Manufacturing platform&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hubs.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hubs&nbsp;</a>has updated their Supply Chain Resilience Report to include new data from 2021 as well as addressing the disruptions caused by Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. Below are some of the key findings, download the full report&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hubs.com/get/supply-chain-resilience-report/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a>&nbsp;<h2>Supply chain resilience - what it means and why it matters</h2>Complex manufacturing supply chains face more risks than ever. A disruption in one country ripples around the world, leading unprepared companies to experience damaging interruptions. Simultaneously, the number of disruptions is rising. As each risk has unique elements and timing, planning and prediction is impossible. Traditional strategies don&rsquo;t support the flexibility and adaptability required to survive, let alone grow stronger.But some organizations react to disruption far better than others. These organizations cope with unknown and unknowable risks due to one characteristic: resilience.<h3 dir="ltr">Defining supply chain resilience</h3>Supply chain resilience describes a supply chain prepared for unforeseen disruptions, able to react and recover fast, and emerge stronger after the event. &nbsp;Though many companies believe supply chain resilience merely implies the ability to manage risk, true resilience enables you to position your organization better than competitors in order to deal with and gain advantage from disruptions.Resilience is not a new concept, but the need for it has become greater as the frequency and severity of risks have increased, which comes naturally with an ever more complex, globally-stretching supply chain. Supply chain resilience does not develop passively, as it&rsquo;s impossible to plan for every potential risk. Instead, it demands a dedicated, deliberate strategy to strengthen your organization in the face of the unexpected.Resilience is crucial to the manufacturing industry, as generating revenue relies on adding value at each link of the supply chain, from the raw materials to the finished product. If one of these links becomes broken, or disrupted, value can no longer be added, making a resilient supply chain essential to bringing products to market.<h2 id="isPasted">Key findings:</h2><ul><li>75% of companies have experienced external disruptions to their manufacturing supply chain in the past year.</li><li>56% of companies have experienced more disruptions to their supply chain this year than last year.</li><li>COVID-19 has been the single biggest disruptive event of the past decade but material shortages have been the most disruptive factor of the past year.</li><li>98% of companies believe measures should be taken to avoid future supply disruptions, but only 63% have done so to date.</li><li>57% of companies believe that diversifying their manufacturing supply is the best way to prevent future disruptions.</li></ul><h3>The rising need for resilience</h3>From trade wars and material shortages to COVID-19 and changing labor environments, supply chain resilience is becoming a priority for many companies. The rise of global trade means companies have more moving pieces stretched over greater distances with less slack in the system. And with a growing global population and a growing economy, significant supply chain disruptions are inevitable.Simultaneously, companies are still relying on a single company for certain parts in order to achieve lower costs. Reducing essential processes and resources to single or a few sources creates a dependency on deep-tier suppliers as well as on concentrations of supply sources that create fragile chokepoints in the global economy. Only a handful of countries are responsible for the world&rsquo;s supply and, as many companies experienced with the coronavirus outbreak, this over-reliance can have catastrophic long-term effects on supply chain operations.<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Building supply chain resilience: Effective measures organizations can take to mitigate disruption</h2>Effective measures organizations can take to mitigate disruption. As we&rsquo;ve seen with the simultaneously rising complexity of supply chains and the increasing number of disruptions, a clear strategy for building supply chain resilience to mitigate future disruptions will be essential for businesses moving forward.However, it seems that although organizations have coped with supply chain disruptions first-hand, a large proportion are unprepared. According to the Hubs 2021 survey, a surprising 37% of respondents have not taken any measures in the last year to build up supply chain resilience, despite 75% having experienced externally caused disruptions.The report &nbsp;discusses the three approaches organizations can take to start building a resilient supply chain:<ol><li dir="ltr">Creating autonomy (automation, additional inventory).</li><li dir="ltr">Developing flexibility (geographical diversification, agile working processes).</li><li dir="ltr">Increasing visibility (stronger supplier relationships, increased monitoring).</li></ol><h3 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h3>Creating autonomy, developing flexibility and increasing visibility across your supply chain will help your organization to reduce the number of vulnerabilities in the supply chain, spot upcoming disruptions, and mitigate the effects of disruptions when they inevitably do occur. These three approaches will not only strengthen the company in the face of oncoming disruptions but also serve the company in calmer times.&nbsp;Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/the-2023-supply-chain-resilience-report" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The 2023 Supply Chain Resilience Report</a>The number and the type of disruption is out of your control. Resilience is not. Making the deliberate choice to develop a long-term strategy to overcome disruption, whatever its effects is the only option. Those who don&#39;t pursue resilience become ever more vulnerable in the face of the rising number of supply disruptions, and their wider-reaching consequences, to come.Download the full report&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hubs.com/get/supply-chain-resilience-report/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here.</a>&nbsp;<h2>About the sponsor: Hubs</h2><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/hubs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hubs</a>, formerly 3D Hubs, is an online platform for custom part manufacturing, providing access to a global network of manufacturing services, including CNC machining, 3D printing, injection molding, and sheet metal fabrication.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQxOTkxNjY1OTA1LWh1YnMgYmFubmVyIGJvdHRvbS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

Industry trends and supply chain strategy for manufacturing.


The 2022 Supply Chain Resilience Report

The engineering and manufacturing sectors have made strides today. Technologies that were a mere concept or were economically unsound to use largescale have now become common in our industries. Metal fabrication has benefited from 3D concepts such as rapid prototyping and the use of computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) tools and software.However, it has become increasingly cost-effective to switch from heavyweight metals to light plastics with high heat resistance. Because these plastics have a high melting point, manufacturers now prefer using plastic designs as they also come with improved thermal properties and enhanced physical and mechanical properties.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQwOTI5ODU4Mjg2LVJhcGlkX0luamVjdGlvbl9Nb2xkaW5nLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Done right, injection molding with high-temperature plastics can be time-saving, resource-efficient, and preferable in terms of labor, quality, and what can be achieved. Since these high-temperature melt-processable thermoplastics are not vulnerable to corrosion like metals and do not sacrifice their atomic properties under high heat, designing unique prototypes and end products is now a reality. It&#39;s impossible to imagine how much can be achieved using this technology right now.Typically, the structural capabilities of these high-temperature plastics service at temperatures exceeding 150&deg;C in the long haul, while short-term uses can service at a steady temperature of 250&deg;C.<h2>Common High-Temperature Plastics</h2>Plastics with high resistance to heat have a wide range of applications in the engineering and manufacturing sectors. They are also known by other terms such as &quot;high performance&rdquo;, &ldquo;engineering polymers&rdquo;, &ldquo;commodity&rdquo;,&nbsp;or &ldquo;standard&rdquo;&nbsp;plastics, depending on the application. They have varied chemical resistance and electrical properties, strength, and wear resistance. These plastics have slowly crept into other industries, and soon they might be running the show.The most-common high-temperature plastics include;<h3>Vespel &reg;</h3>This non-melting polyamide can take in highs of 300&deg; C (572&deg; F) with its thermal and mechanical properties intact. Vespel has found a considerable market in industrial machinery, automotive industry, aerospace (jet engines), and the list continues.<h3>Torlon&reg; (Polyamidep-imide)</h3>Torlon is an ideal and effective alternative to metals with exceptional long-term strength and stiffness reaching 260&deg; C. It is also resistant to acids, chemicals, creep, wear and tear.<h3>PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone)</h3>In short durations, PEEK can endure temperature highs of up to 310&deg;C and has an impressive melting point stretching beyond 371&deg;C. Aside from car transmission components and aircraft exteriors, PEEK is also a regular among high-tech medical devices. Its compatibility with CNC machining and ease of machining through injection molding makes it an affordable option for most manufacturers.<h3>ULTEM&reg; (Polyetherimide, PEI)</h3>This amorphous thermoplastic has been in the market for over 35 years. Its melting point of 219&deg;C and a servicing temperature at a max continuous of 170&deg;C makes it archetypal in designing circuit boards, airplane seat covers, fire blockers, and equipment for food sterilization. PEI does not cave in the presence of coolants or fuels but can crack once exposed to polar chlorinated solvents.<h3>Celazole PBI</h3>This is yet another high-temperature plastic revolutionizing the telecommunications space. It has an impressive compressive strength with heat deflection temperatures reaching 427&deg; C (800&deg; F). It is also efficient in the aerospace and semiconductor industries.<h3><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQwOTI5OTMxNDI5LW1vbGRlZCBwYXJ0cy5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></h3><h3>Other High Resistant Plastics</h3><ul><li>Noryl (polyphenylene oxide (PPO) and polystyrene (PS))</li><li>Rulon (various reinforced PTFE compounds)</li><li>Polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD)</li></ul><h2>Considerations</h2>Matching the right plastic to its ideal application is just one side of the coin. Engineers and manufacturers should also remember other considerations while <a href="https://waykenrm.com/technologies/rapid-tooling/" target="_blank">machining through injection molding</a> using high-temperature plastics.<h3>Include Heat Transfer Channels</h3>Manufacturers stand to lose lots of money if heating and cooling are not done right. Since your mold needs to be cool enough (approximately 95% of your cycle time) before ejection and hot enough before injection, the right heat-transfer channels will go a long way to improve efficiency in minimal time. Incorporate equidistant heat-transfer channels into your mold design, thus exposing each cavity to equal levels of heating and cooling fluid. Remember that the cooling rate will significantly affect the part&#39;s dimensions and properties.<h3>Use Thermal Pins</h3>To achieve precise measurements in the final design, you need to do way more than just include heat transfer channels. You&#39;ll need other ways of controlling the temperature throughout the process. Losing control of temperatures will have drastic effects on the end product, such as warping, shrinkage, and stress-formation in the material. Thermal pin technology helps in all that, plus it also leads to increased yields and decreased cooling time.Thermal pins have been used for around 40 years to quickly and efficiently remove heat from parts, thus increasing production. Thermal pin technology is now commonplace in the extrusion-molding, blow-molding, and thermoforming industries.<h3>Select the Right Mold Material</h3>Achieving perfect conditions in mold temperature for the ideal final product wouldn&#39;t be possible if the mold material could not withstand the heat. Your mold material should withstand high temperatures without compromising on cost. Moreover, the mold material should strike a balance between abrasion resistance and machinability. High-volume production runs may need high-temperature-resistant molds such as high-strength steels. Prototyping projects can do with more cost-effective tooling molds such as aluminum ones.If the mold material is susceptible to high temperatures, it could bring about high replication of the cavity surface and increased flow resistance. Plastic injection at low pressure will most certainly stain the molds known as gate stains. We want the appropriate material to avoid these hitches.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQwOTI5OTg4MDc5LTEtcGVlay1tYXRlcmlhbC5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h3>Uniform Wall Thickness</h3>If your initial plastic design has non-uniform walls, the final product may be warped, reducing efficiency. Unless the project requires a thickness of varying degrees, always ensure uniformity throughout the walls. Uniformity in the wall thickness will also have a ripple effect on the speed and cost of manufacturing. Should you need to make varying wall thickness, make the transition as smooth as can be to ensure an even flow of the material inside the cavity. Remember to add a generous radius to the rounded corners as such parts are generally more economical and easier to produce.Several factors will determine the minimum wall thickness, including the flow behavior of the resin, structural requirements, and the size and geometry of the part. That said, an experienced injection molder and a skilled design engineer will help you arrive at the most suitable part&rsquo;s design and material selection.<h3>Draft Angle</h3>Adding a draft angle is a critical stage in injection molding and especially helps ease ejection. Without a draft angle, the surface friction will cause scratches or gouges to appear, which scraps the texture, leading to several rejected parts. Alternatively, completing the machining process without adding the draft angle may cause vacuum formation, which may cause the design to either break, bend, or warp as it is being pushed out. This would also require more force, an unnecessary waste of time and money.When considering the draft angle, a safe place to start would be one degree of draft per one inch of cavity depth. However, this won&#39;t cut across the board and may vary depending on the material used, wall thickness, shrink rate, and the intended finish or texture.Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/4-tips-for-reducing-tool-deflection-in-cnc-machining" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4 Tips for Reducing Tool Deflection in CNC Machining</a><h2>Conclusion</h2>Estimates show that the global high-temperature plastic market will surpass $21.1 billion by 2027. This is a forecasted CAGR of 5% over the seven years starting from 2020. There is a growing market for temperature-resistant plastics. Manufacturers and engineers can achieve immense cost savings if the right conditions are used.We are at your service if you&rsquo;re looking for expert advice on high-temperature plastics.

