring
   1. Nexa3D XiP Pro desktop 3D printer for LCD-based vat photopolymerization
   2. Exum Industries' MassBox for desktop mass spectrometry
   3. Renishaw calibration device for laser powder bed fusion
4. DED getting more precise
   1. Mitsubishi AZ600 wire-laser metal 3D printer
   2. InssTek multi-material rocket nozzle produced with powder-fed DED
   3. New Infrared Technology's Clamir system for controlling DED through meltpool width
   4. Meltio's CNC machine tool integration from IMTS
   5. Meltio integration with machine tool as seen at IMTS
   6. Formalloy's introduction of DEDSMart for wire DED
   7. DEDSmart system from Formalloy seen at IMTS
5. Acquisitions as a means of diversification
   1. Xtellar, Braskem's new 3D materials division
   2. PX100 Digital Metal binder jetting platform now available from Markforged
   3. 3D Systems acquired Titan Robotics
   4. Ultimaker and Makerbot merger
6. Collaboration
   1. BASF Forward AM Solutions Development team / Ultrasim3D Lattice Engine developed with Hyperganic
   2. New HP automation for powder handling and automation accessory for swapping build units
   3. Endeavor 3D contract manufacturer that is a member of the Digital Manufacturing Partner network
7. Flavor of the Show
   1. Xjet 3D printed ceramic mouthpieces
   2. Xjet ceramic printing process
   3. nTop rebrands and introduces nTop 4.0
   4. Inkbit and why AM is great for drones and robots
   5. polySpectra tensile test and tea kettle demonstration
   6. HP minifactory
   7. 3D Systems Titan Robotics chair