SPECIAL REPORT:

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
OCTOBER 2018
Sponsored by

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT October 2018 1

Delivering solutions for
additive manufacturing

Renishaw’s metal powder bed fusion is an advanced additive manufacturing process that builds complex metal parts
direct from 3D CAD data in a variety of metals. Benefits of the additive manufacturing process include:

• Rapid design iterations

• Bespoke or customized items

• Reduce tooling costs

• Build complex geometries such as thin walls, lattices and internal features

• Increased design freedom - AM is not constrained by traditional design rules

We offer a range of solutions for metal additive manufacturing, from systems, metal powders, ancillaries and software
through to expert advice and support service.

For more information visit www.renishaw.com/additive

Renishaw Inc. 1001 Wesemann Drive, West Dundee, Illinois, 60118 United States
T +1 847 286 9953 F +1 847 286 9974 E usa @ renishaw.com
www.renishaw.com
CONTENTS
FEATURES
2 How Additive Manufacturing is
Changing the Aerospace Industry
As additive processes and materials have improved,
the velocity of adoption in the aerospace and defense
markets has visibly increased.
6 Design for Metal Additive Delivers
New Standards for Metal Parts
The race is on to design and certify 3D-printed metal
parts faster and to deliver improved part performance.
10 Improving the Surface Finish of
Additive Manufactured Parts
A new chemical immersion treatment could
revolutionize the aerospace industry.
14 Quality Control for Additive
Manufacturing Parts Using
Non-Destructive Testing
The challenge of producing AM parts without defects
can be approached using non-destructive methods such
as x-ray computed tomography and finite
element modeling.
18 Prepping for the 3D-Printed
Part Assault
Low-to-mid-volume production runs of automobile parts
are paving the way for additive manufacturing’s move
into high volume.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
TECH BRIEFS
22 Technique Enables 3D Printing of
Microstructures
22 3D Printing of Shape-Shifting
Smart Gel
23 3D Printing of All-Liquid 3D
Structures
24 Process Enables 3D Printing of
Nanoscale Metal Structures
24 Modified, 3D-Printable Alloy for
Flexible Electronics and Soft Robots
25 3D Printing Enables Bulk Creation of
Metallic Glass Alloys
26 Method 3D-Prints Marine-Grade
Stainless Steel
27 Ultra-High-Temperature Polymer
Additive Manufacturing
28 One-Step 3D Printing of Catalysts
28 3D-Printed Biomaterials Degrade on
Demand
29 High-Resolution, 3D Cell-Printing of
Living Tissues
APPLICATION BRIEFS
30 M
 ixing 3D Printing Technologies
Helps Optimize Products
31 3D-Printed Aircraft Parts
ON THE COVER
Metal 3D printing enables the production of complex
designs that cannot be produced using traditional
processes. Software for creating designs tuned to the
benefits of metal 3D printing delivers a comprehensive
set of tools to produce high-quality metal additive
parts in a streamlined workflow. Learn more about
designing for metal additive manufacturing in the
feature on page 6.
(Image courtesy of 3D Systems)
October 2018 1
 HOW ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING IS CHANGING
THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
A
dditive manufacturing was invented more than 30 years
ago and, from small beginnings in prototyping, has
developed and grown into a $6 billion industry. While
additive manufacturing for aerospace and defense has seen
slower adoption than some other industries, the velocity is now
visibly increasing. This has been enabled by the ongoing
development of additive technologies that apply more increasingly
to aerospace and defense — namely better plastics materials, faster
3D printing technologies, focused development of metals materials,
and resulting technologies and processes that are increasingly easier
to get qualified.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) has many advantages to
manufacturers of every type. As additive processes, materials and
technologies have improved, the reality of those advantages is
coming to the fore. They include:
• Design Freedom: AM opens new possibilities for every
manufacturing process. Traditional constraints such as irregular
profiles, internal structures and channels on the part, or draft angles
and undercuts, are no longer relevant when creating parts.
• Part Weight Reduction: Design for weight reduction by engineering
optimized shapes and adding lightweight internal structures where
appropriate is now becoming highly feasible. Good structural
analysis will indicate where materials can be removed without
compromising tensile strength and strength-to-weight ratios. On
occasion, strong plastics used in 3D printing can replace
conventional metal, providing another weight reduction advantage.
• Reduced Machining: AM can often eliminate machining traditionally
required to get a part or tool to the right dimensional tolerance.
2 October 2018
When the most demanding tolerances are required,
3D printed parts can still be machined to a fine finish.
• Reduced Assembly Processes: Design for AM allows
the consolidation of several parts in an assembly into
a single-build part, reducing assembly time, errors
and typically having a lighter-weight part that
doesn’t need glue, screws and fixings.
• On-Demand Production: Many times the need for a
short production run can kill a project, simply
because the costs are too high for small batches and
return on investment is thereby non-existent. 3D
printing is ideally suited for short production runs.
The digital file is always available, and the printing
can be done on an as-needed and ‘lights-out’ basis
at any time.
• Design Clarity with Rapid Prototyping: This original
use of AM remains highly relevant, enabling very
rapid production of prototypes, at lower costs, to
remove any ambiguity about form, fit and function at
an early stage.
To stay competitive, manufacturers must find ways
to stimulate the product development and production
process, and AM is starting to play a very big role in
agile manufacturing and improving product time-to-
market. This need is no different in aerospace and
defense.
One great example of that type of approach is the
invention of ‘microvanes’ by Metro Aerospace.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
Eschewing traditional manufacturing
processes, the Texas-based team turned
to 3D Systems On Demand Manu­
facturing Services to rapidly prototype,
qualify and then produce production
parts using additive manufacturing. The
microvanes are a drag-reduction and
performance-enhancement technology
recently commercialized by minority-
owned business Metro Aerospace.
Developed for the C-130/L-100 aircraft,
the microvanes are adhesively fastened
on both sides of an aircraft’s fuselage
and are designed to reduce drag by
reshaping airflow around the aft cargo
door, saving fuel at a rate of 25-30
gallons per hour.
In partnership with 3D Systems, the
company used Selective Laser Sintering
(SLS) with DuraForm® glass-filled nylon Metro Aerospace delivers uniquely-designed drag-reduction microvanes for cargo aircraft that
materials to first prototype, deliver first are 3D printed using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and DuraForm GF glass-filled nylon material,
article inspection reports for enabling a 4% fuel savings, and achieved regulatory requirements within a few months, saving time
qualification, and then deliver the and money.
production parts. The vanes are
delivered in sets of 20 and each vane is
slightly different in size and shape,
which, in traditional manufacturing
would have required 20 different sets of
tools. Instead, the 3D CAD data is
arranged into a virtual build space for
batch printing on the SLS platforms and
takes just a few hours. Post-processing
is minimal and after a 3D inspection
report, the kits are sent to the customer.

Developing Metal Additive

for A&D
Some additive machine vendors such
as EOS entered the aerospace market
roughly a decade ago with metal 3D
printing. Others, including 3D Systems
and GE, entered more recently. These
entries into the market have not just
validated the opportunity at hand but
have increased the velocity of adoption,
qualification and use. This year has seen
the announcement of ever-bigger laser
powder-bed metal AM machines from
GE, Arconic and 3D Systems, and that
won’t simply stop there. A growing
range of carefully focused metal
powder materials, known parameters
and monitoring devices inside the
platforms is also starting to accelerate
the qualification process. In due course
Design for additive software such as 3DXpert enables the completion of designs of metal parts that
are tuned for additive printing, including custom and optimized support structures, ‘lightweighting’
of parts to reduce weight and material cost, and build simulation to anticipate and avoid stresses on
the parts as they are built.
we will see more and more metal printed structural and non-structural parts in
aircraft.
The last 3-4 years has seen the space industry critically advancing qualification of
structural metal components using additive manufacturing processes to reduce
weight, reduce size, and maintain tensile strength of parts.
In 2016, Thales Alenia Space collaborated with 3D Systems to develop a new
antenna bracket for a geostationary telecommunications satellite. Using design for
additive manufacturing processes to combine several parts into one component,
and then software to topologically optimize the part, the titanium-printed part was