Injection molding with high-temperature plastics can be time-saving, resource-efficient, and preferable in terms of labor, quality, and what can be achieved

Tips for Injection Molding with High-Temperature Plastics

It's critical to deliver high accuracy and finish to fulfill customers' demands, and it can't be possible without decreasing tool deflection and adopting some methods to decrease tool deflection. Tool deflection can become a reason for tool breakage and rapid tool wear, and it occurs when the cutting forces overcome the tool's stiffness and make a bend.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640578075908-CNC+Precision+Machining.jpg" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Tool deflection is an economic process, and you can boost the quality and repeatability of parts by decreasing tool deflection. Besides these advantages, tool deflection can reduce machine downtime and tool replacement frequency.So it’s essential to know how to reduce tool deflection by applying some helpful tips and methods. There are some useful tips to reduce tool deflection in CNC machining you need to consider to ensure <a href="https://waykenrm.com/technologies/cnc-machining/precision-machining/" target="_blank">high precision of the machined parts</a>.<h2>How Does Tool Deflection Effect and its Aftermath on CNC Machining</h2>Tool deflection is defined as the bending of the tool. &nbsp;The defection of a tool and an object occurs because of loads on the tool or objects, which can cause severe changes in it. It occurs when cutting forces can overcome the tool stiffness, which may cause tool bending. The CNC machining tool has two ends. The one end of the CNC machining tool is kept free, while the other end of the tool is kept inside the chuck. A force can apply to the workpiece by the tool during the CNC machining operation.As the CNC machining g tool applied the force on the workpiece, the workpiece also exerted an opposite resisting force on the tool. &nbsp;The CNC machining tool is also affected by several other operational forces and the resisting force. In case if the external force applied to the tool becomes larger than the tool force, then it results in the deflection in the tool.<h2>The Aftermath of Tool Deflection on CNC Machining</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640578105228-machined+parts.JPG" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> The deflection in the tool greatly affects the CNC machining. The aftermath of tool deflection on the CNC machining is as under:<ul><li>The tool deflection causes the failure of the workpiece or the tool.</li><li>It reduces the lifecycle of the CNC machining and thus results in lifecycle depletion.</li><li>It can mess up the dimensional accuracy and causes numerous errors in the CNC machining system.</li><li>It causes a rough surface finish of the CNC machining.</li><li>The tool deflection causes severe dimensional inaccuracy.</li><li>It greatly affects the surface of CNC machining and causes potential surface damage.</li><li>It can shorten tool life and maybe a cause of tool breakage.</li><li>Tool deflection may cause part scraping if it is not properly accounted for.</li><li>It can increase tool wear, and manufacturing parts with deflection tools may be suffering from variability, out of tolerance, or exhibit a chattered surface finish.</li></ul>If you want to decrease tool deflection and get a high-quality surface finish without compromising on part's qualities, you need to use high-quality CNC lathe, high-quality tools, and expert engineers for operating these machines. You can minimize tool deflection by minimizing the distance from the tool holder to the tool's tip.<h2>Tips to Reduce Tool Deflection in CNC Machining</h2>The tool deflection in CNC machining is very common, and it can cause a catastrophic disaster and minimal impact on part's quality. You cannot fully avoid or prevent the tool deflection, but there are certain ways by which you can reduce it. Following are the tips that prove helpful to reduce the tool deflection in CNC machining. These tips ensure high precision and high quality of the final product.<h3>1- Build the Tool Core Strength by Altering Diameter</h3>Diameter is an important factor when we consider deflection, especially core diameter. The core strength of a tool relies on its reach and flute length, and the difference between reach and flute length can be defined as the core's rigidity. Core diameter can be employed for the calculation using a reached tool; then, the core diameter transitions to the neck diameter. &nbsp;By changing these values, deflection can be decreased for the reached tool. It can make a big difference for long flute tool dimensions.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640578132714-precision+machine+shop+.jpg" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h3>2- Know the Difference between a Long Flute and a Long Reach</h3>The tool deflection can minimize by knowing the main difference between the long flute and the long reach tool. The core diameter of the tool mainly causes the rigidity differences in the long flute and long reach tool. The tool with more material is relatively more rigid than the tool with less material. Similarly, a smaller flute length tool is more rigid and has a longer life span. Each type of tool offers its benefits and advantages. You must use the appropriate tools during a particular operation to reduce deflection.Application of Long Reach ToolLong reach tools are mostly used to remove the materials from the gaps where the shank is not fitted well and fails in removing the material. The material is removed by fitting a noncutting extension of a cutter diameter. The heeling can be prevented by decreasing the reach length behind the cutting edge to the cutter diameter.Applications of Long Flute ToolLong flute tools mainly have longer cut lengths. The long flute tool is mostly used to provide the slot with a seamless wall. The core diameter size doesn't change and remains the same across the cutting length. The core diameter increases the more chance of deflection in part. Moreover, if a little of the cutting edge is involved with the high feed rate, it can cause tapered edges. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;These tools effectively cut deep slots, and applications of high-efficiency machining can prove helpful due to their specific features, such as chip evaluation competencies.<h3>3- Reduce Overhang Length</h3>Overhang length is the length between the operating tip of the CNC tool and the clutching point. The tool must bear the bending stress, the horizontal and vertical forces when mounted as a cantilever beam. According to the load stress theory, the shorter overhang length causes the lower effects of bend stress. It means the deflection of the tool can be decreased by decreasing the overhang length of the tool.<h3>4- Increase Tool Stiffness</h3>The tool deflection in the CNC machining can reduce by increasing the tool stiffness. CNC machining tool usually consists of high-speed steel. The machining operations are usually facilitated by high-speed steel, but the tool deflection can result from the exposure of the high-stress load. One of the high-speed steel tools alternatives is the carbide tools, which are considered three times more rigid than the high-speed tools. The carbide tools can use to reduce deflection because of their brittle properties.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640578226004-high+machining+accuracy.jpg" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2>Conclusion</h2>Tool deflection is the main cause of tool damages and causes scrapping of the tools or workpieces. You can minimize the tool deflection during the working operation by following some strategies, such as reducing the tool holder's distance to its tips and increasing its stiffness and core strength. Reducing the overhang length also contributes to reducing the CNC machining tool deflection. In short, you must use your equipment carefully to minimize deflection.To reduce the failure and the inaccuracies, you must use a cutting-edge tabletop mining machine. For the appropriate implementation of the CNC machines, establishing the standard in-plant CNC training is necessary, and you can easily minimize the CNC machine tool deflection following these basic rules and steps.

Reducing Tool Deflection to Increase the Precision

Boosting the quality and repeatability of parts by decreasing tool deflection to fulfill customers' precision demands is critical. Tool deflection leads to rapid tool wear and elevates the possibility of tool breakage.

