AMUG Newsletter January 2014

President’s Report

Bret Bordner
President

I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday with friends and family.

Now that we begin to thaw out from the deep freeze that hit the Midwest and East Coast, it is time to buckle down as we come into the home stretch for the AMUG Conference. We are three months out and counting, and we are beginning to put together what is shaping up to be a great conference. We have a great lineup of keynotes and presenters, which will make for an exciting and information-packed conference.

I’m also excited to announce that we will be offering the SME certification program at this year’s conference at a discounted rate. See the article below for more details.

We will be posting a straw man agenda on the website towards the end of next week. So if you are looking to see what we have in store so far, keep monitoring the site.

To get that agenda put together I need help from those of you that are speaking. If you have not yet returned your speaker form, please do so ASAP. If you have not received a form, send me an email, and I will get one out to you. We still have a few speaking few slots open, so if you’d like to present, please contact me.

I will conclude with some very sad news. On New Year’s Day, we lost one of our own. Guy Bourdeau lost his battle with cancer. Guy stepped up and helped AMUG when it needed it most and lead the group to become what it is today. Yet, Guy’s passion will be felt for years to come due to the scholarship fund established in his name.

All the best,

Bret Bordner
AMUG President
president@am-ug.com

Our Mission: Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) educates and advances the uses and applications of additive manufacturing technologies.

Vice President’s Report

Derek Ellis
Vice President

Now that we are back to the first full work week of the new year — the time when budgets for the upcoming year will be discussed — it’s time to get a bit of that budget for your exhibit booth space at the upcoming AMUGexpo. We are less than 90 days out and exhibit space is filling up fast, so please contact Mark Barfoot or me soon. You won’t want to miss out because this year’s conference is on pace to be the largest in AMUG’s history.

This year we have an added bonus for exhibitors (and a great tool for attendees): a digital floor plan. Prior to the conference, attendees can locate your booth. and you will be seen by anyone that visits the website who “hovers”” over the list of exhibitors for this year’s show. Our website has lots of traffic; Why not take advantage of this unique type of advertising you’ll receive as an exhibitor? Also new this year is the opportunity for you to display any ancillary equipment you offer to support the additive manufacturing work flow.

The conference has dedicated tracks that include metals, aerospace, scanning/reverse engineering, casting and much more. If your product falls into one of these categories, why not take advantage of the “captured” audience?

To exhibit, simply register by pressing the “register today” button on the AMUG website. We look forward to seeing you at the conference.

Derek Ellis
VicePresident@am-ug.com

Passing of a Great Friend and Colleague – Guy Bourdeau

Thank you for your friendship and dedication to AMUG.

It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news of the passing of Guy Bourdeau, who lost his battle with cancer on January 1, 2014. He was a longtime friend and colleague to many, a brother to me, and an immense contributor to AMUG.

Guy was Treasurer of the AMUG (and 3DSUG that proceeded it) for 11 years, and because of his tenacity, his long term vision for AMUG and his meticulous attention to detail, Guy helped make AMUG financially viable, which kept us in business.

Guy will be greatly missed and fondly remembered. He is survived by his wife, Renee, and grandson, Griffin. We extend our deepest sympathies to the Bourdeau family.

Tom Sorovetz

Sponsor News – Stratasys

Thermos Prototypes With PolyJet and FDM

Using a Thermos mug is an exercise in trust, and the iconic manufacturer takes its customers’ faith seriously. In a cutting-edge R&D facility in Niigata, Japan, manager Shin Matsuyama embodies the innovation that helps the household name lead its industry. “We always think of product development as making something that will change people’s lifestyle,” he said.

The facility uses two Stratasys 3D Printing technologies: PolyJet for the precision and flexible materials needed to test airtight caps, and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) Technology for strong, cost-effective thermoplastic models.

Read the full story.

Sponsor News – Somos®

Nuna7 takes Gold with help from Somos® Materials by DSM

The Nuon Solar Team has won the 2013 World Solar Challenge. Powered entirely by the sun, the Nuna7 vehicle made the 3,000-kilometer trip through Australia from Darwin to Adelaide in less than five days. DSM provided the resins and application technology used to build the solar car, illustrating our commitment to both innovation and sustainability.

The 2013 race saw 40 teams from 23 countries compete under the scorching Australian sun. Among them was the Nuon Solar Team with their vehicle, Nuna7. As the long-standing innovation partner for the team, DSM applied its bright science in the development and construction of the Nuna7.

During the early stages of development, DSM’s Somos® stereolithography materials were used for rapid prototyping. Later on, these same materials found their way into several of Nuna7’s important lighting and power system components, as end-use parts along with other materials from DSM.

After months of effort back in the Netherlands, the team relocated to Northern Australia and took to the road in Darwin. From day 1, the prospects looked good and over the course of the 5 day race, the Nuna7 team led from starting gun to finish line while many succumbed to the rigors of the Outback.

DSM is both extremely proud of our involvement in this magnificent accomplishment and delighted for the team involved in Nuna7 and will present an overview of the Nuna 7 Project at the upcoming AMUG 2014 conference!

Read the full story of the Nuna7’s journey to the finish line.

2014 Keynotes

Our 2014 AMUG Conference agenda will feature keynote presentations from Dr. Mike North, Jason Lopes (Legacy Effects) and Todd Grimm (T. A. Grimm & Associates). These men are sought-after speakers that will set the tone for the conference.

This month, we feature Dr. Mike North. Todd and Jason were covered in the November and December newsletters.

We are giving you a compelling reason to stay for the entire duration of the conference. Mike North will step up on stage on Thursday, April 10th. Mike is engaging, humorous and insightful.

In his presentation, Additive Manufacturing, A Force for Good, he will discuss how additive manufacturing has the power to transform the world. He will share with us some real world examples of how AM is creating positive impact and give a glance into the future of using AM for good.

