RAPID preview - 1
On May 2-4th, North America’s largest and most influential additive manufacturing event will arrive in Chicago and with it, the latest and best in 3D printing technologies.
For over three decades, RAPID + TCT has been the place to see AM machines, materials, software, and applications first-hand, and this year will be no di erent as over 150 exhibitors bring their latest innovations to McCormick Place. Here we highlight just a handful, in addition to our must-sees from the RAPID + TCT Conference, co-organised by the TCT Group and SME, that’s stacked with over 100 industry leaders sharing their AM insights and adoption stories.
3D SYSTEMS #4212
3D Systems
3D Systems will showcase its unique solutions portfolio designed to address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and industrial markets. Visitors will have the opportunity to discuss their manufacturing challenges with the company’s application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform how they deliver their products and services. The company will showcase its industry-leading hardware and materials, as well as Oqton’s software portfolio, which when combined are the foundation of each application-specific solution.
NTOPOLOGY #2247
nTopology will be introducing major new features in its best-in-class design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) software. This update includes a significant evolution in generative design capabilities alongside innovations that are said to allow users to realise the full value of industrial-grade additive manufacturing. The company will be hosting live demonstrations of the new software functionality, which enables complex design data to be transferred directly from nTopology into manufacturing, CAD, and CAE software with file sizes that are only a few megabytes. Attendees will also be able to see product examples from the aerospace, automotive, medical, and consumer products industries.
MANTLE #1528
Mantle
Mantle will showcase case studies and parts from Nicolet Plastics, Westec Plastics, Westminster Tool, Fathom Manufacturing, Tessy Plastics, DME Company, Pepsi Co., Thogus Products, Hypertherm Associates, and more. Mantle’s TrueShape system is designed specifically to print precision tooling components. Mantle’s P-200 printer is a hybrid system, integrating extrusion 3D printing of Mantle’s metal pastes with precision CNC machining to produce parts with the accuracy and surface finish required for tooling. After printing, parts are transferred into Mantle’s F-200 furnace to be sintered. The result is durable, accurate tool steel components.
ZEISS INDUSTRIAL QUALITY SOLUTIONS #5038
ZEISS will be exhibiting several technologies which can support printing parameters and enable AM users to produce defect-free parts. ZEISS AM parameter enables rapid development or optimization of parameters for new alloys, increased layer thickness and deformation-free parts, using a unique test design and evaluation workflow. This can also be used for evaluation of the laser performance in multi-laser machines, build envelope mapping or rapidly developing parameters to print with recycled or non-spherical powders. Visitors can get up close demonstrations of CT, microscopy, CMM and 3D scanning processes.
INKBIT #4846
Inkbit will showcase its Inkbit Vista system with Vision-Controlled Jetting (VCJ) along with its array of high-performance materials. With the Inkbit Vista system, the company says manufacturers can achieve the precision and accuracy of traditional machining while still taking full advantage of the flexibility and versatility of 3D printing. The Vista's closed-loop feedback control system is said to allow for exceptional dimensional accuracy, throughput, and repeatability. Combined with production grade materials and low-labor post-processing, it promises high-performing products at a lower cost and in less time.
PTI #4254
Rapid PTI will be on hand to discuss its Hot Isostatic Pressing Services (HIP) to the aerospace, power generation, medical and automotive industries. Within three USA facilities, Warminster PA, Concord OH and Alachua Florida, PTI operates 13 HIP units ranging in size from 16” through 30” diameter. The majority of PTI HIP units are capable of pressures up to or exceeding 25,000 psi which enables lower temperature processing of nickel and titanium alloys. PTI has been a toll HIP provider since 1977 allowing its customers to eliminate major capital investment which would otherwise be diverted from core activities.
PRODUCT EVALUATION SYSTEMS, INC. #2048
Product Evaluation Systems, Inc. (PES) returns to the event ready to field questions concerning metallurgical, mechanical and chemical analysis of raw materials to finished parts, and everything in between. With a focus on metal products, PES has partnered strategically with material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, process developers and product designers to support the advancement of AM. In-house capabilities include SEM analysis, elevated & cryogenic testing environments, and post-processing heat treatment.
HP 3D PRINTING #4618
Visitors can see the HP Jet Fusion 5420W, HP Metal Jet, and Automatic Unpacking Station. The HP Jet Fusion 5420W 3D printing solution is said to enable scalable production with consistent white printing, better light refraction, manufacturing predictability, minimal errors and downtime, and high-quality, cost-e ective parts. In metals, the HP Metal Jet S100 Printing Solution o ers e cient production of metal parts at scale, enabling faster development of new designs and products. Lastly, visitors can see how the HP JF 5200 Series 3D Automatic Unpacking Station automates the unpacking process for improved part quality, and quick and consistent removal of support structures.
