AM Radio

The 2024 edition of IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show welcomed more than 89,000 attendees to Chicago last week. While only a portion of the show’s 1,500 exhibitors were offering additive manufacturing equipment or services, AM nevertheless had a significant footprint at this show. Conversations with speakers, exhibitors and attendees revealed insights about where additive is finding traction now, and where it is heading next. In this episode of AM Radio, I talk with Pete Zelinski about equipment launches during the show, advances in usability and accessibility, AM’s role in the casting supply chain, the increased presence of service providers, and how the next “phase” of AM will look different.

Find photos, related links and the transcript for this episode on AdditiveManufacturing.Media.

This episode is brought to you by Additive Manufacturing Media. Never miss a story. 

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Stephanie Hendrixson shares observations from her visit to learn more about two different manufacturing institutes under the umbrella of Carnegie Mellon University. First, she visited the lab facilities at Mill 19, a refurbished steel mill site, used by the Manufacturing Futures Institute. The MFI aims to accelerate the digital transformation of manufacturing, through work that includes things like robotics, digital twins and generative design as well as AM. She also learned about the Next Manufacturing Center, CMU's additive-focused research institute seeking to solve increasingly specific 3D printing problems— including how to model and avoid spatter in laser powder bed fusion.

Find photos, related links and the transcript for this episode on AdditiveManufacturing.Media.

This episode is brought to you by Additive Manufacturing Media. Never miss a story. 

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In this follow-up to episode #51 of AM Radio, Dr. Tim Simpson joins Stephanie Hendrixson and Pete Zelinski in the studio to talk more about how NASA is implementing and shaping additive manufacturing. As part of an intergovernmental personnel act (IPA) assignment, Dr. Simpson has spent the last two years deployed within NASA helping to advance additive use cases and connect AM users within the organization. In this episode, he shares insights from this work including NASA's collaborative relationship with commercial space; its role in studying AM fundamentals and providing testing resources;  missions currently using the technology; and where additive will enable NASA to go next.

Find photos, related links and the transcript for this episode on AdditiveManufacturing.Media.

This episode is brought to you by Additive Manufacturing Media. Never miss a story. 

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Episode #51 (PART 1)

The Cool Parts Show episodes featuring: 

Other resources:

Additive Manufacturing Media editors have had the chance to visit three different NASA facilities: the Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Marshall Space Flight Center. Pete Zelinski and Stephanie Hendrixson learned and reported on how 3D printing is being used to fulfill NASA missions through parts like a generatively designed bracket, lightweight titanium lattices and a multimaterial thrust chamber made with two different processes. But where do these parts fit within NASA's broader mission, and what is the role of additive manufacturing at NASA? In this episode, part 1 of a 2-part series, Pete and Stephanie discuss what it's like to visit NASA and the observations they gleaned from being on site. (Make sure to subscribe and join us for Part 2, featuring AM Radio cohost and NASA system design innovator Dr. Tim Simpson.)

Find photos, related links and the transcript for this episode on AdditiveManufacturing.Media.

This episode is brought to you by THE BUILDUP.

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The Cool Parts Show episodes featuring: 

More on these NASA initiatives:

Our previous episode on qualification and standards in AM, including NASA 6030

3D printed brackets on the Juno spacecraft

When we first covered Model No. in 2020, the company was manufacturing furniture on its own large-format 3D printers, built to designs directly manipulated by customers through parametric options available on its website. Four years later, production looks a bit different. Gone is the user-facing design tool, as the company has discovered that conversation with customers is the more effective way to arrive at the right designs for its clients. More colors and materials are offered today, in part because of a circular economy-focused project that Model No. completed with several partners. And there's one important change to how furniture is made--listen to the episode to learn how (and why) the company's 3D printing capacity has evolved in the last few years.

Find photos, related links and the transcript for this episode on AdditiveManufacturing.Media.

This episode is brought to you by Additive Manufacturing Media. Never miss a story. 

