Show Notes
3D printing is valuable as a means of bridge production—that is, manufacturing that is less than scale production, and likely temporary, but nonetheless filling a production need. Sometimes it comes between prototyping and serial production, or to cover a supply chain gap. Pete Zelinski and Stephanie Hendrixson discuss several examples where manufacturers are performing 3D printed bridge production to great advantage, as well as the cases where it makes sense to fully embrace AM for production instead. This episode is brought to you by PTXPO. Mentioned in this episode: Our 2018 story on Resolution Medical Subscribe to our newsletter here to receive the 2022 Resolution Medical update and our article on Smith Metal Products when they are published Tangible Solutions, an Ohio manufacturer of spine implants through 3D printing 3D printed foam pads for Wilson baseball mitts Adam Clark on stage at the 2017 Additive Manufacturing Conference (Be there for the next quotable moment at our 2022 event in September) The GE fuel nozzle Fitz Frames, maker of custom 3D printed glasses frames Aetrex, footwear company with a line of 3D printed custom insoles Our previous podcast episode on 3D printing and inventors Maxwell June, a producer of razor accessories with desktop 3D printers The Periscope case, a niche phone accessory Pengraff, a UK-based manufacturer of mounting brackets for routers, modems and other consumer electronics Behind the scenes on our March/April cover shot and the full story on Aerosport Additive
More from AM Radio
Postprocessing is a necessary part of the additive manufacturing (AM) workflow in almost every instance, because 3D printing alone rarely yields a finished part ready for use. Depending on the materials and processes they choose, AM adopters have to account for depowdering, curing, heat treat, cleaning, dyeing, tumbling, machining and many other post-print operations. Coupled with the high-mix, low-volume production typical in AM, such steps are difficult to automate or optimize — leading many companies to develop innovative and often secretive internal processes.
A question from an audience member about competing production rates for a forged metal part that might be made through additive manufacturing instead got Pete Zelinski thinking about production rate in general, and what this rate does and does not tell us about productivity overall. Additive can win a production "race." An example involving a 1,000-piece production run of parts otherwise made through molding was documented by Formlabs (more info below). However, is a head-to-head comparison like this the measure by which additive must succeed? Pete explores this question. Find photos, related links and the transcript for this episode on AdditiveManufacturing.Media. Mentioned in this episode: From Formlabs, 3D printing vs. injection molding for a 1,000-piece run. Our report at Big Metal Additive on directed energy deposition for Navy projectiles. Subscribe to The BuildUp, our twice-weekly Additive Manufacturing newsletter.
Formnext 2024 lived up to its reputation as additive manufacturing's largest trade show, attracting more than 34,000 attendees to 54,000 m2 of exhibit space. It was also large in the sense of showcasing just how big 3D printing can go, with plenty of showpieces and demos running to illustrate the current scale of large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) technology. But beneath the robotic arms and towering prints, there were also plenty of new machine introductions, software advances and application examples. Over the course of their time at the show, AM Radio cohosts Peter Zelinski and Stephanie Hendrixson noted more semiconductor applications than ever before, an increased use of tungsten, software developments aimed at solving AM's design bottleneck, various approaches to cutting cost per part, and indications that additive manufacturing has crossed various tipping points expanding where the production method makes sense, and is on trajectory to continue that advance. In this episode of the AM Radio podcast, hear observations from the show floor and takeaways for additive manufacturers. Find photos, related links and the transcript for this episode on AdditiveManufacturing.Media. This episode is brought to you by Additive Manufacturing Media. Never miss a story.
Additive manufacturing and robots are parallel technologies, both digitally enabled tools for manufacturing that are advancing in adoption. But they also enable each other. 3D printing can provide the grippers, end effectors and other specialized tooling that robots require to serve production. And robots are driving AM forward as well. Collaborative robots or cobots are being used to tend 3D printer farms, sometimes mounted on autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) for a fully mobile, as well as automated, solution. And robots are opening opportunities for larger and more complex part production, by providing the motion for a growing number of large format additive manufacturing (LFAM) systems. In this episode of AM Radio, Gardner Business Media Robots & Autonomy editor Julia Hider joins Stephanie Hendrixson and Pete Zelinski to discuss how AM and robots interact, and specific examples of this interaction.
The 2024 edition of IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show welcomed more than 89,000 attendees to Chicago last week. While only a portion of the show's 1,500 exhibitors were offering additive manufacturing equipment or services, AM nevertheless had a significant footprint at this show. Conversations with speakers, exhibitors and attendees revealed insights about where additive is finding traction now, and where it is heading next. In this episode of AM Radio, I talk with Pete Zelinski about equipment launches during the show, advances in usability and accessibility, AM's role in the casting supply chain, the increased presence of service providers, and how the next "phase" of AM will look different.