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT October 2018 3

HOW ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING IS CHANGING
THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
Developing structural parts that are optimized for minimum material use
and reduced weight while maintaining weight to strength ratios becomes
straightforward in additive processes, such as this satellite antenna bracket
developed with Thales Alenia.
reduced in weight by 25% while maintaining required tensile
strength. In addition, production costs have been considerably
reduced and production time reduced by more than 50%.
In November 2017, DLR Institute of Structures and Design advanced
its SMILE (SMall Innovative Launcher for Europe) project with the first
successful testing of a LOX/kerosene rocket engine using a metal 3D
printed injector. The project aims to design and produce a cost-effective
launch vehicle for the delivery of small satellites into Sun-Synchronous
Orbits (SSO). To achieve this, 3D Systems’ ProX DMP 320 metal 3D
printer was used to build the very complex injector head component,
which combined several parts into a compact single-build piece.
While adoption like this is slower in commercial aviation, the same
process has already begun to happen. However, due to higher
volumes and more stringent qualification requirements, this will take
some time to develop.
Developing Plastic Additive for A&D
Plastic additive is also growing in usage in the industry and,
although ideal for commercial aviation, adoption has been slower to
gain momentum. Over the next five years, we will see a big
expansion in interior cabin plastics as a key surge.  This is due to the
high demand for customization and the inherent limitations of using
injection molded parts (i.e., tooling costs, inventory, time to market,
design).  Major airlines and OEM’s are now getting into a position to
be able to develop industry-wide practices that enable the adoption
4 October 2018
of plastic AM and key vendors such as 3D Systems are
developing fire retardant materials for in-cabin parts.
Our FR1200 SLS material complies with U.S. Federal
Aviation Regulation 25.853 and falls within Airbus
Industries Test Method (AITM) guidelines for smoke
density and toxicity.
In 2017, Emirates Airlines and 3D Systems
collaborated to address supply chain delays for in-
cabin parts using 3D scanning to 3D printing to
replace parts faster and more efficiently. Using 3D
Systems scanning and engineering software and SLS
3D nylon printing, the first cabin part to be reproduced
was a video shroud. Now in-flight, the shroud can be
easily and quickly replaced, is 15% lighter than
alternative materials, is compliant to fire retardant
standards and can be produced within several hours.
The airline is looking to expand this work to reduce
time and cost of Aircraft On Ground.
Accelerating Qualification of Additive
Processes
3D Systems is also working closely with the
Department of Defense (DoD) to automate
qualification of metal 3D printing for the defense/
aerospace industries. Currently, according to the DoD,
qualification of new manufacturing processes and
materials can take anywhere between 5-15 years and
millions of dollars to complete. 3D Systems’ Defense
Research Team has been developing and
implementing in-process sensors, machine-learning,
and innovative software, with an aim of reducing that
qualification process time down to months.
This will save key resources and will also increase
the velocity of adoption for additive manufacturing,
especially metal, and we will see defense and aviation
not just ‘catch up’ to other industries, but take it to
new levels.
The Future
In addition to the progress being made with current
metal and plastic additive, new technologies coming
on line in the next couple of years will also address
another perceived barrier to additive manufacturing:
slow production. The Figure 4™ platform being made
available by 3D Systems in 2018 promises to address
much faster production of plastic parts with a highly-
scalable, tool-free environment. While it will not come
near to injection-molded throughput as yet, it
provides that ability to produce thousands of plastic
parts every day with lower cost of operation than the
alternatives.
This article was written by Bryan Newbrite,
Aerospace Applications Leader, Advanced Aerospace
Applications, 3D Systems (Rock Hill, SC). For more
information, visit http://info.hotims.com/69507-571.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
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Stereolithography / PolyJet / Selective Laser Sintering / Multi Jet Fusion / Direct Metal Laser Sintering ISO AS9100 Certified
 Design for
Metal Additive
Delivers New Standards
for Metal Parts
M
etal additive manufacturing is being embraced as a choice for
parts production across many fields — including aerospace,
automotive, healthcare, and other industries — promising fast,
leaner production of parts in a tool-free process.
However, the true value of metal additive manufacturing is not
delivered simply through copying traditionally made metal parts and
making them faster, but in leveraging design for additive to produce
parts that are superior in performance, weight, and functionality. Metal
3D printing enables the production of complex designs that simply
cannot be produced using traditional processes, and the race is now
on to find ways to design and certify parts faster, and deliver
increasingly improved part performance, weight reduction,
consolidation of assemblies, enhanced fluid flows, and improved mean
time between failures. And in this, experts and research engineers have
only scratched the surface of what’s possible.
Metal additive manufacturing technology has been consistently
improving during the more than two decades it has been available.
Metal parts are now so dense that they no longer need to be
Figure 1. Direct metal printing enabled the production of open-channel diameters
and feature sizes at 250 microns, with high-pressure and leak-tight exchanger
walls as thin as 200 micrometers.
6 October 2018
infiltrated with copper, and often do not need
additional heat treatments to meet tensile strength
requirements. Materials available now run the gamut
of steel alloys and nickel-based superalloys,
lightweight aluminum and titanium alloys, and more
exotic metal systems. These metals provide choices for
lighter parts, higher heat resistance, greater tensile
strength, reduced corrosion, and so on.
Also, the software driving design for additive is
getting more sophisticated. From 3DXpert by 3D
Systems and Magics by Materialise for overall metal
print preparation, to advanced software for
topological optimization and the adaptation of finite
element analysis (FEA) software, to fully test and
additive design from companies like Altair and ANSYS,
clever tools for creating designs tuned for the benefits
of additive are emerging. The addition of Cimatron
mold design software to define and design conformal
cooling channels in molds also takes metal additive
manufacturing to a new level.
What are the types of applications that benefit from
these sophisticated metal additive designs? They
include lightweighting of structural parts,
consolidation of assemblies, enhanced fluid and
coolant flow, improved functionality, and ‘impossible’
and custom geometries. Let’s look at a few.
Lighter-Weight Parts
As space exploration rapidly evolves, and as aircraft
manufacturers aim to deliver fuel efficiencies, the drive
is on to create significantly lighter-weight parts —
both structural and non-structural. In the case of UAVs
(unmanned aerial vehicles), plastic 3D-printed parts
using robust nylons in Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
can immediately deliver much lighter-weight parts
while retaining tensile strength, and boosting fuel
economies on the vehicles. For structural aircraft and
spacecraft components, lightweight aluminum and
titanium are increasingly being used.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
 Thales Alenia Space collaborates with 3D Systems
to deliver 3D-printed parts for its satellites. One
example of efforts to lightweight parts is the
production of antenna brackets for a geostationary
telecommunications satellite.
Thales Alenia Space worked with 3D Systems in
Leuven, Belgium, to topologically optimize the bracket
designs. Topological optimization determines the most
efficient material allocation to meet the exact
performance specifications of a part. It takes into
consideration the given space allowed, loads that need
to be handled, boundary conditions, and other critical
engineering factors.
Using Direct Metal Printing (DMP), the titanium
brackets produced are 25% lighter than brackets
manufactured by traditional means, and feature a
better stiffness-to-weight ratio. In addition, the
brackets now take about half the time to produce
compared to traditional processes, and are in orbit
today on the satellite.
Eradicating Assembly Processes
The University of Maryland’s Center for
Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE) worked with
3D Systems and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to
develop the next generation of miniaturized air-to-
refrigerant heat exchangers for HVAC and refrigeration
applications. The aim of the research was to increase
the efficiency of a 1-kW heat exchanger by 20% while
reducing weight and size. Using newly developed
automated design algorithms for unique tube and fin
shapes, the goal was to reach an optimal air-side
thermal resistance and minimize weight and size.
However, to achieve these designs, metal additive
manufacturing was a key part of the production
process, as traditional processes simply would not be
feasible.
According to Vikrant Aute, director of CEEE’s
Modeling and Optimization Consortium, “DMP allowed
us to manufacture highly unusual tube shapes in the
form of a hollow droplet to carry the refrigerant.
“With conventional manufacturing technologies,
assembly by brazing extremely thin tubes to a
manifold is a painstaking operation with very low
reliability when it comes to leakages under high-
pressure conditions,” he continued. “With DMP
technology, no assembly is required since the part is
produced in one continuous operation, no matter how
complex the parts or how delicate the features.”
As it turned out, the heat exchangers were
produced in a couple of weeks compared to the
months taken to produce the old designs using
manual assembly processes. CEEE also performed
extensive testing on the new heat exchanger design
using infrared cameras to verify that heat was
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
Figure 2. ProX® DMP 320 printers and K2M’s advanced methodologies called
Lamellar 3D Titantium Technology™ enable K2M to produce structures in its
CASCADIA™ Interbody Systems that provide both porosity and surface roughness
to allow for bone growth.
dispersed uniformly over the exchanger, and that all the narrow,
droplet-shaped exchanger channels were open and functioning fully
(Figure 1). Results showed that the DMP-manufactured heat
exchanger performed as expected.
Changing Medical Device Design and Production
K2M is a company that provides new technologies and devices for
treating spinal deformities. Adding 3D printing to its production
technologies has allowed the company to expand beyond deformity
treatment into the rapidly growing market for devices that treat spinal
degeneration using more minimally invasive procedures.
In partnership with 3D Systems’ Medical Device team in Denver,
CO, K2M has developed the FDA-cleared CASCADIA family of
interbody systems. CASCADIA products take advantage of 3D
Systems’ direct metal 3D printers and K2M’s advanced
methodologies, called Lamellar 3D Titanium Tech­nology™, to produce
implant structures that are impossible to manufacture using
traditional techniques (Figure 2).
The implants are created in titanium, with a revolutionary lattice
design allowing for both a porosity and an engineered surface
roughness that enable bone growth. Although the devices have the
strength of titanium, X-rays can be taken through them, giving
surgeons a better perspective on how an implant interacts with
surrounding body structures.
“Based on our experience with 3D printing, we believe that in the
future, 3D-printed, patient-specific spinal im­plants will be common
for not only complex cases, but degenerative cases, too,” said Sean
Reynolds, group project manager at K2M.
Conformal Cooling for Injection Molding
Part cooling during injection molding is the most time-consuming,
and yet most critical part of the process. Maintaining even
October 2018 7
Design for Metal Additive Delivers
New Standards for Metal Parts