Mike is founder and chair of Reallocate, an organization that connects world class talent to social impact projects to create real-world solutions, and founder of North Design Labs, a full-service creative agency with a very unique structure —a network of thousands of professionals assembled specifically for each project. Mike masterminded builds on the Discovery Channel show Prototype This!, where he led teams of crack inventors, scientists, builders, and engineers to create never before seen spectacles of engineering.

He’s published in a half dozen major scientific journals, including The Journal of Nature; and continues to speak internationally on design and innovation. Mike holds bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in engineering with focuses on mechanical design, rapid prototyping, and biomimetic nanotechnology.

Technical Competition

Gary Rabinovitz
Past President

We’d love for you to show off the excellent work that you or your company are doing with additive manufacturing (AM). And now is the time to start submitting entries for the annual Technical Competition, which recognizes innovation and excellence in AM. Visit the competition’s page for details and registration forms.

The Technical Competition has two categories: Advanced Concepts and Advanced Finishing.

The Advanced Concepts category recognizes exemplary work that “pushes the envelope.” The Advanced Finishing category recognizes the efforts of those that bring a part to life.

All entries will be displayed at the conference’s AMUGexpo and will be judged by a panel of five “DINOs,” AMUG honorees that are expert users who graciously contribute to the member community. Winners will be announced during the conference (April 6 – 10, Tucson, AZ) at the Award Banquet gala.

To be eligible, a company representative must be a registered attendee for the 2014 AMUG Conference.

Gary Rabinovitz
PastPresident@am-ug.com

TCT + Personalize

TCT Magazine + Personalize relocated to Las Vegas for the duration of International CES to sponsor the first ever 3D Printing TechZone and host the ‘Don’t Believe the Hype? – 3D Printing Uncovered’ conference track featuring such industry innovators and leaders as 3D Systems CEO Avi Reichental, Paul Brody of IBM and AMUG board member Todd Grimm. The conference received a remarkably high level of interest, resulting in the entire audience being relocated to a larger auditorium after Reichental’s keynote speech.

Back on the show floor, the event appeared to be a roaring success for the burgeoning consumer 3D printing industry, and TCT Magazine was right at the heart of the action, reporting on every major breaking industry announcement that was made at the week-long trade show.

3D Systems made several major announcements, including the launch of the CubePro prosumer 3D printer and the third generation Cube desktop printer, as well as the first “kitchen-ready” ChefJet 3D printer and CeraJet ceramic 3D printer, making use of the ceramic additive manufacturing technology it acquired from Figulo.

Moreover, MakerBot unveiled three new 3D printers, including the 12 x 12 x 12-inch Z18 machine, which includes heated chamber technology, and the third incarnation of the flagship Replicator 3D printer. Canadian startup Matterform had its Matterform 3D scanner on display, while the biomedical side was represented (although not in the 3D printing zone) by Regenovo, and Sculpteo announced its new Batch Control feature, opening its 3D printing service up to mass production.

TCT + Personalize will return to International CES in 2015.

Sponsor News – Stratasys

Quarterly Materials Update: Digital ABS2

Stratasys materials experts Zehavit Reisin and Sam Green continue their fearless exploration of photopolymer and thermoplastic properties in episode two of the Stratasys quarterly materials report. These videos are a treat to watch — engaging and packed with technical facts. The latest targets Digital ABS2.

The Sorovetz Report

Tom Sorovetz
Event Manager

As I am writing this article, we are less than 13 weeks from zero hour in sunny Tucson, AZ. This year’s event is looking like it will have the largest attendance ever so if you have not reserved your hotel room, please make arrangements today.

If you are flying into Phoenix and are not interested in renting a car, you can contact JK Transportation (520-241-1234), Maximum Transportation (520-399-2400) or Driver Provider (520-221-4175). These services cater to Sky Harbor International Airport pickups/drop offs from the Hilton El Conquistador. An average one-way rate is $230-$250 (excluding driver gratuity), and since they are based out of Tucson, any ground transportation needs to be pre-arranged.

Thanks to the vice presidents, we will have several AM OEM’s bringing equipment either for the AMUGexpo or for use all week in a demo suite. The agenda is going to be packed with AWESOME presentations as well as hands-on programs, such as silicon tooling, foundry in a box (we will be pouring molten metal in sand molds made on the ExOne S-Max), scanning and metrology.

For those of you who are first time attendees, there is a Tuesday night Awards Banquet (part of the conference fee) that is off site from the hotel. The site is always a secret, and it might be indoors, outdoors or both, so please bring appropriate comfortable clothing. I would also suggest wearing pants/jeans (instead of a dress or skirt) and avoid open-toed shoes/sandals because you just never know where we might end up.

On Saturday, April 5, 2014, there will be a golf outing (scrambles format) at the Hilton Country Club. The cost is $125.00 per person and includes18 holes of golf, golf cart, prizes and round trip transportation from the Hilton. Please contact Bob Dzugan (rdzugan@buycastings.com) for additional information.

On Sunday, April 6, 2014, we have an outing to the Tucson Skeet and Trap Club for a few hours of shooting “clay pigeons,” thanks to some prodding from Stefan Ritt. The cost is $125.00 per person and includes the gun rental, instructor, 50 rounds of ammo, 50 clay pigeons, a bottle of water and a sport drink. Food and alcoholic beverages (after you are done shooting) can be purchased in the club house for an additional fee. We need a minimum of 20 participants to have this event so please sign-up and pay early. Please contact me (EventManager@am-ug.com) if you have any questions (until I can have Stefan (stefan.ritt@slm-solutions.com) become the contact person.

Hope to see you in sunny Tucson, AZ,

Thomas A. Sorovetz
Event Manager