AMUG Newsletter March 2018

President’s Report

It’s four weeks until showtime.  I am super excited to get to St. Louis to stand in front of you the morning of day 1 to welcome you all. It’s been a long year since Chicago, and I am always surprised at how fast time flies. A year ago, I was holding the position of vice president and working to support all the sponsors and exhibitors, making sure we were ready for them at the conference.  We all were still working to confirm all the logistics and details to make the conference and expo as successful as possible.  This year has been much different.  I am very lucky to have an extraordinary team of board members and volunteers to work with.  Everyone has been putting in the extra push to reach our goal of an outstanding 30^th Annual AMUG Conference.

I am very humbled when I hear everyone’s enthusiasm.  I field many calls each week with folks asking if it’s too late to register, how do I get in, how can I help?  The best answer is get off the phone and go to our website and register!  Be a volunteer!  Bring lots of experience and fun stories to share.  Bring a full box of business cards.

This will be the last newsletter before the conference.  I hope you will be there to attend, learn and celebrate our 30 years of users helping users.  Look for me, I will be that guy on stage looking nervous and trying to welcome you and kick off our conference.

Agenda Going to Print

The 30th-anniversary edition of the AMUG Conference Program is going to print in a few days.  This would not be possible without the tireless work of Elizabeth Goode.  She has worked day in and day out with the agenda team, our sponsors and our track leaders to put together an agenda that will exhaust you just looking through it.

This year’s agenda will feature over 300 presentations from the entire AM Industry, including, but not limited to, the following:  scanning, software, DOD, materials, medical, aerospace, consumer products, Technical Competition, keynotes, panel discussions, hands-on training, tips and tricks, automation, automotive, post processing, safety, robotics, emerging technologies, implementation of AM, and electronics. Well, you get the picture. Exhausting, isn’t it?

Download the agenda

Don’t wait for your printed conference program. Please check out our website for the latest agenda. We will continue to update the agenda over the next two weeks.

Don’t miss the 30th anniversary of the user group conference – register today!

Online Planner and Mobile App

With over three hundred sessions, workshops and panels taking place throughout the week, we encourage you to use the AMUG Online Planner to schedule your time at the conference. If you haven’t reviewed the preliminary AMUG Conference Agenda, it’s time to take a look. We have sessions in aerospace, automotive/transportation, medical and dental, metal and plastic technologies, software, casting, and materials, not to mention all of the great sessions provided by our Diamond and Platinum Sponsors.

The Online Planner is now live. The Mobile App will launch in March.

Instructions and access codes for the Mobile App will be sent to all conference attendees next Friday, March 23.  We appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to build this AMUG tool.  The instructions and access key will be sent to the email address attendees supplied through RegOnline.  Should you have any issues, please send an email to agenda@amug.com.

Conference Hotels

If you will be joining us in St. Louis, book your hotel room now! Our primary and secondary hotels, St. Louis Union Station and Hilton at the Ballpark (respectively), are nearly full. This led us to an agreement with a third hotel, Pear Tree Inn St. Louis (a Drury property), that will offer the same low nightly rate of $129.00.

If you plan to find your own hotel, get to it because there are three major events in town, and all hotels are filling up fast.

Below is the room availability (by nights stayed, not checkout day) for St. Louis Union Station and Hilton at the Ballpark.

To book a room at either the Hilton at the Ballpark or Pear Tree Inn St. Louis, please visit our hotels page. To book a night at St. Louis Union Station, please contact Tom Sorovetz, event manager, at EventManager@amug.com.

In consideration of other attendees that are looking for a hotel, if you have booked a room and are not going to use it, please contact Tom Sorovetz. This will allow him to free up the room and offer it to other guests.

Recipes Wanted

We have a new tradition that supports the idea that AMUG members are one big family without borders: our Thursday-night Family Dinner, where we serve tasty entrees and desserts crafted from your favorite family recipes.

Let all conference attendees sample the to-die-for taste treat that has been a part of your family’s heritage or tradition. It’s easy to do: just send the recipe and a paragraph or two that describes the origins or history (e.g., grandma’s recipe handed down through many generations). Forward these details to Tom Sorovetz at EventManager@amug.com for consideration.

Technical Competition

Annually, AMUG provides a platform to show off excellence in AM applications and AM part finishing. Please consider entering your best work in our Technical Competition.

Entries will be accepted through April 1, 2018. Details and entry forms are available here.

