In mid-December, after returning from a trip to Washington, DC, I felt a familiar discomfort, but this time on my right side. I soon knew that it was a disc rupture, although I later found out that it was a different disc. It was my belief that stretching and walking were the most effective two years ago, so that’s what I began immediately. Some days, it would feel better, so then I would try running or going to the gym for strength training. Both aggravated the problem further and were probably a mistake. I continued the stretching and walking routine, but it progressively got worse. By the middle part of last week, I hadn’t sat down for more than a total of 10 minutes over a span of 10 days because it was so uncomfortable. I purchased an excellent sit-stand workstation product from Ergotron, which I recommend highly to those who want to stand and sit at work. Within 2 seconds, your monitor, keyboard, mouse, and a work platform can be in either position.

While tying a shoe last Wednesday, excruciating pain shot through my lower back, hip, and leg. It was the most discomfort I had ever experienced, and it lasted what seemed like an eternity. My wife was nearby and tried to help, but there was little she could do. I took some Vicodin, which helped a little, and then made arrangements to see the neurosurgeon I saw two years earlier. The trips to and from his office were horrible. I took some Valium and steroids that he gave me while I was in his office, yet I still couldn’t put any weight on my right side. The pain was just too intense. After taking even more Valium, I eventually made it to the parking lot and car with assistance from my wife. Later that day, I had an MRI that showed the location and severity of the disc rupture. Surgery would reduce the possibility of permanent nerve damage and provide relief from the pain.

The next day wasn’t much better, even with all the pain medicine, so I felt I had little choice but to have surgery. We were able to schedule the procedure, called a lumbar laminectomy, for Friday. I was in the operating room for about an hour and at home walking three hours later. The doctor instructed me to walk 1 mile (1.6 km) that day, 2 miles yesterday, and 3 miles today. All of the pain is gone, except for the area of the incision. My leg is weak and part of the shin is still numb, but I should be able to snow ski again in about one month. Surgery was my last choice, but I’m glad I had it done. I can now sit, walk, and sleep again and I feel very good.

It was in Columbus that we learned more about the AMC. According to Dr. Ian Harris, AMC director and EWI technology leader, the consortium was developed in response to a need for collaboration, including design allowable data. The focus of the AMC is to advance the manufacturing readiness of AM technologies and to generate precompetitive data to benefit its members. The AMC was largely inspired by the Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing, a document developed in 2009 with participation from 65 experts in academia, industry, and government. Wohlers Associates enjoyed playing an active role in this national effort. One of the goals of the AMC is to organize a National Test Bed Center that includes extensive equipment and staff resource capabilities, which was one of the roadmap recommendations.

The AMC currently consists of 28 partners from the U.S. government, private sector, and research. Among them are the Air Force, Army, Boeing, GE, General Dynamics, Goodrich, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, NASA, and Northrop Grumman. Wohlers Associates is the newest partner of the Additive Manufacturing Consortium. We are excited about the opportunity of helping the AMC achieve its goals and advance AM to a new level.

Salaries vary across regions. Engineers in the Mountain States are receiving $109,853, the Design News survey indicates. Those in California, Arizona, and Nevada are a close second, with annual pay of $107,407. Those at the other end of the salary range are in the Southeast region and are receiving $86,076. Engineers working in industrial controls and the defense industry are among those receiving the most pay.

As for satisfaction, more than half (52%) of survey respondents said they were very or extremely satisfied with design engineering. As many as 78% said they would recommend engineering to children. Solving problems, technical challenges, and the opportunity for creativity were the most cited reasons for satisfaction. About 25% said they were concerned about job security.

The picture presented by the Design News survey is quite favorable for the engineering profession. Nearly two-thirds (65%) said that their salary increased over the past year. Only 4% saw a decrease. Now is not a bad time to enter the engineering field, especially as we see product development and manufacturing activity increase. More information on the survey is at here.

Happy Holidays!

Fruth Innovative Technologien (FIT) introduced a RepRap-like derivative called Fabbster. The company showed a configuration of 19 of them in a single “system” consisting of five machines across and four machines vertically. Controls and a display were mounted in the 20th cell. In theory, all 19 machines could be running and providing an interesting amount of capacity and flexibility, which was the primary purpose of the demonstration.

A seven-person startup company named Asiga, based in Southern California, introduced its small Pico printer. The $7,000 system uses DLP and LED technology to solidify thin layers of photopolymer. The maximum build volume is 30 x 40 x 100 mm (1.2 x 1.6 x 3.9 inches). Example parts on display were models and patterns for dental crowns and jewelry and they looked very good. Acrylate resin for the machine is $700 per kilogram, which is expensive.

Blueprinter is a Danish startup that introduced a €9,995 3D printer based on a new technology called Selective Heat Sintering. The machine, which was not on display, uses a thermal print head as opposed to a laser to heat and sinter thermoplastic powder. The material is €49 per kilogram. The parts looked okay and had the feel and stiffness of ceramic. Company management said a more flexible material would be introduced next year.

