In an industry driven by innovation, start-ups play a vital role in creating the next generation of AM technologies, applications, software solutions and materials. However, only a small percentage of these start-ups will survive, and even fewer will thrive. Arno Held, Chief Venture Officer at AM Ventures Holding GmbH, presents a statistical analysis of start-ups across the AM sector, including success rates, geographic distribution and key areas of focus, and offers his insight into venture capital as it relates to the Additive Manufacturing industry. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 1, Spring 2020]
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The high cost of metal powders for Additive Manufacturing makes them a primary focus for cost management. Learning how to treat and store such powders in order to maintain and optimise their performance and value is one way to improve production economics. Here, Dr Rajeev Dattani, from Freeman Technology, UK, and Dr Animesh Bose, Desktop Metal, USA, review how to test powders in order to develop this knowledge, and examine treatment and storage regimes that can be beneficial. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 1, Spring 2020]
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Additive Manufacturing has been heralded as a game-changing technology of the future. But while many ‘green’ and ecological initiatives have bloomed from the AM movement, the question remains: “Is AM environmentally friendly?” As Olaf Diegel, Ray Huff, and Terry Wohlers explain, the short answer is: it can be, in the hands of good designers and well-informed manufacturers. As with any tool or process, knowledge and experience are key. It is important to explore the many ways AM is applied in sustainable ways and whether it is improving. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 1, Spring 2020]
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Now in its third year, the Munich Technology Conference series has achieved a remarkable status in its short history. It is recognised not only for bringing together the most powerful and influential minds in the international AM community, but for engaging them in open and broad-ranging discussions on the future of the industry. It is also an event that unashamedly ‘wears its heart on its sleeve’, having grown from the optimism of MTC1 to MTC2’s call for vital collaboration, and a ‘reality check’ in the face of economic uncertainty at MTC3. Metal AM magazine’s Emily-Jo Hopson reports. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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Metal Additive Manufacturing is a complex technology in which users struggle with materials reliability and quality on a daily basis. Here, William Herbert, Director Technology and R&D – Carpenter Additive, a division of Carpenter Technology, looks at how the company combines a 130-year heritage as a leader in speciality alloys with modern, digital solutions for powder management and material traceability, and supports the AM supply chain end-to-end by developing advanced materials, improving process economics and quality, and reducing risk in production applications. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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This is a challenging and exciting time for producers of metal powders. Talk of the industrialisation of Additive Manufacturing is everywhere and key pieces of the AM jigsaw such as standards, quality systems and installed production capacity are falling into place. The nature of the companies which are looking to take advantage of the anticipated feast is, however, surprisingly diverse. In this article, Alex Kingsbury and Dayton Horvarth highlight how long-established metal powder giants are adapting to AM and how agile start-ups are carving out niches in the powder marketplace. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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There is no shortage of Additive Manufacturing machines humming away in research laboratories, producing test pieces and exhibits for trade shows, but the hard truth is that relatively few are making components for serial production. In part, this is because the world is still waiting for materials which enable the technology to fulfil its true potential. In this article, Rebecca Gingell and colleagues from OxMet Technologies, Oxford, UK, explain how the company is approaching the design of novel alloys for AM, and reflect on its progress so far. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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Additive Manufacturing is arguably the ideal production method for numerous aerospace applications, particularly where lightweighting and part consolidation are concerns – yet no other industry takes such a cautious approach to embracing new manufacturing methods and imposes so many hurdles on the path to certification. In this article, Germany’s Trumpf GmbH + Co. KG tracks the production journey of one part for Spain’s Ramem S.A., as well as looking at further cases from the aerospace industry. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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In powder bed Additive Manufacturing processes, the recoater system is responsible for spreading a fine and even layer of powder for each layer of a build. This system typically uses wipers to create the necessary surface, with the variants of wipers used being almost as diverse as the number of AM machines on the market. Olaf Diegel and Terry Wohlers explain why it is not only machine operators, but also designers and engineers, who need to be aware of the weird and wonderful world of wipers. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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In May 2019, US-based Sintavia, LLC opened a state-of-the-art facility in Hollywood, Florida, dedicated to the volume production of metal additively manufactured components for the aerospace and defence sector, marking a significant expansion of the company’s production capacity. Debbie Sniderman visited the new facility on behalf of Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine and reports on the company’s ambitious plans and its management’s views on the ongoing evolution of the industry.
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With the arrival of high-volume metal Binder Jet systems and a growing interest in metal Fused Filament Fabrication, the AM industry is set for a new phase of growth. The ability to use this new generation of systems for the production of ‘green’ parts is, however, only half of the story. The sintering of these parts to create large quantities of finished product to a consistent quality requires both an investment in furnaces that can cost in excess of $1 million each, and a thorough understanding of sintering. In this article, Prof Randall German, the leading authority on the science of sintering, outlines the process and its core challenges. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 3, Autumn 2019]
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A new generation of Binder Jetting machines now promises to deliver high volumes of parts at previously unimaginable speeds. Metal AM’s Nick Williams interviews Stefan Joens and the team at Elnik Systems LLC, a leading provider of industrial debinding and sintering furnaces, about the reality of entering this field and the technologies and equipment that are needed for the often underestimated processes of debinding and sintering. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 3, Autumn 2019]
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