I have been challenged on a couple of issues recently, the most pressing for me is the "reality vs hype" argument with 3D printing. It's not a new topic by any means, but one that I wish to readdress and distinguish between hype and forward looking statements.
I agree that there does need to be clarity. So here's where I stand:
Today's designers, engineers, manufacturers and makers are all primarily concerned with the reality of what 3D printing technology and the different processes are capable of — today, now! This directly affects what they do and how they do it. There are plenty of positives to draw on here, for example complex shapes, tool-less manufacture etc — all generally well documented. But it is also worth reiterating that, currently, there are trade-offs for most applications; for instance superior quality parts will forego speed of printing and so on. The other key reality is that printable materials are limited.
The 'hype' surrounding 3D printing comes into the equation when capabilities are overstated, which is not helpful for users or newbies who will inevitably become disappointed when the reality hits. I am not a fan of hype, but as a commentator I see this as very different to forward looking statements that expound the potential of the technology in the future, based on knowledge and trends.
My latest crystal ball moment (just my opinion, but I'm entitled to it) was posted in a comment on Sculpteo's blog: http://tinyurl.com/6cgk9qm
Despite having the charge of hype levelled at me, personally, I think there is a big difference. But your thoughts on this would be welcomed, either way ......
About Me
- Rachel Park
- Ewloe, United Kingdom
- Writing, tweeting, debating and occasionally getting a little over-excited about 3D Printing. But always aiming to keep it real!
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Thursday, 6 October 2011
3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing @TCTLive 2011 + a couple of other things!
It's really hard to believe that it's been a week since the last day of TCT Live 2011! I feel like I am constantly playing catch up at the moment but it's all good fun, keeps me on my toes.
There was plenty to catch up with on the show floor of the exhibition at TCT. In terms of 3D printing and additive manufacturing there were new systems (sort of), new materials, new interfaces and company news in general.
Let's start with the news from 3D Systems. Not because the company is bigger or better than any other (well, it's probably bigger) but quite frankly, I just want it out of the way. With the news that emerged last week it would be remiss of me not to say anything, so what I will say will is this ..... IMO 3D Systems is a company that completely bewilders, over-complicates things and blurs the edges of everything it does and conveys. In all my years of working in this industry I don't think I have ever had — or met anyone that has — a clear view of the company, and that includes employees of 3DS, customers and journalists. Last Monday (26th September) saw the company announce the new ProJet 1500 colour personal 3D printer and the new 3DTouch desktop colour printer. Separate announcements on the same day. This was followed on Tuesday by the 'launch' of the products at TCT Live .... followed 24 hours later by the 'launch' of the same two products at Lotus Renault F1 ADM Centre, an hour or so down the road from where TCT was taking place at the NEC. Is it just me or does this seem weird to anyone else? The two printers themselves are further evolutions of existing systems, neither are completely "new". The ProJet 1500 is designed to target the colour sector of the 3D Printer market that ZCorp has successfully dominated for some time now, but the colour capabilities of the ProJet 1500 are still quite limited - six single colours currently available, no multi-colour capability. The same goes for the 3DTouch, which is an upgrade of the BfB3000 machine. This also has a new touch interface, hence the name, which is a neat selling point, it has to be said, but hardly ground-breaking. I had seen the embargoed spec of the 3DTouch a couple of weeks ago and thought it was interesting but it didn't set my pulse racing! 3DS has since acquired Kemo in the Netherlands, another bureau; sorry 'provider of on-demand custom parts services.'
Let's move on.
A 3D Printing system vendor that I spent some time with last week was Mcor. You may have seen the teasers before the show about the FreeDRevolution, well that was all leading to Mcor's announcement at TCT Live revealing the company's new pricing model. I don't think anyone was naive enough to believe that they would be able to get their hands on a free 3D printer, but when Deirdre and Conor MacCormack unveiled the new pricing structure at the press launch, it provided plenty of food for thought — to the industry itself and to consumers. The Mcor system, the Matrix 300, has many unique selling points, not least its low-cost, eco-friendly consumables. Now, this system (previously £20,000) will be supplied to customers free of charge with a subscription plan over 1, 2 or 3 years, which includes unlimited parts, servicing and support. Yes, you read that right, unlimited parts! This is different and offers exciting opportunities for anyone that may not have been able to afford this machine previously. The only slight downside — I still can't get T-Rex's 'Children of the Revolution' out of my head!!
It was great to see HP at TCT in force, working the show and making some impact. I still find it hard to think of this company as a 3D printing vendor in it's own right, it may seem bizarre, but I still consider them a Stratasys reseller!! I think that might be about to change - I hope so anyway, it will really stir things up.
Stratasys' long-standing UK reseller Laser Lines, as ever, had a strong presence on the show floor with a full scale Aston Martin Racing car attracting a great deal of attention and demonstrating how Additive Manufacturing is a contributing factor to the development of what is officially the UK's coolest brand. It is a fabulous looking car that is racing in one of the harshest races — Le Mans 24. What better testament to the capabilities of additive manufacturing — strength and beauty! The guys on the stand were as amusing as ever, none of it really fit for public consumption - you know who you are! :-) Stratasys also announced last week that it is increasing its production facilities, a sure sign that the company is growing and strengthening, despite some losses on the stock market.
