Post-production | Supercharg3d

Link3D launches post-processing management technology to optimize 3D printing supply chains

LINK3D, a New York-based 3D printing software provider, has launched its Post Processing Management Technology for additive manufacturing at Formnext.

The Post Processing Management & Work Plan tool. Image via Link3D.

Contributing to the company’s Additive Manufacturing Execution System (AMES) & Additive Workflow Software, the Post Processing work management and scheduling tools are designed to optimize downstream manufacturing processes within a 3D printing supply chain.

“With dynamic routing and smart scheduling algorithms, Link3D aims to drastically improve the operational efficiency of additive production, particularly for OEM’s looking to adopt series production,” said Vishal Singh, Co-Founder and CTO of Link3D.

Rize One 3D Printer Case Study: Cut the post-processing, cut the costs & time in 3D printing

A case study always brings to life the theory, making it real, and one that demonstrates the impact of 3D printing on the supply chain is always welcome! Boston Engineering has recently been using the capabilities of the Rize One industrial 3D printer to speed up the cycle time of production and to lowering costs. Sarah Saunders of 3dprint.com takes up the story.

Massachusetts-based industrial 3D printing company Rize Inc., known for its augmented polymer deposition technology, introduced its desktop Rize One 3D printer last summer: the printer, with its high-speed support removal, pretty much eliminates the need for post-processing, saving users all kinds of time. We saw first-hand just last month that, as promised, the support structures do snap off quite quickly. The Rize One was the subject of a recent case study at Boston Engineering, also in Massachusetts, which provides engineering consulting and product design services for many industries, including consumer products, robotics, medical devices, and commercial products. The company has an FDM 3D printer in its additive manufacturing lab, but it was taking too long for the engineers, who are not housed in the lab, to get their 3D printed parts.

Frank Marangell

Boston Engineering works hard to beat its competition and solve client challenges, by quickly getting products to market or designing the products themselves. But, you need speed to be the best, and the company’s current system just wasn’t working. The additive manufacturing lab is located far away from the offices, because the current 3D printer’s post-processing method needs the parts to soak in a chemical bath to remove support materials. The issue was causing a major bottleneck, as engineers were having to wait up to three days to get their 3D printed parts back from the lab. Add this to any possible design iterations that resulted in further 3D prints, and you can see the problem. In addition, the company’s FDM 3D printer was costing Boston Engineering too much money, what with the high operating costs that came with the necessary post-processing (materials, handling, labor, etc.).

Innovate UK grants $782,000 for 3D printing post-processing technology

Post-production finishing (PPF) is a necessary reality for most end-product manufacturing used today. However, there is increased focus on improving the quality and time of both PPF and the actual 3D printed parts from printers. Encouraging to see UK Government getting behind the 3D printing push.

Additive Manufacturing Technologies Ltd. (AMT) will receive a £624,000 ($782,000) grant from Innovate UK to refine a new automated post-processing method for 3D printed parts. The Sheffield company will work within a consortium along with fellow British company Xaar (LON:XAR) who produced inkjet printheads.

The government-run Innovate UK is an driver of change in the UK’s manufacturing industry. It operates in a similar to the way the America Makes program that funds additive manufacturing developments in the US.

So far in 2017, Innovate UK has also launched a project encouraging the use of 3D design in British industry. In the past they also backed the Bloodhound Supersonic Car, which hopes to break the land speed record through use of 3D printed components.

Rize details impact of post-processing on 3D printing in new report from Todd Grimm

The issue of post-production is one that is under-appreciated by those who believe the hype about 3D printing, but one that is recognised by manufacturers. Things are getting better though and with innovators like Rize, the burden of post-production will reduce.

Based out of Woburn, Massachusetts, the industrial 3D printing company Rize has made it a primary goal to rid professional-grade 3D printing of the laborious and costly need for post-processing. Their recently unveiled industrial desktop 3D printer, the Rize One, is said to completely eliminate the need for post-processing, helping manufacturers cut costs and streamline their operations. Their patented Augmented Polymer Deposition (APD) enables users to bind thermoplastic filament with functional inks, which leads to simple and clean support removal.

rizeprocess We recently spoke with Rize about their patented technology and removing the need for post-processing, and now, to prove the immense strain that post-processing places on manufacturers, the industrial 3D printing company has released a detailed report on the subject entitled “3D Printing: the Impact of Post Processing.” Rize commissioned renowned industry expert Todd Grimm, who has 17 years of experience in the product development industry, to construct the report. To provide a comprehensive look at the impact of post-processing, Grimm interviewed six global manufacturers representing the automotive, consumer products, medical devices, sporting goods, and architecture industries.