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.
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C A LENDA R MAY 2016 Additive Manufacturing 24 For a complete list of conferences and events, visit www.AMTonline.org/Calendar/ The Promise of Multifunctional 3D Printing Continued from page 19 telling me that multi-material additive manufacturing was going to be the next big thing. RIT just happened to reach out at the perfect time with a nice opportunity. "When I started researching RIT and the surrounding community, I was absolutely amazed to discover such a huge concentration of print technology expertise. The opportunity to collaborate with world-leading ink chemists and print process engineers on development of next-generation multi-material 3D printing technologies was ultimately what sealed the deal." I asked Denis about the really dramatic news that he would be heading up a newly established New York State Center for Advanced Technology. His face lit up, and I could feel enthusi- asm build as he discussed the center. "The center is called the Additive Manufacturing and Multifunctional Printing (AMPrint) Center. The 'multifunc- tional' part of the title is what sets the AMPrint Center apart from most additive manufacturing centers. Nearly all AM technologies print material that serves some sort of mechan- ical function. But as engineers, we work with materials that perform many other functions as well. For example, there are materials that serve electronic, optical, magnetic, chemical, thermal and other functions." Denis explained that the AMPrint Center is one of the frst centers in the world whose primary focus involves additive manufacturing using these types of functional materials. The three legs of the stool that support the center are: 1. The development of functional materials in printable form; 2. The development of high-speed, multi-material 3D-printing technologies; and 3. The development of new applications that take advantage of unique capabilities made possible by the materials and processes it is developing with industry and government partners. When asked about the funding required for this work, Denis replied, "I knew the AMPrint Center's focus was novel, and I had a pretty good idea that the concept would resonate with our government and industry partners. But the response has actually exceeded even my own expectations. We've received close to $12 million of public and private funding for launch of the AMPrint Center in the past half year alone. "New York State has committed approximately $9 million over the next 10 years, plus $500,000 toward construction of the center. RIT has committed brand new space for the center as well as $1 million cash to purchase additional equipment beyond what we already have. A large multi- national company that wishes to remain anonymous for the time being has committed $1.4 million for equipment and collaborative research." I asked him what he saw in his crystal ball for 3D printing in the next fve to 10 years. "In my opinion, high-speed, multi-material 3D printing is the next really big thing. Modest versions of multi-material 3D printers currently exist, but developments in the next fve to 10 years are going to amaze people. Digital document printing presses that produce full color images at well over 100 pages per minute exist today. Now imagine a 3D printer that produces multi-color plastic parts at hundreds of layers per minute. Or instead of printing cyan, magenta, yellow and black, imagine a 3D printer laying down four diferent func- tional materials like I mentioned earlier." He concluded, "The market for 3D printing goods and services is just now getting large enough that the big print OEMs have started to take notice. To me, that's the real tip- ping point that will lead to transformative changes in terms of speed, material options, 3D print quality and price." For more information about additive technologies, contact David Burns, Global Business Advisory Services LLC, at david.j.burns@outlook.com or 585-880-8484. IMTS 2016 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PAVILION SHOWCASES TECHNOLOGIES, PRODUCTS READY FOR PRIME TIME. A novelty at IMTS 2008, 3D printing is taking its rightful place as an industrial solution. Visit IMTS.com/pavilions for more information. IMTS 2016 - International Manufacturing Technology Show September 12-17, 2016 McCormick Place - Chicago, Illinois IMTS.com Global Forecasting & Marketing Conference 2016 October 19-21, 2016 Trump National Doral Miami - Miami, Florida AMTonline.org/GFMC