Page 24 - 3D Metal Printing Winter 2018

3D Grimm’s Tales
BasTech employs metal AM to solve problems or provide unique benefits not possible within a traditional tool shop.
Even with years of experi- ence, Staub acknowledges, “we continue to have builds with unanticipated out- comes. It's not a pushbutton process.”
Repeatability, or consistency, takes into account the process variables, some controlled by the equipment and others by the operators on the floor. And automation—before, during and after a build—influences overall efficiency while improving repeatability. All of that said, Staub admits that the industry is poised for change.
“I see constant, steady growth with a lot of interesting things going on,” he says. “3D Systems, GE Additive and others are focusing a lot on developing new soft- ware and systems to continue to improve the metal processes, to make them better for production environments.”
Getting Production-Ready
There is much process, material and system-development activity underway that Staub believes will address pre- dictability, repeatability and automation. As examples of the move to production- grade solutions, Staub cites 3D Systems’ recent announcements and rollouts.
In the area of predictability, he points to new-found capabilities offered with 3DXpert software.
“We are somewhere between pure experience and expert systems,” he says.
With the software, users now receive guidance that helps them to make better decisions when prepping a metal-AM job. Stress analysis provides one exam- ple. Rather than making assumptions based on prior experiences, the software illustrates how a part would deform dur- ing the build, which allows the user to counteract the stresses with properly placed supports.
3DXpert also accelerates the prepara-
tion of builds and the printing of the parts. The entire workflow is conducted with native CAD data to make design modifications and apply build settings. To decrease build time, the software also offers variable build parameters throughout a part, such as thicker slices for support structures, and generation of lattice structures to reduce the vol- ume of printed material.
Regarding repeatability and automa- tion, Staub cites new machines, such as the ProX DMP 320 and DMP 8500 Facto- ry Solution (with a planned release by the end of 2018), that he says, “are geared more for production and moving away from the prototype mentality.”
Process monitoring is one item that Staub highlights. Without it, he says, “we are making assumptions that all went well in the middle of the night when nobody was around to watch the build.”
He also highlights automated materi- al handling. When performed manually, technicians have much influence over
About BasTech, Inc.
repeatability as they sift, reclaim and reuse powders.
“Hand-sifting materials, for example, has the potential for contaminants to be introduced or oxidation to occur,” Staub says. With automated material han- dling, these aspects no longer are prone to human error and subject to labor availability.
Open-Mindedness Required
Metal-AM adopters are dominated by what Staub calls “progressive compa- nies”—those with a management mind- set that this is something they need to do now, because if they wait 5 years, they won’t be at the technology forefront. What differentiates these companies is that they are willing to take acceptable risks, willing to invest now for the future and willing to gain benefits today while discovering the possibilities for tomor- row. Typically, Staub finds that these are larger companies with the budgets and resources to support such initiatives.
Yet, any company, of any size, can leverage metal AM today if its represen- tatives take an open-minded approach.
“I think they need to open their minds to where the real fit is,” Staub says. Identifying this “real fit” involves understanding how metal AM is no dif- ferent than traditional processes, recog- nizing the challenges but being open to adapt to them, and appreciating the benefits beyond unit-cost and unit-time reductions.
AM is nothing new to BasTech. Since the early-1990s, with commercializa- tion of the first stereolithography machines, BasTech has used AM in more ways than can be imagined. BasTech provides services and hardware solutions for AM, engineering, prototyping and manufacturing needs.
Engineering design, prototyping, 3D printing, tool production, reverse engi- neering and low-volume part production all work together to provide the complete solution. Drawing from this wealth of hands-on AM experience, BasTech analyzes and outfits businesses with the best-identified solutions for their manufacturing needs. Offerings include 3D Systems’ complete line of products from direct-metal-printing and MultiJet printers to production-quali- ty scanning and software packages. Other leading brands used by BasTech include Markforged, Creaform, SolidWorks and more.
22 | 3D METAL PRINTING • WINTER 2018
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