Oli's RAPID + TCT Conference picks
TUESDAY MAY 2 | 3:00PM | HEALTHCARE
How TPU lattice structures enabled a person with limb loss to run a marathon
Brent Wright CP BOC/O, Vice President, EastPoint Prosthetics and Orthotics
WEDNESDAY MAY 3 | 11.00AM | ECOSYSTEM
Machines are great but people are the answer to solving supply chain issues with standardized manufacturing practices for AM
Slade Gardner PhD, President, Big Metal Additive
THURSDAY MAY 4 | 12:00PM | HEALTHCARE
Using micro 3D printing to accelerate prototyping and design testing
John Kawola, CEO, Boston Micro Fabrication, and Mark Lattimore, Director of Research & Development, Tessy Plastics
ADDIBLAST #2335
Addiblast by FerroECOBlast will be showcasing its Mars03, an automatic depowdering system designed specifically for metal 3D printed parts. The machine uses state-of-the-art technology to clean the parts thoroughly and quickly, while also ensuring that the powder is collected and recycled for future use. Addiblast has also developed a new application that allows users to monitor their machines live from anywhere. This new feature makes it easy for customers to keep track of their machines and ensure they are operating at optimal levels at all times.
LITHOZ #5341
Lithoz will mark a major strategic sales and marketing partnership with Colorado-based SiNAPTIC, including the purchase of seven CeraFab S65 Medical printers for its serial production of surgical applications printed from silicon nitride. The two will hold a joint talk discussing the use of Si3N4 as the optimum material for medical applications such as orthopedics and spine, thanks to its extreme strength, hardness, and resistance to chemical and thermal factors. One of SiNAPTIC's CeraFab System S65 Medical will be on display in its first live demo printing at a US event.
For the full story, click here.
MITSUI KINZOKU #1747
Mitsui Kinzoku will introduce a number of CuCr alloys for L-PBF. MA-CCR25L is the highest conductivity copper alloy with 95 IACS% as electrical and 377W/mk as thermal conductivity, ideal for thermal management and high voltage applications. The second, MA-CCR25H, shows equal mechanical properties and better conductivity compared to GRCop42, and is applicable to space applications. Mitsui Kinzoku o ers standard parameters with a standard laser output of 400W for systems such as EOS M290, Concept Laser M2 and SLM 280, following NDA, to reduce material development cost for customers. Mitsui Kinzoku will also o er copper powders for processes such as binder jetting, DED, DLP, cold spray and L-PBF.
OQTON #2435
Oqton will demonstrate how its additive production software enables complete traceability across an organisation, delivering AI-powered capabilities for image segmentation, additive design, build prep, MES, additive inspection, and process simulation. Visitors can engage with the company’s application experts for hands-on demonstrations. Additionally, there will be a variety of AM parts on display that showcase what is possible with Oqton manufacturing Software
METEOR INKJET LTD #3956
Meteor Inkjet Ltd, an independent supplier of electronics, software, tools and services for industrial inkjet will show its full range of solutions for additive manufacturing print systems including what is believed to be the world’s largest range of drive electronics for all major industrial inkjet printheads. This includes ready-to-use Digital Front Ends that integrate with commercially available 3D build tools, Software Development Kits that allow custom printers to be built from the ground up, and a complete suite of tools and services to support the design and optimization of print systems.
SOLUKON #1820
Solukon will present a special version of its largest depowdering machine, the SFM-AT1000S. Equipped with a short swivel arm, this machine is the ideal solution for large, heavy parts (600 x 600 x 660 mm including build plate) with a lower center of gravity, such as components printed on an SLM Solutions' NXG XII 600. Also new is a front-top loading system that allows large and heavy parts to be lifted into the machine by crane. Solukon will also be showcasing its SPR-Pathfinder powder removal software, which uses the component's CAD file to automatically calculate the sequence of motion to remove powder from internal channels in the component.
Sam’s RAPID + TCT Conference picks
TUESDAY, MAY 2 | 11.00AM | AUTOMOTIVE TRACK
Generative design optimization for both end-use and tooling parts in automotive applications
Nanzhu Zhao, PhD, Researcher, Nissan Technical Center North America
TUESDAY, MAY 2 | 10.35AM | HEALTHCARE TRACK
Why would a surgeon do their own segmentation?
