DESIGN-TO-MANUFACTURING INNOVATION

MAG
EUROPE EDITION
VOLUME 27 ISSUE 1
www.tctmagazine.com

30 YEARS OF EOS
PASSION FOR AM: A PIONEERING JOURNEY
TO THE DIGITAL FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

Jewellery Leaders of the Formnext

Focus New School REVIEW
An array of additive applications Where are those faces from a News and interviews from
for jewellers famous TCT front cover now? the Frankfurt show floor
 Reinvent how
you prototype
and produce
functional parts.
n Up to 10 times faster than any 3D print technology
on the market today.
n Print rate up to 4500 CM3 per hour.
n Up to 80% recyclable and reusable material.
n Eliminate injection mould tool costs.
‘
‘
n Patented Multi Jet Fusion technology.
The speed of this 3D
n Quick and simple installation. printer blew me away.
n Full training from certified HP staff.
Nigel Atherton
XYZ MANAGING DIRECTOR
n Perfect for long and short production runs.
n Quick and simple operation. HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D
Printer with Processing
n Clean and easy to use HP smart screen programming. and Fast Cooling Stations
n Import STL and other 3D solid model files.
n Multiple material printing.
n Configurable for continuous
production printing.

SAVE E
£64,0
N
O BLTEION
00 L Y ATRA
IL S
ONVDAEMON
AEX-
The possibilities with the HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D Printer are endless. Manufacture functional parts
up to 10 times faster than any 3D print technology on the market today - this is not just for prototypes.

Data courtesy of Invent Medical Data courtesy of IAM 3D HUB Data courtesy of PIUSI Data courtesy of Invent Medical Data courtesy of NACAR

HP Jet Fusion 3D Printed Parts with PA12 Data courtesy of SuperFeet Data courtesy of NACAR Data courtesy of UPC MotoSpirit Team Data courtesy of NACAR Data courtesy of FICEP S3 S.L.

To book your demo sales@xyzmachinetools.com

call 01823 674200 www.xyzmachinetools.com
SHOWROOMS AT: DEVON BLACKBURN NUNEATON SHEFFIELD & LONDON
SINCE 1984
 VOLUME 27 ISSUE 1

ISSN 1751-0333

EDITORIAL MANAGEMENT
HEAD OF CONTENT C.E.O. / PUBLISHER
Daniel O’Connor e: daniel.oconnor@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 398 Duncan Wood BPA Worldwide Membership
DEPUTY GROUP EDITOR VP, CONTENT, STRATEGY AND PARTNERSHIPS
Laura Griffiths e: laura.griffiths@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 389 James Woodcock e: james@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 391
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Samuel Davies e: samuel.davies@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 390 SUBSCRIPTIONS
NEWSDESK PUBLISHED PRICES
+44 (0) 1244 680222 TCT Europe Print Subscription - Qualifying Criteria
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS UK & Europe - FREE
Todd Grimm e: tgrimm@tagrimm.com US/Canada - £249 ROW - £249
TCT North America Print Subscription - Qualifying Criteria
ADVERTISING US/Canada - FREE
HEAD OF MEDIA SALES UK & Europe - $249 ROW - $249
Carol Hardy e: carol@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 386 TCT German Language Print Subscription - Qualifying Criteria
ADVERTISING MANAGER UK & Europe - FREE
Kelley-Jo Beattie e: kelley-jo.beattie@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 365 US/Canada - €249 ROW - €249
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Christine Joinson e: christine.joinson@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 385 Subscription enquiries to subscriptions@rapidnews.com
SENIOR SALES FREE on iOS and Android devices
Paul Lindon e: paul.lindon@rapidnews.com t: 011 + 44 1244 952 360 – including back catalogue and Buyers’ Guides.

PRODUCTION
Sam Hamlyn Matt Clarke © 2019 Rapid News Publications Ltd
While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained within this
The TCT Magazine is published bi-monthly by Rapid News Publications Ltd publication is accurate, the publisher accepts no liability for information published in error, or
Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QE, UK. for views expressed. All rights for The TCT Magazine are reserved. Reproduction in whole or
t: 011 + 44 1244 68022 f: 011 + 44 1244 671074 in part without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Call us on 01656 724299

Enquire www.xyz3d.ltd
Visit our website www.p3d.ltd

Redefine the limits of 3D Printing

P3D are proud to introduce the XYZprinting range to the UK Market, from
entry level SLA to Selective Laser Sintering. Offering a range of high quality,
affordable and easy to use 3D printers and peripherals. We pride ourselves
on delivering the best equipment in the industry at competitive pricing and
offering the best after sales care.

Please contact Ian Mason on 01656 724299 to discuss how we can better
your business.

www.p3d.ltd

P3D half page.indd 1 11/02/2019 11:54

27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 03
A Strong Future
Stands Behind Us!
ARMSTRONG RM
COMBINES OLD-WORLD
CRAFTSMANSHIP
WITH INNOVATIVE,
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
SOLUTIONS . . . . .
EVERY DAY FOR
50 YEARS

•1968-2018•

50

•1968-2018•

50
FUNCTIONAL ALUMINIUM
& PLASTIC PROTOTYPES
RAPIDLY
• Machined Aluminium Castings
• One Shot Casting
• Rubber Plaster Mold
• Precision Air Set Sand
ISO 9001:2015 Certified • ITAR REGISTERED • AS9100 Rev.D
• Graphite Die Casting
• RIM – Reaction Injection Molding
email: sales@ARMstrongRM.com • tel: (315) 437-1517 • CNC Machining & Hogouts
For more info visit us at: ARMstrongRM.com • Painting, Finishing & Assembly
 from the editor

NEW YEAR
NEW ME?
“New year, new me” – how many times have you seen this well-
intended statement posted and hashtagged across social media
timelines since the clock struck 12 on New Year’s Eve? My guess is,
more often than you’ve used that new gym pass.
Forgoing the usual diets and step counting however, I made a
similar resolution, a mental promise that I would start 2019 with a
more positive and optimistic attitude, including towards the additive
manufacturing (AM) industry. Basically, to look for the good, be inspired
and not get bogged down by press releases and company bios that
use flowery words like “intersection” instead of just saying what they
actually do. You know the ones.
In the countless predictions at the start of the year, Materialise CEO,
Fried Vancraen summed up the AM industry’s progress perfectly
as a “slow revolution”. Factories are getting “smarter”, hardware
launches don’t arrive as thick and fast as they used to, and real-life
applications have superseded the number of clickbait world firsts. This
is undoubtedly a very good thing. If the AM industry is doing a “new
year, new me”, it’s dismissing fad diets in favour of a healthy balanced
lifestyle and promising to present a more honest picture of itself
on Instagram.
So far, so good. Along with some new design features and a fresh
look Additive Insight podcast, we have just returned from our first
official event in Japan, a country that, with the world’s third largest
installation base of industrial AM machines but a reputation for lagging
behind on innovation, is somewhat of an enigma. Yet an incredible
43,000 visitors across simultaneous technology shows says things are
moving in a positive direction and the general consensus from vendors
is that Japan is a growing market. Read our Head of Content,
Daniel O’Connor’s piece on TCT out East on pg. 42 for more.
In this issue we also reflect on a feature TCT printed back in 2013 on
the six leaders of the 3D printing new school. A couple of those names
are still very active in the industry, some under different guises, and
others … well, the less said the better. It has been eye-opening to learn
how these influential people have navigated the industry’s highs and
lows and to get their perspective on its current state for our seven-
page special starting on pg. 25.
So, if you’re looking for your own AM inspiration this year, the
following pages are a good place to start. I recommend you turn to
page 12 for a report on how one UK-based organisation is using 3D
printing to provide valuable digital skills and change lives. Or how
about our cover story on EOS’s pioneering journey to the digital
factory of the future. Failing that, for a few practical pointers to put you
on the right path for your AM journey, check out Todd Grimm’s latest
column on fulfilling your own AM bucket list for success.
With that (better late than never) we wish you a very happy and
prosperous 2019.

LAURA GRIFFITHS,
DEPUTY GROUP EDITOR

27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 05
 ISSUE 1
VOLUME 27
42
COVER STORY 21
Software

8
8. 30 YEARS OF EOS
Assistant Editor, Sam Davies
goes behind the scenes at
EOS to report on its pioneering
journey to the digital factory of
the future.
Jewellery 11
21. CUSTOMISING
CAD USING PROGRAM
SYNTHESIS
Tao Du, a PHD student at MIT,
discusses a technique that
breaks down complex 3D CAD
Formnext
models for custom 3D printing.

23. HOW FORD AUTOMATED

11. AN ADDITIVE EMBRACE
A look at how Boltenstern is
delivering thousands of customised
jewellery pieces using precious metal
AM.
12. FREEDOM AND DESIGN
Deputy Group Editor, Laura Griffiths
speaks to the team bringing
THE DESIGN OF
MANUFACTURING AIDS
Laura finds out how Ford is
leveraging trinckle software to
streamline the production of 3D
printed jigs and fixtures.
THE NEW 25
33. TITOMIC: SCRATCHING
33
THE SURFACE
On its debut booth at Formnext, Sam
speaks to an Australian company making
waves in the world of metal AM.
35. M LINE HAS ARRIVED
Laura delves into GE Additive’s
advancements in the Concept Laser M
LINE FACTORY process, which seeks to
add further automation into AM.

37. IN OTHER NEWS –

digital jewellery-making skills to
disadvantaged women in India.
15. 3D PRINTED JEWELLERY
HITS THE MAINSTREAM
Head of Content, Daniel O’Connor
examines the 3D printing of the
famous Poppy Pin.
17
SCHOOL
25. WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
The TCT editorial team reflects on
the six “leaders of the new school”
who graced the cover of this very
magazine back in 2013 and asks,
what happened next?
FORMNEXT SPECIAL
News in brief on some of the biggest
announcements from the Formnext show
floor.
41. SOMETHING IN THE AIR
Guido Plicht, Metals Processing & EPAT
Industry Manager E&A, Air Products on
optimising all parts of the supply chain to
improve the AM process.

42. TCT OUT EAST

Post-processing Following the debut of TCT Japan in
Tokyo, Dan reports on AM developments
17. AWARD WINNING FINISH in the Far East and gears up for our fifth
Laura talks to a TCT Award-winning TCT Asia event.
company about its automated
finishing process for metal AM parts. 8 47. INNOVATION FUNDING; AN
UNTAPPED WINDFALL FOR UK
19. SMART TO FINISH MANUFACTURING
Sam revisits post-processing firm, William Garvey, Director at Leyton UK,
AMT as it prepares for the launch explores how UK Manufacturers can
of a new product. benefit from tax relief offered in the
Industrial Strategy.

12 25 50. BUCKET LIST

Todd Grimm suggests an expansive,
practical bucket list for AM success.
 30 YEARS OF E
PASSION FOR AM: A PIONEERING JOURNEY
TO THE DIGITAL FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

T
his year, Munich-based EOS is
celebrating 30 years in business.

In that time, founder of EOS

and now Executive Chairman of the EOS
GROUP, Dr. Hans J. Langer has overcome
many hurdles. He founded EOS back in
1989 shortly after his former employer
rejected a project he had suggested. So,
he decided to embark on the venture
alone. In BMW, he won his first important
customer. Others followed.
The company then went through
years of patent litigations surrounding
EOS’ sale of stereolithography platforms
during the 1990s. It was settled when
EOS decided to focus on powder-based
additive manufacturing (AM) only. During
this timeframe EOS also introduced its
first system for metal 3D printing. What
followed were years of tech development
and the introduction of rapid prototyping
technologies to a plethora of customers,
from automotive to medical professionals,
ABOVE:
EOS MANUFACTURING SITE
from North America to China. IN MAISACH, GERMANY

THE BREAKTHROUGH OEMs and EOS, it was agreed it should not

But it was in 2014 when Langer’s
long-held ambition to enter the industrial
arena began to be realised. GE Aviation
introduced its additively manufactured
Leap fuel nozzle tip, in which 20
assembled pieces were reduced to one,
and weight was cut by 25%. It was the
result of ten years work since Morris
Technologies, the service provider
acquired by GE in 2012, first invested in
metal 3D printing.
“We work with the engineering teams
of our large customers on solutions that
production people cannot even think
of,” Langer told TCT. “Innovation must
go beyond just innovating the EOS
serial production system. It needs a big
picture approach to support customers in
generating totally new applications that
were not thinkable before.”
In subsequent conversations between
the senior management of GE and other
take ten years to go from early application
development to serial production. A 3D
printing system alone was not going to
cut it. So, EOS introduced its ‘Additive
Minds’ consulting unit, to speed up
customers’ learning and innovation
curves, supporting them to find the right
applications for 3D printing, develop them,
and then ramp up to scale produciton.
But Dr. Langer was thinking even further
– that a whole ecosystem serving the
entire value chain would be necessary.
THE EOS ECOSYSTEM
That word, ecosystem, has dictated
most of the decisions made by Langer
since. At the forefront of his mind is a
seamless, efficient AM integration in
existing production environments, the
combination of industrial 3D printing with
conventional manufacturing technologies,
and the continuous optimisation of part
and data flow. These are elementary
requirements, but their implementation is
of the utmost importance.
The EOS Ecosystem today comprises
of innovators and venture groups, the
Additive Minds consultancy division and
external business partners.
In 2015, Langer founded AM Ventures,
a strategic investor focussing on start-
ups, which develop solutions along the
whole value chain in industrial 3D printing
and have respective expertise in design,
simulation, processes, powder, and post-
processing. It has been established as
a separate business alongside the EOS
GROUP, as Langer is convinced that