temperatures during cycles is crucial, and if you

can reduce the time spent on part cooling, you can
increase production while achieving higher-quality
molded parts, with less scrap.
For generations, a variety of techniques have
been used to maintain even temperatures such as
bubblers, heat pipes, and complex drilling setups
using laminated blocks; however, these methods
are cumbersome, time-consuming, and can limit
the useful life of the mold. These conventional
methods always use straight-line cooling channels,
no matter what the part geometry.
Now, with metal additive manufacturing, there
is a new approach for creating injection molds
— conformal cooling molds that have curved
cooling channels that conform closely to part
geometry. Depending on the part, materials, and
manufacturing run, conformal cooling for an
injection mold can reduce cycle time anywhere
from 10% to 40%. The low-range gains are Figure 3. Conformal cooling channels are expertly designed within a mold using
possible with little to no engineering analysis; the Cimatron Mold Design software, and once printed using metal additive, can be
higher estimates reflect the use of flow analysis, quickly used in production.
computational fluid dynamics, and finite element
analysis. Cost analyses of using conformal molds and control water flow, such as triangular, teardrop, X-shape, and
estimate profit increases of between 27% and 55%, others. In testing, triangular channels cooled 16% more effectively than
with variations based on how much the cycle time is round shapes, and the long, flat surface of the design could be more
reduced. To achieve this, sophisticated software for easily oriented to parallel the mold surface. Because only 0.25" of tool
mold design is required. This comes in the form of steel was needed for the mold walls in the test mold — plus another
Cimatron Mold Design from 3D Systems, plus FEA inch for the cooling channels — Bastech, the company performing the
cooling analysis with Moldex3D. tests, built the internal mold structure from latticework, and was able
Cimatron delivers a wide variety of tools for accurate to remove 25% of the metal normally used. Build time on the 3D
conformal cooling design, along with a range of non- printer was 38 hours versus the 42 hours it would have taken using
traditional cross-section shapes to increase surface area traditional CNC programming and machining.

Defining Design for Metal

Additive
How 3D Printing Began, Layer Metal additive manufacturing
by Layer technology is improving in leaps and
In 1983, Chuck Hull worked for a small bounds. As metal 3D printers develop
California-based company that used greater accuracy, better materials, better
ultraviolet light to turn liquid polymers inert conditions, faster production, and
into hardened, or cured, coatings. On better output, that must be matched with
nights and weekends, Hull found a way new and improving software in order to
to make UV-curable materials the basis fully leverage the opportunity presented.
for his Stereolithography Apparatus, The combination of these elements
patented the following year. Thirty-two means that metal additive is now
years after inventing the 3D printer, Hull becoming a viable prospect for many
is Co-Founder, Executive Vice President, industries and applications, and we are
and Chief Technology Officer of 3D only just scratching the surface of
Systems. Learn how Hull views the possibility with this technology.
future of his invention in his This article was written by Ryan
conversation with Tech Briefs at Overdorff and Jared Blecher, Advanced
www.techbriefs.com/hull_Q&A R&D Engineers, at 3D Systems, Rock Hill,
SC. For more information, visit http://
info.hotims.com/69502-121.

8 October 2018 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT

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+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
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Improving the Surface Finish
of Additive Manufactured Parts
A new chemical immersion treatment could revolutionize
the aerospace industry
S
outh West Metal Finishing has
been working on an additive
manufacturing surface
treatment process for the last
three years and believes it could be the
future choice of aircraft manufacturers
around the world, such as the likes of
Safran, UTC Aerospace and Airbus.
Almbrite™ is a chemical immersion
process designed to modify and
enhance the surface of additive
manufactured (AM) parts by removing
Figure 1. Left top: AM part resolution at 500 microns. Left bottom: Treated part resolution at 500
microns. Middle: AM part without treatment. Right: AM part treated with new immersion process.
Cost against complexity
Cost
Complexity
machined
Figure 2. Improved performance
10 October 2018
foreign object debris whilst smoothing
and brightening the surface of a part, as
illustrated in Figure 1.
Aerospace and defense manufacturers
have been searching for a surface
treatment solution since additive
manufacturing started to be used. One of
the challenges regularly encountered is
the poor finish of AM components. They
are often rough or porous, with semi-
melted powder particles. That can
obviously affect the performance of the
almbrite
component, which is detrimental when
you’re making an aircraft.
AM uses various techniques to construct
a three-dimensional object including direct
energy deposition and powder bed fusion
processes. AM is a process in which a
component is built up in discreet layers by
using a high-energy heat source to fuse
powders. The processes are driven by data
from computer aided designs (CAD) which
are then sliced into individual layers. In
some cases, fine metal powders are
deposited on top of a build platform and
the energy beam is used to melt the shape
of the design. The build then proceeds with
a new layer of metal powder which is then
melted, such that the component is built up
in a layer by layer fashion.
This layer manufacturing approach
means that more complex parts can be
produced compared with traditional
processes. One of the benefits of AM
for manufacturers is that increased
complexity generally doesn’t have a
detrimental impact on the cost of the
process. Parts treated with the new
technology are more cost-effective than
machined parts as they can increase in
geometric complexity without
increasing the cost of build (Figure 2).
AM allows component designers to
have greater design freedom, knowing
that the end result will be more
representative of the final design than is
possible with traditional processes.
The use of AM is on the rise in every
sector, including medical and automotive,
because of the versatility of creating
bespoke designs, one-off prototypes, or
complex components that cannot be
machined. But without the correct finish,
these components may fail at the early
assessment stage in an industry that tests
and re-tests to the breaking point.
The aerospace and defense industry
has adopted AM, though it needed time
to collate data and carry out stringent
tests before it was confident the
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
 Figure 3. No geometric
constraints. Sheffield University’s
Formula 1 team optimised
rocker arms for their vehicle’s
suspension system, treated with
the new technology for optimum
performance.
components could withstand the
operating conditions they would be
subjected to. Everything had to be tried
and tested and then tested again. Now
the processes are considered safe
enough, they must make sure the finish
of these components fulfills the
necessary requirements.
The highly skilled team developing this
technology knows the testing, time and
effort it takes to achieve approval
certificates in aerospace and are fully
accredited with NADCAP, ISO 9100,
ISO9001 and ISO14001, holding approvals
for all the major UK tier one suppliers. AM
surface treatment is being taken to the
next level and many of the issues
currently facing those using additive
manufacturing in the aerospace industry
are being addressed. This innovative
surface treatment process greatly
improves the finish of components made
using additive manufacturing, by
chemically removing material from each
surface to achieve the final condition
required.
Research and development began on
the AM treatment project in 2014. It has
taken a long time to fully develop, but
there was significant demand for this
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
type of post processing. Large aerospace
manufacturers using additive
manufacturing presented the need for a
more refined and enhanced surface finish
on their AM parts. Both commercial and
technical challenges were overcome
before launching Almbrite™ as a
production capable finishing solution.
This is a fantastic opportunity for the
aerospace industry to really push the
quality and finish of AM parts being used
to build aircraft in the market today and
going forward.
So, how exactly does it work? The
surface treatment process essentially
refines the surface of the component by
chemically removing material from each
surface to achieve a surface roughness
of below 3.2 microns, whilst enhancing
edge and feature definition.
For reference, metal AM parts tend to
have an average roughness between 10 to
30 microns depending upon the AM
process used. This means that the
technology can reduce the roughness of
an AM part by up to 88%. It could also be
argued that the innovative surface
treatment could almost increase the
quality of AM aerospace components
ten-fold.
Almbrite™ can enhance surface quality
regardless of the complexity of a
component’s geometry (Figure 3). This
complements AM designed components,
which use either traditional or topology
optimized approaches, where
conventional treatments are unable or
too costly to be used.
An AM part’s topology describes the
way in which its geometrical properties
and measurements are interrelated and
arranged. As AM is increasingly adopted
by big players in the aerospace and
defense industry, the complementary and
innovative treatment similarly has the
potential to generate substantial interest
among top manufacturers.
Almbrite™ is a chemical immersion
process; the immersion bath used during
the treatment is changed, or refreshed,
depending on throughput. If many AM
parts need their surfaces treated in a
certain period to a high level of material
removal, the bath will need to be
replenished regularly. The level of material
removal during the ALM surface
treatment process is controlled using a
combination of process parameters. The
immersion times required during the
treatment process are the same
October 2018 11
Improving the Surface Finish
of Additive Manufactured Parts