Scott Kaiser, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon, Kaiser Orthopedics
WEDNESDAY MAY 3 | 2:30PM | AEROSPACE TRACK
Optimization of AM production through the use of seed flanges
Alanna Maly, Manager of Additive Manufacturing, Launcher
GRANUTOOLS #1632
Granutools will be showing a range of instruments for powder-based AM processes. This includes the GranuDrum powder rheometer for cohesion and dynamic properties, GranuPack for automated rapped density and packing dynamics, and GranuCharge for electrostatic charges measurement. The company’s range of additive solutions are designed for accuracy, repeatability, and operator independence with high levels of automation. Its tools deliver spreadability assessment, quality check of incoming supplies, monitoring of materials properties, and monitor impact of humidity, heat, storage, and mixing.
SINTRATEC #5239
Sintratec
Sintratec is showcasing its new All-Material Platform, for the first time in the US. Unique in the field of SLS, the All-Material Platform separates the Fusion Module (3D printer) from the movable Build Module (powder container). With this modularity both polymers and metals can be processed on the same system without cross-contamination or lengthy cleaning. Furthermore, backward and forward compatibility of the modules allows customers to easily scale and future-proof their setups. With the All-Material Platform, Sintratec has also introduced two new modules and a materials to market: The Sintratec S3, with a 30-watt fiber laser, the MCU-220, with a 90% larger build volume, and PA12 GF, with a higher impact strength.
GRENZEBACH MASCHINENBAU GMBH #5351
Grenzebach is the reliable partner for automating and networking individual process steps in additive manufacturing for higher e ciency and smooth workflow. Together with manufacturers of 3D printers and post-processing equipment, Grenzebach develops individual solutions, from single components to holistic automation concepts. The German company will display its portfolio of exchange, bin picking, de-powdering, AGV-based transportation and digital solutions for polymer and metal powder-bed-based additive technologies.
JESSE GARANT METROLOGY CENTER #1542
Jesse Garant Metrology Center is a specialized part inspection company providing NDT & metrology services using industrial computed tomography (CT scanning) equipment, allowing companies to thoroughly investigate parts and assemblies internally in 3D while being paired with expert analytical support. The company will be demonstrating how its services can be used to verify print bed consistency, optimum print parameters, identify porosity/inclusions and verifying geometry changes such as surface profiles, dimensions, and wall thickness variations.
FILAPACK #4356
FilaPack is gearing up to showcase its newest product, the FilaSpooler FS200-SA line. This spool-packing machine aims to streamline the production process by eliminating the costly and time-consuming rewind operation offline. With its fully automated design, the FS200-SA model can automatically change filament spools in line with the extruder, which leads to increased production output and lower operational costs. Designed to be operated by a single person, the FilaSpooler FS200-SA allows for multiple extrusion lines to be managed simultaneously.
DRESSLER GROUP #2255
Regarded for many decades as ‘The Grinding Authority,' The Dressler Group (DG) serves the additive manufacturing industry as a longterm systems partner, problem solver, and innovation driver for individual powder solutions. At RAPID + TCT, the German company says it will be exhibiting ‘the ultimate AM FORWARD contribution to the industry of the future’ with a quality-approved enabling AM powder package for small and mid-sized companies.
Laura’s RAPID + TCT Conference picks
TUESDAY, MAY 2 | 11.00AM | ECOSYSTEM
3D printing in business – Overcoming barriers to technology adoption
Jennifer Loy, PhD, Griffth University
WEDNESDAY, MAY 3 | 11.00AM | MAIN STAGE PANEL
A review of 3D innovations from the point of view of early-career engineers
Andy Christensen, FSME, Fingerprint Additive; Victoria Sears, Mayo Clinic; Parham Gholami, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego; Nicole McMinn, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
THURSDAY, MAY 4 | 11.00AM | AEROSPACE
Why settle for wrought? How optimized AM material properties are enabling hypersonic and space flight
Jacob Rindler, PhD and Youping Gao, PhD, Castheon
PHOTOCENTRIC #1715
Photocentric
Visitors can see the Photocentric workhorse LC Magna and opensource LC Opus 3D printers, both tried and tested for applications in dental, model making, automotive, medical and engineering industries. There will also be a selection of UV and daylight durable, flexible and rigid resins alongside the co-developed BASF Forward AM Ultracur3D EPD Daylight product line. During the RAPID + TCT Conference, delegates can hear Merit3D’s Spencer Loveless and Photocentric’s Sally Tipping talking about how to scale up production from 50 to 1,000,000 parts with AM.
