Copper Provides Unique Properties

Copper is an essential natural resource. Unlike bronze and brass, which are copper alloys, Shapeways offers a 100% copper material known for malleability and high ductility. Copper does not require much processing for use in today’s applications–and in fact, this material’s history dates back as far as 8,000 BC. 

Copper offers excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. Because of its ability to heat quickly with a uniform heating profile, Copper is commonly used in applications for manufacturing parts like heat exchangers.  

Featuring an initial appearance that takes on an orange-red metallic color, Copper eventually darkens by turning green in color through oxidation. This chemical reaction forms a protective layer on its surface making Copper highly resistant to corrosion and biofouling. While oxidation creates an antiqued appearance often desired for ornamental and unique jewelry, Copper is suitable for use in harsh environments, including aerospace and marine applications. Copper also has antiseptic properties which protect marine organisms, making it an environmentally friendly material for undersea mechanisms like desalination devices and offshore drilling mechanisms. 

Combining 3D printing and Wax Casting technology, our Copper 3D printing manufacturing process is capable of producing new geometries that take advantage of the material properties for inventive industrial applications and unique decorative pieces. 

Wax Casting Technology for 3D Printing Copper

For designers and engineers eager to try a variation on metal 3D printing technology–but with a fast and more economical edge–Wax Casting is a great option. Also referred to as Investment Casting, Precision Casting, or even cire perdue (french), this unique technology has historically been recognized as a strong suit for foundries. Created around 5,000 years ago to make metal products and ammunition, Lost Wax Casting is performed by pouring liquid metal into molds to create structures. 

Paired with high-quality 3D print Lost Wax Casting materials and precious metals like Copper, many Shapeways customers prefer this technique, with 3D printing coming into play during the mold-making process. Shapeways uses a variety of 3D printing materials to create molds to act as vehicles for molten metal which then solidifies. Molds can be 3D printed with thermoplastics like Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic], Sandstone, or metals like Steel.

After a customer uploads a 3D design and chooses Copper, Shapeways transforms the model into a Copper object through Wax Casting. The solid Copper part is cleaned and polished to remove any sharp residue, leaving a natural buffed, shiny surface. Additional hand polishing is offered for a mirror-like shine.

Read about Copper and explore specific design guidelines here.

The Lineup of Wax Casting Materials

Learn more about all the other materials Shapeways offers via Wax Casting too, including the following:

• Brass – An alloy made up of 15% zinc, 5% tin, and 80% copper, Brass is available with a natural matte finish or a shiny polish, and is offered with Gold Plating or Rhodium Plating.
• Bronze – A copper-tin alloy made up of 10% tin and 90% copper, Bronze is often used for jewelry with a vintage appearance, featuring a deep red color, marbling, and silver highlights. Bronze materials are available in natural matte or polished finishes.

• Gold – Both 14-carat and 18-carat gold are available in yellow, white, and rose. Intricate designs can be made for valuable parts or fine jewelry with this precious metal.  
• Platinum – One of the highest quality metal materials available, Platinum is a white metal used for luxury products. This material is available in a professional finish.
• Silver – A high-quality alloy, Silver is malleable, and popular in the jewelry industry. Silver is offered with the following finishes: natural, polished, fine-detail polished, and antique.

About Shapeways

Enjoy the benefits of this advanced technology and a wide range of materials from Shapeways for 3D printing your creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to 3D print over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways additive manufacturing solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post 3D Printing Molds for Lost Wax Casting with Copper appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Successful manufacturing begins with matching the correct materials and technology to a specific application. Understanding more about materials like MJF Plastic PA12 and MJF Plastic Glass Beads is not only inspiring, but allows designers to take one more step in bringing projects alive successfully. With such an abundance of products available today, the key is to recognize the advantages of suitable materials, finishes, and become informed on how the different 3D printing processes work too. It’s also important to understand the differences between Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) and other similar powder-based technologies like Binder Jetting (BJ) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS).

HP released Multi Jet Fusion technology in 2016 with great fanfare. Previous to the much-awaited release, there was tremendous buzz about a powerful new 3D printer on the horizon, and one capable of exponentially faster production than anything currently on the market at the time. HP did not miss the mark at all either, bringing forth a printer that took processes like Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Binder Jetting one step further, doing away with lasers and binders, and using two different types of liquid agents during the printing process for jobs requiring higher detail and better surface finish.

How Multi Jet Fusion Technology Works

Multi Jet Fusion falls into the powder-based category, but uses an inkjet array that moves back and forth depositing adhesive agents onto the powder bed, where the nylon powder particles are then melted with thermal heat.

MJF is an undeniably powerful 3D printing technology, leading to improved speed in production and vast output in comparison to other 3D printers. Because it is often also best-suited for applications requiring tough prototypes and parts, MJF results in the manufacturing of many exciting complex geometries not previously possible with traditional methods.

Once 3D models have been designed, Shapeways production engineers nest them together using proprietary, purpose-built software that yields colorful, automated visualization. Like putting a puzzle together, proper arrangement of all the parts to be 3D printed at once is necessary to a successful build, nesting and stacking to make the most efficient use of the entire build volume.

Smart packing is also the secret behind accuracy and repeatability in parts at Shapeways—every single time. With Multi Jet Fusion, supports are not required. Not only does this lead to greater design freedom as supports don’t have to be considered, nesting of hundreds or even thousands of parts is possible in MJF 3D printing.  

The 3D printing process is set into motion as a thin layer of powder is dispersed on the print bed. A fusing agent is then sprayed on the powder to heat the material. The detailing agent is added around the part, evaporating and cooling the area. Due to these abrupt thermal transitions, molten layers fuse together, resulting in the desired solid 3D printed structure. Parts made via MJF 3D printing are uniformly strong due to evenly dispersed temperatures. After cooling, the build is unpacked, and post-processing begins as powder is removed through automated blasting. Afterward, high-resolution parts are ready for use whether as prototypes or for critical applications.

The Benefits of Using Multi Jet Fusion for End-Use 3D Printed Parts

Although there may not be a wide variety of materials to choose from in comparison to other 3D printing technologies and it may be hard to produce more curved geometries in some cases, the drawbacks in using MJF 3D printing are few. The benefits, however, are expansive, including:

• Higher resolution, greater density, and excellent mechanical properties.
• Ability to print in moving and interlocking parts.
• Greater strength over other methods because thermal energy is so deeply absorbed during the 3D printing process.
• Fast turnaround in production because so many pieces can be printed at once.
• Sustainability in manufacturing due to recycling of materials. The mix ratio in MJF is usually around 80 percent re-used powder, and 20 percent virgin.

Multi Jet Fusion Materials Offered at Shapeways

MJF Plastic PA12 – Featuring a slightly grainy finish in gray or black, this versatile material is also available in a natural or smooth and slightly glossy finish. Used for industrial applications due to its low porosity and optimal mechanical properties, strength, durability, and stiffness, MJF PA12 supports complex geometries and parts with thinner features, and is popular for applications like:

• Drone parts 
• Prosthetics
• Mechanical and structural parts
• Mounts and cases
• Technical accessories
• Home décor

Explore technical documents and design guidelines for MJF Plastic PA12 here. This material is also known as HP Multi Jet Fusion PA12, Professional Plastic, HP Nylon Plastic, PA12, and Polyamide.

MJF Plastic PA12 Glass Beads – Available in gray and dark gray, 40% of this unique material is infused with glass beads for added strength and stiffness, while still offering good flexibility. PA12 Glass Beads are also relied on for manufacturing parts that will last over the long term, as well as offering continued accuracy and repeatability in the following applications:

• Tooling
• Robotics
• Drone parts
• Medical braces
• Housings and cases

Explore technical documents and design guidelines for MJF Plastic PA12 Glass Beads here. This material is also known as HP PA12 Glass Beads, PA12 GB, Glass-Filled PA12, PA12 GF, and Nylon 12 GB.