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We are trying something new on the podcast! Whenever one of us on Additive Manufacturing Media pays a visit to a manufacturer for the first time, we want to talk about the trip as soon as we return. Why keep this recap to ourselves? In this episode of AM Radio, here is Stephanie Hendrixson getting the full download just after I paid a visit to Innovative 3D Manufacturing in Franklin, Indiana. Innovative does contract production using 12 laser powder bed fusion machines, all from Renishaw. Just part of what struck me is this company’s connection to foundry work — not just in terms of process, such as workholding technique, but also in terms of business opportunity, because Innovative is getting work due to foundry leadtime challenges. Listen to our conversation above, or on your favorite podcast app. And for even more on Innovative, read the article I wrote, which is linked below. - Peter Zelinski, editor-in-chief, Additive Manufacturing

What is qualification, and what does it entail for additive manufacturing applications? In this episode of AM Radio, Dr. Tim Simpson joins Additive Manufacturing Media editors Pete Zelinski and Stephanie Hendrixson to talk about various issues around qualification in AM, including: the difference between qualification and certification; the expense of qualification activities; how standards are developed; and the opportunities additive can realize with qualified procedures.

Find related links and the transcript for this episode on AdditiveManufacturing.Media.

This episode is brought to you by The Cool Parts Show.

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In the last episode of AM Radio for 2023, hosts Pete Zelinski, Stephanie Hendrixson and Fiona Lawler look back on Additive Manufacturing Media's top 10 stories by pageviews for the year. The list reveals some interesting trends including the ramp up in additive manufacturing "factories," additive adoption that necessitates more sophisticated downstream processing, and a heavy emphasis on metal 3D printing. In the second half of the show, the hosts share their favorite stories, regardless of ranking, written by someone else.

Find photos, related links and the transcript for this episode here.

This episode is brought to you by Additive Manufacturing Media. Never miss a story. 

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The world's largest trade show for additive manufacturing technology featured more than 800 exhibitors across the entire AM value chain. Additive Manufacturing editors Peter Zelinski and Stephanie Hendrixson discuss what they learned and discovered at the event in this episode, including the rise of copper, the introduction of new processes for 3D printing in metals, equipment upgrades that don't rely on hardware, reduced barriers to entry for AM and much more.

Find photos, related links and the transcript for this episode on AdditiveManufacturing.Media.

This episode is brought to you by THE BUILDUP.

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Additive manufacturing "factories" and other facilities that have been built from the ground up to serve this process are becoming increasingly common, but a purpose-built space is not a necessity for successfully applying AM. Stephanie Hendrixson and Fiona Lawler discuss Fiona's recent trip to visit a newly established Protolabs facility dedicated to laser powder bed fusion, and swap stories of other AM spaces--from a 3D printer tucked under the stairs to a rented office space all the way to buildings acquired or built just for production additive manufacturing.

This episode is brought to you by AM Media. Subscribe and learn more at www.additivemanufacturing.media.

See photos and find the transcript for this episode at on our website.

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Sporting goods, tooling, integration with conventional processes, multi materials — in this episode of AM Radio, Jodee McElfresh and Pete Zelinski discuss the topics that have been popular on the Additive Manufacturing Media website and social media recently.

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Formnext Forum Austin, the first Formnext event to be held in the United States, concluded August 30 after two full days of conference programming dedicated to industrial additive manufacturing. The event is jointly organized by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT—The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and Gardner Business Media, the publisher of Additive Manufacturing Media. Along with sessions on additive end markets, production applications, AM technology and design for additive manufacturing (DFAM), Formnext Forum included a lively expo featuring nearly 80 exhibitors plus The Cool Parts Showcase. Attendees also had access to several facility tours and networking opportunities. The event drew more than 900 attendees, including the editors of Additive Manufacturing. Pete Zelinski, Fiona Lawler and Stephanie Hendrixson recorded this conversation for AM Radio shortly after the event.

Find photos and the transcript of this episode in this blog post.

This episode is brought to you by The Cool Parts Show. 

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Succeeding with additive manufacturing from a technical perspective has to be followed by succeeding with AM from an organizational perspective. Additive is a different production process entailing different enterprise, workflow and costing considerations, not to mention different personnel, communication and cultural considerations as well. Dr. Tim Simpson and Peter Zelinski talk about all of this: how to organize for success when additive manufacturing is the production process.

This episode of AM Radio is brought to you by Formnext Forum Austin. 

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As a “born digital” technology, additive manufacturing intrinsically relies on data, more so than any other manufacturing process. That data reliance potentially exposes AM users to data security and cybersecurity issues; efforts are underway to help these users protect designs, print parameters, machines and even 3D printed parts. But beyond the dark side of data, figuring out secure ways of storing and sharing data also opens the door to more freely distributing manufacturing, sharing material and print profiles, and flexible, secure supply chains. Stephanie Hendrixson and Dr. Tim Simpson discuss all things AM data on AM Radio.