regardless of component size; however they do vary depending upon materials. structures, as illustrated in Figure 4.
This technology is currently being used to finish components made of titanium This is hugely beneficial as manually
alloys whilst applications on polyether ether keytone (PEEK), a thermoplastic removing supports constrains the
polymer used widely in engineering, as well as aluminium alloys are in development. geometric freedom of the part,
The surface treatment process is also being looked at for application on nickel- restricting the design possibilities of
based alloys in the future. aerospace components.
Titanium and aluminium alloys are the primary metallics used for manufacturing in Further advantages include improving
the aerospace and defense industry currently. Aircrafts are also made up of a huge surface related material properties such
range of polymers; high performance polymer PEEK is highly valued in aerospace as fatigue strength (Figure 5) and fracture
manufacturing. Nickel-based alloys are primarily used in the engines and mechanical toughness, whilst offering a controlled,
systems of aircraft, and this is where the technology is branching out to in the future. cost efficient and repeatable treatment.
The material on which Almbrite™ is being used does impact the treatment’s The process can be used for any type of
chemical compositions, however, the process requires a chemical reaction to occur part, but a significant advantage is that it
when treating either Titanium or PEEK thermoplastic polymers, which removes the is also suitable for internal surfaces where
unwanted material from the component surface. a high-quality finish can be achieved. The
In metal additive manufacturing, support structures are used to help transfer heat surface treatment technology is currently
away from the part as new fused powder layers are added whilst helping to hold being used on hydraulic aerospace
the part’s shape as it forms. Until now, metal AM has lacked an efficient way to components such as pumps, gears, pipes
remove supports after the build is complete. In fact, supports have often been and filters whilst development of
removed with hand tools – e.g. hammer and chisel – which is a bit primitive application on more complex mechanical
considering the advanced technology involved in the aerospace industry. parts is underway. Additionally, the shiny,
However, the new surface treatment process dissolves supports used in the AM bright, aesthetically pleasing finish that is
process, removing the need to machine away or manually remove support produced means that it is being used on
interiors such as gear sticks and
dashboards. There is a broad scope of
diverse applications in the future of AM
surface treatment.
The application possibilities of this
innovative surface treatment technology
are endless. With high-level skill and
precision engineering experience, AM is
now being used to produce a vast range of
components. These are usually small scale,
mechanical parts due to the stage at
which AM is at in its technological
development. Aerospace manufacturers
are looking at building larger structural
Figure 4. Support structure removal aircraft parts with AM such as stringers or
wing sections as the capabilities expand.
It’s key that AM can replace manufacturing
Max Stress against Cycles to failure [Ti6AI4V] Machined processes for components that are
1.6Ra [almbrite] already in use, to speed up production
3.2Ra [almbrite] time and optimize performance without
Support [almbrite] having to redesign the parts. Whilst AM
As built took its time to be adopted by the
Max Stress

aerospace industry due to the strenuous

testing involved, Almbrite™ is already
being rapidly accepted by aerospace and
defense manufacturers.
This article was written by James
Bradbury, Lead Researcher, South West
Cycles Metal Finishing (Exeter, UK). For more
information, visit http://info.hotims.
Figure 5. Max stress tested against cycles to failure comparing machined parts and treated parts’ com/65858-503
performance.

12 October 2018 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT

 Quality Control for Additive
Manufacturing Parts
Using Non-Destructive Testing

A
dditive Manufacturing (AM) is growing in
importance as a fabrication process for the
space industry, enabling weight and cost
savings through optimized designs for
components. The use of AM gives aerospace
engineers an alternative to more traditional
manufacturing processes, but also retains the
challenge of producing parts without defects. These
problems can be approached using non-destructive
methods such as X-ray Computed Tomography (CT)
and Finite Element Modelling (FEM) to inspect
geometries and quantify the impact of defects on
the mechanical properties of a part, taking into
account factors such as internal stress from metal
cooling during fabrication.
Researchers at ELEMCA and CNES have found success with this
method by focusing on the quality control of an aluminium AM
part for space applications. This study is part of a larger project,
ALMIA (Additive Layer Manufacturing for Industrial Application)[1],
led by SOGECLAIR Aerospace with CNES, FUSIA, RATIER-FIGEAC
and ICA. The project aims to define and validate a new AM process
for space applications. In this particular study, a single part
intended for the TARANIS satellite, and made from the aluminium
alloy, AS7G06, reduces weight by 16% and integrates eleven
functional parts into one.
X-ray CT was used to identify the location of porosities in the
material, and to generate Finite Element (FE) models in
Simpleware software (Synopsys, Mountain View, CA) for
simulation of actual part response, including design optimization
and fabrication validation. A random vibration model was
considered, and comparison made between the results from a
theoretical geometry and the manufactured component. The goal
was to confirm the quality of the AM process, and to test a new
method of validating CT scanned parts. Simulations using these
models represent the actual part behavior in real conditions,

Axis Frequency (Hz) PSD acceleration (g2/Hz) Level (g, RMS) Time (min)

20 0.0402
100 0.2
150 0.2
X, Y 7.50 3
299.7 0.04
500 0.04
2000 0.0025

20 0.0176
150 0.5
Z 15.20 3
300 0.5
2000 0.0114

Table 1. Random vibration input [©SOGECLAIR]

Gravity center (mm)

Mass (t) x y z

SAS (M1) 107 E-6 -0.050 0.341 145.588

Connectors
87 E-6 -4.031 53.092 71.409
(M2)
Figure 1. SOGECLAIR CAD Model
Table 2. Point Masses [©SOGECLAIR]

14 October 2018 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT

enabling analysis of the effect of each defect, and
comparison to the theoretical simulations carried
out using an idealized Computer-aided Design
(CAD) model.

Methodology
SOGECLAIR carried out simulations from a CAD
(Figure 1) model to validate the design evolution of
the part, in particular the result from topological
optimization. The model considers random vibrations
in the X, Y and Z directions (Table 1), with the critical
axis chosen for the real test, and vibration tests
performed in this direction on the real part to adjust
the model. In this case, the FE model is based on the
CAD design, rather than the X-ray CT dataset. In the
simulations, the part is considered to be fixed to the
base, and two point masses represent the SAS
equipment and connectors (Table 2); the complete
model includes titanium screws and permaglass rings,
containing about 800,000 elements. Simulation
results showed that the dimensioning axis is X,
and the higher stresses were found when
applying a vibration across the X axis.
The value of maximum stress obtained
by the modelling on CAD data was
compared to the results from modelling
the actual data obtained from CT scanning.

CT Reconstruction & Simulation

X-ray tomography was conducted on a V Tome X
system, developed by General Electric (Phoenix), with
a copper filter placed just after the X-ray source to
reduce the reconstruction artifacts and increase the
power of the scan[3]. The volume and internal features
were visualised for inspection, and did not show any
voids, cracks, inclusions, or other material health
defects larger than the resolution of the voxels; this
proved that the manufacturing process for the part is
well-controlled.
Simpleware software was used to process the
image data and to generate a computer model for
simulation. Image-based meshing algorithms in the
software generate Finite Element (FE) meshes for
topologies of arbitrary complexity, offering
advantages over traditional CAD models by
representing ‘as-manufactured geometries’ that
capture slight deviations from AM designs. With
these techniques, the accuracy of the meshes is only
limited by the quality of the image acquisition and
segmentation, whereby automatic and semi-
automatic tools are used to capture regions of
interest within the image data. The mesh generation
algorithms ensure that multi-part models have
perfectly conforming interfaces without gaps or
overlaps[2].
Figure 2. Image-based Segmentation
To obtain the FE models, Simpleware ScanIP was used to
segment the main body of the component from the image space.
Threshold-based segmentation was used to create a mask of the
structure, before the mask geometry was refined by disconnecting
all regions of the mask from the main body. Manual segmentation
techniques such as painting and threshold-assisted painting were
used to ensure accurate segmentation of important details such
as the screw holes, and to reduce the influence of metal artifacts.
Light Recursive Gaussian-based smoothing was applied to the
segmented geometry to increase the surface smoothness prior to
meshing (Figure 2).
The Simpleware FE Module was used to automatically produce a
coarse mesh while maintaining the detail of features of interest. A mesh
refinement region was applied to the top part of the structure (in
relation to the orientation shown in Figure 2), and node sets added to
the screw hole regions to fix the component for later simulations. The
mesh, which contained approximately 450,000 elements, was exported

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT October 2018 15

Quality Control for Additive Manufacturing Parts
Using Non-Destructive Testing
Figure 3. Mesh Imported into ANSYS Workbench
in a native ANSYS (Canonburg, PA) format for simulation
in ANSYS Workbench 17.1 (Figure 3).
For convenience, the titanium screws and
permaglass rings were not included, as the loads were
applied directly on the mesh rather than a CAD model,
with the goal of limiting the work of the simulation
software. Instead, node sets were generated within
Simpleware ScanIP, to which appropriate boundary
conditions were assigned in ANSYS Workbench. These
included a fixed support at the base (yellow nodes),
point mass for SAS (blue nodes), and point mass for
connectors (cyan nodes), as shown in Figure 3. Von
Mises stress was computed across the three directions,
and then compared to the theoretical values (Table 3).
Discussion
This study primarily aimed to validate the additive
manufacturing process. The results from the X-ray CT
scan showed that the part was free of defects, with
good material health and uniform part density: this
demonstrated a good level of control in the new
manufacturing process. The part itself, which is a flight
model, has succeeded in every quality test. The second
goal of the study was to proceed to simulation from
CT data, and was achieved by generating a high-quality
mesh suitable for representing the real component.
16 October 2018
Figure 4. Von Mises stress – random solicitation
VM max (MPa)
Random solicitation
CAD [©SOGECLAIR] CT model
axis
X 17.66 12.2
Y 13.66 7.11
Z 4.53 1.98
Table 3. Comparison of Von Mises stress between CAD and CT model
There were some differences between the CAD and CT models, as
there will always be some deviation between design and realization; this
is why the characterization was important for better understanding of
how this deviation affects the real behavior of the part. However, there
are other factors that can affect simulation results, including CT artifacts.
The exclusion of the screws and rings within the image-based models
was also affected by this decision, and might need further work.
A broader aim for this study was to contribute to a global project
to validate AM parts for the space industry. It is possible to run
simulations from CT data and find good agreement with CAD model
simulations. One goal of future work will be to evaluate the impact of
the X-ray tomography artifacts, and to refine the CT model to even
more closely represent the as-manufactured part.
This article was written by Julien Uzanu, R&D Engineer, and Jérémie
Dhennin, CEO, ELEMCA (Labège, France); Matthew Nixon, Application
Engineer, and David Harman, Simpleware Technical Sales Manager,
SYNOPSYS (Exeter, UK); and Jean-Michel Desmarres, Material Expert,
CNES (Toulouse, France). For more information, visit http://info.
hotims.com/65858-505.
References
[1] Dr. Oliver Brunke, Introduction to X-ray Computed Tomography, PHOENIX|X-RAY,
p18, 2007.
[2] Young, et al. An efficient approach to converting 3D image data into highly accurate
computational models, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 366,
3155-3173, 2008.
[3] ASTM E1441-11, Standard Guide for Computed Tomography (CT) Imaging, ASTM
international, 2011.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
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Prepping for the
3D-PRINTED PART ASSAULT

A proof-of-concept front-end structure created using

3D printing is shown in the VW Caddy. The prototype
was done in collaboration by a group of companies.

