materials

3D printing with metal can produce visually and physically impressive results. Metal is ideal for creating customized parts that are heat, chemical, and impact resistant. &nbsp;For some industries, metal offers considerable benefits. Here&nbsp;is&nbsp;more information about how to use&nbsp;metal in 3D printing –&nbsp;and the best ways to unleash its potential.<section><h2>Why choose metal 3D printing?&nbsp;</h2>There are some considerable advantages for 3D printing with metal, when compared with traditional metal techniques or plastics 3D printing. These include:&nbsp;Greater design scope. Metal is well-suited to printing complex designs. This makes it a good choice for those wanting to create specialized and customized parts for a machine, for example&nbsp;Optimization.&nbsp;Parts printed with metal can be adapted to enhance their performance. 3D printing can produce lightweight parts, for instance, by reducing infill ratio, as well as through the design freedom the technology provides&nbsp;Good range. A wide variety of metals are available, offering businesses different physical properties&nbsp;Aesthetic finish.&nbsp;Metal doesn’t just perform well – it also looks good. This is an advantage for some certain use cases, such as making jewellery<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1603014767562-3d-printing-with-metal-.webp" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2>Metal printing technologies&nbsp;</h2>If you want to enjoy the benefits of 3D printing with metal, you’ll need to use the right technology. Here is a run-through of the most well-known metal printing technologies:&nbsp;Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS). DMLS uses a laser to melt and fuse the metal powder, forming a printed object layer-by-layer on a build-plate. It uses alloys (rather than a single type of metal), which are made up of metals with different melting points. The metals fuse as the temperature rises.&nbsp;Bound Metal Disposition (BMD). BMD works through extrusion, in much the same way as FFF printing. It requires metal bound in rods of polymer or sacrificial wax, rather than powder. This can then be melted and extruded through the printer's nozzle.&nbsp;Selective Laser Melting (SLM). Like DMLS, SLM also uses a laser and prints the object on a build plate. It only requires a single metal, however, as it prints at one temperature. &nbsp;Electron Beam Melting (EBM). As the name suggests, this printer uses an electron beam to melt the metal, rather than a laser. It’s less commonly used than SLM or DMLS.&nbsp;Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM).&nbsp;UAM uses room-temperature metal deposition to create 3D printed metal objects. This technology isn’t widely used.&nbsp;Investment casting.&nbsp;Although it is not a 3D printing technique, investment casting uses a mold, into which the molten metal is poured. Investment casting allows for a good level of detail, making it appropriate for smaller printed parts.&nbsp;CNC machining. All of the technologies above are costly – with some being at a price point that’s too high for SMEs. While not a 3D printing technique, CNC machining is more affordable, enabling companies to create metal prototypes – though it does have a few limitations, one being that it is not so effective for parts that require geometric complexity.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1603014785625-sylatech-metal-.webp">Sylatech uses Ultimaker 3D printers to speed up its rapid prototyping process for metal production processes&nbsp;<h2>Types of metals</h2>When 3D printing with metal, it’s important to consider its properties – and the advantages and disadvantages of each type. &nbsp;<h3>Aluminum alloys &nbsp;&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Pros: Conducts electricity well, has good mechanical properties, low density&nbsp;</li><li>Cons: Isn’t very hard&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>Cobalt-chrome superalloys&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Pros: Resistant to wear and tear, corrosion-resistant, copes with high temperatures, hard&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>Inconel (nickel alloys)&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Pros: Good mechanical properties, heat-resistant, can cope with extreme environments&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>Precious metals (silver, gold etc.)&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Pros: Appearance, suitable for jewelry-making&nbsp;</li><li>Cons: Expensive, sometimes difficult to obtain&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>Stainless steel&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Pros: Resistant to wear and tear, hard, easy to weld&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>Titanium alloys&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Pros: Good strength-to-weight ratio, resistant to corrosion, doesn’t expand much when exposed to heat&nbsp;</li></ul>3D printing with metal can also take the form of metal filling. This means metal powder is poured into another material, which makes it heavier. It also gives the printed object a metallic finish. &nbsp;<h2>Common applications of metal</h2>The following are a few ways in which metal 3D printing is used by various industries: &nbsp;Aerospace and aviation.&nbsp;Metal is a valuable material in aerospace and aviation. It can be used to 3D print structural components (often with a titanium alloy). Fuel nozzles can be easily created for specific airplanes, and jet engines can potentially be constructed out of 3D printed parts. &nbsp;Engineering.&nbsp;Metal printed parts are useful for a variety of engineering applications. They can also be used to replace or repair existing parts, which eradicates the need to wait for a third-party supplier to send a replacement. &nbsp;Medical.&nbsp;Medical applications for 3D printing with metal include prosthetics, replacement hips and knees, hearing aids, and shoe insoles. Dentists are also using metal 3D printing for fabrication purposes. &nbsp;Designers.&nbsp;Jewellery-makers and other designers use metal to create end-use consumer goods, or for features on shoes or clothing (e.g. buckles and fastenings). &nbsp;<h2>Hardware requirements&nbsp;</h2>When 3D printing with metal, certain hardware criteria must be met. These are:&nbsp;Having an appropriate build-plate / bed.&nbsp; The temperature should be between 45°C and 60°C. There’s no need for an enclosure.The right surface.&nbsp;The build surface may require painter’s tape, PEI, and a glue-stick.&nbsp;Appropriate extruder.&nbsp; A specialized hardened steel nozzle is required, and the temperature should be between 190 °C and 220 °C.&nbsp;Cooling fan. A cooling fan is a necessity.<h2>Choosing your filament&nbsp;</h2>When 3D printing with metal, it’s important to choose the right material for the job. The metals detailed above are suitable for a range of different applications. Alternatively, there are some instances in which an alternative material could be used. For example:&nbsp;<ul><li><a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/basf-ultrafuse-316l" target="_blank">BASF&nbsp;Ultrafuse&nbsp;316L.</a> Available on the <a href="https://ultimaker.com/learn/ultimaker-marketplace-more-accessible-than-ever" target="_blank">Ultimaker&nbsp;Marketplace</a>, BASF Ultrafuse 316L is a metal-polymer composite. It is compatible with Ultimaker’s desktop 3D printers, and is suitable for making tools, fixtures, jigs, small-batch parts, and functional components</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1603014822776-ultrafuse-.webp">A part printed in BASF Ultrafuse 316L&nbsp;<ul><li>DSM Arnitel ID 2060 HT and <a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/clariant-pa6-66-gf20-flame-retardant-using-exolit" target="_blank">Clariant PA6/66GF 20 FR</a>.&nbsp;Both&nbsp;filaments&nbsp;are thermoplastic and able to withstand very high temperatures, just like a metal. They&nbsp;also&nbsp;offer good wear resistance</li><li><a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/arkema-fluorx" target="_blank">Arkema&nbsp;FluorX</a> and DuPont Zytel 3D12G30FL BK309. These materials make excellent substitutes for stainless steel, as they offer a high level of corrosion resistance. Chemicals such as solvents, automotive fluids, and cleaning agents don’t result in any deterioration</li><li><a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/igus-iglidur-i180" target="_blank">Igus&nbsp;Iglidur&nbsp;180PF</a>.&nbsp;This filament is self-lubricating, which makes it highly resistant to wear and tear. It’s suitable for creating parts that are traditionally metal,&nbsp;such as&nbsp;bearings, toothed wheels, piston rings, and gears</li><li><a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/owens-corning-xstrand-gf30-pa6" target="_blank">XSTRAND GF30-PA6</a>. This filament contains 30% glass fiber, which gives it good chemical resistance, high tensile strength, and a good operational temperature. It is well-suited for printing jigs and fixtures</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1603014847252-OC_XSTRAND_GF30-PA6.webp">A part printed in Owens Corning XSTRAND® GF30-PA6&nbsp;<h2>How to print with metal filaments</h2>If you’re using SLM or DMLS technology, this is how 3D printing with metal works.&nbsp;Incorporating gas. Before any printing takes place, the build chamber needs to be filled with an inert gas. This reduces oxidation and enables the chamber to reach an optimum temperature for printing. &nbsp;Metal powder and scanning. Metal powder is applied to the build plate, then the laser scans the component’s cross-section. This fuses the metal particles together, thus creating the next layer. &nbsp;Subsequent layers. When the first layer is complete, another layer of metal powder is applied, and the process is repeated. &nbsp;Support structures are used to keep the parts attached to the build plate; these help to reduce warping, which may occur in high temperatures. After the printed object is cooled, the excess powder needs to be removed manually, and the object treated. &nbsp;With BMD technology, metal is melted within a special extruder, and is deposited on the build plate below, layer by layer. As with SLM and DMLS printing, the item will need to be treated and cleaned after printing. &nbsp;</section>

3D printing with metal can produce visually and physically impressive results. Metal is ideal for creating customized parts that are heat, chemical, and impact resistant.

How to 3D print with metal and which materials to choose

UV resistance refers to a substance’s ability to resist ultraviolet (UV) light, including sunlight. UV light can cause discoloration or degradation in a final part.<section><h2>Why are UV-resistant materials important?</h2>In 3D printing, UV-resistant materials are necessary should a part or model be exposed to sunlight – or other UV light – for prolonged periods of time. UV-resistant plastics, in particular, will not typically change in appearance be in through yellowing, leaching dye color, bleaching, or the formation of stress cracks. With UV-resistant materials, mechanical properties will also remain intact; they will maintain strength, elasticity, and hardness, and will not become brittle.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1603014102324-uv-resistant-1.webp" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2>Common uses of UV-resistant materials</h2>Applications intended for outdoor use are one common use of UV-resistant materials. Weatherproof applications, in particular, are great candidates for UV-resistant materials.<h2>What else should you know?</h2><ul><li>UV light affects polymers through a process called “photooxidative degradation,” which results in the breaking of polymer chains – and eventually resulting in a material’s complete degradation.</li><li>"UV-stabilized" materials have had a stabilizer added to the resin that resists UV rays and prevents UV degradation</li><li>When creating a part, you should be sure to know the difference between “continuous” and “intermittent” exposure to UV rays, with continuous exposure being the more serious of the two</li><li>FFF 3D printing materials, such as ASA – a variation of ABS developed for UV resistance – and PVDF have good UV-resistant properties. The UV resistance of these FFF materials can also be increased using additives. This gives FFF 3D printing materials an advantage over SLA materials, as the process is based on UV light, and are not usually UV-resistant unless they undergo post-processing</li></ul><h2>Our material partners</h2>Here are some details about Ultimaker’s UV-resistant material partners. You can find out more on the <a href="https://ultimaker.com/learn/accelerate-3d-printing-productivity-with-the-ultimaker-marketplace" target="_blank">Ultimaker Marketplace</a>.<h3>Arkema</h3><a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/arkema-fluorx" target="_blank">FluorX™</a> is a tough, semi-crystalline fluoropolymer made from Arkema’s Kynar® PVDF. It is formulated for printability, and is a great option for parts subjected to demanding conditions, such as solvents, acids, fire, and UV radiation. "Kynar® PVDF has a 50 year legacy in outdoor applications due to its tremendous resistance to sunlight and UV rays,” Steven Serpe,  Market Manager, Specialty Powders and 3D Printing at Arkema, said. “Some of the world’s most famous buildings have been coated in Kynar® PVDF based paint to last decades without degrading or discoloring. This same performance can now be achieved in 3D printed objects."<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1603014127964-PVDF_Arkema.webp">A part printed in Arkema FluorX™ PVDF&nbsp;<h3>BASF</h3><a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/basf-ultrafuse-asa" target="_blank">Ultrafuse ASA</a> is a high-performance thermoplastic with similar mechanical properties as ABS, but offering additional benefits, making it a good choice for many types of applications.<h3>DSM</h3><a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/dsm-arnitel-id-2045" target="_blank">Arnitel® ID 2045</a> is a highly flexible TPC (thermoplastic copolyester) that can be used in a broad range of applications. It has better UV and chemical resistance compared to others of its type, such as TPU (thermoplastic urethane).<h3>MCPP Netherlands BV</h3><a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/mitsubishi-chemical-durabio" target="_blank">DURABIO™</a> is a bio-based, BPA-free engineering 3D printing material developed by Mitsubishi Chemical. With high transparency similar to PMMA but better impact behavior and improved heat resistance, DURABIO™ closes the gap between PC and PMMA. With excellent weathering, UV stability, impact performance, and stiffness, <a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/mitsubishi-chemical-3diakon" target="_blank">3Diakon™&nbsp;</a>is an ideal material of choice for outdoor applications and uses and for casting processes where a clean burn to ensure low ash residue is critical to performance. "We believe that DURABIO™ and 3Diakon™ have outstanding print results when using our print suggestions,” Sales &amp; Marketing Manager at MCPP Netherlands BV, said. “The Ultimaker Marketplace helps the end-user with finding the optimized print properties.”<h3>Solvay</h3><a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/solvay-solef-pvdf-am-filament-msc-nt1" target="_blank">Solef(R) PVDF AM Filament</a> is not only UV resistant but also resistant to a broad range of harsh chemicals, intrinsically fire retardant, and temperature resistant up to 130°C. This unique combination of properties with the ease of printing the material enables the access to a broad range of applications. "Solef(R) PVDF AM Filament is not only UV-resistant, but also resistant to a broad range of harsh chemicals, intrinsically fire retardant, and temperature-resistant up to 130°C,” Sophia Song, Business Incubation - Additive Manufacturing at Solvay, said. “This unique combination of properties with the ease of printing the material enables the access to a broad range of applications.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1603014171739-Solvay_PVDF_UV_resistant.webp">A part printed in Solvay Solef(R) PVDF AM Filament&nbsp;Interested in learning more about Ultimaker’s temperature-resistant material partners? Visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://marketplace.ultimaker.com/app/cura/materials?page=1&search=UV" target="_blank">UV-resistant materials</a> page on the Ultimaker Marketplace. You can also explore Ultimaker’s range of 3D printers that are compatible with UV-resistant materials. </section>

UV resistance refers to a substance’s ability to resist ultraviolet (UV) light, including sunlight. UV light can cause discoloration or degradation in a final part.