4 Tips for Reducing Tool Deflection in CNC Machining

Due to properties like strength, lightweight, and resistance to corrosion, aluminum alloys are being mostly used in the aerospace industry. To increase the life of the spacecraft, good quality surface treatment is required for the <a href="https://waykenrm.com/technologies/cnc-aluminum-machining/" target="_blank">custom aluminum parts</a>. Surface treatment of aluminum is imperative to improve the properties of the aluminum like hardness, resistance to wear &amp; tear, and decorative properties i.e physical appearance. Cleaning, polishing, painting, plating, and heat treatment are some typical examples of surface treatment processes.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640574077520-Aluminum+parts.JPG" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">When aluminum comes in contact with the surrounding oxygen, it can create a very thin layer of aluminum oxides. This unwanted layer of oxides may affect the surface treatment process like anodizing or electroplating. This aluminum oxides layer must be removed before surface treatment processes for better surface properties. This removal of the layer is known as the de-oxidation of aluminum. During the de-oxidation process, aluminum oxides are removed from the surface to improve the efficiency of surface treatment processes. These oxides cannot be removed by ordinary mineral acids so they are removed by oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions by the use of nitric, sulfuric, or chromic acids based solutions.<h2>Types of Deoxidizers</h2>There are different possible ways to prepare a solution that will meet your requirement of preparing surfaces for treatment processes. This can be accomplished by preparing a solution of a strong acid and any other suitable chemical agent. The solutions based on nitric, sulfuric, or chromic acids are most commonly used for the deoxidation of aluminum. The nitric acid and sulfuric acid-based solutions are interchangeably used as deoxidizers. As nitric acid is most commonly used so in this article nitric acid-based solutions are discussed in detail.Nitric acid can act as an autocatalytic and also slowly attack aluminum. Because of these abilities, nitric acid-based deoxidizers are most commonly used. The metals which are rich in magnesium cannot be treated efficiently with caustic etching or with other surface treatment processes. In those cases, the nitric acid-based solution is preferred because they are more effective deoxidizers in the case of magnesium. The oxidizers containing nitric acid produce the finishes of satin type. It does not remove the shine from the finished metal part and also helps in making the old parts serviceable by improving their surface finish. Nitric acid opens the pore structure which makes the <a href="https://waykenrm.com/blogs/anodizing-aluminum/" target="_blank">anodizing process</a> easier. After processes like painting, anodizing, or any other surface treatment, oxidizers based on nitric acid can be used. For example, the solution of 15-20% nitric acid, 60-70% ferric sulfate, and ammonium bifluoride can be used to remove the layer of aluminum oxide, before any surface treatment process. As these solutions are chromium-free, they are environment-friendly. Furthermore, no fume exhaust is required in this case. The 316 Stainless Steel or Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVFD) liner is used to make the tanks for this type of deoxidation.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640574120915-Anodizing+Aluminum-%284%29.jpg" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Due to the anti-corrosion properties of chromium, the solution based on chromic acids is also used as deoxidizers. These deoxidizers also remove the unwanted oxide layers from the surface before the subsequent surface treatment processes. They are good as corrosion resistant but not favorable for the environment due to their toxic nature. Chromic acid-based oxidizers are known for the removal of heat-treatment films. Tanks made from 18-8 stabilized stainless steel clad material, high-density propylene, or PVFD material are used in the case of chromium-based deoxidizers.Another type of deoxidizer is a hydrofluoric acid-based deoxidizer. This type of deoxidizer is preferred for the parts that are prepared by a process like shot peening, blasting, or casting. Most of the deoxidizers that are chromium-free include fluoride. These solutions not only remove the oxide layers but also increase the etching rate. Over time, the aluminum forms the cluster with the fluoride and thus drops and un-stabilizes the etch rate. The etch rate is dependent on the content of fluoride and aluminum present.All these acids are harmful to human operators so special care must be taken while dealing with these acid-based solutions.<h2>Deoxidizer Applications</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640574151535-CNC+Aluminum.JPG" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">There are so many cases where aluminum surfaces can be prepared using deoxidizers before any surface treatment process. They are good for cleaning purposes with minor or no etching. They also help to remove oxide and corrosion products from the surfaces. To increase the area, oxidizers are also suitable for etching. They are useful in both light-duty and heavy-duty deoxidizing.In aerospace industries, most of the parts are made of 2000/7000 series aluminum alloys that are alloyed with copper, zinc, magnesium. When these alloys are exposed to the environment, they react readily with the atmosphere. The oxide layer is formed on the surface which interferes with the subsequent surface treatment processes. Before the anodizing or surface treatment processes, with the use of deoxidizers, these oxide layers are removed and cleaned before any further process.Deoxidizers are also useful in removing the welding fluxes and heat treatment scales which can interfere with the post-processing. There may be some cavities present after the welding process which can trap the solution and will be harmful to the parts. To remove these cavities and make the surface smoother, the solution of nitric acid and sulfuric acid is used. Heat treatment scales can cause rust issues and these heat-treated scales can be removed using hydrochloric acid.The parts, prepared by processes like blasting, shot peening, or casting, are required to be cleaned by the deoxidizers that include fluoride. Normal casting etch is not suitable for this because in that circumstance the control of the metal removal process is another problem. The fluoride in deoxidizers is also recommended for a good finish and attractive surface appearance.<h2>How to Maintain the Deoxidizer</h2>The facility controls are imperative while electroplating a thin layer of corrosion-resistant metal on other metals. To maintain the deoxidizers, it should be ensured that tanks including the tack welds are made of acid-resistant material. To avoid over-etching, the temperature indication should be available for the operator. With the increase of 10 oF of temperature, the reaction rate is doubled. For uniform concentration and temperature, solution agitation is important. During the manufacturing, the operators must be wearing suitable gloves to reduce the risk of contamination of the parts. If the surface is in contact with the body parts for a long time, the body oils or sweat can also affect the surface. To prepare a better surface, the operator should be using a dry, clean, and powder-free glove. To control the quality of the solution, chemical solutions are required to be analyzed to ensure stability and etch rates. In case of harmful solutions, fume exhaust is required to be installed. The solution should be properly filled while the pretreatment process is performed so that part can be completely immersed in the tank.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640574173605-Anodizing+Aluminum-feature+image%281%29.jpg" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2>Conclusion</h2>The aluminum exposed to the environment reacts with the atmosphere and makes a layer of oxides on the surface which interferes in the surface treatment processes. Deoxidizing is the process in which a clean surface is prepared for subsequent surface treatment processes. The use of deoxidizer deteriorates and removes the natural oxide layer formed on the surface of the aluminum. This can be done with the use of different acid-based solutions like nitric acid, sulfuric acid, or chromic acid-based solutions. To maintain the deoxidizers, special care is required in facility control, manufacturing control, and quality control.

Deoxidizing is the process that is prepared for subsequent surface treatment. The use of deoxidizer deteriorates can remove the natural oxide layer formed on the surface of the aluminum

Deoxidizing Aluminum as a Pretreatment

This is a subject that is often discussed in the context of manufacturing technology 4.0 and it is a problem of quality. How a mechanical and industrial design automation designer can choose the process specifications that will ensure that they get the exact quality and output and precision they want for their <a href="https://waykenrm.com/technologies/cnc-machining/custom-machining/" id="isPasted" target="_blank">custom machining</a> and mass products. Lots of tools and methods are used on CNC machines to produce a precision product.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640568850840-quality.JPG" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></div><h2 id="isPasted">Mastering the three Quality 4.0 technologies in manufacturing</h2>Quality is a keyword related to production results in all sectors of the manufacturing industry, especially the results of CNC machining. To meet customer specifications and avoid quality problems when the product arrives at the customer, we use three different indicators for product quality inspection to avoid quality problems in the products produced by the <a href="https://waykenrm.com/technologies/cnc-machining/" target="_blank">CNC machining process</a>.<h3>1. Predictive Quality Analytic</h3>CNC machines are widely used in the manufacturing industry, and each product has different quality specifications contained in technical drawings or product drawings. Indicators to analyze the quality of a product can be seen from the performance of the machines and tools used, the accuracy of the size and the CAD/CAM method used so that it can be seen visually the surface of the product and the resulting smoothness. To predict the quality of CNC machining products, proper analysis is needed, including CNC machine parameters, in which there are settings for engine speed (RPM), cutting speed (CS), or feeding depth (DOC). This makes the surface smoothness of the production so that it is effective and efficient.<h3>2. Machine Vision Quality Control</h3>Observations on machine parameters can be monitored and measured by looking at the condition of the tool, tool wear and material characteristics, it will affect surface roughness and surface defects. The development of methods to monitor machine parameters can be done by the method in the picture below. This monitoring is to see the condition of the equipment used to ensure quality control is achieved.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640569068964-basic+processes+of+machine+vision+techniques.png" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Basic Processes of machine vision techniques<h3> </h3><h3>3. Standard Operational Procedure (SOP)</h3>SOP is a standard procedure for operating a CNC machine so that the machine can operate properly without accidents resulting in losses, or standards made for production as guidelines for producing quality products. Effective SOPs can reduce production costs, work will be more effective and efficient, save tools and extend machine life, and be implemented with appropriate documentation so that the performance achievements are achieved by every worker. An effective SOP can encourage work improvements and reduce product defects so that losses can be minimized so that work can be efficient. In the United States, SOP is also an important element of the prerequisite programs required under the ISO 9001 Standard audit scheme and other safety and quality systems.<h2>Maximizing the Benefits of Metrology Fixturing</h2>Metrology is the science of measurement used in CNC machining, many measuring tools are used to check the size carefully and thoroughly including caliper, micrometer or CMM to achieve precise accuracy. The image below describes how the science of metrology has become the center of study for producing various manufactured products<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640569546514-production+activities.png" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Centered on the metrology of all production activities. The benefits of installing a proper metrological measurement and it can significantly affect the efficiency of the inspection process are largely neglected. It is common for equipment to be neglected until the last minute of a project, or even worse, completely forgotten. Only when the CMM backlog begins to form or the metrological results drift, the focus is drawn to the assembly of parts and positioning within the machine. At that time, generally at the expense of lost time and money, and the costs of retrospectively implementing appropriate control measures increased. Many advantages can be obtained from the right metrology to produce quality products.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640569571546-Quality+Assurance.JPG" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">Reaping Benefits of Evolving ISO 9001 Standards</h2>ISO 9001:2015 is also a standard requirement for quality management systems, providing 2 benefits, namely external and internal. Improved performance, market penetration and customer satisfaction are some of the external benefits. Today's business world is required to always improve performance and performance so that its products/services or systems can be accepted by all parties. Therefore, a quality management system is very important for a company, with good and consistent quality processing it will improve the quality of production which in the end will reap maximum results. Here are some importance of Having ISO 9001 Certificate you can know:<h3>1. Guarantee the quality</h3>ISO 9001 certificate will assess the quality as well as the quality provided by the company. So that customers who cooperate with companies with ISO 9001, will certainly get quality assurance and quality that is continuously improved. The ISO 9001 certificate will continue to be improved and assessed on an ongoing basis so that consumers will receive improved services.<h3>2. Increase Customer Trust in the Company</h3>The trust given to companies that have implemented ISO 9001 in business entities will certainly increase. Therefore, large companies generally only want to work with companies that already have ISO: 9001 Certificate on quality management systems. The importance of this ISO: 9001 certificate is to legalize the company's activities in the international world and maintain the company's good reputation. Customers or partners will be comfortable working with companies that already have this certificate.<h3>3. Guarantee Customer Satisfaction</h3>One of the main objectives of the ISO: 9001 Standard is to provide satisfaction to customers in accordance with international regulations. By implementing an internationally standardized management and quality assurance system, companies can certainly remove unnecessary management barriers and improve them. These obstacles can affect the performance of the company as a whole from the level of subordinates to superiors so that it interferes with the company's performance.<h3>4. Documented system</h3><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1640569634290-Quality_Control.jpg" style="width: 800px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Documentation of every work process is one of the characteristics of a company that has advanced and developed. ISO 9001 certification will assess whether the documentation carried out by the company is in accordance with the established standards. This is in contrast to companies that have not implemented ISO 9001, in general, will be careless with their work files and are not well documented.<h2>Conclusion</h2>Producing machined parts with CNC can increase productivity and production effectiveness, setting machine parameters correctly will produce precise, accurate and quality products. Investment in CNC machines will not be a loss because the size of the work currently requires CNC with high technology to support the work so as to increase production speed and save production costs. To get good CNC performance, adequate maintenance and proper machine settings are needed so that the resulting product is of good quality. Production quality is obtained by following the correct and continuous SOP instructions so that maximum results can be achieved, accurate measurements can improve the quality of high-precision products. It is necessary to have an ISO: 9001 certificates which is internationally recognized for every company which aims to increase trust in customers so that there will be many orders.