2017 Technical Competition winners.

Scholarship Recipients Selected

AMUG is pleased to announce the recipients of the Guy E. Bourdeau and Randy Stevens scholarships. Following a selection of finalists by the AMUG Scholarship Committee, Renee Bourdeau, who founded and supports the scholarship in the name of her late husband (and huge AMUG supporter), selected Daniel Delgado Camacho. From the committee’s finalists, In’Tech Industries, founder of the scholarship in the name of its former employee, selected Dr. Emrah Celik.

Daniel Delgado Camacho is pursuing his master’s degree in structural engineering at the University of Texas at Austin with plans to graduate in the spring. He has done multiple internships with ExxonMobil and will continue as a full-time employee once he graduates. Daniel’s research is looking for applications of AM in the construction industry and using 3D printers available at his university to print and test connection ideas using common polymers.

Dr. Emrah Celik is an assistant professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department of the University of Miami. Dr. Celik is a teacher, researcher and academician,  but most importantly, he is a passionate user and developer of additive manufacturing technology. Because of this passion, Dr. Celik has integrated his engineering courses with additive manufacturing technologies aiming to teach students this new manufacturing platform and giving them hands-on experience of prototyping their design concepts into 3D models.

Congratulations, gentlemen. We look forward to seeing you at the AMUG Conference.

Daniel Delgado Camacho (top) and Dr. Emrah Celik selected to receive scholarships.

Excursion for Attendees’ Friends and Family

If you will have a spouse, significant other, family member or friend joining you in St. Louis but not attending the conference, consider exposing them to a day of fun with the usual AMUG flair for hospitality.

We have arranged for a guest outing on Monday, April 9 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Those that join us will experience St. Louis through sight, sound and taste. For example, one stop will be Chandler Hill Vineyard for lunch and a wine tasting. If your guest would like to join in the fun, please contact Tom Sorovetz at EventManager@amug.com before April 5.

Awards Banquet

Yes, we have said it many times before, but we once again want to remind you that you need to pack for your trip with options in mind. Our Tuesday-night Awards Banquet destination is a closely held secret. You won’t know what we have planned for you until you arrive at our selected venue. And that venue may be indoors, outdoors or both.

So check the weather forecast for St. Louis and pack for all possibilities.

Checklist for 2018 AMUG Conference Attendees

If you haven’t already, register for the conference as soon as possible! The early bird and standard conference attendee rates have already passed.

1. Make your hotel reservation & schedule transportation from the airport:

• We’ve already sold out two hotels, and we are on to the back-up’s back-up hotel. See more information online about hotels: https://www.amug.com/conference-hotels/
• Get discounted shuttle transportation from the STL airport with Go BEST Express: https://www.amug.com/transportation/

2. Review the conference agenda and plan your week (300+ to choose from, it won’t be easy):

• Also visit the online planner to see who is exhibiting and to build your personal, online itinerary.
• If interested, register for the AM Certification Course held on Sunday, April 8.

3. Enter the Technical Competition (entries accepted through April 1).

4. Coming to St. Louis early?

• Join the golf outing on Saturday, April 7: https://www.amug.com/golf-outing/
• Join the skeet shooting outing on Sunday, April 8: https://www.amug.com/skeet-shooting/

5. Pack your bags!

• Conference casual attire is the way to go.
• Check out the expected temperatures in St. Louis in April: https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/st-louis-mo/63102/april-weather/349084 .

ExOne at AMUG 2018

We have so many exciting events and presentations planned for this year’s AMUG! We will open the week showcasing the Innovent+® and the system improvements that have been made to increase flowability of difficult powders and better manage dust control. Stop by the booth from 1:30-2:30 to get a look at the Innovent+. Other highlights of the week include:

• ExOne Diamond Sponsor session with our CTO, Rick Lucas, on Tuesday, April 10. 11:00-12:00.
• Presentations covering all aspects of ExOne Binder Jetting from design to post processing.
• We are hosting an open discussion on Ceramics that is open to anyone who is interested in using ceramics in any type of additive manufacturing, not just ExOne technology. Jesse Blacker will manage the discussion. The discussion will be in our booth (D-6) on Monday, April 9, 4:30-5:30.
• The ExOne users group on Wednesday, April 11 at 3:15-5:00. This is a closed session for system users. The users group will give an opportunity for system owners to participate in a discussion about best practices and learn about changes to service.

We will have times where our booth will be open for visitors. If you have questions about ExOne® technology, stop by our booth (D-6) during those times to speak with someone from our team. In addition, you can get an up-close look at the Innovent+! We are looking forward to another great year at AMUG!

RenAM 500Q: Pioneering Productivity in Additive Manufacturing

To improve additive manufacturing productivity and lower cost per part, Renishaw has launched its latest system, the RenAM 500Q. Featuring four 500 W lasers, the compact machine will greatly improve productivity in the most commonly used platform size to bring the benefits of additive manufacturing to a wider range of industries.