UV-resistant materials: A beginner's guide

You've seen <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/bio-inspired-materials-from-butterfly-wings-to-bike-helmets" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3D Printed Helmets</a> and <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/3d-printing-human-tissue-coming-soon-to-a-hospital-near-you" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3D Printed Body Parts</a>, but what about 3D Printed Concrete?3D printed construction might be the most promising way to automate construction so recently many people have been pursuing the perfect mix for printing. Rheology is the study of how materials flow so that is the science being applied to concrete made for printing.My name is Jarett Gross and I’ve gathered this information mostly from research featured at Digital Concrete 2020 to simplify some of the material science behind forward thinking disruptive construction methods.&nbsp;These materials range from nearly free adobe mixtures of dirt and straw to ultra strong and highly engineered custom concrete hybrid mixtures that can be cost prohibitive in respect to affordable housing.&nbsp;Currently most groups automating large forms are using unique mixtures of concrete engineered to have properties conducive to a sturdy structure.The material needs to hold immediately exiting the machine. Generally that is either achieved by a stiff mortar or a thinner mix with an accelerant added at the point of extrusion to cure the concrete faster and achieve angles gravity otherwise would not permit. (1)Thixopotry is a property that allows a mixture to flow when it is being moved but remain firm after it has been placed so this is behind many of the developments in this space.Some of these mixes include various forms of supports which I will cover in an upcoming video, others are strong enough to support themselves like the project in Brazil by InovaHouse3D.&nbsp;Many mixtures have been considered using Portland cement. Wollastonite micro fibers have been shown to enhance flexural strength without detriment to compressive strength. The same study shows printed concrete demonstrates anisotropic behavior, in other words like the grain of wood it fails easier parallel to the grain vs perpendicular to the grain (2)Mixes can be thick or have more flow, these properties can be influenced by viscosity modifying admixtures’VMA’. NanoClay can improve the strength of the print but makes the mixture more susceptible to clogging to viscosity modifying admixtures can improve the flow. (3)&nbsp;Two minute delay time between layers has 25-86% higher strength than a 15 minute interval it is important to get a monolithic structure (4)Fly ash silica fume metakaolin limestone powder and quartz powder have been identified as having useful properties for printed concrete. Plasticizers, accelerators, retarders, and viscosity modifying agents can be used but increase cost dramatically (5)Limestone can be implemented with less cement to decrease cost to print and improve sustainability.&nbsp;Under a 25% replacement rate of limestone powder to cement, the impact on strength is within reasonable limits. &nbsp;(6)Metakaolin leads to a more dry mix that is stronger after extrusion but more difficult to extrude. Fly Ash can be included to improve the printability. Adding polypropylene fibers was shown to increase the yeild stress. (7)Here are the details from a mix made in a region where dune sand is an abundant resource (8)<ul><li>Cement was replaced by up to 10% silica fume and 30% fly ash</li><li>water-to-binder ratio used in the mix ranged between 0.35 and 0.40.</li><li>superplasticizer was added in the range of 1 to 3%, by binder mass.</li><li>compressive strength increased by 3% when 20% dune sand was utilized, but decreased by an average of 3% for every additional 10% subsequently.</li><li>superplasticizer and higher water- to-binder ratio exhibited improved workability</li><li>replacing cement with silica fume and fly ash, the slump flow and pumpability increased</li><li>Compressive strength increased by an average of 4% for every 10% fly ash replacement. The incorporation of 10% silica fume improved the strength by an additional 14%</li></ul>Lightweight foam concrete is common but to use it for 3d printing it would need to be extrudable. Extrudable lightweight foam concrete could be great for 3d printing because of its thermal insulation and accoustic qualities in addition to fireproofing.&nbsp;The target dry density was 800kg/m^3 because that was figured to be the best balance between strength and staying lightweight. (9)Structural fibers had a negligible effect on the mixes strength in tension, it is theorized that the fresh state properties of the material prevent the fibers to anchor in place which prevents tension strength (10)As I mentioned, I will soon do a video on the support methods used for this type of construction. Another video on commercially available mixes for printed construction will probably be 3-6 months away as there are many solutions still in development that I would like to include.&nbsp;<hr><h2>Citations</h2>(1) Enhancing Buildability of 3D Printable Concrete by Spraying of Accelerating Admixture on Surface&nbsp;Shantanu Bhattacherjee and Manu Santhanam Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai 600036, India&nbsp;ce17d700@smail.iitm.ac.in, <a href="mailto:manusanthanam@gmail.com" target="_blank">manusanthanam@gmail.com</a>(2) Effect of Wollastonite Micro-Fiber Addition on Properties of 3D-Printable ‘Just-Add- Water’ Geopolymers&nbsp;Shin Hau Bong, Behzad Nematollahi, Arun R. Arunothayan, Ming Xia, and Jay Sanjayan&nbsp;Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Digital Construction, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia bnematollahi@swin.edu.au&nbsp;(3) Use of the Chemical and Mineral Admixtures to Tailor the Rheology and the Green Strength of 3D Printing Cementitious Mixtures&nbsp;Mohammad Amin Moeini, Masoud Hosseinpoor, and Ammar Yahia&nbsp;Department of Civil and Building Engineering,&nbsp;Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada Mohammad.Amin.Moeini@USherbrooke.Ca&nbsp;(4) Characterising Concrete Mixes for 3D Printing&nbsp;Atteyeh S. Natanzi and Ciaran McNally School of Civil Engineering, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin, IrelandAtteyeh.natanzi@ucd.ie&nbsp;(5) Rheology Evaluation of Cement Paste with Nanoclays, Nanosilica and Polymeric Admixtures for Digital Fabrication&nbsp;Hugo Varela, Gonzalo Barluenga, and Irene Palomar Department of Architecture, University of Alcala, Madrid, Spain&nbsp;hugo.varela@edu.uah.es(6) Effect of Limestone Powder Substitution on Fresh and Hardened Properties of 3D Printable Mortar&nbsp;Yaxin Tao, Karel Lesage1, Kim Van Tittelboom1, Yong Yuan2, and Geert De Schutter1&nbsp;1 Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium&nbsp;Yaxin.Tao@UGent.be&nbsp;2 Tongji University, Shanghai, China&nbsp;(7) Effect of Metakaolin, Fly Ash and Polypropylene Fibres on Fresh and Rheological Properties of 3D Printing Based Cement MaterialsM. Dedenis1, M. Sonebi1, S. Amziane2, A. Perrot3, and G. Amato1&nbsp;1 School of Natural Build Environment, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, UK m.sonebi@qub.ac.ukUniversité Blaise Pascal, Polytech Clermont-Ferrand, 63174 Aubière, France 3 Univ. Bretagne-Sud, UMR CNRS 6027, IRDL, 56100 Lorient, France&nbsp;(8) Fresh and Hardened Properties of 3D-Printed Concrete Made with Dune Sand&nbsp;Hilal El-Hassan , Fady Alnajjar , Hamad Al Jassmi, and Waleed Ahmed&nbsp;United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, UAE&nbsp;helhassan@uaeu.ac.ae&nbsp;(9) Investigation on the Rheological Behavior of Lightweight Foamed Concrete for 3D Printing Applications&nbsp;Devid Falliano1, Giuseppe Crupi2, Dario De Domenico2, Giuseppe Ricciardi2, Luciana Restuccia1, Giuseppe Ferro1, and Ernesto Gugliandolo3&nbsp;1 Polytechnic of Turin, Turin, Italy&nbsp;devid.falliano@polito.it &nbsp;&nbsp;2 University of Messina, Messina, Italy 3 G. Gugliandolo s.r.l., Messina, Italy&nbsp;(10) Experimental Investigation on the Early Age Tensile Strength of Fiber Reinforced Mortar Used in 3D Concrete Printing&nbsp;Marta Fioretti1, K. Sriram Kompella1, Francesco Lo Monte1, Laura Esposito2, Costantino Menna2, Sandro Moro3, Domenico Asprone2, and Liberato Ferrara1&nbsp;Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy&nbsp;2 Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy laura.esposito2@unina.it 3 BASF Construction Chemicals Italia, Treviso, Italy

Let's take a look at some of the Material Science and Rheology behind 3D printed concrete. This type of concrete is unique because it needs to be strong enough to support the next layer being printed on top.

Fast Curing Concrete for 3D Printed Construction

The value of lightweighting in automotive reaches far deeper than zero-to-sixty times and top speeds. Safety, manufacturing costs, operating costs, and environmental sustainability can all directly benefit from more clever uses of materials in getting us from point A to B.&nbsp;Lighter vehicles, all else equal, reach higher levels of performance: quicker acceleration, more agile cornering, higher top speeds, and shorter stopping distances.&nbsp;Lighter vehicles can be safer&nbsp;vehicles: crashworthiness boils down to dissipating kinetic energy and transferring momentum, both of which scale with mass, and both of which require deformable and crushable hollow structures (more on this later) to do so.&nbsp;Far from last, lighter vehicles are cheaper to operate, requiring less fuel or electricity per mile. Better fuel/power economy means less emissions as a result, amounting to environmental benefits as well.&nbsp;<h2>Compound Interest</h2>Where things begin to get interesting is when these effects are coupled and the savings begin to compound and multiply. Weight eliminated from the chassis structure permits the use of a smaller and lighter motor, and lighter brakes and suspension. Now the whole vehicle weighs substantially less, and the chassis can be revisited and lightened further. This all adds up to a potentially higher performance, safer, and more efficient vehicle.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY1MzA0MDEzLUZpZzEtTWFzcy1EZWNvbXBvdW5kaW5nLTc2OHg1NjQucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">Mass decompounding in an automotive design context. With a lighter chassis, a smaller (and lighter) engine is required to achieve the same performance. That in turn means smaller brakes to decelerate the lighter vehicle, and a further-lightened chassis to support these lighter subsystems. This can add up to secondary mass savings far greater than the initial lightweighting task.&nbsp;This can be even more dramatic with electric vehicles, where the dense batteries make up a considerable fraction of the vehicle’s mass. With electric vehicles still (as of writing) playing catchup with the range of their combustion-powered competitors, every extra mile becomes a key value proposition at the dealership.&nbsp;These are referred to as “secondary mass savings”, or “mass decompounding”. If you’re interested, you can read more about these in <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/es202938m" rel="noopener" target="_blank">this paper</a> from MIT and General Motors [1]. With a blank-sheet design opportunity, they estimate that (on average) every pound of savings on structural, load-bearing parts provides an opportunity to save nearly a pound on subsystems (steering, brakes, suspension, etc.). That’s essentially a two-for-one deal! This figure decreases as the design cycle progresses and subsystems are locked-in, so lightweighting should be considered in design as early as possible to maximize these compounding effects.<h2>Beyond the Vehicle</h2>Lightweighting applies to more than just the vehicle: the millions of pounds of jigs and fixtures on an assembly line are all candidates for lightweighting. Lighter tooling, besides using less material, is easier on both human and robotic operators alike, potentially unlocking higher production rates. Lastly, transporting lighter vehicles to dealerships and customers results in even more indirect cost savings of lightweighting.&nbsp;Does lightweighting come for free? Certainly not. But with the aforementioned value propositions, it is easy to see why there is so much focus on it in the automotive industry today.&nbsp;<h2>Making Progress</h2>New technologies almost always cost more than what they replace, at least during their initial implementation. Aluminum was once seen as an aerospace-only material due to cost, with cast iron and steel dominating the automotive bill-of-materials for many years. This is almost surprising to realize in retrospect, with aluminum now so widespread in our cars today. We are right in the midst of the same phenomenon with composites. Not long ago, carbon-fiber composites were relegated to aerospace and Formula One, eventually trickling down to the supercar market. Now they are rapidly expanding into the mainstream market, with some manufacturers already building large body panels entirely from composites for family sedans and small hatchbacks.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY1MzM2ODM0LUZpZzItTWF0ZXJpYWwtU3lzdGVtcy03Njh4NTkyLnBuZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Two associated trends in lightweighting: 1) Implementation timeline of new material systems: generally, in the quest for lightweighting, engineers may consider these material systems in roughly this order. 2) Exchange constants: indicators of the value or utility of lightweighting over the lifetime of the vehicle (ie. fuel economy, payload capacity, etc.) [2]. While these values are useful as general guidelines, specific cases can sometimes land in unexpected regions of this chart (for example, spacecraft-tier exchange constants for high-end racing bicycle components).&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw6cs7opvzA" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Koenigsegg</a> appeared to have launched the metal additive trend for production end-use parts in 2014, with a 3D-printed stainless steel variable turbocharger, and 3D-printed titanium exhaust component which saves a kilogram over its machined aluminum predecessor [3]. Of course, this is a 1300+hp multi-million-dollar vehicle, but it marks the start of the metal additive age in automotive. Since then, several larger manufacturers have begun to adopt additive in serial production at much larger production volumes. This trend will only continue as the manufacturing technologies mature and become less expensive, just as they did with light alloys and carbon fiber.Unlike light alloys and composites, however, the expansion of additive technologies may also eliminate a significant amount of tooling (a substantial investment in both time and cost for manufacturers) — both through part consolidation and technological progress towards nearer-net-shape finishes in additive processes.<h2>Challenges Remain</h2>Unfortunately, lightweighting is not as simple as substituting in these new, lighter, and stronger materials. Even if it were, the opportunity of that new material or process would likely be underutilized. Recall the <a href="https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/getting-to-know-black-aluminum" rel="noopener" target="_blank">‘black aluminum’</a> phenomenon with composites: simply rebuilding a sheet metal design with a composite was not the best use of this new material, nor were conventional simulation and validation approaches suitable [4]. Things like anisotropy, ply stack terminations, size/edge effects, etc. were all new effects to consider in the design process.&nbsp;Engineers had to start at a micromechanical level, first understanding things like fiber-matrix failure mechanisms and establishing certification methods, and then working their way up to design guidelines and repeatable workflows and processes. Years later, however, composites are everywhere, and it is hard to envision going back without them. It is much more a gentle transition than overnight revolution.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY1MzY4MDMwLUZpZzMtTWF0ZXJpYWwtTW9kZWxsaW5nLUNvbnNpZGVyYXRpb25zLTc2OHgzNDkucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">A multi-scale understanding of new material systems is required before they can be effectively deployed. This requires substantial research effort up-front in first understanding the micromechanics of the material systems, then building certification and testing methods, and ultimately design guidelines and repeatable processes. This took decades for composites and is still evolving. We are only on step two for additive manufacturing, but it appears the industry is progressing faster than ever. (Inset micrograph for “Metallic Alloys” from: [5]).&nbsp;The same is true for additive manufacturing and advanced generative/organic topologies. It is perhaps even more true for lattice structures and architected materials, though the potential return on these is also much greater. With additive’s much less&nbsp;restricted design space (any reader still remaining at this point will likely agree that ‘unrestricted’ is not entirely accurate for AM), generating and iterating on design candidates becomes burdensome with conventional modelling tools.&nbsp;If creating the models is difficult and slow, so will be the simulation and validation—which is even more critical now that we have less wiggle room and factor-of-safety to work with as we approach an optimum solution. A somewhat synergistic effect is that, due to the fact that these advanced manufacturing technologies and materials generally cost more per pound, there is even more motivation to use them efficiently.&nbsp;With topology-optimized (or “generative”, if you prefer) designs, a key obstacle to real implementation is that the results are often solid lumps, formed by simple compliance minimization algorithms. The trouble here is that solid blobs do not collapse and crush very smoothly, and crashworthiness engineers often require hollow tubes instead. As any CAD engineer would know, however, shelling a complex organic part can be an unexpectedly difficult task, even if it is just of constant wall thickness (unlikely to be an optimal distribution of material). Conventionally, engineers have struggled to manufacture what they design; but with additive, it is often reversed: it can be a struggle to design what you’re able to manufacture.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY1Mzk0MDIyLUZpZzQtVG9wb2xvZ3ktT3B0aW1pemF0aW9uLTc2OHg1MDkucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">Conventional topology optimization (or generative design) is just step one of load-path identification, and generally produces solid parts. For crashworthiness, most automotive parts need to be hollow to allow energy absorption through large plastic deformations (ie. crumple zones and crash tubes). An advanced design technique is to shell the part with the wall thickness directly based on stress data, and iteratively validate this with crash simulations.&nbsp;<h2>Opportunities and Outlook</h2>Materials and process improvements are well underway and have been showing remarkable progress. Once prohibitively expensive, technologies like carbon fiber composites are becoming cheaper and cheaper, with compression molding of chopped fibers already making the business case in mainstream vehicles. Once-niche technologies like metal powder bed fusion, which skeptics once said would never exceed a 200 mm build plate edge length, are now reaching the 1000 mm meter mark with multiple laser sources.&nbsp;However, advanced materials are only as effective as the shapes in which they are formed; topology is half the battle. One aspect that has been lagging behind, and is now becoming an increasingly glaring bottleneck, is in the fragmented and expensive alphabet soup of upstream design tools (CAD, CAM, CAE, etc.).&nbsp;It is surprising how many hours (and therefore dollars) each handshake between these acronyms can actually represent. We sometimes hear of days being spent to reconstruct the native geometry of a shape-optimized density field, and weeks wrestling sketch relations and offsets if one were to shell it for crashworthiness requirements. The latter of course then requires remeshing and revalidating to locally adapt the wall thickness, and will hopefully be the final iteration of this whole process (which it rarely is). The design effort required to trim out those final few pounds increases exponentially.&nbsp;There is a glaring need in the industry for design tools that are built on solid and modern foundations; foundations designed for&nbsp;these new materials and technologies. However, just as some classical materials still have their place in production (cast iron brake disks and engine blocks), so too will existing tools and procedures, like clay modeling or drafting in CAD. Mixed-material design is becoming increasingly common, with steels, plastics, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, and carbon composites all coexisting in the same vehicle platform. We’re learning to bond and hybridize very dissimilar materials to reach new levels of automotive performance, and there is no one-size-fits-all wonder material.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY1NDI2NjE1LUZpZzUtRGF0YS1Tb3VyY2VzLTc2OHg1NjMucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">&nbsp;Some of the many mixed data-sources involved in modern engineering. Each of them have value, but also limitations. A hybridization or data-fusion approach allows engineers to optimize their parts to previously unimaginable levels. Where the arrowheads lie on each of these lines is often case-specific, and more (or fewer) data sources may apply.&nbsp;In the quest for lightweighting, the same will hold true of design tools. Instead of mixed-materials, we have mixed data-sources: surfaces from CAD, meshes from FEA, density fields or stress results from CAE, and real-world measurements like scan data or digitally-imaged strains. Just like physical materials, these too can be synthesized and fused together digitally to reach new levels of performance.&nbsp;We need new tools to do this mixed-material, multi-objective design and optimization process — with consideration of all of the mixed data sources being used where they’re best suited. This is where computational modeling fits in, enabling this data-fusion approach to engineering design where the many factors and measurements relevant to the engineering process can be synthesized into one high performance design representation. With this new multi-factor approach to design, we can begin to fully exploit the many simultaneous lightweighting opportunities available in automotive.Are you looking for more content on lightweighting in automotive? Check out what Fabian Grupp has to say about the European Green Deal and its impact on automakers in Germany. <a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/05/26/how-lightweighting-and-copper-might-drive-automotive-innovation/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=&utm_term=&utm_content=lightweight-blog-ref&source=&comment=" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Read now</a>.<hr><h2>References</h2>[1] E. Alonso, T.M. Lee, C. Bjelkengren, R. Roth, R.E. Kirchain, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/es202938m" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Evaluating the Potential for Secondary Mass Savings in Vehicle Lightweighting</a>”, Environmental Science and Technology, 2012.&nbsp;[2] M.F. Ashby, Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 5e, 2016[3]&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw6cs7opvzA" rel="noopener" target="_blank">3D Printing: Titanium, Carbon Fiber, &amp; The One</a>:1 – /INSIDE KOENIGSEGG [Video Interview, The Drive, 2014]&nbsp;[4] S. Black, “<a href="https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/getting-to-know-black-aluminum" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Getting To Know “Black Aluminum</a>”: An introduction to CFRP”, Modern Machine Shop, 2008.[5] Image from:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.olympus-ims.com/en/applications/grain-size-analysis/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Grain Size Analysis in Metals and Alloys, Olympus Industrial Resources</a>.R. Heuss, N. Muller, W. van Sintern, A. Starke, A. Tschiesner, “<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/dotcom/client_service/automotive%20and%20assembly/pdfs/lightweight_heavy_impact.ashx" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Lightweight, heavy impact</a>”, McKinsey &amp; Company, “Advanced Industries” Series, 2012.A. Weber, “<a href="https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/94341-lightweighting-is-top-priority-for-automotive-industry" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Lightweighting Is Top Priority for Automotive Industry</a>”, Assembly Magazine, 2018. <a href="https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/94341-lightweighting-is-top-priority-for-automotive-industry" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link</a><hr>This article was first published on the <a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/05/28/the-quest-for-lightweighting-automotive-and-beyond/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nTopology blog</a>.