T Low-to-mid-volume production
he use cases for three-dimensional printed automobile
parts are plentiful, but significant production
applications of the additive manufacturing process have
been almost non-existent in automotive—until now.
Multiple European OEMs are preparing to produce select
interior and exterior components via additive manufacturing in
2018. These low-to mid-volume runs will represent a milestone
for constructing a part directly from 3D CAD data with each
part being built up layer by layer from powders. “A production
vehicle application is maybe a small thing for the auto industry,
but it’s a breakthrough for additive manufacturing,” said Fabian
Krauss, Business Development Manager for Electro Optical
Systems (EOS) GmbH, an additive manufacturing equipment
and solution provider. Krauss and other officials spoke with
Automotive Engineering during a recent advanced
manufacturing seminar hosted by EOS in Novi, Michigan.
Using 3D printed parts for a production vehicle application
means meeting rigorous requirements.“To produce spare
parts, you don’t need a full qualification. For [assembly floor]
runs are paving the way for
additive manufacturing’s move
into high volume.
by Kami Buchholz
on a commercially sold vehicle, you need a full qualification.
And that means the additive manufactured parts [coming in
2018] passed the qualification. That’s a major breakthrough.”
He noted that the aerospace industry took seven years to pass
qualification with 3D-printed/additive manufactured parts.
Achieving qualification requires thousands of test coupons. The
coupons undergo a series of evaluations, including being torn
apart, fatigue checked, and precisely measured.
“A quality engineer needs to sign-off that an additive
produced part has the same properties, or better properties,
when compared to a conventionally manufactured part. There
EOS

aids, you don’t need a qualification,” Krauss said. “But to be are no quality shortcuts,” Krauss explained.

18 October 2018 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT

 One prominent early use of 3D printed parts on vehicles is
motorsports. Krauss points out that select additive manufactured
parts, made from carbon-filled polyamide, were used on race
cars competing in the 2017 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
(DTM) touring car series. In 2016, the Williams Martini Racing
Formula 1 Team used EOS technology to produce plastic air-
deflecting parts on the front wing’s exterior.
“If you can perform in racing, which puts a high stress on
components, then those components can often manage the stress
associated with driving a mass-produced vehicle,” Krauss said.
Close-up view shows AlSi10Mg alloy aluminum
powder used for additive manufacturing.
Proof through prototyping
Producing one-off components or small batches of parts has
been a hallmark of 3D printing. The manufacturing technique This full-size prototype vehicle front-end was produced
can provide a solid 3D model of virtually any geometric shape. by an additive manufacturing process at Synergeering.
The prototype was tested in a wind tunnel.
For automakers and suppliers, the ability to produce large parts
quickly can be a major assist during product development. A
quick turn-around timetable is especially relevant for
investigating a new design’s potential, explained Lindsay Lewis,
Account Manager for Synergeering Group LLC, a prototyping
services company. “In just a week we can build a large part,
such as a front fascia with all the needed brackets and
underbody pieces,” said Lewis. When attached to a vehicle
body, a full-size front fascia prototype is ready for wind tunnel
testing. That’s especially relevant for a new vehicle model or a
mid-cycle vehicle refresh. And by using an automaker’s CAD
data, additional design iterations can be produced.
“We’ve seen customers evaluate multiple front fascia designs
to determine which particular design has the preferred
aerodynamic performance,” she said. Requests for fascias,
engine components, and other functional prototype parts have
become more commonplace since the Synergeering Group’s
beginnings in 2001. The firm’s RapidNylon process uses a glass-
filled nylon blend that mimics the material used in injection
molding operations. And the company’s novel post-processing
TOP TO BOTTOM GKN SINTER METALS; SYNERGEERING GROUP; GKN SINTER METALS

method elicits airtight parts that are impervious to oils,

coolants, petroleum, brake and other fluids.
CAD data can also be used to add threaded inserts,
compression limiters, self-tapping screws, and other
elements after an under-hood prototype part is built.
“Engineers use functional prototypes to prove out their
designs and make any necessary changes before cutting a The diagram shows a Selective Laser Melting (SLM) additive
production tool,” Lewis said. A team of companies manufacturing process.
headquartered in Germany and the U.S. recently employed
industrial 3D printing to create a light vehicle front-end
concept structure, using an early Volkswagen Caddy pickup Engineers and technical specialists from the six companies
as a platform. Engineers and technical specialists from handled all development steps from design, simulation,
Altair, Airbus Apworks GmbH, csi entwicklungstechnik, EOS optimization and manufacturing to post production.
GmbH, GERG, and Heraeus went from design to a finished
front-end module in nine months. Unveiled in 2017, the
Caddy front-end includes parts that are load-bearing
Optimizing for production
structures. Other elements include a channeled airflow to The ability to construct a highly complex shape is one of additive
cool the batteries and brake systems as well as integrated manufacturing’s drawing cards. Tony Norton, Altair
functions relating to heat management, passive safety, and ProductDesign’s Executive Vice President of the Americas, said
fluid storage. additive manufacturing is well-suited for making lightweight