Objet's big announcement last week was a new bio-material. While not ground-breaking in terms of materials available across the whole industry, this is a big step forward for the PolyJet process and opens up a whole new market for Objet — a very smart move I think. Objet was represented at TCT by IPF, headed up by Gary Miller. Anyone that saw my tweets last week will be aware that I struggled to get face time, that stand was constantly inundated with visitors, animated visitors from what I saw, which is kind of the whole point. Finally spoke to Gary on Thursday, a really lovely guy that knows his stuff and has an infectious smile. He made me a wrench too, which is sitting within my personal 3D Printed collection now.
While chatting with Martin Forth of Envisiontec, I was introduced to George Macdonald (son of Grant Macdonald, famous London Silversmith). George works with his father and the two are big fans of the Envisiontec systems — he revealed that it has literally transformed the way that they create new designs and do business. For me, this is the type of conversation that really lifts my whole view of 3D printing. I know the rhetoric inside out, but when you see it in someone's face — for real — it brings it to life and it makes me really happy.
It was delightful to catch up with Julie Reece from ZCorp at TCT. Julie is a person that I regularly communicate with but for one reason or another we have never met in person — until last week. It more than lived up to expectation and indeed, went some way to explain why ZCorp is leaps and bounds ahead of every other 3DP vendor when it comes to profiling and market awareness. Julie is vibrant and obviously full of good ideas, it is very hard not to be affected by her in a positive way. I think the fantastic 3D printing applications with which ZCorp has been involved is also why the company keeps capturing so much media attention. Have you heard the latest? An outfit for Lady GaGa. Love her or hate her, there is no denying this will have a mega effect. Love it.
Renishaw — the new owners of the SLM technology from MTT — also had a large booth at TCT, showcasing SLM and the company's other tools for scanning and metrology. SLM is perhaps the most understated of the additive metal technologies. I was told a few things in confidence about where this process is headed and it sounds good, really good actually. Sorry I can't share any detail at this point, but it is important to respect the promise I made. Suffice to say, based on what I know about Renishaw, there will be differentials that will define SLM as a competitive process in its own right in the not too distant future.
I also heard about a fair number of new entry-level 3D printers, all of which are still under wraps. Born of the open source RepRap project, the increasing number of these machines and the demand for them demonstrate the growth in this area, still typically defined as the Maker movement, but also, for me, it includes new and small businesses. Lots of people talking about this last week, and a full range of views expressed. Too much to convey in this post, but one to work on!
And so, to round up this post with a couple of nuggets of general interest. I met Prof Phill Dickens during one of the conference sessions, it was great to catch up with this legend of the industry, and even better to hear that after three years away, he is returning to the AM lab at Loughborough University. Back on the tools, so to speak. He seemed really happy about that. I have him primed to tell all to TCT delegates in 2012! Another significant move, away from Loughborough this time, is Neil Hopkinson. As of Monday, Neil is now Professor at Sheffield University. Congratulations Neil and good luck.
There was plenty to catch up with on the show floor of the exhibition at TCT. In terms of 3D printing and additive manufacturing there were new systems (sort of), new materials, new interfaces and company news in general.
Let's start with the news from 3D Systems. Not because the company is bigger or better than any other (well, it's probably bigger) but quite frankly, I just want it out of the way. With the news that emerged last week it would be remiss of me not to say anything, so what I will say will is this ..... IMO 3D Systems is a company that completely bewilders, over-complicates things and blurs the edges of everything it does and conveys. In all my years of working in this industry I don't think I have ever had — or met anyone that has — a clear view of the company, and that includes employees of 3DS, customers and journalists. Last Monday (26th September) saw the company announce the new ProJet 1500 colour personal 3D printer and the new 3DTouch desktop colour printer. Separate announcements on the same day. This was followed on Tuesday by the 'launch' of the products at TCT Live .... followed 24 hours later by the 'launch' of the same two products at Lotus Renault F1 ADM Centre, an hour or so down the road from where TCT was taking place at the NEC. Is it just me or does this seem weird to anyone else? The two printers themselves are further evolutions of existing systems, neither are completely "new". The ProJet 1500 is designed to target the colour sector of the 3D Printer market that ZCorp has successfully dominated for some time now, but the colour capabilities of the ProJet 1500 are still quite limited - six single colours currently available, no multi-colour capability. The same goes for the 3DTouch, which is an upgrade of the BfB3000 machine. This also has a new touch interface, hence the name, which is a neat selling point, it has to be said, but hardly ground-breaking. I had seen the embargoed spec of the 3DTouch a couple of weeks ago and thought it was interesting but it didn't set my pulse racing! 3DS has since acquired Kemo in the Netherlands, another bureau; sorry 'provider of on-demand custom parts services.'
Let's move on.
