Videos
Video: The STL File Can Produce Surface Defects in 3D-Printed Parts
Timothy Simpson of Penn State University discusses the influence of model definition in additive manufacturing and what to do about its effects.
August 19, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Production
What Your CEO Needs to Know About Additive Manufacturing
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.
August 16, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Videos
Video: Support Structures Are Misnamed! How to Understand Anchors in Additive Manufacturing
Supports or anchors can account for a significant share of both the engineering investment and material use in metal additive manufacturing. Michael Hansen of SLM Solutions discusses the role and importance of support structures.
August 14, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Videos
Video: Metal AM Affects Plastics Production via Conformal Cooling
Additive manufacturing allows cooling channels within mold tooling inserts to follow the form of the tool rather than being straight drilled holes. Here’s why this matters.
August 9, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Basics
Video: The Impact of Part Orientation on Cost and Build Time in AM
A different build orientation might mean fewer layers and less support structure, though the part might need to be redesigned to take advantage of this different orientation.
August 7, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Large-Format
Why Robots and Additive Manufacturing Go Together
3D printing and robots enable one another. We miss the possibilities of one if we do not consider the other. The combination includes AM for end effectors, robots for 3D printing parts, and different modes of metal and plastic production.
August 5, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Videos
Video: How Simulation Assists Directed Energy Deposition
Scrapping an AM part is potentially as costly as scrapping a machined part. Directed energy deposition is an additive process that can benefit from a resource that safeguards machining: simulation software.
August 2, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Videos
Video: What is Directed Energy Deposition?
DED is an additive manufacturing process that builds features or parts in metal by placing material where needed.
July 29, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Production
Robot Is Production Solution for Laser Metal Deposition
The move from prototyping to production might involve a move from machine tool to robot, but development work between Formalloy and the robot suppliers means the process and programming do not have to change.
July 26, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Large-Format
The Promise of Robotic Metal Additive Manufacturing
Addere’s robot-based laser system builds using standard weld wire. The company was spawned from a robot integrator, and that background has been valuable for both overcoming the challenges and perceiving the possibilities of using a robot for metal 3D printing.
July 19, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Production
Video: Survey of AM Users Finds Machine Shops Employing 3D Printing for Plastic Part Production
Additive manufacturing provides an option for low-quantity production in polymer. One implication is that machine shops are liable to be less strictly metalworking businesses.
July 18, 2019 - Peter Zelinski
Polymer AM
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