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DMLS News

30
Apr, 2020

By Stephanie Wehrhan

Additive Manufacturing and Post Processing – A synergetic relationship

In the world of Additive Manufacturing, 3D printing is usually the first thing that comes to mind. However there is something equally as important in AM, and that’s strong relationships with post processing vendors. Once a part has been 3D printed, they are often not complete for a customers proposed application. This is why we rely on a synergetic relationship with post processing services to help us provide a complete and finished product that meets the customers criteria. The most common post processing services utilized in the AM industry today are Post-Machining, HIP treatment, and Anodizing.

Our friends at Cascade Precision Inc, an Oregon based AS9100 and ISO9001 certified Post-Machining company help to post process parts that require further assistance before they are considered complete. Post-Machine shops utilize high precision CNC machines to either lath or mill a part to meet given parameters or tolerances.

When parts need their density increased, heat combined with pressure is applied to the material from all directions in a manufacturing process called HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing). Argon is the most commonly used pressure medium. After optimal HIP treatment is applied to parts tensile strength can increase significantly based on the ductility desired by the customer.

When aiming to give a part a certain cosmetic look, customers rely on anodizing services. Anodizing hardens and coats parts to make them tougher and give them a specific color chosen by the customer. Anodizing can differ between soft and hard coating, soft coating provides a thin coating while hard coating provides a thicker coating to help prevent corrosion.

Looking to the future, the importance of maintaining a synergetic relationship with post processing services cannot be overlooked. This relationship is crucial to meet the dynamic demands of the AM industry. i3D is committed to establishing strong working relationships with post processing services in order to provide the best product possible to suite our customers needs.

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24
Apr, 2020

By Stephanie Wehrhan

i3D April News – COVID 19

Greetings,

Over the past several weeks, life has changed for all of us. From social distancing to adapting to a new normal we all are adjusting to a different way of life built on hope, creativity, and community while bound by one question: “When is this going to end?” The answer is we don’t know.

We do know that some things won’t change, i3D is proud to be an essential business. Our staff has been closely following all CDC recommended guidelines for keeping workplaces clean and safe. Policies have been established for worker protection to ensure the best possible sanitation of all our facilities.

Our normal operating hours have not changed. We’re here for our customers to help provide the best DMLM and DMLS printing available. We currently have open availability in our machine schedule, if you wish to submit a quote you can do so online at i3dmfg.com or simply contact one of our Sales Engineers below to further assist with any questions you may have.

 

Stephanie Wehrhan

(541) 480-1427

fjrueuna@v3qzst.pbz

 

Robbie Rosten

(541) 678-3468

eebfgra@v3qzst.pbz

 

Thank you for choosing i3D for your services. We value you and your business, and want to continue providing excellent support during these unprecedented times.

Sincerely,

 

i3D Team

 

29
Aug, 2019

By i3d

i3D Collaboration with Penn Electric Racing

Congratulations to Penn Electric Racing who placed third overall at FSAE Lincoln, along
with second in the Autocross event, third in the Endurance event, and first in the
Cummins Advanced Technology Award.  I3D collaborated to create their in-hub 4-
wheel-drive powertrain, with DMLS printed motor housings which improved
performance. Penn Electric has been able to validate that this powertrain increased
power output and cornering ability, specifically aiding in the Autocross and Endurance
events. Additionally, the integrated cooling channels and lightweight AlSi12 material in
the housings have allowed us to optimize our performance and stay at the forefront of
the competition.

3D printing allows for tailored designs and specifications in a variety of materials that
would otherwise be costly or impossible to create. i3D is an Oregon based AS9100D
Certified AM contract manufacturer specializing in Disruptive Metal 3D Printed
production parts. We stock 16 metal powders including Aluminum, Titanium, and
several Super Nickel Alloys.  Attached is a list of our current metal powders. Our
strengths include expertise in custom development with our 7 EOS M290 DMLM and 1
EOS M400.4 machines.  Achieving better surface finishes, organic geometries
and tailored density and porosity is our specialty. Our engineers focus exclusively on
Metal 3D Printing and have developed extensive tribal knowledge around DMLM
design and strategies for best success.

