3D Metal Printing Newsletter

UCLan's share of the funding goes toward its Additive Manufacturing Education Program (AMEP) for training educators and future engineers. The UCLan program, developed as a proactive response to a skilled-labor shortage within engineering and manufacturing in England, has helped increase productivity within the AM sector by supporting the development of skilled people through teaching and learning activities.

"Additive manufacturing is a key component of advanced manufacturing with the potential to accelerate innovation and productivity across many sectors in the UK," says Dr. John Lonsdale, director of innovation and enterprise at UCLan. "There is a requirement for a significant shift in engineering education in order to support the future of this method of manufacture. The HEFCE funding means we will be able to accelerate and expand the delivery of teaching and learning activities to address the skills gap and develop and sustain AMEP."

ASTM Announces First for AM and PM
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has announced its first proficiency-testing program for AM and powder metallurgy (PM). The program provides laboratories with a statistical-quality-assurance tool, enabling them to compare, improve and maintain a high level of performance in the use of ASTM methods with other laboratories worldwide. The PM testing and characterization program will measure PM properties. Conducted twice annually, the program provides a different commercial sample for each test cycle. Electronically distributed samples, test instructions and data report forms go to each laboratory contact on the date samples. Laboratories have approximately 8 wk. to submit test data, with final statistical summary reports electronically distributed in approximately 25 business days.

Video: Tough Spray Work No Problem for Cobots

Aircraft Tooling Inc. (ATI), a Texas-based repair center for the aviation industry, often employs metal-powder and plasma-spray processes, but harsh operating conditions can play havoc with equipment. Looking to combat that challenge, ATI has employed collaborative robots, or cobots, from Universal Robots. The cobots, now in operation for three years, have not experienced breakdowns nor required lengthy service. Watch the video and see how the cobots pay off big for ATI, and look for more details on the ATI-Universal Robots relationship in the Spring issue of 3DMP.