AMUG April 2022

President’s report

All AMUG Members,

It was a great pleasure to see all of you in person and to gather over good food, ample beverages, and of course, some pie. AMUG 2022 really was a great event, in every measure, and we are pleased to be on the return to normal. We look forward to doing it again in 2023!

Attendance for AMUG 2022 was impressive and very close to the strongest pre-pandemic levels. Your participation validates the benefits of our event: a forum for learning, an occasion for sharing, and a gathering for building your networks. Your energy and engagement from the start (New Member Welcome) to the very end (Family Dinner) was invigorating. We are grateful for having the best community within the AM space.

Please know that your AMUG Board has been documenting all of the good things from the conference, the areas that need changed, and growth opportunities we observed. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us directly or via the mobile app.

We have initiated the transition plan for our newly elected AMUG Board Members so that they can be as prepared as possible when they take the reins. This transition period also offers the opportunity for AMUG members to become a member of a committee, so please let us know if you are interested (online form).

A big thank you to everyone for abiding by the CDC’s and City of Chicago’s health guidelines for COVID-19. Unfortunately, some AMUG Members have found that they were COVID positive on their return home. If you tested positive, we hope that the symptoms were mild and that you are now recovered. It appears that this may be part of the new normal as we return to face-to-face meetings.

For those of you that will be attending RAPID + TCT, look for us in the AM Industry Celebration. We look forward to seeing you there!  In the meantime, please be well, stay safe, and enjoy some pie as we work on the next amazing AMUG Conference (March 19 – 23, 2023).

Thank you very much for making AMUG great!

Carl Dekker
President
president@amug.com

AMUG Conference: agenda recap

The AMUG agenda was packed full of learning and networking sessions throughout the week. We hear that the program was a great one, but we’d like to receive your input. Please take a few minutes to submit your feedback (through the mobile app) on sessions that you attended or let us know what you’d like to see in future AMUG Conferences. Your input will guide us as we prepare for 2023.

From start to finish, participation in our conference activities was strong. The pre-conference certification classes offered by ASTM and SME were well attended, and the DMG MORI tour of its Hoffman Estates facility had a full house! On the last day, the Workshops on Thursday were a big hit; participation was so strong that many ran out of work samples!

Save the date

AMUG is returning to Chicago for the 2023 conference. We want to see you there, so mark your calendars.

AMUG CONFERENCE 2023

March 19 – 23, 2023
Hilton Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Conference registration (both for attendees and for exhibitors/sponsors) is planned to be open on or near October 1, 2022.

Mobile app

STOP; don’t remove the AMUG Conference mobile app from your phone/tablet. The information available through the app to those that attended the 2022 conference has no expiration date.

So, keep the app to have access to presentations, the Manufacturing Loop, and your fellow AMUG Members.

SPONSOR NEWS

AMUG 2022 highlights: Meteor joins council, session replays, and upcoming events

At AMUG 2022, Dyndrite announced the addition of Meteor Inkjet, a leading supplier of electronics, software, tools and services for industrial inkjet, to the Dyndrite Developer Council (DDC).

“We have already begun to explore the ways we can expose the Dyndrite technology to our machine builders,” said Clive Ayling, managing director, Meteor Inkjet Ltd. “We also look forward to working with other members of the DDC, especially our long-time partner, Xaar, on maximizing their printhead abilities within additive manufacturing.”

Other show highlights included demos of our new application developer’s kit for machine builders as well as four presentation sessions. Look for the replay, “Jetting Hardware Outpaced Materials and Software Development,” which dives into materials and process development in the context of jetting on our YouTube channel.

Thanks for visiting us this year at the event. We invite you to join us May 17 – 19 at Rapid + TCT 2022, in booth 1101.

Nexa3D and the move to production at AMUG 2022

As a first-time Diamond sponsor for AMUG 2022, Nexa3D joined the festivities with delight. The booth was filled with visitors intrigued about the production-readiness of ultrafast 3D printing across a variety of platform options.

The all-new desktop XiP system was on display, including live demos in the booth and during a dedicated workshop. With its Wash+Cure system and AiR filtration system also on show, the XiP was ready for a full build plate print in 12 minutes throughout AMUG.

Nexa3D also took the opportunity to introduce the newest addition to the portfolio with the industrial NXE 200. The AMUG-first showing brings a new entry point into LSPc technology and is fully compatible with the xWash and xCure stations already on the market with the NXE 400 and NXD 200 industrial systems.

Also attracting attention were samples from the Nexa3D x Addifab collaboration, bringing scalable opportunities to Freeform Injection Molding.

Our event recap covers some of the trends the Nexa3D team observed at the unmissable AMUG 2022!