About Shapeways

Contact Shapeways now to enjoy the benefits of advanced technology and materials for manufacturing creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to make over 20 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways solutions, and get instant quotes here.

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What is Multi Jet Fusion 3D Printing?

HP launched Multi Jet Fusion technology in 2016–and over the years this powerful technology has continued to gain attention. Falling into the broader powder-based category, HP MJF 3D printing surpasses other traditional and additive methods by eliminating the need for laser and binders; instead, MJF relies on two different liquid agents during the 3D printing process to produce parts that are highly isotropic, meaning they are mechanically consistent throughout each structure. 

Once 3D printing material is deposited onto the print bed via the recoater, the MJF 3D printing process is initialized as a thermal inkjet array moves back and forth, depositing fusing and detailing agents onto the powder bed, where the nylon powder particles are then melted with thermal heat. The detailing agent is also responsible for cooling and helping create smoother surfaces and sharper detail.

Offering a powerful production solution for Shapeways customers, MJF 3D printing is known for efficiency. While much of that is due to high-quality equipment, the ability to 3D print large volumes of parts also accelerates production. A unique feature in MJF 3D printing allows for the build tray to be removed immediately for post-processing, with another inserted at the same time, permitting ongoing production.

MJF 3D printing technology is faster and more efficient due to the lack of requirements for supports which leads to several important benefits:

• Much greater design freedom and flexibility
• Lack of scarring or blemishes at support sites
• Decreased potential for damage to parts in post-processing

Without any requirements for supports, Shapeways 3D printing engineers nest hundreds of small- to mid-size parts in each build. MJF 3D printing also promotes greater sustainability in additive manufacturing due to the ease in recycling powder from one build to another, with a mix ratio around 80% reused powder and 20% virgin powder. MJF PA12 offers UV stability, and skin safety in accordance with ISO standards.

MJF Additive Manufacturing for Industrial Parts

Advantages to using MJF 3D printing for prototypes and high-performance end parts include higher resolution, greater density, and excellence in mechanical structure. It’s easy to 3D print objects with moving or interlocking parts as they typically offer greater strength in comparison to other manufacturing methods due to effective absorption of thermal energy.

MJF 3D printing is a great fit for production of durable parts featuring fine details and sophisticated geometries. Larger-volume orders, available due to economy of scale, are possible due to the efficient technology and the ability to use proprietary software for smart packing. Some of the most popular uses for MJF 3D printing are replacement parts, snap fits, living hinges, air-tight designs, and industrial components for end-use production.

MJF 3D Printing Materials

Multi Jet Fusion Plastic PA12 (MJF PA12) – Commonly relied on for superior strength and elasticity, MJF PA12 is also chemical- and water-resistant, and suitable for highly functional parts. Because of its outstanding flexibility, MJF PA12 is suited for applications like:

• Architectural designs and home decor
• Drone parts
• Eye frames
• Industrial fixtures
• Mechanical and structural components
• Prosthetics

MJF PA12 is available in both gray and black, featuring a standard finish with a matte surface and slightly grainy texture. Shapeways also provides a black finish with a smooth, non-porous surface created through a physio-chemical vapor smoothing process.

Explore the design guidelines for MJF PA12 here.

MJF Plastic PA12 Glass Beads

This unique material is 40% glass-filled which reduces warping during the printing process and over the product’s life, as well as improving product stiffness and structural integrity. MJF PA12GB 3D printing material is great for flat and large parts that are prone to warping in Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] or MJF PA12 Plastic, and for functional parts that require high strength and dimensional accuracy. 

Typical uses include:

• Drones
• Housings and cases
• Medical braces
• Robotics
• Tooling

Find out more about the design guidelines for MJF Plastic PA12 Glass Beads here.

Nylon 12 Full Color (MJF)

Offering the ability to 3D print parts in robust color, this material possesses superior mechanical properties, good dimensional stability, and resistance to impact–as well as chemicals like oil and grease. Defined by the capacity to deform under tensile stress, Nylon 12 Full Color (MJF) is flexible for structures with a thinner design but becomes rigid for use with thicker parts, offering durability and density required for end-use parts. 

This nylon 3D printing material is suitable for products like:

• Braces and casts
• Functional prototypes
• Industrial jigs and fixtures 
• Medical models
• Moving and interlocking components
• Structural parts and mounts

Nylon 12 Full Color (MJF) is available in both natural and smooth glossy finishes.

Explore the design guidelines for Nylon 12 Full Color (MJF) here. 

Polypropylene (PP)

This material is offered for 3D printing a wide range of MJF parts due to superior resistance to chemicals, low-moisture absorption, and extreme durability. PP is recommended for applications like:

• Electronic devices
• Medical devices like braces and respirator equipment
• Piping, fluid systems, and containers
• Prototypes for automotive test applications

This material is available in gray, with a natural finish.

Explore the design guidelines for Polypropylene here.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)

This high-performance 3D printing material enables production of elastomeric functional parts, obtaining results similar to Injection Molding. Parts 3D printed with TPU are flexible, tough, and present high elongation at break and impact resistance for applications like:

• Ducts
• Flexible tubing
• Footwear
• Protective gear
• Seating systems
• Soft grip systems

TPU for MJF 3D printing is available in both natural and smooth finishes.

Explore the design guidelines for Thermoplastic Polyurethane here.

Quality additive manufacturing requires expertise and sophisticated machinery. A successful foundation must be set first though, matching compatible materials and technology to each 3D model and its corresponding applications. With an abundance of 3D printing technology and materials available, the key is in recognizing the advantages of additive manufacturing vs. traditional manufacturing, comparing 3D printing technologies, and sorting through suitable materials, finishes, and post-processing needs.

About Shapeways

Enjoy the benefits of this advanced technology and a wide range of materials from Shapeways for 3D printing your creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to 3D print over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways additive manufacturing solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post The Expert Guide to MJF appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

What is rapid prototyping?

Rapid prototyping, to put it simply, takes you from napkin sketch to final product rapidly. A major bottleneck in the product development cycle is in prototyping. Traditional prototyping workflows often include outsourcing the creation of each prototype, waiting weeks — and spending significantly — for every new iteration, however tweaked or overhauled design changes may be. With rapid prototyping, those weeks between iterations may become days, taking months or years for standard prototyping cycles down to weeks, and getting your new product to market in a much more agreeable timespan.

What Is 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing / Rapid Prototyping?

Rapid prototyping today often means bringing in 3D printing technologies — or are they rapid prototyping processes, or is that additive manufacturing? It may help to understand just what additive manufacturing is (and Shapeways has a guide for that!) and how these technologies fit into the prototyping workflow.

What Is Additive Manufacturing?

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a digital manufacturing process in which a CAD model is used to create a solid object. A variety of technologies are defined as being additive, as these processes add material over the course of the build, rather than subtracting it as seen in many traditional manufacturing methods (e.g., CNC milling). Materials are deposited, often in a layer-by-layer process, using a 3D printer to build up the geometry of the model in three dimensions. AM processes can handle a variety of metals, from simple plastics to various metal alloys, from food pastes to biomaterials.

What’s The Difference Between 3D Printing, Additive Manufacturing, and Rapid Prototyping?

There are several ways of referring to these technologies, most commonly “3D printing” or “additive manufacturing,” though “rapid prototyping” is also used. For a fuller explanation, we dive into technology terminology in this article, but in short:

3D printing and additive manufacturing are often used interchangeably to refer to effectively the same processes. Additive manufacturing is recognized as a more industrial term, and tends to encompass expensive professional machinery being used in applications from prototyping to end-use product production. 3D printing can refer to the process of layer-by-layer building of an object, or more generally to refer to any usage of this technology, from hobbyists using inexpensive desktop systems to professionals using industrial equipment. Rapid prototyping was one of the first terms used for these technologies, which in the 1980s were geared toward the rapid production of prototypes and for a few decades so dominated usage that this application was synonymous with the tech itself.

