Staff Picks: Our Favorite Stories from 2018
Additive Manufacturing editors share their favorite stories of AM users, 3D printing applications and adjacent technologies from the past year.
December 26, 2018
Video: Redesigned Milling Cutter Demonstrates Design Possibilities of AM
Topology optimization plus a material change realize an 80 percent reduction in mass.
December 10, 2018 - Peter Zelinski
Video: In Additive Manufacturing, Material Engineering Is Also Needed for Supports
The sacrificial material affects the quality of 3D printing and the efficiency of the process. That's why material developers direct attention toward the material that gets thrown away.
December 5, 2018 - Peter Zelinski
Video: 3D Printing Is a Complement and Competitor to Injection Molding
Ken Burns of Forecast 3D, an early adopter of HP Multi Jet Fusion, sees 3D printing as both a complement and a competitor to injection molding. He shares why in this interview.
August 31, 2018 - Stephanie Hendrixson
Video: Advice to Manufacturers Getting Ready to Start in Additive
“It can be daunting,” says GE’s Greg Morris. “You have to make some tough decisions while things are not going well.” And yet, as he looks to the future of additive manufacturing, he says, “There is probably going to be a shortage of supply, not demand.”
June 29, 2018 - Peter Zelinski
Video: 3D Printing’s Role in the Plastics Industry
This interview from NPE2018 highlights uses of 3D printing technology for the plastics industry, from prototyping through volume production.
June 20, 2018 - Stephanie Hendrixson
Video: “I Think You Ignore Additive Manufacturing at Your Peril”
I check in with Greg Morris of GE Additive, hearing his views on AM’s continuing promise and importance. Representatives of John Deere, Smith & Nephew, B&J Specialty and Tangible Solutions share their views on the same question.
May 11, 2018 - Peter Zelinski
Video: Is There a Personnel Challenge in Additive Manufacturing?
Adam Clark of Tangible Solutions sees the personnel advancing. The discipline of conventional manufacturing is coming to additive.
April 9, 2018 - Peter Zelinski
Video: The Case for Hybrid Manufacturing in Moldmaking
Instead of relying on EDM to machine features recessed deep into the part, machine those features while 3D printing progresses, finishing them before they become hard to reach.
March 2, 2018 - Peter Zelinski
Video: Where Does Additive Manufacturing Make Sense?
Can 3D printing produce a useful, functional part? The answer is, unequivocally, yes. Editors discuss where and when AM makes sense in this video.
February 9, 2018 - Stephanie Hendrixson
Video: Smith & Nephew on 3D Printing Patient-Specific Surgical Instruments
Using MRI and additive manufacturing to produce a cutting block customized to the patient aids the precision of the surgery.
February 2, 2018 - Peter Zelinski
Video: Moldmaker Succeeding with Conformal Cooling
B&J Specialty now complements its machining capabilities with metal 3D printing for making mold inserts with cooling channels that follow the contours of the mold. The shop is even revisiting challenging molds from the past.
January 22, 2018 - Peter Zelinski