Stratasys event highlights

If you attended the 2022 AMUG Conference, we hope you stopped by the Stratasys booth! All the 3D printers in our booth were “AMUG First Timers.” This included:

• J5 MediJet (PolyJet^TM technology)
• H350 (SAF^TM technology)
• Neo^®450 (stereolithography)
• Origin^® One (P3^TM technology)

We also debuted a virtual factory floor experience, and we hope you enjoyed seeing and feeling the texture samples of 3D printing with PolyJet on fabric.

All of this and more will be at the upcoming RAPID + TCT event, May 17-19 in Detroit, Michigan. Visit us in booth #2601.

Plus, don’t forget to register for our upcoming Experience Stratasys: Manufacturing virtual event to hear from product leaders, application engineers and industry-leading customers who are transforming their manufacturing operations with additive solutions from Stratasys.

Register Today

AMUG 2022: We have more to go

We are at a loss for words to capture the academic yet sociable and convivial atmosphere at AMUG 2022. We would like to express deep gratitude for all the participants in our booth and the also individuals who got interested in the fabWeaver’s factory-worthy and office-friendly 3D Workstation – type A530.

Furthermore, thank you very much for coming to the two conference sessions, ‘Efficient Workflow Proposal for a Medium & Small-sized 3D-Print shop’ by Thomas Kim from fabWeaver and ‘Maximizing Use of PA12’ by Bart Van Der Schueren from Materialise. We appreciate the strong interest in them.

At the booth, many people liked having a look at fabWeaver type A530 as well as the 3D printings of the main character of ‘Squid Game.’ We made a Boom worldwide! Also many of you enjoyed the virtual reality game ‘fabSlicer’ that we prepared. Good job everyone! The lucky winner of the game was named just few days ago.

Many thanks for meeting us this year at the AMUG Conference. We invite you to join us May 17 – May 19 at RAPID+TCT 2022 in our booth (#1646). It will be another extension of what we did at AMUG.

We have a special Tech-hub session by Thomas Kim from fabWeaver on the show floor, so share your expertise and have an opportunity for Q&A.

If you missed us at the conference, check out our website to discover the difference and e-experience how fabWeaver type A530 accelerates product innovation by optimizing your prototyping process in every industry and environment. If you like it, why don’t you become our reseller today?

Meltio’s AMUG 2022 recap

Although it has only been a few days since AMUG 2022 ended, we can’t wait to experience all that this wonderful community has to offer again. It was our honor and privilege to participate as a Diamond Sponsor, and we wish to express our congratulations to the AMUG team for pulling off such a fantastic event! With a superb location at the Hilton Chicago, the Meltio team was eager to greet existing and new industry friends.

During AMUG, we had the chance to connect with many industry professionals and engage in great conversations, not only in our booth but during the various networking sessions, too.

We also had the opportunity to dive deeper into different topics regarding Meltio’s state-of-the-art technology, product portfolio, dual wire capabilities, and design guidelines, and we showcased several applications during the six presentations given by our CTO, Brian Matthews, and our Head of R&D, Lukas Hoppe. Brian also had the chance to engage in a more informal conversation with Andrew Allshorn, AMUG’s VP, about metal additive manufacturing trends among many other topics.

If you’d like to get a copy of the presentations or continue the conversation with us, feel free to reach out to us here!

AMUG 2022 – a great event

The HP 3D Printing team enjoyed sharing our most recent and innovative applications at AMUG 2022! We made amazing connections, participated in insightful conversations, and exchanged innovative ideas.

Highlights included our well-attended sessions: Achieving Class-A Surface Quality, which outlined the work we are doing with textures and post-processing techniques that are expanding the uses of our technology; E2E Workflow Optimization for Production at Scale, which featured the work of 2 of our customers, DI Labs and uLab Systems, who are transforming their industries; Mass Production Part Design for Metal Jet Process, which showcased design considerations for HP’s Metal Jet technology when considering mass production; and HP 3D Printing – The Journey to Scale Production.

We exhibited our latest applications and parts from the Industrial, Automotive, Consumer Goods, and Medical Devices sectors as well as parts from our Metal Jet technology. Our display included products from shoe manufacturer Hilos—they competed against a cohort of 45 startup finalists from around the world in this year’s SXSW Pitch competition, taking home the win for World Innovative Technologies and Best in Show.

Check out our video for more highlights from the show!  We are already looking forward to AMUG 2023!

Become a part of something greater

Quickparts is a trusted 3D prototyping and manufacturing partner synonymous with high quality, speed, and accuracy. Our additive and traditional manufacturing expertise allows our teams to be successful professionally while actively participating in challenging and unique projects along the way.

We know you’re looking for more than just another job. You want your work to create a meaningful impact beyond the office. You love a challenge and understand that speed doesn’t mean sacrificing quality. You want to be part of a company with engaged leadership that encourages work-life balance while still allowing you to grow professionally.

“Skills certainly help,” says Tony Schwaerzler, vice president of human resources at Quickparts, “but our positive, collaborative work environments place a high value on those who are trainable with a great attitude and strong work ethic.”