When it comes to designing cars, saving weight is a top priority. But there is more to it than just swapping steel for aluminum, or tearing out the back seats.

The Quest for Lightweighting: Automotive and Beyond

With the prevalence of engineering design and materials development at the forefront of additive manufacturing, there is still a lot to learn from nature when it comes to the design of advanced components. When accounting for strength-to-weight ratio, biological structures often vastly exceed man-made material impact resistance even when compared to the most cutting-edge research out there. The structural principles that define these biological “armors” are profound and groundbreaking. But there is a modeling limitation on these structures – how do you utilize current tools to define these structures in 3D for use? Up until now researchers have used computational modeling to evaluate certain biological structures, but usually this is for a one-off test or visualization. The use of such structures as applied to commercial applications has been limited by the current software and modeling technology. In my <a href="https://ntopology.com/design-for-additive-manufacturing-and-the-nfl-helmet-challenge/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=event&utm_campaign=dfam-blog-promo&utm_content=20200330-nfl---blog:-matt-shomper" rel="noopener" target="_blank">upcoming webinar</a>, I step through several biological structure examples – the telson armor of the mantis shrimp, the specialized bones of the bighorn sheep – and analyze how they provide an unprecedented amount of impact resistance.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY1MTUxNTMzLW5Ub3BfRGZBTV9CbG9nU2hvbXBlckltYWdlMS5qcGciLCAiZWRpdHMiOiB7InJlc2l6ZSI6IHsid2lkdGgiOiA5NTAsICJmaXQiOiAiY292ZXIifX19">The analysis of these creatures’ biological structures offers us a glimpse into how we might borrow design elements to better resist impacts&nbsp;But understanding how these structures look is only the first (and easiest in some respects) part of the problem. I then move into the complex computational modeling of these structures as periodic (i.e., repeatable) implicit elements that can be readily used to fill 3-Dimensional spaces (such as football helmets, body armor, etc.) at any scale – without sacrificing speed of use or quality.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY1MTc0MzkyLW5Ub3BfRGZBTV9CbG9nU2hvbXBlckltYWdlMi5qcGciLCAiZWRpdHMiOiB7InJlc2l6ZSI6IHsid2lkdGgiOiA5NTAsICJmaXQiOiAiY292ZXIifX19">Computational modeling of the mantis shrimp’s telson armor allows for its application in impact-resistant&nbsp;The modeling of these structures also accounts for a wide range of user inputs so as to be infinitely controllable.<hr>This article was first published on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/04/06/impact-resistant-bio-structures/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nTopology blog</a>.

Computational modeling of the mantis shrimp’s telson armor allows for its application in impact-resistant

Taking a look at what nature can teach us about mitigating collisions. The third NFL Helmet Challenge DfAM eSeries Guest Blog

Impact Resistant Bio-Structures

So you’re convinced to put your parts on a diet. Or maybe you’re starting from a blank sheet and want to design with lightweighting strategies from the start. The following are five approaches to lightweighting. This is not an exhaustive list or an instruction manual by any means, but some themes to get you started.&nbsp;First, let’s clarify our objective in lightweighting: the word optimize&nbsp;is sometimes used loosely and can lead us astray. It’s better to think of these approaches as steps towards an optimum, and recognize that achieving total optimality is a climb up an asymptotic mountain. How far you choose to climb depends on how much a pound costs to your design. Extra baggage on the way to orbit costs a lot more than on your average road trip. &nbsp;<h2> </h2><h2>1. Materials Selection</h2>To get started, you need to select the right material. Why use steel if you can get away with aluminum? There’s a weight reduction of approximately two thirds on the table, albeit with compromises: reduced stiffness, higher cost, more difficulty in welding. A great way of visualizing these tradeoffs and rankings of mechanical properties is with Ashby Charts, which essentially represent the menu of materials that an engineer can select from (though more on that later).<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0NjY3MDk0LUZpZ3VyZS0xLTc2OHg1OTMucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">&nbsp;<a href="https://ceramics.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1551-2916.2011.04559.x" target="_blank">Ashby</a> Chart for evaluating stiffness-to-weight ratio of conventional materials. This essentially represents the menu of (conventional) materials that engineers have to choose from.&nbsp;These charts can compare any combination of properties, the one shown above being useful for evaluating stiffness-to-weight ratio. Note the logarithmic scale; serious lightweighting can occur just through proper material selection. Our menu of (conventional) materials varies over factors of millions in modulus, and thousands in density. Surely some opportunity for lightweighting lies somewhere in between.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>2. Part or Function Consolidation&nbsp;</h2>Material on its own is just feedstock. Only with shape comes a structure or a part. But even using the best material can result in an overweight part if the form does not fit the function. Many assemblies are designed as such due to manufacturing rules, fastened together with nuts and bolts. These alone can add up significantly in weight, not to mention assembly time. Approaching these problems from a function-first mindset, without the shackles of traditional manufacturing rules, can be used to trim a lot of the excess which is not directly contributing to the overall function. The bulky flanges and bolts in this pipe system, for example, don’t help us at all with controlling fluid flow (ie. why we’re even building a part). Why try optimizing something which shouldn’t even exist in the first place?<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0Njk0NTk5LUZpZ3VyZS0yLTc2OHg2OTEucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">&nbsp;A pipe assembly lightweighted through part-consolidation and conformal ribbing.&nbsp; <h2>3. Conformal Ribbing&nbsp;</h2>Conformal ribbing is one of the more popular methods on this list, and is very prevalent in aerospace. Whether built from polymers, metals, or composites, conformal ribbing aims to enable thinner walls while improving buckling resistance (otherwise you’re left with a crumpled soda can).<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0NzMxNDY0LUZpZ3VyZS0zLTIxMDB4OTYxLnBuZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Conformal ribbing on a turbopump casing, produced with electron beam melting (EBM) by <a href="https://www.zenithtecnica.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Zenith Tecnica</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;For polymers, it can be very affordable and easily mass produced. Look underneath a plastic shipping palette or fold-out table, for example, or even the side of a milk crate. You will find conformal ribbing, which engineers use to lightweight (and reduce material usage) in these relatively simple structures.&nbsp;But what can we do with stiffer and stronger materials? Isogrid, shown below, has long been popular in the space industry, with <a href="https://femci.gsfc.nasa.gov/isogrid/NASA-CR-124075_Isogrid_Design.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">design handbooks</a> dating back to the 1970’s. They are very expensive to produce via conventional machining: the cost-per-pound for machined metal isogrid is likely only justifiable for high-end aerospace applications, but additive manufacturing is making this technique much more accessible.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0NzYxMjQyLUZpZ3VyZS00LTc2OHg1NTcucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">Machined metal isogrid on a spacecraft <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isogrid#/media/File:CST-100_pressure_vessel.jpg" rel="noopener" target="_blank">capsule</a>. The high cost to get vehicles to orbit motivates advanced lightweighting techniques.&nbsp;<h2> </h2><h2>4. Lattices and Architected Materials&nbsp;</h2>Lattices, cellular materials, periodic structures, architected materials… are as diverse as the assortment of names used to describe them. Fundamentally, they are hybrids of solid material and empty space (or gas) — with the precise arrangement dictating the effective mechanical properties. The amount of material is of course important as well, and is referred to as relative density (the mass of the lattice divided by the mass of a solid block of its parent material).&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0Nzk3MTkzLUZsb3dlci03Njh4NTkzLnBuZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">The most extreme example of lightweighting on this list: a nickel microlattice structure fabricated by <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/334/6058/962.full" rel="noopener" target="_blank">HRL</a>, with a density 100 times less than styrofoam. Each strut is a hollow nickel tube of approximately 100 nm wall thickness, manufactured through a combination of additive manufacturing and electroless plating.&nbsp;Some typical suspects in the cellular world include honeycombs, foams, lattices, and shell-like continuous structures such as gyroids, each having their own pros and cons. They can also each be employed in a variety of ways: uniformly as shown below, as an infill of a shelled part, conformally over a surface, or spatially-varying within a complex domain (more on this another time). &nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0ODI0ODYzLU5ldy1GaWd1cmUtNi1MYXJnZS03Njh4NTU5LnBuZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">An assortment of the many topologies available for lightweighting, with brief descriptions below .<ul><li>Honeycombs&nbsp;are hard to beat in stiffness-to-weight ratio in their extruded direction, but are much softer in the other two orthogonal directions (by around an order of magnitude).</li><li>Octet lattices are stiff in all three principal directions, but more difficult to manufacture.</li><li>Stochastic foams are much more compliant, but the easiest to finely tailor to a design’s functional requirements through cell size and relative density.</li><li>Auxetic honeycombs can be designed to exhibit special properties like a negative Poisson’s ratio (contracts inwards when compressed, instead of barreling outwards).</li><li>The gyroid&nbsp;and broader family of triply periodic structures inherently have two sides or fluid domains to them, making them natural candidates for heat exchanger applications. They can be easily tailored or biased in different directions to alter stiffness or flow properties as needed.&nbsp;</li></ul>Cellular materials are perhaps most applicable to engineering in the form of sandwich structures. These are prevalent throughout all levels of the lightweighting value spectrum, from cardboard packaging to commercial aircraft to interplanetary spacecraft. The effect is all the same: separate two thin sheets of material (the bread) by a lightweight core (the filling, available in the flavors shown above), and you can attain tremendous strength and stiffness increases for a minor increase in mass. Turn this around by keeping strength and stiffness constant, and you have significant lightweighting potential.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0ODcxODk0LUZpZ3VyZS03LTEucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">Bending stiffness and strength benefits of lightweighting with <a href="https://memento.epfl.ch/public/upload/files/Diapositive1_1.jpg" rel="noopener" target="_blank">sandwich structures</a>, with a few examples shown.&nbsp;<h2> </h2><h2>5. Topology Optimization&nbsp;</h2>Last stop for today: topology optimization. Some refer to this as ‘generative design’, but we’ll stick to the engineering term here. Several methods and algorithms exist, but the general idea is to apply loads and restraints to a design region, and then whittle away material from this region until some constraints and objectives are met. At the barebones level, this is usually minimizing compliance (or maximizing stiffness) subject to a volume target. Many cases require additional constraints like maximum stress or displacement, or some restriction on manufacturing technique. The result is usually something exotic and organic looking, which perhaps adds to its allure.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0OTAxOTYyLUZpZ3VyZS04LTc2OHg1NDkucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">A titanium spacecraft bracket, lightweighted with topology optimization and built with electron beam melting (EBM).&nbsp;&nbsp;While seemingly hands-off, this approach is far from it. Some steps of it deserve automation, like reconstructing native geometry from the resultant density field or mesh. But users must take extra care in setting up their problems appropriately, and understanding the assumptions behind the algorithms which they wield. One common oversight is that many simple codes neglect buckling; consider the very long, thin, slender ligaments seen in many ‘generative design’ examples, and how these would behave when they run over a bump on the road. Likely suboptimally.&nbsp;How about if those loads are applied off-angle? Uncertainty quantification and ‘design for robustness’ techniques are being developed for this now. This is less specific to topology optimization methods, but relevant to lightweight design in general: as you get closer and closer to the optimum, the result is only as appropriate as the design assumptions.&nbsp;<h2>Closing&nbsp;</h2>Hopefully this has got you thinking about where you can cut weight from your parts, through one or several of the approaches described above: care in material selection, consolidating parts by their functions to eliminate fasteners and redundancy, conformal ribbing for stiffening, multifunctional design with lattices and architected materials, or through topology optimization to make it lightweight and look great simultaneously. The value of a pound here and there can add up significantly: the thousands of dollars per pound for spacecraft applications makes the combination of all of these methods often justifiable.&nbsp;Lightweighting is especially important to automotive. Higher performance, better fuel economy, better safety, lower emissions, and the compounding coupling effect that these all have on one another are motivating manufacturers to take their lightweighting efforts to new heights.&nbsp;<hr>This article was first published on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2019/10/18/5-techniques-for-lightweighting/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nTopology blog</a>.