08 / www.tctmagazine.com / 27.1

F EOS
WORDS: SAM DAVIES start-ups need to operate independently
to give the project the best chance of
succeeding. AMbition, a new unit within
the venture group, is now offering support
to customers on their way from the initial
product idea to the final, manufactured
part.
To fully concentrate on the further
development of the EOS Ecosystem,
Langer stepped away from the position
of CEO of EOS GmbH in 2017, with
Adrian Keppler assuming the role. As
Executive Chairman of the EOS GROUP,
Langer initiated some new companies:
Advanced Metal Powders (AMP), which
develops new metal powders for
industrial players; Additive Manufacturing
“THE WORLD CAN’T Customized Machines (AMCM), which
IMAGINE WHAT PEOPLE develops platforms according to customer
ALREADY MAKE WITH specifications with the potential that
OUR MACHINES.” they are later made available through
EOS as standard platforms; and Additive
Manufacturing Metals (AMM), a team
focused on customer-specific metal
applications.
“We have seen that our customers
are now on the way to build up digital
factories. If they are based on additive,
it turned out that the biggest hurdle for
SHOWN:
EOS CUSTOMER & TECHNOLOGY CENTER IN KRAILLING, GERMANY
the customer to get to production is to
collect all the skills and know-how that
is necessary to integrate the complete
production process. This is why we
started to set up EOS Additive Minds
and the EOS Ecosystem and constantly
expand it,” Langer explained.
“What we want to offer to the customer
is a highly productive, self-learning
AM cell where we increase the overall
equipment efficiency, have clear
interfaces upstream and downstream,
where we can then interlink with post-
processing technologies, whether it is
SHOWN: milling, grinding, heat treatment. This will
DR HANS J LANGER
allow an optimised flow of data and parts
COVER STORY
end to end along the production process,”
Dr. Adrian Keppler, CEO of EOS, offered.
THE NOW NOT THE WOW
While with its ecosystem of technology,
venture groups, and consultancy divisions
EOS hopes to ‘change the world’, Keppler
reasons it’s not about the ‘wow’, what
could potentially be achieved by using
AM, but about the ‘now’, what is already
possible with existing AM technology.
For example, at the end of 2018, Airbus
Helicopters announced the start of the
large scale additive manufacturing of A350
XWB components which are set to take to
the skies in 2020. Meanwhile, according
to GE Aviation, more than 30,000 Leap
fuel nozzle tips have been additively
manufactured in five years.
For EOS, it’s about making
breakthroughs like those more
commonplace, converting application by
application from traditional technology
to 3D printing to add value, offer better
performance, faster access, lower costs.
Its participation in the NextGenAM
project alongside Premium AEROTEC
and Daimler is another example of that.
Here, the partners are aiming to enable
an automated and efficient metal additive
manufacturing serial production solution,
harnessing the advances in automatic
design and robotics to facilitate connected
end-to-end production processes.
Through its know-how, broad product
portfolio, key collaborations, and growing
ecosystem, EOS is increasingly supplying
its customer base with all the solutions
they need.
Langer’s final remarks, though teasing
and ambiguous, serve to reinforce that.
“The world can’t imagine what people
already make with our machines.”
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 09
 [Anything goes here]

Once upon a time, a factory could only make one thing

or a few things. Now, by partnering with GE Additive
and our additive consultants, it can make anything. And
can help make it stronger, faster and for less. Turn your
factory into an Anything Factory. For more, visit
ge.com/additive and let’s build anything together.

AN ADDITIVE
EMBRACE
C
radled inside a precious metal
cage is a stone. A group of
them dangle from an ear,
a necklace, a bracelet. It is
architecture in its smallest form, the result
of technology meeting tradition, the product
of Marie Boltenstern’s influence on an
Austrian jewellery atelier born in the 1960s
and renowned for catering for the rich and
famous.
Marie took over the company from her
father, Sven, in 2015. Not long after, having
taken the decision to explore the potential
of new technologies, she witnessed a
presentation delivered by Cooksongold at
Basel World, where the application of additive
B:303 mm
S:278 mm
manufacturing (AM) technologies in the
T:297 mm
jewellery sector was the focus. From here,
an alliance blossomed, all jewellery pieces
are to now be 3D printed, and in September
2018, the output of this collaboration was
recognised at the TCT Awards as the best
creative application of the technology that
year.
The Embrace collection is a series of
jewellery pieces, which offer a degree of
customisation. Coloured beads or gemstones
are woven into cages which are 3D printed
in silver, platinum, 18K red gold, or 18K
yellow gold. Customers can choose to have
a number of cages, a variety of different
coloured stones, and alter the size of the
piece, which could be a bracelet, bangle,
chain, or earing. The combinations go into
the thousands.
Cooksongold oversees the production
of these pieces, the cages additively
manufactured on EOS M 080 or M 100 direct
metal laser sintering (DMLS) platforms, with
the stone being set mid-build, rather than the
cage being assembled around it afterwards.
“We print the cage, and then three quarters
of the way through we stop the build, we
evacuate some of the powder, and then
set the stones inside, and then backstore
the powder and carry on printing. It’s an
SHOWN:
RING AND CUFFLINK FROM THE 3D
PRINTED EMBRACE COLLECTION
WORDS: SAM DAVIES
intervention build, we call it,” explained
David Fletcher, Cooksongold’s Precious
Metal 3D Printing Business Manager.
Then comes the post-processing. Such
is the nature of the jewellery market,
the surface finish must be perfect. And
jewellers use the angle of reflectivity to
make sure that it is.
“If the incoming light reflects at the
same angle as the outgoing light from the
part, then all the light is hitting our eyes
at the same time and produces a very
highly polished, reflective surface. If it’s
a slightly bumpy surface, then the angles
of reflection are slightly different, so
they’re coming off at different angles and
it appears duller,” Fletcher articulated.
“That’s the requirement in the jewellery
industry.”
Post-build, the support structures are
removed, the pieces sand blasted, and
then they are run through OTEC’s EPAG
Flex electropolishing system. Some
pieces may then be radium plated to
enhance the brightness of the finish.
These build and finishing processes
were happening around the clock before
CREDIT ANGELO KREUZBERGER
JEWELLERY
BELOW:
BEADS AND GEM STONES ARE SET
INSIDE MID-WAY THROUGH THE
BUILD OF THE 3D PRINTED CAGES
the end of the year. Five DMLS systems at
Cooksongold’s facility were in operation 24
hours a day, while another at Birmingham
City University was also being utilised on
occasion, as Marie was working to fulfil an
order in the thousands from a big Chinese
retailer. There’s since been further interest
from China, as well as Hong Kong.
It’s a significant validation of Marie,
her aptitude in design, and her decision
to adopt AM technology to build on the
success of her father. She’s trained in
architecture, and thus quickly picked up the
Design for Additive Manufacturing skills,
with the help of a set of guidelines supplied
by Cooksongold, which details rules on
orientation, build angles, and so on. The
result is an award-winning collection of
unique, additively manufactured, jewellery
pieces.
“Marie is taking this traditional jeweller,
and turning it into a 3D printing business,”
said Fletcher. “And we’re at pains to point
out that the Embrace collection cannot
be made any other way. You can’t make
those from traditional techniques. There’s
a big opportunity for jewellery [in adopting
additive manufacturing] and Marie is
exploiting that.”
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 011
 FREEDOM
OF DESIGN
ONE UK-FOUNDED ORGANISATION IS HELPING DISADVANTAGED WOMEN IN
INDIA TO GAIN HIGH-VALUE DIGITAL CAREERS IN THE JEWELLERY INDUSTRY.
DEPUTY GROUP EDITOR, LAURA GRIFFITHS, SPEAKS TO THE FOUNDERS
ABOUT HOW THEY’RE USING 3D PRINTING TO BREAK THE CYCLE.
A
ccording to the latest statistics
from the International Labour
Organization (ILO), for every
1,000 people in the world, there
are 5.4 victims of modern slavery. Over 70%
of those people are women. But “knowledge
is power” and London-based organisation,
Free-D wants to use 3D technologies to
empower women from at-risk backgrounds by
giving them the opportunity to gain sought-
after skills which lead to secure, high-value
employment.
The aptly named, Free-D was founded by
Katherine Prescott and Siavash Mahdavi who
first met at software start-up, Within, later
acquired by Autodesk. With over two decades
of experience in the 3D printing industry
working across medical, aerospace, automotive
and footwear, they started thinking more about
the technology; how it’s taught, how oftentimes
it’s the people who have eschewed traditional
training routes that just click with 3D, and
how it has the potential to be used for good.
Following conversations with NGOs (Non-
Governmental Organisation) working within
social violence, they had a theory – to create
012 / www.tctmagazine.com / 27.1
a STEM-focused academy that could help
women at-risk to learn valuable skills and
open them up to entirely new careers and
opportunities. Could 3D printing be the key
to breaking the cycle?
“One of the biggest challenges is, once
women are rescued from an exploitative
or dangerous situation, such as trafficking,
they are not given many opportunities to
rebuild their lives in a way that would lead
to high-value employment and financial
independence. Quite often their only
opportunities are to learn skills in industries
open to exploitation, low salaries and job
instability, such as the garment industry
or the service industry,” Sia told TCT. “Yet
many of these women haven’t had the
opportunity to flex their brain or be creative,
it is assumed they aren’t capable to learn
more advanced skills.”
Katherine added: “3D printing expertise,
especially in countries like India, is sought-
after. One of the problems I’ve heard from
different employers is that they cannot
easily find people with the skills needed
to make the most of the technology. This
skills gap means employers can spend
up to two years training staff for them to
get headhunted by other firms. If we can
provide consultants who already have the
experience and skills needed, they could
be highly in-demand. Free-D is focused on
making sure that the skills taught are high-
end, with a comprehensive understanding
from end-to-end of the design and
manufacturing process.”
To pilot the project they travelled to
India, a country with an estimated total of 14
million women living in slavery and equally
alarming rehabilitation rates. With laptops
and a desktop 3D printer donated by early
supporter PrintLab in tow, they set out to
Mumbai in January 2017 where the team met
with several NGOs to find out if their theory
would actually work. An initial 12-month
pilot programme was set up with a group
of 11 women, working with local partners
including Kshamata, an organisation which
supports women rescued from exploitation,
local jewellery school IIGJ, and 3D printer
distributor, printOmake, to create a bespoke
curriculum focused on the jewellery industry.
The gems and jewellery market is already
one of India’s fastest growing sectors and
expected to be worth 100 billion USD by
2025. The jewellery industry itself is also one
of the largest adopters of 3D technologies,
from lost wax casting applications to
precious metals, and the demand for skilled
employees is high. Mumbai, specifically,
is also home to one of India’s largest 3D
printing service providers, Imaginarium,
who partnered with Free-D to provide
manufacturing and training support for the
programme. With India’s heritage in jewellery
manufacturing and increasing technological
advancements, Kamlesh Parekh, Director
at Imaginarium, says jewellery was the,
“natural choice for a programme that aims at
providing long-term employment.”
Katherine continued: “Early on during
training, we found that exercises based
around jewellery was something the
women could relate to and get creative

with. That creativity was excellent as a motivator for students to keep
persevering through mastering more difficult topics. We don’t want
to limit the Free-D students to only work in one field, but we felt like
jewellery was a really good place to start.”
The team started with the basics, thinking about how things are
made and the fundamental mathematical principles behind working
in 3D such as placing shapes onto a build platform and experimenting
with scale. Using CAD software such as Meshmixer, Rhino and
Magics, the students were taken through the design thinking process
to create their own jewellery projects, getting to grips with design,
support structure generation, selecting the best printing method,
prototyping and post-processing. Their designs were initially printed
using a plastic extrusion-based process before advancing to more
complex processes like stereolithography, which would ultimately be
used to prepare models for the lost wax casting process. Through
various modules and holistic training, not only in 3D technologies
but also language and presentation skills, the goal was to have the
students come away with an understanding of the different roles
within the product design process with a view to future employment.
“I think in general, 3D printing differentiates itself from other STEM
subjects,” Sia commented. “You are able to design something, to
think something up in your head and within a matter of hours it
physically exists. The power you feel, the confidence you gain in
saying ‘I thought of something and now it’s here’, after working in
the industry for a long time, you can forget the almost magical side
of using the technology. That’s something we’re also exploring,
to see whether 3D printing itself can actually be empowering and
therapeutic.”
The first stage of the pilot programme has just reached completion
with each of the students presenting their projects to prospective
employers. Ten were offered placements with Imaginarium and Fab
Jewels, a huge success for the pilot but the impact spans much
further. Many of the students said the course, though challenging, had
given them not only a new skillset but more confidence in themselves
and new perspectives on working life. Some are now planning
on furthering their CAD education and finding skilled work in the
jewellery industry, others have ambitions to start their own creative
JEWELLERY
side projects. One student, Sara* has dreams of launching her own
business to help other people from disadvantaged areas.
Sara commented: “I’m interested to learn more about CAD and
design and [gain] more knowledge about manufacturing so that in the
future I can open my own operation in a place not very developed,
where people really need help. What I have gone through in my
childhood, I don’t want anyone else to go through that. I want them
to know about their rights, I didn’t know about mine. I want to help
children, so they have opportunities that I missed out on. I want to
become a role model.”
Following the success of the pilot, the plan is to turn the
programme into a repeatable model that can support even
more women. Initially, a range inspired by the students will be
manufactured by Imaginarium and available to buy from Free-D and
other stockists. Katherine hopes the profits can be used to setup a
new manufacturing and training facility so that brands and retailers
who care about an ethical supply chain can start making orders for
jewellery this year, with pilot graduates working directly on orders or
as CAD and manufacturing consultants. Free-D are openly looking for
partners to support them in setting up their facility and helping them
develop the curriculum to be at the cutting edge of the technology.
Katherine concluded: “We’ve already learned so much from our
pilot. In the future, I don’t see why we couldn’t set up centres all over
India or anywhere there is demand for 3D printing skills. Free-D so
far has benefited from support from a small but dedicated group of
pilot partners. To take this program to the next level, it would be great
to hear from potential partner companies or individuals looking to
support the cause by providing the technology, tools and expertise
required to make the industry as a whole more accessible.”
*Names have been changed.
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 013
 Introducing...the All New
X1 25PRO™

SAY HELLO
to MIM Powders
combined with
production volume

Cost Effective • Diverse Materials • More than

20 years of Binder Jet expertise!

Visit ExOne at AMUG— March 30 - April 4,

Chicago, IL — Booth D13

ExOne®
We are Binder Jetting
3D Printing
 JEWELLERY

3D PRINTED
JEWELLERY HITS
WORDS: DANIEL O’CONNOR

THE MAINSTREAM
3
D printed jewellery can be a little
esoteric; at TCT Magazine, we’re privy
to incredibly intricate designs that
could only be made using 3D printing
but you’re not likely to see a piece in Goldsmiths
or H Samuel, they’re more often than not bespoke
one-offs for discerning consumers. But is that tide
about to change?
For last year’s Poppy Appeal, The Royal British
Legion may have fundamentally shifted 3D
printed jewellery into the mainstream without the
mainstream even knowing.
was already being used for another
The item in question is the Nylon Poppy Pin, of its jewellery pieces meaning that
which sold out on the Poppy Shop website weeks the Legion did not have to source
before Remembrance Sunday, with comments on or commission a specific new
the consumer reviews website, Feefo, like: finding and the assemblers would
“Looks really cool and had compliments be entirely familiar with how to fit
about it. 5 Stars” - Julie Osborn together.