Discover the difference between another job and a long-term career. Apply for your dream job today!

Make hazard waste a thing of the past

Are you sick of paying hundreds or thousands to get your hazardous waste removed? While AM processes typically produce less waste than traditional methods, certain technologies such as PolyJet, DLP, and stereolithography leave users with hazardous waste in the form of liquid resin.

The W7500 printer from Onulis solidifies the unused UV resin into solid plastic stock that can be used to produce valuable components—such as jigs and fixtures via CNC machining. Or, it can be safely disposed of with the everyday trash.

Cut the costs of your hazardous waste removal, while easing the impact on the environment. Learn more  here.

Tekna invests and innovates for the growth of its future

Tekna, the world-leading provider of AM powders, continues growing in North America and in Europe. Tekna continues to further ramp up the production volume of AM powders at its headquarters in Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.

In addition, Tekna is consolidating its European AM powder production at a new facility in France designed to hold up to 1,500 tons of powder manufacturing capacity and produce nickel, aluminum, and titanium powders. The facility will be the centerpiece of a supply chain that is 100% European based, ranging from feedstock procurement to advanced powders manufacturing, from delivery to point-of-use, with fully traceable, closed-loop material recycling.

With this consolidation, Tekna has strengthened its supply chain resilience while reducing its carbon footprint and enabling the industry to operate in a circular economy in line with its environmental goals.

3D printed sand vacuum forming tooling proves durability in production

In the world of consumer products, speed is the name of the game. To maintain a true-to-factory-appearance and superior product quality, OAM needed a solution to get its Quick Covers truck rocker panels to market faster. With speed to market front of mind and in need of a tooling option that increased durability while also offering more flexible vacuum-hole routing, the company researched binder jetting. The solution they found was X1 ThermoForm, which enabled cost-effective, precise, and durable rapid tooling 3D printing in sand.

Zach Kowalik, CEO and co-founder, explained the challenges with the original tooling made of steel, composite, or wood. “They required a lot of repair and maintenance, and we often struggled to place vacuum holes in precise locations due to the material and design constraints.”

The X1 Thermoform tool was half the cost of past aluminum tools and saved OAM over three months of lead time.

Read the complete case study here.

MEDIA SPONSOR NEWS

So, what’s new in the world of metal AM?

This year’s AMUG gathering was a hugely rewarding experience – congratulations and thanks to the dedicated volunteers and speakers who made it all possible.

This was the first trip ‘across the pond’ in a long time for Metal AM’s Jon Craxford and Nick Williams, and it was great to be back in the mix with so many AM leaders. Very visible in their Metal AM branded clothes, the No. 1 question that they were asked? “So, what’s new in the world of metal AM?”

That’s a tough question to answer in a fleeting conversation, and the truth is that we put everything we know in each issue of Metal AM, PIM International, and PM Review! Apart, of course, from all the incredible off-the-record stuff we hear at conferences and keep to ourselves until deals are signed or embargoes are lifted.

Follow us on social media, download the latest issue, or sign up to our e-newsletter. We promise to tell all we can, when we can.

Additively manufacturing amorphous alloys yields hard, flexible parts

Materials manufacturer Heraeus AMLOY and TRUMPF are working together to maximize the benefits of 3D printing amorphous metals. The materials, formed by shock-freezing a metallic melt, resist corrosion, brittleness, and the formation of cracks. Click here to read the full report on our website.

Here are some other interesting posts on our site:

• Remembering Thing-O-Matic, the desktop 3D printer that changed the perception of additive manufacturing.
• What the world needs: a handbook for the 3D printing industry. Click here to read the blog.
• A Michigan 3D printing network makes tourniquet components for wounded Ukrainians.

AMUG, aerospace + more inside the next issue of TCT

As editors looking to fill TCT Magazine with the latest technology developments and the sharpest insights, there is no better way to spend one’s time than on the floor at an AM event. AMUG 2022 was no different, and in between the networking events and keynote presentations, we grabbed our chance to walk the expo, sit in on several breakout sessions and grab a few moments with multiple industry leaders.

While some of these interactions will be held back for future issues of TCT Magazine, many of them will feature in the next mag to land on your desk. Inside, we highlight the latest applications of AM in aerospace, take a look at the development of Direct Energy Deposition technologies, and explore the challenges that need to be overcome for 3D printing to be used as a production tool.

Subscribe here for your free copy.

Unlocking the power of generative design

The April 2022 edition of Digital Engineering magazine focuses on generative design issues, including the use of AI in next-generation generative design processes, increased adoption of the technology, and how it ties into design for additive.

You can access the issue here.

Going small with 3D printing

The range of sizes that 3D printing machines can handle is impressive, from huge wind turbine blades to parts that measure just a few microns. John Kawola, CEO of Boston Micro Fabrication discusses the microscale side of 3D printing.

Read it here.