Everyone wants lighter parts, be it for quicker cars, cheaper air travel, or simply bragging rights at your next group bike ride. But it's often difficult to know where to start, with the endless combinations of materials, processes, and design tools available today.

5 Techniques for Lightweighting: Doing More With Less

During the final year at Boston University, a list of projects gathered from research professors and start-up companies is posted for undergraduate engineers to choose their senior capstone project. My two friends and I had found interest outside of that list in the field of printed footwear, specifically within the lack of literature approaching 3D midsoles in the context of running performance. We pitched a rough proposal to the department and Dr. Anna Thorton, professor of additive manufacturing, served as our advisor.&nbsp;While a simple piece of responsive foam goes a long way, modern developments are pushing the threshold of performance through supplemental components; embedded carbon-plates, airbags, and controversial <a href="https://www.believeintherun.com/2019/10/09/a-breakdown-of-the-nike-kipchoge-prototype/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">tensile strands</a>. In essence, the capacity of advancement is expanded with greater fluidity in midsole arrangement. This notion served as the foundation of our project examining, ‘The enhancement of running performance through 3D-printed midsole design’.With a FormLabs SLA printer and elastic resin granted by the engineering department along with a license to nTopology’s software, Element, our team was able to approach the midsole as an empty frame with infinite design freedom. We printed twenty different lattice models and measured each for their percentage of energy return.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0MjM3Nzk2LW5vbGFuLTkuanBnIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">Interface of the nTopology Element rule builder tool&nbsp;Using the Element version with a rule builder tool, this allowed us to quickly manipulate the features of a unit cell; geometric base, length, thickness, arrangement, and height. The benefits of lattice structures to our study were 1) to provide three times the strength of foams at an equal density and 2) to distribute the energy transferred within each step more evenly and at a slower rate, offering greater stability and lower impact over time.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0MjYzMDc5LW5vbGFuLTYucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">Metrics of the best performing prototype, only ~6% less than the Nike ZoomX Midsole&nbsp;In reference to the graph above, the energy return is simply the amount of energy retained as the structure, after compressed, returns to its normal shape. This value pays significant dividends when cumulated over an entire marathon and is directly influenced by the behavior of the midsole; hence its <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2296446/do-energy-return-shoes-actually-put-pep-your-step" rel="noopener" target="_blank">obsessive mention</a> by every running shoe company.<a href="https://ntopology.com/ntop-platform/" target="_blank">nTop Platform</a>, however, provides overarching controllability from precise editing of surface equations and data points to broader manipulation of whole body infills and volume lattices.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0Mjk0ODg3LW5vbGFuLTEwLmpwZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">An outline of lattice generation from unit cell to final render&nbsp;While the model above was formed with a random voronoi point distribution, force plate data taken from a runner’s landing can be imported to generate a lattice arrangement that varies the thickness and density in regions of higher load.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjY0MzE2MjI1LW5vbGFuLTExLTEuanBnIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">From distributed points or CAD body to final midsole&nbsp;There have been impressive examples of lattice integration through the <a href="https://www.carbon3d.com/case-studies/adidas/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Adidas 4D Futurecraft</a> and the <a href="https://newbalance.newsmarket.com/latest-news/new-balance-launches-a-premium-3d-printing-platform/s/5c2b466a-13b7-4218-a18a-61d2889e6adc" rel="noopener" target="_blank">New Balance Triple Cell</a>, yet their purpose is bound within general functionality. Our team’s project had shown promising percentages of energy return, but failed to remain lightweight. Competitive performance in printed footwear requires improved materials and efficient design. For the first, the properties of printed compounds must continue to develop towards those of traditional foams. For the latter, not only does the general structure need to exhibit responsive behavior, but also its arrangement must be systematically organized. With generative design tools, the model’s distribution can be optimized for regions of high demand, reducing weight without sacrificing function. &nbsp;The potential of additive design to outperform conventional foams in the prospect of enhanced running performance surely exists but is yet to be realized.<hr>This article was first published on the <a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/05/11/footwear-innovation-exploring-the-utility-of-additive-structures-in-running-performance/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nTopology blog.</a>

Could 3D design serve as a new bridge between current standards and a breakthrough in athletic feats?

Footwear Innovation: Exploring the utility of additive structures in running performance

<h2>A combination of gyroid and carbon fiber inspired by butterfly wings</h2>I am a researcher on the topic of Complex Ceramic Architectures Additive Manufacturing at Mechanical Engineering and Materials Technology Institute in Switzerland. I have been working for Professor Alberto Ortona, head of the Hybrid Materials Laboratory. I am currently a first-year Ph.D. student at the University of Padua and my Ph.D. focuses on designing, additively manufacturing, and testing of silicon carbide cellular structures for high-temperature applications.&nbsp;A project that I’ve been working on is designing a structure inspired by nature. Biological structures such as butterfly wings are natural hybrid materials made up of multiple components combined in specific geometries and scales. Butterfly wings have widely inspired researchers due to their design and multifunction such as attracting their mates (optical) or escaping predators (aero-mechanical). Indeed, from a mechanical perspective, their wings can be considered a structure that is optimized for bending loads. The goal of my project was to design and manufacture a new ultra-lightweight structure optimized for bending (commonly called sandwich structure) inspired by their wings.<h2>Diving into the design</h2>To achieve this goal, I first needed to understand the microstructure of a butterfly wing. As you can see, in a cross-section of a wing scale, the highly porous central region separates two outer regions which are supported by a frame whereby load-bearing bars are connected to the porous core by perpendicular smaller bars (Figure 1). The topology of the inner porous region maximizes the structure’s rigidity while simultaneously minimizing its weight. The architecture of the porous structure can be described as a gyroid: an infinitely triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS). In relevance to natural science, TPMS structures have been observed in several biological membranes.&nbsp;After observing their microscale, I further evolved the structure by reinforcing the external elements with carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) rods.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI2NjYwMjUxLW1hcmNvLTEgKDEpLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Figure 1: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrograph on a cross-sectional view of a butterfly wing scale.&nbsp;While these structures could be theoretically designed they could never be manufactured until the advent of additive manufacturing (AM).&nbsp;<h2>Realizing the design intent&nbsp;</h2>The model (Figure 2) was designed and simulated with finite element analysis (FEA) to optimize its hybrid structure and parameters: (d) CFRP rods diameter; (t) gyroid surface thickness; (s) rods casing diameter.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI2Njg4Mzg4LW1hcmNvLTItMS03Njh4NjA0ICgxKS5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19">Figure 2: 3D model designed and simulated The structures were additively manufactured (Figure 3) through the stereolithography (SLA) technique. SLA allows for the fabrication of three-dimensional polymer parts with UV radiation that induces the photopolymerization of a reactive monomer. The structures were manufactured by exploiting the top-down approach. In this process, the STL model is sliced into two-dimensional cross-sections, allowing for their projection in sequence and building the part layer by layer. The CFRP rods were inserted in their casings and bonded to them through a thin layer of a two-component epoxy glue that was applied to the rods before their insertion.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI2NzIwMDg5LW1hcmNvLTMgKDEpLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Figure 3: 3D printing of the structure&nbsp;<h2>Evaluating the manufactured structures</h2>In order to evaluate the mechanical behavior of the structures, 3-point bending, quasi-static experimental tests were performed with a universal material electromechanical testing machine at standard conditions. Figure 4 shows the experimental 3-point bending apparatus.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI2NzQ5MjQzLW1hcmNvLTQgKDEpLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Figure 4: Experimental 3-point bending apparatus&nbsp;A 3D FEM-based approach followed to simulate the experimental 3-point bending tests on the structures. Ultimately, experimental results were compared with the FEA &nbsp;output in the linear-elastic regime. The validation of the simulation was performed comparing the bending deformation of the structure with the experimental one under the same condition. The structure with CFRP rods had more than twice the stiffness of the non-reinforced structure (46 N/mm and 20 N/mm, respectively) and withstood a maximum load of about 280 N (100 N without CFRP). The results of the FE model confirm these values. Figure 5 shows the FE results with different configurations of the CFRP rods diameter (d) and gyroid surface thickness (t).&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI2Nzc3NDY4LW1hcmNvLTUgKDEpLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Figure 5: Finite element simulations of the structures: displacement results. (I) t = 0.375 mm; d = 1.2&nbsp;mm. (II) t = 0.75 mm; d = 1.2 mm. (III) t = 1.5 mm; d = 1.2 mm. (IV) t = 0.75 mm; d = 0.6 mm. (V) t =0.75 mm; d = 2.4 mm. t is the gyroid thickness and&nbsp;d&nbsp;is the CFRP diameter. Scale bar is 10 mm.&nbsp;<h2>Using nTop Platform to further utilize the structure</h2>An advantage of this solution over the standard sandwich structures is that it directly connects the solid part of the porous core to the mating reinforcing element and further minimizes its mass. The proposed topological approach can be applied to many materials as long as there is a difference in the elastic modulus between the core and the ribs. The design can become more demanding from a computational point of view if you want to generate complex objects.To demonstrate the feasibility of this concept, thanks to nTop Platform, I was able to design an innovative bike helmet. The structure consists of an ultra-lightweight helmet made up of gyroid cells and reinforced with carbon fiber bars. This concept design aims at combining the lightness and transpiration of gyroid architectures with the unmatched mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP), which are placed (like in the butterfly wing) to enhance the impact protection right where it is needed.<h2>What’s next</h2>This is one of the many spin-off applications that can be developed starting from our work “Nature-Inspired, Ultra-Lightweight Structures with Gyroid Cores Produced by Additive Manufacturing and Reinforced by Unidirectional Carbon Fiber Ribs” (<a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12244134" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12244134</a>).The next steps are to perform a detailed design of the component, additively manufacture a prototype helmet, integration of CFRP ribs, and test. We are currently looking for partners for this second phase.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI2ODIyMzcyLW1hcmNvLTYtNzY4eDQyMiAoMikuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">Figure 6: An innovative bike helmet designed with nTop Platform&nbsp;<hr>This article was first published on the <a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/05/21/bio-inspired-materials-from-butterfly-wings-to-bike-helmets/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nTopology blog</a>.

An innovative bike helmet designed with nTop Platform

Read below to see how a Ph.D. student used nTop Platform to help him realize complex design intent

Bio-inspired materials: from butterfly wings to bike helmets

In last week’s post, <a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/05/19/the-european-green-deal-pressure-to-innovate/" target="_blank">The European Green Deal: Pressure to Innovate</a>, &nbsp;I discussed how the EU Green Deal and industry disruption caused by the likes of Elon Musk are forcing the automotive industry to be innovative in order to stay ahead of competition and remain relevant. And so this week I will dive into a few applications where I think Additive Manufacturing can make an immediate and direct impact on automotive innovation.<h2>Lightweighting – an outdated concept, only for combustion cars?</h2>In 2017 Prof. Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, head of Center Automotive Research (CAR), argued lightweighting wouldn’t make sense for electric mobility. His team ran a pragmatic experiment by loading a Tesla S and BMWi3 with 300kg of weight. Both cars were sent around a test track to compare energy consumption: a few laps with the load and a few laps without the load.&nbsp;The professor and his team assumed the higher mass of the fully loaded car would increase the amount of recuperated energy (recuperation is the process by which electric cars win back energy through braking) and compensate for higher acceleration cost.&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.heise.de/tr/artikel/Ist-Leichtbau-ueberschaetzt-4356412.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">results</a> supported this hypothesis, with the Tesla S needing only 0.6% more energy and the BMW 4.4% compared to the empty run. Consequently, they postulated lightweighting would not really improve energy consumption of electric cars.However, other experts criticized the test to be unrealistic as city driving differs hugely from a few laps around a test track:<ul><li>more erratic braking</li><li>quicker acceleration</li><li>less disciplined driving</li></ul>In addition, acceleration is not the only energy cost for an electric car. We must also take into account thermal loss and the energy used for active cooling systems – which throws the recuperation balance off.&nbsp;Scientists from University for Applied Sciences RWTH Aachen extrapolated from battery measurement data that the Mitsubishi i-MiEV generator would need<a href="http://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/707501/files/707501.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">&nbsp;8.5% more energy use per 10% added mass</a> but stressed how non-linear the curve in reality was. That is a clear indicator for the other factors, like active cooling or transmission losses, aerodynamics or tire friction, being of huge importance for the overall energy consumption.Finally, in 2018, Swiss / German engineering powerhouse EDAG set up an experiment with conditions closer to reality and was able to empirically prove how<a href="https://www.automobil-industrie.vogel.de/elektromobilitaet-funktioniert-nur-mit-leichtbau-a-908391/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">&nbsp;100kg of weight reduction saved 2.8% of energy</a> in 50kph city drives. While there are a lot of other application areas for innovation in electric cars, lightweighting is definitely applicable and is a proven strong suite of AM.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI2MTU3MTQ1LVBhcnQtY29uc29saWRhdGlvbi03Njh4NzkyLmpwZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">A pipe assembly lightweighted through part-consolidation and conformal ribbing&nbsp;There are some other application areas I’d like to explore in regards to automotive innovation. Here is one I believe is worth watching and why.<h4>Heat exchangers printed in copper</h4>Batteries need cooling, right? A cheap and effective approach is through conventional, serially produced heatsinks which provide passive&nbsp;cooling with airflow. However, since the battery systems in electric cars are designed to supply an entire car with power, active&nbsp;cooling systems are a necessity. Enter in liquid cooled heat exchangers.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI2MTc3OTkwLUhlYXQtRXhjaGFuZ2VyLWNvcHBlci03Njh4NjkzLnBuZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Passive heatsink in copper&nbsp;Using&nbsp;<a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2019/12/16/taking-heat-exchanger-design-to-the-next-level-with-high-performance-geometry/" target="_blank">AM to manufacture heat exchangers</a> allows for both a compact design PLUS increased surface area for heat exchange to maximize performance. There are a&nbsp;<a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/02/12/how-ntop-platform-was-used-to-design-analyze-and-print-a-fuel-cooled-oil-cooler/" target="_blank">ton of great examples</a> and we will continue to see more of them as enabling factors come together such as:<ul><li>Design freedom with metal powder bed fusion (MPBF) allows optimized deployment of material</li><li>High performance copper powders are available</li><li>Finally a software without limitations for geometrical complexity</li></ul>The&nbsp;design freedom&nbsp;of metal powder bed processes makes it possible to use advanced design strategies like graded variable density lattices. In a nutshell, they can be used as an architected material with higher density at the spots with higher thermal load, balancing lightweight design with cooling performance.Pure copper has great thermal conductivity which makes it one of the best metals for defusing heat in a broad range of applications, from microelectronics to injection molding tool inserts. However, this makes maintaining a neatly defined melt pool quite tricky and for MPBF, copper was never the first choice of material compared to aluminum, tool steel or titanium. Furthermore, the material’s reflective properties don’t play well with red light lasers used in almost all metal AM systems.&nbsp;Compared to aluminum, copper is significantly more reflective<a href="https://eng.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Materials_Science/Supplemental_Modules_(Materials_Science)/Optical_Properties/Metallic_Reflection" rel="noopener" target="_blank">&nbsp;at a common 800nm laser wavelength</a>. But AM systems have become more diverse and their developers as well as users constantly strive to come up with new applications. So by now there are&nbsp;at least four ways to manufacture copper parts in MPBF. It should be noted, I am not claiming this to be an exhaustive list:&nbsp;<ol><li>Use an alloy if possible. CuNiSi(Cr), for example, allows for the use of the common red light lasers without the need for excessive power. In addition, the ratio of components can enable tailored material properties by balancing<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02670836.2019.1600840?journalCode=ymst20" rel="noopener" target="_blank">&nbsp;conductivity and porosity.</a> Because (and this can be seen as a downside) alloying does reduce porosity it also reduces the conductivity you’re aiming for. EOS for example offers a<a href="https://www.eos.info/en/additive-manufacturing/3d-printing-metal/dmls-metal-materials/copper" rel="noopener" target="_blank">&nbsp;99.6% copper alloy</a> with fitting parameter set.</li><li>Use a green light laser. This approach has been around for quite a while. I first read about a concept from German research institute Fraunhofer ILT<a href="https://www.ilt.fraunhofer.de/en/press/press-releases/press-release-2017/press-release-2017-08-30.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">&nbsp;back in 2017</a>. A year later, machine manufacturer, Trumpf, released a<a href="https://www.tctmagazine.com/3d-printing-news/trumpf-green-laser-additive-manufacturing-copper/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">&nbsp;commercially available system</a>. The core concept is using a laser with a wavelength of 515nm instead of the common 800-1000nm to reduce reflected radiation while maintaining comparatively low energy use.</li><li>Use higher power. I’ve heard believable rumors about successful approaches printing large copper parts with a red-light laser. However, only the highest skilled experts can develop a parameter set for this method. One thing to keep in mind might be potential damage to the machine environment caused by reflected radiation.</li><li>Don’t use a laser at all. The reflectivity of copper is dependent on the type of energy source. GE’s Arcam makes use of this fact with their EBM process,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ge.com/additive/press-releases/ge-additive-arcam-ebm-launches-d-material-support-pure-copper-and-highly-alloyed" rel="noopener" target="_blank">claiming</a> “pure copper absorbs 80% of the energy from an electron beam, compared to only 2% of the energy from a red laser beam.” For certain laser wavelengths that is plausible, and EBM is known for good throughput, though I’d expect a fairly rough surface from the process.</li></ol>In conclusion, it is possible to manufacture parts from copper on AM systems, now we just have to design them. As mentioned above, one goal is a balance between high thermal conductivity in the right spots while keeping overall weight down. Capturing principles like these to make them reusable tools instead of starting every engineering project from scratch accelerates innovation.<hr>This article was first published on the <a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/05/26/how-lightweighting-and-copper-might-drive-automotive-innovation/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nTopology blog</a>.