By speeding up the process by up to four times, the RenAM 500Q broadens the market appeal of metal additive manufacturing into applications that were previously uneconomic, driving the technology into new industries. By positioning the machine competitively, Renishaw has ensured the productivity benefits will reduce cost per part, without compromising on the precision or quality of a standard single-laser system.

For more information on how the RenAM 500Q can help you realize additive manufacturing in your industry visit www.renishaw.com/renam500Q.

RenAM 500Q features four 500 W lasers and a compact design.

Join Us for the Latest Applications and Technology at AMUG 2018

Like you, we are gearing up for an insightful, fun week of learning, sharing and enjoying interesting and eye-opening content from across the additive manufacturing industry.

Join the HP team in Suite D5 to:

• Take part in our technical sessions and workshops – including customers as well as HP Open Platform software and materials partner guest speakers
• Join panels and workshops on HP 3D materials and hardware
• Get a sneak preview of our new HP Jet Fusion 3D Color Printer on Wednesday and Thursday
• See and learn about the latest HP MJF applications – from Industrial and Automotive to Healthcare

Finally – don’t miss HP’s Diamond Sponsor keynote on Tuesday, April 10 at 11:00 am – Michelle Bockman, HP’s global head of 3D printing commercial expansion & development, will be sharing our learnings about driving 3D printing within HP itself, across various product lines.

We look forward to seeing you there!!

Learn more about HP’s recently announced 3D printers here.

HP Jet Fusion 3D Printing applications.

What’s the Key to the Digital Factories of the Future? Find out from Carbon at AMUG 2018

At the 2018 AMUG Conference, don’t miss Carbon CEO and Co-founder Joe DeSimone, who will speak about Carbon’s deep, collaborative partnership with Adidas and how key it is to the digital factories of the future. Also at this year’s show, attendees can participate in Carbon’s new certification training and learn from a variety of speakers about foam and lattice innovations, design for additive manufacturing, 3D-printed medical devices, groundbreaking materials, and the industry’s move from prototyping to production through Digital Light Synthesis. We’ll also have speakers from Becton Dickinson and Co., The Technology House, and Irish Manufacturing Research.

Check out the full schedule here.

3D printing the midsole for a Futurecraft 4D shoe.

EOS North America AMUG Conference Preview

The 2018 AMUG Conference is just a few short weeks away!  Here’s what to expect from EOS North America, which will exhibit and present additive manufacturing (AM) solutions in Diamond Sponsor Suite D4:

• LIVE 3D Printing – Industrial metal and polymer systems running
• Industry Success Stories – A wide variety of customer applications that bring the benefits of AM to life
• Meet the Experts – Discussions with EOS and partners, including ALM, GKN, DyeMansion, Morf3D, Incodema 3D, i3D MFG, and Authentise
• Diamond Keynote Presentation – “LPBF AlSi10Mg: It’s All in the Details,” co-presented by EOS and Incodema 3D
• Speaking Sessions – In-Depth EOS and partner presentations throughout the week covering the full spectrum of AM topics
• Workshop – “Part Screening and Selection Workshop” to help you identify the right AM applications

Full presentation schedule

Automotive presentation hosted in EOS Diamond Sponsor Suite D4.

BASF will Announce 2018 Design Contest Winner at AMUG

Cooperation and innovation are part of BASF’s DNA. That’s why we are excited to be announcing the winner of the Design Contest, “How to use BASF Materials for Functional Parts”, on Monday, April 9 at 11:00 am in BASF’s Diamond suite D13.

Our three finalists are:

1. Li Yang and Yan Wu from the University of Louisville: Football helmet padding created with a customized cellular structure utilizing BASF’s TPU.
2. Scott Kraemer from Design 151: Customized watch casing and parts utilizing BASF’s Ultrafuse 316LX metal filament.
3. Vince Anewenter from the Milwaukee School of Engineering: Mold creation for expanded foam applications utilizing BASF’s Ultrafuse 316LX metal filament.

Are you curious to know who will win? Come check-out the parts at our demo suite D13 on Sunday, support your favorite finalist and learn more about each entry.

For more information, please contact us at 3d-printing@basf.com.

BASF is excited to be a returning Diamond Sponsor at the 2018 AMUG Conference (click image for video).

Visit Formlabs at 2018 AMUG Conference

Visit Formlabs at this year’s AMUG Conference! We’ll be showcasing the Fuse 1, our $9,999 benchtop selective laser sintering 3D printer, as well as the best-selling stereolithography 3D printer, the Form 2, at our booth.

