ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING is the magazine devoted to industrial applications of 3D printing and digital layering technology. We cover the promise and the challenges of this technology for making functional tooling and end-use production parts.
Issue link: https://am.epubxp.com/i/667993
MAY 2016 Additive Manufacturing 14 TAKING SHAPE Molds 3D printed in ABS provide an alternative to aluminum molds for even faster lead times. Expanding Horizons with Rapid Tooling By Christina Fuges Providing customers with the ability to produce a production-intent component in the production-specifed engineered resin in days rather than weeks is the goal of many mold manufacturers and molders. Today, Accu-Mold LLC of Portage, Michigan, can say it reached that goal. The company recently invested in rapid tooling capabilities using 3D printing, purchasing two Stratasys Objet machines to produce not just sample parts but also molds out of digital ABS material. The addition of AM for rapid tooling afords customers a shorter lead time over standard alumi- num prototype molds. 3D-printed rapid tools can be turned around within three to six business days, says Accu-Mold President Dave Felicijan, and can be used to run production-intent material for both design and product validation. "To date, we have printed three tools and their respective molded parts. We also have two more in design," says Felicijan. "The frst three were single-cavity prototype tools and the other two in design are sin- gle-cavity production pull ahead tools." Each tool presents some challenge, he says—for example, getting cooling into the mold or quickly cooling the part before ejection. Manufacturers who own or are thinking of purchasing equipment for metal additive manufacturing have a new resource in the UL Additive Manufacturing Competency Center (AMCC), which held its grand opening earlier this year. The center, located on the University of Louisville (UofL) campus, is the result of a public-private partnership between the university and the safety science organization Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to provide holistic training in additive manufacturing. Three diferent course tiers are ofered. Tier 1 includes foundational classes that introduce students to the basics of 3D printing and additive manufacturing, and is suitable for beginners or those considering the purchase of an AM machine. Tier 2 ofers more technical training including classes in AM design, quality and safety, and materials and processes. Tier 3 provides advanced training in metal part production. Beyond the value of the services and courses it provides, the new center is also a key "part of the ecosystem" being built at UofL, according to Dr. John Usher, acting dean of the JB Speed School of Engineering. In the near future, the UL AMCC will relocate to a 40-acre plot of land behind the engineering school, the future site of the Institute for Product Realization (IPR). The IPR will be a collaboration of key organizations at the University of Louisville, con- necting the UL AMCC, Rapid Prototyping Center (a facility for applied AM research, prototyping and short-run production) and others with university students, faculty, researchers and companies. The institute will ofer design, prototyping, testing and production services to help develop and bring products to market faster. The UL AMCC is expected to move to its permanent home within the IPR in 2017. Additive Manufacturing Competency Center Open for Training By Stephanie Hendrixson