Tooling
Why Heineken Sees Breweries in More Countries As a Likely Benefit of 3D Printing
This video describes various ways 3D printing streamlines and supports beverage production.
July 16, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Materials
Are Crystals the Key to 3D Printing with Silicon Carbide?
If SiC was easier and cheaper to apply, we would find many more uses for this hard, lightweight ceramic. Researchers have found a promising additive manufacturing approach, with crystal growth as the bonding mechanism.
June 28, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Polymer AM
Video: Periscope Case Shows 3D Printing for Niche Manufacturing
Manufacturing without mold tooling allows the production quantity to be tailored to the market size.
June 24, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Polymer AM
Linear Motor Platform Delivers Speed, Low Part Cost for Production AM
Essentium’s additive manufacturing machine based on semiconductor manufacturing has as much in common with precision machine tools as with other FFF 3D printers.
June 14, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Production
What Your CEO Needs to Know
Additive manufacturing promises to affect far more than manufacturing alone. When evaluating AM, the perspective needed is the view that sees the impacts all across the enterprise.
June 13, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Tooling
Lightweight Sandvik Cutting Tool Employing Topology Optimization Now Available
Additive manufacturing aids “subtractive” CNC machining. We first saw this tool in an early version last year. See the video in this post.
June 12, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Production
Cool Stuff We Discovered at Rapid + TCT 2019 (See Our Video Collection)
AI for process improvement, 3D printing with metal paste, droids for build change—here are six innovations we wanted to share with you straight from the show floor.
May 31, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Production
AM’s Advance into Production Reveals How Some of the Misperceptions Were Partly True
Is additive manufacturing efficient for producing current part designs? No … except also yes. Is it a replacement for current processes? No … except when it is. Recent posts reveal the role additive is likely to play in production.
May 27, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
10 Impressions of Rapid + TCT 2019
The largest additive manufacturing exposition in North America is now a mature industry trade show. Here is what the editors of Additive Manufacturing Media saw at this year’s Rapid + TCT.
May 24, 2019 - Stephanie Hendrixson, Peter Zelinski, Brent Donaldson
Polymer AM
Surgical Guides Illustrate Promise of Mass Customization; “Up Front is Where Most Value Created,” Says Materialise’s Vancraen
Interconnected software systems allow for production via additive manufacturing of a product tailored to individual surgeries.
May 22, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Production
What Is the Role for Additive Manufacturing in Aircraft Structural Components?
Spirit AeroSystems recently began installing the Boeing 787’s first titanium structural component to be made through AM. The part is not critical but also not minor. I spoke with manufacturing leaders at Spirit about the meaning of the part and the way forward for additive in aircraft structures.
May 13, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Job Shop
Video: 3D-Printed Brackets Are Key to Automated Coolant Delivery for Lights-Out Machining
An on-site look at the different elements of the coolant-delivery system developed by a machine shop committed to running unattended.
May 10, 2019 - Peter Zelinski