We’ll also be hosting our own track of talks on the future of manufacturing, with topics including:

• Making 3D Printing Cost Effective for End Use Parts
• How a High Precision Automotive Supplier Reduced Production Lead Time with 3D Printed Jigs
• Identifying, Introducing, and Validating Additive Workflows Alongside Conventional Manufacturing
• Scaling Desktop 3D Printing for High Volume Production
• What’s Next for SLA Materials

We hope to see you for these sessions and on the show floor!

The Formlabs Fuse 1. Selective laser sintering (SLS) uses a laser to fuse a powdered material into robust nylon parts.

Traditional Manufacturing Metrics; Hear More at the Conference

Metal additive manufacturing is maturing rapidly to become a regular production technology. When applications shift from single parts being prototyped to small and larger series, process and equipment requirements change from manual flexibility to automated predictability and integrated reproducibility. With its growing installed base in the aerospace, automotive and high-tech component industries, Additive Industries’ MetalFAB1 has proven its added value in the domain of industrial parts production.

Now Additive Industries is ready to step up the game and focus on traditional manufacturing metrics like OEE and productivity in order to beat competing conventional technologies, like casting and machining, on their own turf. Additive Industries’ team will share how during the AMUG Conference.

MetalFAB1 is tackling traditional performance metrics.

Accelerating AM Adoption – Stratasys Panel at AMUG 2018

Next month at the AMUG Conference we’re hosting a panel of experts to discuss how additive manufacturing impacts their industries. Leaders from Boeing, J&J Health Ventures, Siemens PLM Software, Ford and FedEx will share where and how additive is accelerating their manufacturing processes. Please join us for the panel, “Additive Manufacturing Across Industry – The Good, The Bad, The Next Generation,” on Tuesday, April 10 at 11:00 am.

We’ll also explore how additive is fast-tracking new product introduction, closing gaps in part production and driving positive economic outcomes across manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace, logistics and automotive. Learn how these top-performing companies gain efficiencies and make progress using AM from initial idea to production, to maintenance and replacement.

Be sure to also check out our wide range of educational and technical presentations in the Stratasys room during the AMUG Conference. For more, check out our agenda online here.

Tuesday panel to discuss “Additive Manufacturing Across Industry – The Good, The Bad, The Next Generation.”

Focus on Success with Metal Additive Manufacturing

Throughout the week at the AMUG Conference, SLM Solutions will present seminars in Diamond Suite D-8 to help those interested in expanding into, as well as current users of metal additive manufacturing succeed with selective laser melting. Oakridge National Laboratory will present “A Newbies Guide to Running a Metal Machine”, The Direct Manufacturing Research Center will focus on “Smart Manufacturing with SLM”, Forecast 3D emphasizes  the questions customers should be asking about the process while Concurrent Technologies Corporation shares tips to “Tame the Complexities of Laser Powder Bed Fusion.” We will also have presentations on the optimization of Ti6Al4V and high-speed printing of AlSi10Mg. View the full seminar schedule here.

Stop by to see these presentations and more, plus the premiere of SLM Solutions Software Additive.Designer in suite D-8.

Meet GE Additive in St. Louis!

The AMUG Conference is quickly approaching, and GE Additive is looking forward to engaging with attendees and providing a valuable experience. Join us in our Diamond Suite where we will have both an M2 cusing DMLM machine and a Q10 plus EBM machine running live! In addition, you can see sample parts across different industries, manufactured on our various machines, including Project A.T.L.A.S. and the X LINE 2000R.

Experts from AddWorks – our additive consultancy service – will be on hand to answer questions about design, materials and industrialization. And to round out GE Additive’s comprehensive portfolio, AP&C will offer expertise on powder metal materials. Also, stop by to experience great presentations and learn about some of our customers’ additive journeys.

Parts, machines and inside looks at the AMUG Conference.

Catch Us at the AMUG Conference

Engineering.com will be on the ground at the 2018 AMUG Conference, where we hope to catch both exciting news from additive manufacturing businesses and important stories from AM users. Find us in St. Louis carrying notebooks and tape recorders and tell us your AM user story!

Read our pre-event article here.

Former AMUG President Steve Deak takes a selfie with attendees of the 2017 AMUG Conference in Chicago.

RAPID + TCT to Highlight the Latest Advancements in Metal 3D Printing

The globally-renowned RAPID + TCT conference brings together over 175 industry experts to speak on the latest processes, applications, materials, and research in additive manufacturing. As the industry continues to focus on metal additive manufacturing innovation, RAPID + TCT 2018 will highlight the impressive work being done to advance the technology.