Quality is a keyword related to production results in all sectors of the manufacturing industry, especially the results of CNC machining. 

How to Avoiding Quality Problems in CNC Machining Industry

Over the handful of years that it’s been in use, <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/services/3d-printing/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-design-tip-0122&utm_content=wevolver-design-tip-why-3d-print-0122" target="_blank">3D printing</a> technology has come from a fringe technique to a process used by countless businesses across the world. If you aren’t familiar with the technology yet, it might be difficult to understand this rapid rise in both uptake and success.Depending on the exact application, 3D printing can offer a wide range of advantages over more traditional manufacturing techniques. However, in general there are four major areas where it can come out in front of those processes:<ul><li>Geometry</li><li>Flexibility</li><li>Speed</li><li>Cost</li></ul>GeometryIn many ways, the ability to work with complex geometry is what makes 3D printing unique, and what most clearly set it above all other manufacturing technologies. Where other processes have limitations on what kinds of features you can actually create with them, such as not being able to have internal channels with liquid injection or holes that end mills can’t reach, 3D printers can produce almost any shape you can imagine.This has led to some truly innovative designs that really take advantage of 3D printing’s capabilities to make organic shapes, such as honeycombs or complex matrices. When combined with modern, highly engineered plastics, it becomes possible to create some incredibly strong, strikingly beautiful parts with ease. <div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQwMDc0Mzk5OTA1LXdoeS0zZC1wcmludC1pbWFnZS0xLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Protolabs people and processes can make your complex 3DP designs become a reality</div> It’s even possible to insert holes in the design to help reduce weight or simply to boost the aesthetics, without having to worry about drilling them or having to make major alterations to the mould. This offers a major advantage over other technologies.FlexibilityIndeed, the absence of any kind of mould or tooling is another one of the advantages of working with 3D printing technology. All you need to turn a design from a CAD file into a real, physical part is an appropriately sized machine to print it on and the raw materials. <div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQwMDc0NDQ5NDkxLXdoeS0zZC1wcmludC1pbWFnZS0yLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">In house engineers to review your CAD models</div> When compared to the work needed to produce parts through conventional injection moulding or milling, this is a significant advantage. Those technologies can require moulds and tooling that can be expensive and time-consuming to set up, especially if you need to make any alterations to your design along the way.With <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/services/3d-printing/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-design-tip-0122&utm_content=wevolver-design-tip-why-3d-print-0122" target="_blank">3D printing</a>, making even significant changes to your part is an incredibly simple process. Rather than having to alter physical moulds or machining, you can simply click a few buttons and change up the CAD file associated with the project.SpeedThis ability to make quick, on-the-fly alterations also makes 3D printing the ideal technology for rapid prototyping. Not only is it easy to make the little changes that are commonplace when you’re still hashing out a finished design, but you can turn those changes into a physical prototype in just a matter of hours.This allows your team to get right back into the process of enhancing the design, rather than waiting days or even weeks for your newly manufactured prototypes to be delivered.In fact, this rapid production process can also allow you to totally reimagine the way you handle inventory. Rather than having to warehouse parts and products, you can shift to a print-on-demand. Just-in-time model. This slashes the amount of money and time dedicated to storage and inventory management. <div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQwMDc0NDc1Njg3LXdoeS0zZC1wcmludC1pbWFnZS0zLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Example of previous 3DP product</div>CostOf course, <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/services/3d-printing/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-design-tip-0122&utm_content=wevolver-design-tip-why-3d-print-0122" target="_blank">3D printing</a> isn’t guaranteed to provide a cost reduction for every type of project you might be working on. If you are, for example, producing something that’s relatively geometrically simple on a large scale, it is likely that injection moulding is going to be much cheaper in the long run, as it plays to this technology’s strengths.However, on products or prototypes that are well-suited to the strengths of 3D printing, the technology can help to cut costs in many areas when compared to more conventional production. Labour costs, for example, can be reduced by a switch to 3D printing. After all, once they begin a task the printers don’t need any operators or much in the way of supervision. You don’t need to worry about using multiple, multi-stage machines when you’re 3D printing your parts, nor do you normally need to worry about assembly.Also, if you’re working on a relatively small scale, you don’t need to buy moulds or invest in tooling. In fact, thanks to the availability of outsourced suppliers – such as <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-design-tip-0122&utm_content=wevolver-design-tip-why-3d-print-0122" target="_blank">Protolabs</a> – you don’t need to buy any equipment of your own. You can happily outsource it and get all the benefits of the technology without having to make any kind of capital investment. <div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQwMDc0NDk4ODI4LXdoeS0zZC1wcmludC1pbWFnZS00LmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Protolabs' state of the art 3DP facility</div>Perhaps that’s why this is one of the most rapidly developing manufacturing technologies with new capabilities and materials being added all the time. Watch this space because it’s changing the boundaries of production almost every day.For questions on any of our services at <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-design-tip-0122&utm_content=wevolver-design-tip-why-3d-print-0122" target="_blank">Protolabs</a>, please contact an application engineer at <a href="mailto:customerservice@protolabs.co.uk" target="_blank">customerservice@protolabs.co.uk</a> or +44 (0) 1952 683047. Have a design ready for 3D printing? Upload it now for an <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/ecom/get-a-quote/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-design-tip-0122&utm_content=wevolver-design-tip-why-3d-print-0122" target="_blank">instant quote</a>.

3D printing can offer a wide range of advantages over more traditional manufacturing techniques. However, in general there are four major areas where it can come out in front of those processes.

Why 3D Print?

Micro additive manufacturing (AM) is the creation of tiny parts in lightweight, high performance plastics. &nbsp;This emerging manufacturing field is contributed to by the <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/nano.dimension" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fabrica Group</a> who have developed the Fabrica 2.0 micro 3D printer. The printer works on the advanced generation of a Digital Light Processor (DLP) 3D printer and with micron levels of resolution enabling incredibly small parts to be printed. The Fabrica Group have developed their own range of 3D printing materials based on commonly used industry polymers which allow for ultra-high resolution prints. The technology brings AM to applications that require high precision such as aerospace, electronics, automotive, medical, optics, education, and more.&nbsp;Previously, manufacturing nano components required &nbsp;traditional micro-molding. &nbsp;Due to the requirement for extremely costly and time-consuming micro tools this molding could only occur with extremely high volume runs. The expense associated with this type of &nbsp;micro tooling means that it is only cost-effective when parts are mass-produced in the millions. OEMs requiring prototype, small, or medium volume runs had limited options. The advent of micro AM technology means low volume and prototype parts can be produced cost-effectively, opening the door to more democratic and more efficient product development.The Executive Vice President of global sales of <a href="https://www.nano-fabrica.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fabrica Group</a> Avi Cohen recently sat down with Wevolver to discuss the future of Micro AM and talk more about the Fabrica Group technology.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM2Mzc1OTQ1NzEwLWF2aS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Avi Cohen: EVP of global sales at Fabrica Group.&nbsp;</div><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">How does your Fabrica 2.0 micro AM technology manage to attain such tight tolerances?</h2>The Fabrica 2.0 achieves true single micron resolution mass-produced parts across numerous sectors as a result of a range of technological innovations. Hardware-wise, the AM platform uses the digital light processor (DLP) engine, but this is used in conjunction with adaptive optics. In the Fabrica 2.0, once the image is projected through the DLP unit, adaptive optics control various critical optical working point parameters such as focus, tilt, and astigmatism. The DLP unit is also placed on an optomechanical apparatus which facilitates real time corrections of other working parameters, mainly location and accuracy in the XY plane. This apparatus also corrects for degrees of freedom such as wobbling to allow for better surface finish on parts.&nbsp;In respect of software, feedback algorithms are used in a closed-loop to increase accuracy and repeatability in production. Of particular importance, positioning errors are corrected using laser distance measurements. Another algorithm family is focused on customised file preparation, optimizing print angle, build plate orientation, and supports etc, all to ensure the most accurate, timely, and cost-effective part production.&nbsp;Finally, we also have considerable in-house materials expertise and have developed proprietary materials (based on the most commonly used industry polymers such as ABS and PP) which enable ultra-high resolution in parts built through modifications in polymerization radii, viscosity, surface tension, and spectral-optical penetration depth.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM2MzYzMzU5NTcyLXNtYWxsIHRyZWUuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Printed part by Fabrica 2.0 Micro AM System.</div><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Why should manufacturers be interested in micro AM?</h2>Well put quite simply, because of the impact the use of AM can have on OEMs looking to produce innovative products economically and in a timely fashion. Through use of the Fabrica 2.0, for the first time micro manufacturers can now realistically assess a shift to AM from conventional manufacturing processes. OEMs can therefore benefit from the inherent advantages that AM offers in terms of promoting part complexity with no increase in cost, eliminating the needs for expensive tooling, reducing part counts and the need for assembly, speeding product development time, easy revision of part design, mass customization, reduction in waste, and reduction in energy costs.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">What are the critical things you would like someone to know about the Fabrica Group, the Fabrica 2.0, and micro AM?</h2>First, we want to make it clear that the days have gone when there was a total reliance on expensive and often quite restrictive micro injection molding technologies. The second item of importance is to fully appreciate just what the use of micro AM technology can bring to manufacturers of miniature plastic parts and components. The Fabrica 2.0 throws the window wide open for design engineers to exploit almost limitless design freedom, and so now the process is not the obstacle when it comes to innovation and producing parts that are required but until now have been impossible to make.&nbsp;<h3>Summary</h3>Thanks to the agility and flexibility of AM, hardware designers can invent, test, and develop products from anywhere in the world. The low investment costs mean anyone can be creating the next huge product idea, a domain previously restricted to large OEMs who had the money to invest in expensive prototypes and low-batch production processes.&nbsp;With new technologies such as the Fabrica 2.0, AM nano-scale parts can be produced at cost and scale that enable companies and engineering teams of any size to develop products in high precision industries such as aerospace. The applications for micro AM are varied and its potential for use cases such as robust sensors, semiconductors, optics, and medical devices will only grow in the coming years.&nbsp;<h2>About the sponsor: Fabrica Group</h2><a href="https://www.nano-fabrica.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fabrica Group</a>&nbsp;is a leader in the field of AM &nbsp;for precision manufacturing. By combining technologies from the semiconductor industry and additive manufacturing the company has developed the Fabrica 2.0, an industrial, high throughput printer with micron resolution. The printer manufactures precise parts as well as high-performance tooling for the injection molding industry. Fabrica Group. We dream big so our customers can print small.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM2Mzc2MTA2MTM2LWJhbm5lciBsb2dvLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