This episode of AM Radio is brought to you by Formnext Forum: Austin.

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Additive manufacturing is a dynamic space for various reasons: The technology is advancing and application possibilities are still being developed, and as a direct consequence, the landscape of AM companies is subject to change due to investor moves; mergers and acquisitions; and startups emerging from “stealth mode.” On this podcast, and in related reporting for Additive Manufacturing Media, we serve manufacturers by covering AM technology and applications — the corporate and financial moves are not the focus. And yet, one realm affects the other. The company moves shape what we cover and affect the choices of manufacturers as they aim to proceed with the technology. In this episode of AM Radio, Peter Zelinski and Stephanie Hendrixson talk about this. They discuss how the corporate and financial developments among AM companies play out for AM users, and where the dynamism of the additive space is likely to lead in the future.

This episode of AM Radio is brought to you by Formnext Forum: Austin.

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Additive manufacturing offers significant promise for strengthening and simplifying manufacturing supply chains.

We glimpsed this during the pandemic, when 3D printers provided a quick response for needed medical components for uses such as ventilators and personal protective equipment.

What are the ways AM can answer supply chain problems longer term, and how close are we to realizing this promise?

In this episode of the AM Radio podcast, I am joined by Penn State’s Dr. Tim Simpson as we discuss additive manufacturing as a logistics solution, 3D printing for faster lead time relative to casting and forging, AM for MRO and sustainment needs, and other aspects of additive as a supply chain solution.

At the 2023 edition of RAPID + TCT held in Chicago, Additive Manufacturing Media editors noticed evidence of AM’s maturation both in terms of technical capability and utility for end-use applications. Stephanie Hendrixson, Peter Zelinski and Fiona Lawler discuss themes discovered at the event, including more precise DED, new tools for process monitoring, more sophisticated understanding of AM and sustainability, AM winning on cost and much more. Find photos and video from the show in this blog post on our website.

This episode is brought to you by Formnext Forum: Austin.

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Sustainability
Caracol robot-based DED used to 3D print wind turbines from old wind turbines Thermwood's LSAM 510 3D printer used to print chairs live at the show SABIC's LNP ELCRIN WF006NiQ resin made with post-consumer PET An impeller 3D printed with Uniformity Labs' Ti64 Grade 23, with scan time reduced by 1.5× Uniformity labs: aluminum powder for LPBF Uniformity Labs: cut off stock/metal material options Xtellar's recently launched flexible EVA derived from sugarcane Thermoform dental aligner tool made with Jabil's PLA3110P powder for SLS 3D printing NatureWorks' Ingeo for 3D printing Sustainability episode with Tim Simpson EOS's PA 12 and PA 11 materials precertified for environmental impact EOS Cost & Carbon Calculator
Cost as a driver of AM production
Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS) for cost-effective 3D printed vehicle chassis components Wurth Additive Group's automotive body clip now made additively DMG MORI's Lasertec 30 SLM US developed and manufactured in Davis, California  Fabrisonic's SonicLayer 1600 hybrid ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) machine Formlabs' Form3B+ for healthcare professionals and medical devices  3D printed titanium mountain bike brake lever produced by Trumpf as an affordable alternative to machined aluminum and carbon fiber
Process monitoring
Nexa3D XiP Pro desktop 3D printer for LCD-based vat photopolymerization Exum Industries' MassBox for desktop mass spectrometry  Renishaw calibration device for laser powder bed fusion
DED getting more precise
Mitsubishi AZ600 wire-laser metal 3D printer InssTek multi-material rocket nozzle produced with powder-fed DED New Infrared Technology's Clamir system for controlling DED through meltpool width Meltio's CNC machine tool integration from IMTS Meltio integration with machine tool as seen at IMTS Formalloy's introduction of DEDSMart for wire DED DEDSmart system from Formalloy seen at IMTS
Acquisitions as a means of diversification
Xtellar, Braskem's new 3D materials division PX100 Digital Metal binder jetting platform now available from Markforged 3D Systems acquired Titan Robotics Ultimaker and Makerbot merger
Collaboration
BASF Forward AM Solutions Development team / Ultrasim3D Lattice Engine developed with Hyperganic New HP automation for powder handling and automation accessory for swapping build units  Endeavor 3D contract manufacturer that is a member of the Digital Manufacturing Partner network
Flavor of the Show
Xjet 3D printed ceramic mouthpieces Xjet ceramic printing process nTop rebrands and introduces nTop 4.0 Inkbit and why AM is great for drones and robots     polySpectra tensile test and tea kettle demonstration HP minifactory 3D Systems Titan Robotics chair