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07
Aug, 2018
Rocket-Chamber

By i3d

Delphi Precision Imaging Leads Additive Manufacturing Industrial CT Inspection

Delphi Precision Imaging Leads Additive Manufacturing Industrial CT Inspection

One of our incredible partners, Delphi Precision Imaging has just released new videos and materials for their work in Industrial CT Inspection. They are leading the way in Quality Control and Inspection in the 3D Metal Printing industry (Additive Manufacturing). This comes at a critical time when the industry itself is being shaped in terms of quality control, inspections, and overall ability to provide advanced analysis of parts.

Check out Delphi’s newest PDF’s and Videos:

07
Aug, 2018

By i3d

I3DMFG Contributes To Industrial CT For Use In Additive Manufacturing

I3DMFG Contributes To Industrial CT For Use In Additive Manufacturing

I3DMFG has been mentioned in an article alongside Delphi Precision Imaging with regards to new part designs that would be impossible with traditional machining methods  and require new measurement tools.

Every day additively manufactured (AM) parts are being used in new applications as the industry rapidly matures. As additive parts become more economical for small productions runs and move beyond use solely in tooling and prototyping, the need to nondestructively inspect parts for quality increases as well.

“Industrial CT is an excellent inspection method for additive parts and components from the automotive, medical implant and aerospace industries where quality and a high degree of reliability are critical,” says Blake Chenevert, president of Delphi Precision Imaging. Computed tomography (CT) has some advantages over other nondestructive inspection methods for additive manufacturing.

There are a lot of challenges currently facing the Additive Manufacturing industry such as defects, parts coming out as intended, yields, and cost/benefits. The article addresses each of these topics head on and in the area of Quality Control Inspection, I3DMFG had this to say,

“As quality requirements evolve inside of a disruptive industry like additive manufacturing, finding tools and innovative approaches to using those tools to advance nondestructive testing methodology is critical,” says Erin Stone, president of I3D MFG, a DLMS printer.

The article continues on to discuss the many areas of quality control and I3D MFG is leading the way to help shape many of these standards as well as creating many of their own which are being recognized industry-wide.

25
Jul, 2018
SEDS I3DMFG

By i3d

Successful Rocket Test: SEDS UC San Diego

We were recently notified by SEDS UC San Diego that they had a successful test with their Colossus First Hotfire rocket. EDS UCSD, or Students for the Exploration and Development of Space at the University of California, San Diego, is a collection of motivated, passionate students determined to complement our studies with meaningful projects.

In the video below you can see the rocket launch and feel the excitement of the moment. They credit I3DMFG at the end and we couldn’t have been more happy to be a part of this. Here’s a quote from one of the students:

Over the weekend we conducted a successful test of our rocket engine, and wanted to share the good news! The engine is still in good shape after the test and we’re preparing to push it to it’s limits in September. Thank you for supporting this project, our hard work has paid off!

We can’t wait to see them push the limits!

22
Jun, 2018
SEDS I3DMFG

By i3d

I3DMFG Helps Sponsor SEDS Static Rocket Engine Test

I3DMFG Helped Sponsor A successful static rocket engine test by providing a 3D Metal Printed Injector for Colossus which used the Ignus-II engine!

From the SEDS Post on LinkedIn:

The test was conducted on June 16th, 2018 and marked the first successful attempt of a hot-fire of both Colossus and Ignus-II. This is a result of the culmination of over 2 years of work put in by over 60 SEDS members and marks the beginning of the next TEN years, where Colossus will be assisting collegiate rocketry teams everywhere to collect better data on their own engines.

I3DMFG was proud to be a part of this project along with several other sponsors. You can watch the results of this incredible launch in this stunning video.

20
May, 2018
Additive Manfactured Haynes 282 Rocket chamber

By i3d

Delphi Precision Imaging & I3DMFG on Display at SAMPE

The Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering 2018 exhibition May 21st – May 24th will have a display of a Part-to-CAD comparison of an additively manufactured Haynes 282 rocket chamber. This collaboration between Delphi Precision Imaging and I3D MFG will be on display at SAMPE 2018 Tuesday and Wednesday May 22-23rd at the Long Beach Convention Center. Stop by booth J58 to check it out.

