AMUG November 2020

President’s Report

It has been a very hard year. I‘m not exempt from the challenges; nor is AMUG. I have been very busy with my day job—both in doing the routine and addressing new circumstances. The same is true for AMUG, which is acting on the normal business items, growth-oriented needs, and new challenges as they emerge.

As you may be aware, we have more than a dozen new committees, and they are actively working to navigate the needs of our members and of our continually growing event. Dozens of committee members  are working hard to address your needs and requests while building on your great ideas. Those ideas keep rolling in, and many are so invigorating and original that it almost feels like a new event—one that is the same, yet different in good ways.

As we in America enter our time for giving thanks (the Thanksgiving holiday), I am reminded of all that makes our success possible—fresh ideas, individual efforts, team endeavors, and a passion for the AM community. This makes me very honored to be part of this team.

While honored, I am also humbled. There is simply too much going on for me to be a hands-on contributor to every activity. But, we have strong teams that get the job done; sometimes making it all seem so simple (it’s not). So I would like to thank all of the great members of our committees, as well as the AMUG Board, that make everything come together like its nothing. I also thank my ‘day-job’ coworkers for stepping in to free me up so that I can be a meaningful contributor.

I hope you all are able to take a few moments to give thanks to everyone that has helped you personally/professionally and to thank the AMUG volunteers that are working diligently to make the conference and the organization a success.

I know this may be premature, but I am optimistic that we will soon be reaching the back side of the pandemic. I’m anticipating, and looking forward to, medical experts delivering more solutions, which can be quickly implemented, that improve safety or stop the spread of COVID-19. Those medical solutions will liberate us from physical isolation, allowing us to freely gather in person. That will be great and uplifting, and it will be something to be truly thankful for.

AMUG: Reflecting on Its Influence

I don’t know about you, but the changes in work and home life due to COVID-19 have given me a chance to reflect on where I should be concentrating my time and effort, both personally and professionally. I’ve been lucky enough to be in this industry a long time, and I can tell you that AMUG is the one group that has given me the chance to grow professionally, personally, and socially. Whether it’s seeing a long-time attendee or gaining insights from a new member, AMUG has always been the best investment of my time and effort.

The growth of AMUG membership from just hundreds to now thousands of rabid students and disciples of AM has necessitated increasing the size of the AMUG Board. Growth has also demanded that we  seek out individuals with new ideas and fresh perspectives so that we can continue to provide the valuable experiences that keep many of us coming back year after year.

If you have ever volunteered for AMUG duties—stuffing bags, speaking, moderating, participating in the AMEUGexpo, or dedicating your time as a committee member—you understand and appreciate the behind-the-scenes, all-volunteer magic that has to happen to make the event a success. The growth and value of AMUG is dependent on the all-volunteer board, and since the nominating committee can’t possibly get to know every conference attendee, we are looking for you to nominate yourself or suggest someone that you think would be a good addition to the AMUG team. Whether a seasoned veteran or a relative newcomer, as long as you are willing to commit your time and effort, please consider being part of the AMUG Board.

Any questions? Drop us an email at nomcom@amug.com. Want to nominate yourself? You can do so here.

Restoring Michigan Central Station to Its Glory with 3D Scanning Technology

The last train left Michigan Central Station in 1988. With its doors shuttered, the station fell into disrepair until the Ford Motor Company purchased the building as part of the revitalization of downtown Detroit. Ford reached out to CATI to incorporate the 3D scanning technology from Creaform that it uses on the shop floor to replicate architectural elements.

Hear from the team on how the project is taking shape.

3D scanning used in restoration of Michigan Central Station.

Learn about Automotive 3D Printing from Ford’s Ellen Lee

Carbon has recognized Ellen Lee, Ford Motor’s technical leader of additive manufacturing research, as an Additive MVP. Ellen is one of the world’s foremost experts on 3D printing in the automotive industry; you can learn from her experience through a webinar, a handbook on 3D printing in the automotive industry, and a quick video on choosing the right 3D printing process. Learn about her experience.

The Carbon DLS™ process offers a wide range of engineering materials that are ideal for automotive applications. Request a free sample part kit to test them yourself.

Ford’s Ellen Lee selected as a Carbon Additive MVP.

DSM Launches New Digital Light Processing Resin with Fast Printing Speeds and Unique Flexibility

DSM introduces Somos® QuickGen 500, a fast-printing, general-purpose resin for DLP and LCD 3D printing. Colorless, Somos QuickGen 500 has a print speed 2x faster than similar materials. Easy to print, the resin prints with accuracy and is ideal for functional and general prototypes, semi-flexible applications, applications with detailed features, and more. Somos QuickGen 500 offers unique flexibility; it is more flexible than other resins, but stiffer than elastomers, offering both flexibility and spring back.

DSM worked with Origin, a San Francisco-based company and developer of the Origin One—an open industrial 3D printer with transformative material development tools, to develop and test Somos QuickGen 500. The combination of DSM’s materials science and Origin’s open system platform allowed for the rapid development of this new material.

DSM and Origin will be discussing this and more in an upcoming webinar. Learn more and register here.