“Unusual and can be used time and time
again. 5 Stars” - Anthony Howard
“A stand out talking piece. 5 Stars”
- Scott Hilditch
The backbone of the Nylon Poppy Pin is
produced with selective laser sintering (SLS), not
that you’d know it, the manufacturing process is
secondary to the style. As it should be.
The idea came about in April 2018 when the
Royal British Legion’s retail buyer and product
developer was referred to a 3D printing studio in
London through connections at the Birmingham
City Jewellery School.
This being the charity’s first foray into 3D
printing, there were questions about design
constraints, materials, fixing, quantities etc. Quality
and cost were taken into consideration but an
essential for the Legion team was to achieve the
pure red colour to replicate the poppy.
After the team at the service bureau presented
a number of designs it was decided to go with
one that took the profile of their poppy logo, this
was then dished and the internal area was given a
tessellated surface to reflect the digital nature of
production.
To make use of processes the Legion already
had in place and to elevate the piece the service
bureau designed a hole that allowed a brass disc
finding, to be snapped into place. That brass disc
Having resolved the design,
1,000 were packed into the tightest
possible build volume and printed
in an EOS Formiga Nylon SLS 3d
printer.
Once produced, they were
cleaned of the loose powder and
vibro finished in order to smooth
the components. These were then
dyed in proprietary equipment to
produce the finished red poppy
parts. They were then shipped to
the assembly company where the
brass findings were attached to
finish the brooches.
The 1,000 brooches went up
for sale on the Poppy Shop site
and sold out within weeks. The
likelihood is, with the success of
the 2018 pilot run, the Royal British
Legion will turn to 3D printing
again for the 2019 Poppy Appeal.
The mass production element to
this story seems to signify a shift in
thinking, no longer is 3D printing
simply a gimmicky sales tool for 3D TOP:
3D PRINTED POPPY PINS
printed jewellery, it is a sustainable,
AFTER DYING PROCESS
affordable means of manufacturing
a mainstream product. This is a ABOVE:
CAD DESIGN OF THE POPPY
breakthrough. BIN WITH BRASS FINDING

27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 015

 Second only
to the real
thing.
Stratasys J750

Stratasys Vivid Colours

Through their J750, Connex3 and new J735 systems, Stratasys
Stratasys J735 is giving the users the opportunity to produce parts using the
most striking colours ever developed. New vivid magenta, vivid
cyan and vivid yellow combine with existing opaque materials to
boost red, yellow and orange tones, and deliver truly eye-
catching results.

Together, they expand the colour gambit their PolyJet printers

can produce to more than 500,000, giving designers and
Objet500 Connex developers complete creative freedom.

NEW ... Stratasys Certified Training Centre!

Training available for operators of FDM and Polyjet printers - 1 or
2 day courses. Also, “Advanced Polyjet Training” specifically for
the J750/J735 high-end systems. See our website for details.

Technology that pays for itself

German auto-maker Audi is already putting the new vivid colours through their paces, producing prototype
tail lights with unrivalled part realism.

www.3dprinting.co.uk

Laser Lines Limited

Beaumont Close, Banbury, Oxon OX16 1TH
01295 672500  3dworld@laserlines.co.uk  www.3dprinting.co.uk

AWARD
WINNING FINISH
A
t Formnext 2018, splashes of purple
could be spotted on a select few
stands as this year’s TCT Award-
winning exhibitors proudly displayed
their industry expert-approved tech to the masses.
One such badge-holder was Barcelona-based,
Steros GPA Innovate S.L. (GPA INNOVA), which took
home the TCT Post Processing Award 2018 for its
DLyte dry electropolishing system.
Founded in 2015, GPA INNOVA specialises in
machinery for metal surface finishing. Its DryLyte
technology, which combines grinding and polishing
in a one-step process to produce shiny finished
parts, is said to be the first dry electropolishing
system of its kind. Unlike traditional methods,
DryLyte does not use liquid as the electrolyte but
instead uses ion transport via free solid bodies
which enable the removal of material from only
the peaks of roughness and without changing
the part’s shape, tolerances or leaving any micro
scratches on the surface. The process can handle
complex geometries and penetrate all dead zones
for a range of metals including steel and stainless-
steel, cobalt chrome, titanium, aluminium, nickel
and precious metal alloys for dental, healthcare,
aerospace, automotive and other industries.
Depending on the application, the process time
can be reduced by around 75% compared to
mechanical techniques.
Jaume Miras, Finance Director at GPA INNOVA
explained: “Our system is working like digital
polishing, we don’t really need to press to create
pressure on the surface, we don’t need to create
movement on the surface, we just need the ball to
touch the surface and then it’s this ion transport
from the piece to the media. The metal will remain
inside the media and after some hours or after the
ABOVE:
TITANIUM MEDICAL PART FINISHED WITH DRYLYTE
WORDS: LAURA GRIFFITHS
time of use, you need to replace with
fresh media.”
The process is completely automated
and does not require programming,
particularly beneficial for processing
batches of customised AM parts.
Though the technology is also aimed
at more traditional processes such
as CNC machining and casting, the
company has partnered with a number of
additive manufacturing OEMs including
EOS, Renishaw and 3D Systems to
help provide a complete solution for
producing finished parts with a surface
roughness of under 0.09 micrometres.
“When you don’t have really big
volumes with the same part, for example
in the dental field where every mouth is
different, so every part will be different,
you would need programming for each
part,” Miras commented. “That’s why our
system doesn’t need programming, you
can put several parts in the same batch
and it’s just a standard program because
it’s not dependent on the geometry of
the part.”
POST-PROCESSING
BELOW:
DENTAL PARTS
BEFORE AND AFTER
ELECTROPOLISHING
With different machines designed
for various sectors and materials, the
company already has around 140 of its
systems installed worldwide. The majority
are based in Europe with customers
primarily in the dental industry but its
machines are also being adopted by
bigger firms such as French aerospace
company, Safran Group and global
medical giant, Johnson & Johnson.
One mid-sized dental laboratory which
produces around 50 pieces a day is said
to be saving around 102,000 EURO a
year, primarily in labour costs, compared
to manual polishing and is averaging
around nine finished parts per hour with
the DLyte Dental system. Expanding
that even further, at Formnext, its new
DLyte 10000 Industrial Series machine
(coming soon, GPA INNOVA says) could
be seen coupled with a KUKA robotic
arm, an example of how systems can
be customised and adapted to fit into
current production workflows.
Miras added: “When we go to the
industry we see that each company is
different. This machine will also need to
be included in the current production
chain so of course, we need to adapt
somehow. This will be a standard
machine with some adaptations to meet
the customer needs and that will be
something that comes very soon for all
industries and with really customised
solutions.”
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 017
UK’s first
Stratasys
Academy,
HIGH LEVEL STRATASYS CERTIFIED TRAINING

3dprintacademy.co.uk
T: 03332 075 660 E: ENQUIRIES@3DPRINTACADEMY.CO.UK

Farewell to the pain of powder removal

Solukon automated systems remove residual powder from intricate laser melted
metal parts within a safe and secure atmosphere. Our programmable process
guarantees superior cleaning results and significantly improves your AM efficiency.

reproducible cleaning results

certified protection against hazardous & explosive metal dust buildup
completely inert material handling
collection of residual powder for reuse
built to last with low maintenance costs

Because we care about your safety and profitability!

Contact us: www.solukon.de

SMART
TO FINISH
AFTER FEATURING IN THE TCT MAGAZINE 25.1
POST-PROCESSING FEATURE, ASSISTANT EDITOR,
SAM DAVIES REVISITS ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
TECHNOLOGIES (AMT) AFTER A BUSY COUPLE OF YEARS.
T
wo years is a long time in business, but
for this company it has seen the launch of
its flagship post-processing system, the
evolution of the technology that powers it,
an expansion into North America, and in Q2 of 2019, it
prepares for the introduction of an additional product.
AMT’s patent-pending PostPro3D machine was
made commercially available last autumn, ahead of its
trade show debut in Frankfurt. It was being deployed
in factories on both sides of the Atlantic before the
year was out, and will soon be in China too.
It is an automation-ready surface-finishing machine,
boasting a process chamber of 600 x 400 x 400 mm,
process run time of between 90-120 minutes, and
is priced at between 80-100,000 GBP, depending
on the scale of smart tech integration required by
the customer. BLAST, or Boundary Layer Automated
Smoothing Technology, is the technology developed
from University of Sheffield’s pUSH process, and
promises closed loop controllable and repeatable
smoothing. It can be used to enhance the aesthetics
and performance of parts and also to better
functionalise them, adding glossiness, colour, textures
or eliminating failure initiation sites on the surface.
“It means that you have a machine that can easily
erase the ‘stair-stepping’
of 3D printed
parts without
tumbling,
media
blasting, or
any of the
traditional
manual and
pseudo-
automated
labour-intensive
methods,”
explains Joseph
Crabtree, CEO, AMT.
“It means that you can
add value, increasing the
look, feel, and the performance of
parts in minutes and with a minimal impact
on their production cost.”
The proprietary technology also boasts
proficiency in removing porosity and sealing parts.
When its chemical consumable agent,
in gas form and under controlled
temperature and pressure, comes
into contact with a given material,
the material is changed from solid to
liquid. In powder processes, partially
sintered particles at the surface
get dissolved, and in extrusion
processes, there is a self-levelling and
healing effect that fills gaps between
layers. For a company targeting the
automotive, aerospace, medical
and consumer markets, these are
important capabilities. Supplementing
the PostPro3D’s proficiencies is its
UL certification, a first for the post-
processing market, which remarks
the machine as repeatable at scale.
But AMT not only wants to deliver a
functional, future-ready system into
the aforementioned verticals, the
company’s guiding principle is safety
and sustainability.
“As we scale to true industrial
additive manufacturing, it is critical
that we have safety and sustainability
ABOVE:
POST-PROCESSING
SHOWN:
AMT’S POSTPRO3D SYSTEM
at the cornerstone of everything we
do,” Crabtree said. “We are developing
all our systems to have zero waste [or]
effluent, [and be] automated and power
efficient. In addition, we are launching
a range of Engineered ‘Green’ Solvent
consumables that we have been
developing in conjunction with the
University of Sheffield and our team of
chemists. We challenge other companies
that call themselves innovative to
change their methods of make.”
Meanwhile, AMT is looking to expand
its own offering to the industry too.
The company is currently setting up
an innovation centre in Austin, TX,
which will act as its North American
headquarters and offer a benchmarking
service, similar to its facility in Sheffield,
UK which offers a 24-hour turnaround
on parts.
Then, there’s the new product,
PostPro Mini. When AMT brought the
PostPro3D to market last year, Crabtree
and his team aimed it towards larger
industrial end users, those more likely to
have AM machines running around the
clock manufacturing end-use products.
The PostPro3D Mini is a scaled down
version, developed in parallel with the
original, offering a process chamber a
third of the size at a price between 20-
30,000 GBP. Its launch is imminent, and
contrary to the tech, AMT won’t be
finished there.
EYEWEAR FRAME PRINTED WITH HP’S MULTI
JET FUSION FULL COLOUR & FINISHED
WITH AMT’S BLAST TECHNOLOGY
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 019
 DENTAL

HEALTHCARE

AERONAUTICS

AUTOMOTIVE

INDUSTRIAL

For Cobalt Chrome, Steel & Stainless Steel,

Carbon Steel, Nickel, Titanium, Brass and Copper alloys.

No rounded edges

No micro-scratches on the surface

CNC No grinding patterns

Inox 316L Mirror Finish

For more than 60 years we have been

Homogeneous Polishing
(preserve the tolerances)
A New Concept of Polishing
transforming ideas into reality.
No matter how complex your product design we will
have a solution.
Our reputation as a supplier of precision injection
moulded products means you can expect nothing less
than professional support throughout the manufacturing
process from our people in the design engineering
department, the tool shop, our rapid prototyping bureau
through to the factory floor, assembly and warehousing.

Preservation of the initial shape even the cutting edges

Process complex geometries

Outstanding support
Homogeneous polishing across the surface without grinding patterns

No micro-scratches on the surface

for exceptional ideas
Fully automatic polishing to a mirror finish in one step

Controlled costs and predictable lead times If you’re looking for a plastic injection
Environmentally friendly moulding partner, let’s talk.
e enquiry@rutlandplastics.co.uk Cold Overton Road,

dlyte.es w

t
www.rutlandplastics.co.uk
01572 723 476
Oakham,
Rutland LE15 6NU

C/Caracas 13-15, Nau 6 - 08030 Barcelona | info@gpainnova.com

8321_RP 2016 Corporate Half Page_Corp.indd 1 13/01/2017 09:00


CUSTOMISING COMPUTER-
AIDED DESIGN USING
PROGRAM SYNTHESIS
TAO DU, A PHD STUDENT IN THE COMPUTATIONAL
FABRICATION GROUP OF MIT’S COMPUTER SCIENCE
AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LABORATORY (CSAIL).
N
early all commercial
products start as a CAD
file, a 2D or 3D model
with the product’s design
specifications. One method that’s widely
used to represent today’s 3D models
is constructive solid geometry (CSG), a
technique where numerous basic shapes,
or “primitives,” with a few adjustable
parameters can be assembled in various
ways to form a single object. When
finalised, the compiled digital object
is converted to a mesh of 3D triangles
that defines the object’s shape. These
meshes are used as input for many
applications, including 3D printing and
virtual simulation.
Customising that mesh, however,
is no easy task. With complex models
comprising thousands of triangles,
customisation becomes daunting and
time-consuming. Traditional techniques to
convert triangle meshes back into shapes
don’t scale well to complex models or
work accurately on low-resolution, noisy
files.
In a paper presented at the recent
AMC SIGGRAPH Asia conference, MIT
researchers describe a system that
applies a technique called program
synthesis to break down CAD models into
their primitive shapes. Program synthesis
TECHNIQUE BREAKS DOWN COMPLEX CAD MODELS
automatically constructs computer
programs based on a set of grammars.
Essentially, to build CAD models,
designers assemble individual shapes
into a final object; the researchers’
method does the reverse, disassembling
the CAD models into individual shapes
that can be edited. As input, the system
takes a 3D triangle mesh and first
determines the individual shapes that
make it up. Program synthesis crawls
through the shapes, trying to figure out
how the shapes were put together and
assembled into the final model. The final
shapes contain editable parameters for
users to tweak that can be reuploaded to
the mesh.
After the system receives an input
mesh, a preprocessing step detects the
possible locations, orientations, and
parameters of all primitive shapes. This
process creates a massive point cloud
across the surface of the triangle mesh.
A special “primitive-detection” algorithm
infers from these points the dimensions
for each primitive shape that makes up
the mesh.
The researchers then sample tons
of points in the entire 3D space and
flag them as either inside or outside
the mesh. This helps determine how
the shapes converge or relate to one
SHOWN:
INTO THE INDIVIDUAL SHAPES THEY’RE MADE OF.
(IMAGE COURTESY OF THE RESEARCHERS)
DESIGN SOFTWARE
another. A simple example is a mesh
consisting of two spheres, A and B, merged
together. If one sampled point falls inside
sphere A, one inside sphere B, and one at
the intersection of the two (inside both A
and B), it’s most likely a union of the two
shapes.
Given this information, along with the
primitive dimensions, program synthesis
could potentially create a CGS tree. But,
3D meshes of even low complexity would
require program synthesis to sample
tens of thousands of points. This would
create a massive search space that’s
computationally impractical to handle.
To ensure the system worked efficiently,
the researchers designed a sampling
method that creates several small subsets
of point samples across the 3D space,
which is much easier for program synthesis
to compute. By sampling these subsets,
it creates a new candidate “program,” or
CGS tree, that could be considered correct.
After numerous iterations — and using
techniques to eliminate certain points and
trees — the system lands on the correct
CGS tree for each shape, with correct
intermediate steps and final parameters.
Any edited shapes are fed back into the
mesh as the system computationally follows
the intermediate steps back to the final
object.
The process could be useful in
manufacturing or when combined with
3D printing software. This is especially
important in the age of design sharing,
where amateur 3D printer users upload
3D print models to websites for online
communities to download and modify.
Uploads are mostly triangle meshes
because meshes are far more universally
accepted across platforms than the original
CSG-based CAD files. The system can
potentially handle other formats like point
clouds by adding a preprocessing step.
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 021
 DESKTOP METAL 3D PRINTING

From digital file

to sintered part
Unlike laser-based systems that selectively melt metal powder,
The Desktop Metal Studio SystemTM extrudes bound metal rods similar to
how an FDM printer works. Call Tri-Tech 3D to find out more.