A 3D Printing system vendor that I spent some time with last week was Mcor. You may have seen the teasers before the show about the FreeDRevolution, well that was all leading to Mcor's announcement at TCT Live revealing the company's new pricing model. I don't think anyone was naive enough to believe that they would be able to get their hands on a free 3D printer, but when Deirdre and Conor MacCormack unveiled the new pricing structure at the press launch, it provided plenty of food for thought — to the industry itself and to consumers. The Mcor system, the Matrix 300, has many unique selling points, not least its low-cost, eco-friendly consumables. Now, this system (previously £20,000) will be supplied to customers free of charge with a subscription plan over 1, 2 or 3 years, which includes unlimited parts, servicing and support. Yes, you read that right, unlimited parts! This is different and offers exciting opportunities for anyone that may not have been able to afford this machine previously. The only slight downside — I still can't get T-Rex's 'Children of the Revolution' out of my head!!
It was great to see HP at TCT in force, working the show and making some impact. I still find it hard to think of this company as a 3D printing vendor in it's own right, it may seem bizarre, but I still consider them a Stratasys reseller!! I think that might be about to change - I hope so anyway, it will really stir things up.
Stratasys' long-standing UK reseller Laser Lines, as ever, had a strong presence on the show floor with a full scale Aston Martin Racing car attracting a great deal of attention and demonstrating how Additive Manufacturing is a contributing factor to the development of what is officially the UK's coolest brand. It is a fabulous looking car that is racing in one of the harshest races — Le Mans 24. What better testament to the capabilities of additive manufacturing — strength and beauty! The guys on the stand were as amusing as ever, none of it really fit for public consumption - you know who you are! :-) Stratasys also announced last week that it is increasing its production facilities, a sure sign that the company is growing and strengthening, despite some losses on the stock market.
Objet's big announcement last week was a new bio-material. While not ground-breaking in terms of materials available across the whole industry, this is a big step forward for the PolyJet process and opens up a whole new market for Objet — a very smart move I think. Objet was represented at TCT by IPF, headed up by Gary Miller. Anyone that saw my tweets last week will be aware that I struggled to get face time, that stand was constantly inundated with visitors, animated visitors from what I saw, which is kind of the whole point. Finally spoke to Gary on Thursday, a really lovely guy that knows his stuff and has an infectious smile. He made me a wrench too, which is sitting within my personal 3D Printed collection now.
While chatting with Martin Forth of Envisiontec, I was introduced to George Macdonald (son of Grant Macdonald, famous London Silversmith). George works with his father and the two are big fans of the Envisiontec systems — he revealed that it has literally transformed the way that they create new designs and do business. For me, this is the type of conversation that really lifts my whole view of 3D printing. I know the rhetoric inside out, but when you see it in someone's face — for real — it brings it to life and it makes me really happy.
It was delightful to catch up with Julie Reece from ZCorp at TCT. Julie is a person that I regularly communicate with but for one reason or another we have never met in person — until last week. It more than lived up to expectation and indeed, went some way to explain why ZCorp is leaps and bounds ahead of every other 3DP vendor when it comes to profiling and market awareness. Julie is vibrant and obviously full of good ideas, it is very hard not to be affected by her in a positive way. I think the fantastic 3D printing applications with which ZCorp has been involved is also why the company keeps capturing so much media attention. Have you heard the latest? An outfit for Lady GaGa. Love her or hate her, there is no denying this will have a mega effect. Love it.
Renishaw — the new owners of the SLM technology from MTT — also had a large booth at TCT, showcasing SLM and the company's other tools for scanning and metrology. SLM is perhaps the most understated of the additive metal technologies. I was told a few things in confidence about where this process is headed and it sounds good, really good actually. Sorry I can't share any detail at this point, but it is important to respect the promise I made. Suffice to say, based on what I know about Renishaw, there will be differentials that will define SLM as a competitive process in its own right in the not too distant future.
I also heard about a fair number of new entry-level 3D printers, all of which are still under wraps. Born of the open source RepRap project, the increasing number of these machines and the demand for them demonstrate the growth in this area, still typically defined as the Maker movement, but also, for me, it includes new and small businesses. Lots of people talking about this last week, and a full range of views expressed. Too much to convey in this post, but one to work on!
And so, to round up this post with a couple of nuggets of general interest. I met Prof Phill Dickens during one of the conference sessions, it was great to catch up with this legend of the industry, and even better to hear that after three years away, he is returning to the AM lab at Loughborough University. Back on the tools, so to speak. He seemed really happy about that. I have him primed to tell all to TCT delegates in 2012! Another significant move, away from Loughborough this time, is Neil Hopkinson. As of Monday, Neil is now Professor at Sheffield University. Congratulations Neil and good luck.
Friday, 30 September 2011
Old & New, Excitement & Passion: A Round Up of the TCT Live 2011 Conference on Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing
I don't think it is any big secret that I love the industry that I work in. TCT Live 2011, which ended yesterday, only reinforced how great it is to be involved with 3D printing and Additive Manufacturing. The technologies and their applications in and of themselves are still so very exciting, that's a given, but it is the people that bring the passion — and they really are a passionate lot — and the sense of belonging and commitment makes me feel privileged to be a part of it. There were many old faces, friends actually, who have, in the main, grown up in this industry with me (just to clarify I am referring here to longevity within the industry, not age, although that is becoming an issue for some of us!!). But also there were many new people, keen and eager to embrace the technologies and what they are capable of. What was really interesting was the level of awareness and knowledge that was evident as we spoke, there was virtually no basic explanation required — this is hugely significant and very reflective of the past 12 months. The people entering the halls at the NEC were, in the main, well briefed and there with purpose, not just out of curiosity.