Somos QuickGen 500.

Peak Productivity: SLM Solutions Launches 12-Laser Machine

Selective Laser Melting pioneer SLM Solutions officially introduces its new SLM® machine, NXG XII 600, which is now available for commercial offer. The highly anticipated machine is equipped with 12 lasers (1 KW each) and a square build envelope of 600 x 600 x 600 mm. NXG XII 600 is the fastest machine on the market—20 times faster compared to a single laser machine— and equipped with innovative technical features like the zoom function to achieve highest productivity and reliability. It is designed to be used in serial production for high-volume applications as well as for printing large parts, which opens up new applications in the automotive and aerospace industries and paves the way to industrialized serial production.

Read the full story here.

An AM Challenge of Olympic Proportions

The US Air Force recently held an event tailor-made for AM—the Advanced Manufacturing Olympics. While there were no glitzy opening ceremonies and no host city, there were gold, silver, and bronze medals along with $1 million in prize money at stake.

The contest was an opportunity for the Rapid Sustainment Office of the Air Force to identify new methods to support aging aircraft programs through lower-cost, innovative technologies. The competition consisted of six technical challenges that focused exclusively on using AM to address supply chains, material technology, and rapid solution qualification.

Stratasys was privileged to compete in three of the challenges, and even took home some medals! Were they bronze – silver – gold? Find out how these olympics turned out at the Stratasys blog.

Design submissions for an F-16 hydraulic line clamp made using FDM® Antero thermoplastic.

The Impact of Additive Manufacturing on the Medical Industry

Since we started our webinar series “Exploring the Potential of Additive Manufacturing” six months ago, we’ve had nearly 2K registrants! Thank you to all of you who have been able to join us. As we continue to gain momentum, our next webinar will focus on the Impact of AM on the medical industry.

Join our free webinar to learn how high-performance AM materials can help improve personal mobility. We will unveil a strategic X-3DP Technology case study for a wearable wrist cast designed and enhanced using our Ultrasim^®3D simulation capabilities. This wrist cast was printed in collaboration with our partner NewPro3D and tested in select user trials.

In addition, we will be sharing brief snapshots of use case applications currently in the works, where we’re currently collaborating with our partners alongside healthcare professionals and clinicians in the field. These use cases include point-of-care models, jigs & fixtures, prosthetics & orthotics mobility, and protection solutions, among others.

Webinar Details:

• Topic: Impact of AM on the Medical Industry
• When: Wednesday, November 18 @11am eastern
• Registration: click here

For more information, visit www.forward-am.com.

Ultrasim 3D – virtual engineering simulation.

Essentium Introduces Industry-First Anti-Static Material to Advance Aerospace and Defense Applications

Essentium, Inc. has introduced Essentium TPU 58D-AS, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) safe and anti-static thermoplastic polyurethane filament that is available for the first time in color. Unlike other ESD-safe materials, which are only offered in black due to carbon additives, Essentium has developed an exclusive filament line in color. This new material is ideal for applications such as space vehicles and satellite manufacturing, where no-fly parts must be both ESD safe and red in color, as well as applications for electronic manufacturing.

In addition to Essentium TPU 58D-AS, the company has introduced two new high-performance, heat-resistant materials to expand the open ecosystem of industrial-scale AM solutions so that manufacturers can quickly produce parts that meet their specific industry standards for reliability, repeatability, and performance.

• Essentium PET-CF: 15 percent carbon fiber reinforced polyester filament made with Luvocom® 3F resin from LEHVOSS.
• Essentium 9085: Made with SABIC’s ULTEM™ 9085 resin, this material offers high heat resistance and mechanical strength for aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, electronic manufacturing, and tooling applications.

For more information please visit www.essentium.com.

Panel cover using Essentium TPU 58D-AS.

UK’s Digital Manufacturing Centre Enters Collaboration with Renishaw—Places Order for RenAM 500Q Systems

The Digital Manufacturing Centre (DMC) announced its first metal powder bed fusion AM machine purchase of two Renishaw RenAM 500Qs. Both organizations will work together to increase quality and efficiencies in metal AM and share learnings.

A key step towards the DMC’s 2,000 sqm production facility opening in Q1 2021, as well as a statement of intent, the Renishaw RenAM 500Q machines have been chosen for their cutting-edge capabilities within metal AM, increased productivity, and quality control, as well as Renishaw’s proven capabilities in AM. Renishaw’s development collaboration with the DMC will have DMC’s engineering team providing critical feedback, development, and learning of the machines and their outputs to ensure maximum efficiencies and increase innovation within metal AM. Additionally, DMC will provide a range of new commercial applications for Renishaw technologies.

Read the full story.

Will Lee, Renishaw’s chief executive (left) with Kieron Salter, CEO of the DMC.

Visit our Virtual Customer Experience Center

Get access to all our brochures, white papers, and videos via our Virtual Customer Experience Center. Sign up for a virtual walk through and explore our journey, how additive can be used in your industry, our additive machine solutions, our powder solutions, and the AddWorks consultancy services.

Register here.

Virtual Customer Experience Center.