Is additive manufacturing inherently more sustainable than conventional manufacturing methods? Stephanie Hendrixson and Dr. Tim Simpson wade into the various factors that must be considered to make this assessment; dive into some of the research happening in industry and academia on the subject; and discuss why sustainability is such a tricky problem in AM.

This episode of AM Radio is brought to you by Formnext Forum: Austin.

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Additional Resources: 

With the arrival of resources such as ChatGPT and Dall-E, artificial intelligence (AI) is a widespread topic of discussion. But AI has been aiding additive manufacturing for years, to the extent that the applications are coming to seem pervasive. Stephanie Hendrixson and Peter Zelinski talk about the link between AI and AM, both as we see it today and as we expect to see it in the future. What AI and AM have in common is frictionlessness — in terms of offering instruction, as ChatGPT shows, and in the ease of starting production without need for hard tooling that 3D printing makes possible. What will we see as these two advancing technologies increasingly come together? 

A sign of the advancing understanding of additive manufacturing: Many of the previous misperceptions have gone away. Or they have at least dramatically declined. Few in manufacturing today believe 3D printing is as simple as "hit print," and most understand that the design of the part determines how well it can take advantage of AM. However, there are still pervasive misperceptions about AM among the manufacturers today who are just beginning to explore it. Tim Simpson and Peter Zelinski talk about some of the false ideas about additive manufacturing that are in the air and current now. Part of the challenge is simply that AM technology is still changing rapidly; assumptions become invalidated quickly. Tim ends up talking about the pace of this change in additive and what is setting that pace.

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Additive manufacturing (AM) tends to see popular media coverage when a consumer good is 3D printed. 3D printed houses and fashion grace headlines at the moment. On social media, however, additive manufacturing is a daily topic of conversation for users, students and entrepreneurs. As digital editor for Additive Manufacturing Media, I have the pleasure of observing and engaging in some of those conversations. 

On this episode of the AM Radio podcast, Peter Zelinski and I review eight AM-related social media posts that caught my eye in recent weeks. Among the topics we discuss are machine modifications, a debatable assumption about large-format additive manufacturing and the AM fan-favorite, or maybe anti-fan favorite: AM’s cost effectiveness. Thanks for listening.

The posts from social media:

Other references:

Bringing additive manufacturing to scale production also means scaling the workforce trained to design, manage and carry out that production. While some fundamentals stay the same across material and process, learning the intricacies of specific applications and industries takes time. What is the role of the university in preparing the next generation of additive manufacturers? What should industry expect in new hires, and how can companies upskill their existing workforce? And what are the “soft skills” or personality traits that make for a successful user of additive manufacturing? In this episode of the AM Radio podcast, I discuss training and education options for additive with Dr. Tim Simpson, professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at Penn State University and contributor to Additive Manufacturing Media (among his various other roles). This episode is the first of a series that will feature Simpson as cohost.

This episode of AM Radio is brought to you by PTXPO. 

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Additional resources:

Results from Penn State's 2019 study of successful AM engineers

3D printing for repair and replacement is an underappreciated but potentially very valuable application for this technology. The ability to add material only where necessary and to do so in an automated fashion allows worn surfaces to be rebuilt with less human labor, keeping items such as aircraft blades in service for longer. Additive manufacturing offers an avenue for manufacturing parts no longer in inventory or production, by skipping over tooling to arrive more quickly (and often, more affordably) at the needed component — it be a brush mat, bearing housing, mixer blade, clamp or tractor tread. But a 3D printed replacement part is rarely a 1-to-1 swap; changing to this production method almost always introduces additional benefits. In this episode of AM Radio, Pete Zelinski and I discuss these examples and more, plus why a 3D printed replacement is almost always an upgrade. 

This episode of the AM Radio podcast is brought to you by PTXPO.

