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AMUG Newsletter July 2014

By July 15, 2014October 6th, 2016

President’s Report

Mark Barfoot President

Mark Barfoot
President

I hope that everyone is enjoying summer now that it is here, and I hope everyone is getting to spend some time outside (at least those of us in the northern climates). Even though we’re in “summer mode”, I do want to encourage you as AMUG members to stay active while getting a bit of rest and relaxation.

The conference only happens once a year, but our efforts are ongoing. As AMUG members, you should be seeking opportunities to promote the use of additive manufacturing and help to correct any misconceptions that you hear. It bothers me every time I hear someone misquote or misrepresent what additive can do. To advance the industry, we need to speak up; we need to set the record straight.

AMUG aims to be the place to help set the story straight and teach people how to use additive in every aspect of their business. We can only do this through the help of our members in identifying key stories and applications or identifying issues that you wish you had answers to. Throughout the year, feel free to use our LinkedIn group as an avenue to distribute the facts, ask questions and get the real answers. Alternatively, send me your topic ideas so that we can seek out speakers that can answer those questions at next year’s conference.

Our board meeting is scheduled to start August 13th and will consist of several intense days of planning and strategy for next year’s conference. If you have any suggestions or things we should be discussing, please make sure you forward those items to me in advance of the meeting.

Have a great summer,

Mark Barfoot
2014 – 2015 AMUG President
president@am-ug.com

Our Mission: Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) educates and advances the uses and applications of additive manufacturing technologies.

World’s Largest 3D Printer

Graham Tromans Ambassador

Graham Tromans
Ambassador

The World 3D Printing Technology Industry Conference & Exhibition on June 19, 2014, in Qingdao, China, saw the launch of what was claimed to be the world’s largest 3D printer at the Qingdao National High-Tech Development Zone. It has a build capacity of 12 x 12 x 12 meters (39.3 x 39.3 x 39.3 feet) and weighs over 120 tons. The printer, which has been developed in Qingdao by Unique Products Technology Co., Ltd., is focused on the construction industry.

The 3D printer uses a two-part material process, extruding the material with a fused deposition modeling process. The first step is the extrusion of glass-fiber reinforced plastic mixed with graphene to create inner and outer walls at a thickness of 16 mm (0.63 in.). In the second step, the space between the walls is backfilled with concrete, which is deposited through a second nozzle. Each layer is 8 mm (0.31 in.) thick. The 3D printer’s accuracy is just a few millimeters, which is a big step forward over existing construction tolerances. Once the building is complete, the machine can be taken apart and moved to a different location.

The initial project is to build a 7-meter-high (23 feet) building based on traditional Chinese architecture known as the “Temple Of Heaven.” It is envisioned that this will take approximately 12 months, while test areas are built alongside at the proposed site to prove out various stages of the process.

Graham Tromans with the world's largest 3D printer

Graham Tromans with the world’s largest 3D printer

Graham Tromans
AMUG Ambassador

Sponsor News – Stratasys

RedDOT Makes Tough Nylon Parts With FDM

RedDOT, a Seattle-based company that designs and manufactures HVAC systems for heavy commercial and military vehicles, often needs tough prototypes and low-volume end-use parts. With a Fortus 3D Production System onsite, RedDOT was experienced in 3D printing with ABS.

But some jobs require the toughness and flexibility of nylon. So when FDM Nylon 12 became available, RedDOT embraced it as a clean, easy way to build with nylon in-house.

“We can now make nylon prototypes with nearly the exact same properties as production parts,” said Gary Hansen, vice president and chief technology officer. RedDOT also 3D prints nylon jigs and fixtures – including one that uses a snap fit to process hundreds of printed circuit boards every day.

Check out the video and read the full case study here.

redot

AMUG Present at European Commission Hearing

Stefan Ritt Ambassador

Stefan Ritt
Ambassador

On June 18th and 19th, the European Commission in Brussels conducted a hearing about the developments in additive manufacturing as a basis for future decisions on funding projects by the European Union.