The other noticeable factor was the increase in the numbers of creatives and makers that visited the show. Probably not quite equal numbers with the industrial engineers but definitely a significant increase on previous years. And they were visibly apparent too — a lot more colourful in their attire. I do not wish to offend the engineering community, but let's face it, style choices are definitely more muted!
For the third year I was at the show with two hats on. I was once again contracted by my previous employer (thanks Duncan!) as the conference coordinator. Having commissioned the presentations for the programme, me being me I like to be their onsite liaison and see it through and do the social interaction thing. A few hiccups along the way, a little stress and plenty of adrenalin resulted in a great conference across the three days. The programme line up was pretty impressive, even if I do say so myself, but numerous others said so too, so I feel justified in that pronouncement. As a result it is really very difficult to select my highlights, but I'll give it a go ....
Mr Terry Wohlers, renowned for his impressive knowledge of additive manufacturing and 3D printing gave the keynote speech on the first day, opening the conference with style and giving his version of the current state of the industry. It was particularly interesting to hear his views of the growing Maker movement and see the emphasis he places on this as the industry continues to grow and move forward. For me it is certainly the fastest growing phenomenon at the entry level of the machine market, and the number of sales of open source 3D printer units reflects this, not to mention the increasing number of these systems being launched onto the market — lots of noise and hints about more to come, but I was always sworn to secrecy and I will keep quiet (for now) because a promise is a promise. I also believe that in time, this 'new blood' in terms of system users will filter up the vendor chain to more capable, improved quality machines in the mid-range and beyond. I've taken this position for a while now and am sticking to it, how long this takes though is not really visible at this stage, my guestimate would be 5-10 years. In the meantime, I think the 3D printing labs are the business model of choice. Different to a bureau set-up, which offers 3D printing services, these labs offer 3D printed goods for sale online, but more importantly they offer open communities for 3D designs to be developed, customised and ultimately 3D printed.
This leads me nicely on to one of my other highlights. Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO of Shapeways, presented on exactly this on day 2 of the conference. I have been watching Shapeways (and the others, there is still only a handful of them out there) very closely over the last year because I strongly believe this is the biggest consumer-facing growth area over the next 5 years. I was delighted when Peter agreed to present earlier in the year and fascinated to get some real insight into the company on Wednesday. Again, the passion for 3D printing and the limitless possibilities were what made this presentation stand out for me. Peter's approach is about the technology and what it can do, but this is always aligned to the people that are engaged with it, what they are doing and how they are doing it. It's all about sharing and openess. I was staggered to hear that Shapeways has in excess of 180,000 designs within its online database — all with designer copyright (not Shapeways - Pete was extremely clear about this when we chatted later) and these designs are available to everyone that visits the site. He referred to the Shapeways community at one point as an SME, indeed it is still a small team operating at peak performance, but I think this will change imminently. I just hope they keep the community spirit as they grow. Needless to say, some of the designs that were showcased are simply stunning, totally imaginative with huge consumer appeal. Beyond the visually beautiful there is also plenty of functional products available, showcasing, in my opinion the two greatest benefits of 3D printing.
Another unforgettable highlight has to be Richard Noble's keynote presentation on Day 2. Richard is the leading inspiration behind the Bloodhound - 'Engineering Adventure' - a car that is being designed and built to reach 1000 mph. And indeed, inspirational is the key word in every sense. It was palpable in the conference theatre — standing room only — as Richard's revelations about the project captured imaginations, petrol heads or otherwise, and engaged people at every level. It was also the loudest presentation! Richard's passion for speed is well documented, but someone in the know informed me that Richard has recently "got" additive tech, and his passion about it is growing. Dan Johns — who has been using additive processes for many years and is truly passionate about his subject area — followed up Richard's presentation the next day with a slot that demonstrated just how additive tech is being used in the Bloodhound development process and to manufacture some key components on the final car. Dan joined Bloodhound a few months ago, a smart move, and unsurprisingly the number of car components made additively is increasing the longer he is there. He is engaging with the additive machine vendors for this project, with an open invitation for them to collaborate, look at the car — inside and out — and find the best applications for their technologies. This is, in my opinion, a brilliant idea that will showcase the technologies, the applications they excel at (they are not all the same) and bring them before a potential audience of billions when the car gets to South Africa. A real win win win situation. Any of them that don't grab this opportunity will be missing a trick!
The other keynote presentation, on Day 3 of the conference, was given by industry veteran Todd Grimm. This is a man I respect greatly because he has a unique way of fusing immense passion for and knowledge of the technology with a healthy dose of realism — the way he engages his audience is truly inspiring. After defining the 3D printing landscape as it stands today, Todd's central message was to embrace the possibilities of 3D printing, but make it personal, challenge everything you read and hear and find the right solution for you — because ultimately, there will be one. I struggled to disagree with anything he said.