TRUMPF #4218
TRUMPF introduces its redesigned TruPrint 1000 for additive series production to the North American market. The printer features two 200watt lasers and a multiplate option, which allow users to run multiple builds by automatically exchanging the build plate. Users can stack up to four build plates on top of each other and the system prints components on them one after the other. A new compact design means the TruPrint 1000 only uses half of the floor space needed by previous editions and can pass easily through a standard door.
MELD MANUFACTURING #4641
MELD
MELD offers 3D printing and hybrid machines for printing metal components using MELD’s patented no-melt, open-atmosphere technology for large metal parts. It yields near-net shape, isotropic, fully dense parts with low residual stresses. Material is deposited at least 10x faster than other AM processes. MELD’s newest machine 3PO combines additive and subtractive technology into one hybrid machine. It boasts a print capacity of 157.5” x 106.0” x 39.4”.
AMERICA MAKES #1851
TCT is proud to be partnering with America Makes as its Game Day returns to RAPID + TCT for 2023. Together, we’re looking forward to showcasing the most exciting additive manufacturing applications and technology developments through daily broadcasts live from the show floor in Chicago.
Each day will kick o with the SME leadership team followed by conversations with industry representatives from end-users and technology providers such as General Lattice, SAE, and more.
GOENGINEER #5232
Visitors will have a first chance to see the Onulis WRAPCure in person on the GoEngineer stand. This latest innovation pairs axial 3D printing and a post-cure apparatus in one piece of equipment. If you haven’t been able to see the J55 from Stratasys in action, now’s your chance. Take a spin on this fullpantone verified solution for ‘real’ experience — and determine for yourself what is real and what’s 3D printed. You can also meet with a team of experts with your current development issues and application needs for additional support.
STRATASYS #5012
Visitors can see how successfully scaling additive manufacturing goes beyond the printer with high-performance polymers and manufacturing software. Stratasys also has multiple speaking engagements including a welcome by Dr. Yoav Zeif on Tuesday and three in-depth sessions on how Roush revs up production with additive manufacturing to in depth overview of our new software, solving major challenges through AM software, and bridging the skills gap by implementing 3D printing into your curriculum and training.
GKN ADDITIVE (FORECAST 3D) #4027
Stop by the GKN Additive (Forecast 3D) booth and test your arm on a mini golf green with a distinctive putter, custom fit with coloured grips. Made from a unique, flexible paint material, this is just one of the new technologies in use at our premier printing house and largest stateside MJF facility. You’ll also have a chance to handle various samples made via metal binder jetting for customers like John Deere and Schneider Electric
SLM SOLUTIONS #4018
SLM Solutions will focus on empowering mission-critical operations, leveraging the ability to lightweight, produce highly complex, and on-demand components for aerospace, aviation, defense, automotive, and energy. Stop by the booth to see a 1.5m combustion chamber from the newly launched NXG XII 600E.
BASF Forward AM #2445
BASF Forward AM will be introducing its new software solution, the Ultrasim 3D Lattice Engine, which allows users access to a program designed to explore different lattice geometries and implement them into product design cycles.
The solution, powered by Hyperganic, offers a range of lattice patterns, each of which has been tested and validated for different application groups says BASF. At RAPID + TCT, information about the new software as well as materials and parts will be on display at booth #2445.
For the full story, click here.
Impossible Objects #4024
Impossible Objects
Impossible Objects' CBAM 25 machine.
Impossible Objects has announced the launch of the CBAM 25 composite 3D printing system ahead of RAPID + TCT.
The company claims the new machine, which will be made commercially available in early 2024, is 15 times faster than its closest competition, while also suggesting its proprietary technology also yields superior materials properties.
Impossible Objects is able to achieve such print speeds thanks to its ability to print at room temperature, with no thermal cycle or curing process in the printing stage. To ensure part quality and consistency, the CBAM 25 is equipped with computer vision camera systems and high precision ultrasonic sensors to monitor the process and allow adjustments to be made in real-time.
For the full story, click here. Impossible Objects will reveal more details about the CBAM 25 machine on an upcoming episode of the Additive Insight podcast, to be published on Monday May 1.
Modix #2756
Modix
Modix has announced that it is introducing a prototype of its new printer, the Modix CORE-60, at RAPID + TCT 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. The printer is the first of a new line of products designed to meet the needs of low-budget customers, such as artists and young start-ups according to the company.
Modix says that the CORE-60 features a print volume of 600 x 600 x 600 mm, and will be available for 3,500 USD. The current offering from the company at that size, the Modix BIG-60, is currently offered at a starting price point of 4,900 USD and is designed for industrial applications and advanced printing with IDEX technology, and a more robust motion system and frame.
For the full story, click here.
