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Renishaw unveils revolutionary LIBERTAS™ 3DP tech

Renishaw's new LIBERTAS software technology addresses two of the most persistent challenges in metal AM: poor downskin surface finish and the need for support structures. Users have greater freedom to manufacture complex geometries.
Read the full article.

Innovate like a PRO: Protolabs' new AI-enabled manufacturing platform

ProDesk by Protolabs accelerates innovation for product development and procurement teams. It features real-time, AI-powered quoting with design for manufacturability (DFM) analysis across injection molding, CNC machining, and 3D printing. The platform enables seamless team collaboration and customizes quotes with instant feedback on materials, lead times, secondary operations, and finishes prior to production.
Learn more.

SDP/SI Shaftloc Fastening System

Shaftloc is a unique, reusable locking device for securely mounting mechanical components like gears and sprockets onto shafts without the need for keyways, set screws, or adhesives. Its simple, two-piece design offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional fasteners, providing high clamping force and vibration resistance. Installed with standard tools, Shaftloc is perfect for designers seeking flexible, hubless mounting solutions. Available in four styles.
Learn more from SDP/SI.

How Autodesk Research uses Markforged 3D printing

In advanced R&D, "good enough" doesn't cut it. To pioneer its Performance-Aided Design (PAD) workflow, Autodesk Research partnered with Markforged to close the gap between digital simulation and reality. Using sensors and digital twins, PAD replaces delayed field reports with real-time feedback. To test this high-stakes system, Autodesk built massive UAV platforms -- including a 300-lb aircraft. Facing extreme dynamic loads and weather, these drones provide the ultimate torture test for rapid design iteration.
View the video.

Top Tech Tip: How do you 3D print STL files?

Learn the basics of 3D printing STL files -- the files that serve as the digital foundation for 3D printing -- and a whole lot more from the experts at Xometry. These files have advantages, of course, but did you know they have disadvantages too? Also learn about STL tools and programs, and how to reduce file size or even repair a file you are having trouble with.
Read the Xometry article.

When metals can't survive: Machined ceramics as an alternative

Technical Ceramics are so hard and wear resistant that they cannot be machined with conventional tools -- but they can outlast and outperform other materials in demanding or harsh applications. INSACO's proprietary diamond grinding process and specialized techniques developed over many decades allow the company to produce and document parts to exacting specifications consistently. Learn all about the alternatives you have when metals just can't take it.
Read the INSACO article.

Radio Flyer cuts ebike prototype time radically with Fuse X1 large-format SLS 3D printer

Radio Flyer cut prototype lead times for its Flyer Loop cargo ebike frame from two months to two days using Formlabs' new Fuse X1 SLS large-format 3D printer. "We can now print an entire Flyer Loop cargo ebike overnight and be gluing it together the next day," said Agostino LoBello, product development engineer at Radio Flyer. "I can iterate three times as often with nine times less labor." The Fuse X1 delivers production-quality parts with 50% lower costs and triple the throughput of comparable industrial systems, featuring automated powder handling and a compact, easy-to-install design. [Credit: Image courtesy of Formlabs]
View the video.

Compact industrial sand 3D printer

ExOne has launched the S-Print Pro, a compact industrial sand 3D printer that brings production-grade binder jetting to smaller foundries, pattern shops, and print service providers. Aimed at businesses competing on cost and flexibility, it handles low-volume casting, spare parts, and custom components. The system processes furan binder with silica sand, CeraBeads, or silicon carbide.
Learn more about this capable machine.

Engineer's Toolbox: How to pin a shaft and hub assembly properly

One of the primary benefits of using a coiled spring pin to affix a hub or gear to a shaft is the coiled pin's ability to prevent hole damage. Another is the coiled pin absorbs wider hole tolerances than any other press-fit pin. This translates to lower total manufacturing costs of the assembly. However, there are a few design guidelines that must be adhered to in order to achieve the maximum strength of the pinned system and prevent damage to the assembly.
Read this very informative SPIROL article.

Get reliable labeling done right

Videojet Technologies has released the Videojet 9310 label applicator, designed to simplify everyday labeling on rigid and flexible packaging. Using Intelligent Motion technology, it digitally controls label tension and alignment to ensure consistent placement with minimal manual adjustments. The system features a simple label path, an intuitive touchscreen, and flexible mounting options to reduce downtime and keep production moving.
Learn more.

Your phone is now your smartest hydraulic tool

Commissioning a proportional valve traditionally requires cables, laptops, and complex software. The new Bosch Rexroth 4WRAE valve changes that. Featuring integrated digital electronics and Bluetooth connectivity, it pairs with the "easy2connect" app. Technicians can now visualize performance, adjust settings, diagnose errors, and force solenoids directly from their phones, simplifying setup for IO-Link or analog systems.
Learn more.

A new take on indexing plungers

JW Winco has expanded its extensive standard parts range with the GN 823 indexing plunger. Featuring an intuitive operating lever, it allows easy activation with a single finger, even when wearing gloves or out of sight. Available in screw-on or weldable stainless steel variants, this robust component suits both delicate installations and heavy-duty industrial applications. Available in two installation options: screw fastening or welding.
Learn more.

Fast-cure composite for aero and defense manufacturing

Toray Composite Materials America has launched 3960-FC, a fast-cure variant of its high-performance 3960 prepreg system for mission-critical aerospace and defense applications. This material reduces cure time by up to 45% while maintaining proven mechanical performance, stiffness, and exceptional toughness. It is highly compatible with automated manufacturing technologies like AFP and ATL, as well as traditional processing methods.
Learn more.