03
Oct, 2017
I3DMFG EOS M400-4

By i3d

I3DMFG First With EOS M400.4 + White Paper

I3DMFG, Inc. has become the first Additive Contract Manufacturer in North America to put into operation an EOS M400.4.  Along with this announcement is a white paper discussing the disruptive nature of Additive Manufacturing and why this is critical for manufacturers, both additive and subtractive.

The EOS M400.4

An ultra-fast quad-laser system with a large building volume. It provides Additive Manufacturing for high-quality parts and is designed for speed and precision.

Four lasers for more productivity

  • Large building volume of 400 x 400 x 400 mm with four 400 watt lasers operating independently
  • The four precise 400 watt fiber lasers operate in a 250 mm x 250 mm square each with an overlap area of 50 mm
  • High build rate of 100 cm³/h

4 Lasers – First-class DMLS quality

  • Exceptional beam and power stability provides highest DMLS part quality
  • All processes running on the EOS M 290 can be transferred to the EOS M 400-4 and deliver equivalent part properties.
  • New and patented EOS ClearFlow Technology ensures consistent process gas management for ideal build conditions
  • Extensive monitoring features ensure high process stability and part quality

I3DMFG is happy to announce that they are the first Additive Contract Manufacturer in the U.S. to have the EOS M400.4 in production.

Additive Manufacturing Disruptive Whitepaper

EOS just released a new white paper discussing the disruptive nature of Additive Manufacturing. The white paper discusses how to approach Additive Manufacturing from three different angles.

One quote that stands out in the article is from Gungor Kara, Additive Minds:

Soon, there will only be two kinds of players – manufacturers who disrupt the market and those whose business is disrupted.

The paper introduces a best-practice approach to becoming an industrial champion in the decade to come as it relates to additive manufacturing and remaining competitive.

You can find the white paper here in our resource library.

 

11
Aug, 2017

By i3d

Reimagining Rocket Engine Design With 3D Printing

A UK Software company, Betatype, is pushing engineers to rethink and reimagine rocket engine design using 3D metal printing, or additive manufacturing.

The most recent example comes from a Betatype engineer, Marten Jurg, who has applied this philosophy while working on his postdoctorate degree.

Here’s exactly how they are pushing the boundaries of 3D printing:

  • They have successfully deployed an open file format called Arch which simplifies the handling of complicated CAD files
  • Engine processes an object for production in a powder bed fusion system.
  • Pilot assesses the optimal movements of a laser to produce fine details

Together, these components have allowed Jurg to integrate a fine lattice into the wall of an engine’s shell, resulting in an even cooling of the engine and its contents, typically fueled by liquid hydrogen that must be stored at −252.882 °C (−423.188 °F).

These “optimized” features of Betatype’s platform have enabled the engineers to create a sample of a scaled-down rocket engine printed in Stainless Steel 316L on an EOS M280 machine. Using a bigger machine, another company called AMAERO has taken Betatype’s platform and created an even larger version, bringing it to near operational capacity.

Betatype says this on their company blog,

PART OF OUR AIM WITH WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARTNERS SUCH AS MARTEN IS TO UNDERSTAND THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING CHALLENGES THAT EXIST WITHIN INDUSTRIAL ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING [….] BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES THAT DIRECTLY LEARN FROM EMERGING APPLICATIONS IS KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE REAL CHALLENGES FOR AM TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE.

Featured image: Marten Jurg’s rocket engine design, 3D printed with a cooling mesh wall on an EOS M280. Photo via Betatype

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I3DMFG Additive Manufacturing EOS
Rocket-Chamber
i3D Collaboration with Penn Electric Racing
Rocket-Chamber
Delphi Precision Imaging Leads Additive Manufacturing Industrial CT Inspection
I3DMFG Contributes To Industrial CT For Use In Additive Manufacturing
SEDS I3DMFG
Successful Rocket Test: SEDS UC San Diego
SEDS I3DMFG
I3DMFG Helps Sponsor SEDS Static Rocket Engine Test
Additive Manfactured Haynes 282 Rocket chamber
Delphi Precision Imaging & I3DMFG on Display at SAMPE
I3DMFG EOS M400-4
I3DMFG First With EOS M400.4 + White Paper
Reimagining Rocket Engine Design With 3D Printing