For the purposes of this guide, 3D printing is a technology suite used for the application of rapid prototyping.

Rapid Prototyping Materials

Now that we know what rapid prototyping is, a good follow-up question is straightforward: What are some of the material options for rapid prototyping with 3D printing?

When using 3D printing from prototype to production, the same technology can be used throughout the product development cycle. That does not, however, mean that the same materials are necessarily the best choice at every step. Early stages of prototyping may focus more on speed and rough idea than on a “final look” quality, so inexpensive plastics are often the best fit here, when several iterations may be made in fairly quick succession. Each refinement in prototype may call for a better-quality material, and staging material selections can help cut costs, keeping the finer-detail options for only later-stage planning.

During initial prototyping stages, a low-cost material can be used with low infill and thicker layers, lowering material costs and speeding print time to create a rough-and-ready first look at a new design. Whether plastic or metal, 3D printing can quickly fabricate a product that will come to look and feel just like the desired end result.

By starting with a low-cost plastic material and moving after a few iterations to metal, for example, a product that will eventually be conventionally fabricated using metal can come to market much more quickly than would be the case by machining each iteration — a traditional pathway that ultimately costs much more in terms of time, money, and labor.

Material options in additive manufacturing may not run the full gamut available in traditional technologies, but new formulations are becoming available all the time.

Among Shapeways’ broad 3D printing materials portfolio, the most commonly used for rapid prototyping is Nylon 12 (Versatile Plastic). This material is a durable nylon plastic that can be used for a wide range of applications, both for prototyping and for end products. The SLS material can be 3D printed thin for flexibility — think hinges and springs — or thicker to build up structural components. Nylon 12 is affordable, has the fastest lead time (shipping as quickly as three business days from order), and is available in a wide range of colors. It can also be bonded with other materials, electroplated, or otherwise adaptable to your specific application’s needs.

Other well-suited offerings for rapid prototyping include Multi Jet Fusion Plastic materials (PA12 and PA12 Glass Beads) for added stiffness and durability, and SLA (Accura 60, Accura Xtreme, Accura Xtreme White 200) for fine details.

For more in-depth information on any of these materials, see Shapeways’ Materials Guide (pdf).

Benefits Of Rapid Prototyping

That’s all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is there an actual business case for prototyping with 3D printing?

This question gets a resounding YES! Using 3D printing from product concept to creation can help reduce the time and costs needed to get your new idea to market and into the hands of your eager customers.

In broad strokes, the product development cycle includes the need for physical prototypes at several stages of design including:

• Concept
• Assembly / Fit
• Functional
• Life Test
• Regulatory

3D printing these different iterations offers the benefits of digital manufacturing — think speed, agility, and lowered costs for one-off production — to every stage of product development.

Taking a 3D model directly to a 3D printer for fabrication speeds the process of prototyping. Digital models can be made quite quickly using a variety of 3D printing technologies, removing the needs for many steps in other, more traditional fabrication technologies. No tooling is needed, for example, nor is there a waiting period while molds are made and filled. It’s also much faster and more precise than hand-fabricating.

Following review of each prototype for the parameters necessary, subsequent versions can be made quickly to get to just the right look and fit before moving into more finessed prototypes. Tweaking a digital file to adjust for better look, fit, appropriate scale, or other needs can be done quickly, with a next iteration 3D printed potentially same-day.

Some 3D printing options, like HP and Carbon, enable the capability of prototyping and producing on the same system or family, as different materials and parameters can move ever closer to a market-ready product. By iterating on the same system that will be used for the final product, quality control can be kept in-hand every step of the way, meaning there are no surprises when the first end-use production begins.

When working with a service bureau like Shapeways, additional expertise and access to different technology suites comes into play for a high-quality experience every step of the way.

Shapeways’ rapid prototyping services offer:

• Fast Turnaround
• Variety of Materials
• Reliable Quality

We go over the full business case for 3D printing prototypes in this article for more depth.

Rapid Prototyping Pricing

Once the decision has been made to rapid prototype using 3D printing by engaging a service bureau, one large question remains: pricing.

Shapeways lays out clearly its pricing structuring, from engaging a designer to simply uploading a model for an instant quote.

Among the considerations for our pricing are:

• Materials:
  • Material Volume
  • Machine Space
  • Number of parts
  • Production
  • Bounding Box Volume
  • Support Volume
• Manufacturing Speed:
  • Priority
  • Economy
  • Rush
• Shipping cost
• Taxes

Bulk pricing is also available for large orders. For full details, see our pricing overview here.

Customer examples

As popular wisdom holds that “show, don’t tell” is the best way to prove a point, we’d like to share some examples of customer rapid prototyping achieved through the Shapeways platform.

Just a few of our customer successes include:

Atlas Games

Innovative tabletop gaming mainstay Atlas Games has plenty of decades of experience in creating card games, board games, and roleplaying games. The company turned to Shapeways to bring its new dice-based game to fruition for a release through Kickstarter, creating a realizable visual of Dice Miner for potential backers to see prior to sale. The 3D printed prototypes of game pieces helped carry the new game from early design through a playable final product.

Jeff Tidball, Chief Operating Officer of Atlas Games, says of working with Shapeways: “Dice Miner’s Deluxe Edition will have a plastic PVC mountain, so we used Shapeways to prepare early prototypes of that component. We used Shapeways for two purposes. First, to playtest using components as close as possible to the final version, to make sure they performed as we expected at the table. Second, to evaluate their producibility while holding physical objects, as opposed to needing to evaluate them only on screen, or in our imaginations.”

LuminoGO

Using 3D printing to prototype a comfortable, reusable new face mask helped the LUMINO team quickly respond to pandemic needs. Developing the LuminoGo mask for full facial visibility as well as wearer safety features including UVC light or an integrated filter to sterilize breathing air was no mean feat, requiring significant prototyping — and the team turned to Shapeways to 3D print almost every part of the mask to get it all ready for safe wearing on the market.

LUMINO CTO Bernhard Neuwirth says: “Almost all parts are 3D printed. The main reasons for us have been fast prototyping, fast production, choice of materials and colours, which is important for branding and personalization. The big difference with competitors is that we have already working prototypes.” And: “Shapeways was helpful in every way from early on in the project. I especially liked the very fast production options, the choice of materials and the amazing quality of the product. Traditional production methods would be injection moulding. We will certainly do that in the future. Meanwhile we produce already, while optimising the product. We use 3D-print as a production method.”

SNOOZ

Working with Shapeways to 3D print dozens (and dozens and dozens) of designs to reach the ideal sound system, the SNOOZ team cut substantial time and costs in their production process by rapidly prototyping. The savings over traditional machining was major enough that this Las Vegas-based startup has now been working with Shapeways for more than five years — and still has more product work with us in the pipeline for the next devices.

SNOOZ CTO and Co-Founder Eli Lazar explains: “Without 3D printing, I am not sure we could have ever developed a viable product, or at least one that people actually liked. Our fan blade is entirely custom, and small details make a huge difference. A 1-degree extra twist in the blades or 1mm extra length or width of the blades, and it generates a whole different set of tones. You can use software to simulate the acoustics for a fan blade design, and we did do quite a bit of this. However, these simulations can take up to a few weeks to run, and they are really not accurate enough to predict the subtleties that we were interested in. The best way I can explain this is that a stringed piano is always acoustically superior to a digital keyboard, because the timbre (perceived sound quality) of real sound is just better than any digital replica. With that said, we had to make actual parts. Having parts machined was always an option too, but from our experience, that is 10-25x higher cost, and perhaps 10x slower, which was just not an option for us.”

Please contact us today to learn more about our offerings and how we can help you every step of the way for your next project.

The post What is Rapid Prototyping? – A Complete Guide appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

What are the types of additive manufacturing?

