AMUG Newsletter August 2016

President’s Message

Steve Deak
President

Your AMUG Board has spent the past two months visiting potential conference sites, searching for sufficient space for our year-over-year attendance and sponsorship growth. We are closing in on a selection, which you will hear about in the coming weeks.

Soon after that announcement, we will be rolling out a new website and opening registration for the 2017 conference. The website rework is a ground-up project with the goal of making it more functional and easier to use, all while giving it a contemporary look and feel. The plan is to launch the website in time for the opening of conference registration on October 1.

For many years, AMUG’s tagline has been “For users, by users.” That simple statement cuts to the very heart of what makes the AMUG Conference unique and valuable. With our growth, we need more AM users to make the conference a success. There are many roles that you can fill before, during and after the conference.

Joining a subcommittee is one of the options. These committees will be crucial in our continued growth and will provide members with more opportunities to get involved in AMUG leadership. We will soon be filling committee roles with AMUG members that have volunteered.

Other options to support AMUG include volunteering for duties at the conference, delivering a presentation or conducting a workshop. Please take a few minutes to consider what roles you can fill and give some thought to how you can be a part of AMUG’s growth. AMUG relies on members to drive the direction of the conference, creating that atmosphere that is uniquely AMUG.

To be considered for a position or to inquire about the needs and responsibilities, contact Gary Rabinovitz, chairman, at Chairman@am-ug.com.

Steve Deak
President
President@am-ug.com

First-timers, Share Your Experience

Derek Ellis
Deputy Vice President

2016 first-time conference attendees, you had the opportunity to see firsthand what the AMUG Conference has to offer. Before arriving in St. Louis, I suspect that you had no idea how different this conference is from all others.

That is an AMUG challenge — how to express the vibe and value of the conference. And that is why we rely heavily on word of mouth to spread the message.

Now that you know what AMUG is all about, please help us grow by informing your work colleagues, friends and associates of the AMUG difference (and professional value). This is a perfect opportunity to be “our voice” to spread the word regarding what the conference has to offer. When doing so, remember that we accept new members from the commercial/industrial additive manufacturing segment and that content ranges from beginner to expert levels.

I look forward to your return at next year’s conference. Let’s keep breaking attendance records!

Derek Ellis
Deputy Vice President
NewMemberst@am-ug.com

Call for Speakers and Workshop Trainers

2017 AMUG Conference – Call for Speakers is Open

We continue to enhance and modify our tracks and hands-on workshop sessions to meet the needs of beginner and advanced additive manufacturing users. This year we will once again expand our track sessions and integrate topics throughout the Diamond and Platinum Sponsor sessions to build a more fluid and comprehensive experience for our attendees.

Please consider participating as a speaker or trainer. To submit an abstract or workshop program, contact the appropriate track leader listed below. The individual track leaders will review the objectives of your topic and respond with available speaking or workshop sessions that are appropriate. Each speaker will be required to submit an abstract to the AMUG Agenda Committee for final approval.

If you do not find an obvious track for your topic, please contact me, Gary Rabinovitz, directly at Chairman@am-ug.com.

Sponsor News – Carbon

Carbon Expands Access to M1 Printer via Two New Service Bureau Partners

This month, Carbon announced two new service bureau partners, Dinsmore, Inc. and Midwest Prototyping. With these two bureaus’ broad range of customers — from automotive to medical — these partnerships are the next step in increasing access to the M1 printer and CLIP technology while making a meaningful impact across industries. Dinsmore, Inc., located in Irvine CA, and Midwest Prototyping, located in Blue Mounds, WI, join our four other service bureau and contract manufacturing partners — CIDEAS, Sculpteo, The Technology House and WestStar Precision. These partners are key to expanding access to CLIP and are already achieving incredible results. The Technology House alone has had over 1,000 successful prints for customers across industries. We’re excited to welcome our new partners on board!

Learn more about these partnerships at www.carbon3d.com/news.

Sponsor News – Renishaw

Engineered and Bespoke – The R160 Mountain Bike Frame

A collaboration of innovative companies using cutting-edge technology, anthropometry and years of experience has led to Robot Bike Company’s new R160 mountain bike frame. The design concept came from Robot Bike; to make it a reality, Altair, HiETA Technologies and Renishaw added the know-how.

Design freedom was achieved through the development of a unique construction using metal AM titanium lugs, proprietary carbon fiber components and tubing, and a double-lap-joint bonding concept. Each frame can be tailored to a cyclist’s individual measurements or specifications, with the added benefit that the frame can be constantly improved since the production process is not constrained by a mold.

Renishaw provided its expertise in additive manufacturing, machining and metrology to deliver a high-quality bike frame from an initial design concept. This typifies the approach that the company is taking with its Solutions Centres, where Renishaw is working closely with its customers to create designs that maximize the benefits that can be gained from using an additive manufacturing process.

For more information about Robot Bike, please visit www.robotbike.co. For more information on Renishaw Solutions Centres, please visit www.renishaw.com/solutionscentres.

Sponsor News – 3D Systems

3D Systems Brings Manufacturing Innovation to IMTS

3D Systems’ end-to-end digital manufacturing solutions will be featured at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago next month, with two booths dedicated to the company’s unique and synergistic portfolio of hardware, software, materials and services. 3D Systems experts will be on hand in the East Building (booth E-3310) and North Building (N-68), highlighting the available combinations of products and solutions that can transform workflows, accelerate innovation cycles and solve complex business challenges.

In addition to the company’s current offerings, 3D Systems will feature the latest demonstration of its Figure 4 technology. A powerful advancement in Stereolithography, Figure 4 places ultra-fast print speeds in configurable modules, offering a rapid, scalable, and productive solution for digital manufacturing.