 Avi Cohen from Fabrica discusses how Micro Additive Manufacturing can enable cutting-edge innovation. 

Micro Additive Manufacturing challenges the traditional manufacturing status quo

The world has changed rapidly since the emergence of digital technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, and the Cloud. This global shift, known as the 4th industrial revolution, is well underway, reinventing how we go about our daily lives and conduct business. Manufacturing, an often slow-to-change sector, is also gradually starting to adapt to increasingly smart processes and new paradigms. Cloud manufacturing is ushering in a new era of production that is creating many new opportunities across many industries.Cloud manufacturing is not just the latest trend in manufacturing. It represents a new mode of operation that is enabling hardware businesses to attain unprecedented levels of agility, customization, scalability, and productivity through its use of intelligent, distributed manufacturing. As we’ll see in more detail, though cloud manufacturing is still largely considered a still-emerging technology, it is already offering a competitive edge to product developers, startups, hardware companies, etc., helping them to evolve into cutting-edge, next-generation businesses.<h2 dir="ltr">Where does cloud manufacturing stand today?</h2><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/the-art-of-de-risking-a-hardware-startup" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cloud manufacturing</a> is an important piece of the larger framework of cloud technologies. But while cloud technology has become mainstream—as evidenced by our daily reliance on it to store photos and files—cloud manufacturing is still establishing itself and finding its footing. This slower proliferation is due in part to technological hurdles—especially where software and hardware intersect—but a more significant challenge to adoption has been hesitancy on the part of the manufacturing industry.&nbsp;Manufacturing companies—especially leaders with well-established legacy systems—remain conservative when it comes to changing how they operate and introducing a whole new service-based paradigm. For this reason, it is important to push for greater awareness and knowledge of cloud manufacturing and both the short- and long-term benefits it presents.Cloud manufacturing itself is derived from the principles of cloud computing and consists of an integrated virtual network of manufacturing resources and capabilities. In short, cloud manufacturing provides a digital cloud infrastructure that connects hardware businesses to manufacturing services facilitating on-demand production on a pay-per-use model.However, cloud manufacturing is also much more. The technology creates entire manufacturing ecosystems that encompass every stage of the hardware production life cycle, from concept to prototyping, to engineering validating and testing (EVT), to design validation and testing (DVT), to product validation and testing (PVT), to final production and scaling. This broad scope means that cloud manufacturing can meet the needs of a wide range of hardware businesses, regardless of their size or resources.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1636054342723-balance.jpg" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Prototyping is an essential part of hardware development. Image credit: Wandercraft</div><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">The next generation of hardware companies</h2>Cloud manufacturing is revolutionizing the way that hardware companies operate. Whereas the primary paths to bringing a product to market were to either invest in manufacturing equipment and trained technicians or set up a complex supply chain, businesses now have a more efficient option. They can connect with various manufacturing services, which make their prototype or product on-demand using the process and materials of their choice lowering the barrier to entrance to cutting edge technology.One of the main benefits of cloud manufacturing is agility, and this manifests in several ways. For one, hardware manufacturers can more easily produce parts without worrying whether they have the specific equipment, materials, and expertise available in-house. For example, German Bionic, a company that produces non-medical exoskeletons, decided to switch its products from aluminum to carbon fiber. Because it had not invested in aluminum manufacturing systems in the first place, it was able to make this change without losing money.&nbsp;This case study also hints at another impact cloud manufacturing is having: because hardware businesses utilizing cloud manufacturing have not invested capital in expensive machines, they can make their product development decisions based on the best result, rather than what capabilities and materials they are tied to. In other words, cloud manufacturing re-centers the end product without any dependency on legacy systems.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1636054427947-wheelchair.jpg" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Cloud manufacturing enables hardware startups to stay focused on product. Image credit: Scewo.</div>Cloud manufacturing also enhances agility by giving hardware companies access to more manufacturing capabilities than ever before—including CNC turning, CNC milling, 3D printing, and sheet-metal laser-cutting—without having to put up any up-front investments for the equipment or having to invest in skilled staff. It also saves hardware companies from the time-consuming and expensive process of having to find world-class manufacturers by themselves should they ponder pursuing a traditional outsourcing approach. This cost reduction unlocks new levels of accessibility for state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities and helps to democratize manufacturing.&nbsp;Newcomers or smaller businesses without the same capital or resources as high-volume hardware companies can now leverage the same state-of-the-art processes and materials by using cloud manufacturing platforms. In many cases, they can even work with the same services, which will level the playing field and, again, prioritize the product above all. This will inevitably promote the development of new products at faster rates, leading to greater competition and, ultimately, lower costs.<h2 dir="ltr">Cloud manufacturing is transforming production dynamics</h2>Beyond the clear benefits of cloud manufacturing we’ve laid out, the technology also has other consequences that are transforming the relationship between manufacturing services and hardware businesses.For starters, cloud manufacturing completely <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/hourly-model-manufacturing-succeeds-the-request-for-quote-process" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">changes the request for quote (RFQ) process.</a> No longer do customers have to reach out to various manufacturing services or suppliers to negotiate the terms of each production project. With cloud manufacturing, the quoting process is simplified and automated, providing full pricing transparency via a single portal. Customer requests are analyzed by AI-driven software, which identifies the best manufacturing solution and service based on a range of criteria. Using the ‘hourly model’, an hourly rate is then generated based on the customer-specific data, including process type, material, complexity, etc. Cloud manufacturing also enhances production transparency, keeping the customer up to date on their production order.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1636054504629-vr+k.jpg" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Cloud manufacturing can assist disruptive teams stay close to the manufacturing process. Image credit: Herrenknecht</div>Cloud manufacturing also opens the door to superior product design through collaboration. Designers and engineers from around the world can connect to the cloud to contribute design ideas for complex industrial systems. This fosters innovation and brings together minds and ideas from around the world that may otherwise have never connected. Further, by encouraging the sharing of global manufacturing resources, cloud manufacturing can improve many aspects that lead to greater innovation, including faster time-to-market, greater market competition, and lower manufacturing costs.<h2 dir="ltr">Making smart custom part procurement decisions with KREATIZE</h2>One of the companies contributing to the growth and advancement of cloud manufacturing is Germany-based <a href="https://kreatize.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KREATIZE</a>. The innovative firm, founded in 2015 by Simon Tüchelmann (CEO) and Daniel A. Garcia Rodriguez (CTO), has built a platform that digitizes the manufacturing process for custom parts and products. With a network of +200 vetted partners, and offices in Germany (Berlin and Balingen) and Poland (Wroclaw), KREATIZE aims to establish more agile, intelligent manufacturing solutions within Europe.By utilizing the service-based, pay-per-use model of cloud manufacturing, KREATIZE customers can request hourly rate quotes and easily order their parts from trusted manufacturing partners. The nature of the process ensures that product designs are protected and that there is full transparency throughout the production process.KREATIZE’s latest white paper, <a href="https://kreatize.com/content/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">“Cloud Manufacturing: Its Technology and Impact on Hardware Businesses”</a> delves further into the background and current state of cloud manufacturing as well as the many ways the technology is influencing and revolutionizing manufacturing practices. Above all, the insightful report aims to create greater awareness of cloud manufacturing, utilizing knowledge to alleviate existing hesitancies about the highly promising, innovation-driving manufacturing approach.&nbsp;<h3>References:</h3>KREATIZE GmbH. (2021). Cloud Manufacturing: Its Technology and Impact on Hardware Businesses. [White Paper]

How hardware businesses are gaining a competitive edge with cloud manufacturing through streamlined request for quotes, greater agility, and more

