Reporting on 3D printing for industrial production

Production See All

27 Jun 2024
Additive Manufacturing at NASA (Part 1): AM Radio #51
In this first episode of a two-part special on additive manufacturing at NASA, we discuss three specific 3D printed parts for upcoming missions and share observations about the organization’s approach to AM.

18 Jun 2024
Machine Tool Drawbar Made With Additive Manufacturing Saves DMG MORI 90% Lead Time and 67% CO2 Emission
A new production process for the multimetal drawbar replaces an outsourced plating step with directed energy deposition, performing this DED along with roughing, finishing and grinding on a single machine.

17 Jun 2024
Is Automation More Effective Than Size for Serial Production 3D Printing?
Micro Factory has developed an mSLA system that incorporates cleaning, curing and part ejection, not to mention 100 empty build plates, into the frame of a desktop machine. The result is a small unit for large-scale production.

13 Jun 2024
3D Printed Titanium Replaces Aluminum for Unmanned Aircraft Wing Splice: The Cool Parts Show #72
Rapid Plasma Deposition produces the near-net-shape preform for a newly designed wing splice for remotely piloted aircraft from General Atomics. The Cool Parts Show visits Norsk Titanium, where this part is made.

11 Jun 2024
Q&A With Align EVP: Why the Invisalign Manufacturer Acquired Cubicure, and the Future of Personalized Orthodontics
Align Technology produces nearly 1 million unique aligner parts per day. Its acquisition of technology supplier Cubicure in January supports demand for 3D printed tooling and direct printed orthodontic devices at mass scale.

6 Jun 2024
3D Printed PEEK Spine Implants in Production: The Cool Parts Show Bonus
Curiteva is using Fused Strand Deposition to produce two different lines of FDA-cleared spine implants. We visited the company’s Huntsville, Alabama, facility to learn more.
Enterprise See All

8 Feb 2024
At General Atomics, Do Unmanned Aerial Systems Reveal the Future of Aircraft Manufacturing?
The maker of the Predator and SkyGuardian remote aircraft can implement additive manufacturing more rapidly and widely than the makers of other types of planes. The role of 3D printing in current and future UAS components hints at how far AM can go to save cost and time in aircraft production and design.

2 Jan 2024
Why the Long View Favors AM: Manufacturers at Each Step Face a Choice to Rely Less on Tooling
Additive is now too well-established for its successes to be dislodged by market change. Meanwhile, the most important factor is the promise that will continue to drive adoption.

6 Dec 2023
AM I Navigator Initiative Helps Users Scale, Integrate Additive Manufacturing Into Traditional Production Workflows
The AM I Navigator initiative offers additive manufacturing users individual guidance with a comprehensive approach to navigate the complexity of the evolving landscape in industrial 3D printing.

14 Nov 2023
When Additive and Conventional Processes Work Together, the Result Is Manufacturing
Various recent articles demonstrate 3D printing and established processes finding one another and working together.

31 Oct 2023
Production AM Can Thrive in a Purpose-Built Space (But It Doesn't Need One) AM Radio #45
Fiona Lawler and Stephanie Hendrixson discuss the physical spaces where additive manufacturing is happening, from 3D printers wedged wherever they’ll fit to brand new facilities built for this purpose.

17 Oct 2023
Additive Manufacturing's Evolving Role at Fathom Now Emphasizing Bridge Production
Bridge production is currently the biggest opportunity for additive manufacturing, says Fathom Manufacturing co-founder Rich Stump. How this service provider leverages AM while finding balance with other production capabilities.
Sustainability See All

26 Jun 2024
Researchers Use Additive Manufacturing to Make Aircraft Propulsion Systems More Eco-Friendly
Project researchers aim to utilize hydrogen fuel cells and additive manufacturing as a pathway to achieve low-emission aviation by 2050. The goal is to recuperate the waste heat of a fuel cell-electric propulsion system, paving the way for a clearer, more sustainable future in aviation.

21 Jun 2024
MolyWorks Officially Rebrands as Continuum Powders and Appoints New CEO
As part of its rebranding, MolyWorks Materials Corp. has changed its name to Continuum Powders Corp. to become a single, unified brand that more accurately represents the future and differentiators of this sustainable metal powders company which focuses on innovation.

