An Israeli company has produced a folding stool to demonstrate the capabilities of the 3D printing process. The demonstration shows that development of better materials is rapidly moving 3D printing into more of a mainstream tool for production of low volumes of complex assemblies. The stool can support more than 220 pounds.
Engineers at Objet Ltd., of Rehovot, Israel, produced the stool in a single print job using Objet ABS-like Digital Material (RGD5160-DM) -- a new, functionally advanced material that is jetted as a composite material on the Objet Connex multi-material 3D printer.
The folding stool, which is 19 inches tall, has similar high dimensional stability, thermal resistance, and toughness as ABS-grade engineering plastics, enabling it to repeatedly sustain the weight of a person, according to a press release from Objet.
"Our technology represents the most effective way of functionally testing complex design ideas. Whether skateboards or folding stools, the prototypes that come out of Objet Connex 3D printers look like the real thing and also perform like the real thing," Objet's executive vice president Gilad Gans said in the press release. "Not only can this stool carry the weight of a person, but it was actually printed in the fold-up position in a single print job and then opened-up upon removal from the printer to be used."
The demonstration is interesting because 3D printed objects are generally static pieces used as prototypes for evaluation early in the product development process. All of the major producers of 3D printing equipment are rapidly developing new materials that extend the capabilities of the process. One example is the Objet ABS-like Digital Material, "a high-impact material (65-80J/m or 1.22-1.50 ft lb/in), with high-temperature-resistance (65°C or 149°F and after thermal post treatment 90°C or 194°F)," according to the press release.
The material fits well for engineers who want to design products made of ABS-grade engineering plastics, including snap-fit parts, durable and movable parts, and products requiring drop-testing. The copolymer ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is widely used because it is low-cost and has entry-level engineering properties.
Objet now has 65 3D printing materials, including 51 composite materials. Click here to see a video on Objet's new materials technologies.
In another dramatic example of the capabilities of 3D printing, a prototype car called the Urbee is the first car ever to have its entire body 3D printed by additive manufacturing processes. A model of the car -- produced in a development partnership between Stratasys of Eden Prairie, Minn., and Kor Ecologic, of Winnipeg, Manitoba -- was on display at Rapid 2011 in Minneapolis earlier this year.
According to a press release, "the electric / liquid-fuel hybrid reaches more than 200 mpg, highway and 100 mpg, city in U.S. gallons with either gasoline or ethanol (250 mpg highway /125 mpg city, Imperial gallons)." Stratasys pioneered the use of ABS and other production thermoplastics with its patented process called Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM).
3D printing is at one end of the additive manufacturing spectrum, while processes such as laser sintering and stereolithography (and also FDM) are at the other end, where the emphasis is on durable parts that can be used for implants or production parts for aircraft or equipment.
In an example of new materials for higher-end systems, DSM Somos has introduced Somos NeXt, "a next-generation material that facilitates the production of tough, complex parts with improved moisture resistance and greater thermal properties," according to the company's Website. It's a stereolithography material that comes close to replicating the properties of thermoplastic for functional testing and low-volume production.
My observation is that most manufacturers seem to not want their products to be repairable at all, and I don't think that safety has any part of the consideration. Of course, the lawyers will tell them to claim that it is for safety reasons, because the truth would be quite unpopular. Clearly the concern about product liability, real or imagined, has taken over from good engineering in product design. The very best thing for this country would be a severe shortage of lawyers, beyond any doubt.
I did note in my earlier posting that the snap fitting problem was not limited to 3D printed parts.
It would be very interesting to see just how commonplace these printers do become, and if they ever reach the level of the "Replicaters" on Star Trek.
My observation is that most manufacturers seem to not want their products to be repairable at all, and I don't think that safety has any part of the consideration. Of course, the lawyers will tell them to claim that it is for safety reasons, because the truth would be quite unpopular. Clearly the concern about product liability, real or imagined, has taken over from good engineering in product design. The very best thing for this country would be a severe shortage of lawyers, beyond any doubt.
I did note in my earlier posting that the snap fitting problem was not limited to 3D printed parts.
