Advances in Desktop 3D Printing Robert Zollo Avante Technology, LLC

Workshop Goals Help commercial enterprises assess the viability of desktop 3D printing for their business Help commercial enterprises assess the viability of desktop 3D printing for their business Where to go for additional relevant information Where to go for additional relevant information

Workshop Topics “State of the Industry” 3D printing Compare industrial vs desktop 3D printing Applications and economics Things to consider when using 3D printing Where to go for additional relevant information

What We Do Custom Materials for 3D Printing Custom Materials for 3D Printing STL Repair/Validation Software STL Repair/Validation Software Architected 3D printers Architected 3D printers Custom Development Custom Development Consulting Consulting

Commercial 3D Printing State of the Industry

$2 Billion+ 35%per year growth! Conceptual Prototypes Conceptual Prototypes Functional Prototypes Functional Prototypes Production Parts (new) Production Parts (new)

Why 3D Printing For the past 30 years Rapid Prototyping Saves time Saves time Efficient revisions Efficient revisions Reduces tooling errors Reduces tooling errors

Why 3D Printing For the past 5 years: Rapid Prototyping Specialized, Short Run Production

Why 3D Printing Now & beyond: Rapid Prototyping, specialized, Short Run Production and high value production and fixtures, jigs & molds

Pros & Cons Industrial 3D Printers More Material Options Larger Scale Parts Faster Printing (maybe?) More Precise Parts (maybe?) More Expensive (it depends..) Service Bureau Option

Economics Industrial 3D Printers $25,000 - $1Million $25,000 - $1Million Metal: $100k-$1mil. Metal: $100k-$1mil. Metal mat.: $1k+ /lb Metal mat.: $1k+ /lb Plastic: $25k -$125k Plastic: $25k -$125k Plastic: $100 - $500/lb Plastic: $100 - $500/lb

Plastics Industrial 3D Printers SLA (stereo- lithography $$$ SLA (stereo- lithography $$$ DLP (digital laser processing) $$ DLP (digital laser processing) $$ FDM (fused deposition modeling) $ - $$$ FDM (fused deposition modeling) $ - $$$

Industrial 3D Printer Economics Why So Expensive? Too few vendors Too few vendors Patent protection Patent protection Customer’s lack of knowledge Customer’s lack of knowledge

Pros & Cons Desktop 3D Printers Personal Control Security Valuable Feedback Fast Results (maybe) Lower Costs (probably) Faster Revisions (usually)

Issues with Desktop 3D Printers Lack of precision Un-reliable Limited capabilities Limited materials Few reliable vendors Lack of customer support

2014: Desktop 3D Printers New Printers More accurate More reliable New materials Few reliable vendors Lack of customer support

Economics New FDM Desktop Printers: Printers: $1,500 - $3,500 Printers: $1,500 - $3,500 Plastic Filaments: $20 - $100/lb Plastic Filaments: $20 - $100/lb

Why Not Desktop 3D Printing Now & beyond: Rapid prototyping, specialized, short run production and high value production and fixtures, jigs and molds

Correct Materials Make the Difference Using the right plastic materials enables desktop 3D printers to become highly useful machines for 1.Conceptual prototyping 2.Functional prototyping 3.Production of some parts 4.Production of jigs, fixtures and mold components

State of the Art 2014 Industrial vs. Desktop Materials ABS (various grades) ABS (various grades) Nylon(various grades) Nylon(various grades) Polycarbonate & alloys Polycarbonate & alloys Polysulphone Polysulphone Ultem Ultem etc. etc. etc. etc. PLA PLA ABS ABS Nylon Nylon PET/G PET/G Synthetic Rubber Synthetic Rubber New Composites New Composites

Physical Attributes PlasticStiffnessImpactTensile Melt Temp PLAhighlowlowlow ABSmoderatemoderatemoderatemoderate Nylonmoderatehighhighhigh PET/Gmoderatehighhighmoderate Synthetic Rubber lowmoderatehighmoderate

Aesthetic Attributes PlasticSurfaceColorsReflectancy“Feel” PLAsmoothbrightmoderatehard ABSmoderatemoderatemoderatecheap Nylonsmoothbrighthighslick PET/Gsmoothclearhighglass-like Synthetic Rubber moderatebrightmoderatecushy

Material Cost Guidelines Material Cost Guidelines PlasticPrice/lbDensity Cost per cubic inch 50% fill rate PLA $10- $ $0.56$0.28 ABS$15-$351.04$0.94$0.47 Nylon$30-$501.07$1.35$0.68 PET/G$30-$ $1.70$0.85 Synthetic Rubber $30-$ $1.42$0.71

3D Printing Applications 3D Printing Applications FDM Materials by Application: 1. Conceptual prototyping: PLA, ABS, Nylon 2. Functional prototyping: ABS, Nylon, Rubber, PETG 3. Production of some parts: Nylon, Rubber, New Composites* 4. Production of jigs, fixtures and mold components: ABS, Nylon, New Composites * ABS, Nylon, New Composites * * proprietary engineering grade materials * proprietary engineering grade materials

Desktop FDM Materials Desktop FDM Materials “80/20” Rule: Appropriate use of the right materials enables new generation desktop printers to handle many of the same “state of the art” applications promoted by the industrial printer suppliers (at 10% of the cost!)