At its simplest, additive manufacturing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing. That is, rather than subtract material such as is often seen in traditional means of production — think CNC milling, cutting, carving — additive manufacturing adds material to build a shape.

3D printing is a part of the additive manufacturing workflow, though the two terms are often casually used interchangeably. Seven ASTM-recognized 3D printing processes are the most common forms of this technology suite, and include:

• Material extrusion
• Material jetting
• Binder jetting
• Sheet lamination
• Vat photopolymerization
• Powder bed fusion
• Directed energy deposition

The history of additive manufacturing began with rapid prototyping applications — but the future is squarely in end-use manufacturing.

Design for Additive Manufacturing

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) is a well-established discipline; Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) is a new set of skills specific to additive manufacturing.

Simply using an existing design file to 3D print a part will not likely result in a successful product. New ways of making have new design parameters, and existing designs can be optimized to better fit those new parameters to create a product tailored to the manufacturing technology used to create it. Additive manufacturing offers a freedom of design unprecedented in subtractive or molding processes. Geometries can be more complex, mass customization is possible, and internal structures can be created for complex one-piece designs.

DfAM leverages the unique capabilities of additive manufacturing including lightweighting, part reduction, and reduction of material and labor time and costs. When properly applied, DfAM allows for new ways of design — holes don’t have to be round anymore, and lattices can help provide the right amount of strength with less material, for instance.

Working with experts to design files offers immediate access to DfAM know-how.

Additive Manufacturing Materials

Plastic, metal, ceramics, and even food and living cells are among the materials that can be 3D printed. Most often, plastics and metals are used for the prototyping and production of new products.

Plastics

From early prototype to finished product, plastics are the most common material set in the additive manufacturing toolbox. These polymer materials may come in the form of filament, powder, resin, or pellet, depending on the 3D printing technology being used.

Some of the more common 3D printable plastics include PLA, ABS, TPU, and nylon. Reinforced and composite materials offer versatility and additional capabilities, such as strength or flexibility. Engineering-grade polymers like ULTEM and other high-temperature plastics also allow for high-performance end-use product creation such as might be seen in the aerospace industry.

The choice of plastic for a given project should take into account characteristics like finish, color, feel, and flexibility. Shapeways offers a large variety of polymer materials, like Nylon 12 (Versatile Plastic), which meets needs from prototyping to finished product, and Fine Detail Plastic, an acrylic material capable of extremely high detail. Flexible TPU, reinforced MJF Plastic PA12 Glass Beads, rigid polyurethane,  and visually appealing Multi-Color Polyjet are just a few other options for extended capabilities.

Metals

An ever-widening selection of metals are also 3D printable, in the form of wire and, most commonly, powders. Metals like stainless steel, steel alloys, aluminum, and Inconel are becoming common in additive manufacturing. Metal-infused plastic filaments are also enabling metal production on desktop 3D printers. Metal materials require sintering after being 3D printed, and often smoothing processes to shine surfaces to the right finish.

Both directly 3D printing and lost-wax casting capabilities expand Shapeways’ portfolio to bring you the right choice in metal for your project. 3D printed stainless steel or aluminum offer the geometrical freedom to design in familiar metals, while lost-wax casting expands offerings to precious metals like platinum, gold, and more using 3D printed wax molds.

Ceramics

Whether for medical, high-temperature, or artistic applications, ceramic materials like porcelain are 3D printable. Ceramic materials are typically heat-resistant and/or biocompatible, lending their use to a variety of industries. Post-processing procedures like firing will generally be required to finish a ceramic 3D print.

Pastes

Paste materials can be extruded in often more experimental applications. Concrete 3D printing, for example, is becoming prominent in new construction approaches. Food such as chocolate or purees can also be extruded to create unique takes on food.

Bioprinting

While for the most part a future-looking area, bioprinting — that is, 3D printing using living cells — is a rising area of R&D. With an eventual goal of functional 3D printed organs for implant, to date most research has been on a much smaller scale, with successes seen with liver and kidney cells, as well as a small beating heart.

Additive manufacturing workflows

The full additive manufacturing workflow comprises design, print preparation, 3D printing, and post-processing. Design, leveraging DfAM know-how, creates the file from which the 3D printer will operate. Slicing prepares that file for the 3D printer, as each “slice” of the design will represent a layer of the additively laid-down material. The actual 3D printing is the stage in which a 3D printer produces the three-dimensional object, typically in a layer-by-layer process. Post-processing may involve very little work or a comprehensive several-stage finishing process to take the finished 3D print job to completed additive manufacturing project.

Post-processing/finishing

Often referred to as the “dirty little secret” of additive manufacturing, post-processing is a necessary step that follows the work of the 3D printer. Depending on the 3D printing process and material used, as well as desired end properties, any number of steps may be involved. Shapeways continues to expand on post-processing options for the right finish every time.

Among some of the most common post-processing steps are:

Unpacking

Powder bed 3D printing, as the name implies, uses a powder bed. Parts made in these processes must be unpacked from the full “cake” of powder, a process that generally involves manual excavation to “dig them out” as it were.

Powder removal

Once out of the powder cake, each part made on a powder bed fusion 3D printer must be cleaned of all excess powder.

Support removal

Supports are required for FFF and SLA 3D printing processes, allowing for the three-dimensional building of each part. These supports are needed only during the 3D printing itself, and must be removed cleanly from each part after the build is complete, including sanding down or otherwise smoothing the points of connection.

Curing

Resin-based processes like SLA require parts to be cured to “set” the resin completely following 3D printing. Parts are only complete once they have been fully cured, often with UV light.

Firing

Just as traditional ceramics must be fired in a kiln, 3D printed ceramics must be fired to firmly set and solidify design geometries.

Sintering

Metal 3D prints must be sintered to firmly fuse all metal content, as a “green” part comes off most metal 3D printing processes. Sintering in a furnace removes all non-metal content, shrinking the part down by a known percentage from the 3D print to the final size.

Assembling

Any multiple-piece builds 3D printed part-by-part must be assembled manually. This most often applies to large builds that exceed the size of a single 3D printer build volume and instead have to be broken down into parts to be put together after printing.

Polishing

Metal 3D prints requiring a “shiny” appearance require polishing to remove the look of layering or other surface roughness.

Smoothing

Similar to polishing for metal prints, chemical smoothing processes remove the look of layer lines from polymer prints, creating a smooth surface finish.

Dyeing / Painting

Color is typically the final step in post-processing, through batch dyeing, painting, or other application of colorfast dye.

Applications of Additive Manufacturing

Rapid prototyping was the first application area for 3D printing. So tied together was this application to the technology that it was frequently called “RP”. As the technologies have developed, so too have applications. “3D printing” often referred to the work of makers and hobbyists using desktop 3D printers to create projects outside of prototyping, from game pieces to functional household items. “Additive manufacturing” is often used for industrial usage including end-use part production.

When to Use Additive Manufacturing vs. Conventional Manufacturing

The best application for additive manufacturing is complementary to conventional manufacturing. While in some cases additive manufacturing may displace conventional processes, additive and subtractive or molding technologies work best together.

Additive manufacturing can be applied effectively to low-volume manufacturing, mass customization, and highly complex, high-value parts. Conventional manufacturing processes are still best suited for mass production of alike parts, for instance.

Just as sometimes a hammer is needed and other times a wrench, it’s all about using the best tool — or process — for a particular job.

Ideal use of each type of additive manufacturing technology

Each 3D printing technology has its best-fit application areas. While some are well adapted for individual usage to create one-off parts, others can be scaled to manufacturing applications. Where and when are some of the most common applications for each technology?

Material extrusion

Perhaps the most common 3D printing technology, material extrusion — often referred to as FFF, or fused filament fabrication — uses an extruder to lay successive layers of material, most often in the form of plastic filament. Many desktop 3D printers use this technology; it is the most widely available for personal use. FFF 3D printing is well-suited for all stages of prototyping, from rough idea to functional prototype; for making tooling, jigs and fixtures; and for use among makers, hobbyists, and designers. Engineering-grade polymers, metal- or ceramic-filled composites, and other advanced materials also make extrusion-style 3D printers appropriate for some end-use production applications.

