10 Video Reports From Formnext 2023

Additive Manufacturing Media’s Stephanie Hendrixson and I both attended this year’s Formnext expo in Frankfurt, Germany — the largest annual event for additive manufacturing technology. There was a lot to see and learn about, including various important AM technology advances, but we found time along the way to film and post various brief video reports from the show. To see some of what impressed us at Formnext 2023 and to get a feel for the show, here is the playlist of videos we filmed at the event.

          

Directed Energy Deposition at Large and Small Laser Sizes

In directed energy deposition (DED), a rapid rate of metal deposition can build a large part quickly and a fine rate can offer control for precise features, but is it possible to have both? A solution from Insstek involves adjusting optics mid-build to shift between different laser spot sizes, and therefore different rates of melting.

3D Printing With Liquid Aluminum

Valcun’s Minerva machine uses Molten Metal Deposition to create parts using standard aluminum welding wire. The material is melted in a crucible within the 3D printer, then deposited by a ceramic nozzle onto the build platform. The resulting parts can be anodized, welded and treated like any other aluminum components.

Using Density to Confirm Solidness of 3D Printed Parts

One of the QA requirements for many 3D printing applications is to confirm the part is fully solid. Technology from Dimensionics Density offers an easy way to do this: Measure the part’s density to indicate a lack of internal voids. The company’s new system quickly weighs a part in two different fluids, with the difference in weight allowing the part’s density to be precisely known.

Reinforcing AM Parts With Continuous Fiber Injection

Reinforce3D’s Continuous Fiber Injection Process strengthens 3D printed parts after printing. Carbon fiber is fed through channels in the part, along with composites-grade resin that acts as not only a lubricant, but also an adhesive that might join assembled components together.

Syncing Laser and Recoater for Faster LPBF

Renishaw’s “Tempus” is an improvement to its laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) system achieved entirely through a control algorithm. Instead of laser melting and recoating of the powder bed being separate steps, the Tempus system integrates them, so melting happens as the recoater arm moves. The result is potentially significant reduction in build time.

3D Printing Elastomers Onto Textiles

3D printing directly onto fabric offers the chance to provide structure or shape to a garment, add visual interest, and reduce process steps, as well as add new functionality to textiles. This dress created by Chromatic 3D in collaboration with Dutch designer Anouk Wipprecht features 75 LEDs enclosed in domes that were 3D printed directly onto the fabric.

Mobile Robot for Print Farm Automation

In a “print farm” arrangement of many small 3D printers, an autonomous mobile collaborative robot is potentially a fitting automation choice. By traveling to each 3D printer finishing a job, the mobile robot can unload parts and load new build trays for potentially 100 such machines. Branch Robotics and Print&Go demonstrated this solution.

Ceramic Parts 3D Printed Using Nanoparticles

Ricoh’s binder jetting process 3D prints relative large green forms of ceramic components using powder particles that are actually clusters of ceramic nanoparticles held together with resin. The binder also contains ceramic nanoparticles, and when it hits the powder bed, it permeates the powder to distribute ceramic particles evenly.

Hybrid Machine With Liquid Metal Plus Laser Wire DED

In AM, “hybrid” generally refers to a machine with two processes: machining plus 3D printing. A hybrid from AddiTec offers three processes, because there are two modes of depositing metal. With two different heads and two different material feeds, the machine can 3D print in metal through wire arc additive manufacturing using a laser, and also apply a newer process, liquid metal jetting.

8 Cool Parts From Formnext 2023

And there were cool parts at the show as well! Here is an episode of The Cool Parts Show all about interesting 3D parts we found at Formnext 2023.