It would be very interesting to see just how commonplace these printers do become, and if they ever reach the level of the "Replicaters" on Star Trek.
JMiller has a good point about snap-togather parts, but I have been complaining about the same thing since before RP was available. Parts wind up being designed as "snap togather forever" assemblies, and it is not possible to unsnap them without breakage. So Miller has a valid complaint, but it is not only on the 3D made parts, but on many parts from all different kinds of processes.
I've been following RP technology for about 20 years.. cutting my teeth on one of the first machines out of 3D Systems (the inventors of Stereolithography), the "SLA-1." Yet, in the past 2 years, I've observed a staggering growth of this industry. Its gotten to the point of mainstream production!
For those interested, I highly recommend RAPID trade show in Chicago. It will BLOW your mind. And if you're in the market for purchasing one of these systems, there is no better place to learn about them first hand, side by side. Everyone who's anyone is there.
BTW, I recently purchased an Objet 30 myself. Love it. I had surveyed the market considerably. No one technology is superior in all categories, but the Objet definitely is one of the easiest to use, with excellent qualtiy. Their biggest downside is the cost/waste of resin for support structures; but on the other hand, the ease of removal (by water jet) is unparalleled. We use this machine in a student machine shop, so safety is a major factor.
The Objet Connex, capable of producing parts with multiple resins, and ability to "dial in" your durometer of choice is also unrivaled in the market. (For now.)
For highest quality/resolution, I personnally recommend Envisiontec (lesser-known Israeli company) or the 3D Systems VIPER. If you can afford it. IMHO, the Objet 24 or 30 is like the Toyota Camry, the Eden is like the Lexus, and the Connex is like the Space Shuttle (heaven rest its soul.)
The future of 3D printing can be dimly seen. It's conceivable that 3D printers will become as ubiquitous in the household as the microwave oven. If you think licensing is a mess now for music and movie downloads (and I sure do), then think about what it will be like when trying to print yourself a new spatula for Saturday pancakes, or a monitor stand, or whatever. We'll see Pirate's Bay bootleg STL files, BitTorrents for kitchen and bath...
To paraphrase Huey Lewis,
The future's so bright, I have to print myself some shades.
There are huge strides being made in 3D printing, both on the low and high end and it's really exciting to watch. I know the technology has been around for some time, but it seems like the market forces and technical advancements are coalescing to the point where 3D printing is fast becoming a cost-effective and more accessible tool for prototyping, verfication, and even just for plain old fun.
We wrote about the Urbee project at length. Check out our coverage.
I love to hear about new technologies in the area of rapid prototyping. I have had quite of bit of experience in purchasing FDMs and SLAs. they all have their positives and negatives. One area of qeakness that I have experenced that I would love to see improved is the functionality of snaps and such coming from rapid prototypes. Quite often the parts I work with are fastened without mechanical fasteners. The geometry often fits tightly with minimal clearance and a snap feature is used to hold the part together. The first key is always the dimensional accuracy of the part. With tight clearances dimensional stability is a key. Next is the functionality of the snaps. Often, I have had issues with snaps on the rapid prototypes being useful once. I.E. they break if you try to take the two components apart.
Anyone out there had similar experiences or have better luck using a certain type of rapid prototyping. Often I have to wait for a soft tool to verify the functionality of snaps.
Inspired by the hooks a parasitic worm uses to penetrate its host's intestines, the Karp Lab has invented a flexible adhesive patch covered with microneedles that adheres well to wet, soft tissues, but doesn't cause damage when removed.
Engineers at the University of California, San Diego are designing a robotic arm that takes inspiration from the loose, flexible, yet very strong structure of the armored plates on a seahorse's tail.
Researchers at the Missouri University of Science & Technology have designed a new nanoscale material that can transmit light faster than the 186,000 miles per second it usually takes to travel through air.
It has often been said that as California goes, so goes the nation. This spring, the state's wind power is setting energy generation records and solar energy generation is expected to rise sharply during the second half of 2013.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 3
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
4 