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT October 2018 19

Prepping for the
3D PRINTED-PART ASSAULT
Close-up view of the Monash University Formula SAE
racecar’s brake disc and the 3D printed titanium suspension
upright created using Altair tools.
A P 760 laser
sintering
printer used
to produce
various
industrial
parts,
including
elements
of the front
wing of the
2016 Williams
Formula One
car.
parts. “But if you are just going to substitute additive
manufacturing for a subtractive/traditional manufacturing
process, you have just really lost the opportunity to take
advantage of the technology,” Norton said. Since the 1990s,
Altair’s suite of topology optimization software tools have been
used by automotive engineers to design lightweight components
produced by traditional manufacturing methods. “Through
topology optimization, an engineer can create very organic-like
structures. But when you blend topology optimization with
additive manufacturing, an engineer can create a very lightweight
part that can withstand the loads and fit within the available
packaging space,” said Norton. For additive manufacturing to
become a series production staple, the automotive industry will
need to become more knowledgeable about the production
process, according to Scott Volk, Director of Additive
Technologies & Innovation at Incodema3D, a contract
manufacturer specializing in additive manufacturing.
20 October 2018
A complex
sieving
component
produced by
an additive
manufacturing
process.
“The North American auto industry needs to gain
confidence in all aspects of additive manufacturing before it
will be considered for series production,” Volk said. It also
would take a major cultural change in the global automotive
industry as injection molding, CNC machining, and other
traditional manufacturing processes have been the status
quo for decades. The aerospace industry has produced
various non-critical parts via 3D printing technology, but
large-scale production of major components is likely another
one to two years from reality.
“Right now, the aerospace and medical industries are
bearing the burden of investing in the knowledge that’s
needed in order to embrace 3D printing technology,” Volk
said. Altair’s Norton agrees that the automotive industry is
not at the forefront of using additive manufacturing for
production parts. “The aerospace industry has been more
engaged with additive manufacturing in large part because
the volumes are lower,” said Norton, “However, we do see
movement in the automotive industry to apply additive
manufacturing to tooling.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: MONASH MOTORSPORT; INCODEMA3D; EOS
Connecting for the future
Additive manufacturing is a centerpiece of GKN Group’s pilot
production plants. In a broad sense, these plants will follow
the Industry 4.0 approach to manufacturing with a focus on
automation and data exchange to elicit a ‘smart’ factory.
“Additive manufacturing lends itself well to the concept of
digital manufacturing and Industry 4.0,” said Josh Norman,
GKN Sinter Metals’ Global Product Center Manager for
Additive Manufacturing North America.
Initial pilot plant locations include Bonn, Germany and Filton,
England. A U.S. plant with an Industry 4.0 layout concept is
planned, but a site hasn’t been announced publicly.
“Large-scale additive manufacturing isn’t a reality yet. But
that will shift as the additive process becomes faster and as
the automotive industry embraces the unique design
capabilities the technology offers,” Norman said.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
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TECH BRIEFS
Technique Enables 3D Printing of Microstructures
Two-photon lithography produces nanoscale 3D microstructures.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California
T wo-photon lithography (TPL), a
high-resolution 3D printing
technique, is capable of producing
nano­scale features smaller than 1/100
the width of a human hair. The
technique could enable X-ray computed
tomography (CT) to analyze stress or
defects noninvasively in embedded
3D-printed medical devices or implants.
Two-photon lithography typically
re­quires a thin glass slide, a lens, and an
immersion oil to help the laser light focus
to a fine point where curing and printing
occurs. It differs from other 3D printing
The TPL technique can print woodpile lattices
with submicron features a fraction of the
width of a human hair. (Jacob Long and Adam
Connell/LLNL)
3D Printing of Shape-Shifting Smart Gel
3D printing becomes 4D as objects morph over time and when temperatures change.
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
A “4D printing” method was
developed for a smart gel that
could lead to the development of living
structures in human organs and tissues,
soft robots, and targeted drug delivery.
The approach involves printing a 3D
object with a hydrogel (water-
containing gel) that changes shape
over time when temperatures change.
The hydrogels remain solid and retain
their shape, despite containing water.
The smart gel could provide structural
rigidity in organs such as the lungs, and
can contain small molecules like water
or drugs to be transported in the body
22 October 2018
methods in resolution because it can
produce features smaller than the laser
light spot, a scale no other printing
process can match. The technique
bypasses the usual diffraction limit of
other methods because the photoresist
material that cures and hardens to create
structures — previously a trade secret —
simultaneously absorbs two photons
instead of one.
The technique requires resist materials
optimized for two-photon lithography,
and forming 3D microstructures with
features less than 150 nanometers.
Previous techniques built structures from
the ground up, limiting the height of
objects because the distance between
the glass slide and lens is usually 200
microns or less. By putting the resist
material directly on the lens and focusing
the laser through the resist, objects
multiple millimeters in height can be
printed. By tuning and increasing the
amount of X-rays the photopolymer
resists were able to absorb, attenuation
was improved by more than 10 times over
A tiny chess king was 3D-printed with a
temperature-responsive hydrogel in cold
water. It contains 73 percent water, but remains
solid. (Daehoon Han/Rutgers University–New
Brunswick)
the photoresists commonly used for the
technique.
Because the laser light refracts as it
passes through the photoresist material,
the linchpin to solving the puzzle was
“index matching” — discovering how to
match the refractive index of the resist
material to the immersion medium of
the lens so the laser could pass through
unimpeded. Index matching opens the
possibility of printing larger parts with
features as small as 100 nanometers.
By tuning the material’s X-ray
absorption, X-ray computed tomography
can be used as a diagnostic tool to image
the inside of parts without cutting them
open, or to investigate 3D-printed objects
embedded inside the body, such as
stents, joint replacements, or bone
scaffolds. These techniques also could be
used for optical and mechanical
metamaterials, and 3D-printed
electrochemical batteries.
For more information, contact
Jeremy Thomas at 925-422-5539;
thomas244@llnl.gov.
and released. It could also create a new
area of soft robotics, and enable new
applications in flexible sensors and
actuators, biomedical devices, and
platforms or scaffolds for cells to grow.
The hydrogel has been used for
decades in devices that generate motion,
and in biomedical scaffolds; however,
hydrogel manufacturing has relied heavily
on conventional, two-dimensional
methods such as molding and
lithography.
The new method uses a lithography-
based technique that is fast, inexpensive,
and can print a wide range of materials
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
into a 3D shape. It involves printing layers
of a special resin to build a 3D object. The
resin consists of the hydrogel, a chemical
that acts as a binder, another chemical
that facilitates bonding when light hits it,
and a dye that controls light penetration.
In temperatures below 32 °C (about
90 °F), the hydrogel absorbs more
3D Printing of All-Liquid 3D Structures
The reconfigurable material could be used to construct liquid electronics that power flexible,
stretchable devices.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California
A method was developed for printing
3D structures composed entirely of
liquids. Using a modified 3D printer,
threads of water were injected into
silicone oil, sculpting tubes made of one
liquid within another liquid. Threads of
water between 10 microns and 1
millimeter in diameter were printed, as
well as a variety of spiraling and
branching shapes up to several meters in
length. What’s more, the material can
conform to its surroundings and
repeatedly change shape.
The material owes its origins to two
advances: learning how to create liquid
tubes inside another liquid, and then
Water flow
Oil
These schematics show the printing of water in oil using a nanoparticle supersoap. Gold nanoparticles in the at dakrotz@lbl.gov;
water combine with polymer ligands in the oil to form an elastic film (nanoparticle supersoap) at the interface, 510-486-4019.
locking the structure in place. (Berkeley Lab)
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
water and swells in size. When
temperatures exceed 32 °C, the
hydrogel begins to expel water and
shrinks. The objects that can be created
with the hydrogel range from the width
of a human hair to several millimeters
long. One area of a 3D-printed object
can be grown — creating and
automating the process. First, a method
was developed to sheathe tubes of
water in a special nanoparticle-derived
surfactant that locks the water in place.
The surfactant, called a supersoap,
prevents the tubes from breaking up
into droplets. The supersoap was
achieved by dispersing gold
nanoparticles into water and polymer
ligands into oil. The gold nanoparticles
and polymer ligands want to attach to
each other, but they also want to
remain in their respective water and oil
mediums.
In practice, soon after the water is
injected into the oil, dozens of ligands
Nanoparticle
Supersoap Layer
programming motion —
by changing temperatures.
Watch a video demo of the method
on Tech Briefs TV at www.techbriefs.
com/tv/smart_gel. For more
information, contact Todd B. Bates
at todd.bates@rutgers.edu;
848-932-0550.
in the oil attach to individual
nanoparticles in the water, forming a
nanoparticle supersoap. These
supersoaps jam to­gether and vitrify, like
glass, which stabilizes the interface
between oil and water and locks the
liquid structures in position. This
stability means that the water can be
stretched into a tube, and it remains a
tube. The water also can be shaped into
an ellipsoid, and it remains an ellipsoid.
An off-the-shelf 3D printer was
modified by removing the components
de­signed to print plastic, and replacing
them with a syringe pump and needle
that extrudes liquid. The printer was
programmed to insert the
needle into the oil substrate
and inject water in a
predetermined pattern. Liquid
can be squeezed from a needle,
and threads of water can be
placed anywhere in three
dimensions. The material also
can be “pinged” with an
external force that momentarily
breaks the supersoap’s stability,
and changes the shape of the
water threads.
Watch a video demo of the
method on Tech Briefs TV
at www.techbriefs.com/tv/
liquid_structures. For more
information, contact Dan Krotz
October 2018 23
TECH BRIEFS
Process Enables 3D Printing of Nanoscale Metal Structures
The process could be used to build tiny medical implants, 3D logic circuits on computer chips,
and ultra-lightweight aircraft components.
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
I n 3D printing — also known as additive
manufacturing — an object is built
layer-by-layer, allowing for the creation of
structures that would be impossible to
manufacture by conventional subtractive
methods such as etching or milling.
Metals have been difficult to print,
especially when trying to create
structures with dimensions smaller than
about 50 microns, or about half the
width of a human hair. A new process
creates complex nanoscale metal
structures using 3D printing.
The way 3D printing works at the
nanoscale is that a high-precision laser
zaps the liquid in specific locations of the
material with just two photons, or
particles of light. This provides enough
energy to harden liquid polymers into
solids, but not enough to fuse metal.
Metals don’t respond to light in the same
way as the polymer resins used to
manufacture structures at the nanoscale.
There is a chemical reaction that is
triggered when light interacts with a
polymer that enables it to harden and
form into a particular shape. In a metal,
this process is fundamentally impossible.
In the new process, organic ligands
— molecules that bond to metal — are
used to create a resin containing mostly
polymer, but that carries along with it
metal that can be printed, like a scaffold.
Modified, 3D-Printable Alloy for Flexible Electronics and Soft Robots
The physical structure of liquid metal is altered by incorporating a conductive nano- or
micro-nickel filler.
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
L iquid metal printing is integral to the
flexible electronics field. Additive
manufacturing enables fast fabrication
of intricate designs and circuitry. The
field features a range of products
including electrically conductive
textiles; bendable displays; sensors for
24 October 2018
In experiments, nickel and organic
molecules were bonded together to
create a liquid that looks like cough
syrup. A structure was designed using
computer software, and then was built
by zapping the liquid with a two-photon
laser. The laser creates stronger chemical
bonds between the organic molecules,
hardening them into building blocks for
the structure. Since those molecules are
also bonded to the nickel atoms, the
nickel becomes incorporated into the
structure. In this way, a 3D structure was
printed that was initially a blend of metal
ions and nonmetal, organic molecules.
The structure was then placed into an
oven that slowly heated it to 1000 ˚C
(around 1800 ˚F) in a vacuum chamber.
That temperature is well below the
melting point of nickel (1455 ˚C or
about 2650 ˚F), but is hot enough to
vaporize the organic materials in the
structure, leaving only the metal. The
heating process, known as pyrolysis,
also fused the metal particles together.
In addition, because the process
vaporized a significant amount of the
structure’s material, its dimensions
shrank by 80 percent, but it maintained
its shape and proportions.
The structure includes some voids left
behind by the vaporized organic
materials as well as some minor
torque, pressure, and other types of
strain; wearable sensor suits, such as
those used in the development of video
games; antennae; and biomedical
sensors. Soft robots, flexible computer
screens, and other stretchable
electronic devices also can be created.
A lattice of 3D printed nickel. The entire
structure is printed in 150-nanometer layers,
and the final structure is six microns high.
(Greer Lab)
impurities. Also, if the technique is to be
of use to industry, it will need to be scaled
up to produce much more material.
Although they started with nickel, the
researchers are interested in expanding to
other metals that are commonly used in
industry, but are challenging or
impossible to fabricate in small 3D
shapes, such as tungsten and titanium.
The researchers are also looking to use
this process to 3D-print other materials,
both common and exotic, such as
ceramics, semiconductors, and
piezoelectric materials.
For more information, contact
Robert Perkins at 626-395-1862;
rperkins@caltech.edu.
Additive manufacturing (3D printing)
of tall, complicated structures can be
accomplished with a highly conductive
gallium alloy. Nickel nanoparticles were
added into the liquid metal (galinstan) to
thicken it into a paste with a consistency
suitable for additive manufacturing. The
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
runny alloy was impossible to layer into (a) 20 mm (b)
tall structures, but with a paste-like
texture, it can be layered while
maintaining its capacity to flow and to
stretch inside rubber tubes.
Gallium alloys are already being used

