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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DiSanto now has two of these machines, along with one Arcam employee on-site, as part of a partnership with Arcam aimed at increasing both the demand and the capacity for additive manufacturing of medical parts in the United States. DiSanto sees so much potential in this method of manufacturing that the company is building an expansion so it can add four more Arcam machines. Historically, DiSanto has been a machining business. About 55 CNC machine tools run at its Shelton, Conn., site. Dunn says additive manufacturing will expand the use of these machines. That's because practically every additively produced medical part needs machining of critical features as a secondary step, he says. Plus, many implants produced additively need complementary machined components that are part of the surgery. However, additive manufacturing will also change which parts the company machines, Dunn says. Certain components being machined today will be produced additively instead, after they are redesigned into more functional forms that can only be produced through additive manufacturing. The spinal cage is an example. DiSanto has long made these cages through machining, and continues to do so, but company engineers saw how additive manufacturing could create a better design. The company produced the prototype at its own expense so it could pitch the idea to customers. Going forward, Dunn expects to win work for additive manufacturing by taking this same initiative with other parts that are currently made through machining. The company's machine shop has thus become its prospecting feld. Supplier Challenges This might be a picture of the future of batch production. This collection of hip stems was produced in a single additive manufacturing cycle. Not only were many pieces nested into this build, but various sizes are seen here as well. In the past, each of the different part numbers would have required its own forging die. the market in the United States for manufacturing implants through EBM. Meanwhile, Arcam gets DiSanto's commitment to the technology. From Arcam's perspective, DiSanto is the ideal size, Dunn says. His company is big enough to be a player in implant manufacturing, but small enough that it was willing to reinvent itself in pursuit of the promise of additive production. The opportunity to make this change came at the right time. DiSanto was facing challenges Historically, this part's porous bone-integration surface has been produced through plasma spray, generating an imprecise outer form. EBM makes it possible to print the bone integration layer directly into the form, precisely controlling the geometry. The partnership with Arcam works this way, says Dunn: The additive machine maker gives DiSanto a measure of exclusivity in pioneering AdditiveManufacturingInsight.com February 2014 — 5

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