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The most-viewed stories on AdditiveManufacturing.Media this year illustrate some of the trends in industrial 3D printing, including its increasing adoption for spare and replacement parts; increased applications for electric motors; and a maturing user base. Peter Zelinski, Stephanie Hendrixson and Jodee McElfresh take a look back at the top 10 articles and videos from 2022.

This episode is brought to you by The Cool Parts Show.

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Additive manufacturing's largest trade show, Formnext, returned to its pre-pandemic strength in 2022. In this episode, Peter Zelinski describes trends from the show floor (including 3D printing with ceramics, anticipating robot automation, and a pivot away from support structures) while Stephanie Hendrixson shares observations found in social media.

This episode is brought to you by PTXPO.

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Additive Manufacturing Media digital associate editor Jodee McElfresh joins the podcast for this episode inspired by trends spotted on social media. She and Stephanie Hendrixson discuss additive manufacturing superlatives and the value of the "boring" part, plus how individuals and companies can make the pivot into AM. Spoiler: Waiting for the next generation won't be enough; consider workforce development from the inside. 

This episode is brought to you by the The Cool Parts Show.  

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Additive manufacturing (AM) has overcome many obstacles to become an accepted production method in spaces where it makes sense. But the work is not done yet. Manufacturers who are now applying 3D printing for ongoing production at scale are discovering how issues that seemed small at first are now growing into problems that need solutions. In this episode, hosts Stephanie Hendrixson and Peter Zelinski discuss six of these challenges. Want to tell us yours? Email amradio@additivemanufacturing.media and we might feature your comment in a future episode.

This episode is brought to you by The Cool Parts Show.

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Additive manufacturing is changing the possibilities for working with ceramics. Julia Hider and Peter Zelinski take stock of this, discussing various 3D printing processes making use of ceramic material and various applications benefiting from this. This leads to a conversation about the cases where additive is providing an alternative to casting.

This episode brought to you by The Cool Parts Show.

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Pete Zelinski, Stephanie Hendrixson and Julia Hider recap additive manufacturing technology on display and other discoveries at IMTS--The International Manufacturing Technology Show in a live taping of AM Radio recorded from the AM4U stage at the show. Then, our hosts share insights from this year's co-located Additive Manufacturing Conference, which next year will transform into the Formnext Forum.

This episode is brought to you by the The Cool Parts Show.

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In additive manufacturing, design and production must inform each other — but do they need to live under the same roof or the same ownership? In this episode, Stephanie Hendrixson and Julia Hider consider business models that separate design from production, and in some cases provide the consumer substantial agency in the manufacturing process. Then, they discuss Artemis I and the various ways 3D printing is enabling or will advance space exploration.

This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference at IMTS.

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Cohosts of the video series and AM Radio Pete Zelinski and Stephanie Hendrixson reflect on three years and 50 episodes of The Cool Parts Show and what it means. Then, Pete, Stephanie and videographer Austin Grogan share their favorite episodes.

This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference at IMTS.

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Manufacturers of electric vehicles (EVs) seem to be adopting additive manufacturing (AM) more readily into production than the conventional automotive industry and other transportation segments have. This adoption is in part because of the functional and geometric possibilities that additive brings, but it is also because EVs are being made in lower quantities and represent new product platforms without existing supply chains, tooling and processes to contend with. In this episode of the AM Radio podcast, Julia Hider and I discuss various ways that AM is and could be used to advance the future of transportation based on electric vehicles. 

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Headed to IMTS--The International Manufacturing Technology Show, and curious about the additive manufacturing value there? Peter Zelinski and Julia Hider share insights about the show including the difference between two major AM events, what to expect on the AM4U stage, and general tips for surviving and thriving at the tradeshow. IMTS takes place in Chicago, September 12-17. 

This episode of AM Radio is brought to you by The Cool Parts Show.

Additive manufacturing contains more than 3D printing, but even this term carries multiple meanings. 3D printing might mean extruding plastic, or depositing binder into metal, or melting material with lasers, or any number of other things. In this episode, Stephanie Hendrixson and Peter Zelinski try to stump each other with some unusual 3D printing processes and consider whether the "Seven Families of Additive Manufacturing Technologies" are still relevant 10 years after they were created.

This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference at IMTS.