21 Jun 2024
America Makes’ Summer Research Project Call Worth $2.1 Million
The RFP includes 6 topic areas of focus with research project proposals due by August 16, at 5 p.m. (ET).

18 Jun 2024
Machine Tool Drawbar Made With Additive Manufacturing Saves DMG MORI 90% Lead Time and 67% CO2 Emission
A new production process for the multimetal drawbar replaces an outsourced plating step with directed energy deposition, performing this DED along with roughing, finishing and grinding on a single machine.

12 Jun 2024
BMW Expands Use of Additive Manufacturing to Foster Production Innovations
The BMW Group is manufacturing many work aids and tools for its own production system using various 3D printing processes, with items such as tailor-made orthoses for employees, teaching and production aids, and large, weight-optimized robot grippers, which are used for such things as carbon fiber-reinforced polymer roofs and entire floor assemblies.

31 May 2024
Birmingham Researchers Develop Recyclable Photopolymer Resin Made From Biosourced Materials
A University of Birmingham-led team has produced a photopolymer resin that can be printed at high resolution, broken down to its constituent parts, recycled and reprinted.
Materials See All

21 Jun 2024
MolyWorks Officially Rebrands as Continuum Powders and Appoints New CEO
As part of its rebranding, MolyWorks Materials Corp. has changed its name to Continuum Powders Corp. to become a single, unified brand that more accurately represents the future and differentiators of this sustainable metal powders company which focuses on innovation.

21 Jun 2024
Fabulous Brings Its Food-Safe Powder Materials to North America
Fabulous develops and supplies powder materials for powder bed fusion technologies, particularly selective laser sintering, enabling 3D printer users to purchase technical powder materials based on PA11 or PA12 with high-quality technical and application support.

7 Jun 2024
Researchers Develop Resin for 3D Printing Implants for Cataracts, Other Eye Conditions
The ability to 3D print intraocular devices for treating cataracts and other eye conditions could significantly enhance eye care for patients by offering unparalleled levels of customization and design precision, potentially leading to better clinical outcomes.

4 Jun 2024
Quadrus: Powder Management Tactics for Tungsten Rhenium and Other AM Alloys
The expert in additive manufacturing of high-value parts for the Defense Department often must change from one exotic material to another in its powder bed machines. Cleaning is a core competency. Here are lessons of this company’s system for working with an ever-changing mix of 3D printed alloys.

31 May 2024
Birmingham Researchers Develop Recyclable Photopolymer Resin Made From Biosourced Materials
A University of Birmingham-led team has produced a photopolymer resin that can be printed at high resolution, broken down to its constituent parts, recycled and reprinted.

15 May 2024
Xact Metal Works With Uddeholm as It Expands Into Tooling, Molding
Uddeholm’s Corrax for additive manufacturing is a corrosion-resistant, cobalt-free tool and mold steel capable of an A1 surface finish post-polishing.
All Topics See All

Aerospace

AMWTF

AR/VR

Artificial Intelligence

Assembly Consolidation

Automation

Automotive

Basics

Binder Jet

Blockchain

Brackets

Bridge Production

Casting

Ceramic

Circular Economy

Composites

Construction

Consumer Goods

Contract Manufacturers

Cool Parts

DED

Defense

Depowdering

Design

Distributed Manufacturing

EBM

Education & Training

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Energy & Power

Enterprise Issues

FFF

Foam

Formnext

Generative Design

Heat Exchangers

Heat treating

Hybrid manufacturing

Implants

IMTS

Inspection & Measurement

Inventors

Jigs, Fixtures, Hand Tools

LFAM

Lightweighting

LPBF

Machining

Mass Customization

Materials

Medical & Dental

Metal

Micro

Mold Tooling

MRO/Sustainment

OEMs

Oil & Gas

Photopolymerization/SLA

Polymer

Postprocessing

Product Development

Production

Prosthetics/Orthotics

Prototyping

Qualification/Certification

Recycling

Repair

Robots

Safety

Sand

SLS

Software

Space

Sporting Goods

Startups

Supply Chain

Sustainability

Tooling

WAAM
- Webinars
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Webinars See All