It would be remiss of me not to mention a couple of other presentations that caught my attention. Ross Authers of Clarks International (shoes) gave an insightful presentation on how traditional, age-old skills can merge seamlessly with the very latest technology (aka 3D printing) to produce truly appealing products. In itself this is a nice story, technology integration is often cited as a fundamental barrier to adoption, but Clarks is an excellent example of how, with the right mindset, it really does not need to be. The fact that Clarks have significantly reduced development times, increased their product range dramatically and improved its bottom line is the proof, if any were needed, that this is not just rhetoric.
And finally, Kelly Sant, a lecturer at the University of Brighton's Faculty of Arts and one half of 'Arash & Kelly' gave a fascinating presentation on a brilliant application of combined technology — 3d printing and injection moulding. Instincts suggest we are going to hear a great deal more about this in the coming months.
I would like to personally thank all of the presenters at the TCT Live 2011 conference on Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing, with sincere thanks also extended to the Conference Chairs who gave their time to do so. The success was down to you guys.
Time to start dedicating some thought to 2012! I picked up some interesting leads during the show, but if you would like to present next year, or you know of a 3D printing story that deserves a great platform then drop me a line, love to hear from you.
So that's the conference round up. There was plenty of gossip and exhibitor chat also, but that was with my other hat on, and I will turn my attention to that next week. In the meantime I have much correspondence to catch up on, now that I am back in the real world!!
The other noticeable factor was the increase in the numbers of creatives and makers that visited the show. Probably not quite equal numbers with the industrial engineers but definitely a significant increase on previous years. And they were visibly apparent too — a lot more colourful in their attire. I do not wish to offend the engineering community, but let's face it, style choices are definitely more muted!
For the third year I was at the show with two hats on. I was once again contracted by my previous employer (thanks Duncan!) as the conference coordinator. Having commissioned the presentations for the programme, me being me I like to be their onsite liaison and see it through and do the social interaction thing. A few hiccups along the way, a little stress and plenty of adrenalin resulted in a great conference across the three days. The programme line up was pretty impressive, even if I do say so myself, but numerous others said so too, so I feel justified in that pronouncement. As a result it is really very difficult to select my highlights, but I'll give it a go ....
Mr Terry Wohlers, renowned for his impressive knowledge of additive manufacturing and 3D printing gave the keynote speech on the first day, opening the conference with style and giving his version of the current state of the industry. It was particularly interesting to hear his views of the growing Maker movement and see the emphasis he places on this as the industry continues to grow and move forward. For me it is certainly the fastest growing phenomenon at the entry level of the machine market, and the number of sales of open source 3D printer units reflects this, not to mention the increasing number of these systems being launched onto the market — lots of noise and hints about more to come, but I was always sworn to secrecy and I will keep quiet (for now) because a promise is a promise. I also believe that in time, this 'new blood' in terms of system users will filter up the vendor chain to more capable, improved quality machines in the mid-range and beyond. I've taken this position for a while now and am sticking to it, how long this takes though is not really visible at this stage, my guestimate would be 5-10 years. In the meantime, I think the 3D printing labs are the business model of choice. Different to a bureau set-up, which offers 3D printing services, these labs offer 3D printed goods for sale online, but more importantly they offer open communities for 3D designs to be developed, customised and ultimately 3D printed.
This leads me nicely on to one of my other highlights. Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO of Shapeways, presented on exactly this on day 2 of the conference. I have been watching Shapeways (and the others, there is still only a handful of them out there) very closely over the last year because I strongly believe this is the biggest consumer-facing growth area over the next 5 years. I was delighted when Peter agreed to present earlier in the year and fascinated to get some real insight into the company on Wednesday. Again, the passion for 3D printing and the limitless possibilities were what made this presentation stand out for me. Peter's approach is about the technology and what it can do, but this is always aligned to the people that are engaged with it, what they are doing and how they are doing it. It's all about sharing and openess. I was staggered to hear that Shapeways has in excess of 180,000 designs within its online database — all with designer copyright (not Shapeways - Pete was extremely clear about this when we chatted later) and these designs are available to everyone that visits the site. He referred to the Shapeways community at one point as an SME, indeed it is still a small team operating at peak performance, but I think this will change imminently. I just hope they keep the community spirit as they grow. Needless to say, some of the designs that were showcased are simply stunning, totally imaginative with huge consumer appeal. Beyond the visually beautiful there is also plenty of functional products available, showcasing, in my opinion the two greatest benefits of 3D printing.
Another unforgettable highlight has to be Richard Noble's keynote presentation on Day 2. Richard is the leading inspiration behind the Bloodhound - 'Engineering Adventure' - a car that is being designed and built to reach 1000 mph. And indeed, inspirational is the key word in every sense. It was palpable in the conference theatre — standing room only — as Richard's revelations about the project captured imaginations, petrol heads or otherwise, and engaged people at every level. It was also the loudest presentation! Richard's passion for speed is well documented, but someone in the know informed me that Richard has recently "got" additive tech, and his passion about it is growing. Dan Johns — who has been using additive processes for many years and is truly passionate about his subject area — followed up Richard's presentation the next day with a slot that demonstrated just how additive tech is being used in the Bloodhound development process and to manufacture some key components on the final car. Dan joined Bloodhound a few months ago, a smart move, and unsurprisingly the number of car components made additively is increasing the longer he is there. He is engaging with the additive machine vendors for this project, with an open invitation for them to collaborate, look at the car — inside and out — and find the best applications for their technologies. This is, in my opinion, a brilliant idea that will showcase the technologies, the applications they excel at (they are not all the same) and bring them before a potential audience of billions when the car gets to South Africa. A real win win win situation. Any of them that don't grab this opportunity will be missing a trick!
