Page 19 - 3DMP Summer 2022

AMUG 2022 3D
Jason Jones of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies earned third place in the Technical Competition’s Advanced Concepts category by using LPBF to print components employed in hybrid AM machines.
Competition Showcases Metal-AM Excellence
Of key interest at AMUG 2022 was the Tech- nical Competition, which provided a fascinating look at an array of AM concepts, designs and builds among the record 32 entries.
Among metal-AM-related entries, Nanci Hardwick of Meld Manufacturing received first place in the Advanced Concepts category for a representation of the U.S. Army plans for Meld’s metal-AM technology in its Jointless Hull Pro- gram. The solid-state process unique to Meld essentially stirs plastically deformed metal. The Army’s program seeks to employ the technology in a gantry-style printer with a build envelope of 20 by 30 by 12 ft.—reportedly the largest metal printer on the planet—to build mono- lithic hulls. Hardwick’s entry featured a hull section printed from aluminum and weighing more than 200 lb.
Judges’ comments on this entry included “fas- cinating, novel AM technology that enables large- scale manufacturing,” and “maybe the most
In the Technical Competition’s new Members’ Choice category, AMUG attendees recognized Jung Kyu Im and Daniel Goncalves of Custom Prototypes Inc. for their stainless-steel bathroom faucet. Im and Gonclaves used LPBF to print the faucet, noting that its complex shape—including the water channels designed to avoid the need for internal supports—could be produced only via LPBF.
impressive new AM technology here.”
Andreas Vlahinos of Advanced Engineering Solutions earned
second place in the Advanced Concepts category for the design and build of an avionics heat exchanger. Jason Jones of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies earned third place for his entry, “Using PBF to Enable DED in a CNC.”
In the new Members’ Choice category, AMUG attendees rec- ognized Jung Kyu Im and Daniel Goncalves of Custom Prototypes Inc. for their 3D-printed stainless-steel bathroom faucet. The faucet’s custom design incorporates water channels within the organically shaped ‘stems’ that twist as they rise to connect with the ‘flower’ that discharges the flow of water.
Im and Gonclaves used laser powder-bed fusion (LPBF) tech- nology from Renishaw to print the faucet, noting that its complex shape—including the water channels designed to avoid the need for internal supports—could be produced only via LPBF.
Set for Next March in Chicago
Following the conference, AMUG announced new board- members. Mark Abshire, Shannon VanDeren and Jason Dickman will serve as president, vice president and director of membership, respectively. Abshire, who recently retired from Computer Aided Technology, replaces Carl Dekker, who has served as AMUG president for three terms. VanDeren is president of Layered Man- ufacturing and Consulting and senior business development manager at VulcanForms, and Dickman is chief technology officer of ClasIQmfg.com.
The board currently is planning for AMUG 2023, March 19- 23, in Chicago, IL. Registration opens October 1. See you there! 3DMP
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