The second installment on how the automotive industry can innovate through the use of AM technology.

How Lightweighting and Copper Might Drive Automotive Innovation

I know what you are thinking: cellular materials and lightweighting? Who made this guy a Professor? I hear you. While my students and I have spent a lot of time the past four years studying cellular materials, it has been in the context of energy absorption, honeycomb panel design, capillary action, and thermal management, and not with the intent to lightweight (is it now ok to use it as a verb?) a structure. However, when nTopology approached me with a request to contribute to a series of talks on lightweighting, I wondered if this was a good time to enter the dark dungeon and chat with the trolls. The result of my explorations is this blog post, and the accompanying webinar, that I hope will spark some ideas, if not justify my hiring.Traditional approaches to lightweighting involve material selection, consolidation, and topology optimization (Figure 1). Design solutions are of particular importance when working with higher density metals where composition is selected for reasons such as high temperature performance or corrosion resistance, and the door to lower-density materials is closed. Cellular materials such as lattices and foams are typically not thought of as leading design candidates for lightweighting, and skepticism in this area is well founded. There are several reasons for this, most fundamentally perhaps being the point that the very requirement of structure to have cellularity is in itself a limiting constraint from a design optimization standpoint. Nonetheless, I would like to stick my neck out and examine if this always must be the case.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI1MDc0NjI1LWZpZ3VyZS0xLWRiLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Figure 1: Traditional approaches to lightweighting include (a) material selection, (b) consolidation, and (c) topology optimization [Photo credits – (a): CES EduPack 2018, Granta Design Ltd., (b) and (c): nTopology]&nbsp;The first argument for why we need to consider cellular materials in the context of lightweighting, and one I will focus in this blog post, is the argument from nature. We do find cellular structures in biological structure (Figure 2), such as insect nests, turtle shells, bone, and sea urchin spines, where mass minimization is always an inherent requirement. In some cases, such as the beaks and bones of birds, lightweighting is critical. As the songwriter J.J. Cale put it, “Travelin’ light is the only way to fly.” Fortunately he gives us no details about how this is to be accomplished, which is why engineers like you and me still have jobs in this world, and care enough to write and read (?) blog posts.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI1MDk3NjI4LWZpZ3VyZS0yLWRiLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Figure 2: Natural structures where minimizing weight is of importance, and also exhibit cellular material design: (a) Venation of a water lily leaf, (b) wasp nest, (c) trabecular bone [Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons (a) Laitr Keiows; (c) Neon]&nbsp;This apparent paradox can be resolved by making the argument that there are (at least) three performance objectives, which when sought, strengthen the candidacy of cellular materials for lightweighting: surface and volume infilling, multi-functionality, and damage tolerance. We find these demonstrated in natural structure, but also in engineering applications that embody cellular materials for these reasons, including honeycomb core commonly used in panels. These insights can be leveraged to inform engineering design of lightweight structures, and implemented by leveraging a framework for cellular material design that consists of four concepts: discretization, periodicity, gradients, and hierarchy. These concepts lend themselves very well to study in the context of nTopology’s equation-based implicit modeling platform (small p intended). One example of this is work done by one of my students using nTopology to create different geometries to study the effect of aperiodicity (Figure 3).&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjAxMjI1MTIyMDAyLWZpZ3VyZS0zLWRiLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Figure 3: Use of nTopology to develop cellular material designs with varying degrees of aperiodicity [Photo Credits: Daniel Anderson, 3DX Research, ASU]&nbsp;Lest I be accused of “having a hammer and looking for a nail”, which while fair, is not the entire story, I would like to end by clarifying that cellular materials merely represent an alternative for lightweighting when the performance objectives mentioned previously are also being sought. However, I will go a step further and speculate that cellular material design is a critical element at the frontier of lightweighting since it helps us enable true multi-functional, material-and-structure co-optimization at a range of scales. Of course at this point, cellular design and other techniques blend into each other, and the boundaries between formal approaches to lightweighting start to break down. This is my second argument for why we need to consider cellular materials for lightweighting: they tie everything together. How am I so sure? Because life, uh, has found a way.&nbsp;<hr><h3>References</h3><ol><li>Harris, “Five Techniques for Lightweighting: Doing More With Less,” January 2020, <a href="https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/pub/features/articles/35824" target="_blank">https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/pub/features/articles/35824</a></li><li>du Plessis, C. Broeckhoven, I. Yadroitsava, I. Yadriotsev, C. Hands, R. Kunju, D. Bhate, “Beautiful and Functional: A Review of Biomimetic Design in Additive Manufacturing,” Additive Manufacturing, Volume 27, pages 408-427, May 2019</li><li>Bhate, C. Penick, L. Ferry, C. Lee, “Classification and Selection of Cellular Materials in Mechanical Design: Engineering and Biomimetic Approaches,” Invited paper, Special Issue on Advances in Biologically Inspired Design, MDPI Designs, 3(1), 19, 2019</li><li>J. Cale, “Travelin’ Light”, Troubadour, Shelter Records, 1976</li><li>Malcolm, “Jurassic Park,” Universal Studios, 1993</li></ol><hr>This article was first published on the <a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/08/21/lightweighting-with-cellular-materials-insights-from-nature/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nTopology blog.</a>

Can cellular materials serve as a design solution for achieving lightweighting of engineering structures? Let’s listen to what nature has to say.

Lightweighting with Cellular Materials: Insights from Nature

Do you have a product, part, or concept that you want to bring to life? Wevolver and polySpectra invite designers, inventors, and engineers from across the world to submit ideas to the Make It Real 3D Printing Challenge. polySpectra will help the winners turn their ideas into reality using production-grade additive manufacturing.&nbsp;<hr><h1 dir="ltr">What is COR Alpha?</h1>COR Alpha is an entirely new additive manufacturing material that can produce products impossible to manufacture any other way. COR Alpha offers the quality and strength of an injection molded part with the complex geometry and customization of 3D printing.&nbsp;This article will outline the unique properties of COR Alpha and provide direction on how to design for this material.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Background to COR Alpha</h2>COR Alpha is a material developed from a discovery polySpectra CEO Raymond Weitekamp made during his Ph.D. research at <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/ja4093083" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Caltech</a>. COR stands for Cyclic Olefin Resin.&nbsp;To fully understand the material let&rsquo;s first break down what polymers are. A polymer is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules. They can be both naturally and synthetically derived and play a common role in our everyday life. Synthetic polymers include materials such as polystyrene, while natural polymers include wool, silk, DNA, and cellulose. &nbsp;Both natural and synthetic polymers are created via the polymerization (or bonding) of many small molecules, known as monomers. The unique properties of polymers depend on the type and method of how their monomers bond together. Some polymers are stretchy, like rubber, others are hard like glass.&nbsp;Cyclic Olefin Resin is enabled by a process called PhotoLithographic Olefin Metathesis Polymerization (PLOMP), which was invented by Weitekamp during his time at Caltech. At the heart of this photopolymerization is a chemical reaction called olefin metathesis. Weitekamp&rsquo; a PhD advisor Bob Grubbs won the Nobel prize for his contributions to olefin metathesis in 2005.&nbsp;Using light to selectively initiate the olefin metathesis reaction, polySpectra is able to use commercially-available DLP printers to additively manufacture materials with completely different behavior than those found in traditional photopolymers, which are based on photo-radical or photo-acid chemistry. This chemical innovation unlocks properties that have traditionally been difficult or impossible to access: outstanding durability, high chemical tolerance, heat resistance, and excellent dimensional stability.<img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNTk4MjQ3NjEzMDYxLUNPUi1BbHBoYS1sYXR0aWNlLmpwZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;"><h2 dir="ltr">A quick introduction to DLP</h2>COR Alpha is printed using <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/digital.light.processing.3d.printing.explained" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DLP 3D printing</a>, widely considered to produce the highest standards of 3D printing in terms of part complexity and precision. DLP 3D printing utilizes a photopolymer resin which cures under a light source. This type of 3D printing is known as &lsquo;vat polymerization&rsquo; and is well matched for designs that require both rapid turnaround and high-quality finish. The printer builds parts by curing the resin one thin layer at a time with flashes from a digital projector. The solid model is slowly extracted from the vat of resin as each layer is cured. Read more about the science of DLP <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/digital.light.processing.3d.printing.explained" target="_blank">here.</a><h1 dir="ltr">Properties of COR Alpha</h1>COR Alpha is unique among additive manufacturing polymers because of its sheer ruggedness. The chemical composition of COR Alpha is different from polymers of the past and it has a set of qualities that are comparable to injection molded plastics but with the flexibility and complex geometries offered by 3D printing.&nbsp;COR Alpha has high toughness and ductile failure modes. &nbsp;Ductile failure, also known as the plastic collapse or ductile overload, occurs when a material is loaded to beyond its ultimate tensile strength. A high ductile failure mode indicates ruggedness.&nbsp;COR Alpha can be used at very high working temperatures and has a robust chemical resistance. This gives it functional diversity - the ability to be applied across a range of applications. It also demonstrates very good durability; the printed materials will maintain their properties over time, even when exposed to extreme conditions, as well as biocompatibility.<img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNTk4MjQ3MjA0NTgwLWFscGFjcm9wcGVkLnBuZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;">COR Alpha also has very low shrinkage compared to typical additive manufacturing materials, which means that the printed parts are dimensionally accurate. To illustrate this, we can look at the example of the collaboration between polySpectra and <a href="https://respira.works/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RespiraWorks.</a><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/combating-covid-19-with-open-source-behind-the-scenes-at-respiraworks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Respira Works</a> is working towards solving the global shortage of affordable ventilators to meet the rising need caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. polySpectra have assisted the company by helping them print functional parts for the prototype ventilator. Some of the feedback polySpectra got from was that the Respira Works team was surprised that the parts could be attached with screws into the printed thread - because this part hadn&rsquo;t worked before when they were printing with other materials due to shrinkage issues.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNTk4MjgxNjMzNjk5LXZlbnR1cmkgYXNzZW1ibGVkIHYyIC0gQXByMjkuanBnIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">Image:&nbsp;<a href="https://respira.works/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RespiraWorks</a><h2 dir="ltr">Chemical and water resistance</h2>Most additive manufacturing materials have significant property restrictions that reduce their ability to be applied in everyday situations. For example, Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is a common form of additive manufacturing where a spool of a thermoplastic filament is fed through a heated printer extruder head and is deposited on the growing work. The computer-controlled arm defines the three-dimensional shape. FDM is a readily accessible form of additive printing but the finished parts, because of the thermoplastics qualities, are often not watertight, making them unsuitable for many real-world applications.&nbsp;The most commonly available additive polymers have a low resistance to solvents, including water, which can make them difficult to clean and inappropriate for use in many applications. COR Alpha has significant resistance to common solvents which provides the opportunity to make fluidic components or to simply sterilize the parts. It also has very low water absorption, making it suitable for use in a range of applications such as labs, outdoor environments, pumps, and medical devices. &nbsp;<img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNTk4MjQ3NjgwMDQwLUNPUi1BbHBoYS1NaWNyby1Db25uZWN0b3JzLmpwZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;"><h2 dir="ltr">Thermal properties</h2>Depending on the load applied to the material, COR Alpha has a working temperature between 100 and &nbsp;140 degree celsius range. Without a load on the material, this working temperature is expected to be slightly higher. polySpectra has also completed some thermal cycling testing and the material can maintain many of its core properties even down to minus 50 deg celsius.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Toughness</h2>We take for granted the toughness and heat resistance in plastics in our everyday life. If you look around your desk, you&rsquo;ll see a range of products that you wouldn&rsquo;t want to wouldn&#39;t want it to melt or deform if it got too warm, you wouldn&#39;t want it to just snap. The challenge of polymer additive manufacturing is getting both of those at the same time. High heat deflection and high elongation at break.&nbsp;For example, a product that has a heat deflection of 150 degrees is great, but useless if it shatters if you accidentally drop it. The same goes for a product that has a 100% elongation of break, if it will melt if you leave it in your car on a sunny day. &nbsp;<img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNTk4MjQ2MzI2MjA0LWltYWdlLnBuZyIsICJlZGl0cyI6IHsicmVzaXplIjogeyJ3aWR0aCI6IDk1MCwgImZpdCI6ICJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;"><h2 dir="ltr">Quick Facts:</h2><ul><li dir="ltr">Robust Chemical Resistance: aero, auto, and medical fluids</li><li dir="ltr">Very Low Water Absorption: 0.08% at 24 h</li><li dir="ltr">Working Temperature: 100-140 &deg;C &nbsp;/ &nbsp;212-320 F</li><li dir="ltr">Thermomechanically Rugged: Retains 80% impact strength from -50 &nbsp;to &nbsp;120 &deg;C</li><li dir="ltr">Biocompatibility: Grade 0 Cytotoxicity 10993-5</li><li dir="ltr">Dielectric Properties (TE measured): Dk = 2.5, &nbsp;Df = 0.005 @ 15.2 GHz&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Tensile Modulus: 2 GPa &nbsp;/ &nbsp;290 ksi</li><li dir="ltr">Ultimate Tensile Strength: &gt;50 MPa &nbsp;/ &nbsp;&gt;7.3 ksi</li><li dir="ltr">Elongation at Break: 10-50% depending on needs</li></ul><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/235840452" style="width: 773px; height: 446px;" title="vimeo-player" frameborder="0"></iframe><h1 dir="ltr">Designing for COR Alpha</h1>There are several important considerations when designing with COR Alpha. These primarily relate to the thickness and placement of supported and unsupported walls, overhang, and engraved and embossed details. <a href="https://www.hubs.com/knowledge-base/how-design-parts-sla-3d-printing/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">This guide</a> to printing with an SLA 3D printer provides a good introduction to the basics that can be applied for the DLP printer used by polySpectra.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Quick Facts:</h2><ul><li dir="ltr">Current Maximum polySpectra Build Envelope: 190x120x200</li><li dir="ltr">Printer Resolution: 30-75um printers in house</li><li dir="ltr">Design Guides and Spec sheets:&nbsp; Geometric Considerations and Overview of designing for SLA, useful for application to DLP read <a href="https://www.3dhubs.com/knowledge-base/how-design-parts-sla-3d-printing/" target="_blank">here. &nbsp;</a> COR Alpha Spec sheet can be accessed <a href="https://docsend.com/view/4a4dwf3r9r6migsb" target="_blank">here</a>.</li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">Webinar</h2>On <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://el2.convertkit-mail2.com/c/wvu5p7n2d5cghm4q7ds7/m2hdp37pi5hnrv9n38hm/aHR0cHM6Ly91czAyd2ViLnpvb20udXMvd2ViaW5hci9yZWdpc3Rlci82NTE1OTcxNzc0MTMxL1dOX2ZsMU9CTEpwUmwtdjZyTXljRHNHVVE%3D&source=gmail&ust=1598944973745000&usg=AFQjCNFyzTWXbB9xCDB7Ae6YMNQB8Rz57w" href="https://el2.convertkit-mail2.com/c/wvu5p7n2d5cghm4q7ds7/m2hdp37pi5hnrv9n38hm/aHR0cHM6Ly91czAyd2ViLnpvb20udXMvd2ViaW5hci9yZWdpc3Rlci82NTE1OTcxNzc0MTMxL1dOX2ZsMU9CTEpwUmwtdjZyTXljRHNHVVE=" target="_blank">Friday, September 4th at 9 am PDT</a>, polySpectra founder, Raymond Weitekamp will be hosting a deep dive discussion with <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://el2.convertkit-mail2.com/c/wvu5p7n2d5cghm4q7ds7/g3h4p8ozc5hzvrnzmmur/aHR0cHM6Ly9yZXNwaXJhLndvcmtzLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1598944973745000&usg=AFQjCNG9wbpLNcUZ96XweWTWNLA89UxQnQ" href="https://el2.convertkit-mail2.com/c/wvu5p7n2d5cghm4q7ds7/g3h4p8ozc5hzvrnzmmur/aHR0cHM6Ly9yZXNwaXJhLndvcmtzLw==" target="_blank"></a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://el2.convertkit-mail2.com/c/wvu5p7n2d5cghm4q7ds7/g3h4p8ozc5hzvrnzmmur/aHR0cHM6Ly9yZXNwaXJhLndvcmtzLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1598944973745000&usg=AFQjCNG9wbpLNcUZ96XweWTWNLA89UxQnQ" href="https://el2.convertkit-mail2.com/c/wvu5p7n2d5cghm4q7ds7/g3h4p8ozc5hzvrnzmmur/aHR0cHM6Ly9yZXNwaXJhLndvcmtzLw==" target="_blank">Respira.Works</a>. Respira.Works has set out to create a ventilator that is affordable and easy to build in countries with developing economies and low-resource communities. They are designing a low-cost ventilator that is still capable of providing advanced support regimes like Pressure Regulated Volume Control (PRVC) ventilation. In this webinar, Respira.Works will take us behind the scenes of their design, prototyping and scale-up process. We will discuss some of their manufacturing hurdles and key lessons learned, and share how COR Alpha played a role in making this life-saving invention real. Register <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6515971774131/WN_fl1OBLJpRl-v6rMycDsGUQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a>On August 18th, polySpectra CEO spoke about the Make it Real Challenge and the properties of COR Alpha in a one hour webinar. You can watch the replay <a href="https://polyspectra.com/wevolver-webinar/" target="_blank">here.</a><img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNTk4MjQ4MDYxMDg4LUNPUi1BbHBoYS1UcmktVGF1cnVzLVpvb20ucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;"><h1 dir="ltr">How will you use COR Alpha?</h1>Together with Wevolver, polySpectra is launching a global design challenge to search for innovative applications of COR Alpha. &nbsp;Wevolver and polySpectra invite designers, makers, and thinkers from across the world to submit ideas to the <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/make-it-real-3d-printing-challenge" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Make it Real Design Challenge</a> and make their ideas real.&nbsp;We are looking for design teams, engineers, &nbsp;inventors, startups, and fledging companies that are designing products and ideas that can be amplified by COR Alpha printed parts.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">The brief:</h2>Submit a design for a stand-alone product or a component of a larger design. The winner should be able to provide a compelling explanation of how they are utilizing the characteristics of COR Alpha and demonstrate how COR Alpha can make their ideas real. Judging criteria will also include creativity and fit for additive manufacturing.<ul><li dir="ltr">Parts must fit into a 190mm x 120 mm x 200mm build envelope.</li><li dir="ltr">Teams must be available during the challenge to collaborate with polySpectra and Wevolver.</li></ul>Read more about the challenges prizes and background<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/make-it-real-3d-printing-challenge" target="_blank">&nbsp;here.</a>To enter the challenge, fill out this <a href="https://forms.gle/hwKcFqL6JyXh6hxu6" target="_blank">short form</a> by September 28 2020 before 12pm (PT).Check out some of the recent submissions to the challenge <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/make-it-real-3d-printing-challenge-entry-highlights" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a><h1 dir="ltr">Do you know someone with a great idea?</h1>Nominate them for the Make it Real 3D Printing Challenge and they could win $25,000 of additive manufacturing services.&nbsp;If you nominate the winner you&rsquo;ll receive a $300 Amazon gift card.Nominate them <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCoZu4hE-p9PdrjxtXeX46qie92-H9rnUARql-OUaeXNDhdg/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a><h2 dir="ltr">Need anything else clarified?</h2>Feel free to get in touch with us: Email: Jessica (at) wevolver.com<hr><h1>About the sponsor: polySpectra</h1><a href="https://polyspectra.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">polySpectra</a>&nbsp;is an advanced materials company on a mission to transform polymer 3D-printing from a prototyping aid into a production manufacturing tool. polySpectra has developed a new class of modular light-activated resins, unlocking a broad spectrum of tailored engineering properties for production-grade additive manufacturing. We call this new family of additive materials COR, for Cyclic Olefin Resin. polySpectra&rsquo;s first material, COR Alpha, demonstrates an unmatched combination of thermal, mechanical and chemical properties that enables additive manufacturing to compete with injection molding. polySpectra&#39;s technology is based on more than five years of chemical research and development at two leading research institutions: Caltech and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Based in Berkeley, CA - polySpectra helps inventors, designers and engineers make their ideas real.&nbsp;