The other keynote presentation, on Day 3 of the conference, was given by industry veteran Todd Grimm. This is a man I respect greatly because he has a unique way of fusing immense passion for and knowledge of the technology with a healthy dose of realism — the way he engages his audience is truly inspiring. After defining the 3D printing landscape as it stands today, Todd's central message was to embrace the possibilities of 3D printing, but make it personal, challenge everything you read and hear and find the right solution for you — because ultimately, there will be one. I struggled to disagree with anything he said.
It would be remiss of me not to mention a couple of other presentations that caught my attention. Ross Authers of Clarks International (shoes) gave an insightful presentation on how traditional, age-old skills can merge seamlessly with the very latest technology (aka 3D printing) to produce truly appealing products. In itself this is a nice story, technology integration is often cited as a fundamental barrier to adoption, but Clarks is an excellent example of how, with the right mindset, it really does not need to be. The fact that Clarks have significantly reduced development times, increased their product range dramatically and improved its bottom line is the proof, if any were needed, that this is not just rhetoric.
And finally, Kelly Sant, a lecturer at the University of Brighton's Faculty of Arts and one half of 'Arash & Kelly' gave a fascinating presentation on a brilliant application of combined technology — 3d printing and injection moulding. Instincts suggest we are going to hear a great deal more about this in the coming months.
I would like to personally thank all of the presenters at the TCT Live 2011 conference on Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing, with sincere thanks also extended to the Conference Chairs who gave their time to do so. The success was down to you guys.
Time to start dedicating some thought to 2012! I picked up some interesting leads during the show, but if you would like to present next year, or you know of a 3D printing story that deserves a great platform then drop me a line, love to hear from you.
So that's the conference round up. There was plenty of gossip and exhibitor chat also, but that was with my other hat on, and I will turn my attention to that next week. In the meantime I have much correspondence to catch up on, now that I am back in the real world!!
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Less Revolution and More Evolution as New 3D Printers Hit
Two new kids in the fold this week. One joined the party straight off, the other will follow soon.
First is the Buildatron 1, which was launched at the Maker Faire event in New York last weekend. The byline that has been steadily accompanying this new kid's marketing chatter is: "A Revolutionary 3D Printer".
It's not!
Sorry to be blunt, but it really isn't. Furthermore, the stated and single purpose of Buildatron Systems — the company behind Buildatron 1 — is to "Build a Revolution through affordable 3D printers and robotic devices." And it's not just Buildatron — the word 'revolution' is over-used, and more often than not, used incorrectly, around 3D printing.
To be clear, in terms of definitions, a revolution involves a forcible overthrow of an existing system or a dramatic and wide-reaching change in the way that something works. Therefore, it could be argued that 3D printing does offer a 'revolutionary' approach to manufacturing industry and making things per se, because it challenges the way things have been made for many thousands of years. However, I think that even this is tenuous because 3D printing is never going to replace or change every other method of manufacturing and making — it just offers a great alternative.
I get the aim of the folks at Buildatron Systems, the intention is grand but I don't think 'revolution' is the way to go. The Buildatron 1 (DIY and assembled models), in my opinion, is a great example of how 3D printers are evolving to bring the consumer better, more usable and accessible 3D printers. This is a good looking printer, an evolution of the RepRap open source project. It has some really neat selling points that do set it apart from comparable models on the market, apart from how it looks, including a proprietary internal gear-fed plastic spooling cartridge system. The website is designed to engage a community, the information provided is broad and sound. Another one to watch closely.
The other new 3D printer announced this week is Origo (one of my first questions is where this name came from??). This is a really cool looking machine, vital to the target demographic: children! I love the ideology behind this development, and it emerged yesterday that Joris Peels has had significant input on this so my hopes are high. The downside is that when pushed by Joshua Johnson (@protobotind) on twitter about when we could expect to get our hands on one of these machines, the typically honest response was 18 months — 'if things go according to plan, which they probably won't'. Origo also revealed that the planned retail price is $800, no assembly will be required. This is evolution at it's best. No real indicators on the performance of the machine, but it was being bandied around that it will be the EZ-Bake oven of 3D printing. Again, I took a deep breath with that one, I remember my daughter's EZ-Bake oven, and it was no where near as much fun as it was supposed to be, and I know for sure I wasn't the only parent to think that and my daughter wasn't the only frustrated child. I think they might need to rethink that comparison. If my instincts are correct, they don't need a comparison at all. Kids will love it.
But this type of news is only going to increase as the evolution of 3D printing gathers pace — which it will!
