3D Printing appears to be moving into true Additive Manufacturing...

[JohnRBaker]

Here's an albeit promotional video which shows how large scale 3D Printing could soon provide true production solutions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NdB8X1DMdk

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[ctopher]

It's been around for a few years, but the technology has been slow to adapt to real world mfg.
My son has his PhD in materials science. He worked on a 3D printer that used titanium powder to print parts, and controlled the grain structure at the same time.

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '16
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[JohnRBaker]

Yes, I'm aware of how long 3D-Printing, what was then called 'Rapid Prototyping', has been around as I was the Product Manager for our first software interface product back in the late 80's. And you're right, it took a while for the technology to start making a significant impact, but like many emerging technologies, some people saw the potential long before the general public had even heard of it and I was always proud of the fact that our company was one of them, even if we had to depend on our customers to truly leverage what it could do.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[ctopher]

I remember the 3D printer at DAC, Long Beach (1987?). Very cool.

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '16
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[itsmoked]

One often trotted out example of 3D printing production is the Boeing 747 hold door brackets. They cut the price in half and the weight something like to a quarter by 3D printing the part allowing hollow volume.

Boeing uses twenty thousand different printed parts in their 10 production programs.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[JNieman]

They use a whole lot in their tooling as well.

 

[ctopher]

Another cool one, Boeing uses a 3D printed water-soluble washout material for molding carbon-fiber rocket parts.
I tried it once, works great!

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '16
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[JohnRBaker]

Elon Musk's Space-X is also a pioneer in using Additive Manufacturing to produce impossible to machine parts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghngQkt3sho

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[ctopher]

That's what I like about E. Musk, he's not afraid to move forward.
Boeing has been around for so long, and they are set in their ways, they are slow at moving forward.
I saw this when I worked there. Most cool R&D stopped when they bought McD.

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '16
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion