Exciting times. We have the backdrop of our Realize TV set ready to go. Thanks to the Realize team for making it look so nice. Informative videos about all things Realize and the additive manufacturing industry will be coming your way via Realize TV starting in April!
Steve Griffiths – Sales Manager, Materialise
Realize, Inc is communicating with 3D Printing experts from around the globe to discuss the future of our industry. We talked with Steve Griffiths the Sales Manager at Materialise to get his take on where things are headed in the additive manufacturing world. Steve manages a team of professionals at Materialise who are selling and supporting leading software technology in the 3D Printing Industry.
“3D printing is an amazing industry with great potential. It’s a great combination of the machines, materials, software and the people. I’m excited to see where it goes!”
Why has 3D Printing become the buzz word for the entire industry and do you think that is a good or bad thing?
At first I resisted the move away from Additive Manufacturing and Rapid Prototyping. But as the term 3D Printing is allowing for a more consistent conversation about the technology through the mainstream press, and as it has been embraced by the public, catching their attention in a way that the other terms didn’t, I’ve decided to get on board and go with it as well.
There has been a ‘new generation’ of users exposed to AM/RP/3DP over the past few years, along with a huge media buzz. How do you see this camp and the ‘old school’ camp coming together?
I think at first there will be lots of differences and levels of knowledge about the capabilities of 3D Printing. But as time goes on, the new generation will learn from the experienced users and in turn, the new generation will bring some fresh approaches that can inspire the ‘old guard’. What will be especially interesting is when students who are now being exposed to 3D Printing in their classrooms graduate and start putting the technology to use in ways that we can’t even dream of right now.
What challenges/opportunities do you feel service providers, like Realize, face today?
Service providers are facing lots of challenges in the industry today – with consolidations, pressure to reduce costs, and limited availability of materials probably topping the list. However, as a new generation of 3D printers are revealed, new materials are introduced to the market, and the software, such as the solutions developed here at Materialise, evolves to better answer the growing needs of the markets, we are also in an exciting time where people throughout the industry and constantly pushing the limits of what can be achieved. There are always challenges associated with emerging technologies, but it is the opportunities that make this such a great industry to be involved in.
What are some misconceptions about the capabilities of the technologies?
3D Printing is so mind-blowing to so many people that it is perfectly natural that there are misconceptions about what it can achieve – with people both underestimating as well as overestimating what is possible. For people who have only just discovered the technology and who have only seen the desktop printers now entering stores and schools, they think that it will still take years for the machines to reach a point where they can manufacture end-use parts, which has in fact already been possible for years using professional machines. On the other end of the spectrum, a common overestimation is that we are already at the point where 3D printed organs are possible and will soon be implanted in patients, which is still many years away. Instead, we should be celebrating the reality that we are already producing 3D Printed implants and have long been enabling a new level of personalized healthcare with printed medical models, virtual planning and printed surgical guides.
What are your thoughts on 3D food and clothing and all the headline grabbing stories about our Industry that are posted daily online?
Well I haven’t tasted any 3D printed food yet and I’m not sure I’m on board with that, but know that many of my colleagues are excited about the possibility. However, when it comes to fashion, I am proud to be working for a company that has been working with the designers who first brought this application of 3D printing to the public’s attention. In collaboration with Iris van Herpen, we have brought 3D Printed fashion to the Paris runways, have worked with designers for New York fashion week as well as bringing our own 3d Printed fashions shows to audiences all over the world – and of course, together with Studio XO, we saw Lady Gaga wearing a 3D printed dress for the first time with her most recent album launch.
Are there any new applications for Rapid Prototyping you feel will emerge over the next few years?
As 3D printing continues to grow, I think more and more industries will see the benefit to applying it to their processes. For example, we have already seen the realization of 3D printed insoles, surgical guides, mass customization and the production of hearing aids and as the machines, materials and software continue to improve, even more applications will start to emerge.
If you could make a prototype of anything with no care given to time or cost, what would you create?
