A Word from the Chair
Where do I begin this month’s article? So much has happened in the transformation of your AMUG in such a short time. First and very important news is that the 2011 Conference Proceedings are now available to attendees. Please be sure to use the passcode that is on the backside of your conference badge. We hope that you find the proceedings easy to navigate and enjoy the conference photos as well. I’d like to thank Tim Gornet, Past Chairman for his work on getting these proceedings together for all of us to reference. I would also like to thank Cadmium CD for their hard work in publishing these proceedings.
I have attended Rapid for a number of years now, but I have to admit that this was one of the best Rapid events in a long time. Congratulations to the folks at SME, especially Gary Mikola, Jane Wellington and our own Kevin Ayers. These individuals deserve a great deal of credit for putting on a fine show. As far as the AMUG exhibit is concerned, we also had a great show. Countless numbers of attendees visited and inquired about the 2012 AMUG. The excitement of having just one Users Group for all Additive Manufacturing Technologies really appealed to everyone who stopped by to chat.
It is now official that we have two confirmed Diamond level Sponsors for the 2012 AMUG. We welcome both Stratasys and Objet at our highest level of Sponsorship and also have a firm commitment from Z-Corporation. It is through these OEM’s financial commitments that we will be able to keep costs down and still be able to provide the highest quality Users Group ever assembled. Stay tuned as we highlight one or more of our Sponsors each month in this newsletter. Thanks to everyone who helped man the AMUG Booth during RAPID, and please don’t hesitate to contact myself or any of your AMUG officers with suggestions, concerns or ideas. Until July, I remain at your service!
Sincerely, Gary
3D Printers and Production Systems
Stratasys machines use FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology to produce everything from rapid prototypes to end-use parts from 3D CAD data in a variety of production-grade thermoplastics. The Dimension line of 3D printers offers CAD users an affordable, networked option for printing models using ABS plastic, one of the most widely used thermoplastics in today’s injection-molded products. The Fortus line of 3D production systems is ideal for direct digital manufacturing and advanced prototyping. No matter what your CAD application, Stratasys has a machine that can make your job easier.
Video (above): See how FDM works.
www.stratasys.com.
ALM: Custom LS Materials
Image (above): ALM Engineers Materials for Rapid Manufacturing.
www.alm-llc.com.
Somos: Thermoplastic Performance
Image (above): Parts produced from Somos® NeXt are ideal for use in functional testing applications as well as low-volume manufacturing applications where exceptional toughness is required. For more information, visit DSM Somos: www.dsm.com.
The Sorovetz Report
Well, it is June and the Inaugural Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) is starting to take shape. Gary Rabinovitz our President has informed me that because of the additional technologies that is now part of the AMUG, we will be having a FULL day on Thursday, so please make sure your plans are for a Friday Departure. Ken Patton, Ed Tacket and team have opened their doors to us for a Thursday night tour and dinner at the University of California – Irvine (UCI). There is a lot of research going on at UCI not only at RapidTech but throughout the campus so please plan on attending this great event Thursday Night.
Is anyone planning on bringing their spouse and or family to the 2012 AMUG Conference? I spoke with the Chef and he would be interested in having a “Hands On” cooking class for those who are interested for a fee of $75-100 dollars depending on number of people and what menu item(s) are selected. Please let me know if your spouse is interested.
For those who are bringing your spouse whose interest is shopping, I am also working on a VIP Program with South Coast Plaza. Currently the Hilton will offer free shuttle service (but don’t forget to tip the driver) to and from the Hotel to South Coast Plaza. I am also working with Mall personal on a complete VIP experience. I will have more information in the July newsletter.
Have a great month, Tom
Huntsman: Durable Prototypes
Huntsman RenShape® SL photopolymers are technologically advanced stereolithography materials formulated to produce durable, robust models and prototypes with outstanding accuracy, intricate reproduction of detail and a high-quality surface finish. The versatile Huntsman RenShape® SL materials product family includes photopolymers with a variety of physical characteristics including heat deflection temperatures up to 185ºF (85ºC), elongations as high as 30%, flexural strengths from 7,000 to 15,000 psi and good humidity resistance. Huntsman RenShape® SL materials are also known for their easy processing, high throughput and good green strength. Parts made with the photopolymers are easy to clean and require minimal finishing.
Image (above): Parts made with Huntsman photopolymers are ideal for building snap-fit parts, polypropylene and ABS like prototypes and selectively colored medical models on the full range of SLA® platforms.
For more information, visit Hunstman Advanced Materials: www.huntsman.com or call 888-564-9318.
Postcards from Miami