Time for Monumental Thinking in Additive November 2, 2016 As additive manufacturing emerges from a long infancy, the industry is grappling with a key challenge: A file format and design tools from the 20th century are being asked to do 21st century jobs.
Oerlikon to Build Advanced Materials Manufacturing Facility in Michigan November 11, 2016 Oerlikon announced today that it will be building a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Plymouth Township, Michigan, USA, dedicated to producing advanced materials for additive manufacturing and high-end surface coatings.
Geometry Lesson Teaches Corvette How to Lighten Up October 14, 2016 It’s been almost two decades since the C5 Corvette hit the streets with its groundbreaking chassis built around hydroformed steel bumper-to-bumper frame rails. The technology gave engineers a chance to create components that were both lighter and stiffer than traditional stamped and welded assemblies.
Smart Factory Technologies Step Up at IMTS September 16, 2016 Smarter factory systems connected via the cloud are the grand vision offered for the future factories that will fully leverage the best available tools from automation, software and machine tool builders.
A Crazy, Mixed-Up Method of Welding September 1, 2016 Friction welding may be just the recipe for joining lightweight materials
Why Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing Makes Sense for Aerospace & Defense September 21, 2016 Additive manufacturing lets companies think “outside the box.” Engineers can now start to look at a part without restrictions on size, shape or material. Instead of taking 15 different CNC milled parts and brazing them together, these companies have reimagined the part entirely—to be built as one part.
Automation Cell Integrates 3D Printing with Post-Process Machining July 10, 2017 Methods Machine Tools Inc. (Sudbury, MA), a leading supplier of precision machine tools, 3D printing technology and automation, recently introduced an automation cell designed to greatly boost 3D manufacturing throughput.
New 3D Printer Makes Fully Isotropic Parts, Virtually Eliminates Post-Processing July 11, 2017 One of the “dirty secrets” of 3D printing is the universal need to take additional steps to render the output usable, including removing the part from its support, curing the part, or improving the surface. Aside from additional cycle time and cost, these steps often require or emit toxic chemicals, necessitating special ventilation and making them unsuitable for a standard office environment. For example, parts built with fused deposition modeling (FDM) must spend about four to eight hours in a heated, agitated sodium hydroxide bath.
GE Now a User and a Major Seller of AM Technology July 10, 2017 General Electric Co. (Boston) has been very public about its use of additive manufacturing (AM) technology to build critical jet engine components, starting with the fuel nozzle for its LEAP engine.
SLM Solutions Group signs long-term cooperation pact with multi-machine order July 5, 2017 LUBECK, GERMANY, June 19, 2017 – SLM Solutions Group AG, a leading supplier of metal-based additive manufacturing technology, signed a long-term cooperation agreement with BeamIT S.p.a., which is based in Fornovo di Taro, Italy. The cooperation concerns the joint development and testing of various parameters for setting the machines when using various metal powders.