On Demand
Metal Powder and Resin Extraction Using Vacuum Cycle Nucleation
Vacuum cycle nucleation (VCN) is an immersion cleaning and extraction process which takes place in a sealed processing chamber. The pressure in the chamber is lowered and raised at and below the vapor pressure of the heated cleaning liquid. When the vapor pressure is reached, vapor bubbles are formed on the solid surface and these bubbles collapse and exit the bulk fluid. As they exit, they carry the particles and solubilized material to be removed. This vacuum pressure cycle is repeated every two seconds until the desired cleanliness is achieved. VCN cleaning is followed by a VCN water rinse and vacuum drying. Agenda: What is VCN? How does VCN work? Videos of the process

On Demand
3D Printed Ceramics for MedTech: Multifeature Disruption
How can ceramic 3D printing provide a unique solution for every patient? What is the added value? Ceramic 3D printing is not about replacing well-established processes — it's here to complete them. In this webinar, Lithoz will look at several current applications in the medical field: first with silicon nitride manufacturer SiNAPTIC Technologies and then bioceramic experts Himed. With their years of experience in medical applications, this webinar will explain in full detail how ceramics can complement the metal materials conventionally used for implants and why ceramic is even sometimes the material of choice over metal. Agenda: Introducing the challenges in the medical industry today The powerful ceramic 3D printing technology for medical applications, explained by Lithoz An overview of ceramic medical applications already in use today by advanced ceramic materials expert SiNAPTIC Technologies An in-depth look at ceramic materials and their applications by experienced bioceramic manufacturer Himed

On Demand
New Innovations in Electron Beam PBF: Enhancing Production Capabilities
One of those applications has been for additive manufacturing with the electron beam powder bed fusion (PBF) process—which to this day has been constantly improved and optimized for production applications. In this webinar, an overview of the current capabilities of electron beam powder bed fusion will be provided along with several new innovations that will enhance the capabilities of manufacturers. Agenda: Overview of current capabilities of electron beam powder bed fusion technology Present the latest technical innovations developed for electron beam powder bed fusion Review of how the latest electron beam powder bed fusion technology will aid manufacturers in production applications.

On Demand
Optimizing Every Stage of the Product Life Cycle with 3D Printing
Leveraging 3D printing for rapid prototyping is an obvious application that most product engineers are familiar with. However, advancements in new materials and design capabilities enable the technology to become a highly-useful tool capable of impacting every stage of the product life cycle. Join Daniel Baker, plastics program manager, for an insightful exploration of how additive manufacturing can optimize your product development and production processes. The webinar dives into viable ways you can leverage additive manufacturing at every stage of the product life cycle with a special focus on automotive examples. Throughout the webinar, Daniel will uncover DFAM principles and real-world examples that help improve part efficiency and unlock cost savings. Agenda: Unlock how 3D printing enables rapid product development, better ergonomic tools on the factory floor and on-demand spares and repairs for improved life cycle management Streamline production costs, enhance performance through DFAM and achieve part consolidation for improved efficiency Gain industry-specific examples of how additive manufacturing can optimize each stage of the product life cycle