10 mm
as the conductive material in flexible

7 mm
electronics. The alloys have low toxicity
and good conductivity, plus they are

20
inexpensive and “self-healing” — able

mm
to attach back together at break points.
Prior to this new modification that uses
mm
sonication — the energy of sound — to 20
mix the nickel particles and the oxidized
gallium into the liquid metal, the alloys’
20 mm
printability was restricted to two- (c) (d)
dimensional. Struc­tures up to 10
millimeters high and 20 millimeters
wide were printed using this method.
The gallium alloy paste demonstrates
several features new to the field of

7 mm
flexible electronics; namely, it can be
made easily and quickly. Also, the
structural change is permanent, the
electrical properties of the paste are

7 mm
comparable to pure liquid metal, and the
paste retains self-healing characteristics.
For more information, contact Steve 20 mm
Lun­deberg at steve.lundeberg@
oregonstate.edu; 541-737-4039. Galinstan 3D prints

3D Printing Enables Bulk Creation of Metallic Glass Alloys

These metallic glasses can be used in electric motors, wear-resistant and high-strength
materials, and lightweight structures.
North Carolina State University, Raleigh

R esearchers have demonstrated the

ability to create amorphous metal
(metallic glass) alloys on large scales
using 3D printing technology. Metallic
glasses lack the crystalline structures of
most metals, so the amorphous structure
results in exceptionally desirable
properties.
Unfortunately, making metallic
glass requires rapid cooling to
prevent the crystalline structure from
forming. Historically, that meant
metallic glasses could only be cast
into small thicknesses; for example, The cylinder shown here is an amorphous iron alloy, or metallic glass, made using an additive
amorphous iron alloys could be cast manufacturing technique. (Photo: Zaynab Mahbooba)

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT October 2018 25

TECH BRIEFS

no more than a few millimeters thick.
That size limitation is called an alloy’s
critical casting thickness. Using
additive manufacturing, or 3D
printing, enabled production of an
amorphous iron alloy on a scale 15
times larger than its critical casting
thickness.
The technique works by applying a
laser to a layer of metal powder,
melting the powder into a solid layer
that is only 20 microns thick. The “build
platform” then descends 20 microns,
more powder is spread onto the
surface, and the process repeats itself.
Because the alloy is formed a layer at a
time, it cools quickly, retaining its
amorphous qualities. The end result is a
solid, metallic glass object — not an
object made of laminated, discrete
layers of the alloy.
For more information, contact Matt
Shipman at matt_shipman@ncsu.edu;
919-515-6386.

Method 3D-Prints Marine-Grade Stainless Steel

This stainless steel is used for welding, medical implants, engine parts, and oil pipelines.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California

M arine-grade stainless steel is valued for

its performance under corrosive
environments, and for its high ductility —
the ability to bend without breaking under
stress. But conventional techniques for
strengthening this class of stainless steels
typically come at the expense of ductility. A
method of 3D printing one of the most
common forms of marine grade stainless
steel — a low-carbon type called 316L —
promises an unparalleled combination of
high-strength and high-ductility properties
for the ubiquitous alloy.
Components were 3D-printed with
316L stainless steel, and the material’s
performance was better than those
made with the traditional approach.
The methodology could lead to
widespread 3D printing of such
stainless steel components, particularly
in the aerospace, automotive, and oil
and gas industries, where strong and
tough materials are needed to tolerate
extreme force in harsh environments.
To successfully meet and exceed
the necessary performance
requirements for 316L stainless steel,
researchers first had to overcome a
major bottleneck limiting the
potential for 3D printing high-quality
metals: the porosity caused during
the laser melting (or fusion) of metal
powders that can cause parts to
degrade and fracture easily.
Researchers addressed this through a
density optimization process involving
experiments and computer modeling,
and by manipulating the materials’ The ability to 3D-print marine-grade, low-carbon stainless steel (316L) could have implications for
underlying micro­structure. industries such as aerospace, automotive, and oil and gas.

26 October 2018 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT

 Using two different laser powder
bed fusion machines, researchers
printed thin plates of stainless steel
316L for mechanical testing. The
laser melting technique inherently
resulted in hierarchical cell-like
structures that could be tuned to
alter the mechanical properties.
When 316L is additively
manufactured, it creates a grain
structure that resembles a stained-
glass window. The grains are not
very small, but the cellular
structures and other defects inside
Ultra-High-Temperature Polymer Additive Manufacturing
Parts have potential use in engine components, and on the leading and tail edges of fighter jets.
Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
P olymer matrix composites are ex­
tremely attractive to researchers
working on next-generation applications
due to their lightweight properties and
ability to withstand extreme conditions
in high-temperature environments. Typ­
ically, polymer composites consist of a
fiber, such as glass, embedded in a
matrix or resin made of epoxy or other
material. The embedded fibers reinforce
the matrix, making the resulting material
stronger.
During a polymer additive
manufacturing technique called laser
sintering, a high-temperature laser is run
across a bed of polymer powder to form
a pre-designed, computer-generated
shape. This process is repeated multiple
times with new layers of powder and
laser energy until a 3D part is complete.
In conjunction with NASA’s Glenn
Research Center and the University of
Louisville, researchers successfully
printed the highest-temperature-
capable, reinforced polymer composite
parts using additive manufacturing.
Consist­ing of a high-temperature
thermoset resin infused with carbon
fiber filaments, this material produces
3D-printed parts that can withstand
temperatures greater than 300 °C,
making them potentially useful for
turbine engine replacement parts, or in
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
the grains that are commonly seen
in welding control the properties.
Deformation of metals is mainly
controlled by how nanoscale defects
move and interact in the
microstructure. This cellular
structure acts as a filter, allowing
some defects to move freely, and
thus providing the necessary
ductility while blocking some others
to provide the strength. The
stainless steel is a “surrogate
material” system that could be used
for other types of metals.
Researchers demonstrated the ability to additively manufacture high-temperature polymer
composites for use in extreme environments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Dr. Hilmar Koerner)
hot areas around engine exhaust.
While experimenting with high-
temperature polymer resins, researchers
found that the polymers printed well,
but when they removed the pieces from
the powder bed for post-processing,
the material would essentially melt,
proving useless. To counteract this issue
and better enable molecules to
entangle and form a shape under the
heat of the laser, carbon fiber filler was
added to the resin material as a means
of enabling better energy transfer from
the laser to the matrix. The carbon fiber
would cause the laser to heat the
The eventual goal is to use high-
performance computing to validate and
predict future performance of stainless
steel using models to control the
underlying microstructure, and discover
how to make high-performance steels
in­cluding corrosion resistance.
Research­ers will then look at employing
a similar strategy with other lighter-
weight alloys that are more brittle and
prone to cracking.
For more information, contact
Jeremy Thomas at 925-422-5539;
thomas244@llnl.gov.
material much faster by absorbing the
laser energy and conducting heat much
faster than with the polymer alone.
The team successfully printed a
number of test coupons and brackets
with the material and plan to
demonstrate the ability to print larger
parts as the next step in the process.
Preliminary test data indicates that the
material can withstand elevated
temperatures, but further testing and
qualification of the material are needed.
For more information, contact
Marisa Novobilski at 937-255-2150;
marisa.alia-novobilski@us.af.mil.
October 2018 27
TECH BRIEFS
One-Step 3D Printing of Catalysts
This process is a more efficient way to produce catalysts for complex chemical reactions in a
variety of industries.
Ames Laboratory, Ames, Iowa
W hile 3D printing has found appli-
cations in many areas, its use as a
way to control chemical reactions, or
catalysis, is relatively new. Current pro-
duction of 3D catalysts typically in-
volves various methods of depositing
z-stage
(405 nm)
Mirror
Catalysts can be built in one step by directly shining a laser through a bath of customized resins that
polymerize and harden layer-by-layer.
3D-Printed Biomaterials Degrade on Demand
The temporary structures could be used in fabricating microfluidic devices, and in
patterning artificial tissue.
Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
S tereolithography — a method of 3D
printing — uses an ultraviolet laser
controlled by a computer-aided design
system to trace patterns across the
surface of a photoactive polymer
solution. The light causes the polymers
to link together, forming solid 3D
structures from the solution. The tracing
process is repeated until an entire
object is built from the bottom up.
Stereolithographic printing usually uses
photoactive polymers that link together
with covalent bonds, which are strong,
but irreversible.
28 October 2018
the chemically active agents onto pre-
printed structures.
A 3D printing process was developed
that creates a chemically active catalytic
object in a single step. The method com-
bines the structure with the chemistry in
3D printed
active polymer
Resin containing:
• Monomer with functional group
Laser • Crosslinker
• Photoinitiator
In this work, researchers created
structures with potentially reversible
ionic bonds using light-based 3D
printing. Precursor solutions were made
with sodium alginate, a compound
derived from seaweed that is known to
be capable of ionic crosslinking.
The 3D-printed biomaterials can de­
grade on demand, which can be useful in
making intricately patterned microfluidic
devices, or in making cell cultures that
can change dynamically during
experiments. The attachments between
polymers come apart when the ions are
only one step using inexpensive
commercial 3D printers. The structures
are designed in a computer and built
directly by shining a laser through a bath
of customized resins that polymerize and
harden layer-by-layer. The final product
that emerges has catalytic properties
already intrinsic to the object.
The monomers, or building blocks, are
designed to be bifunctional — they react
with light to harden into the three-
dimensional structure, and still retain
active sites for chemical reactions to occur.
The catalysts built with this method
demonstrated success in several
reactions common to organic chemistry.
They are also adaptable with further
post-processing, making multi-step
reactions possible.
The shape of the structure itself can
be controlled (macroscale features) as
well as the design of the catalyst
(nanoscale features) at the same time.
For more information, contact Igor I.
Slowing at islowing@iastate.edu;
515-294-1959.
removed, which is achieved by adding a
chelating agent that grabs the ions. This
enables patterning of transient structures
that dissolve away on demand.
By using different combinations of
ionic salts — magnesium, barium, and
calcium — structures could be created
with varying stiffness that could then
be dissolved away at varying rates. The
researchers demonstrated that alginate
could be used as a template for making
lab-on-a-chip devices with complex
microfluidic channels. The shape of the
channel is printed using alginate, then a
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
3D-printed, intricate, temporary microstructures can be degraded on demand using a biocompatible chemical trigger. (Wong Lab/Brown University)
permanent structure is printed around
it using a second biomaterial. The
alginate is dissolved away, and the
hollow channel remains with no cutting
or complex assembly required.
The degradable alginate structures are
useful for making dynamic environments
for experiments with live cells. A series of
experiments was performed with alginate
barriers surrounded by human mammary
cells, observing how the cells migrate
High-Resolution, 3D Cell-Printing of Living Tissues
University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
P rinting high-resolution living tissues is
difficult, as the cells often move
within printed structures, and can
collapse on themselves. A method of
3D-printing laboratory-grown cells to
form living structures was developed that
produces tissues in self-contained cells
that support the structures to keep their
shape. The approach could be used in
regenerative medicine, enabling the
production of complex tissues and
cartilage that would potentially support,
repair, or augment diseased and
damaged areas of the body.
The cells were contained within
protective nanoliter droplets wrapped
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
when the barrier is dissolved away. These
kinds of experiments can be useful in
investigating wound-healing processes or
the migration of cells in cancer.
The experiments showed that neither
the alginate barrier nor the chelating
agent used to dissolve it away had any
appreciable toxicity to the cells. That
suggests that degradable alginate
barriers are a promising option for such
experiments.
in a lipid coating that could be
assembled, layer by layer, into living
structures. Producing printed tissues in
this way improves the survival rate of
the individual cells, and allowed the
researchers to improve on current
techniques by building each tissue, one
drop at a time, to a more favorable
resolution.
To be useful, artificial tissues need to
be able to mimic the behaviors and
functions of the human body. The
method enables the fabrication of
patterned cellular constructs, which,
once fully grown, mimic or potentially
enhance natural tissues. The high-
The biocompatibility of the alginate
is promising for additional future
applications, including making
scaffolds for artificial tissue and
organs. The technique could be used
to template vasculature such as blood
vessels using alginate, and then
dissolve it away.
For more information, contact Kevin
Stacey at kevin_stacey@brown.edu;
401-863-3766.
resolution cell-printing platform was
constructed from relatively inexpensive
components, and could be used to
reproducibly create artificial tissues
with appropriate complexity from a
range of cells, including stem cells.
With further development, the
materials could have applications in
shaping reproducible human tissue
models that could eliminate the need
for clinical animal testing, and in
diagnostic applications for drug or
toxin screening.
For more information, contact
news.office@admin.ox.ac.uk;
+44 (0)1865 280528.
October 2018 29
APPLICATION BRIEFS
Mixing 3D Printing Technologies The engineering team again turned to PolyJet to evaluate
Helps Optimize Products designs of projector components like the overmolded handle,
projector keypad, and rubber lens-mount boot. Barfoot said
Stratasys the technology was especially useful in fine-tuning the
Eden Prairie, MN projector’s remote control with a rigid case and soft buttons
www.stratasys.com that emerge from the Connex 3D Printer all in one piece.
Before PolyJet, the remote control would have been rubber