T: 01782 814551 | www.tritech3d.co.uk

2017

Rapidox 2100-OEM-RSB
Small but mighty.
The compact design (4.5” x 3.0”) allows integration into the tightest of spaces yet comes with the same
performance specifications and features of our exisiting OEM analysers. The board is fitted with a
robust cabled zirconia sensor, which is ideal for providing fast and accurate remote in-situ gas analysis
over the the full oxygen range 10-20ppm to 30% O2. Zirconia oxygen sensors are extremely rugged and
particularly suitable for monitoring inert atmospheres and aggressive industrial applications directly within
manufacturing processes such as metal 3D printers, soldering ovens and furnaces.

www.cambridge-sensotec.co.uk sales@cambridge-sensotec.co.uk + 44 (0)1480 462142


HOW FORD AUTOMATED
THE DESIGN OF
MANUFACTURING AIDS
3D PRINTED JIGS AND FIXTURES ARE USED BY JUST ABOUT EVERY VEHICLE
MANUFACTURER IN THE WORLD TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY ON THE PRODUCTION
LINE. NOW, FORD WANTS TO TACKLE THE NEXT BOTTLENECK, DESIGN.
A
t Ford’s Research & Innovation
Center in Aachen, Germany,
the automotive leader is using
intuitive software to automate the
design of additive manufactured production
tools. The software was created by the Berlin-
based company Trinckle (stylised as trinckle),
whose flagship software “paramate” simplifies
the design process for user-specific products,
whether that’s consumer goods like eyewear
or the mass customisation of copper inductors,
which saw the company scoop last year’s TCT
Industrial Product Application Award.
While it’s no secret that producing tools and
manufacturing aids via traditional methods are
expensive, Ford found that up to 50% of its total
costs per tool were, in fact, in the manual design
step, “the new bottleneck” as Lars Bognar, a
research engineer at Ford Research & Advanced
Engineering Europe, calls it.
WORDS: LAURA GRIFFITHS
To overcome that, Trinckle has worked with
Ford to develop an internal application for the
efficient generation of labelling jigs – a hand
tool used to accurately place name and model
badges on the body of a vehicle.
“For each new line and each special edition,
these tools must be specifically designed
to position the badges with exact accuracy,”
Bognar explained. “This design task is not a
trivial one, as the tools have to adapt precisely
to the free-form surfaces of the car body sheet.
It can easily last between two and four hours to
create an appropriate AM-ready design.”
Within the software, the user simply uploads
the model data of the car body and paramate’s
algorithms then automatically generate the
geometry of the tool to fit the contour of the
car and form the base of the new jig. Additional
elements such as handles, magnet mounts for
fixation and edge guides can then be added by
simply clicking on where the engineer wishes
to place them. This particular application has
reduced the design process from 2-4 hours
down to just 10 minutes without the need for a
CAD or an AM-trained engineer. Ford believes
this has the potential to save thousands of Euros
per tool, which, considering its Ford Focus alone
is manufactured using over 50 custom designed
jigs, tools and fixtures, could account for colossal
savings across multiple models.
“The labelling jig itself is not different from
the jigs we have seen before. The innovation is
that you don’t need a CAD experienced person
for the final design. The software application is
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 023
DESIGN SOFTWARE
so intuitive that anyone, with a little
bit of technical understanding, can
create such a jig,” Dr. Ole Bröker,
Head of Business Development
& Consulting at Trinckle, told TCT.
“Ford’s goal is to enable employees
on the shop floor to do the design
adaptions on their own, within
some boundaries of course. This
would mean opening the design
process for those who work with
the tools on a daily basis.”
The designs are sent directly to
Ultimaker Cura software and 3D
printed on-site using, for example,
desktop Ultimaker S5 machines,
which Ford has installed inside its
shop floors across Europe. Though
this application is still in the R&D
department, after a successful pilot,
Trinckle says the possibilities are
wide open.
Bröker added: “We just picked
the low hanging fruit with these
labelling jigs and of course we go
further, we are already working on
the next application within the field
of production and assembly means
at Ford. These are a great use
cases for our paramate software
because these tool geometries are
very use case specific. They are not
even too complex in many cases,
but they still demand a lot of time-
consuming manual design work.
We try to get rid of that.”
The evolution
of a revolution
GE Additive is leading a transformation into a whole new phase of
high-volume production. The Arcam EBM® Spectra H enables rapid
parts production at temperatures exceeding 1000°C within an extended
build platform. Now manufacturers can produce the largest additive
TiAl components ever made. See how the Spectra H is advancing the
industry at ge.com/additive/spectra.

FEATURE COMPILED BY
LEADERS OF THE NEW
DANIEL O’CONNOR, LAURA GRIFFITHS AND SAM DAVIES.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
WILSON
WEIJMARSHAUSEN
HARKER
S
ix years ago, as I was starting out at
Rapid News with an understanding
of 3D printing that amounted to a
miniature version of the Sand Beast
seen on television’s QI, the then editor of TCT
Magazine (now VP Content Strategy & Partnerships
at Rapid News), James Woodcock was embarking
on a tour of the U.S. speaking to the most influential
personalities in what was then a shape-shifting
industry.
The result was a front cover with six faces above
the headline, “Leaders of the New School.” It
caused much consternation in the 3D printing world;
many decrying the absence of their company’s
figurehead, some suggesting that there was more
THE NEW SCHOOL
BURNS
PETTIS
REICHENTAL
than a whiff of BS from the printer in every home
movement, a couple of comments even suggested
one of the faces should be arrested (there’s been
an interesting development in that regard).
What is undeniable is that each one of those six
has left a lasting impression on the world of 3D
printing, particularly in the eyes of the mainstream
media. What is interesting is that such is the flux in
this industry only one is on the same path, and his
road has been particularly bumpy.
Over the following six pages, the current TCT
Editorial team will look at either the people or the
companies and ask the question, what happened
next? - Daniel O’Connor
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 025
 THE RIGHTS
AND WRONGS
OF A 3D PRINTING
EVANGELIST
I
t’s said you should never make
predictions, especially about the
future.
But it can be difficult to suppress a belief
when there is so much passion immersed
within it.
Avi Reichental would typically wax lyrical
about the potential 3D printing had in
your home, moreover, every room in your
home. He did so in this magazine, in fact,
in 2013. In this moment, he was the CEO
of 3D Systems, the oldest, and still one of
the largest, vendors in the space, while
the industry had reached the peak of its
hype cycle. His was one of the loudest
voices in its climb there, and one of the last
remaining when doubt superseded.
“Our position is that consumers are
asking for access to 3D printing and it is our
job to provide the tools and the content,”
he said in 2013 when questioned on the
increasing scepticism in consumer demand.
“We intend to reserve judgement and let
the consumer decide about 3D printing.”
A mathematical equation had formed
in Reichental’s mind, in which the
sum was consumer demand, and the
addends democratisation and education.
Democratisation was ‘key’, education
was ‘the most fundamental change that
needed to happen’. His calculation was
supplemented by some workings out:
pricing would come down, machines
become easier to use, they would be
integrated into the curriculum at primary,
secondary and higher education, and
ultimately, people wouldn’t know how to live
without them. Every broken part replaced
by a 3D printed one, every child’s desire
addressed with a desktop machine.
026 / www.tctmagazine.com / 27.1
WORDS: SAM DAVIES
Reichental chased the consumer market, centrepiece was a Mini with a selection
championed it and believed in it, and in of concept applications. The standout
2015, he and 3D Systems parted ways. was a 3D printed trailing arm suspension,
designed to deliver the same performance
“I was wrong about that,” he told TCT. “I as its casted counterpart but with a weight
used to say it’s not going to be a matter of reduction of 47%.
whether or not you will have a 3D printer
in every home, the question will be in He believes the price points and
what room in your house would you like to performance of these technologies
have a 3D printer and for what purpose. It serve to address his long-held view on
didn’t happen the way I envisioned it. The democratisation and supplement his more
democratisation of 3D printing happened, contemporary fixation around Industry
we can buy printers today for 198 dollars, 4.0. As we look outwards from his stand
the migration to schools and libraries tucked away in the corner of Hall 3.0,
happened, [but] the migration to the home I GE, Trumpf, and Desktop Metal are all in
was totally wrong about. eyeshot. They’re companies who see the
place additive manufacturing (AM) has
“Something very interesting happened. on the factory floor, its potential
We see many of these would-be home – real potential – to disrupt the
printers [have] become good enough wider manufacturing market.
for small engineering firms. The But similar barriers remain,
democratisation of that class of printers that and this trio are not alone
started with the whole Makerbot movement in still having work to do on
ended up giving professionals a better, the democratisation of their
cheaper tool.” technology.
Reichental made these comments at
Formnext 2018, where XponentialWorks,
the company he now heads, exhibited the
capabilities of a selection of the start-ups it
represents. Nexa3D debuted its industrial-
grade SLA systems, which will be made
available this year at price points between
20,000 USD and 50,000 USD, and sample
parts like engine blocks and pull handles.
NxtFactory showcased its QLS 250 and 350
SLS machines, priced at 80,000 USD and
120,000 USD, along with some printed shoe
soles and a differential hub produced with
John Deere. And Paramatters was demoing
its generative design software, which
boasts finite element analysis capabilities,
and is being used by Ford, Renishaw,
and Stanley Black & Decker. The stand’s