Material jetting

Most material jetting processes use liquid photopolymer droplets, which are then cured layer-by-layer with UV light. This process is best understood as being somewhat similar to inkjet (2D) printing. Material jetting is an industrial additive manufacturing process typically requiring a large 3D printer, and can be used for prototyping and end-use parts. Some material jetting systems enable color 3D printing.

Binder jetting

Binder jetting uses a liquid binding material to bond powder materials. The process can be thought of as an intersection between SLS and material jetting technologies. Binder jetting can be done with metal or sand materials to create, respectively, prototype or finished parts, or sand molds.

Sheet lamination

Sheets of metal or even paper material can be bonded together using sheet lamination 3D printing processes. For metal materials, ultrasonic additive manufacturing uses ultrasonic waves and mechanical pressure to bond layers. Laminated object manufacturing uses an adhesive coating to bond sheets of paper or plastic. Especially when using paper, material costs are quite low for sheet lamination. Geometries are not often highly complex given the methodology in these processes, gearing them more toward prototyping usage.

Vat photopolymerization

Stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing (DLP) processes are classified as vat photopolymerization processes, in which liquid photopolymer in a vat is selectively cured by light-activated polymerization. These processes can be quite complex, down to the micro scale (microstereolithography) and can create some of the most detailed 3D prints. Applications range from prototyping to mass production. Nearly every hearing aid and orthodontic aligner on the market today is produced using SLA technology, as are many jewelry molds.

Powder bed fusion

One of the most common industrial additive manufacturing processes, powder bed fusion (PBF) uses thermal energy to selectively fuse regions of a powder bed. PBF processes include selective laser sintering (SLS) — using a laser — and electron beam melting (EBM) — using an electron beam. Plastics, metals, and ceramics can be 3D printed using PBF processes, creating prototype and end-use parts.

Directed energy deposition

Directed energy deposition (DED) melts materials, generally metals, as they are deposited. This process has the capability to repair and maintain existing structures, as a laser mounted on a multi-axis arm can move around relatively freely to lay down focused material. Maintenance and repair (MRO) applications are the most common for this process, which often requires post-processing to smooth the generally large layers.

Additive Manufacturing Pricing

Once the decision has been made to use additive manufacturing by engaging a service bureau, one large question remains: pricing.

Shapeways lays out clearly its pricing structuring, from engaging a designer to simply uploading a model for an instant quote. 

Among the considerations for our pricing are:

• Materials:
  • Material Volume
  • Machine Space
  • Number of parts
  • Production
  • Bounding Box Volume
  • Support Volume
• Manufacturing Speed:
  • Priority
  • Economy
  • Rush
• Shipping cost
• Taxes

Bulk pricing is also available for large orders. See our pricing overview here for full details.

Customer Examples

As popular wisdom holds that “show, don’t tell” is the best way to prove a point, we’d like to share some examples of customer work achieved through the Shapeways platform. Just a few of our customer successes include:

Quantum Systems

Taking to the sky, drones are already high-tech — but 3D printing brings them to new heights. Quantum Systems specializes in making advanced eVTOL (electric vertical take off and landing) drones. These are anything but hobbyist toys, as the Quantum Systems team recently tested their Trinity F90+ to deliver medical samples. These machines must be robust, complex, and lightweight, lending their manufacture ideally to incorporating 3D printing.

Quantum Systems’ CEO, Florian Seibel, explains, “The complex geometry of 3D-printed parts saves weight by using synergy effects. With synergy effects we mean that with 3D-printed parts we are able to reduce the total number of parts by designing multiple-use parts with integral functionality.”

My Track Technology

“All-terrain vehicle” may not be the first application to spring to mind for 3D printing, but My Track Technology (MTT) used the technology to slash time and costs in their production process. Rapid prototyping and strong end-use 3D printed parts brought their eco-friendly, electric remote-controlled track vehicle to life for use in extreme terrains.

Michael Martel from MTT sums up the experience of working with Shapeways to develop the machine in three key benefits: “Speed, cost and simplicity. When our 3D drawing is finished we don’t have to produce fabrication drawings. We just upload the 3D file on Shapeways’ website. Very simple. We also do not have to build a mold for 1 up to 50 parts. It’s very great cost saving. Later when the design is perfect we can build a mold and be confident that the mold will meet our requirements. We are also not limited to a particular shape with 3D printing, practically every shape is possible. Finally, the precision, repeatability and tolerances are better than most of the others manufacturing methods.”

Cityscape Rings

Unique jewelry design is an excellent showpiece for 3D printing. The Cityscape rings emerged from designer and trained goldsmith Ola Shekhtman, who loves architecture and travel, and sought to capture iconic landmarks in a wearable way. She debuted her Cityscape collection in 2015, and has sold well over 6,000 rings through her e-commerce shops.

She says of 3D printing, “3D gives me three kinds of freedom: 1. Geographic freedom. I can live where I want and travel all year long, and the only tool I need to have with me is my laptop. 2. Freedom of creativity. Details rule! Customers adore buildings with columns and tiny statues, which I create in 3D software. It is tricky to pierce windows [by hand] and 3D lets me make it easily. And, 3. Freedom of time – To make 1000 rings by hand I would spend nearly 100 years. Shapeways can produce this amount in 2-3 weeks. Using 3D modeling I can make a city once and it is available to order in any quantity, forever, which frees me up for new designs.”

LuxMea

A standout design case for 2020 emerged from LuxMea Studio, which specializes in computational design and fabrication. The company developed its customizable Nuo Masks, intended for comfortable, durable, reusable fit for each individual’s face. Rapid prototyping and reliable bespoke mask manufacturing showcases 3D printing for mass customization — and for pandemic safety with style.

The LuxMea team explains: “We have been working with Shapeways since early 2016 and Shapeways has always been our trusted and go-to partner for commercial 3D printing production. We had a meeting last year and discussed the possibility for mass customization. The Shapeways API allows certain software platforms to export files directly to Shapeways, without the need of manually uploading each file. Without Shapeways’s API, we would have to limit the quantity and increase the cost to account for manually uploading and checking for each file.”

Please contact us today to learn more about our offerings and how we can help you every step of the way for your next project.

The post What is Additive Manufacturing? – A Complete Guide appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

BASF (the world’s largest chemical company) began partnering with Shapeways this year in providing new materials through their  Forward AM brand. Our new Powered by Shapeways platform enables users to choose from BASF’s Forward AM materials, expanding accessibility and options for high-performance parts.

The new material portfolio includes powders and photopolymers ideally suited for prototypes and functional end-use parts, designed for industrial applications. Current materials available include: ­­­­­Ultrasint TPU01, Ultrasint PP nat 01, Ultracur3D RG 35, and HP High Reusability PP enabled by BASF.

Ultrasint TPU01

Ultrasint is a high-performing thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) powder, enabling the production of elastomeric functional parts, obtaining similar performance as injection molding. These parts are flexible, tough, and provide high elongation and impact resistance for applications such as soft grip systems, footwear, seating and protective gear. It’s also well-suited for soft non-marring tooling, flexible tubing, wheels and ducts. Some of the main features include:

• High level of detail
• Good surface quality
• Recyclability (Ultrasint TPU01 offers up to 80% reusability ratio)
• Airtight parts (down to 1mm wall thickness)
• UV resistance
• Hydrolysis resistance

Approved for contact with skin, TPU01 is popular in automotive applications such as car interior components like headrests or seats. Materials allow for the customization of the parts based on individual needs. Many of the best advantages of 3D printing technology can be used with TPU01 in particular, to include exponentially less time spent in development, production, and assembly time — along with elimination of tooling requirements and cost. Texture can be customized in terms of hardness/softness, and a variety of accompanying finishing options.

Another unique benefit of TPU01 is that it can be used to 3D print protective gear. This material enables lattice structure designs which can be strong, yet lightweight and can be completely customized for the wearer, including special modifications for the job requirements of the individual. While it is flexible, hardness can also be customized during the design process based on the structure of the part.

3D printing is employed in many footwear applications these days, and by users of widely varying experience and resource levels—from leading sports shoe companies to designers fabricating elegant flats or heels at their studios or from home workshops. Midsoles typically represent the 3D printed portion of shoes, with TPU01 allowing for consumer-specific customizations for greater comfort — designed around the wearer’s step, gait, pressure, and support — whether for sports, running, or other needs. Shoes can be made quickly, affordably, and on-demand.

TPU01 can also be used to 3D print midsoles that are eco-friendly, requiring less material, as well as offering improved aesthetics and performance. Personalized touches can be applied afterward with a variety of different finishes and color choices.

Download the material data sheet from this page.

Ultrasint PP nat 01

Polypropylene is one of the most used materials in the plastic industry. Ultrasint PP nat 01 is typically used for serial production and functional prototypes. This material offers excellent plasticity, high elongation, low moisture absorption, high durability and excellent chemical resistance. It also allows for post processing like hot plate and vibratory welding, while the printed parts are resistant to most acids and bases.

Ultrasint PP nat 01 can be used for production of smaller components like fluid reservoirs, interior and exterior automotive parts, air ducts and piping, clips, covers, hinges, and more. The high rigidity, ductility, and toughness of this material makes it especially well-suited for technical applications and durable 3D printed polypropylene parts. On top of that, it’s an economically attractive alternative to PA12.

Download the material data sheet from this page.

Ultracur3D RG 35

Ultracur RG 35 (rigid product line) is a medium viscosity, highly reactive photopolymer resulting in rigid multipurpose parts. Unlike many traditional photopolymers for 3D printing, Ultracur3D RG 35 keeps its mechanical properties even when exposed to UV light or humidity. Ultracur3D RG 35 is well-suited to 3D print high performance functional parts including:

• Connectors
• Snappers
• End-use components

Recommended for parts that require rigidity, Ultracur RG 35 offers excellent resolution in printing, low shrinkage, accuracy, and both speed and ease in production. 

Download the material data sheet from this page.

HP High Reusability PP

A polypropylene material qualified for HP’s production-grade Multi Jet Fusion 3D printers, HP High Reusability PP is suitable for making parts that are chemically resistant like piping and fluid systems, as well as automotive parts for the interior, exterior, and under the hood. This material can also help reduce waste by enabling the reusability of the surplus powder.

Download the material data sheet from this page.

Here at Shapeways, we have always offered a rich foundation for providing a wide range of materials suitable for industrial use. And while there are certainly no rules within the 3D printing realm about using (as well as continually developing) and experimenting with materials, our partnership with BASF has yielded a treasure trove of quality materials for the automotive industry, as well as for critical applications used in aerospace, architecture, and medicine. Recently, our team has also focused on offering 3D printing for robotics and drone applications.

Whether you are a busy designer or an engineer hoping to have a prototype or functional part 3D printed quickly, you will find an inspiring range of materials available at Shapeways. Without having to invest in industrial printers or materials on your own, you can benefit from our long-term experience and investment in proprietary, advanced technology.

The post Industrial 3D Printing for High-Performance Parts appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Here are some details on each of these four material options, and a comparison guide to help with your material selection process.

Ultrasint® PP nat 01

Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most commonly used plastics materials printed using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technology. Highly flexible and durable, it has a low moisture absorption rate and is resistant to most acids and bases, which makes it a great choice for parts with water contact. Ultrasint® PP nat 01 suits a range of applications from healthcare and orthopedic products to electronic and automotive parts and allows for post-processing such as thermoforming and sealing. It is a sturdy material that is well suited to industrial parts and production.

Ultracur3D® RG 35

This rigid, medium viscosity photopolymer is great for printing high-performance, functional and multi-purpose parts using Stereolithography (SLA), Digital Light Processing (DLP), or Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) machines. Parts produced with Ultracur3D® RG 35 are able to maintain extreme accuracy. It is a solid, tough material and is recommended for functional parts such as air ducts, electrical sockets and connectors.

Ultrasint® TPU01

Ultrasint® TPU01 is a multi-use thermoplastic polyurethane that typically comes in white and printed using Multi Jet Fusion technology. It is a highly flexible material with excellent shock absorption, making it ideal for footwear and other elastomeric parts. It is capable of producing a high level of structural detail and intricacy and is UV and hydrolysis resistant. It has excellent surface quality, high process stability and throughput and its flexibility opens it to a myriad of uses that include sporting goods and protection as well as interior automotive components and orthopedic models.

HP High Reusability PP

HP 3D HR PP is a highly versatile and durable polypropylene material. It is chemically resistant and has a low water absorption rate, which makes it a great choice for piping, fluid systems and containers. It is the HP 3D material that costs the least and is very easy to process, which increases productivity and reduces waste. Because it is both cost-effective and functional, the material is well suited for prototypes as well as end parts. It is a highly flexible material that is weldable to other PP parts, expanding its range of applications from the automotive industry to the consumer goods sector.

Material Properties: Ultrasint® PP nat 01, Ultracur3D® RG 35, Ultrasint® TPU01 and HP High Reusability PP

Take a side-by-side look at each of these materials’ properties below:

Ready to give these materials a try? Upload your model here to get an instant quote.

The post BASF Forward AM Materials: Ultrasint & Ultracur3d Comparison Guide appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Partnered with Shapeways, the makers of MTT were able to use 3D printing to cut substantial time and costs in their production process by rapidly prototyping designs and printing strong, end-use ready parts that can resist the elements.

We interviewed Michael Martel from MTT to find out how MTT has utilized Shapeways’ 3D printing technology to ramp up production with speed and efficiency.

What is your name and your role at My Track Technology?

My name is Michael Martel and I’m in charge of the MTT product development.

How did My Track Technology start?

10 years ago my father and I were discussing a product that can enhance human power but as small as possible to be able to go where a person can walk. The main goal was to be able to get someone that is injured out of deep forest and at the same time bring reduced mobility persons to extreme places.

What kinds of customers can MTT benefit?

Our customers are very broad. First, there is the military for rescue and material carrying. Mining for carrying material underground without any fumes and CO2 that has to be ventilated out of the mine. Wildfire suppression help, carrying water pumps and equipment. Also fat bike trails grooming, for agriculture use on wet fields or carrying a freezer in the field for fruits and vegetable harvesting. Replacing a generator on construction sites with MTT-154 onboard 2000W inverter, and much much more. 

How did you find Shapeways?

Four years ago one of my electronic employees bought a cheap FDM printer that he assembled himself. At that time I was very skeptical of 3D printing, I was thinking it was only for toys and figurines. Nevertheless I let him try some joystick parts. I was at the time building it with a laser cut aluminum sheet, bent and welded to make an enclosed case. His part with FDM (PLA) was so successful that we used it for our vehicle for about a year, very amazing. The problem with this part was the surface finish, time to print and resistance to wet environments. I was so impressed by this test that I decided to learn more on 3D printing methods, suppliers and more. This is when I came to Shapeways’ website and was very impressed by the technical information and production capabilities.

I then decided to manufacture a couple of parts at Shapeways and I have never been disappointed since. Shapeways is not the least expensive but I tested many suppliers over the years and I did a lot of cold temperature testing. Shapeways always has the strongest and nicer finished parts. 

Unless you have $100,000 or more to invest in an SLS or HP printer you will never have the quality, robustness, precision and surface finish of a Shapeways part.

What are the benefits of using Shapeways over an in-office printer?