The Wide-Reaching Impact of Cloud Manufacturing

<h2 id="isPasted">Introduction</h2><a href="http://www.preziosa.com/inglese/index.php" target="_blank">Preziosa Francesco SRL</a> is a manufacturer of sheet metal cabinets based in Bergamo, Italy. They have been leading the Italian market for the past 40 years. Marco Preziosa, the company’s CEO, takes pride in the quality of the products that come out of their factory. He also values his company’s flexibility to customize their standard line to their customers’ specific needs.The engineers of Preziosa Francesco SRL are always on the lookout for the latest technologies that can improve its processes and workflows and enable them to stay competitive. Today, in the core of their activities lies a robotic cell and an automated press brake bending machine. Yet, this investment worth hundreds of thousand euros is at stake because of a relatively cheap part: the robotic end effector’s gripper.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1635924635705-ezgif-6-31fa52feb378.gif" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Robotic grippers are custom components that often need to be changed to meet the requirements of a custom sheet metal job. Preziosa Francesco SRL partnered with <a href="http://www.add-it.tech/" target="_blank">Additive Italia</a> (Add-it, for short) to redesign their robot grippers for metal Additive Manufacturing. Add-it is a design consultancy specializing in simulation-driven engineering and generative design.&nbsp;In this case study, we document how Preziosa Francesco and Add-it used the advanced engineering capabilities of nTopology to create a reusable design workflow for robotic grippers. This way, they improved the system’s performance and bypassed a supply chain challenge.<h2>Practical Robot Gripper Design Challenges</h2>Preziosa Francesco uses a Fanuc M710-iC robotic arm to load metal sheets onto their automatic press brake bending machine, orient and maintain their position during the bending operations, and then store the parts in the appropriate baskets.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1635924683111-add-it-cs-image-03-scaled.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Factory setup of the automatic press brake bending machine&nbsp;</div>The system is equipped with two metal grippers to handle the part during bedding operations. The production team at Preziosa Francesco was facing three main technical challenges related to this simple component. These challenges directly influenced the quality of their products and the productivity of their system:<ul><li>The standard flat grippers were too slippery. Due to inefficient traction between the sheet metal and the original CNC machined gripper, sheet metal moving during bending, reducing the accuracy of the end product.</li><li>The standard grippers were not agile enough. Due to their size, the sides of the gripper were in danger of colliding with the machine at certain bending angles, causing the system to stop.</li><li>Manufacturing custom grippers was too slow.&nbsp;Ideally, a different gripper should be used for different sheet thickness and blank size. Outsourcing the job to a CNC machine shop would take at least two weeks, which is unacceptable.</li></ul><h2>End-to-end Design &amp; Digital Manufacturing Workflow</h2>To overcome these challenges, the engineers of Add-it re-designed the gripper for Additive Manufacturing. They selected metal 3D printing in 17-4 PH stainless steel with Desktop Metal’s Studio System as the manufacturing process due to its ability to quickly produce metal parts in-house.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1635924709859-add-it-cs-image-04-v2-scaled.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">A breakdown of the redesign process — from concept to application in less than 4 days&nbsp;</div>The team also considered polymer 3D printing as an option but quickly moved away from this solution. For heavy-duty industrial applications, a polymer gripper would wear quickly, loosening the clamping efficiency and reducing the accuracy of the process over time. In this application, repeatability was essential.A primary goal for this project was to create a process that could be easily replicated. A reusable design process would allow the team to modify the gripper quickly and adjust it to the specific needs of each manufacturing job. This way, the team could create an end-to-end digital manufacturing workflow.&nbsp;nTopology was a natural choice for the engineering team. “We immediately decided to start this project with nTopology due to the variety of grips that we could make,” mentioned Gianluigi Rossi, the lead design engineer of this project.<h2>Increasing Grip Force using Lattice Structures</h2>Friction is often not enough to ensure a good grip, especially when precise positioning under high loading conditions is required. A common way to increase grip — and hence the reliability of the bending process — is to add a traction pattern to the robot gripper. The grooves of a traction pattern cause the softer material to deform (in this case, the aluminum sheet), mechanically interlocking the parts together and increasing grip.The engineers of Add-it experimented with two initial design variations. First, they consolidated the assembly of the gripper and the stop reference into a single component. Then, they applied two different patterns to the gripper: grooves created using a surface lattice and honeycomb-like perforation pattern. The goal of this conservative DfAM redesign was to test the accuracy of the metal 3D printing process.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1635924737550-add-it-cs-image-05-scaled.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">They found through testing that the honeycomb-like perforation pattern provided better traction and was easier to manufacture using metal 3D printing. This design was used as a basis for the later iterations.What stood out to the team during this project was the speed of iterations. They moved from concept to application in less than 4 days.&nbsp;This rapid momentum was enabled to a large extent by the design capabilities of nTopology.<blockquote>“Shifting from classic CAD software to nTopology is a radical leap. I interfaced with another way of working and thinking. This software can open new paths, such as reusing the same workflow for other geometries and sharing it with colleagues. This is a unique time-saving in the working environment. In one afternoon, we managed to make the component we needed. In a few minutes, we could change the type of grip and produce a part that was ready to manufacture.” <cite>Gianluigi Rossi, Design Engineer, Add-it</cite></blockquote><h2>Topology Optimization to Design More Agile Robots</h2>The closer the gripper can reach the press brake, the safer and more repeatable the process can get. However, even small variations in sheet thickness can cause the gripper to collide with the machine tool at certain angles, resulting in stops. Replacing the standard gripper with a more slender design expands the robot’s safe zone and increases its agility.&nbsp;This was the objective of the second design iteration. The engineers of Add-it used nTopology’s built-in topology optimization capabilities to generate a gripper with optimized geometry. The primary goal was not to reduce the part’s weight but to create a design with similar performance — stiffness, grip force, weight — but a smaller footprint.&nbsp;The topology optimized gripper enabled the system to perform more delicate robotic operations and handle smaller metal sheets. “We estimated the space that we needed to save in the volume of the clamps. It was a matter of a few millimeters. Still, it was a few millimeters that counted in this application,” Rossi notes.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1635924763041-add-it-cs-image-06-scaled.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Overview of the fully automated post-topology optimization design workflow in nTopology&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>The team designed and 3D printed two variations of the topology optimized gripper using two different levels for the density threshold. Using nTopology, Rossi automatically reconstructed and smoothened the topology optimization results, bypassing a time-consuming manual step that is common in other software. Since the team didn’t have to recreate the part geometry manually, multiple variations could be generated with only a few clicks.&nbsp;In fact, when Add-it first started using nTopology, they used to <a href="https://ntopology.com/videos/video/ntop-live-automated-reconstruction-of-topology-optimization-from-altair-optistruct-in-ntopology/" target="_blank">import results of third part topology optimization tools</a> in nTopology — like Altair Optistruct® — just to take advantage of the software’s automated reconstruction capabilities. Now, the Add-it team is using nTopology for all their topology optimization needs due to its streamlined workflows and greater level control.<h2>Ensuring Process Reliability with Reusable Design Processes</h2>Every unforeseen change in the design has an impact on the quality of the end product. In the case of the gripper, even a few millimeters can make your process reliable or unreliable. The more flexible you are at adapting your tools to an ever-changing environment, the better the chances to succeed as a business.For Preziosa Francesco, the redesigned gripper greatly improved process reliability. By eliminating stops, it unlocked lights-out manufacturing and the full utilization of their robotic manufacturing system.Additionally, the ability to produce the parts they needed in-house in a few days enables Preziosa Francesco to adapt their system on short notice. They can also revisit their processes when necessary. The reusable design workflows created in nTopology were the missing link for taking full advantage of its Desktop Metal Studio System’s manufacturing capabilities.<blockquote>“If you don’t have a very repeatable process, you are forced to run production only during the day. It is very economically difficult to have these machines operate during day-shift only. Theoretically, you can have a very clever production system. But if it doesn’t work as intended because of a cheap part, an investment worth hundreds of thousands is at stake. nTopology allowed us to use robotic manufacturing our Desktop Metal Studio System to its full potential.” <cite>Marco Preziosa, CEO, Preziosa Francesco SRL</cite></blockquote><h2>The Next Steps</h2>With the new grippers proving their value in action, Preziosca Francesco SLR and Add-it are now looking to replicate this process of other applications. For example, they are designing clamp replacements and spare parts for the company’s punching machine.&nbsp;As for improvements on the existing workflow, the engineers of Add-it are now investigating how to create a new topology optimized version of the gripper that is twice as long while remaining durable and reliable. This way, they would generate a customizable clamping tool that is even more maneuverable and flexible.<hr>This article was first published on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ntopology.com/case-studies/robot-gripper-topology-optimization-metal-3d-printing/" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nTopology blog</a>.

Close-up of the robot with the redesigned gripper in action

Preziosa Francesco SRL & Add-it redesigned the grippers of their in-house press brake bending robotic cell for metal 3D printing. The final design was ready for application in just 4 days, increased system reliability, bypassed a supply chain bottleneck, and enabled lights-out manufacturing.

Agile Industrial Robot Grippers with Topology Optimization & Metal 3D Printing

<h3 id="isPasted">40 Complex Parts Rapidly Produced for Safety and Endurance Testing</h3>Nicolas Edel is a Pre-Development Engineer at Mahle, one of the largest automotive suppliers in the world. He is currently overseeing the development of a new generation of high-voltage heaters that are compatible with the 800-volt architecture in fast-charging electric vehicles.He recently placed an urgent order with Protolabs to machine two small batches of complex aluminium parts, so that approximately twenty new casing prototypes could be produced. The prototypes, which were intended for concept and design validation, as well as extensive endurance and safety tests, had to demonstrate mechanical performances and dielectric properties that are as close as possible to the parts from the series, which will be made from vacuum-cast aluminium.Working from the original CAD model, and despite an average machining time of 20 hours per part, Protolabs rose to the dual challenge of speed and quality. The first 10 parts were delivered in an incredible six days and the remaining 30 parts were delivered in just three weeks.<h3>A New Generation of High-voltage Heaters for 800-volt Vehicles</h3>The constant voltage increase in vehicles’ electrical architecture has led to changes being made to the air conditioning systems in vehicle interiors. There are still only a small number of high-voltage electrical heaters, like those provided by Mahle, that can be directly connected to the 800-volt architecture in new fast-charging electric vehicles. This is because, despite the benefits provided through reduced electricity consumption and a lower conductor weight, they pose major constraints around design and safety.Mahle has managed to overcome these constraints and, thanks to its broad range of expertise, can meet all of the manufacturer’s specifications with integrated solutions that do not require any cables or additional interfaces.<h3>One Casing, Four Functions</h3>The aluminium casing designed by Mahle (with initial prototypes <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/services/cnc-machining/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-mahle-case-study-1221&utm_content=wevolver-mahle-case-study-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CNC Machining">machined</a> by <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-mahle-case-study-1221&utm_content=wevolver-mahle-case-study-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="United Kingdom">Protolabs</a>) performs four functions at once. It protects electronic components from dust and humidity, acts as a Faraday cage, allows heat transfer between electronics and ambient air flows and, finally, helps to mechanically secure customer interfaces.Each of these functions have implications on the selection of the <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/materials/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-mahle-case-study-1221&utm_content=wevolver-mahle-case-study-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Materials">aluminium alloy</a> used.“When producing the machined prototypes, we could not use the series alloy”, explained Nicolas Edel. “We selected the 6082 alloy, which Protolabs had recommended to us on a previous project with the same constraints. It provides an excellent balance between thermal conductivity, mechanical strength and machining precision”.<h3>From CAD Design to Machined Part</h3>As previously mentioned, both casing parts were designed for vacuum casting. Despite their complexity, the DFM (Design for Manufacturability) was validated by Protolabs’ proprietary software with very few changes required.“On these parts, we have very thin walls, very small areas between some walls and corners connected to the cast, which make machining difficult”, explained Nicolas Edel. “The Protolabs experts were responsible for modifying the non-machinable parts. We received a revised DFM 24 hours after submitting our parts and we immediately accepted it. If we had to redesign our parts, we would have lost quite a few days”.Nicolas Edel added, “We ordered an initial batch of five units of each part in order to check for correct assembly. We only needed to make very small adjustments. The DFM was updated by Protolabs and we moved on to the second batch. Given the machining time required on each part (20 hours on average), we were assured by the sales department that the deadlines would be met. However, we were confident about Protolabs’ production capacity, since we had already put it to the test for a similar part. The 30 parts for the second batch were delivered in three weeks, as scheduled”.<blockquote>“We received a revised DFM 24 hours after submitting our parts and we immediately accepted it. If we had to redesign our parts, we would have lost quite a few days.”</blockquote>When asked about the <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-mahle-case-study-1221&utm_content=wevolver-mahle-case-study-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Protolabs&nbsp;</a>service, Nicolas Edel summed it up in two words: timely and efficient.Explaining further, he said, ‘Their processes are reliable and their sales and technical teams are available if you need them. The digital interface suits me perfectly and saves a good deal of time. I can get a quote in 10 minutes if my DFM is correct and I can place my order directly. What’s more, I have control over my parts.’Nicolas Edel, Pre-Development Engineer, Mahle

Protolabs supported Mahle, one of the largest automotive manufacturers in the world, with the development of a new generation of high-voltage heaters.

Protolabs Rapidly Machines 'Phase A' Validation Parts for Vacuum Casting

At first glance the relatively new <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/services/3d-printing/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-design-tip-1221&utm_content=wevolver-design-tip-mjf-sls-comparison-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3D printing</a> technology <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/services/3d-printing/multi-jet-fusion/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-design-tip-1221&utm_content=wevolver-design-tip-mjf-sls-comparison-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Multi Jet Fusion</a> (MJF) may appear to be a replacement for <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/services/3d-printing/selective-laser-sintering/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-design-tip-1221&utm_content=wevolver-design-tip-mjf-sls-comparison-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">selective laser sintering</a> (SLS) after all both build parts from thermoplastic nylon but MJF is faster, more precise and produces more consistent mechanical properties throughout the part. &nbsp;But don’t ditch SLS just yet it still has some advantages over this new kid on the block, it all depends on what you need your part for.&nbsp;<h2>Building 3D parts</h2>Both processes build parts by thermally fusing, or sintering, polymer powder particles one layer at a time and both use thermoplastic polymers which are usually nylon. The difference is that SLS uses a laser to scan and sinter each cross section, while with MJF ink is dispensed onto the powder as a fusing agent to promote the absorption of infra-red light which fuses these inked layers.Both produce durable parts for functional testing and end use.&nbsp;<h2>How do they compare?</h2>Cost. One big difference is that MJF is faster so its manufacturing costs tend to be lower.Cost is important but it is not the only thing to consider you also need to think about feature resolution, surface finish, materials, colours and mechanical properties.Feature resolution.&nbsp;Using MJF you can produce smaller features right down to 0.5mm. &nbsp;SLS in comparison comes in with features between 0.75 to 1.0mm depending on which material you use. &nbsp;Sadly it’s not quite that simple though because although you can have smaller features with MJF, SLS is better for smaller feature accuracy.Surface finish.&nbsp;In theory MJF edges this, but both technologies produce parts with a grainy texture so you will need to consider some post processing for both.Materials.&nbsp;The main material for both is nylon, but SLS does offer you more options such as carbon filled PA and glass filled PA which give additional mechanical properties. &nbsp;But watch this space as far as material selection is concerned because things change rapidly in the 3D printing world. Until recently SLS could produce these and MJF could not, but now you can get parts from this great material using MJF as well.Colour.&nbsp;Here the clear winner is SLS since you can die SLS parts to almost any colour that you want. It’s more limited with MJF because the fusing agent used is black since dark materials tend to absorb infrared radiation better. &nbsp;It means MJF parts have a light grey appearance, which your supplier can dye to black for cosmetic reasons if needed.Mechanical properties.&nbsp;Again at first glance you would think that MJF wins this one because the way that it builds parts means that you tend to get more consistent mechanical properties along all directions of its geometry. If you have key features on multiple surfaces then MJF may be the better option.But don’t forget that SLS offers you more materials – all of which have different mechanical properties – so you will need to delve a bit further and decide what mechanical properties are important for your part.Size of part. &nbsp;Here you will need to check what dimensions your supplier can provide. Generally SLS can produce bigger parts.At Protolabs the maximum size for SLS is 676mm x 367mm x 564mm. &nbsp;This compares to a maximum size for MJF parts of 284mm x 380mm x 380mm and we actually recommend maximum dimensions of 200mm x 200mm x 200mm to avoid warping and dimensional inaccuracy.Number of parts you need.&nbsp;If you need more parts then MJF is faster so it can produce more parts in a shorter time period so delivery will be faster.&nbsp;Ultimately both SLS and MJF are great for producing functional parts with good dimensional accuracy in pretty much any geometry that you want. &nbsp;Which one you choose will depend on what you need from your part.&nbsp;For questions on any of our services at Protolabs, please contact an applications engineer at <a href="mailto:customerservice@protolabs.co.uk" target="_blank">customerservice@protolabs.co.uk</a>&nbsp; or +44 (0) 1952 683047. Have a design ready for 3D printing? Upload it now for an <a data-udi="umb://document/fa72233928c74ef98633b08e7958054e" href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/ecom/get-a-quote/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-design-tip-1221&utm_content=wevolver-design-tip-mjf-sls-comparison-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Get A Quote">instant quote</a>.

Multi Jet Fusion parts (left) will typically have improved surface finishes and mechanical properties compared to SLS parts (right).

New 3D printing technology Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) may appear to be a replacement for selective laser sintering (SLS) after all both build parts from thermoplastic nylon but MJF is faster, more precise and produces more consistent mechanical properties throughout the part.  

MJF vs SLS 3D printing - A head-to-head comparison

<a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-3dp-oil-gas-webinar-0921&utm_content=wevolver-oil-gas-on-demand-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Protolabs&nbsp;</a>recently hosted a unique oil and gas focused panel discussion titled <a href="https://get.protolabs.co.uk/oil-and-gas/webinar-replay/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-3dp-oil-gas-webinar-0921&utm_content=wevolver-oil-gas-on-demand-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Future Thinking: How 3D Printing and Certification Will Change the Oil and Gas Industry</a>. The online panel discussion featured Shell Digital Supply Chain Manager, Angeline Goh, DNV Principal Consultant Materials Advisor, Dr Sastry Kandukuri and Protolabs’ Application Engineer Tasos Pantelis, all discussing the future of the industry and how additive manufacturing will play an important role. The panel touched on topics like aging assets, replacing discontinued parts, certification, speed to market, and the ways in which manufacturers, like Protolabs, can support the industry. Each speaker brought their own unique insight to the discussion, providing industry-specific information and viewpoints. “We are facing some challenges with aging assets and as a result there is an increased demand for some spare parts that are no longer available in the market.”Angeline Goh, Digital Supply Chain Manager, Shell&nbsp;“Additive manufacturing is in a very good place, and DNV is working with other companies to help build trust and convince the industry of its benefits. Certification is the best way to achieve that.” Dr Sastry Kandukuri, Principal Consultant Materials Advisor, DNV&nbsp;“By taking advantage of Protolabs’ short lead times, businesses can minimise costs and ensure everything continues to run smoothly.”&nbsp;Tasos Pantelis, &nbsp;Application Engineer, Protolabs&nbsp; This short teaser shows Angeline discussing the benefits of collaboration between oil and gas service providers in sharing their experiences and knowledge of additive manufacturing practices. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ti3nUcsnulI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> If you missed the discussion, you can catch the entire event on demand by clicking <a href="https://get.protolabs.co.uk/oil-and-gas/webinar-replay/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-3dp-oil-gas-webinar-0921&utm_content=wevolver-oil-gas-on-demand-1221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

3D printing offers many benefits to the oil and gas industry including guaranteed quality standards, greater flexibility of design parts, less product development time, reduced carbon emissions, less waste, reduced costs and rapid turnaround from order receipt to product delivery.