“The throughput and the
total cost of ownership have to
be comparable or better [than
conventional methods]. Then you
really democratise because for
the first time you really unleash
much more effective designs
for additive manufacturing
that don’t require set-up,
that don’t come with some
costly tooling, that give
you the flexibility to make
millions of identical parts
or millions of one-of-a-
kind parts without any
additional penalties,”
Reichental assessed. “That
SHOWN:
TRAILING ARM SUSPENSION
GENERATIVELY DESIGNED
TO SAVE 47% WEIGHT AND
PRINTED IN ALUMINIUM.
SHOWN:
TOPOLOGICALLY OPTIMISED
STEERING WHEEL
gives you digital inventory instead
of warehouses stuffed with goods
that don’t move. That gives you
the ability to teleport products
across borders digitally without
getting encumbered with all these
trade wars and so forth. That’s
democratisation. Giving customers
access to high-speed, cost-effective
design and manufacturing.”
It’s the start of manufacturing
becoming sexy again, Reichental
believes. Parts being generatively
designed and manufacturing with
the aid of automation processes:
‘These technologies have been
around for years, but now we have
the computational power to do
something about it,’ he notes. This
is to be aided by familiarity of 3D
printing technology, ensuring the
next generation has the adequate
digital literacy to maintain this next
phase of industrial revolution.
“We are sitting here with 50
companies that can deliver you a
3D printer to a school or library for
a few hundred dollars,” Reichental
said. “We see a real explosion
of not just design curriculums to
learn digital fabrication, but we
see how 3D printing in elementary
THE NEW SCHOOL
BELOW:
XPONENTIALWORKS’
FORMNEXT SHOWPIECE,
FEATURING AN ARRAY OF
3D PRINTED APPLICATIONS.
schools and middle schools and high schools and universities
of various complexity are being integrated into other
curriculums, which means we’re getting to a point where
people understand that 3D printing doesn’t exist for the sake
of 3D printing. It’s a tool that unleashes creativity.”
He continued this train of thought and it led him back to a
path already tread: “It’s an instrument that enables all of us to
become digital craftsmen.”
The more he sits and ponders, the more his mind
wanders. He was wrong, he conceded as much, and yet as
he debates the 3D printing/ consumer poser, even today,
he begins to think he might yet be right. Amazon Web
Services’ majority stake in Shapeways means he can imagine
a world where the consumer’s Amazon Echo sits beside a
desktop 3D printer: “You will say, ‘Alexa, print me a Christmas
ornament,’ and Amazon will send you a file and you will
print it.” It’s what can happen when passion intertwines with
enthusiasm, even when other passions surrounding 3D
printing’s implementation in factories co-exist, and even if the
enthusiasm is rash: “I am encouraged by the tell-tale signs
and I’m not giving up on it. I’m optimistic, maybe foolishly
optimistic, but optimistic,” laughed Reichental.
The dream lives on, but the pursuit, for now at least,
remains dormant. His enduring optimism in the consumer
market is not immediate per XponentialWorks’ Formnext
booth. Similarly, and despite the consumer focus that
developed, 3D Systems’ large play in industry throughout
Reichental’s tenure cannot go unmentioned. His downfall
was that his optimism in the consumer market didn’t dwindle
when that of the majority did. He fell foul of chasing a target
audience when the applications, by and large, didn’t exist.
Sure, you could 3D print a spare part for your utilities and
furniture, but how often do you need to? You can hope that
by democratising and educating, the next generation will be
so obsessed with 3D printing that a desktop machine is as
commonplace as a television or a laptop, but not everyone
wants to be a digital craftsman. Perhaps we should leave it
to those that do.
As a leader of the new school in 2013, Reichental said
democratisation was key, education was too, that the
consumer would decide about 3D printing, and the demand
was there. Through the endeavours of his new venture,
there’s acceptance that he was right, and he was wrong.
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 027
 THE EVOLUTION OF
WORDS: LAURA GRIFFITHS
MAKERBOT
D
uring a recent flight to New
York, I finally got around to
watching Sandra Bullock and
Cate Blanchett pull off an
elaborate jewellery heist in Oceans Eight. I
knew 3D printing featured in the movie but
hadn’t anticipated it would play such a key
role in the plot, allowing the con artists to
replicate a priceless diamond necklace using a
desktop, plastic-extrusion printer. If you say so,
Hollywood.
Fittingly, this magic machine was stamped
with a MakerBot logo, the very same Brooklyn-
based 3D printing company I was on my way
to visit.
MakerBot, has been a card-carrying
advocate for the 3D printing revolution ever
since its former CEO, Bre Pettis posed on
the cover of Wired magazine claiming the
Replicator was going to change the world. It
was also a victim of the hype it helped create,
opening short-lived physical stores (which TCT
paid a visit to in 2013) and launching products
too soon, like Bronze and Iron materials, which
were never released commercially.
As the company marks its 10-year
anniversary this year, now feels like the ideal
time for a new product reveal and with it, a
more industrial-minded MakerBot.
The following day, on the 21st floor of
Brooklyn’s Metro Tech Center, the company
launched its latest machine which aims to
bridge the gap between desktop and industrial
3D printing. The Method is designed to deliver
industrial precision, reliability, and dimensional
accuracy at a more accessible price of 6,499
USD.
The system, which MakerBot has been
working on for two years and believes opens
up a new category in “Performance 3D
Printing”, feels like a logical next step for the
company, which has realigned itself across
education and professional verticals under
the leadership of CEO Nadav Goshen. The
machine is aimed at professionals to enable
testing and validation of accurate prototypes
and faster product design cycles, leveraging
expertise from Stratasys, of which MakerBot is
028 / www.tctmagazine.com / 27.1
a subsidiary, and the accessibility
of its own machines. This feels
evident in its design which could
pass as a desktop version of
Stratasys’ popular F123 Series and
the installation of a touch screen
interface in place of the manual
control knob from the Replicator+.
Its sturdy Ultra-Rigid metal
frame houses a Circulating Heated
Chamber which regulates the
temperature to provide cooling at
a controlled rate, while new Dual
Performance Extruders combining
water-soluble PVA, enable print
speeds up to two times faster than
current desktop systems. It also
features dry-sealed material bays
to keep out moisture, a spring
steel build plate to allow parts to
be popped off, and built in sensors
and automation features.
The Method will initially be
available with PETG material but
MakerBot says there are more
to follow across two categories;
Precision and Specialty Materials.
On the software side, MakerBot
Print is compatible with 25 of the
most popular CAD programs and
supports collaborative cloud-
SHOWN:
HISTORY OF MAKERBOT
HARDWARE AT ITS
BROOKLYN HQ
based working. The software offers default print
modes as well as the option to choose your own
custom settings, with the overall aim to get you
from design to print as fast as possible. We also
saw how parts can be nested in MakerBot Print
so that designers can print multiple components,
leveraging the water-soluble support material, to
create full prototypes in a single print run.
The decision for MakerBot to go for the gap
between desktop and industrial is interesting.
Speaking with Goshen, the company spotted a
need to “develop something completely new”
and in the last two years, has invested heavily
in order to bring as many industrial features as
possible into the desktop format it is known
for without having to compromise on quality.
For businesses who may have been previously
priced out by larger industrial systems or needed
something more from the desktop, the Method
may be just the thing.
SHOWN:
MAKERBOT METHOD
 THE NEW SCHOOL

THE SHAPE
OF 3D PRINTING
WORDS: LAURA GRIFFITHS

TO COME
W
BELOW:
50% OF SHAPEWAYS’ PRODUCTS
hen TCT last visited ARE PRINTED WITH EOS
SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
Shapeways in 2014, The
Netherlands-founded company
had recently set up its North
American facility in Long Island City, amassed
over 15,000 store owners on its platform, and
had dreams of creating the first Shapeways’
millionaire. A lot has changed since then,
the company has a new CEO, the number of
businesses run through Shapeways has tripled,
and several of those are making millions of
dollars of revenue, some even setting up their
own teams.
Now over a decade into the game, the feel
as you walk into Shapeways Factory is still
very much that of a start-up – you’re unlikely to
find machines named after Marvel characters
and pop divas at a big corporate – but the
company’s CEO Gregory Kress, who joined
the company just 12 months ago following
the departure of Co-Founder and CEO Peter
Weijmarshausen, embraces that. provider, but now with a fresh rebrand and
“We’re a start-up, we’re still young and we’re focus on “design, make, sell” functionality,
still growing and still figuring things out,” he tells it positions itself as “a silent partner behind
me on a recent tour of the facility. the scenes” helping small businesses to get
The Long Island factory houses four primary their products delivered to customers.
3D printing technologies but its versatile plastic “Our customers have a deep
is its most popular offering with around 50% understanding of their market fit and what
of parts being produced on its arsenal of 11 their customers need - we’re just enabling
EOS selective laser sintering systems. Its R&D that process,” Kress explained. “Most of
department is home to some newer installations them have design issues, most of them much more complexity in this process
including Formlabs’ Form Cell, Stratasys’ J750 want mass customisation, most of them and the real value that we can create is
full colour multi-material printer, currently in need more than just 3D printing, they’re not helping our creatives today,” Kress said.
beta testing, and Carbon’s CLIP technology, asking for prototypes. What we’re trying to Last year, Shapeways announced 30
which was still in the process of being setup do now is remove as much friction from that million USD in new funding to facilitate its
during our visit. Meanwhile, over in the original process as we can and really just help them expansion and celebrated its 10 millionth
Eindhoven factory, HP’s Multi Jet Fusion be more successful.” printed part. It continues to partner with
technology has really hit its stride. Files come With most creators choosing to set OEMs to prove out new technologies and
in and are assigned in a sort of “3D Tetris” style up individual stores on other platforms, Kress isn’t resting on any laurels when
to maximise build platform capacity. They’re Shapeways has developed integrations looking to the future.
then printed and any required post-processing with the likes of Shopify and Etsy, enabling “Even in the last year we’ve made so
such as polishing or dying is carried out before customers to order products directly from many changes to things we’ve been doing
they’re passed on to the distribution centre for other webstores, have them sent straight for a long time. I’m trying to be as agile as
shipping. to the Shapeways factory and delivered possible,” Kress added. “We’re a start-
In the past, Shapeways may have been to their door, often with the store’s own up – if we change all of our processes
considered more of a marketplace for 3D branding stamped on the box. tomorrow, I don’t care, we’ll figure it out,
content (it was once described as the “Etsy “We don’t ever want to say that we take whatever is best for our customers.”
of 3D printing”) than a manufacturing service a file and turn it into a product, there’s so

27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 029

 EXPERIENCE
WORDS: DANIEL O’CONNOR

COUNTS
D
avid Burns featured on the Leaders of the big benefit is the surface that’s aluminium, irons and
the New School front cover back in 2013, finish, the surface quality and full steels and then on our direct
he was then CEO of ExOne and had just density single alloys.” side you’ve got very high-
led the company to IPO, Dave left ExOne ExOne has a long history in end materials, different part
after a decade of service in 2015. He remains a firm binder-jetting and with the X1 applications that lend themselves
favourite on the speaker circuit and recently completed 25PRO system and the likes of its to that. With the spectrum of
a keynote at TCT Japan in Tokyo. sandcasting S-Max system, those those two technologies, ExOne
looking to manufacture in metal can cover a lot of manufacturing.”
The company he left behind ExOne has, in the past now have a broad church from
year ramped up its hardware innovation launching which to choose. ExOne will begin taking
the Innovent + platform at RAPID + TCT 2018 and at orders for the X1 25PRO system
Formnext I caught up with ExOne’s Chief Commercial “There is a crossover point immediately. Customers will have
Officer, Jared Helfrich to talk about the brand new X1 where the size or the scope of the opportunity to see the X1 25
25PRO. your part lends itself more to PRO on display at the RAPID +
casting,” says Jared. “We are TCT 3D event in Detroit on May
“The X1 25Pro is essentially a scale-up of the experts in both; we have the 21-23, 2019.
Innovent+ system; it prints using very fine MIM moulds and cores for castings
powders - you’re talking nine microns - it is a mid-size
production machine, and it enables you to take all of
your process settings, everything you’ve learned from
Innovent+ and have a more volumetric output.”

The system prints using MIM powders such as 136L,

304 L, and 17-4PH stainless steels; Inconel 718 and
625; M2 and H11 tool steels; cobalt chrome; copper;
tungsten carbide-cobalt; and many more. It combines
these powders with a binder to print a green part, that
is then sintered leaving a fully dense part.

“The powder metallurgy of MIM powders is well

known,” says Jared. “[When sintered] you’re going to
have a uniform shrinkage that is predictable, you’ll
make sure you know what the scale is but after that
it becomes a repeatable process. You’re looking at
anywhere from 17-20% shrinkage, but it is uniform,
well-known and repeatable.”

What is remarkable about the parts Jared shows me

is the surface finish; the parts are smooth and involve
a threading system that fits together like a good
quality nut and bolt from a hardware store. I asked the
question, what post-processing steps were taken after
sintering?

“None,” explained Jared. “You’re looking at parts

printed in very high resolution with really tight SHOWN:
tolerances. Along with a wide variety of materials, X1 25PRO PLATFORM

030 / www.tctmagazine.com / 27.1


JOSHUA HARKER
AND THE 3D
PRINTED JOLLY
ROGER
W WILSON
hen the
editorial team
embarked on
this idea to
update on those famous faces on
the front cover of July 2013’s TCT
Magazine, there was one figure
whose face required a gentle
memory jog. This gentleman was
everywhere in 2013 but piracy
and circumstances forced him
into unchartered waters.
Joshua Harker keynoted at
TCT Show + Personalize 2013 on
the back of his Crania Anatomica
Filigre skull-based model
becoming the most-funded
sculpture project in Kickstarter
history. He was the first person to
create a business based on 3D
printed art, and his skulls became
synonymous with 3D printing in
the mainstream media.
With the uptake in interest in
his work and a commission from
Burning Man festival in the bag,
2014 was looking bright for Josh,
but, as he explained to TCT in an
email, best-laid plans of mice and
men often go awry:
“In the space of just a few
months I had an entire collection
of 3D printed art stolen from a
show tour in Russia, ripoffs of my
filigree skulls started showing
up in department stores, I spent
significant amounts of money and
effort to enforce my copyright
with little result. The production
partner I had committed to
restructured their quoting
algorithm, increasing pricing by
as much as 400%; and they then
also began promoting knockoffs
of my work by other designers.
Then there was the Burning Man
project, which I invested an entire
year of work and attention to
that didn’t go as planned. All this
contributed to the derailing of
WORDS: DANIEL O’CONNOR
SHOWN:
JOSHUA HARKER’S
LATEST WORK FOR
ROLLS-ROYCE AS A
CELEBRATION OF ITS
PARTNERSHIP WITH
TAP AIRLINES.
the project I was putting together sense of community & be an
at the time to develop a new
3D printer technology which I
had hoped my various ventures
would have helped fund.”
A family tragedy unfolded at
the same time, leaving Josh’s
2014 in tatters. His world-famous Harker is back with a new studio
skulls became so pirated that it
would not be a surprise to see
one on Captain Jack Sparrow’s
mast. He decided to start putting celebrate Rolls-Royce and Trans
some distance between himself
and the 3D printing world.
“I’ve repeatedly had to
wrestle with companies (large &
small) trying to co-opt my work
to sell their products. Some
relationships with the well-known passion for my work again. So...
larger manufacturers began
fairly but inevitably deteriorated refocus I am planning a return
as marketing priorities spiralled to public eye soon with some
out of control. Nearly overnight
the entire [3D printing] scene
became more focused on
investment opportunities,
acquisitions, and money grabs
rather than the long-term
benefits versus drawbacks of
the technology, not to mention
endless copycat designs. I’d
always tried to promote a
ambassador for 3D printing, but
it became increasingly apparent
that I needed to reassess.”
Fortunately, for those of us who
admire Josh’s work, reassess
did not mean walk the plank.
in artsy Ann Arbor, Michigan,
and his latest commission is
a beautiful piece designed to
Air Portugal’s partnership through
the Trent 7000 turbine engine.
“I’m in a very good place today
partly due to having navigated
these trying circumstances and
I’ve searched deeply to find
after having time to reboot and
exciting new projects. 3D printing
will continue to play a major role
in much of it.”
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 031
THE NEW SCHOOL
WORDS:
DANIEL O’CONNOR
CODY
W
ilson featured
on the front
cover on that
edition of
TCT Magazine as at the time
he was making 3D printing
front page news world over.
Personally, I don’t want to
give the man more publicity
other than to update on his
current status:
In September 2018, the
Austin Police Department
issued an arrest warrant
for Wilson, who was
accused of sexually
assaulting an underage
teenager on August 15
after reportedly soliciting
contact with the girl on
website SugarDaddyMeet.
com. Wilson was arrested
in Taiwan after missing his
return flight home. Wilson
is now expected to appear
in court in Texas in early
February.
The charges filed against
him include:
four counts of sexual assault
of a child
two charges of indecency
with a child by contact
two charges of indecency
with a child by exposure
Mr Wilson’s defence
lawyer Andino Reynal
told the Austin American
Statesman newspaper:
“Mr. Wilson at all times
believed reasonably that the
complaining witness was a
consenting adult.”
TRANSPORT, SCREENING AND RECYCLING OF METAL POWDERS FOR AM

Inerting Option Transfers used metal

powder from machines
and unpacking stations
at Return-To-Use
 high rate.

Screens and classify the

3D-Printer metal powder.