COR Alpha offers the quality and strength of an injection molded part with the complex geometry and customization of 3D printing. 


New Additive Manufacturing Material Goes Head to Head With Molded Engineering Plastics

The Make it Real Challenge has now closed. We'll be announcing the finalists shortly! Stay tuned to our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/wevolverapp/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;for updates.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr" data-element-id="headingsMap-4-0">Submit your idea:</h2>Do you have a product, part, or concept that you want to bring to life? Wevolver and polySpectra invite designers, inventors, and engineers from across the world to submit ideas to the Make It Real 3D Printing Challenge. polySpectra will help the winners turn their ideas into reality using production-grade additive manufacturing.&nbsp;The winner will receive&nbsp;$25,000 worth of polySpectra’s production additive manufacturing services to turn their submission into a functional product. We'll first provide some background about the specific 3D printing technique and materials, and then explain details about the challenge and how to submit. Good luck! <h2 dir="ltr" data-element-id="headingsMap-5-0">Background</h2>Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, has been a part of turning ideas into reality for decades, but the material limitations of the process have restrained the technology’s ability for true ‘end-use’ applications, confining it mainly to the prototyping and ideation stages. Most 3D printing processes cannot fabricate parts with the aesthetics, durability, and reliability of traditional manufacturing processes.polySpectra, a Berkeley-based startup, has developed a family of functional materials for advanced 3D printing that have comparable properties to molded engineering polymers. Their new material, COR Alpha, is the most rugged 3D printing polymer available on the market today. COR Alpha offers the quality and strength of a molded part with the complex geometry and customization of 3D printing.&nbsp;COR Alpha printed parts have:<ul><li dir="ltr">A high-quality finish</li><li dir="ltr">High heat resistance</li><li dir="ltr">Strength and durability comparable to engineering thermoplastics</li><li dir="ltr">Resistance to solvents</li></ul>3D printing with COR Alpha opens possibilities for designers to produce objects that are impossible to manufacture any other way, either because of the prohibitive costs of injection molding, their complex geometries, or the need for customization.The applications for COR Alpha are incredibly broad and can take advantage not only of the material properties of COR Alpha, but the agility and customization, and potential utilization of lattices or other lightweight geometries that 3D printing offers.&nbsp;polySpectra prints COR Alpha using DLP (Digital Light Processing) printing, one of the seven main types of 3D printing. DLP printing is widely considered to be the technology most capable of reaching the highest standards in terms of part complexity and precision. &nbsp;To get a more in-depth understanding of DLP printing, check our previous articles <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/digital.light.processing.3d.printing.explained" target="_blank">here.</a><img class="fr-fic fr-dii" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNTk4NDY2MjQxOTkyLTE1OTg0NjYyNDE5OTIucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ=="><img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNTk3MDg2NjU1NTA3LWJhbm5lciBpbWFnZSBjaGFsbGVuZ2UuanBnIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;"> <h2 dir="ltr" data-element-id="headingsMap-6-0">polySpectra and COR Alpha</h2>COR Alpha is special within the additive manufacturing industry as it brings the quality and strength of injection-molded polymers to 3D printing. Unlike other photopolymers, COR Alpha is super robust, being able to withstand heat, solvents, pressure, and impact with minimal loss of form or color. COR Alpha is made from Cyclic Olefin Resin, a new product based on discoveries made by polySpectra’s founder, &nbsp;Raymond Weitekamp during his Ph.D. research at Berkeley.<h1 dir="ltr"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/235673375" style="width: 788px; height: 453px;" title="vimeo-player" frameborder="0" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe></h1><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/235469787" style="width: 788px; height: 452px;" title="vimeo-player" frameborder="0" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> A starting point for thinking about COR Alpha applications includes, but is no way limited to, electronics connectors and housings, enclosures, robotics components and end-effectors, prosthetics, fluidic components, brackets, mounts, fixtures, gears, and <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/combating-covid-19-with-open-source-behind-the-scenes-at-respiraworks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">venturi valves.</a>polySpectra is dedicated to helping designers, inventors and engineers make their ideas real. They offer a full service, working closely with design teams to prepare models, offer insights into geometry and design considerations, and can help teams select the best material for their product. Their specialized understanding of both chemistry and 3D printing offers design teams a supportive entry to making their ideas real.&nbsp;<img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNTk3MDg0MzU4NDIzLTA1XzI3XzIwX3BvbHlzcGVjdHJhLTQuanBnIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;"><hr><h2 dir="ltr" data-element-id="headingsMap-10-0">How will you use COR Alpha?</h2>Together with Wevolver, polySpectra is launching a global design challenge to search for innovative applications of COR Alpha. &nbsp;Wevolver and polySpectra invite designers, makers, and thinkers from across the world to submit ideas to the COR Alpha Design Challenge and make their ideas real.&nbsp;We are looking for design teams, engineers, &nbsp;inventors, startups, and fledging companies that are designing products and ideas that can be amplified by COR Alpha printed parts.&nbsp;The brief:Submit a design for a stand-alone product or a component of a larger design. The winner should be able to provide a compelling explanation of how they are utilizing the characteristics of COR Alpha and demonstrate how COR Alpha can make their ideas real. Judging criteria will also include creativity and fit for additive manufacturing.<ul><li dir="ltr">Parts must fit into a 190mm x 120 mm x 200mm build envelope.</li><li dir="ltr">Team must be available during the challenge to collaborate with polySpectra and Wevolver.</li></ul><h2 dir="ltr" data-element-id="headingsMap-11-0">The prizes:</h2>The winner will receive $25,000 worth of polySpectra’s production additive manufacturing services to turn their submission into a functional product. Depending on the stage of the project at submission, that winning package will include a combination of:&nbsp;<ul><li dir="ltr">Mentorship,&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Design for Additive Manufacturing Consulting,&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Functional Prototyping,</li><li dir="ltr">Qualification,&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Testing,&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">&amp; Production Parts Fabrication.</li></ul>Winners will work closely with the polySpectra team to develop their submission and make it ready for printing and application into their project. <h2 dir="ltr" data-element-id="headingsMap-12-0">Submit to the challenge</h2>Fill out this <a href="https://forms.gle/hwKcFqL6JyXh6hxu6" target="_blank">short form</a> by September 28 2020 before 12pm (PT). We ask that you provide us with the following:1. Personal details.2. Describe your submission idea and its intent. (up to 500 words).3. Submit images that strengthen your submission – e.g. screenshots, illustrations, drawings. (Up to 5 images. Max file size 10 MB) <h2 dir="ltr" data-element-id="headingsMap-13-0">Stay informed about the Make it Real Challenge</h2><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://polyspectra.com/wevolver-webinar/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Watch the webinar</a> with polySpectra founder, Raymond Weitekamp, to learn about the possibilities and design considerations of COR Alpha.</li><li dir="ltr">Submit a question about COR Alpha or the challenge <a href="https://forms.gle/2WzaNVA4XdzmJymi6" target="_blank">here</a>.</li><li dir="ltr">Check out some of the recent submissions to the challenge <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/make-it-real-3d-printing-challenge-entry-highlights" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></li><li dir="ltr">Stay tuned on updates on <a href="//Wevolver.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wevolver.com</a></li></ul><h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-14-0">Key Dates</h2><table style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 45.093%; text-align: center;">Event</td><td style="width: 54.7801%; text-align: center;">Date</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 45.093%;">Design Challenge Launch</td><td style="width: 54.7801%;">Monday 11 August</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 45.093%;">Webinars with polySpectra founder&nbsp;</td><td style="width: 54.7801%;">Watch the replay of our first webinar about COR Alpha&nbsp;<a href="https://polyspectra.com/wevolver-webinar/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a> Learn more about how polySpectra assisted an open-source ventilator project by watching our second webinar <a href="https://vimeo.com/455530740" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.&nbsp;</a> Or reading the wrapup <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/combating-covid-19-with-open-source-behind-the-scenes-at-respiraworks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></td></tr><tr><td style="width: 45.093%;">Submit your entry (on or before)</td><td style="width: 54.7801%;">28 September 2020</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 45.093%;">Shortlisted winners announced.</td><td style="width: 54.7801%;">October 2020</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 45.093%;">Winners announced</td><td style="width: 54.7801%;">November 2020</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 dir="ltr" data-element-id="headingsMap-15-0">Do you know someone with a great idea?</h2>Nominate them for the Make it Real 3D Printing Challenge and they could win $25,000 of additive manufacturing services.&nbsp;If you nominate the winner you’ll receive a $300 Amazon gift card.Nominate them <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCoZu4hE-p9PdrjxtXeX46qie92-H9rnUARql-OUaeXNDhdg/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a><h2 dir="ltr" data-element-id="headingsMap-16-0">Need anything else clarified?</h2>You can read more <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/new-additive-manufacturing-material-goes-head-to-head-with-molded-engineering-plastics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">in-depth info about the COR Alpha material in this article.</a>Also, feel free to get in touch with us: Email: jessica (at) wevolver.com<h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-17-0">About the sponsor: polySpectra</h2><a href="https://polyspectra.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">polySpectra</a>&nbsp;is an advanced materials company on a mission to transform polymer 3D-printing from a prototyping aid into a production manufacturing tool. polySpectra has developed a new class of modular light-activated resins, unlocking a broad spectrum of tailored engineering properties for production-grade additive manufacturing. We call this new family of additive materials COR, for Cyclic Olefin Resin. polySpectra’s first material, COR Alpha, demonstrates an unmatched combination of thermal, mechanical and chemical properties that enables additive manufacturing to compete with injection molding. polySpectra's technology is based on more than five years of chemical research and development at two leading research institutions: Caltech and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Based in Berkeley, CA - polySpectra helps inventors, designers and engineers make their ideas real.&nbsp;&nbsp;<img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNTk3MDg1NzU3MTA5LXBvbHlTcGVjdHJhIExvZ28ucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;">

New 3D printing materials will help you turn your ideas into reality.