How can 3D printing and certification change the oil and gas industry?

<html><head></head><body>What is Digital Manufacturing?It’s the complete digital integration of automation and advanced technology throughout the manufacturing process – from the moment you upload a 3D CAD model to when we ship your physical parts out the door.Digital manufacturing is also much more than just 3D printing. It’s technology agnostic, including everything from additive (3D printing) to subtractive (machining) to formative (injection moulding) manufacturing, and any other fabrication processes that are enabled by software.But really, it’s accelerated turnaround times, cost savings, risk reduction, unlimited capacity, parts on demand, when you need them.This is digital manufacturing.&nbsp;Want to learn more? <a href="https://get.protolabs.co.uk/digital-manufacturing-guide/?utm_source=wevolver&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=uk-digital-mfg-guide-1121&amp;utm_content=wevolver-digital-mfg-guide-1121" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Protolabs’ comprehensive digital manufacturing guide</a> further explores how to utilise digital manufacturing, 15 design tips to reduce manufacturing costs, how to select the right digital manufacturing process for your project and a comparison of manufacturing processes. <a href="https://get.protolabs.co.uk/digital-manufacturing-guide/?utm_source=wevolver&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=uk-digital-mfg-guide-1121&amp;utm_content=wevolver-digital-mfg-guide-1121" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Download the guide here</a>.</body></html>

Accelerate development and reduce production costs to create agility throughout your product life cycle

Protolabs' One-stop Guide to Digital Manufacturing

The Protolabs Insight video series will help you master digital manufacturing.Every Friday we’ll post a new video – each one giving you a deeper Insight into how to design better parts. We’ll cover specific topics such as choosing the right 3D printing material, optimising your design for CNC machining, surface finishes for moulded parts, and much more besides.<a href="https://get.protolabs.co.uk/insight-registration/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-insight-video-0919&utm_content=wevolver-insight-subscription-1121" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Never miss an Insight by subscribing here</a>.<hr><h3>Insight: Undercut Fundamentals</h3>TranscriptHi and welcome to another insight video. &nbsp;This week I’m going to be talking about a common problem that we come across when designing parts for injection moulding. &nbsp;I’m going to cover what you need to think about for undercuts.Now undercuts can be a bit of a nightmare to deal with, especially when it comes to ejecting parts from their moulds. This means that the most common piece of advice you’re going to hear around them is to just avoid them altogether. Which is great if you can manage it, but sometimes the nature of the part you’re making means that you need an undercut somewhere.With this in mind, we’re going to run through a handful of different ways that you can reduce the annoyance that stems from using an undercut.Number one: Make use of your parting lines. These lines are where the two halves of your mould intersect, and if you place them with a bit of thought it can eliminate the issue entirely.Think of moulding a capital H. Normally you’d have two horrible undercuts if placed on its side, but if you place it upright there would be none.Of course, not every part is going to be able to accommodate this kind of jiggery-pokery, in which case we need to get a little bit more creative.For example, if the undercut isn’t too severe you can use a bumpoff. This is where you set your part up so that the plastic can gently bend its way around the lip of the undercut - if you think of something that snaps into place, like a camera lens cover or the lid of a Tupperware container, that was probably made using a bumpoff.This is a great way to mould these kinds of parts, but it does have some pretty strict requirements. The bumpoff must be smooth and have a decent radius, and the material you’re working with needs to be on the flexible side of things. If it’s completely rigid, it’s not going to get round that corner.If that doesn’t work with your part, you could always look at using a side-action. These are basically inserts that slide into the mould as it closes, and are slid out as it opens, allowing you to create undercuts in places that would normally make the part difficult – if not impossible to eject.These are great tools that can help make designs actually workable, but they do add some extra complexity into the equation. Also, you’re fairly limited on how big the side-action can be and where it can be placed if you want to automate things.Of course, if you’re willing to have the inserts loaded by hand, you get a lot more flexibility. You can make some really impressive shapes by inserting machined pieces of metal into the mould cavity, and because the inserts get ejected along with the rest of the part you don’t need to worry so much about the issues you get from conventional undercuts.If you’ve been watching and paying attention to the pattern of these videos, you can probably guess that this is the point where I have to point out the limitations, though. The big one is the fact that you need someone to manually load and extract the inserts, and if you’ve ever visited a fancy gift-shop you’ll know that making something “hand-crafted” can drive up the costs. On top of this, the hands that are doing the work are usually covered with pretty thick gloves, what with the hot plastic. This means your inserts can’t be too small or too fiddly, or the operator isn’t going to be able to get them out.The final technique you can use to make undercuts a little more manageable is a telescoping shutoff, which is also known as a sliding shutoff. This is essentially a long shutoff machined into the mould so that it extends – or telescopes – into the other side of the mould. These are great for making hooks and clips without having to faff around with inserts or the like.You just have to be a bit careful about having some draft where the shutoff meets the other side of the mould. You really don’t want metal rubbing on metal. That’s very bad for the tools, and can cause flash.Right, that’s a lot of information to take in, but that’s also all that we have time for! Have a great weekend and make sure to come back next week when I’ll have another Insight video waiting for you.<hr>Watch other Protolabs Insight videos <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/resources/insight/insight-video-library/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-insight-video-0919&utm_content=wevolver-insight-library-1121" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>, or <a href="https://get.protolabs.co.uk/insight-registration/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-insight-video-0919&utm_content=wevolver-insight-subscription-1121" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribe here</a> to never miss an Insight.

This video will look at a common problem when designing parts for injection moulding, undercuts. The most common piece of advice you will get, is avoid them if you can, but sometimes you can’t. With this in mind, we will give a handful of tips that can help alleviate design issues caused by them.

20240119-Protolabs Insight: Undercut Fundamentals

The Protolabs Insight video series will help you master digital manufacturing.Every Friday we’ll post a new video – each one giving you a deeper Insight into how to design better parts. We’ll cover specific topics such as choosing the right 3D printing material, optimising your design for CNC machining, surface finishes for moulded parts, and much more besides.<a href="https://get.protolabs.co.uk/insight-registration/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-insight-video-0919&utm_content=wevolver-insight-subscription-1121" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Never miss an Insight by subscribing here</a>.<hr><h3>Insight: 3D Printing Sustainability</h3>TranscriptHi and welcome to another video. This time, we’re going to be tackling a topic that seems to be cropping up in every headline – sustainability.Sustainability in general is something that’s probably a bit too weighty a topic to take on in a five-minute video. So, instead, we’re going to be taking a look at how sustainability relates to 3D printing as a technology, how it stacks up against other manufacturing methods and what shortcomings it might have.Right. That’s all very weighty stuff, but let’s start things off with some good news: In general, 3D printing is viewed as pretty sustainable.There are a couple of big reasons for this. Firstly, and most obviously, the process doesn’t produce all that much in the way of waste. The fact that it’s an additive technology – one where we’re adding material as we build, rather than removing it - means that when you 3D print a part, that’s just what you get. Beyond some burrs and maybe a few support struts, nothing is wasted.Compare this to, say, CNC machining, where the parts you’re making are being cut from a big block of material. In many builds you’re looking at about half of the original material being cut away, and if you have a particularly complex part this can easily go as high as ninety percent.That’s a lot of waste, and even if you’re working with a material that can be recycled, the process of sorting out this waste and processing it eats up energy.Another boost to 3D printing’s sustainability comes in the form of its ability to produce parts quickly, and on-demand.Okay, the benefits of this this one are a little less obvious, but think about how this factors into producing prototypes or low-volume parts. When you’re using a technology like injection-moulding, where you need to create expensive moulds and tooling, manufacturers often intentionally produce surpluses, just in case something goes wrong or demand is higher than expected. This is a sensible move, as once you’ve made the investment in tooling the cost of a few extra units isn’t particularly significant, but it’s not a particularly sustainable way to do things.If you’re 3D printing parts, however, it’s easy to make exactly the amount you need, when you need them. And if you need to make a few changes to the design, that’s super-simple too – no need to throw out a pile of stockpiled parts.Finally, we have the fact that 3D printing can allow you to create lighter, more efficient parts. There are plenty of light-weight designs that simply wouldn’t work with more traditional manufacturing methods, and not only do these help reduce the amount of material being used, they also cut down on emissions associated with shipping. Even a ten percent weight saving can add up when you’re sending pallets of parts across the globe.All of these factors add up to help the technology become more sustainable, especially when compared to other manufacturing techniques such as CNC and injection moulding. There’s even room for things to improve as our processes become more and more efficient.Having said all that, it’s important we don’t pat ourselves on the back too quickly. There are still some areas where 3D printing can potentially lose some sustainability points.For one thing, note that when we were talking about waste earlier, I said that 3D printing causes “less” waste, not “no” waste. We still tend to throw away some material, in the form of post-processing waste.This is all the stuff we print that isn’t part of the finished part, with supports being the main culprit. If you’re making a complex part, a decent amount of the material you use can end up being clipped off and tossed in the recycling.This is something you need to keep in mind if you want to make your designs as sustainable as possible. The fewer supports, in general, the better. It’s good for the environment, and it’s good for your bottom line.On top of this, there have also been concerns that the flexibility of 3D printing might lead to increased consumption of plastic parts. Basically, if there are more goods on the market, people are probably going to buy them, and from an environmental point of view this isn’t exactly ideal. Not sure if there’s an engineering solution to that one, unfortunately.On that cheerful note, that’s about all the time we have today. Check back in next week, and we will have another video ready and waiting for you.<hr>Watch other Protolabs Insight videos <a href="https://www.protolabs.co.uk/resources/insight/insight-video-library/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-insight-video-0919&utm_content=wevolver-insight-library-1121" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>, or <a href="https://get.protolabs.co.uk/insight-registration/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-insight-video-0919&utm_content=wevolver-insight-subscription-1121" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribe here</a> to never miss an Insight.

Sustainability itself is a weighty topic, so this video will focus on how sustainability relates to the 3D printing process, how it stacks up against other manufacturing methods.

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