Mountain Bikes to Rockets, Hardmetals to Superalloys—All in the New Issue of Metal AM Magazine

The Autumn 2020 issue of Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine is now available to read online, for free and in full. At 216 pages, this, our biggest ever issue, features eight extended features that showcase the breadth and depth of the metal AM industry. View online | Go to website.

Check out our expanded Advertisers’ Index/Buyer’s Guide

Metal AM magazine’s advertisers enable us to do what we do. Now, to add value for readers and advertisers alike, we have transformed our advertisers’ index into a new 5-page buyer’s guide, with companies listed by product or service.

If you are looking for a PBF-LB machine, metal powders, a new heat treatment or sintering furnace, a part production partner, and more, we now have it all laid out for you. See it online here.

Autumn 2020 issue includes extended features showcasing AM breadth/depth.

The Cool Parts Show Goes to the Zoo

3D printing has the potential to dramatically improve the lives of people, but what about animals? In a special bonus episode of The Cool Parts Show, our hosts travel to the Cincinnati Zoo to learn about a 3D-printed enrichment device that is helping zookeepers encourage natural foraging behavior in meerkats, birds, and other animals. GE Additive, another Cincinnati-based organization, manufactured the device, applying its metal 3D printing expertise and innovative design thinking to create a lightweight, natural-looking, and functional cool part. Hear the story from both sides in this episode.

GE Additive 3D printed this feeding device, designed to slowly release crickets into an animal’s habitat. Watch to learn more.

Reporting on Additive Manufacturers and 3D Printing Technologies

Some of the stories trending on our website:

• Chevy’s four racing teams all use 3D-printed parts in their cars. Read it here.
• What is medical 3D printing, and how is it regulated?
• New Adidas shoe to feature a robot-produced upper and a 3D-printed midsole. Read it here.

If you don’t receive The Additive Report, please subscribe here.

The new Corvette mid-engine racecar features 75 3D-printed parts.

Inside the Next Issue of TCT Magazine

As team TCT powers through lockdown part two here in the UK, it’s hard to believe we’re already at that point in the year where we’re starting to layout our last pair of European and North American edition magazines.

Inside, we’ll be covering the latest in AM materials, 3D scanning and measurement technologies, applications in molding and tooling, and challenges around IP. Also included are our regular executive Q&A and TCT Expert Advisory Board features.

Usually these issues are filled with reviews from our Autumn trade show outings. While we’ll still be covering some of the show news that took place in a virtual capacity this year, we also have our alternative ‘No Show Guide’ to fill you in on the products and technologies you may have not have seen across live show floors.

Become a subscriber  and get our all of our 2021 issues delivered direct to your door for free.

Latest edition of TCT Magazine.

Fall 3D Metal Printing Explores Quality Control, Materials, and More

On its way, the Fall 2020 issue of 3D Metal Printing explores quality control in depth, with articles discussing in-process metrology and explaining how machine learning can be a quality-control game changer. And, we detail how a newly designed air inlet on a remotely piloted aircraft delivers part consolidation along with substantial weight and cost reductions.

Also look for a roundup of material developments along with the latest metal AM news and technology innovations.

www.3dmpmag.com

Quality control, materials, lightweighting, and more are detailed in the Fall 2020 issue.

Applying Practical Engineering through Additive Manufacturing

Our third annual Women in Engineering edition features women in AM as well as other engineering disciplines. Here’s one of the stories:

A career in medicine or engineering? For women interested in science, this seems to be a frequent choice. For Dr. Seyedeh Elaheh Ghiasian, the choice was a little complicated by the need to take special courses for one or the other before she finished high school. “I’m Persian, and back in my country, you decide about your major during high school,” she says. “At that time, I wanted to be a physician instead of an engineer. But I’m good at the math and knew that math was applicable in an engineering field. I changed my path at that time and took several related courses to engineering while in high school.”

Read Elaheh’s story here.

Dr. Seyedeh Elaheh Ghiasian.

Design for Automotive: Special Focus Issue

In Digital Engineering’s latest Special Focus Issue on Designing for Automotive, our team of writers takes a look at the design challenges involved in creating the next generation of autonomous vehicles. We also outline how automakers are leveraging simulation and virtual reality technology to shorten development times for these vehicles. You can download the issue here.

Special-focus issue covers design for automotive.

Latest Issue: COVID-19 Coverage

By the middle of March, the Open Cities Community Health Center in Minnesota, down to 74 surgical masks, was begging locals to donate any they had spare. At one Los Angeles clinic, respirators fell apart on doctors’ faces, while, in Britain, NHS workers fashioned makeshift hair nets from plastic bags. In the Italian town of Brescia, one doctor built a ventilator from a snorkel.

Hospitals just about made it through the first wave of COVID-19 shortages, but they’re newly aware of the possibility that AM might help them weather those to come. In the latest edition of Medical Device Developments, we investigate the challenges they face in using AM to manufacture medical devices and the possible consequences.

Also in this issue: a special appearance from AMUG’s own AM industry advisor Todd Grimm discussing the future of industry events, an exploration of the potential for bioprinting to go mainstream, and much more.

The latest edition of Medical Device Developments.