Make It Real 3D Printing Challenge

Thanks to high-performance materials, 3D Printing can be scaled to industrial production and leveraged for the manufacturing of technical part that can operate in risk environments.Used along with Ultrasint® PP nat 01, Jet Fusion PP, Ultrasint® PA6 FR, Ultrasint® PA6 MF, Ultrasint® TPU 88A and Ultrasint® TPU 01, Additive Manufacturing allows to make parts dedicated to extensive industrial applications, by providing them with good mechanical properties, heat and chemical resistance, flexibility and sealing characteristics.Should these high-performance materials have picked your curiosity, we have interviewed Sculpteo Studio Director Alexandre D’Orsetti to come up with this Q&amp;A, which will address all interrogations you may have on their specificities. Discover the properties, the applications, and advantages of these materials through this Additive Manufacturing expert’s eye!<h2 dir="ltr">Ultrasint® PP nat 01 &amp; Jet Fusion PP</h2><h3 dir="ltr">What are the characteristics of these materials?</h3><a href="https://www.sculpteo.com/en/materials/sls-material/pp-nat-01/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Polypropylene nat 01</a> (for SLS technology) and the <a href="https://www.sculpteo.com/en/materials/jet-fusion-material/jet-fusion-pp/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jet-Fusion Polypropylene</a> (for MJF technology) are very sturdy and rigid materials. The former has a white look, even slightly translucent, while the latter is grey/black. The regular versions of these polymers are well-spread in injection molding and for a variety of industries, because they are cheap and present good properties. The top quality of Polypropylene is its chemical resistance, as this material offers great resistance against aggressive substances. It is also a very resistant, light material which handles a good elongation at break. Polypropylene is hence well-suited for parts subjected to mechanical stress, while its sealing properties allows for fluid container manufacturing.<h3 dir="ltr">What are the applications and advantages of these materials?</h3>Polypropylene finds a number of applications in the transportation and automotive industries, in part thanks to its chemical resistance, which makes this material a fit for parts dealing with hydrocarbons. Polypropylene can thus be used as part of tank, circuit, flux conductor manufacturing that may evolve in aggressive environments.Due to this same quality, Polypropylene is common in many industry fields and is used for tooling or flow conductors. We can mention custom-made flow connectors, which are meant to connect pipes in constrained environments. This material is also utilised in the Medical, inter alia, for orthosis manufacturing. As mentioned previously, Polypropylene is also widespread in injection molding, which means that it is applied to many types of projects.What makes Polypropylene special is that it presents simultaneous advantages that other materials would tend to offer individually, like sturdiness, rigidity, and chemical resistance.<h2 dir="ltr">Ultrasint® PA6 FR</h2><h3 dir="ltr">What are the characteristics of this material?</h3><a href="https://www.sculpteo.com/en/materials/sls-material/pa6-fr/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PA6 FR</a> is a black rigid material printed using SLS technologies. It is quite sturdy and presents one peculiar advantage, which is its temperature resistance. “FR” stands for “Flame Retardant”, and in turns, this means this material is a great candidate for uses within risk environments.<h3 dir="ltr">What are the applications and advantages of this material?</h3>PA6 FR applies well to any setting where there are fire ignition issues and significant constraints. We can mention its applications in Electronics, where this material is employed to produce parts such as electronic connectors, encasings and other components. PA6 FR can also be used as part of flammable flow management systems, or for parts subjected to high fire requirements such as in Aerospace, Aeronautics, or Transports. In these industries one can resort to this material for air conveyor parts (inlet pipes for instance), given that it has undergone Smoke Density and Smoke Toxicity (FST) tests with success.&nbsp;&nbsp;PA6 FR can also be implemented within high-risk factories, where high fire constraints do exist. In that regard, its mechanical properties can be leveraged for jigs, fixture parts and tooling manufacturing.In other words, its great rigidity, its good thermal and fire resistance makes this material best suited for applications implying high heat.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Ultrasint® PA6 MF</h2><h3 dir="ltr">What are the characteristics of this material?</h3><a href="https://www.sculpteo.com/en/materials/sls-material/pa6-mf/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PA6 MF</a>, standing for “Mineral-Filled”, is a material strengthened by an internal load. As a 3D&nbsp;printing plastic, it presents exceptional rigidity and resistance levels. PA6 MF is also watertight and presents a high deformation threshold under high temperatures.<h3 dir="ltr">What are the applications and advantages of this material?</h3>Thanks to the quality we listed up, PA6 MF can be employed for high-temperature flow container manufacturing. It can be used to stock oil, for networks, dispensing and connection parts. It is also a material one uses in the Automotive industry, especially with regards to engine part production. Indeed, its thermal resistance and good mechanical properties make this material a relevant pick for such applications. These same characteristics can benefit more common 3D Printing parts, like those for tooling.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Ultrasint® TPU 88A &amp; Ultrasint® TPU 01&nbsp;</h2><h3 dir="ltr">What are the characteristics of these materials?</h3><a href="https://www.sculpteo.com/en/materials/sls-material/tpu88a/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TPU 88A</a> for SLS technologies and <a href="https://www.sculpteo.com/en/materials/jet-fusion-material/tpu01/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TPU01</a> for Jet-Fusion ones are thermoplastics, elastomers, that’s to say flexible materials. Look-wise, the former is white while the other is grey. To get an idea of their flexibility, they can withstand an elongation at break of 270 %. Other than that, what makes TPU unique are its choc absorption and bounce characteristics. It also has a good surface quality, which can be fine-tuned with finishings. Both materials can indeed undergo chemical smoothing, which provides them with a perfectly sleek, bright look. Taking into account that this is a powder material, this material can then be provided with an outstanding surface finish, translucent for TPU 88A, and black for TPU 01.<h3 dir="ltr">What are the applications and advantages of these materials?</h3>The shock absorption and flexibility of TPU make it a good match for sports equipment manufacturing, like soles for instance. Orthopaedic models can also be made out of this material.&nbsp;Used along with 3D Printing, this material can be employed to produce parts designed with lattice structures, allowing to vary the mechanical properties of the parts, hence for more flexibility for example. TPU also displays great potential for gripping members such as grippers, but also for flexible pipes.<h2 dir="ltr">Why is that interesting to 3D print these materials?</h2><h3 dir="ltr">On-demand manufacturing</h3>3D printing can be scaled to the user’s production. If one wants to print an only part with these high-performance materials, that’s possible. The same idea applies to a hundred parts, etc.Turnaround times are also fast, and the lead-time between ideation and getting the part is also beneficial, in comparison with other manufacturing techniques or with mold set-ups.<h3 dir="ltr">Design for Additive Manufacturing: The advantages</h3>Used along with 3D printing, one can shape these high-performance materials with complex geometries. The design freedom of this technology allows to make lattices, topological optimisations, hollowed shapes, parts without assemblies or that fit right into available areas in technical systems.In turns, these design advantages can translate into better performing, more cost-effective parts, which take less time to be assembled. If we get back to our TPU example, 3D printing helps design parts with varying flexibility, depending on the different zones.This potential allows for lighter parts that can be integrated into environments where this criterion is at stake, like in Aeronautics.&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr">What about the costs?</h3>From an economic standpoint, these high-performance materials take on their full significance when parts are well-conceived for Additive Manufacturing. By optimising them well, gains can be achieved thanks to the complexity of the parts, by the decrease in the number of components and assembly time. These high-performance materials, unlike others that we had seen before, function with powder technologies based on a batch logic. With this logic, one can project oneself into series production scenarios, in which the price is affordable.Would you like to get more insights into 3D Printing materials ? Find other thematic articles addressing flexible, sturdy, bio-compatible Additive Manufacturing materials <a href="https://www.sculpteo.com/en/3d-learning-hub/3d-printing-materials-guide/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

Through this interview with head of Design Studio Alexandre d'Orsetti, we have reviewed 6 high-performance Additive Manufacturing materials, as well as the possibilities they open up

Interview: What high-performance 3D printing materials allow for

We interviewed Guillaume de Calan, engineer and co-founder of Nanoe, a ceramics material manufacturing company. Read how he set up his own Additive Manufacturing ceramics process, and what this combination allows for.

Interview: How 3D Printing helps better shape ceramics

In simplest terms, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.engineeringclicks.com/viscosity-of-water/" target="_blank">viscosity</a> of a fluid is the measurement of its resistance to deformation at a specified rate.For liquids, viscosity directly corresponds to its “thickness.” Custard, for example, has a greater viscosity than syrup, and syrup has a greater viscosity than water.To visualise viscosity, you can picture the internal frictional forces that occur between all of the adjacent flowing fluid layers. For example, if a thick fluid is pushed through a pipe, the flow will be faster near the center of the pipe, as opposed to near the walled edges. In this case, some kind of stress needs to occur to keep the flow moving, such as a difference in pressure between either end of the pipe. In other words, a force is needed to overcome the frictional resistance. The strength of that force is proportional to the fluid’s viscosity.<h2>What is kinematic viscosity?</h2>Kinematic viscosity is a measure of how much a fluid internally resists flow under the influence of no outside forces other than gravity.Kinematic viscosity is determined by measuring the time (in seconds) it takes for a specified volume of an individual fluid to flow a given distance through a calibrated viscometer, due only to the force of gravity. The testing must be done in a temperature-controlled environment with the temperature specified along with the kinematic viscosity value.Measures of viscosity and kinematic viscosity are used frequently in engineering fluid dynamics and for practical applications such as oil flow through pipelines.<h2>Kinematic viscosity equation</h2>The kinematic viscosity equation is:v=𝜇/pwhere &nbsp;v = kinematic viscosity, 𝜇=dynamic viscosity, p =densityKinematic viscosity is measured in units of (length)2/time – most commonly using centiStokes (cSt), where 1 Stoke = 1 cm2/s.When used in this equation, the viscosity μ is often referred to as dynamic viscosity or absolute viscosity.<h2>Common kinematic viscosity values</h2>The table below contains kinematic viscosity values for some common fluids.<table><tbody><tr><td width="234">Fluid</td><td width="234">Temperature (oF)</td><td width="234">Temperature (oC)</td><td width="234">Kinematic Viscosity in centiStokes (cSt)</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Ammonia</td><td width="234">0</td><td width="234">-17.8</td><td width="234">0.30</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Butane</td><td width="234">-50</td><td width="234">-1.1</td><td width="234">0.52</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Castor Oil</td><td width="234">100</td><td width="234">37.8</td><td width="234">259 – 325</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Coconut Oil</td><td width="234">100</td><td width="234">37.8</td><td width="234">29.8 – 31.6</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Diesel fuel 2D</td><td width="234">100</td><td width="234">37.8</td><td width="234">2 – 6</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Fuel oil 1</td><td width="234">70</td><td width="234">21.1</td><td width="234">2.39 – 4.28</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Gasoline a</td><td width="234">60</td><td width="234">15.6</td><td width="234">0.88</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Honey</td><td width="234">100</td><td width="234">37.8</td><td width="234">73.6</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Ink, printers</td><td width="234">100</td><td width="234">37.8</td><td width="234">550 – 2200</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Kerosene</td><td width="234">68</td><td width="234">20</td><td width="234">2.71</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Mercury</td><td width="234">70</td><td width="234">21.1</td><td width="234">0.118</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Milk</td><td width="234">68</td><td width="234">20</td><td width="234">1.13</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Olive Oil</td><td width="234">100</td><td width="234">37.8</td><td width="234">43.2</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Rapeseed Oil</td><td width="234">100</td><td width="234">37.8</td><td width="234">54.1</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Turpentine</td><td width="234">100</td><td width="234">37.8</td><td width="234">86.5 – 95.2</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Water, fresh</td><td width="234">60</td><td width="234">15.6</td><td width="234">1.13</td></tr><tr><td width="234">Water, distilled</td><td width="234">68</td><td width="234">20</td><td width="234">1.0038</td></tr></tbody></table><h2>Kinematic viscosity in Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids</h2>A Newtonian fluid is one that keeps a constant value of viscosity across all shear rates. They get this moniker because they follow the formula set out by Isaac Newton in his law of fluid mechanics.Fluids that don’t exhibit constant viscosity across all shear rates are known as non-Newtonian fluids.Examples of some Newtonian fluids are gases, oil, water, alcohol, petroleum, etc.Examples of some non-Newtonian fluids include:<ul><li>Shear-thinning fluids – the viscosity decreases when the shear rate increases. E.g. wall paint – as you stir wall paint, it becomes increasingly fluid and liquidy.</li><li>Shear-thickening fluids – the viscosity increases when the shear rate increases. E.g. corn starch combined with water – it gets thicker when stirred faster fluid.</li><li>Rheopectic fluids – these increase in viscosity when shaken, e.g. printer ink.</li><li>Thixotropic fluids – decrease in viscosity when shaken, e.g. tomato ketchup.</li></ul><h2>Difference between kinematic viscosity and dynamic viscosity</h2>Kinematic and dynamic viscosity measurements serve different purposes in calculations. In simple terms:<ul><li>Dynamic viscosity lets you work out the force needed to make a given fluid flow at a certain rate. Its units come out as mass/(distance*time).</li><li>Kinematic viscosity allows you to work out the speed at which the fluid moves when a certain force is applied. It has units of area/time.</li></ul>Newton’s Law of Viscosity states that shear stresses between parallel layers of fluid are proportional to the corresponding velocity gradients. The ratio of shear stress to shear rate is defined as the viscosity.In other words:<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1592326983244-Newtons_law_of_viscosity_equation-300x216.jpg" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">In Newton’s Law of Viscosity equation, the proportionality constant is μ or dynamic viscosity.Kinematic viscosity has units of diffusivity, (length)2/s, which means that kinematic viscosity is sometimes known as&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.rheosense.com/what-are-the-differences-between-dynamic-and-kinematic-viscosities" rel="noopener" target="_blank">diffusivity of momentum</a>, dependent on thermal and mass diffusivity. This leads us to the fact that dynamic viscosity is a constant property, but kinematic viscosity is a derived property.

In simplest terms, the viscosity of a fluid is the measurement of its resistance to deformation at a specified rate.

Kinematic Viscosity

ABS vs PLA remains an important question in entry-level extrusion 3D printing

ABS and PLA remain some of the go-to materials for hobbyists and other 3D printer users. Here we compare the two popular filaments in detail.