For updates and live show coverage, follow @3dsystems on Twitter.

Sponsor News – Concept Laser

Proto Labs Expands Its Additive Manufacturing Services
with Concept Laser

In anticipation of the expansion of its 3D printing service and the grand opening of its new facility, Proto Labs, Inc. (NYSE: PRLB) has chosen Concept Laser to be the anchor of its metal additive manufacturing center. Proto Labs will integrate multiple Mlab cusing and M2 cusing machines into its new 77,000 sq. ft. facility later this year. The LaserCUSING^® technology will complement its existing portfolio of industrial 3D printing, CNC machining and injection molding processes.

“Our business is built on a foundation of speed, efficiency, and delivering a superior quality of parts. Concept Laser metal powder-bed systems provide us with the ability to deliver on that promise to our customers,” said Rob Connelly, Proto Labs’ vice president of additive manufacturing. “The Mlab cusing and M2 cusing machines from Concept Laser enable us to manufacture with a variety of reactive and non-reactive metal powders in various build volumes.”

Sponsor News – Stratasys

3D Printing for Injection Molding

PolyJet technology creates smooth, detailed, accurate molds. Digital ABS 3D printing material is strong enough to hold up to short injection molding runs of about 10 to 100 parts, and molds can be installed directly onto injection molding machines. If testing reveals needed design improvements, the mold can be altered directly in CAD and 3D printed, depending on size, in just a few hours.

PolyJet 3D printed molds give product designers and manufacturers the ability to perform thorough functional testing without cost-prohibitive tooling. Flaws based on the final production process, geometry or choice of plastic can be discovered early, reducing costly, time-consuming mold corrections, while increasing product innovation and speeding development. More information on how companies are testing functional prototypes with 3D printed injection molding is available in our webinar “3D Printed Injection Molds.”

3D printed molds can produce intricate parts with precise details.

Sponsor News – SLM Solutions

Selective Laser Melting at IMTS Next Month

As the largest industrial trade show in North America, IMTS will feature an additive manufacturing section at this year’s event, September 12-17. Making a splash at its first IMTS, SLM Solutions will feature the top-selling SLM 280HL metal additive manufacturing system, its mid-range machine with a build envelope of 280 x 280 x 350 mm. As with all SLM Solutions machines, the SLM 280HL features the patented bi-directional re-coater that alone can reduce build times by 30%. Multiple laser configurations include twin 400 W or 700 W laser systems or dual lasers of 400 W and 1000 W to further increase build speeds compared to single laser options. The combination of a larger build envelope, faster recoating process and multi-laser technology makes SLM Solutions the fastest machines in their class.

For more information on the show and how to register click here.

Sponsor News – Somos

Using 3D Printing for Jigs and Fixtures

When the folks at Gulfstream were looking to improve the stability of their router guide, they turned to Somos^® NeXt to strengthen their tool. Learn more here.

Wood router guide (pictured) replaced with Somos NeXt.

3MF Expands Capability of Universal 3D Printing File Format

ENGINEERING.com

When the 3MF file format was first released last year, the numerous 3D printing companies behind it had promised that first iteration was only the beginning. Together, through the Microsoft-founded 3MF Consortium, companies like GE, Autodesk, 3D Systems and more began work on expanding the 3MF format so that it might streamline the 3D printing process and provide a more efficient and manageable workflow.

The 3MF Consortium has now announced the most recent fruits of its labor, two new extensions meant to improve productivity for high-volume additive manufacturing: the 3MF Production Extension and Slice Extension. To learn more about these developments, ENGINEERING.com spoke with Adrian Lannin, executive director of the 3MF Consortium.

To see what Adrian had to say, read the article at ENGINEERING.com.

More at ENGINEERING.com

• Formlabs Secures $32M for Affordable 3D Printing, Teams with Autodesk

Standards for Metal Additive Manufacturing: A Global Perspective

Metal Additive Manufacturing Magazine

As the metal additive manufacturing industry moves towards industrial production, the need for international standards covering all aspects of the technology becomes ever more pressing. In an exclusive report for Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine, Fraunhofer IFAM’s Claus Aumund-Kopp and Frank Petzoldt review international progress to-date, summarize existing standards for metal AM and consider the challenges that lie ahead.

Download your FREE PDF copy of Metal AM magazine.

TCT + Personalize

Download the Latest Edition of TCT North America

The North American edition of the TCT magazine features news from Asiga, our cover story, on how it’s digitizing the dental industry by streamlining the production of clear orthodontic aligners. Plus, there’s a huge focus on current applications for 3D technologies in the automotive industry, an update on TCT’s partnership with SME on next year’s RAPID + TCT event and a guest column from LGM on how they used 3D printing to create a model for a futuristic New York apartment complex.

For readers headed to IMTS 2016 in Chicago next month, we’ve got you covered. This issue includes all of the latest technologies that will be on the show floor in the dedicated additive manufacturing pavilion.

The magazine is available to download across the globe for FREE on iOS and Android.

About AMUG

AMUG is an organization that educates and advances the uses and applications of additive manufacturing technologies. AMUG members include those with any commercial additive manufacturing/3D printing technologies from companies such as Stratasys, Somos, Concept Laser, SLM Solutions, EOS, ExOne, Renishaw, Carbon, Arcam, envisionTEC, HP Inc., Prodways and 3D Systems. AMUG meets annually to provide education and training through technical presentations on processes and new technologies. This information addresses operation of additive manufacturing equipment and the applications that use the parts they make.

Connect with members on the organization’s website and LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, and YouTube networks.