First is the Buildatron 1, which was launched at the Maker Faire event in New York last weekend. The byline that has been steadily accompanying this new kid's marketing chatter is: "A Revolutionary 3D Printer".
It's not!
Sorry to be blunt, but it really isn't. Furthermore, the stated and single purpose of Buildatron Systems — the company behind Buildatron 1 — is to "Build a Revolution through affordable 3D printers and robotic devices." And it's not just Buildatron — the word 'revolution' is over-used, and more often than not, used incorrectly, around 3D printing.
To be clear, in terms of definitions, a revolution involves a forcible overthrow of an existing system or a dramatic and wide-reaching change in the way that something works. Therefore, it could be argued that 3D printing does offer a 'revolutionary' approach to manufacturing industry and making things per se, because it challenges the way things have been made for many thousands of years. However, I think that even this is tenuous because 3D printing is never going to replace or change every other method of manufacturing and making — it just offers a great alternative.
I get the aim of the folks at Buildatron Systems, the intention is grand but I don't think 'revolution' is the way to go. The Buildatron 1 (DIY and assembled models), in my opinion, is a great example of how 3D printers are evolving to bring the consumer better, more usable and accessible 3D printers. This is a good looking printer, an evolution of the RepRap open source project. It has some really neat selling points that do set it apart from comparable models on the market, apart from how it looks, including a proprietary internal gear-fed plastic spooling cartridge system. The website is designed to engage a community, the information provided is broad and sound. Another one to watch closely.
The other new 3D printer announced this week is Origo (one of my first questions is where this name came from??). This is a really cool looking machine, vital to the target demographic: children! I love the ideology behind this development, and it emerged yesterday that Joris Peels has had significant input on this so my hopes are high. The downside is that when pushed by Joshua Johnson (@protobotind) on twitter about when we could expect to get our hands on one of these machines, the typically honest response was 18 months — 'if things go according to plan, which they probably won't'. Origo also revealed that the planned retail price is $800, no assembly will be required. This is evolution at it's best. No real indicators on the performance of the machine, but it was being bandied around that it will be the EZ-Bake oven of 3D printing. Again, I took a deep breath with that one, I remember my daughter's EZ-Bake oven, and it was no where near as much fun as it was supposed to be, and I know for sure I wasn't the only parent to think that and my daughter wasn't the only frustrated child. I think they might need to rethink that comparison. If my instincts are correct, they don't need a comparison at all. Kids will love it.
But this type of news is only going to increase as the evolution of 3D printing gathers pace — which it will!
Monday, 5 September 2011
It’s a Post-Summer Round-Up ….
Well, that was a long summer! The children went back to school this morning, with little drama, and the house is scarily quiet. It’s going to take a few days to adjust again I think.
The decision I made (three years ago this month actually) to go freelance, was finally taken after a very difficult summer of juggling way too many balls, the result being two discontented children that felt sidelined and one very guilty me, because I knew they had a point. The flexibility that freelancing offers still requires some juggling skills as there is still work to be done, but I can cut back during the summer (work & expenditure) and spend some real quality time with much happier bunnies!! And so we did but it did drag somewhat towards the end. I think the summer felt so long this year because the weather in my part of the world in no way reflected the season. Good old Britain!
Anyway, I kept an eye on all things 3D printing and additive, and, like me, it went pretty quiet over the summer. It’s more of a behind the scenes time, gearing up for the autumn shows, launches and announcements. There were a few exceptions of course and here is my take on Summer 2011…..
The biggest nugget of news emerged a couple of weeks ago when MakerBot announced it has garnered a USD$10 million injection from a series of investors led by Foundry Group. I find this interesting and important for a few reasons. While industrial and consumer awareness of 3D printing has taken a huge leap forward this year through a variety of converging sector activities, it is still just a first step in moving towards a world that takes 3D printing for granted. This news from Makerbot, for me, signifies the second step — outside investment from sectors that see huge potential in the technology. Furthermore, Makerbot, classed as a start-up company, makes and sells entry-level 3D printers based on open-source technology — it is one of a handful of successful companies doing this, but rather than succumbing to acquisition, as others have, and being swallowed up by a larger corporation, this investment will allow Makerbot to build on its success with new developments and scale-up as well as strengthening its own identity.
On the acquisition of start-ups front, 3D Systems has acquired BotMill. This is not surprising in terms of 3D Systems’ history of acquisitions, but it does raise a brow in terms of how it will fit into the stable alongside previous competitors that have also been acquired by the AM giant.
Accessibility to 3D design for 3D printing has also increased over the summer, with Tinkercad — ‘a new and faster way to create designs for 3D printing in your browser’ — hooking up with both Shapeways and i.materialise. Both of these successful 3D printing companies now accept Tinkercad files for 3D printing in their labs.
ZCorporation announced a great initiative based on educating the next generation of makers — EngineeringZone. This scheme, endorsed by local Congressman Tierney, invites high school classes to visit the company and get hands-on with 3D printing.
Stratasys has released the data findings of a 1-year study into specific performance characteristics of its two, main FDM materials. Covering the effects of time, temperature and the environment on the mechanical properties of PC and ABS 3D printed parts, this study offers greater insights for industrial users into the potential of the technology.