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Modern Machine Shop senior editor Matt Danford joins Julia Hider to discuss five trends in digital manufacturing that are playing out for both machining and 3D printing. 

This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference at IMTS.

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The conflict in Ukraine has intersections with the world of additive manufacturing. Hosts Stephanie Hendrixson, Peter Zelinski and Julia Hider discuss ways that 3D printing is bringing aid; realities of distributed manufacturing; and the effects of the war on one additive manufacturing business with operations in Ukraine.

This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference at IMTS.

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Editors Peter Zelinski, Stephanie Hendrixson and Julia Hider discuss discoveries and observations about 3D printing materials, processes, applications and scale from RAPID + TCT 2022, held in Detroit, May 16-19.

This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference at IMTS.

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Additive manufacturing is creating new opportunities for fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials. This has implications for the promise of AM and implications for the composites industry. In this episode, Peter Zelinski of Additive Manufacturing Media is joined by Jeff Sloan of sister brand CompositesWorld. They talk about composites replacing metal, large-format 3D printing for tooling, and other aspects of the overlap between these two worlds. Also, what does the acceptance and adoption of composites into part production, and the way this played out in previous decades, signal about the way ahead for an even newer disruptive technology, additive manufacturing?

This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference at IMTS.

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Julia Hider shares 3D printing for production and various kinds of tooling spotted at the first-ever Plastics Technology Expo. Then, she and Pete Zelinski discuss new methods of 3D printing with polymers that deliver greater freedoms in terms of layer width, layer height, material viscosity and more.

This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference at IMTS. The call for papers is open through April 29, 2022.

Can 3D printed polymers reinforced with chopped or continuous fibers be a suitable replacement for metal parts? In this episode, Julia Hider and Stephanie Hendrixson discuss at least three scenarios where this is taking place--and two of them happen to involve training devices related to aerospace. (Possibly a precursor to printed composites replacing metals on flight-worthy aircraft?) Then, our hosts dive into blockchain and its usefulness for protecting and distributing 3D printable files.

This episode is brought to you by CompositesWorld.

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3D printing is valuable as a means of bridge production—that is, manufacturing that is less than scale production, and likely temporary, but nonetheless filling a production need. Sometimes it comes between prototyping and serial production, or to cover a supply chain gap. Pete Zelinski and Stephanie Hendrixson discuss several examples where manufacturers are performing 3D printed bridge production to great advantage, as well as the cases where it makes sense to fully embrace AM for production instead.

This episode is brought to you by PTXPO.

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Additive manufacturing makes it possible to begin to make a new product cost-effectively at small scales through 3D printing, and both change the product design and scale up its production in response to market acceptance. This means inventors of new products can be their own manufacturers, and it’s why inventors producing their own product is becoming a new category of manufacturer. Julia Hider recently visited an example: Maxwell June, maker of a new razor system for shaving. She and Peter Zelinski discuss what she found, and the reasons why additive manufacturing expands the possibilities for inventors.

This episode is brought to you by PTXPO.

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A 3D printed part is rarely complete straight off the printer, and many additive manufacturers are accustomed to performing some level of cleaning and surface finishing. But postprocessing need not stop there. Electroplating, powder coating, anodizing and other processes can add improve the appearance, provide greater resistance and add functionality to 3D printed parts. On this episode of AM Radio, host Stephanie Hendrixson welcomes the show’s first guest expert: Scott Francis, editor in chief of Products Finishing (a sister brand to Additive Manufacturing, published by Gardner Business Media).

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Additive Manufacturing Media, the brand behind AM Radio, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2022. In this episode, Stephanie Hendrixson and Pete Zelinski take a look back at the last decade in 3D printing and additive manufacturing and then offer 6 predictions for the next ten years in AM.

This episode is brought to you by PTXPO.

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SHOW NOTES

Additive manufacturing is realizing new possibilities for components at the extremes of size range. In this episode, Peter Zelinski and Julia Hider discuss micro 3D printing via DLP as well as large scale 3D printing enabled by robots, FDM, wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) and more.

This episode is brought to you by PTXPO.

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Julia Hider and Stephanie Hendrixson discuss the benefits and use cases for 3D printed lattices as a replacement for conventional foam materials. Then, they count down Additive Manufacturing's top 10 stories from 2021.

This episode is brought to you by PTXPO.