Option:
Returns it to the
AM-Machine for re-use. OVERSIZE


Closed loop argon /
nitrogen inertisation
available.
For powder handling
Used solutions:
Material 

PowTReX
VOLKMANN GmbH, VOLKMANN, Inc. VOLKMANN UK Limited
Soest / Germany Bristol, PA 19007 High Wycombe, Bucks
E-Mail: mail@volkmann.info USA Great Britain
Phone: +49(0) 2921 9604 0 TRANSPORT | SCREEN | CLASSIFY | RETURN-TO-USE
VOLKMANN Offi ce NL VOLKMANN France Sarl
7006 LV Doetinchem 91540 Mennecy
Netherlands France www.volkmann.info

TRAIN AT
The National Centre
for Additive Manufacturing

DESIGN FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 09 – 11 APRIL 2019

(METAL POWDER BED FUSION)

PRACTICAL INSIGHT INTO 29 APRIL – 03 MAY 2019

METAL POWDER BED FUSION

ADVANCED INTRODUCTION TO 08 MAY 2019

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Contact us today to discuss how we can best support you to

develop the essential Industrial 3D printing skills of the future
the-amtc.co.uk/additive | training@the-mtc.org | 02476 701774
Manufacturing Technology Centre, Airfield Drive, Ansty Business Park, Coventry, CV7 9JU

NOVEMBER 2018 SAW THE ADDITIVE COMMUNITY
CONVERGE ON MESSE FRANKFURT FOR FORMNEXT.
OVER THE NEXT FOUR PAGES WE LOOK AT SOME OF
TITOMIC:
THE MAJOR NEWS FROM THE SHOW FLOOR.
SCRATCHING
THE SURFACE
A
midst talk of the biggest metal
additive manufacturing system
in the world and bicycle frames
being built and finished in under
30 minutes, is a company that, when you pull
back the curtain, is indulging in plenty of action titanium or titanium alloy particles out
too.
Titomic is what happens when a government particles collide, they fuse together. This
wants to make better use of its rich titanium
reserves, a fashion generated by widespread
industrial use of the material, and the national
research organisation (CSIRO) develops a
patented manufacturing technology able to
process it.
Those reserves, per the U.S. Geological
Survey 2014, include 24,000 million metric
tonnes of rutile, the most common titanium
dioxide mineral, and 160,000 million metric
tonnes of ilmenite, a titanium-iron oxide mineral
– respectively the largest and second-largest
totals in the world. The industrial use spans the in practice? Lang offered the marine
aerospace, automotive, defense, marine, and
consumer goods sectors. And the technology
is a cold spray process being marketed as
Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF) after CSIRO
licensed it exclusively to the Melbourne-based powders can be priced around 250
vendor.
Instead of exporting those reserves as
raw material or selling as titanium dioxide,
an initiative was put in place to begin
processing and producing with it in large
quantities. “Rather than sell the resource, build
industry around [it],” Jeff Lang, Titomic CTO,
summarised at Formnext.
The commercialisation of TKF is key
to that ambition. It works by accelerating
WORDS: SAM DAVIES
SHOWN:
TITOMIC’S
FORMNEXT BOOTH
of a nozzle onto a scaffold. When the
process can be packaged into ‘solutions’
customised to the user’s demands, or
sold as ‘off the shelf’ platforms with
build envelopes up to 9 x 3 x 1.5 m,
and typically comprises of a spray head
attached to a Kuka or ABB Robotic arm.
A larger TKF set-up can consistently build
at 30kg of material an hour, and up to
500kg a day.
22 IN BLUE
It can make use of Australia’s titanium
abundance, then, but what does it mean
industry as a target market: one where
titanium is used plenty, but where the
processing of such quantities of material
may be cost prohibitive. Fine titanium
USD per kilo, meaning on a particularly
productive day using TKF, that’d cost a
company 125,000 USD in materials alone.
One of TKF’s advantages, though, is its
ability to deal with irregular morphology
powders, ones that don’t boast perfectly
spherical particles, and cost closer to 50
USD per kilo. That particularly productive
day using TKF now costs 25,000 USD in
material usage.
FORMNEXT
Earlier this year, Titomic signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with
shipbuilding firm, Fincantieri, with a view
to using TKF for the manufacture of large
mechanical ship components. The vendor
has been testing sample applications,
and through other relationships in the
marine sector with Naval Group, BAE, and
Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC), is
looking at how to redesign ships and how
to better preserve them too.
“We’re working initially on areas around
coatings and hulls,” Lang said. “Currently,
a normal ship has to be dry docked
every two years to do a new anti-fouling
coating. We’re working with our anti-fouling
coatings that blends the metals, like copper
and titanium, that will give a ship up to a
20-year life before it has to get dry docked.
With copper, it doesn’t allow any marine
growth onto it. Producing hulls is long-term,
but we work with a lot of other areas [like]
finding improvements in the propulsion
systems, the large propellers and drive
systems, and even on the turbine blades.”
The marine industry is simply the tip of
the iceberg, the scratching of the surface,
for Titomic’s presence in industry, and
Australia’s new-found use of its titanium
SHOWN:
SAMPLE PART: OIL VALVE
SECTION COMPONENT
resource. In addition to its naval partners,
Titomic is working with Boeing, Airbus,
Sonaca, Spirit Aerospace, TAUV, U.S.
Raytheon, Northrop Grumann, Lockheed
Martin, Callaway Golf, and even Louis
Vuitton. Some want ballistic coatings, some
want engine components, and some want
luxury suitcases.
All of them want strong, resistant,
lightweight products, and Australia wants
a bigger slice of the titanium pie. It’s why
Titomic exists.
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 033
 POWDER FLOW CHARACTERIZATION
POWDER SPREADABILITY TEST AND
QUALITY CONTROL

21-23 FEBRUARY 2019

SNIEC, SHANGHAI
VISIT US AT BOOTH # W5-M18

www.linkedin.com/company/granutools
WWW.GRANUTOOLS.COM
contact@granutools.com | +32 483 19 83 39 | Rue Jean-Lambert Defrêne, 107 - 4340 Awans -

M LINE HAS
WORDS: LAURA GRIFFITHS
ARRIVED
I
n November 2016, in a packed exhibition
hall in Frankfurt, a well-known additive
manufacturing (AM) company gave visitors
a glimpse of what their factories of the
future could look like; an automated machine
concept transporting builds between metal AM
and processing units for serial production. Now
two years later, at the very same event, that same
technology from Concept Laser, acquired by GE
in the launch of GE Additive, was pronounced
ready to be delivered to customers.
The technology in question, the Concept
Laser M LINE FACTORY, is designed to deliver
economical, scalable direct metal laser melting
(DMLS). The modular system is made up of
two parts; the M LINE FACTORY LPS (Laser
Processing Station) and MHS (Material Handling
Station) which allows part production and
set-up and dismantling processes take part in
independent units, resulting in reduced downtime
and increased output. Since its debut, the M
LINE, GE’s second hardware launch last year and
said to be its most productive machine yet, has
undergone rigorous testing which has culminated
in a number of improvements to its architecture
and automation capabilities. The build volume
has been increased to 500 x 500 mm which is
tended by four either 400 or 1000-watt lasers
and the separation of individual processes means
laser ‘on’ time (the time the laser is active) has
been heightened.
Speaking to TCT at Formnext 2018, Christine
Furstoss, Vice President & Chief Technology
Officer at GE Additive, described how the system,
due for delivery this year, will enable customers to
create optimal configurations to fit their specific
factory or product.
“M LINE is not only the factory of the future,
but really a statement in what additive needs to
SHOWN:
CONCEPT LASER
M LINE FACTORY
be,” Furstoss told TCT. “It is our first fully
software driven machine for our new CL
WRX 3.0. You’ll be able to simulate the
factory within the software. It really, for us,
represents digital meets physical. We’ve
said those words, they’re very nice words
but it means being able to do simulations
that you can believe, it means being able to
get to first time yield from the point of view
of having the part intent come out the way
you want.”
Software was big news on the GE stand
where the company announced its strategy
and a number of industry partnerships. As
Furstoss and several other vendors at the
show told TCT, though all paths ultimately
lead through the machine, vendors are
increasingly learning that software is the
key. GE began to address this last year with
the acquisition of GeonX to strengthen and
speed up its simulation capabilities and also
revealed agreements with leading vendors,
Autodesk, PTC, Siemens PLM, Vera
Security and Dassault Systemes alongside
improvements to its build preparation
workflow.
FORMNEXT
REVOLUTION? NOT JUST YET
When GE Additive first landed on
the scene it talked about “accelerating
the additive revolution”. Two years
on, Furstoss is refreshingly pragmatic
about this approach and believes
that while a revolution is possible,
“revelation” is more fitting for where
the industry is currently at.
“We now have to figure out how
do we industrialise it,” Furstoss
commented. “When I can get a small
auto repair shop to think about
additive, because now they don’t have
to have a bunch of spare parts on their
shelf because they can print it, that’s
when additive takes over. That’s my
mission, to make it accessible and
easy to adopt for everyone, then it will
be a revolution because it can truly
change business models.”
GE is in the unique position of
having almost three decades of
experience as an AM end-user. It
is now applying that to offer not
only engineering services through
its AddWorks team but also
industrialisation services which go
beyond design and into factory setup
and quality control.
“We usually talk about strategies for
a whole factory or a big line. We can
talk about it with one given part and
then build the additive process around
that. For me, as an engineer, that’s so
exciting.”
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 035
 STREAMLINE YOUR
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
WITH PORTABLE 3D SCANNER

• flexible
• easy to print

• fully compostable

Get more information

on HandySCAN 3D
creaform3d.com

+49 711 1856 8030

Willow Flex 3dk.berlin

www.3dk.berlin

EXPERIENCE THE ENTIRE

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRY AT ONE EVENT

REGISTER TODAY!
2019 AMUG CONFERENCE
HILTON CHICAGO
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
MARCH 31 - APRIL 4, 2019
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING USERS GROUP
31ST ANNUAL EDUCATION & TRAINING CONFERENCE
• Technical Presentations and Panel Discussions
• Hands-on Workshops for Plastics and Metals
• Networking with AM Industry Experts and OEMs

REGISTER AT
WWW.AMUG.COM
FOR USERS. BY USERS. WWW.AMUG.COM

2019 AMUG_TCT EUedition ad half page_7875x50625.indd 1 2/5/19 8:44 AM

 FORMNEXT

IN OTHER NEWS:
FORMNEXT SPECIAL
MORE OF THE NEWS FROM THE FORMNEXT SHOW FLOOR.
RIZE UNVEILS FULL
COLOUR 3D PRINTER
At Formnext, Boston-area 3D printing
company, RIZE debuted its latest machine,
materials and software updates.
The new kit, the XRIZE, is the next
generation of its RIZE ONE system, now
with full colour capabilities and has been
developed to enable engineers to produce
functional polymer and composite parts
featuring images, text and texture maps.
In addition, new RIZIUM CARBON and
ENDURA materials are bringing high-impact
strength to the platform while updated
software is enabling users to build security
into their parts with digital part identification
and augmentation.
RIZE President and CEO, Andy Kalambi,
commented: “We are doing significant
enhancements on all three areas and
we are doing it at very good value to our
customers. We are not a very big team but
we are showing that small teams can make a
big difference to industry. No one has done
colour the way we will deliver colours and it’s
going to be a game changer.”

3D SYSTEMS LAUNCHES METAL

XJET PREMIERES CERAMIC BUILD
MATERIAL AND SOLUBLE SUPPORT
FOR STAINLESS STEEL
Xjet introduced a new ceramic material
and a soluble support solution for a soon-
to-be-released stainless steel material at
Formnext.
The alumina build material was
developed as a result of interactions
with industrial partners, and is said to
offer good electrical insulation and high
mechanical strength, compressive strength,
and hardness. Yet relative to zirconia it
has lower wear resistance, meaning it is
simple to machine before and after firing.
Meanwhile, the soluble support material for
stainless steel helps to enable fine details
and complex geometries, while taking
around ten minutes to dissolve in a Jacuzzi.
The two launches represent the latest
developments in XJet’s NanoParticle
Jetting technology as it begins to ship
and install more of its Carmel series of AM
systems.
XJet CEO, Hanan Gothait, commented:
“Whilst XJet NanoParticle Jetting
technology is in itself unique, offering
distinct advantages, we’re examining every
part of the process for opportunities to
push the envelope, from the hardware, the
material chemistry and beyond.”
3D PRINTERS AND MATERIAL
3D Systems announced two new
hardware additions to its DMP series
of metal 3D printing platforms at
Formnext.
The DMP Flex 350 and DMP
Factory 350 are said to have
been designed to enable volume
production of critical components
in aerospace, healthcare and
transportation. The company also
showcased LaserForm AISiMg0.6(A),
a new aluminium alloy material which
can help to produce strong and
lightweight parts without the need
for casting.
The DMP Flex 350 includes
improved gas flow so uniform part
quality across the entire build area
is enhanced, while print productivity
levels are up 15%, facilitating faster
time to market and lower costs.
The DMP Flex 350 can be field
upgraded to the DMP Factory 350,
as production environments become
more demanding.
STRATASYS REVEALS MORE DETAILS
ON LAYERED POWDER METALLURGY
In Frankfurt, Stratasys unveiled further
details on its new metal 3D printing platform
which adopts a first-of-its-kind “Layered
Powder Metallurgy” (LPM) technology, to
make production of metal parts quicker,
easier and more cost-effective for short run
applications.
Described by Andy Middleton, President
EMEA at Stratasys as a “breakthrough”
metal technology, the LPM solution includes
a 3-step process combining traditional
powder metallurgy with Stratasys’ PolyJet
ink-jet technology. This includes printing
of boundaries with proprietary thermal ink,
powder dispensing and spreading, and then
compaction of the powder layer to achieve
high-density and controllable shrinkage.
The system aims to directly address
the needs of customers who require
production of pilot-series parts, small-batch
manufacturing during product ramp-up
and end-of-life, as well as customised,
lightweight, complex parts. The company
says LPM can offer cost reductions which
not only compete with current metal AM
technologies, but also machining.

27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 037

 In Additive Manufacturing,
It’s What’s Inside That Counts

Multi laser
productivity
without
compromising
quality…

What can you achieve with

Renishaw additive manufacturing?
Renishaw multi-laser AM systems open the door to a
new world, bringing more applications within reach of AM
technology.