On Demand
How 100-Year-Strong General Pattern Succeeds with 3D Printed Metal Tooling
Hear first-hand from General Pattern, an injection molder with in-house tooling services and over 100 years of experience, is addressing the labor issue, increasing toolmaking capacity and helping OEMs accelerate product development by integrating Mantle's 3D printer to automate its toolmaking processes. In this webinar, General Pattern will share its journey with additive manufacturing and why it is implementing metal 3D printing to automate its toolmaking processes. The webinar will also include an overview of Mantle's 3D printing technology for toolmaking and case studies from injection molders, toolmakers, contract manufacturers and OEMs that have deployed Mantle. Attendees will learn how organizations use metal 3D printing to significantly reduce tooling lead times and costs, accelerate product development and solve labor challenges — all while producing better tools that incorporate conformal cooling. Agenda: Hear from General Pattern on their additive manufacturing journey and why they invested in Mantle technology Review case studies of how General Pattern reduces tooling lead times and addresses skilled labor shortages with Mantle's technology Learn about Mantle's unique technology to print steel tooling with the accuracy, surface finish and feature detail required for injection mold tooling and other precision tooling Review case studies of how other manufacturers have automated their toolmaking processes with Mantle's technology About Mantle: Mantle has developed the only metal 3D printer built for precision tooling. Mantle automates the production of precision tooling and delivers the accuracy, finish and steel properties required for demanding tooling applications. Tools made with Mantle have molded millions of parts while reducing lead times, cutting costs and solving labor shortages. About General Pattern Company: General Pattern Company (GPC) is a full-service plastic manufacturer, founded on strong relationships and driven by innovation. GPC’s comprehensive offerings include in-house tooling, additive manufacturing, injection molding, urethane casting, foam molding, RIM, vacuum-forming, fiberglass and in-house painting/assembly. The extensive offering under one relationship is the difference it offers to its customers.

On Demand
Analysis of EB-PBF Technology for Medical Device Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM) for medical device production has grown over the past several years with powder bed fusion (PBF) technologies as a major driver of this growth. Due to the many unique process and business case advantages offered to medical device manufacturers, electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF) has proven itself as an effective tool for devices, including orthopedic implants, acetabular cups, femoral knee implants, tibial tray implants and spinal cages. In this webinar, JEOL will present the benefits of EB-PBF technology for manufacturing medical devices, insights on AM qualification considerations and fatigue data for EB-PBF printed Ti6Al4V tested in axial fatigue in accordance with ASTM E466. Agenda: Overview of EB-PBF usage in the medical device industry along with several unique advantages for the technology Review of the qualification requirements for the manufacture of medical devices using AM Analysis and review of fatigue life results in EB-PBF printed Ti64 coupons tested in axial fatigue
Events See All

10 Sep 2024
Parts Cleaning Conference at IMTS 2024
Debuting in 2010, the Parts Cleaning Conference is the leading and most trusted manufacturing and industrial parts cleaning forum focused solely on delivering quality technical information in the specialized field of machined parts cleansing. Providing guidance and training to understand the recognized sets of standards for industrial cleaning, every year the Conference showcases industry experts who present educational sessions on the latest and most pressing topics affecting manufacturing facilities today. Discover all that the 2022 Parts Cleaning Conference has to offer!

11 Sep 2024
AM Workshop - Powder Bed Fusion
Laser powder bed fusion is the most widely used additive manufacturing method for metal part production, and electron beam melting is a closely related technology. For metalworking facilities contemplating a move into metal AM using technologies such as these, here is a road map for success. Speakers will cover materials, safety, part design, production workflow and differences between laser and electron beam metal powder bed fusion systems.

12 Sep 2024
AM Workshop - 3D Printing for Job Shops
Presented by Additive Manufacturing Media, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology, the 3D Printing Workshop at IMTS 2024 is a chance for job shops to learn the emerging possibilities for part production via 3D printing and additive manufacturing. First introduced at IMTS 2014, this workshop has helped hundreds of manufacturing professionals expand their additive capabilities.

8 Oct 2024
Carbon Fiber 2024
CompositesWorld's Carbon Fiber conference offers you cutting-edge information and access to industry experts in streamlining manufacturing costs, market outlooks and forecasting, and more. You will make invaluable contacts as you meet and network with the industry's most innovative and influential leaders at Carbon Fiber.

8 Apr 2025
Formnext Chicago 2025
Formnext Chicago is an industrial additive manufacturing expo taking place April 8-10, 2025 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Formnext Chicago is the second in a series of Formnext events in the U.S. being produced by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and Gardner Business Media (our publisher).
Video See All

20 Jun 2024 LPBF
Video: How Multimaterial Laser Powder Bed Fusion Works
Penn State University’s CIMP-3D is exploring applications of the Schaeffler Aerosint system for multimaterial 3D printing. During a recent visit, I got an introduction to this system.

