Additive Manufacturing

FEB 2014

Modern Machine Shop and MoldMaking Technology present ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, a quarterly supplement reporting on the use of additive processes to manufacture functional parts. More at additivemanufacturinginsight.com.

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An Outlook for Additive in 2014: A Participant's Perspective By Tim Shinbara, Technology Director, AMT–Te Association For Manufacturing Technology tshinbara@AMTonline.org Looking back at 2013, it should be known as the Year of the Printer. Advancements and accelerations in both funding and media exposure broadened the audience from boutique fabrication frms and defense special programs to garage hobbyists, universities, Fortune 50 companies and small-to-medium enterprises. What does this mean for 2014? Is there critical mass to further accelerate or sustain these eforts? By following America Makes (the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute [NAMII]), fnancial markets (from initial public oferings to quarterly earnings) and industrial leaders like General Electric, the answer to the frst question may entail tangible data points, such as increases in supply chain partners, approvals of new standards and qualifcations, and exposure to advancements in novel materials and additive processes. It may be a bit too early to evaluate critical mass for two main reasons. First, 2013 included such an explosion of activities that such eforts may still be in forming stages, whereas 2014 may be the realization stage. Second, while additive manufacturing provides many non-traditional benefts, most of these are held captive to very traditional ways of thinking. In other words, the industrial world may not be pervasively ready yet. For 2014, there will be continued basic research in our national and university laboratories to explore the potential viability of new functional materials, process monitoring and equipment integration. Expect another round of funding for America Makes projects, which fll technical and transition gap activities, and, more than likely, additional mergers and acquisitions within the industrial sector. AdditiveManufacturingInsight.com February 2014 — 15

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