Best high-speed rotary bearing in THK history

THK's High-Speed, Double-Row Angular Contact Ring BWH is the fastest rotary bearing in company history. By utilizing balls inside a cage instead of rollers, this new structure achieves unprecedented speeds. It supports loads from all directions while matching the high rigidity and rotational accuracy of standard cross-roller ring design options.
Learn more.

100,000 hours: KNF diaphragm pump achieves exceptional lifetime

Reaching 100,000 hours of uninterrupted performance is a remarkable achievement for micro diaphragm gas pumps. It represents more than 11 years of continuous operation in a controlled environment, exceeding the demands of most real-world applications. This milestone highlights KNF's engineering expertise and the reliability built into every pump.
Get a closer look at the 100,000-hour lifetime test.

3D printer could turn International Space Station into 'machine shop'; mission launch this week

By Jessica Eagan,
International Space Station Program Science Office,
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

Riddle: It's the size of a small microwave, and it may alleviate the need for NASA astronauts to wait for resupply ships to arrive at the International Space Station to get some essential items.

Answer: A 3D printer -- the first ever to be flown to space. And it could change the way NASA does business aboard the space station.

The 3D Printing In Zero-G Technology Demonstration (3D Printing In Zero-G), led out of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL, provided a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award to Made In Space Inc. to build the first 3D printer for operation in microgravity. It is scheduled to launch to the station aboard the SpaceX-4 resupply mission Sept. 20 at 2:16 a.m. Eastern.

The 3D printer passed flight certification and acceptance testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL, in April. The technology demonstration will print objects in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG). The MSG Engineering Unit at Marshall is pictured in the background. [Image Credit: NASA/Emmett Given]

 

 

 

 

The project is supported by three NASA customers: the International Space Station Technology Development Office at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston; the Advanced Exploration Systems division within the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington; and the Game Changing Development Program within the Space Technology Mission Directorate, also at NASA Headquarters.

Researchers hope to show that a 3D printer can work normally in space and produce parts equitable to those printed on the ground. It works by extruding heated plastic, which then builds layer upon layer to create three-dimensional objects. Testing this on the station is the first step toward creating a working "machine shop" in space. This capability may decrease cost and risk on the station, will be critical when space explorers venture far from Earth, and will create an on-demand supply chain for needed tools and parts. [Material flow, obviously, is a main concern during the test, because materials can flow differently in microgravity.]

If the printer is successful, it will not only serve as the first demonstration of additive manufacturing in microgravity, but it also will bring NASA and Made In Space a big step closer to evolving in-space manufacturing for future missions to destinations such as an asteroid and Mars.

Long-term missions would benefit greatly from onboard manufacturing capabilities. Data and experience gathered in this demonstration will improve future 3D manufacturing technology and equipment for the space program, allowing a greater degree of autonomy and flexibility for astronauts.

"I remember when the tip broke off a tool during a mission," recalls NASA astronaut TJ Creamer, who flew aboard the space station during Expedition 22/23 from December 2009 to June 2010. "I had to wait for the next shuttle to come up to bring me a new one. Now, rather than wait for a resupply ship to bring me a new tool, in the future, I could just print it."

Mike Snyder and Jason Dunn, both from Made In Space, assemble the 3D printer that will fly to the International Space Station. [Image Credit: Made In Space]

 

 

So, if something breaks, like a wrench for instance, how long will it take to print one? It depends on the size and complexity of the part. Depending on these factors, it can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to print a part on the station. The computer-aided design model, which serves as the instructions, can be pre-loaded on the printer or uplinked from the ground to the station printer. It requires minimal crew time, as it can be operated primarily from ground control at Marshall's Operations Support Center.

"This means that we could go from having a part designed on the ground to printed in orbit within an hour to two from start to finish," said Niki Werkheiser, NASA's 3D print project manager. "The on-demand capability can revolutionize the constrained supply chain model we are limited to today and will be critical for exploration missions."

Not only will the printer decrease cost, but it also will decrease risk -- and increase efficiency.

"NASA is great at planning for component failures and contingencies; however, there's always the potential for unknown scenarios that you couldn't possibly think of ahead of time," said Ken Cooper, the principal investigator at Marshall for 3D printing. "That's where a 3D printer in space can pay off. While the first experiment is designed to test the 3D printing process in microgravity, it is the first step in sustaining longer missions beyond low-Earth orbit."

Video: Mike Chen, strategic officer at Made in Space at Design Night: Found in Space [Video from Autodesk]

Lessons learned from this 3D demonstration will be used for the next-generation printer known as the Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF). The AMF will be a commercial printer that will enable not only NASA to print needed parts, but will also set a precedent as the first facility ever to provide anyone on Earth -- including academia and industry from around the world -- the opportunity to manufacture parts in space.

The program has spurred a stellar K-12 educational outreach initiative coined "Future Engineers." Future Engineers announced the first 3D Printing Challenge at the recent White House Maker Faire, which will allow students to design items that could be selected for print on the station.

In April, the Made In Space 3D printer successfully passed all flight certification and acceptance testing at Marshall, and the flight hardware was turned over for flight integration. Very soon, the astronauts aboard the space station will get to try out this innovative technology first-hand in a whole new environment: space.

Published September 2014

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