AMUG’s European ambassador, Stefan Ritt, attended the event as one of the senior experts in this industry. He joined 100 specialists from all over Europe to brief the European Commission on the latest findings and status of development in additive manufacturing for plastics and metals. In the invited panel discussion, Stefan gave information on funding projects in the US, Asia and Russia. He also shared his observations on the positive influence of fast-growing user group activities like AMUG.

The European Commission is the ruling governmental body of the 28 member countries with 505 million people and a joint economy of €12.5 trillion. In hearings, programs are discussed and agreed upon, which influences an infrastructure in which all member countries have initiatives and free exchange of information. Standardizing tomato sizes and limiting the electrical power of vacuum cleaners for power saving are more mundane examples of rulings. However, very important technology projects, like the Framework 7 initiative that gives billions of Euros to scientific projects, are discussed, considered and recommended.

The European Commission took notice of all the provided information from the additive manufacturing industry and judged this event to be very successful and an important basis for further rulings and decisions.

Detailed results of the workshop will be published in fall 2014 on the official website of the European Union in English at http://ec.europa.eu/. Presentations may be downloaded and a multi-hour video of the proceeds may be viewed at http://ec.europa.eu/research/industrial_technologies/events_en.html.

Stefan Ritt
AMUG Ambassador

World 3D Printing Technology Industry Conference

Graham Tromans Ambassador

Graham Tromans
Ambassador

The second World 3D Printing Technology Industry Conference was held on June 20-21 in Shangri-La, Qingdao. Eighty speakers from more than ten countries or regions attended, and about 1,200 3D printing professionals participated and discussed over 20 subjects.

The conference was joined, for the first time, by the World 3D Printing Technology Industry Exhibition, which was also held in Qingdao International Convention Center (June 19th to 22nd). The four-day exhibition had 110 3D printing companies from China, United States, Germany, Unite Kingdom and Belgium. The exhibitors showed the latest 3D printing equipment, technologies and products, attracting more than 50,000 professional visitors.

According to the organizers, the World 3D Printing Technology Industry Conference and Exhibition in Qingdao raises the global 3D printing industry to a new level, gathers the global experts and enterprises of 3D printing industry, creates the active condition for the combination of 3D printing technology and traditional manufacturing technology, and lays a solid foundation for Qingdao taking the lead in building 3D printing industry strategic highland. The organizers also note that this was the largest 3D printing event by all measures: 13,000 square meters of exhibition space, 110 exhibitors and 50,000 attendees.

In November, the organization will host the World 3D Printing Technology Industry American Summit 2014, which will take place in San Francisco, California, with the theme of 3D printing creating a wonderful future.

Editor’s Note: Graham modestly omitted the honors he received while in attendance. He was named chairman and chief consultant of the World 3D Printing Technology Alliance, named chief consultant to the Qindao High Technology Zone and given the Outstanding Achievement Award along with Chuck Hull, Scott Crump, Freid Vancraen, Hans Langer and four others.

Graham Tromans
AMUG Ambassador

The Sorovetz Report

Tom Sorovetz Event Manager

Tom Sorovetz
Event Manager

Well, summer is half way over, and the AMUG Conference and Expo is only nine short months away. So don’t delay your AMUG planning; make your hotel reservations to secure your $137.00 per night room rate.

April is a great time of year to be in Jacksonville, so you might want to bring the family as part of a mini vacation. There are plenty of things to do in Jacksonville, and the surrounding areas, such as Jacksonville Beach or St. Augustine, give you even more to do. Take advantage of the reduced hotel rate, plan ahead and bring the family.

For those new to AMUG, you may not know that we have two pre-conference activities. Bob Dzugan (BuyCastings.com) sets up an annual AMUG golf outing on the Saturday morning prior to the conference, and Kevin Ayers (SME) and Steve MacDonald (L3 Communications) organize a fishing excursion on Sunday morning (at zero dark thirty). Both activities are a great time and fun ways to kick start the week.

Have a great summer.

See you in sunny Jacksonville,

Thomas A. Sorovetz
Event Manager