13 Jun 2024 Metal
3D Printed Titanium Replaces Aluminum for Unmanned Aircraft Wing Splice: The Cool Parts Show #72
Rapid Plasma Deposition produces the near-net-shape preform for a newly designed wing splice for remotely piloted aircraft from General Atomics. The Cool Parts Show visits Norsk Titanium, where this part is made.

12 Jun 2024 Metal
Titanium Cheaper Than Aluminum? The Cool Parts Show All Access
General Atomics’ Steve Fournier describes how directed energy deposition makes titanium economical for aircraft structural components.

6 Jun 2024 Cool Parts
3D Printed PEEK Spine Implants in Production: The Cool Parts Show Bonus
Curiteva is using Fused Strand Deposition to produce two different lines of FDA-cleared spine implants. We visited the company’s Huntsville, Alabama, facility to learn more.

30 May 2024 Sustainability
Video: AM for Harder, Longer-Lasting Brake Discs
Additive manufacturing is being applied to limit automotive brake dust. For a major automaker, Etxetar and Talens are developing a production-speed directed energy deposition system to give brake discs a precise layer of wear-resistant carbide.

16 May 2024 Metal
Video: AM for Repair of Large Shafts
Wind power shafts that might once have been scrapped are now returned to service. See the robotic directed energy deposition (DED) and shaft preheating system developed by Ikergune, Izadi and Talens.
News See All

28 Jun 2024 Composites
Raise3D’s Hyper Core Filament Line Offers Increased Heat Conductivity for Rapid Melting and Cooling
Raise3D has also launched its Pro3 HS Series which enables higher speed printing with composite materials to meet demanding engineering and manufacturing needs. The series includes the Pro3 HS, Pro3 HS Plus, Pro3 + HUK3 and Pro3 Plus + HUK3.

28 Jun 2024 LFAM
TitanSpee3D Designed for Rapid, Large-Format Metal Additive Manufacturing
Spee3D’s TitanSpee3D large-format metal printer.

28 Jun 2024 Software
3YourMind Partners With Nigeria’s RusselSmith to Develop Spare Parts for Oil, Gas Industry
RusselSmith is using 3YourMind’s software to identify viable parts for optimization and production using additive technology. Optimized parts will then be added to a digital inventory interface, enabling RusselSmith to streamline pricing, delivery and order operations for its customers.

26 Jun 2024 Design
Merit3D Protoduction 4.0 Offers Three Pathways to Help Customers Achieve Mass Production Through Additive Manufacturing
The company’s manufacturing program is designed to customize the ‘product development to production’ process for customers who are at different stages in the mass production process.

26 Jun 2024 Polymer
BigRep’s Altra 280 Enables High-Temperature, Large-Format Industrial 3D Printing
The Altra 280 is a large-format industrial 3D printer that delivers high-temperature performance, offering fast, reliable and highly automated printing of complex production-quality parts at the push of a button.

26 Jun 2024 LPBF
Researchers Use Additive Manufacturing to Make Aircraft Propulsion Systems More Eco-Friendly
Project researchers aim to utilize hydrogen fuel cells and additive manufacturing as a pathway to achieve low-emission aviation by 2050. The goal is to recuperate the waste heat of a fuel cell-electric propulsion system, paving the way for a clearer, more sustainable future in aviation.
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New To AM? Start Here

Tony Deligio Executive Editor

Tony Deligio is an executive editor with Plastics Technology magazine. Tony has been covering the global plastics processing industry since 2000, visiting processors and suppliers in North and South America, Europe and Asia. Tony previously covered the plastics processing industry at Injection Molding Magazine, Modern Plastics, Plastics Machinery & Auxiliaries and PlasticsToday. He is a graduate of Colorado State University (Fort Collins, Colo.) with a degree in technical journalism.

Mold Tooling 15 May 2024

Make Every Shot Count: Mold Simulation Maximizes Functional Parts From Printed Tooling

If a printed tool only has a finite number of shots in it, why waste any of them on process development?

Polymer 3 Nov 2022

KraussMaffei Launches Two Additive Manufacturing Lines at K 2022

Long established in injection molding, extrusion and polyurethane reaction process machinery, the 184-yr-old company will enter the industrial additive manufacturing market.

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