ABS vs PLA: Which Filament Should You Use?

Desoldering is the process of removing solder to detach components from a PCB. Whether you're repairing hardware, modifying a design, or salvaging parts, this hands-on guide walks you through the tools, techniques, and safety tips every electronics pro needs.

How to Remove Solder from a Circuit Board (Comprehensive Desoldering Guide)

This technical guide explores the various types, material properties, manufacturing processes, and key design considerations associated with blank PCB technology!

Blank PCB Technology: Technical Guide for Engineers and Designers

What is polypropylene and why is it the second most popular commodity plastic in the world? Here we look at the science behind PP and its top applications.

What Is Polypropylene? Understanding the Role of PP in Engineering

Polyamide and nylon are terms often used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same. Polyamide refers to a broader family of polymers that contain repeating amide bonds. These materials can be either natural (like proteins) or synthetic. Nylon, by contrast, is a specific type of synthetic polyamide first developed by DuPont in the 1930s.[1]In other words, all nylons are polyamides, but not all polyamides are nylons. Nylon was originally created as a substitute for silk in textiles—rummage through a closet in the 1960s and you’d find yourself swimming in the stuff—but today it’s widely used in everything from clothing and carpets to mechanical components and <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/category/3d-printing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">3D printing</a> filaments. Other types of polyamides, like aramids, can offer different properties such as high heat resistance or added strength.Knowing the difference between nylon and (other) polyamides helps in choosing the right material for the job. This guide looks at the main differences between nylon and other polyamides, helping you decide which material is best for a given application or manufacturing process.<h2>Polyamide Vs Nylon: Key Differences</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1749122720692-oooo-gray-knitted-tie-rolled.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="nylon" />A woven nylon belt, showcasing the material's use as a synthetic textilePolyamides are a broad class of polymers defined by amide linkages (-CONH-) in their molecular backbone.[2] Nylon is a specific subset of synthetic aliphatic polyamides. As we mentioned in the introduction, all nylons are polyamides, but not all polyamides are nylons. Other types of polyamide include high-performance materials like aramids (e.g. Kevlar) and semi-aromatic polyphthalamides (PPA), which offer enhanced thermal and mechanical properties for demanding applications.[3]All polyamides share a backbone of repeating amide units formed through condensation polymerization, but the specific “R” group in their structure affects traits like flexibility and strength. Nylon 6 and Nylon 66, the most common types of nylon, are synthesized differently and show distinct mechanical behavior. Nylons typically exhibit moderate crystallinity, balancing toughness and flexibility. On the other hand, aramids, with much higher levels of crystallinity, provide better heat resistance and strength. Moisture absorption differs, too: nylons can absorb up to 8.5% water, while aramids absorb less than 1%, making them better for high-precision or high-temperature uses.The table below shows some of the more common polyamides used by engineers, including several nylons.<table><tbody><tr><td>Polyamide</td><td>Common Name</td><td>Type</td><td>Key Properties</td><td>Typical Applications</td></tr><tr><td>PA6</td><td>Nylon 6</td><td>Aliphatic</td><td>Good toughness, flexibility, moderate water uptake</td><td>Textiles, gears, automotive parts</td></tr><tr><td>PA66</td><td>Nylon 66</td><td>Aliphatic</td><td>Higher strength and heat resistance than PA6</td><td>Electrical connectors, structural components</td></tr><tr><td>PA11</td><td>Bio-based Nylon 11</td><td>Aliphatic</td><td>Good flexibility, low water absorption</td><td>Pneumatic tubing, sports equipment</td></tr><tr><td>PPA</td><td>Polyphthalamide</td><td>Semi-aromatic</td><td>High heat resistance, dimensional stability</td><td>Automotive under-hood parts, electronics</td></tr><tr><td>PA6T/6I</td><td>Nylon 6T/6I</td><td>Semi-aromatic</td><td>Excellent heat resistance, stiffness</td><td>High-temp connectors, appliance components</td></tr><tr><td>Aramid</td><td>Kevlar®, Nomex®</td><td>Aromatic</td><td>Very high strength, flame and abrasion resistance</td><td>Body armor, aerospace, protective clothing</td></tr><tr><td>PA12</td><td>Nylon 12</td><td>Aliphatic</td><td>Excellent chemical resistance, low moisture uptake</td><td>Fuel lines, medical devices, 3D printing</td></tr></tbody></table><h2>Choosing Between Nylon and Other Polyamides</h2>Picking the right polyamide—whether it’s a standard nylon or a more specialized type—depends on your project’s performance needs, budget, and environment. Engineers can follow a simple step-by-step process to match the material with the job. This involves checking strength, temperature range, exposure to moisture or chemicals, and how easy the material is to work with during manufacturing.Quick selection checklist:<ul><li>Define key needs: strength, heat resistance, impact toughness, and chemical exposure</li><li>Use standard test data to compare materials (look for strength and impact ratings)</li><li>Consider the environment: moisture levels, UV exposure, and temperature swings</li><li>Balance cost vs. performance (basic nylons are cheaper; high-end polyamides cost more but perform better)</li><li>Match the material with your manufacturing method (e.g., injection molding or 3D printing) and required equipment settings</li></ul><h2>Polyamide Vs Nylon Applications</h2>Nylon is a versatile synthetic polymer widely used across industries due to its strength, flexibility, abrasion resistance, and chemical stability.[4] Its ability to perform well under mechanical stress and varying environmental conditions makes it suitable for both consumer products and engineering applications. Believe it or not, your bathing suit could be made from the same material as the gears in your swimming pool pump system.Common applications of nylon include:<ul><li>Automotive parts: engine covers, cable ties, air intake manifolds</li><li>Textiles: clothing, hosiery, backpacks, parachutes</li><li>Industrial components: gears, bushings, rollers, bearings</li><li>Consumer goods: toothbrush bristles, kitchen utensils, fishing lines</li><li>Electrical and electronics: wire insulation, connectors, housings</li><li>3D printing: functional prototypes and end-use parts (Nylon 12, Nylon CF)</li><li>Medical devices: surgical sutures, catheters (using biocompatible grades)</li></ul>Beyond nylon, other polyamides—such as aramids, polyphthalamides (PPA), and bio-based variants—can serve in demanding applications where higher heat resistance, strength, or chemical stability is needed. These materials are commonly used in specialized fields like <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/category/aerospace" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">aerospace</a>, automotive, and electronics, where standard nylons may fall short in performance.Applications of non-nylon polyamides include:<ul><li>Aramids (e.g., Kevlar®, Nomex®): body armor, flame-resistant clothing, aerospace composites</li><li>Polyphthalamides (PPA): under-the-hood automotive parts, fuel system components, high-temperature connectors</li><li>PA6T/6I and similar semi-aromatic blends: electrical housings, appliance parts exposed to heat</li><li>Bio-based polyamides (e.g., PA11): pneumatic tubes, sports gear, flexible industrial hoses</li><li>PA46 and PA9T: high-load gears, precision mechanical components, brake systems</li><li>High-temperature polyamides: LED lighting components, turbocharger parts, electronic chip carriers</li></ul><h2>Manufacturing With Nylon and Other Polyamides</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1749122758219-3d-printed-parts-powder-bed.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="sls" />SLS 3D printed nylon componentsNylon and other polyamides are widely used in manufacturing and prototyping thanks to their balance of strength, flexibility, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. These materials can be processed using a variety of methods, each suited to different scales of production (e.g., prototyping vs mass production) and application requirements.<h3>Injection Molding</h3>Injection molding is the most common method for producing nylon and polyamide parts in high volumes. It involves melting granulated polymer and injecting it into a mold cavity under pressure. Nylon 6 and Nylon 66 are widely used due to their excellent flow properties and mechanical strength. Glass-filled variants can be used to enhance stiffness and heat resistance, although they increase tool wear and may require higher injection temperatures (typically 220–300°C for standard grades). For specialty polyamides like PPA or aramids, processing temperatures can exceed 350°C, requiring more robust equipment and tooling.<h3>CNC Machining</h3>CNC machining is frequently used for low-volume production, prototypes, or applications that require tight tolerances. Nylon can be machined using standard carbide tools, although its softness compared to metals can lead to issues like material deformation or tool buildup. Dry machining can prevent some of these issues. Machining aramids or glass-filled polyamides requires more care due to their abrasive nature, which can lead to increased tool wear. Common CNC applications include bushings, spacers, and precision housings.<h3>3D Printing</h3>Additive manufacturing with nylon—especially Nylon 12 and carbon-fiber-filled variants—is growing rapidly in prototyping and end-use parts. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is the dominant method for printing nylon, offering excellent resolution, good surface finish, support-free printing, and isotropic strength properties. Popular SLS materials include:<ul><li>HP 3D High Reusability PA 12 (by HP)</li><li>EOS PA 1101 (by EOS)</li><li>BASF Ultrasint® PA12 GF (by BASF Forward AM)</li></ul>Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF/FDM) is also common, though it typically results in weaker parts unless reinforced with materials like glass or carbon fiber. PA11, a bio-based polyamide, is used increasingly in 3D printing due to its flexibility and low moisture absorption. These materials are ideal for creating functional parts, jigs, fixtures, and housings. Example filament products include:<ul><li>MatterHackers NylonX (by MatterHackers)</li><li>Polymaker PolyMide™ CoPA (by Polymaker)</li><li>BASF Ultrafuse® PA (by BASF Forward AM)</li></ul><h3>Extrusion</h3>Extrusion is used for producing continuous profiles like tubing, films, and fibers. Nylon’s strength and wear resistance make it ideal for extruded products such as fishing lines, fuel lines, and pneumatic tubing. However, processing conditions need to be carefully controlled to minimize moisture uptake before extrusion, as absorbed water can cause foaming or surface defects. Polyamides like PA11 and PA12 are often used in flexible tubing due to their better chemical resistance and lower water absorption compared to Nylon 6 or 66.Recommended reading: <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/strongest-3d-printer-filament" target="_blank">Strongest 3D Printer Filament: Choosing Between PC, Nylon, TPU, and Others</a><h2>Reinforced and Blended Nylon and Polyamide</h2>Composites and blends are engineered to boost performance by combining the base material with reinforcing materials or additives. Glass fiber-reinforced nylon increases stiffness, strength, and thermal resistance, making it ideal for automotive parts, appliance housings, and structural components. Carbon fiber-reinforced nylon offers even greater strength-to-weight ratios and thermal stability, and you’ll find it used in aerospace, drones, and high-performance tools. These composites are valued where lightweight durability is essential.Other polyamides—not just nylons—can also be reinforced. Polyphthalamides (PPA) and aramids are often combined with glass fibers, carbon fibers, or mineral fillers to push mechanical and thermal limits even further. These reinforced high-performance polyamides are used in electrical connectors, fuel systems, and under-the-hood automotive parts where extreme heat and stress are present.Blended polyamides, such as nylon-PBT or nylon-polyolefin blends, are tailored to improve impact resistance, reduce moisture absorption, or enhance chemical compatibility. These blends find roles in electronics, plumbing, and consumer products.Both reinforced nylons and other polyamides are compatible with injection molding and, increasingly, with 3D printing. Carbon fiber-filled nylon filaments are popular for creating strong, functional prototypes and low-volume end-use parts, allowing engineers to replace metals in lightweight, durable applications.Recommended reading: <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/glass-filled-nylon" target="_blank">Glass-Filled Nylon: The Properties and Benefits</a><h2>Mistakes to Avoid When Using Polyamide and Nylon</h2>Choosing the wrong type of polyamide can lead to costly redesigns and delayed timelines. These issues often arise from overlooked material behavior under real-world conditions. We’ve identified five common pitfalls that are responsible for many of the failures in polyamide and nylon manufacturing.Top 5 polyamide/nylon pitfalls:<ol><li>Moisture Absorption: Standard nylons can swell and weaken, so use low-absorption types like PA12 or specify dry-as-molded properties.</li><li>Temperature Limits: Always design below the material’s heat deflection point and account for humidity-related shifts in glass transition temperature.</li><li>Impact Misjudgment: Test materials at their minimum service temperature, not just at room temperature, to ensure toughness under all conditions.</li><li>UV Sensitivity: Nylons degrade in sunlight, so choose UV-stabilized grades or switch to aromatic polyamides for outdoor use.</li><li>Improper Drying: Residual moisture during processing causes polymer degradation; follow recommended drying times and temperatures.</li></ol><h2>Recent Developments</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1749122766894-plastic-recycling-machine.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="recyclability" />Recycling of nylon is an increasing concern for manufacturersIn 2025, polyamide and nylon material development is often focused on sustainability and advanced recycling methods. Significant investments are driving the development of bio-based polyamides, which aim to reduce carbon footprints by using renewable raw materials or recycled content. For example, BASF’s Ultramid LowPCF uses biomass balance approaches to lower environmental impact. Aquafil’s ECONYL process chemically recycles waste fishing nets into high-quality nylon.Enzyme-based recycling technologies, like those developed by Samsara Eco, break down nylon into original monomers with high recovery rates, supporting circular economy goals. Meanwhile chemical recycling, unlike mechanical recycling, helps maintain virgin-like material properties even after multiple cycles.Material enhancements are also advancing, with carbon nanotube reinforcement and nano-titanium dioxide additives improving strength, heat resistance, and weight savings. Production costs for nano-enhanced materials have also decreased, making them more competitive with imports.<h2>Conclusion</h2>In conclusion, while nylon is a well-known member of the polyamide family, especially in forms like polyamide 6 and nylon 66, it's just one part of a broader group of thermoplastic materials defined by amide groups and a shared chemical structure. Thanks to their strong tensile strength, high temperature resistance, and adaptable molecular structure, both nylon and other polyamides are widely used in engineering plastics, synthetic fibers, and industrial applications. Their versatility across various applications—from textiles to components exposed to heat, moisture, and solvents—continues to make them valuable materials in modern manufacturing.<h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2>What is the main difference between polyamide and nylon?Polyamide is a broad family of polymers with amide bonds, while nylon specifically refers to aliphatic polyamides like PA6 and PA66. All nylons are polyamides, but not all polyamides are nylons.Which material performs better for automotive applications?PA66 usually performs better due to its higher melting point, improved chemical resistance, and lower moisture absorption compared to PA6, with similar costs.How do testing standards differ for polyamides?ASTM D6779 classifies all polyamide types, while ISO 527-2 and ASTM D638 measure tensile properties. Differences mainly appear in heat and chemical resistance tests.What are the costs and benefits of high-performance polyamides?High-performance polyamides like PPA cost more but offer superior heat resistance and chemical durability, making them suitable for electronics and demanding uses.<h2>References</h2>[1] Morgan PW. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222338108066456" target="_blank">Brief history of fibers from synthetic polymers</a>. Journal of Macromolecular Science—Chemistry. 1981 Apr 1;15(6):1113-31.[2] Ali MA, Kaneko T. <a href="https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-3-642-29648-2_418" target="_blank">Polyamide syntheses</a>. Encyclopedia of polynanomeric materials. Springer, Berlin. 2015:1750-62.[3] Cheng M, Chen W, Weerasooriya T. <a href="https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/materialstechnology/article-abstract/127/2/197/460960/Mechanical-Properties-of-KevlarR-KM2-Single-Fiber" target="_blank">Mechanical properties of Kevlar® KM2 single fiber</a>. J. Eng. Mater. Technol.. 2005 Apr 1;127(2):197-203.[4] More A, Maurya P, Ubhale Y. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780443136238000046" target="_blank">Nylon fiber: composites and applications</a>. InSynthetic and Mineral Fibers, Their Composites and Applications 2024 Jan 1 (pp. 101-149). Woodhead Publishing.

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