Polymer filaments, powders for AM applications

Based on KetaSpire polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and Radel polysulfone (PPSU) polymers, three filaments and powders are designed for high-end AM applications.

Two filaments leverage the KetaSpire PEEK polymer – a PEEK product and a 10% carbon fiber-reinforced grade. The filaments allow fusion of printed layers, enable high part density, and deliver part strength – including in the Z-axis.

The third filament is based on Solvay’s Radel PPSU. Also formulated to allow excellent fusion of layers, the high-performance material offers transparency, elongation, and toughness for 3D-printed parts.

An AM-ready powder based on the NovaSpire polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) polymer is being developed to target AM applications in aerospace and healthcare.www.solvay.com

Windform Tundra-M drone wins Red Dot Award

Hexadrone’s 3D-printed Tundra-M prototype manufactured by CRP Technology using laser sintering technology, Windform SP, and Windform XT 2.0 carbon-composite materials, has won the Red Dot Award 2018 in the drone category.

The award ceremony took place in the Aalto-Theater in Essen, Germany on July 9, during the Red Dot Gala.

Judging criteria included level of innovation, functionality, formal quality, ergonomics, and durability. www.windform.com

America Makes, ANSI publish standardization roadmap

Version 2.0 of the Standardization Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing, a product of the America Makes and ANSI Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative (AMSC), identifies 93 gaps – 18 are high priority – where no published standard or additive manufacturing (AM) specification currently exists to address a need. In 65 gaps, pre-standardization research and development needs are identified. It provides progress updates identified in the earlier version of the roadmap, with many gaps substantially revised.

New gaps involving polymers are also described. The life cycle of an AM part, from initial design, to materials, process selection, production, post-processing, finished material properties, testing, qualification, and maintenance is considered.

The roadmap is supplemented by the AMSC Standards Landscape, a listing of standards related to issues in the guide. www.americamakes.us; www.ansi.org

Dual action ultrasonic agitation flow cleaner

The 815BTX dual-tank bench-top ultrasonic cleaning machine removes support material and washes 3D parts. Its left tank uses BioSolv, a biodegradable, non-hazmat cleaning detergent that is superior to sodium-hydroxide (NaOH). The unit’s right tank uses hot water. Ultrasonic technology optimizes the cleaning of precision areas and combines with agitation to remove support material. Programmable alternating cycles provide hands-off cleaning from start to finish. www.omegasonics.com

IMTS 2018 Booth #121150

Aerospace 3D print technology grows 20.3%

The global 3D printing materials market for the aerospace industry is anticipated to reach $535.1 million by 2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.3% between 2017 and 2024. Boeing and Airbus intend to expedite the adoption of 3D printing to reduce supply chain complexities and costs, shorten time frames, enhance functionality and performance, and produce lighter parts.

“The aerospace industry is witnessing a quantum change in terms of supply chain re-arrangement as 3D printing manufacturing makes inroads,” says Sayan Mukherjee, senior research analyst, chemicals and materials at Frost & Sullivan. “Material manufacturers with industry-qualified products have immense opportunity to cash in on double-digit growth.”

For a competitive advantage in the market, Mukherjee recommends material manufacturers collaborate with machinery manufacturers such as Stratasys, EOS, and 3D Systems to develop materials that are innovative, air-worthy, and suitable for large 3D printing. www2.frost.com

Photo courtesy of Stars and Stripes

3D-printed aircraft oxygen system

U.S. Airforce service members based at the Yokata Air Base in Japan 3D printed two components to modify standard-issue (M-50) gas masks into an aircraft oxygen system that can work on an aircraft. The current aircrew eye/respiratory protection system (AERPS) is heavy, expensive, and susceptible to faults which take a considerable amount of time to repair. However, using an FFF printer bought for a few hundred dollars, Senior Airman David Petrich printed two components costing $0.75 each to create the AERPS Ultra. Although they produced several prototypes before developing the final version, the small modifications could save the U.S. Airforce up to $8 million.

Tech. Sgt. Eric Lundeen says, “This is going to affect every pilot in the Air Force. It gives them a lot more flexibility and mobility, increases safety, and saves a ton of money.”

The masks will be rolled out for flight testing in Japan in July 2018. www.airforce.com

Sciaky, Concurrent Technologies to expand 3D printing reach

Sciaky Inc. has partnered with Concurrent Technologies Corp. (CTC) to support growing demand for high quality, large-scale additively manufactured metal parts. CTC will offer Sciaky’s electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) metal 3D printing technology, which produces large metal parts and provides closed-loop control for consistent part geometry, mechanical properties, microstructure, and metal chemistry. EBAM also features the interlayer real-time imaging and sensing system (IRISS), which senses and digitally self-adjusts metal deposition for precision and repeatability. www.ctc.com; www.sciaky.com