Well I love to boat so I would love to create a customized 3D printed bimini for my boat or even to print some accessories or replacement parts for it. But I am also fascinated by all the 3D printing in the medical field, which Materialise also plays a large part in. All these advances make me optimistic that if I were ever to need a knee replacement or brain surgery or anything else, 3D printing would play a pivotal role in it.
What trends should AM business owners be looking to follow over the next century in your opinion?
I think more people will look to 3D printing for mass customization. There are definitely industries where this makes a lot of sense and also some where it doesn’t. So finding the right niche is key. Also applying 3D printing to more person specific parts or goods – like a customized steering wheel to your hands or headphones that are made for your head like a company in New York is doing.
Where do you think 3D Printing will be 50 years from now? (This is just a fun guess, futuristic question)
Wow! That seems so far off. So many things could be possible by then – organs and tissue – more cars and houses. Also I see it being more integrated and utilized with traditional manufacturing.
Realize enjoys the many different types of projects that we work on throughout the year, but every once in awhile we get to create something that is near and dear to our heart. Take for example a recent project for Outdoor Ukulele. They wanted us to create a prototype of their new tenor instrument. Brian Cazzell, the lead on the project, talks about the creation of the 3D Ukulele prototype.
“When Scott from Outdoor Ukulele contacted us, he said his biggest challenge was finding someone who could build a full scale prototype of his tenor ukulele using polycarbonate-like resin. He stated the material that would be used in final production was polycarbonate and we were the only provider that could accomplish this for his prototype version. We had the perfect size machine and material combination for him, which is the SLA 5000 and Accura 60 resin. I was extremely excited to be a part of the project due to my personal interest in musical instruments. This made the project go smoothly because we spoke the same language in terms of the components that were being used in the assembly of his prototype. I look forward to future projects with Scott and Outdoor Ukulele!”
We talked with Scott Seelye from Outdoor Ukulele about the project.
Tell me about your company.
We manufacture ukuleles designed for the outdoor environment. The production instruments are injection molded from glass filled polycarbonate. We sell instruments all over the world. They have been used in expeditions to the Arctic, across the Amazon, and sailing voyages.
How is your company using 3D Printing and how did Realize help you with this project?
Realize helped us create a working prototype for our upcoming tenor ukulele. Realize was the only company that was willing to attempt a part this size, which we would use as a working instrument.
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What are the biggest challenges when it comes to your 3D projects?
Our biggest challenge with prototyping an instrument is receiving a part with the tolerances required to make it playable. The scale length and fret locations need to be exact. The parts we received from Realize gave us an instrument so close to the real thing, customers thought they were already in production.
What was the overall experience like working with Realize?
Our experience with Realize was wonderful. Quite often, you don’t receive this level of service from a prototype company unless you’re a Fortune 500 company. Realize is now our only approved prototype company.
If you want to own one of these beauties, here is the link… http://outdoorukulele.com/tenor
Realize is always seeking out conversations with experts in the additive manufacturing industry. For this Q&A we interviewed Buddy Byrum, 3D Systems’ vice president of product and channel management, personal and professional 3D printers.
What do you feel is the most groundbreaking piece of equipment you’ve introduced? Why?
I think there are a couple, to be honest. We released the ProX 950 at EuroMold 2013, and it’s the type of machine that can vastly increase the capabilities of manufacturers (aerospace, medical devices, automotive, turbine production, casting applications) and service bureaus because of three factors: it’s huge, it’s highly accurate and it’s fast. With PolyRay™ we’re talking print speeds up to ten times faster than other 3D printers. And it can print models as large as a full engine block, so users can spend less time on assembly, produce huge casting patterns faster, produce test models faster and get end products into production and ultimately to the customer.
I’d also say the ProJet 4500 is a big development in 3D printing also because it’s the industry’s only photorealistic, full-color 3D printer that creates durable plastic parts. The 4500 gives consumer products designers, healthcare companies, toy makers, architects, etc. the ability to make gorgeous, true-to-life prototypes that stand up to the real world. They can even make end-use parts quickly, allow manufacturers to customize them and enable whole new product lines.
Of the technologies you offer, which is currently receiving the most attention in-house for future development and why?
We cannot really comment about specific developments, but we are always working on new materials for our technologies to expand their use. Today we 3D print with over 100 different materials ranging from food ingredients to waxes to various plastics and even metals so we continue to grow the range of functional materials to bring the benefits of 3D printing to more and more applications.
What stands out as the most outstanding use of your equipment?
That’s a tough question. The beauty of 3D printing is that you can produce virtually anything, regardless of geometry, and do it faster and often more accurately.
But I think the strides that we allow traditional manufacturers to make are really exciting. The fact that we can put one of our machines into a traditional manufacturing outfit and give them a way to optimize a traditional manufacturing workflow or a product development method with 3D printing is amazing. And it shows the versatility of 3D printing, that it can constitute the entire manufacturing process or it can integrate into an existing process. Whether it’s making casting patterns faster and more accurately, producing working prototypes for fit and function in a day, or being able to recognize design flaws early.
We recently had a service provider who helped a natural gas equipment manufacturer create test parts of a regulator housing. With 3D printing, using one of our ProJet 3500 printers, they were able to produce patterns and eventually aluminum test parts in only 9 days. Prior to enlisting this service provider, the gas equipment manufacturer couldn’t even create accurate test parts (using CNC machining) that would fit on their assembly! The geometry was just too complicated. But with 3D printing they not only got test parts that fit but they got them fast.
What are your thoughts on 3D food and clothing and all the headline-grabbing posts about our Industry that are daily tech stories online?
As I alluded to earlier, this technology may never find a limit. While we’re still in the early stages of 3D printing food and clothing, there’s no reason to think that these applications couldn’t become mainstream or even the norm down the line. Clothing designers have really embraced 3D printing on fashion runways because it offers a way for them to create some complicated forms and novel new textiles.
Are there any new applications for Rapid Prototyping you feel will emerge over the next few years?
With our introduction of the first full-color plastic 3D printer (ProJet 4500), real functional prototypes can also have photorealistic color. With this capability prototypes can be both functional and provide the full customer experience feedback as they can have realistic looking test prototypes directly out of the printer.
What are the strangest requests or questions you get about your machines?
The strangest questions often come from people who do not understand digital files or 3D designs. We are asked from time to time if we can print directly from a 2D drawing or photograph. This is not as strange as it used to be though because we do have the capability to create our 3DMe figurines starting with just two photos.
If you could make a prototype of anything in one of your machines with no care given to time or cost, what item would you like created?
I would have to say life-saving, or quality-of-life improving items such as new medical devices or replacement body parts. We already have customers doing these kinds of applications and it is rewarding to know we are enabling a growing list of such applications that have the power to change the world and have meaningful impacts on people’s lives.
Why has 3D Printing become the buzzword for the entire industry and do you think that is a good or bad thing?
I think it’s a good thing, and it’s a term that we have encouraged because it’s the best descriptor for what we do and it doesn’t make the general public believe that it’s just for manufacturers. Regardless of what it’s called, the fact that it is a buzzword at all is a great thing. If 3D printing is in the public consciousness, that’s a win for everyone: for 3D printer manufacturers, professional users, consumers, makers, manufacturers, artists, museums … everyone.
What trends should AM business owners be looking to follow over the next century in your opinion?
Two important trends stand out in my view. First is the democratization of 3D printing that opens new entrepreneurial doors for people to start new businesses, design new inventions and manufacture their dreams within their own means and circumstances. 3D printing breaks down geographic, economic and infrastructure barriers and provides ordinary people the opportunity to create without limits. Second is use of AM in real manufacturing applications, either directly or indirectly. Designers are learning to create new levels of product performance impossible within traditional manufacturing limitations and are now designing end products to take advantage of the limitless geometry capabilities afforded by 3D printing.