When buying a printer you have an amazing amount of choice offered to you. The problem is to have a printer for all of the applications. The size of the parts, the surface finish, the resistance and the productivity of this printer are all to be considered. Unless you have $100,000 or more to invest in an SLS or HP printer you will never have the quality, robustness, precision and surface finish of a Shapeways part. Shapeways is a one-stop shop for 3D printing projects. They have multiple machines to accommodate all the requirements of all special projects. So for us Shapeways has been a great partner to reach all of our goals, present and future.

What are the benefits of 3D printing with Shapeways over other manufacturing methods?

Speed, cost and simplicity. When our 3D drawing is finished we don’t have to produce fabrication drawings. We just upload the 3D file on Shapeways’ website. Very simple. We also do not have to build a mold for 1 up to 50 parts. It’s very great cost saving. Later when the design is perfect we can build a mold and be confident that the mold will meet our requirements. We are also not limited to a particular shape with 3D printing, practically every shape is possible. Finally, the precision, repeatability and tolerances are better than most of the others manufacturing methods.

“The precision, repeatability and tolerances [of 3D printing technology] are better than most of the others manufacturing methods

What aspect of My Track Technology production do you use 3D printing and Shapeways for?

We are right now moving to production and most of the parts that had previously been tested with 3D printing are now thermo or injection molded. 3D printing saves us an amazing amount of money by testing different designs quickly. When the design is confirmed the mold can be built with the peace of mind that this part works perfectly well.

The other 10 parts that are needed for an MTT-154 2020 will continue to be built with 3D printing technologies. Up to about 100 MTT-154 units per year it totally makes sense to print parts in Nylon. We save the initial cost of the mold and we can design parts that are impossible to manufacture with a traditional mold.

What materials do you use?

Right now we mostly use SLS, with Nylon PA12 (Versatile Plastic), dyed black. We also use rubber like TPU to create custom grommets.

How does working with Shapeways affect the speed of your manufacturing?

In our MTT machine there are about 20 plastic parts. Last year we were in a very big rush to do a test with the US military and we had no time to build 20 molds for every single part. We saved at least 6 months (concept, drawing for molding, mold building and parts production) by 3D printing with Shapeways.

How about any cost savings?

For 20 plastic parts the average cost of a mold is $3500 * 20 = 70,000 USD. This money would have been a very big gamble knowing that we were unsure if these parts would meet the functionality, design and resistance we needed. $70K is a lot of money for a startup. It’s manageable, but $70K without any guarantee that this mold will be useful in the future is unacceptable.

What is the most important aspect of working with Shapeways for you?

First, when we want a strong part I know that Shapeways will not disappoint us. Also the website is very easy to use, and I like the freedom to choose the shipping you want depending on the requirement of a particular project. The quality control is also excellent because I never return a part. Finally, the service when I need information is excellent.

Can you share any current or future goals for My Track Technology?

The goal right now is really to move to production and send machines to the customers that have reserved these vehicles in the past. The product we sell right now is our MTT-154 2020, with the possibilities to have only one unit with a trailer/sled or with the flip of a switch multiple units coupled together for special military and industrial applications.

Finally, we have orders for some small MTT-like robots. The frame will be built entirely in SLS printing at Shapeways very soon.

The next stage in 2021-2022 will be remote control with satellite or 4G and autonomous capabilities.

Efficient Manufacturing with 3D Printing

My Track Technology’s vast range of potential applications will see it become an essential tool for assisting humans in navigating challenging terrains and environments. Using 3D printing has made MTT’s production process much more efficient and affordable and shows how 3D printing can contribute to smarter manufacturing.

Find out how Shapeways can help with your rapid prototyping and robotics manufacturing needs.

The post How My Track Technology Uses 3D Printing for Their Remote All-Terrain Vehicle appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

“Deep Facade” from ETH Zurich Uses 3D Printing to Produce Complex Geometric Shapes

Deep Facade is a 6×4 meter aluminium structure composed of 26 sections of looping metal cast in a 3D printed open sand mold. It was created by students from the Digital Fabrication course at ETH Zurich in 2018 and evokes the folds of the cerebral cortex. This process makes use of the computational design method called topology optimization, where lightweight material can be used to create highly stable and efficient structures. They used binder jetting technology to fabricate the sand molds which allowed them substantial geometric freedom and sped up the fabrication process due to fast printing time, eliminating patternmaking and reducing material waste. The complexity of the geometric shapes of Deep Facade would not have been possible without the use of digital design and 3D printing. Each mold took under 12 hours to print and once printing began the facade itself was formed in less than half a week. The students’ work on Deep Facade demonstrated that the production of parts with 3D printed sand molds was faster and cheaper than traditional mold making methods, and also showed how efficiently one of a kind complex geometric designs could be produced.

FIT Additive Manufacturing Group’s “Facade 3000” Demonstrates the Potential for Mass Individualization with 3D Printing

In Lupburg Germany, FIT created a 3D printed aluminium facade for its boarding house made up of panels each with its own complex pattern of cavities to showcase how to use 3D printing in construction to favor economical individualization. The panels each have a unique arrangement of cavity shapes, each created using aluminium inserts in the molds. They were able to produce 20 different panels simultaneously in rotation. This method of producing unique panel pieces demonstrates that 3D printing is a key resource when it comes to the future of cost-effective mass-individualization and customization in construction.

1 South First Building by COOKFOX Architects Finds Higher Productivity and Durability with 3D Printed Molds

The new building at the site of the former Domino Sugar Factory in Brooklyn, NY. consists of two interlocking structures with facades of all-white concrete precast from 3D printed molds. The crystalline facades were designed to emulate sugar crystals and are self-shading with each piece shaped according to its solar orientation. The variations in the panels meant that over 100 different molds were needed, and creating each one took between 14-16 hours instead of taking 40-50 hours each if the molds were made traditionally. The efficiency of the molding process freed up substantial time and the 3D printed molds proved to be more durable than traditional wood and fiberglass molds (which can be used up to 10 times), as they were able to be reused 150-200 times.

Rainier Square Tower in Seattle by 3Diligent Corp x Walters & Wolf Use 3D Printed Parts for Better Accuracy and Reliability

In order to create an upward slope from the 4th to the 40th floor in the 59-story Rainier Square Tower in Seattle, Walters & Wolf and digital manufacturing company 3Diligent Corp printed aluminium nodes and wall curtains. 140 3D printed v-shaped nodes and square cut pieces of curtain wall were custom fabricated to geometrically accommodate a different angle for each section of the building. 3Diligent gave Walters & Wolf the option between investment casting and 3d printing and Walters & Wolf decided to use the 3D printed nodes because of their level of precision and structural integrity. Each node was created with varying dimensions up to a cubic foot, another testament to the efficiency and flexibility of 3d printing.

The “Fluid Morphology” Project in Munich Make Use of Fast Prototyping to Develop Functionally Integrated Facades

At the Technical University in Munich, Moritz Mungenast and Studio 3F began a project to create a 3D printed facade envelope that integrates ventilation, insulation and shading to become the new facade of the Deutsches Museum in 2020. The facade design is flowing and translucent, resembling Shapeways’ translucent material Accura 60. Studio 3F built a 1.6×2.8 meter section to test for a year to improve the design before making another polycarbonate prototype. The team was able to print 1:1 scale models and prototypes along the way with ease, meaning they were able to fully comprehend the viability of their design, determine production costs, communicate their ideas to their clients and continue developing what they hope to be a widely used facade technology that combines form and function.

In addition to these innovative projects, more and more architecture firms are utilizing 3D printing to achieve a higher level of freedom in design and as a way of making processes more time and cost efficient. 3D printed molds hold up better than traditional wood casts and have a higher range of possibility when it comes to complex geometric shapes. Because of the range of materials available, 3D printing also assures a level of structural reliability for the printing of end-use parts.

Shapeways can print with a variety of materials, including stainless steel, translucent and high strength plastics, and can help you get started with producing custom molds and parts.