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Formnext resumed in-person in Frankfurt, Germany, for 2021. Held November 19-16, Formnext 2021 filled three halls of the Messe Frankfurt convention center with 3D printing equipment as well as materials, software displays, postprocessing equipment and more. In this episode, cohosts Stephanie Hendrixson and Pete Zelinski share trends they found across the show as well as the news regarding Formnext USA. Gardner Business Media president Rick Kline joins to discuss the event, the result of a strategic partnership between Gardner, Mesago Messe Frankfurt and AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology.

This episode is brought to you by PTXPO.

For more on Formnext 2021, read our trends article and watch 8 Cool Parts from Formnext 2021.

For more on Formnext USA, see this article (includes events timeline).

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RMS is a large medical device manufacturer that started its additive journey with one metal 3D printer. Five years later, it has grown its additive division to include 30 laser powder bed fusion machines running around the clock to produce more than 10,000 implants per month. Earlier this year, hosts Pete Zelinski and Julia Hider visited the facility and learned how metal 3D printing operates on such a large scale. Then, they discuss RMS’s additive machine shop—an area set up specifically to finish metal 3D printed parts—and explain why machining 3D printed parts is so different than machining parts from stock.

This episode is brought to you by PTXPO.

Read More

An Additive Manufacturing Machine Shop

Cutting AM Parts from Build Plate Turns Wire EDM Upside Down

Material take-back programs for 3D printing are on the rise, as are technology advances geared toward recycling used prints and scrap into printable feedstock. Hosts Stephanie Hendrixson and Julia Hider discuss recent news and examples of recycling for 3D printing. Then, they look at examples of animals that have benefited from 3D printing and explore how these applications mirror and advance those in the human and industrial worlds.

This episode is brought to you by PTXPO.

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From October 12-14, additive manufacturing (AM) professionals and those interested in adopting this technology gathered at the Additive Manufacturing Conference + Expo held this year in Cincinnati, Ohio. Attendance was lower than typical for this event, but the quality of the program speakers, exhibitors and attendees shone through. During a day and a half of sessions, speakers covered everything from 3D printed tooling to reshoring manufacturing to how teams of people — not just technology — need to change for successful AM adoption. Peter Zelinski, Julia Hider and Stephanie Hendrixson discuss the themes and ideas that emerged.

This episode of the AM Radio podcast is brought to you by PTXPO. 

Related to this episode:

Stephanie Hendrixson and Pete Zelinski explore why the people who know additive manufacturing the best tend to sound the most negative about it. Plus, why there's still reason for optimism in spite of difficulty. This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference + Expo.

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Machining is done in a shop, injection molding is done at a molder and casting is done at a foundry. But what do we call businesses that do additive manufacturing? Peter Zelinski and Julia Hider discuss why it’s difficult to name these businesses (and suggest a few options). Then, we get to know more about Additive Manufacturing Media's newest editor.

This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference + Expo.

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RAPID+TCT 2021 was distinctive as the first major North American trade show for additive manufacturing since 2019, but also for the themes and technological advances evident on the show floor. Pete Zelinski, Stephanie Hendrixson and Julia Hider discuss what they saw, heard and learned at the event.

This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference + Expo.

Find our slideshow on the things mentioned in this episode at: https://www.additivemanufacturing.media/articles/impressions-and-trends-from-rapidtct-2021

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Julia Hider and Stephanie Hendrixson address the phenomenon of additive manufacturers—those who apply 3D printing to make end-use parts and products—who invest in developing, building and producing their own 3D printing technology. Plus, how sustainable is 3D printing, and how can product creators adopt a circular economy mindset with this process?

The AM Radio podcast is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference + Expo.

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Hosts Stephanie Hendrixson, Julia Hider and Pete Zelinski of Additive Manufacturing Media discuss what makes AM distinctive among manufacturing methods plus how startups are enabled by 3D printing in this first episode of the AM Radio podcast. This episode is brought to you by the Additive Manufacturing Conference + Expo.

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Is 3D printing for real? What's really going on in additive manufacturing? What does it take to succeed with AM?

AM Radio answers these questions and more. Additive Manufacturing Media editors Peter Zelinski, Stephanie Hendrixson and Julia Hider discuss the trends, the technologies and the real successes playing out in AM today, and what it all means for the future of manufacturing. Subscribe and tune in every other week for new episodes.