The ProJet 1000 was shown by 3D Systems. It is based on the company’s film transfer imaging technology, which was originally developed for the V-Flash product. The new $10,900 machine uses DLP technology to image and solidify each layer. Maximum build size is 171 x 203 x 178 mm (6.75 x 8 x 7 inches) and vertical build speed is 12.7 mm (0.5 inch) per hour in standard mode.

The VX1000 is a new, large machine from Voxeljet. The system’s build volume is 1,060 x 600 x 500 mm (41.7 x 23.6 x 19.7 inches), with print resolution of up to 600 dpi using 10,624 nozzles. Parts from the machine are impressive.

The SLM 280 HL is an entirely new platform from SLM Solutions GmbH. It features 1.4 kilowatts of power using 400 watt and 1,000 watt fiber lasers that work concurrently. The machine is capable of building parts in stainless steel, tool steel, cobalt-chrome, super alloys, aluminum, and titanium. The build chamber is 280 x 280 x 350 mm (11 x 11 x 13.8 inches).

For many years, the idea of combining additive manufacturing and machining has been discussed. At EuroMold, Matsuura of Japan demonstrated its metal powder AM system that includes CNC machining. The Lumex Avance-25 machine produces good surfaces and deep slots and features that would otherwise require EDM. According to the company, the system can reduce design and machining time by 62%. The machine was running on the show floor.

Digital Forming is a sister company to UK-based Within Technologies. The company has introduced a development platform for creating a web interface for consumer co-design. As an example, a designer can use the system to offer a lighting design that a consumer could personalize using slider bars. Sliding one bar might change a specific dimension of the product, while sliding another might twist the design. The environment shows the possible future of co-design where a professional designer creates a product that someone else modifies.

EuroMold 2011 was outstanding. Exhibiting companies showed the best of their best. The many new products that were introduced showed impressive advances in additive manufacturing and 3D printing.

Teschler argues that major innovations from the past, such as the steam engine and cotton spinning machine, were developed by tinkering and trial ‘n error, not science. He explained also that the science behind these developments came after their discoveries, not before. Science journalist Matt Ridley believes the real importance of scientific research has been to clarify the empirical findings after discoveries have been made, according to Teschler.

Teschler went on to say that the transistor came from researchers who were not pursuing pure science. Physicists at Bell Labs invented the transistor when trying to improve switching at telephone exchanges. Teschler cites Google and Facebook as developments that did not receive any government research dollars.

One might conclude that funding for scientific research is of value to researchers and their institutions, but few commercially-viable innovations result from it. If you can point to specific innovations from scientific research that have spawned new products or services, I would like to hear from you.

Upon our departure from Leiria, we picked up a rental car and headed to Obidos, a small medieval town surrounded by an impressive fortified wall. I had ridden past Obidos several times when going from Lisbon to Leiria. Locals and others said that we should definitely visit and I’m glad we did. We pulled into Obidos at around dinner time and walked the cobblestone streets and walkways through this intriguing place. The following day’s blue skies made it perfect for walking the wall and seeing the buildings, many of which were constructed in the 12th century. The small streets were lined with shops and small restaurants, but the merchants have done well to keep the feel of commercialism to a minimum. With more cork harvested in Portugal than anywhere else, many products made from cork were available for sale. Obidos was a wonderful place to visit and we now know why people have raved about it. We wish we could have stayed longer.

Our next stop was Nazaré, a coastal town of 15,000 people north of Obidos. The main attraction for us was the cliff overlooking the town, beach, and sea. The sights from Sitio, which means an old town on top of a cliff, were spectacular. All of the white buildings with orange tiles roofs were something special to see. Sitio had many shops with hand-crafted products, such as wood boats and automobiles. I purchased two skillfully-made cars and one truck, each about 28 cm (11 inches) in length, for about 12 euros each, as gifts to bring home. We were in Nazaré for only a few hours, barely enough time to see and do what we wanted.

The next and final destination was Porto, also known as Oporto, which is known for its port wine. Porto is one of Europe’s oldest cities, dating back to the 4th century, and for Diane and me, one of the most interesting. The large Douro River runs through the city center, with beautiful architecture and buildings lining the banks and hillsides. We found that views from the Luís I Iron Bridge, located near the city center, were exceptional. One of the highlights was a boat trip down the Douro River. We took a train upstream into the wine region where we boarded a boat that offered fine dining and excellent views of the vineyards. We experienced two major river locks, one said to the tallest in Europe at 35 m (114 ft), at the Carrapatelo dam. The all-day trip was relaxing and definitely worthwhile.

The trip to Portugal could not have gone much better. Our Portuguese friends are wonderful people and gave us good advice on interesting sites to visit. The history, architecture, landscape, wine country (and wine), beaches, and the people make Portugal a great place to visit. We recommend it highly. Click here to see 11 images from the trip.