Workshop Topics “State of the Industry” 3D printing Compare Industrial vs desktop 3D printing Applications & Economics Things to consider when using 3D printing Where to Go for more Relevant Information

Time for a Break Q&A Question: 1. How does your company design & make new parts? 2. How long does it take? 3. What does it typically cost?

Making Printable Parts “Garbage In…. “Garbage In…. Garbage Out….” Garbage Out….”

Making a Printable Design File STL Format File Sources: CAD CAD Scanner Scanner Other Other

e 3DTransform.com Matt Nutsch Founder

Making 3D CAD Files Printable Files Must be: 1. “Water-tight” STL 2. Must consider overhangs 3. Must fit on print bed

3D Scanning “Reverse Engineering” a part without the blueprints

The “Seven Deadly Sins” of Desktop 3D Printing 1. Flawed CAD Design 2. Defective STL File 3. Poor Calibration 4. Flawed/Wrong Filament 5. Improper Printer Settings 6. Variable Ambient Conditions 7. Ineffective print bed adhesion

Guidelines for Successful Desktop 3D Printing 1. Buy a sturdy printer 2. Calibrate, Calibrate, Calibrate 3. Select the right filament 4. Print height, print speed 5. Print temperature(s) 6. Use of cooling fans 7. In-fill strategy 8. Optimal print adhesion method 9. Use of support material 10. Control the environment 11. Safe pemoval Techniquest

Making Functional Protoypes Adapt the CAD File to meet the Material Specs. Be Careful Scaling Up Part Size: Warping Warping Shrinkage Shrinkage Moisture absorption Moisture absorption Physical criteria first Aesthetics second

Making Production Parts Balance Physical and Aesthetic Characterisitcs: Design Multiple Parts Design Multiple Parts Use Multiple Materials Use Multiple Materials Use Support Material Use Support Material Integrate via 3D Printing Integrate via 3D Printing

The Economics of 3D Printing Total Cost of Parts Design Design Prototypes Prototypes Pooling Pooling Production cost Production cost Revision cost Revision cost Tooling maintenance Tooling maintenance

Economics of Desktop 3D Printing “Rule of Thumb” Number One PartSimpleMediumComplexCombination one unit YesYesLikelyLikely YesYesLikelyLikely MaybeMaybeMaybeMaybe ,000 UnlikelyUnlikelyMaybeMaybe 1,000+NoNoMaybeMaybe

Economics of Desktop 3D Printing “Rule of Thumb” Number Two Size Low Load Medium High Load Hybrid Load < 3”x3”x3” YesMaybeMaybeMaybe < 6”x6”x6” YesMaybeUnlikelyMaybe < 1’x1’x1’ MaybeUnlikelyNoMaybe > 1’x1’x1’ UnlikelyNoNoUnlikely

Economics of Desktop 3D Printing “Rule of Thumb” Number Three Finish Low Load Medium High Load Hybrid Load High Gloss YesUnlikelyNoUnlikely SmoothYesMaybeUnlikelyMaybe MatteYesLikleyMaybeMaybe Not Important YesYesYesYes

Many New Materials Available This Year Stratasys “simulated PP”* “simulated PP”*Natureworks: “PLA co-polymers” “PLA co-polymers” Avante Technology: New “Engineering Grade" New “Engineering Grade" materials beyond nylon materials beyond nylon

Parts for Wearable Technology 12 Important Issues: Toxicity (prolonged skin contact) Staining (color dye leaching) Skin irritation (chafing) Uncomfortable (bad “feel”; causes sweating) Uncomfortable (poor conformity to body) Uncomfortable (in-sufficient flexibility) Recovery from repeated flexing Swelling due to moisture absorption Shatter-proof Sweat-proof Electromagnetic properties “Drop Test Compliant”

Key Points: 1.There are Sufficient Materials Available Today for modern Desktop 3D Printers to create: conceptual prototypes (PLA, ABS) conceptual prototypes (PLA, ABS) functional prototypes (Nylon, PET, Rubber, ABS) functional prototypes (Nylon, PET, Rubber, ABS) simple, small production parts (Nylon, PET, Rubber, other new) simple, small production parts (Nylon, PET, Rubber, other new) fixtures, jigs and molds for compression molding, sand casting fixtures, jigs and molds for compression molding, sand casting 2.There is a productivity and cost reduction role for industrial and desktop 3D printing in many businesses right now 3.New materials available this year will enable far greater capability

Try Desktop 3D Printing Today… (your competitors already are) For More Information: Avante Technology, LLC.

Resources for More Information Avante Technology Avante Technology Software Architects, Inc. Software Architects, Inc. 3DTransform.com Matt 3DTransform.com Matt Proforma3DPrinting.com Proforma3DPrinting.com Proforma3DPrinting.com RepRap.org RepRap.org RepRap.org namii.org namii.org namii.org 3DPrinting.com 3DPrinting.com 3DPrinting.com wohlerassociates.com wohlerassociates.com wohlerassociates.com 3D Print Show Bellevue August D Print Show Bellevue August 2014