Where do you think 3D Printing will be 50 years from now? (This is just a fun guess, futuristic question)
I hope my ability to still be 3D printing in 50 years will be helped by the advances in healthcare that 3D printing offers! I could imagine colonization of other planets where 3D printing allows people to make whatever is needed, when needed. Back on earth the word “inventory” may no longer be needed!
3D Systems is a leading provider of 3D content-to-print solutions including 3D printers, print materials and cloud sourced on-demand custom parts for professionals and consumers alike with materials including plastics, metals, ceramics and edibles. The company also provides integrated software and hardware tools including scan to CAD and inspection. Its expertly integrated solutions replace and complement traditional methods and reduce the time and cost of designing new products by printing real parts directly from digital input. These solutions are used to rapidly design, create, communicate, prototype or produce real parts, empowering customers to manufacture the future.
Realize President Todd Reese recently attended the AMUG conference in Jacksonville, Florida. The conference was celebrating it’s 25th Anniversary. We asked Todd to recap the overall experience. What were the attendees buzzing about this year?
Realize President Todd Reese meets Iron Man!
This group has morphed over the years. It started off focusing on one technology, stereolithography, but the industry was growing so the group thought it would be a good idea to include emerging, different and competitive technologies. AMUG is all inclusive now, anyone that has additive manufacturing machines, regardless of technology, is invited now. It’s developed into more of a technical forum with the people actually running the machines and solving problems while pushing the technology to the next big thing. The dream for many is to quickly print production parts off of these machines, and even do so from home. For example, a knob on your blender breaks, well the idea is that you could just download the file for that component and make the part yourself on your personal 3D printer rather than go to the store and buy it. Discovering the appropriate materials, and engineering more consistency and repeatability into the machines to create production parts is where the trick is. At Realize we are more focused on prototypes, helping clients early in their product development cycle, and that will remain an important step in the process. I expect designs will change as additive manufacturing technologies become used to make production parts, because the limitations or restrictions you would see with traditional methods, such as injection molding, don’t exist in that realm. Think, building a whistle with the ball already inside it. Again, the trick lies in developing appropriate materials and machines with better repeatability. From a pure production standpoint, I think we are still a ways off from that. The AMUG group continues to grow in size but even just a few short years ago you really did not hear about the technology outside of the industry. Now with the 3D printing buzzword the media has brought to the street it’s really come to the masses.
It’s incredible there are all these innovative people making machines in their garage and coming up with new ways of doing things. Right now there are two groups out there; guys like me who have been at it for 20+ years on an industry side, and then a new brilliant, social media generation who have recently been introduced to 3D printing. I talked to many people at AMUG on this very topic, and the common thread was that it will be a challenge to bring them together, or can you even bring them together? The new generation has done a heck of a job creating a buzz, and a cool factor, and the national media has grabbed and run with it…is it a bubble? I don’t know.
Realize is primarily a stereolithography and rubber tooling service bureau but we do offer 3D printing services as well. I’m excited to see what’s next in the evolution of the industry. AMUG is a great event for witnessing and participating in the evolution, as it’s where the technical leaders to come together.
It’s a conference unlike anything else I’ve been to. The networking and information exchange is such a priority for everyone and the board does a phenomenal job of structuring the event to keep people engaged throughout the entire event experience. There were many fascinating elements during the conference but the highlight for me would be the presentation from Jason Lopes from Legacy Effects. It was very exciting to see how the technology I work with every day is applied to costumes and special effects in the movies. It is used a lot more than you might think! By using these technologies they can bring back some realism and not completely rely on the computer animated graphics, the results are pretty special. I was especially impressed with learning how rapid prototyping was used to make the Iron Man mask. A big thanks to the AMUG board. That group of passionate volunteers does an incredible job of putting the event together and improving things each year to make the conference the premiere event it is today, hats off to them.
Bottom line this is a great conference to attend. You will talk to your peers and competitors. Sharing knowledge will help us advance. I certainly walked away with some great information this year.
3D Printing/Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing