By Clare Scott
A lot of attention surrounding 3D printing has focused on industrial applications in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and medical devices. Another area where the technology is making an impact is in fashion and apparel. 3D-printed wearables have the potential to reduce material waste, create complex shapes and geometric features, and shorten time-to-market.
By Olaf Diegel
Engineers tend to think the way they have been taught. It can be difficult to get someone to rethink how to design parts when they have been creating “conventional” designs for decades. They are often based on traditional thought processes, software, and methods of manufacturing. To get the most value from AM, it is important for engineers and designers to think differently and consider methods of design for AM (DfAM).
At RAPID+TCT 2022, we offered a “live” version of Wohlers Report 2022. The event built upon a similar all-day event held for top management for one of the largest companies in the AM industry. For five consecutive years, it was conducted for the top 30 managers and executives at the company. This year’s event bundled the report to help attendees prepare for the half-day program. It was open to the 93 co-authors and contributors of the report and several took advantage of the offer.
At RAPID+TCT 2022, I presented key industry trends found in Wohlers Report 2022 each of the three days of the event. Among them: 1) a growing number of system manufacturers around the world, 2) growth and development of materials for AM, and 3) customer buying trends.
By Stephan Mansour
Throughout my career, I have always enjoyed unique and challenging projects. My 17 years of experience in the construction sector for a major general contractor based in Athens, Greece, were no exception. My role involved exploring and enabling the adoption of innovative construction solutions that most notably culminated with a 3D-printed house project in Saudi Arabia in 2018.
by Shane Collins
The first time I saw additive manufacturing (AM) was in late 1999 at 3D Systems in the Valencia, California. A stereolithography machine was near the end of a build cycle. I recall seeing parts rise out of a vat of liquid photopolymer. My first position in the AM industry was aerospace market segment manager at 3D Systems. I had previously been involved in high-tech scientific instruments.
by Noah Mostow
This weekend marks the end of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. I am always impressed by the athletes. Nils van der Poel of Sweden broke his previous world record for speed skating the 10 km (6.2 miles). The U.S. team will return home with many metals in several events, including freestyle skiing and the monobob. Race times continue to improve, which makes me think about David Epstein’s 2014 TED Talk titled “Are athletes really getting faster, better, stronger?”
by Mohsen Seifi
The Additive Manufactuirng Centre of Excellence (AM CoE) is a unique program to accelerate standardization through focused research at ASTM International. It has gained significant interest from the AM community over the past three years. I often heard that a lack of standards delays broad adoption of AM. The development of consensus-based standards requires significant time. The primary reason is an absence of robust and reliable data to establish standards. Hence, we introduced the concept of Research-to-Standards, the first of its kind from any standard development organization. The goal is to reduce AM standards development time by providing the required data through research. The idea is now becoming a reality. With the first few rounds of research projects, we have demonstrated the impact of the program.
Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from a special 21-page report on some of the most interesting developments and recent trends uncovered at Formnext 2021. It was written exclusively for the members of America Makes. Go to this page to learn more about membership. Twelve individuals from ASTM International’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence contributed to the report.
Thankfully, Formnext is back in-person. This year, 17,859 people from 76 countries attended the four-day exposition in Frankfurt, Germany. This represents a decline from 2019, but several of the 606 exhibitors said the quality of conversations was better, compared to two years ago. The exhibition was spread across three halls, covering 30,000 sq m (322,917 sq ft) of floor space.
by Terry Wohlers
ASTM International, a global leader in the development of consensus standards, has acquired Wohlers Associates. I could not be happier about the acquisition! Our primary goal was to find a great home and future for our products and services. ASTM International has committed to growing and expanding them for many years to come. I know our current offerings, including the Wohlers Report, will now continue beyond my years.
By Noah Mostow
Historically, companies were launched using personal savings or with support from family, friends, or angel investors. The funding system changed when Kickstarter was launched in 2009. It has since become one of the most popular crowdfunding platforms for entrepreneurs to raise capital and launch businesses.
ASTM unites with the Wohlers brand to build on its market influence and access to top AM industry decision-makers worldwide.
Under the leadership of the R&D team, the AM CoE partners plan and conduct coordinated R&D projects, prioritized annually and targeted to expedite...
Provide a comprehensive program that educates and trains the additive manufacturing workforce at all levels, while continually incorporating new advances...