Tomorrow see’s the opening of ‘The Power of Making’ Exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Running until the 2nd January 2012 this event rightly places a heavy emphasis on new ways of making things — including 3D printing. I’m looking forward to getting down there.
And looking ahead a few weeks, TCT Live is fast approaching, starting 27th September. It’s looking bigger and better than ever!
Sunday, 31 July 2011
3D Printing Process Overview
After the last couple of weeks, I decided to put together a quick and easy overview of the processes for anyone that is interested in 3D printing. I intentionally avoided going into specific definitions and materials, which would be too complicated for an exercise such as this. There are many good sources of information for those across the internet for anyone that wants it. If you need help locating it, give me a shout. I have never seen anything like this though, and it would have been useful when I was starting out. It is intended only as a starting point .....
*I don't claim that this is an exhaustive list, but I hope it's helpful.
*I don't claim that this is an exhaustive list, but I hope it's helpful.
Planes, Refrains and 3D Printing's largest Audience yet.
Another eventful week in the world of 3D Printing – long may it continue.
New Scientist magazine ran a feature in print & online covering work undertaken at the University of Southampton that resulted in the design and build of the world’s "first fully 3D printed flying aircraft". The title of the piece is a little deceptive – the ‘uninitiated’ as they have been labelled in certain quarters will probably be imagining themselves boarding a plane that has been completely 3D printed.
This project actually demonstrated some impressive results for a model plane-sized UAV. The aircraft was designed by the engineering team from Southampton and 3D printed by 3T RPD — a reputable 3D printing service provider — all within a week and on a low budget (£5000).
The video release has had lots of attention and rightly so, this successful application (10 minutes in flight) has huge implications for many different applications of UAVs. Add a real time camera feeding images to a safely positioned computer & operator and no one but a hard core 3D printing fanatic would shed a tear if one of these aircraft was shot down over dangerous terrain! Just an idea.
[http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20737-3d-printing-the-worlds-first-printed-plane.html?full=true]
And then on this week’s edition of BBC Click, Spencer Kelly, the show’s presenter underwent a head scan. This was to demonstrate the capabilities of hand-held 3D scanning and 3D printing.
The episode is definitely worth a look and can be found here:
A great many positives, with current applications described and reducing costs allowing the technology to go mainstream; along with the customary talk of the future. This included a nod to the open source RepRap project with machines that replicate themselves. Already starting to happen, incidentally. It also described the sustainability and environmentally-friendly benefits of producing products locally.
I was slightly disappointed to see that the film location was described as a ‘rapid prototyping lab’. In fact, the episode was filmed at Ravensbourne, a university sector college in London, with what looked like nice range of equipment. This out-dated description is not overly helpful for the industry’s efforts to move forward with standardized terminology. But this was the least of the confusion that emerged.
Initially Mr Kelly describes the materials that can be 3D printed under the categories of ‘plastic’, ‘resin’ or ‘even food’. Later on in the broadcast he categorises 3D printing into three types —again according to materials — but this time it is powder, resin and paper (it was product placement only for those in the know). Kelly went on to explain the powder bed, inkjet process quite well, similarly for the paper process, but this completely overlooked the powder sintering and deposition processes. With the resin system, he simply looked in the machine and described it as a ‘large microwave’ with little more added about the process itself. No mention of vats and/or cartridges.
Kelly went on to interview Jeremy Gardiner, Ravensbourne’s course director. This guy seemed to knew his stuff, but unfortunate editing led to further contradiction. Asked, “Is there anything you can’t use to print?” Gardiner replied, “There are certainly lots of different technologies out there. You can boil it down to two, really. Additive processes and subtractive ones.”
Notice the “two technologies” following Kelly’s “three processes” earlier. Not good. I know subtractive processes have a lot to offer within the big picture of engineering and manufacturing, but in the context of this programme, introducing the subtractive option was counter-productive.
Furthermore, and this is annoying, apart from Mr Gardiner casually dropping into the conversation that printing in titanium implies you are printing a hip replacement; there was no explanation of metal-based processes. EOS/Arcam/Concept Laser/Optomec/Renishaw – all of these companies need to up their game on the awareness front. The spark from 3D printing is bursting into flames and now is the time to engage and demonstrate the advantages of additive manufacturing.
/Climbing down from my soapbox/ Maybe I’m getting a little pedantic – the BBC coverage was great in terms of getting the message out and demonstrating applications. Newbies that want to know more can follow up — right? The TV and online audience from this is a significant one, indeed I was woken up by hubby (on early dog walking duty) to be told “your stuff is on the news – look /switches on tv/ — I didn’t know it was THAT advanced!” /sigh/ He did bring me a cup of tea though.
And Stephen Fry obviously saw it, resulting in his refrain on twitter: “I think I need all three of those 3D printers – link” Well that went out to 2.8 million followers!!
This, on top of THAT youtube video exceeding 7 million hits, coverage on BBC Radio 4 profiling Digital Forming and an extensive article in the Daily Telegraph which heralded 3D printing as ‘The Technology that could Reshape the World’ [http://t.co/M3jYuIz] means that 3D printing has definitely come before a larger audience than ever before.
/smile/
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