As a mechanical engineer, Jim designed farm machinery for Winnipeg manufacturers before starting his own firm, KOR Product Design, 30 years ago. Urbee was conceived 15 years ago as Jim’s third vehicle project. Today, a core team of a dozen people make up KOR EcoLogic, a Canadian company that is wholly owned by them, with a goal of getting Urbee into mass production. I was struck by Jim’s obsession with Urbee.

Just days before meeting Jim, he had driven the car some distance as part of an open highway test. The two-passenger vehicle is designed to be exceptionally fuel efficient, safe, and inexpensive. It uses electric motors and is capable of 200 mpg when running on an 8 hp ethanol-powered engine, which serves as a backup. The car is expected to reach 70 mph.

On September 21, 2011, the BBC reported that Urbee had been in development for many years, but its finished 3D-printed body had never been seen in the public. That was true until its unveiling at TEDxWinnipeg a month ago and again two weeks later at the Winnipeg conference. About 100 people in attendance got to see it and two of us were allowed to sit in the driver’s seat. With the support of Stratasys, FDM additive manufacturing technology was used to produce the entire body of the car, which looked fantastic. The Urbee team did an outstanding job with the finish of the body.

I truly hope that Jim and his team can secure the investment needed to take the car into production. Urbee deserves a chance in the marketplace and I suspect it will get it. The car has received an impressive amount national and international press, so it may be only a matter of time before the right people come together. Jim’s best-case scenario would make the car available in 2014. The price might be $50,000 in limited production, but it could drop to $10,000 in mass production.

For more than a decade, I’ve sensed that a large market could develop for a very low-cost 3D printer targeted at children. Young people use their imagination to create objects of all types. With so much digital content now available, and a lot more in the works, a 3D printer would be the ultimate device for creative play and entertainment. A recent article published by Singularity Hub said it could be the last toy you’ll need to buy for your child.

In February 2010, I had a short meeting with James Cameron, the producer of Avatar, Titanic, The Abyss, and many other blockbuster films. Knowing that he is a user of 3D printing, I asked him about the idea of an inexpensive 3D printer targeted at children for entertainment. He responded by saying, “Absolutely,” with interest. This is a verbal endorsement that carries some weight.

Indeed a business opportunity is out there for Origo and others to develop and commercialize a safe and simple 21st century “thing maker” for children. A price range of $100-200 has been in my mind, but maybe people would pay more for an elaborate toy that could produce almost any shape.

As the saying goes, the devil is in the details and Origo is faced with many. To reach a level of volume that drives cost and price to a minimum, the effort would require significant investment in engineering, manufacturing, market development, distribution, and support. It’s a giant mountain to climb, but I hope company founders Joris Peels and Autur Tchoukanov, both young men, are able to raise the capital needed to succeed. Peels is a former employee of Shapeways and i.materialise and a contributor to Wohlers Report 2011.

TCT Live now includes many focused but related events under one roof, including MM Live, MEMS Live, and NANO Live. Additive manufacturing, 3D scanning, and CAD occupied the lion’s share of the main exhibit hall. In an adjacent hall, Interplas 2011 ran during the three-day event. My stay was much too short, so I was unable to spend the time TCT Live deserved. What I saw, however, was impressive. Rapid News Publications—the organizers of all five events—did an outstanding job.

By late afternoon on the first day, I was winging my way to Brussels and then on to Lisbon. After a very short night, I was participating in the bi-annual VRAP conference in Leiria, Portugal, which is located about 150 km (93 miles) north of Lisbon. The conference consisted mostly of results and reports from university research in additive manufacturing (AM) from around the world. The technical content was excellent and the event was well organized, thanks to the strong team at Polytechnic Institute of Leiria. Nearly 200 attended from 30 countries. Yet, the conference was small enough to offer special entertainment for the attendees, including dinner at Leiria Castle and spectacular live music in an old church near the center of Leiria.

I appreciate the chance to attend events such as these. They introduce a wealth of new developments, ideas, and perspectives. More than anything, however, I enjoy spending time with friends and meeting new people. After nearly 25 years in the AM and 3D printing industry, I have been fortunate to have met many wonderful people. Some have retired, but most are still going strong. These people are the reason why I treasure each and every opportunity to travel, sometimes great distances, to these interesting places.

With Netfabb Mobile, you can download STL files from the web or import them locally. Using the phone’s charge cable, it’s simple to copy STL files to the device’s SD card. A couple taps later and you are reviewing the models. The people at Netfabb could not have made it easier. The Evo’s bright 57 x 95 mm (2.25 x 3.7 inch) screen, coupled with Netfabb Mobile, offers striking 3D graphics. When spinning a fully-rendered model, jaws drop.

I opened the well-know “brain gear” file that’s 3.6 MB in size and a Jaguar hood ornament that’s 7.5 MB. Both displayed relatively fast and zooming, panning, and rotating were surprisingly good. The app also calculates the model’s total volume, surface area, and number of triangles.

If you’re looking for a portable STL model viewer, consider this one. It downloads and installs quickly, it’s simple, and the performance is almost unbelievable. With it being free, you can’t go wrong. And, there’s an iPhone version available.