RenAM 500Q has four efficiently applied high power

lasers that reduce cost per part, while advanced sensors
and systems ensure unparalleled processing conditions to
deliver consistent class leading performance, build after
build.
For over 20 years, we’ve been powering laser processes and
Unlock your potential and explore the possibilities with ensuring highest precision in laser sintering applications.
Renishaw advanced multi-laser additive manufacturing.
Market-leading high performance scan solutions and laser
For more information visit beam positioning equipment – Made in Germany.
www.renishaw.com/multi-laser

www.renishaw.com
www.scanlab.de

H5800-4408-01_A_0.3_93x278mm_Released.indd 1 06/02/2019 14:39:45

 FORMNEXT

SINTRATEC INTRODUCES NEW SELECTIVE

TRUMPF DEBUTS GREEN LASER AM
FOR COPPER AND PRECIOUS METALS
Machine tool leader, TRUMPF demonstrated its full range
of AM systems including its TruPrint 5000 and green laser
technology.
TRUMPF’s latest 3D printer, the TruPrint 5000, can be
preheated to 500 degrees Celsius to print high-carbon steel or
titanium alloy components without cracking or warping, allowing
tool and mould makers to print forming tools, punches and dies
which would have previously been impossible. Preheating the
substrate also reduces stresses, improves processing quality
and, in many cases, eliminates the need for support structures,
which could be beneficial for prostheses and implants. It can also
reduce the need for downstream heat treatment, while making
the titanium more resilient and implants more durable.
TRUMPF also showcased a new green laser with pulse
function to demonstrate printing of pure copper and other
precious metals by connecting the new TruDisk 1020 disk laser
with its TruPrint 1000 3D printer. The green laser could open up
new possibilities in the electronics and automotive industries and
also holds potential for printing gold in the jewellery industry.
LASER SINTERING PLATFORM
Swiss company, Sintratec introduced the Sintratec S2, a
follow up selective laser sintering platform to its Sintratec Kit
and S1 machines.
The new end-to-end solution is comprised of the Laser
Sintering Station, the Material Core Unit and the Material
Handling Station, and can be supported by additional
modules like the Sintratec Blasting Station, the Sintratec
Polishing Station, and the Sintratec Vortex Unit.
Through a cylindrical printing area, the Laser Sintering
Station is heated and ventilated with a ‘new concept’, while
the precision of the scanning system not only promises
speed, but repeatability too. The Material Core Unit is
equipped with an integrated powder mixing function and
an additional Material Core Unit can be added to process
different materials. The Handling Station, meanwhile,
collects used and excess material and sieves it for
reprocessing. The Blasting Station can be utilised to improve
surface quality and aesthetics, while the Polishing Station
can seal surface impurities and gives components a smooth,
stainless steel-like finish.

BIGREP LAUNCHES TWO 3D PRINTERS WITH METERING

EXTRUDER TECHNOLOGY
BigRep launched two new fused filament fabrication systems
powered by its Metering Extruder Technology (MXT).
The BigRep Pro and BigRep Edge have been designed for RAPID PROTOTYPING

the production of functional prototypes, composite tooling, and

small series production. Both are equipped with Bosch Rexroth
motion control systems, which enable speed, precision, and IoT We are dedicated to providing an excellent service
connectivity. BigRep Pro features a build envelope of one cubic – from rapid quote to on-time delivery
metre and boasts a large, temperature-controlled spool chamber – producing high-quality components at the right price.
which enables continuous printing of large-scale industrial
· Stereolithography · Silicone Tooling
parts in ASA, ABS, and nylon. The BigRep Edge is designed for
· Selective Laser Sintering · Reaction Injection Moulding
printing high-performance materials in a large-scale format within
· Vacuum Casting · Water Clear Lenses
a controlled temperature environment.
· Two Shot and Over-moulding · Traditional Model Making
Both machines have two MXT modular extrusion heads which
· Silicone Components · Model Finishing
gain better control over the amount and speed of material that is
extruded by separating filament feeding and melting and molten
extrusion. Stephan Beyer, BigRep CEO said the new printers
are five times faster than current extrusion speeds, with greater
precision and quality.

(0191) 454 1900 info@amtech-rp.co.uk www.amtech-rp.co.uk

27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 039

Hirtenberger.Ingenuity. Engineered

HIRTISATION®
AUTOMATED POST-PROCESSING OF 3D PRINTED METAL PARTS
Combination of electrochemical pulse methods, hydrodynamic flow and particle assisted chemical removal
No mechanical processing steps involved
Reaching deeply into cavities and geometric undercuts

Removal of support structures

Removal of powder cake
Levelling of surface roughness while retaining edge sharpness

THREE WORRIES LESS WITH HIRTISATION®

hes.hirtenberger.com

SOMETHING
IN THE AIR
In the not too distant past materials for additive
manufacturing (AM) used to be a case of bastardising
polymers and metals from other processes. Now,
the likes of Carpenter and BASF produce bespoke
materials for singular applications. Next on the
checklist would be the consumables. In this column
Guido Plicht, Metals Processing & EPAT Industry
Manager E&A, Air Products looks at how the
companies long-standing expertise could help to
improve the additive process
W
e all know the potential AM has to transform large
industries. Already it is making major inroads to
revolutionising aerospace manufacturing, while
automotive firms are actively trying to increase
its usage in their operations. The benefits will be substantial. The
creativity and flexibility in design compared to traditional methods
is well-known and answers the growing demand for personalisation
within the automotive industry.
However, there are significant issues which make many
manufacturers hesitate. The additional time and money which
goes into the process means traditional methods
are still preferred by many – they can’t offer the
same flexibility in design but they are currently
faster and cheaper. This is most evident in
the automotive industry, where the large
number of parts involved severely limits
the scope for its use. While AM may
be used in the initial research and
development phase, companies revert
back to traditional methods to produce
all but a prototype of certain parts.
The need to streamline the process
if we are to make AM viable for mass
production is evident. If we can’t swiftly
bring about efficiencies, then making it
a mainstay in larger and more intensive
industries is unlikely to be possible in the
coming decades. Consumers are pushing
for more variety and more innovation, but
GUEST COLUMN
as it stands the technology we have developed to achieve this just
can’t cope with demand.
Despite the promise of AM, some companies will need to see a
significant improvement in value or they will continue to waver. So,
how do we best go about delivering this?
While many solutions are focused on the parts production itself,
there is progress to be made by looking more at the individual
elements which make up the process. Certainly, the machining
process will need improvements, but the production of materials
at earlier points in the supply chain should also be optimised to
absorb some of the required improvements.
A prime example of this lies in powder production, a vital part
of the AM process. At Air Products, our main link to AM is through
providing the gases which create the right protective atmosphere
for the production of powder. Currently, a large part of this work
involves investigating ways to modify the levels and varieties of the
gases included. While this research is primarily needed to ensure a
higher quality powder, it brings with it new efficiencies – reducing
the amount of powder needed and reducing gas consumption.
It’s this kind of tighter process control which can optimise
individual processes within the AM supply chain and ease the
transition to making it viable. In some ways, the industry falls
into the trap of looking just at the big picture to solve this
problem, rather than at individual efficiencies which
could make all the difference.
A vital part of achieving these efficiencies will
be a greater degree of collaboration across the
whole supply chain. Without the co-operation
of the other companies involved we wouldn’t
be in a position to carry out research around
gas modification, and similar circumstances
will inevitably arise in other areas, such as
heat treatment. The entire supply chain, not
just those with direct links to part production,
needs to work together to bring about these
incremental efficiencies.
Looking at each element of the supply chain
and examining how to improve it can uncover
scope for substantial efficiencies and therefore
pave the way for the mass adoption of AM.
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 041
 TCT
WORDS: DANIEL O’CONNOR
OUT
EAST
I
n the space of four short months, on the
continent of Asia, the TCT Brand has
debuted two shows and is on the cusp
of running its fifth Shanghai event. With
a debut Shenzhen show in the calendar
for October, it’s safe to say that TCT’s most
significant presence is now in the Far East.
Over the next three pages, we’ll discuss
what happened in Japan and what’s going
on in Shanghai.
042 / www.tctmagazine.com / 27.1
TCT JAPAN REVIEW
Over three days at Tokyo’s Big Sight
venue TCT Japan proved to be a wild
success; the number of visitors, the
feedback from exhibitors is promising and
it means we’re ready to go again for TCT
Japan 2020 but there’s something I’ve not
been able to put my finger on, where exactly
is Japan in terms of additive manufacturing
maturity?
Like a Himitsu-bako (a Japanese puzzle
box), on the surface, it appears, relatively
simple, but there are twists and turns to
unpick before unearthing the treasure.
During the opening day’s conferencing,
Mr Sawakoshi Toshiyuki of the 3D
Manufacturing Promotion Association was
first up on stage, he was keen to understand
why Japan is so far behind the curve when
it comes to additive manufacturing, even
going so far as saying, “there are many
companies in Japan that still do not
the very basics of 3D Printing”.
It’s an opinion widely shared, with
many crying out for more education
on the applications of additive.
Commentary on the current climate
of technological innovation within
Japan has suggested that the country
has become risk-averse and that’s a
feeling shared by many in this industry.
With such a high-profile
manufacturing portfolio, particularly in
automotive, where additive has seen
a huge uptake, the perceived lack of
use seems bizarre especially when
you consider the early history Japan
had with technologies. Many different

sources dispute the origins of 3D printing but
what is clear is that before Chuck Hull released
stereolithography onto the world, Hideo Kodama
of Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research
Institute had two inventions that involved three-
dimensional modelling in 1981.
The innovation didn’t stop there either,
long-standing industry expert Graham Tromans
told me whilst walking the show floor that he
and fellow 3D printing luminaire Phill Dickens,
took a visit Japan for an Overseas Science and
Technology Expert Mission (OSTEM) over twenty
years ago.
On the mission, Graham observed that the
automotive companies and large companies
like Mitsubishi were all using rapid prototyping
technology, perhaps not to the standards of
the UK, but they were certainly there. Graham
gave me a list of Japanese companies, who
manufactured early rapid prototyping machines,
that we no longer see nor hear of, it was a bit
of a rabbit hole but the history of 3D printing in
Japan is a long one:
• CMET: A division of Mitsubishi
Corp, CMET launched the first
stereolithography machine in Japan
in 1988. By 1992, Terry Wohlers
reported that the Solid Object
Ultraviolet Laser Plotter (SOUP)
had sold as many as 56 machines
to companies including Mercedes,
Fujitsu, Matsushita Electric, two
Japanese universities and Dornier
Deutsche Aerospace in Germany.
• eijin Seiki: Founded in 1944, Teijin
Seiki licensed DuPont’s Soliform
Solid Forming System in 1991 and
by 1995 had reported the install of
over 29 stereolithography machines.
Teijin merged with CMET in 2001 and
the merged company is still releasing
and selling its Rapid Meister ATOMm
series of machinery.
TCT OUT EAST
• D-MEC: Could you imagine the clamour if now, in
2019, a 3D printer was launched under the brand
Sony? Established in 1990, D-MEC’s series of
stereolithography systems was developed jointly with
Japan Synthetic Rubber and Sony Manufacturing
Systems. The Solid Creation Systems were popular
with automotive manufacturers and according to
the same article on Terry Wohler’s website, Toyota
purchased one for 500,000 USD.
• Kira: Japan’s first non-stereolithography system was
released by the Kira Corp in 1994, the Solid Center
used plain office paper along with lamination and an
x-y plotting knife to build up objects, not unlike Mcor’s
technology. Kira’s Solid Center was short-lived, a brief
sales period in the U.S. in 2001 was curtailed fairly
quickly.
There are plenty more systems out of Japan that
were around in the early days of Rapid Prototyping,
in fact, Japan was 2nd only to the U.S. for number
of machine installs until very recently. So, what
happened in the meantime for experts like Mr
Sawakoshi Toshiyuki to suggest that the country is
now way behind the curve?
Graham Tromans thinks one reason may be that
the Japanese companies were put off the industry
by the litigious goings on in the west between the
likes of EOS and 3D Systems, this opinion would be
reasonable considering a company like Keyence only
sells its polymer jetting UV curable 3D printers in
Japan and Germany, citing patent issues when asked
about its availability globally.
Another piece to the puzzle could be that the
Japanese market is not behind whatsoever, some in
the industry believe that many companies using the
technologies for manufacturing here are simply more
closed off and less willing to share case studies for
fear of competition. The most recent Wohler’s report
would certainly back that up, it suggests that over
30% of machine installs in the Asia/Pacific region is
here in Japan.
Another of the keynotes, David Burns suggested
in a panel session that the fact Japan still has a
strong traditional manufacturing base means that
Japan may be at an advantage when it comes to the
productionisation of additive workflows into existing
infrastructures, something which the U.S.
has struggled with.
One thing that is clear from the three days at TCT
Japan, Japanese OEM manufacturers are way beyond
copycat SLA systems, with Mimaki’s impressive colour
platform, Nikon’s new metal system, Mutoh’s range
of machinery, the likes of DMG Mori, Mazak, Sodick
and co all with hybrid metal systems, perhaps the
Japanese market will reveal those hidden treasures
sooner rather than later?
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 043
The MAGAZINE for
Design-to-Manufacturing
Innovation
3d printing | additive manufacturing | inspection
machine tools | cad/cae/cam/plm software | materials MAG
metrology | moulding and tooling | post processing

INNOVATION NEVER
STOPS, SO NEITHER
DOES TCT
TCT is a year-round source of news,
learning and opinion. Subscribe for free
today to join the global TCT community
and ensure you are up-to-date with the
news and views that matter throughout
the year.

VISIT
myTCT.co/subscribe
 TCT OUT EAST

TCT ASIA PREVIEW

H
ot on the heels of the inaugural
TCT Japan, TCT Asia returns
to Shanghai for its fifth year in
February, with more exhibitors,
features, and speakers than ever before.
TCT ASIA SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS
FEBRUARY 21 | 10:30 - 11:00
JOSE-IGNACIO ORTIZ-VIDAL
HEAD OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
AT AIRBUS CABIN INNOVATION
FEBRUARY 22 | 10:00 - 10:30
TOM MUELLER
FOUNDER/PRESIDENT AT MUELLER
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS

For three days from the 21st February, Additive manufacturing and 3D printing Investment casting has been at the
across halls W4 and W5 of Shanghai’s has found a killer application in the forefront of many polymer systems’
premier trade fair venue, SNIEC, the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of sales pitch as OEMs hope that their
additive manufacturing and surrounding aircraft. Jose’s talk will be a deep dive printers can produce sacrificial models
manufacturing technology world will into both the technologies and ROI 3D for foundries, this technique has
demonstrate its latest and greatest. printing is offering Airbus. been working for a number of years
however Tom Mueller believes there’s
TCT Asia will offer the first opportunity
change afoot. This change is because
for the Asian market and in many cases
of the advances in metal additive
the world to see a host of new additive
manufacturing technologies and in this
technologies.
talk, Tom will explore the trend.
Western companies such as Arburg,
BigRep, EnvisionTEC and MakerBot have
launched new Polymer systems that will get
Chinese debut at the show and as is almost
tradition at TCT Asia, metal technology will
dominate the aisles.
Last year a mixture of Eastern and
Western companies combined to showcase
in excess of 35 metal additive manufacturing
machines on the show floor; there were
powder-bed fusion machines that print in
two materials (Dedibot), Farsoon had its new
CAMs technology, JointX had enormous
wire-arc welding 3D printing devices... 2019
will prove to be no different with a record
number of metal OEMs on the floor.
Many of the new products will be
presented on the TCT Introducing Stage
in Hall W4 as part of TCT Asia’s on-the-
floor educational remit. Along with the FEBRUARY 23 | 10:00 - 10:30
Introducing Stage, visitors are also free WENBO JIANG
to attend the Tech Stage in Hall W5. For DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT SHANGHAI NINTH PEOPLE’S HOSPITAL
a higher level of conferencing with talks
from global experts in the field of additive The Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital is amongst the world’s most innovative and its
manufacturing, the TCT Asia Summit use of 3D printing has been well-documented at TCT Asia. Wenbo Jiang will showcase
returns with a three-day programme. the advantages the technology is having at the hospital as well as discussing how the
3D work is cooperated on and divided up between engineers and doctors.

MARCH 07 2019 | 15:00 (GMT)

UPCOMING WEBINAR ON TCTMAGAZINE.COM

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF POST PROCESSING METHODS FOR READY-TO-USE
3D PRINTED ORTHOPAEDIC PARTS
Join Eurocoating for this free TCT Webinar to understand the key importance of combining DFAM, titanium powder bed
fusion and essential post-processing methods for AM. You will also learn about different post processing strategies and
their criticalities to complete additive manufactured parts

27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 045

 VDM ALLOYS B.V.
ATOMISED METAL POWDERS
for Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing

Aluminium / Titanium / Stainless Steel / NiCoCr Alloys

Address
D. van Voornelaan Tel: +31.(0)181.375112
3235 AC Rockanje Email: info@vdm-alloys.com
The Netherlands Internet: www.vdm-alloys.com

VDM Alloys half page.indd 1 14/01/2015 13:56

GPCMA / 174
Modified Atmosphere
Chamber Furnace

An Introduction to Metal
Additive Manufacturing

CARBOLITE GERO manufactures laboratory and

industrial furnaces and ovens from 30 °C to 3000 °C.
The company has considerable experience in the
ER heat treatment of MIM parts and is a well-known
IST
REG N E furnace supplier for additive manufacturing (AM)
I
ONL
Date & Location in the field of powder metallurgy.
Wednesday, 10th April
Carbolite Gero UK, Hope, S33 6RB Carbolite Gero Ltd
Parsons Lane, Hope
Topic & Keynote Speaker
Hope Valley, S33 6RB
Metal Additive Manufacturing +44 (0)1433 620011
Dr. C. Burkhardt, STI Pforzheim info@carbolite-gero.com
www.carbolite-gero.com

Carbolite-Gero-Advert-GB-192x136-Keynote.indd 1 07.02.2019 10:45:17


INNOVATION FUNDING;
AN UNTAPPED WINDFALL
FOR UK MANUFACTURING
T
he UK’s manufacturing strength
has been built on innovation,
however, many companies in
the sector could be missing out
financially due to not claiming tax relief for their
innovative thinking.
Creating a culture of innovation and
developing new solutions enables
manufacturing businesses to stay ahead of the
competition. In the current uncertain economic
market, this is more vital than ever. The UK
currently invests just 1.6% of GDP into R&D,
falling below the European average of 2%.
Subdued domestic activity and ongoing Brexit
uncertainty are threatening headwinds to the
outlook for manufacturers in 2019.
Part of the government’s strategy to tackle
this is by encouraging tax relief and funding
opportunities for companies in the sector.
Under the government’s Industrial Strategy,
research funding will be increased to 2.4 per
cent of GDP by 2027. The government says it
will start with an extra investment of 2.3 billion
GBP in 2021-22, raising total public investment
in R&D to 12.5 billion GBP that year.
R&D TAX RELIEF
The Research and Development
(R&D) tax credits initiative is designed to
encourage greater spending in research
and development, leading in turn to greater
investment in innovation. The way the scheme
operates is by reducing a company’s tax bill
by an amount equal to a percentage of the
company’s qualifying R&D expenditure or by
the payment of a credit, again linked to the
company’s qualifying R&D expenditure.
A company can only claim R&D tax credits
if it is liable for Corporation Tax in the UK
but otherwise there are very few limitations.
Analysis of the latest HMRC statistics however,
suggests that many businesses are still missing
out. Although manufacturing as a sector
has the largest number of claims for large
companies, for SMEs it is outpaced in monetary
terms by Professional, Scientific & Technical
and Information & Communication. A big
challenge is that many smaller manufacturing
businesses are unaware that the work they are
doing counts as R&D or innovation.
UK MANUFACTURING
Indeed, analysis of Leyton’s client
base has found that 86% of our new
manufacturing clients in 2018 came
from businesses that have never
previously claimed under the scheme.
INNOVATION RESOURCE
Very little of the funding for
R&D comes from white lab coats,
petri-dishes or smoking test-tubes.
Research and development, as
defined by government, covers
a much broader set of activities.
Within manufacturing this can cover
products, processes and computing,
ranging from improvements to existing
methods or the development of new
methods. AUTHOR BIO:
We believe organisations in William Garvey is a
the manufacturing sector are Director at Leyton UK, a
underclaiming due to a lack of leading innovation funding
centralised oversight on their consultancy. In this column
innovation activities. By carrying out a William explores how UK
detailed scoping process, a company
Manufacturers can benefit
can identify how much money they
from tax relief offered in the
would receive for government funding,
grants or tax credits – creating a
Industrial Strategy.
pool of innovation resource for re-
investment to further the continuous
innovation culture of the business. only equates to roughly 3% of
the R&D tax credit claim volume.
PATENT BOX CLAIMING Leyton worked with a FTSE 250
While claims for R&D tax credits Manufacturer of Soft Drinks to help
have steadily increased over the past them realise the potential of their
few years, there is far less awareness previously unrealised innovations
for another scheme, ‘the Patent Box’, as patents. The company was able
an incentive aimed at attracting R&D to successfully claim for a novel
investment leading to the creation bottle cap in packaging and also a
and active management of patentable dispense system used in pubs. Due
intellectual property (IP). Patent Box to the complexity of the client, the
is in addition to the Research and process took 11 months. However,
Development (R&D) tax credit scheme the second claim took just 6 weeks.
and can be claimed simultaneously. It The first claim was worth 575,000
effectively allows qualifying companies GBP to the client with the second
to apply a 10% rate of corporation claim 1.3m GBP.
tax to all profits relating to qualifying
British manufacturers continue to
patents, instead of the normal 19%
lead the world with their culture of
corporate tax rate.
innovation and should act now to
However according to HMRC’s ensure they don’t miss out on tax
most recent figures, the number of benefits that they are owed.
companies claiming Patent Box relief
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 047
THE DIRECTORY

THE DIRECTORY

PRODUCT SALES & BUREAU SERVICE

High-resolution & Large parts
Max dim: 700mm
Max build: 500x500x500mm
Materials: lots of options
Tel: 01420 88645
www.cdg.uk.com

osites in g,
C omp Scann
BUREAU SERVICE & PRODUCT SALES l 3
ts & H
ybrid P rinting, 3D
d prin gement, 3d a ls
ra ri
Breuckmann 3D scanners rs in s
tructu ject ma na
Pionee sign and p rial
ro
E W Ce
ramic
Mate
en, *N
Geomagic software De
Catia F Ultem ma e cured, Ov
C
te
v
*NEW tes, Autocla 0deg C
Reverse engineering & inspection osi
Comp cured at 10
a ce
0

Best accuracy & resolution Fu rn ining

m a ch !
6 axis e costs
hout th
gy Wit
Tel: 01420 88645 F1 Tec
h no lo
Full vehicle to Component Projects
www.reveng.co.uk T: +44 (0)1865244003 W: dash-cae.co.uk F:www.facebook.com/DashCae

To advertise here and have your business seen by

over 10,000 design and manufacturing professionals
Please contact Carol Hardy on +44 (0) 1244 952 386
MAG or email carol@rapidnews.com

TO ADVERTISE HERE CONTACT CAROL HARDY ON + 44 1244 952 386 OR EMAIL CAROL@RAPIDNEWS.COM
 THE DIRECTORY

THE DIRECTORY
3D
PRINTING
CAD
SCANNING

D2W
THE HOME OF 3D PRINTING & SCANNING

NYLON SLS TURNKEY SOLUTIONS

FULL BUREAU SERVICE
BATCH PRODUCTION PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

www.digits2widgets.com +44 (0)1270 216000 Sales@europac3d.com www.europac3d.com

- Design
- Metal Additive
- 3,4 & 5-axis CNC Milling
- Multi-axis CNC Turning
- EDM Wire Erosion
- Assembly

www.frazernash.com enquiries@frazernash.com +44 (0)1730 230 340

tct_advert_1.pdf 1 19/03/2018 11:07:10

CNC Milling, CNC Turning, Custom Machining Services

M
Quality Guarantee | Delivery On Time
Y

- Automotive Drive Products

CM - Sensors Connectors
 INSPECTION  MEASUREMENT - Robotics Components
MY
- Tooling,Clamps and Jigs
 REVERSE ENGINEERING  3D PRINTING - Elevator Motor Traction Wheel
- Assembly
CY

CMY
www.laser-scanning.co.uk www.symachining.com
E: sales@laser-scanning.co.uk T: +44 (0)114 257 3650 info@symachining.com
K

To advertise here and have your business seen by

over 10,000 design and manufacturing professionals
Please contact Carol Hardy on +44 (0) 1244 952 386
MAG or email carol@rapidnews.com

TO ADVERTISE HERE CONTACT CAROL HARDY ON + 44 1244 952 386 OR EMAIL CAROL@RAPIDNEWS.COM
27.1 / www.tctmagazine.com / 049
 GRIMM COLUMN

B CKET LIST
A
dditive manufacturing (AM) presents a wide variety of I recommend that you also use technology readiness as a factor in
technologies to help us achieve our goals. Far from determining which bucket to place a solution. However, all of my other
being stagnant, this dynamic industry continues to criteria will not work for you since they must be defined by your needs,
offer an ever-increasing list of options. But this falls in goals and applications.
the category of ‘too much of a good thing’. With so many options, it
Before you start your bucket list, decide what is important, what is
can be quite overwhelming, and sometimes a bit confusing, when
critical and what would be nice to have. Make these decisions with
attempting to absorb and comprehend all of the technologies available.
consideration of your intended applications and product types coupled
However, having a firm grasp on the AM landscape is critical in making
with the needed materials, output characteristics and performance traits.
the best decisions, which are supported by deep investigation of the
With this clarity, you can now start your bucket list by contemplating your
technological candidates.
requirements with respect to what a solution is known to offer. Then, as
To maintain control, and to perhaps preserve your sanity, I suggest you are exposed to new companies, new machines, new materials, and
that you consider the bucket-list approach. In the everyday context, a new software, pause for a moment and reflect on whether they should
bucket list is an optimistic roster of actions or dreams to fulfill before be Investigated, Monitored, or Ignored.
one’s time ends. For AM, I am suggesting a bucket list that is expansive
It is tempting to get caught in ‘paralysis by analysis’ as you drop
while being practical and sensible. I am suggesting a method, one
items in the respective buckets, but don’t over-analyse and overthink.
that I have had to use out of necessity, for organising and
Instead, rely on your intuition and what you know to
managing the vast number of AM solutions.
be true. Organisation is what is important, not
The bucket list is a categorisation system perfection, because your bucket list will evolve
that helps you to retain all the options that as new information comes forward. An item
you are exposed to while keeping you that currently resides in the Ignore bucket is
focused on those that present the best not lost forever; it can be moved when new
opportunities to succeed. It has just information presents itself.
three buckets into which AM solutions
Using the bucket list, you will have
are deposited. The first bucket,
command of the AM landscape while
‘Investigate’, holds the options that are
focusing attention on what matters
of high interest and are to be actively
most. It provides rationale to what can
pursued through investigation. The
be ignored or investigated later for
second bucket, ‘Monitor’, contains
peace of mind, sanity and confidence.
the options that are worthy of further
It is also a great defense of your
consideration at some time in the
approach when someone, often in
future. The third bucket, ‘Ignore’,
upper management, inserts themselves
is for all others. If done wisely, this
into your AM efforts after reading the
approach should remove 75%, or
latest headline and asking if you
more, of the options from your active
have considered this new solution.
consideration.
Simply turn to them and state that
Using my personal criteria, Ignore you have taken a look at it, but it
includes poorly differentiated me- does not deserve further attention and
too products and those that I don’t support that statement with your one
believe have much promise. Monitor sentence rationale.
is where I place interesting solutions
There are many paths to AM success. A
that I believe need a bit more time to
good bucket list separates the dead ends
mature and advance. Investigate is for those
and arduous paths from the easiest and
solutions that are commercially viable and
most direct routes.
ready for general release to the industry.

TODD GRIMM
is a stalwart of the additive manufacturing industry, having held positions
across sales and marketing with some of the industry’s
biggest names.
Todd is currently the AM Industry advisor with AMUG
tgrimm@tagrimm.com

050 / www.tctmagazine.com / 27.1

UNWAVERING FOCUS

As seen at
Formnext

Lightning II FX ™

3-Axis Scan Heads

for Fiber Lasers
Increased focus stability
High-quality beam spot
Cambridge Technology: Laser beam steering solutions
cambridgetechnology.com +1-781-266-5800 | scanners@cambridgetechnology.com
Integrated Solutions Provider and
Metal Additive Manufacturing Partner

Visit SLM Solutions

at TCT Asia,
Booth W5-F40

“With SLM Solutions we found a partner to

holistically support our innovation.”

Michael Dahme
Head of Hirschvogel Tech Solutions (HTS)

Discover how Hirschvogel utilized SLM® technology

to reduce material 40%:
https://goo.gl/83gNyZ

SLM Solutions Group AG

Estlandring 4 | D-23560 Lübeck
Fon +49 451 4060-3000
slm-solutions.com