C hristie Digital Systems manufactures advanced digital

projectors and displays using an innovative prototyping
program. The company serves clients in cinema, large-
molded, at a cost of $2,000 and two weeks per iteration.
Christie did three revisions in three days for less than $500.
FDM was the only choice to prototype the projector’s air
audience environments, 3D and virtual reality, simulation, exhaust baffle. Its S-shaped path is complex by design to trap
education, media, and government. light without restricting airflow. Air as hot as 150˚ C (302 ˚F)
Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, lets would flow through the prototype, so heat resistance was
engineers complete numerous design iterations quickly. For required, along with geometric complexity. Engineers
Christie, the speed gains go toward improving products, rather
than rushing to market with anything less than a perfect design.
Because prototyping needs change as a product’s design
matures from concept through functional testing, Christie
deploys two distinct additive manufacturing methods from
Stratasys®: FDM® Technology and PolyJet™ technology.

Diversity in Prototyping
Christie invested in FDM because it can 3D-print in the
same durable thermoplastics found in finished goods, and for
its user-friendly interface that makes it easy to operate. The
company added PolyJet technology to make finely detailed
overmolded parts with rubberlike components. Christie’s M
Series projector is one of many examples in which the
product development team used both technologies. This FDM lamp assembly in ULTEM 9085 resin thermoplastic withstands
Early in the project, Christie 3D-printed initial design high temperature.
concepts with PolyJet, which builds parts fast. “At this point,
everything is fluid, so having evaluation pieces quickly is a
must,” said Mark Barfoot, senior manager at Christie.
As designs solidified, engineers built an FDM assembly with
individual surrogate parts representing everything from air
intakes to printed circuit boards, and from optics to a $10,000
light engine. The mockup grew to look more like the finished
product as sourced and manufactured components became
available, replacing 3D-printed surrogates. The mockup was
the baseline communication piece throughout the project,
according to Barfoot.

Light engine mockup (right) and production unit Lens-mount boot with rubber-like properties

30 October 2018 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT

 3D-printed the baffle in polyphenylsulfone (PPSF) thermoplastic.
For the lamp assembly, which operates at 120 ˚C (248 ˚F),
Christie used ULTEM™ 9085 resin.

Return on Investment
Beginning with the purchase of its FDM Technology-based
3D printer eight years ago, Christie has invested in a variety of
resources with the aim of building a state-of-the-art
prototyping and environmental testing program. This
empowers its engineers to develop the best possible display
devices, and Christie is now offering its “build, test, optimize”
capabilities to other industries.
In the heart of Canada’s technology triangle, Christie’s new
enterprise, Hyphen, offers the country’s widest range of
prototyping and environmental testing services under one
roof. Through Hyphen, Christie shares its methods and
technology to give other companies the benefit of its iterative
approach to product development.
Hyphen also shares Christie’s next mindset change: 3D
printing for final part production. Hyphen is looking at direct
digital manufacturing for high-end products that have annual
shipments of fewer than 100 units.
This mockup projector has a combination of 3D-printed and production For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/69504-117
components.

3D-Printed Aircraft Parts smoke, and toxicity-certified to UL-94V0 and FAA 25.853
standards. It also offers outstanding thermal and chemical
Stratasys Direct Manufacturing resistance, and excellent strength-to-weight ratios.
Valencia, CA Stratasys Direct Manufacturing’s 3D printing capacity and
1-888-311-1017 infrastructure allow printing and shipping parts on demand to
www.stratasysdirect.com Airbus, bringing the expected reactivity, tighter turnaround
times and lower inventory costs.
Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Stratasys The Airbus A350 XWB is a family of long-range, twin-engine
Ltd., was recently chosen by Airbus to produce 3D printed wide-body jet airliners developed by European aircraft
polymer parts for use on A350 XWB aircraft. The company manufacturer Airbus. It is the first family of aircraft to feature a
will print non-structural parts such fuselage and wing structures made
as brackets, and other parts used primarily from carbon fiber-reinforced
for system installation, on Stratasys polymer. Powered by twin Rolls-
FDM production 3D Printers using Royce Trent XWB turbofan engines
ULTEM™ 9085 material. The project that produce 97,000 lbf of thrust, it
will help Airbus achieve greater seats anywhere from 280 to 366
supply chain flexibility and improve passengers, depending on
cost competitiveness, while configuration.
leveraging on reduced material Stratasys, the parent company of
consumption and waste. Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, and
FDM, which is short for Fused Airbus share a history of
Deposition Modeling, uses collaboration, having worked
production thermoplastic materials together since 2013 on the
such as ULTEM 9085 and ULTEM 1010—which are certified to implementation of 3D printing FDM technology for Airbus
UL-94V0, FAR 25.853, and FAR 29.853 standards. The process tools and flying parts applications. This collaboration led to
works by heating and extruding the thermoplastic filament the qualification in 2014 of ULTEM 9085 material for the
and using it to build the parts up layer-by-layer. ULTEM 9085 production of flying parts on various Airbus aircraft.
is often favored for aerospace applications because it is flame, For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/65858-508

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT October 2018 31