The post 5 Benefits of Using 3D Printing in Facade Architecture and Construction appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Basic Definitions

In the world of engineering and material science, “strength” has a specific meaning. So do other words like “toughness” and “stiffness”. Let’s make sure we’re all on the same page here and quickly go over some commonly used terms.

Yield strength is a material property that quantifies how much stress (internal pressure) a material can withstand before permanently deforming. Let’s consider a paperclip. If you bend it very gently, it will spring back to its original shape. If you bend it with considerable force, it will not spring back entirely, and it will stay bent. Usually, we don’t want parts to permanently deform like this, so for strong parts, it’s important to choose materials with high yield strength.

Toughness tells us how much energy a material can absorb without breaking. A material with high toughness is usually desirable in impact-absorption applications, but it comes with certain tradeoffs such as increased ductility.

Ductility is a measure of how far an object can deform without breaking. For example, paperclips must be made from a ductile material so they can be bent into shape without snapping.

Brittleness is the opposite of ductility. If an object is brittle, it will fracture after deforming only a small distance. Glass, for example, is brittle even though it has a relatively high yield strength. Brittleness is usually undesirable.

Stiffness measures how rigid a material is. Materials with high stiffness are very good at keeping their shape even under load, and stiff materials are usually used in load-bearing applications. A stiff or rigid material will deflect less than a flexible material under the same load.

Hardness measures a material’s resistance to scratching and surface indentation. Hard materials will scratch softer materials, but not vice-versa.

Material Choice

The material you choose significantly influences the strength of your part. You will normally choose a material depending on which material properties are most important to you. Shapeways offers a wide variety of materials, and each material has a unique set of properties that should be taken into consideration when you want a strong 3D print.

Thermoplastics

Thermoplastics are quite common in 3D printing. These plastics soften with heat and can be remelted once they have been printed. Some common thermoplastics are Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Nylon or Polyamide (PA), and Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Of these common thermoplastics, Nylon has the best balance of strength, toughness, and stiffness. Shapeways has several options of industrial-grade Nylon, two of these are: PA12, and PA12 GB.

PA12, also known as Nylon 12 is a tough, high-strength thermoplastic. It is printed with multi-jet-fusion (MJF) technology and can be smoothed to make parts watertight. As an added benefit, PA12 offers good chemical resistance.

PA12 GB is very similar to PA12 but this material is infused with lots of tiny glass beads. Since this material is 40% glass-filled, it has improved stiffness and resistance to warping.

Both of these thermoplastics have near-homogeneous properties. Due to the MJF printing process, these parts have comparable strength in the X, Y, and Z directions.

Thermoset Plastics

Thermoset plastics cannot be remelted once they have been cured. The 3D printing method used to print thermoset plastics is called Stereolithography (SLA). In this process, a laser scans over a liquid bath of light-activated photopolymer resin, hardening the areas to be printed and leaving the rest as a liquid.

Parts printed with SLA have an extremely smooth and high-quality surface finish. They usually have a high yield strength, and are quite stiff. They tend to be more brittle than thermoplastics, so they are not ideal for high-impact applications. There are, however, certain resins which have been formulated to provide a mix of strength and stiffness as well as toughness.

Accura Xtreme 200 is our strongest SLA resin. It has a higher yield strength and similar stiffness to PA12 GB. For a rigid SLA material, it is exceptionally tough, and well-designed parts should be able to handle moderate impact loads.

Metals

Yes, metals can be 3D printed! While typically more costly than plastics, parts 3D printed in metal are by far the strongest. We offer a wide variety of metals for 3D printing, including steel, aluminum, and a variety of precious metals.

For industrial load-bearing applications, aluminum is a top choice because parts are printed using a process known as Selective Laser Melting (SLM). This process uses a computer-controlled laser to fully melt aluminum powder. Aluminum is also corrosion-resistant and has exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity.

Steel is also available but it’s not recommended for heavy-duty industrial applications because it is printed very differently than aluminum. It is printed using an adhesive binder, which is later replaced with bronze. This process results in a part that is 60% steel, and 40% bronze. It’s still a very strong material, but for the best mechanical performance, aluminum is a better choice.

3D printed aluminum is one of the strongest 3D printing materials. It has an impressively high strength-to-weight ratio, and is perfect for creating parts that are strong, tough, and also lightweight such as drone frames. It has a yield strength 4-5 times higher than our Accura Xtreme 200 SLA resin and based on elastic modulus, it is over 20 times stiffer!

Material Data Sheets

Every material offered at Shapeways comes with a detailed material datasheet. These datasheets provide useful information including a comprehensive list of mechanical and thermal properties. These datasheets can be found at the bottom of every Shapeways material information page. For example, here’s the datasheet for PA12 GB.

Thermal and Environmental Factors

Sometimes you’ll want your parts to be able to withstand exposure to heat, light, and moisture. Some 3D printing materials are specifically formulated to be resistant to these conditions, and others should be avoided. Thermal and environmental factors must be taken into account to ensure parts will remain strong in harsh conditions.

Temperature Resistance

When parts will be used close to a heat source, or in a hot environment, it’s important that they do not deform or melt due to heat. 3D printed metals have the best temperature resistance by far.

SLA prints do not remelt, but they tend to become soft at relatively low temperatures. Accura Xtreme 200 has a heat deflection temperature of only 42°C (at 1.82 MPa) while PA12 GB has a heat deflection temperature of 114°C (at 1.82 MPa). Metals behave differently from plastics, so they do not have this characteristic. For comparison, 3D printed aluminum parts have a melting temperature of 570°C.

Keep in mind that parts that are darker in color will absorb more radiation energy, so for parts exposed to sunlight, white or translucent plastics are the best color choices.

Moisture Resistance

Some materials are slightly porous after being 3D printed so they will absorb moisture, and this can change their mechanical properties. Thermoplastics such as Nylon will absorb some amount of water, leading to minor swelling. Moisture exposure can cause a small reduction in strength and stiffness to some thermoplastics. Waterproof coatings, such as polyurethane spray, can be applied to some plastics to prevent moisture absorption.

SLA and metal 3D prints are not affected by moisture exposure.

Smart Design

3D printing is extremely versatile, but there are still a few general design guidelines that must be followed to ensure parts are printed properly. Every material available on Shapeways includes detailed material information as well as a set of design guidelines.

In order to maximize part strength, here are some general rules of thumb.

Increase Wall Thickness

Wall thickness greatly affects part strength. No matter what 3D printing method you use, having thicker walls will greatly increase the strength of your part. Although most 3D printing methods can print walls 1 mm thick, if strength is important to you, walls should be at the very least 2-3 mm.

Optimize Layer Orientation

Depending on how they are printed, some 3D printed parts are weaker along the layer lines. Parts are more prone to breaking along these planes, so if strength is required in all directions, it will be beneficial to reinforce areas that will be printed vertically.

Some methods of 3D printing such as SLA and multi-jet-fusion have been proven to have close-to-uniform strength in every direction.

Prevent Warping

As parts are being 3D printed, they will expand and contract due to temperature differences. This can cause warping, and this may weaken the structure of your part. Long, thin parts will experience this effect the most, so be sure to reinforce critical areas by increasing wall thickness or adding supporting features such as ribs.

Avoid Sharp Internal Corners

Be sure to use generous fillets if your part has any load-bearing sharp internal corners. Sharp internal corners can lead to highly localized internal stress concentrations, causing failure at loads lower than expected.

Conclusions

3D printed parts can be surprisingly strong! Your parts can be made for industrial-strength applications by understanding the basics of material science, selecting a suitable material, and following smart design guidelines. 3D printed parts can be strong enough to support heavy loads, absorb big impacts, and resist deformation in a variety of harsh conditions. Due to advances in 3D printing technology, and specifically engineered material formulations, we’re seeing more 3D printed end-use parts every year.

For more information, and our entire selection of materials, check out our materials page!

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