DEVELOP3D - Technology for the product lifecycle

Bright Machines has introduced Bright Machines Select, a new microfactory-as-a-service model, packaging what it calls ‘the benefits of Software-Defined Manufacturing’ for manufacturers without the upfront costs associated with traditional automation equipment purchasing.

Looking to simplify financial evaluation, budgeting and contracts, Bright Machines Select streamlines the purchasing process for manufacturers looking to deploy intelligent automation to improve production lines.

The system looks to solve labor shortage issues for manufacturers, add predictable output and scale production both flexibly and affordably.

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ExOne has announced that it’s batch of newly qualified materials for binder jetting takes its total to 21, including 10 single-alloy metals, six ceramics, and five composite materials.

Top of the class are M2 Tool Steel, Silicon carbide, Aluminium and Inconel 718 - all with serious functional properties.

“ExOne continues to make aggressive and outstanding progress in qualifying new materials for 3D printing on our machines,” said ExOne CEO John Hartner. “Qualifying a new material for binder jet 3D printing is complex work that involves optimising how materials, machines and processes work together.

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Additive Flow has launched its new design for additive manufacturing software, FormFlow built with what it calls ‘intelligent multi-functionality’ to simultaneously consider materials, process parameters and part geometry within user-defined constraints.

FormFlow optimises part geometry and material properties simultaneously with multi-physics algorithms for the right material and properties, in the right places - allowing for multiple materials and different geometry optimisations.

Subsequently, the software allows users to view productivity, cost, and performance outcomes of different design/production recommendations before being able to export the part in production files according to multiple user-defined parameters.

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As designing for additive manufacturing continues to gather pace, 3D Systems has moved its 3DXpert software closer to the designer with a streamlined plug-in for Solidworks.

3DXpert for Solidworks has been designed with metals 3D printing at its core, and the new plug-in allows for better back-and-forth between the design and preparation stages of a part in the lead-up to printing it using the native CAD - making changes and editing the part much more simple.

Speaking with 3D Systems product manager Maoz Barkai, he pointed out the importance of having the tools to give the designer more control over the end printing process - and aspects such as the build orientation when looking to use lattices or maintain surface quality - then when combined with a rich library of predefined lattice structures, the designs could be improved even further.

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