Conference Sessions
RAPID + TCT has made it easy for attendees to find all conference presentations related to metals. View metals presentations.

Workshop
New advances have made metal additive manufacturing processes faster and more efficient. At the Metal Part Fabrication Using Additive Manufacturing Technologies workshop, you’ll obtain a detailed overview of the additive process used for creating metal parts.

Register

3D Printing Jobs and Recognition

As our final preparations are made, we at 3D Printing Industry are looking forward to meeting fellow attendees at the AMUG Conference. In the interim, we’d like to share two big announcements.

The first is that our 3D Printing Industry Jobs Board is now live. We hope that with our large, but highly targeted, audience we can help address one of pressing issues in AM – hiring. Our second announcement relates to the 2018 3D Printing Industry Awards. Drawing on the knowledge and experience of our readers who nominated the leading individuals and enterprises in our industry, the shortlists are now online. Our gala dinner takes place on May 17, 2018, at Nuffield Hall in central London.

See you in St. Louis!

Voting is now open in the 2018 3D Printing Industry Awards.

Additive Manufacturing Salaries–Experience Pays Off

Additive manufacturing (AM) is being promoted as the beginning of a revolution in manufacturing. The revolution is to make manufacturing digital where everything is connected through a digital thread. Because AM can be connected to the cloud and other forms of “digitalness,” it is being viewed as a natural evolution of manufacturing. Thus, much effort and research is going on to turn what once was a prototyping tool into a production tool. One example: Airbus plans to produce 30 tons of 3D printed parts per month this year.

As companies move down this digital manufacturing path, they seek engineering talent, but from a limited talent pool. This challenge for companies is good news for engineers with skills in additive manufacturing and 3D printing.  To read more, click here.

Limited resource pool is good news for skilled 3D printing professionals.

Subscribe to DE’s Focus on Rapid Technologies Newsletter

Digital Engineering magazine’s monthly Focus on Rapid Technologies newsletter covers rapid prototyping, rapid manufacturing and reverse engineering news and new products that design engineering teams can put to use. The best 3D printing/additive manufacturing content is chosen for each issue by DE’s editors.

Subscribe today and you’ll be sure to see our pre- and post-show coverage of the 2018 Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) conference.

Subscribe to DE’s Focus on Rapid Technologies Newsletter.

When 3D Printing Supports People

We often write about ways AM benefits people professionally, as manufacturers. That’s the case this month with stories on production-ready injection molds and short-run manufacturing.

But what about using AM to help the workforce? At Liberty Electronics, some employees face mobility challenges. The company 3D prints custom grips, adapters and other tools to help them thrive in their daily work.

Then there are the medical applications. In this month’s cover story, Slice Mfg. Studios uses EBM to manufacture hip cups with a trabecular structure that allows for a stronger bond within the patient, but also aids the surgeon. The cups’ AM construction means they can be anodized to a color matching plates and bone screws for easier sizing.

Read these stories and more in the latest issue of Additive Manufacturing.

The March issue of AM features articles on 3D-printed mold tooling, short-run manufacturing, EBM for end-to-end medical manufacturing and more.

Meet Us in St Louis [for your free subscription to DEVELOP3D]

Don’t get the Blues* – Your FREE monthly downloadable subscription to DEVELOP3D Magazine is waiting for you at the 2018 AMUG Conference in St. Louis – it’d be a Cardinals* sin to miss out…

*We’re sorry

Download this month’s issue now for the full story behind Silicon Valley’s new automotive challenger Lucid Motors, and more. Get it FREE here.

3DMP’s Spring Issue at AMUG Conference

3D Metal Printing will be covering the AMUG Conference onsite, and the magazine’s next issue will be there, too, distributed to all attendees. The Spring 2018 issue will feature a case history on software used for metal-part builds and a look at government-led powder-laser-bed research that can lead to better build simulations. In addition, 3DMP will be previewing RAPID + TCT, slated for Fort Worth, TX, at the end of April. The preview will include event details as well as exhibitor offerings.

For past issues and current news and events, visit www.3dmpmag.com.

The Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory high-energy x-ray beams are being used to improve powder-laser-bed build simulations.

TCT Reporting Live from AMUG 2018

Judging by the number of press releases we have already received from sponsors and exhibitors, the AMUG  Conference is shaping up to be a busy event for the TCT editorial team. We will be on the ground reporting on all of the best bits from the conference and expo so if you’re an AM user with a story or novel additive manufacturing application to share, we would love to hear from you. Drop us an email or come find us on the floor, and in the meantime, why not submit your innovation to the TCT Awards?

Keep up to date with the latest AMUG preview news over on our website, and we will see you in St. Louis.