Dr Michael Grieves Florida Tech Institute RAPID 2017
Dr Michael Grieves announces SME, General Motors and Florida Institute of Technology are to team up and develop ITEAM, a web-based evaluation system to support manufacturers using AM.
RAPID+TCT co-organiser SME is partnering with General Motors and Dr Michael Grieves of the Florida Institute of Technology to develop a web-based evaluation system which will support manufacturers using 3D printing technologies.
Dr Grieves, PhD, executive director, Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovative Design at the Florida Institute of Technology, took to the RAPID+TCT stage to break the news on the second day of the event. The partners want to use their vast experience and knowledge of additive manufacturing to assist manufacturers, who may not have in-house knowledge, in making the right decisions regarding a 3D print.
On stage, Dr Grieves said: “Additive Manufacturing (AM) has the potential to change the design and supply chain landscape,” before explaining that some of the best ways to produce products is to do everything virtually, before deciding whether the part should be printed. At the moment, the partners believe too much time and resources are wasted on trial and error in the manufacturing process. With better planning and preparation, this may be resolved.
SME, General Motors and Florida Institute of Technology’s partnership makes up the Independent Technical Evaluation of Additive Manufacturing (ITEAM). ITEAM will provide manufacturers with an expert system that compares and calculates the best machine, material and process, for a specific application. The system will also include a community section, where users can share experiences and feedback on equipment, materials and techniques.
"One of the keys to determining whether 3D printing is a game changer will be the ability to totally redesign a part, or merge an assembly of parts and make the additive part a reality in production," said Susan Smyth, GM chief scientist for manufacturing and 2017 SME Board of Directors secretary. "The challenge from the automotive community is the need for hardware, material innovation and availability of design tools to reinvent parts and morph assemblies for applications above and beyond prototype."
ITEAM will boast a virtual repository of additive manufacturing machine and material capabilities, and an open platform and evaluation tools, to enable users to identify the most suitable part. It will also act as a centre and clearinghouse for design for AM research, methodology, qualification and advancements. Users will be invited to share information by the ITEAM consortium and be the first to know about beta versions of the system.
The methodology, called SAM-CT (size, accuracy and materials + economic evaluation of cost and throughput) is currently under development. This will address whether something can, and should, be additively manufactured, or if there are better methods with regards to cost and throughput.
"The information about additive machines and material capabilities that users need to make quality decisions is fragmented and expensive," said Grieves. "This new future requires accurate, reliable and current information so users can make the best technical and economic decisions as to additive equipment and materials. SME is stepping up to the challenge of providing this capability with ITEAM."
Debbie Holton, vice president of Events and Industry Strategy at SME, added: "We regularly hear from our additive manufacturing user community on how emerging 3D technologies are allowing them to increase speed to market, produce stronger and lighter parts, improve efficiency, reduce waste, eliminate costly tooling and create products and geometries that couldn't be created before."
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