Additive Manufacturing with Plastics
Additive manufacturing or 3D printing in the plastics industry involves the creation of components without dies or tooling—or the fabrication of tooling itself—for use in prototyping, bridge production, or short-run production. Common types include stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), fused deposition modeling (FDM), and digital light process (DLP). Learn more at What Is Additive Manufacturing?
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5 Big Themes in Additive Manufacturing at Formnext Forum: Austin
As manufacturing advances with additive, the advance increasingly emphasizes these five themes.
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What You Should Know About Miniature Extrusion Screws
Very small screws have become more common with the growth of additive manufacturing. Designing such screws requires balancing their output requirements with their torque strength.
Read MoreLatest Additive Manufacturing News And Updates
3Devo Filament Maker Two Enhances Extrusion Control
The machine includes an upgraded screw drive, monitoring and user interface for enhanced filament production.
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Formlabs Form 4L and Form 4BL Print Expand 3D Print Volumes
Formlabs 4L and 4BL offer high sprint speeds and nearly 5 times the volume.
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Insight Polymers & Compounding Unveils New Conductive Products Line
The new conductive products line will also be produced for injection molding and extrusion.
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Xact Metal Partners with PanOptimization to Incorporate Simulation and Optimization in Additive Manufacturing
Thermomechanical simulations will enable identification and correction of build issues prior to 3D printing.
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Patents Granted for AIM3D Additive Manufacturing Solutions
AIM3D announced four patents protecting extrusion topology and a solution for pellet processing.
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Techmer PM Becomes Supplier in Additive Manufacturing and Simulation Consortium
Technical polymers design firm will supply Purdue University collaboration.
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The Connector Conundrum: 3D Printed Mold Tooling’s Role in Innovation
ReelView Fishing faced an electronics obstacle in the development of its new technology for underwater video. Additive manufacturing for moldmaking allowed for the speed necessary to iterate to a solution. How inventors and invention will benefit from new ways of obtaining production-ready tooling.
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7 Takeaways on 3D Printing As a Pathway to Polymer’s Future
The Cleveland section of SPE hosted “Additive Manufacturing: Printing the Path for the Future” on October 17, 2024. Speakers signaled where AM is and where it is headed with session topics ranging from pellet-based 3D printing to qualification and commercialization of additively manufactured products.
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Additive Technologies for Injection Mold Tooling Ride Tailwinds
NPE2024: Lowering barriers to additive manufacturing adoption in toolmaking.
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NPE 2024: Additive Manufacturing Assisting, Advancing Plastics Processing
Exhibitors and presenters at the plastics show emphasized 3D printing as a complement and aid to more traditional production processes.
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3D Printing Workshop Returns for NPE2024: The Plastics Show
The speaker lineup has been announced for this event highlighting the use of 3D printing in the plastics industry.
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Make Every Shot Count: Mold Simulation Maximizes Functional Parts From Printed Tooling
If a printed tool only has a finite number of shots in it, why waste any of them on process development?
Read MoreFAQ: Additive Manufacturing
Do I Need Additive Manufacturing Skills in My Business?
Essentium announced the third in a series of findings from independent global research on the current and future use of industrial 3D printing. The survey found an increasing need for more education, skills, and training across manufacturers’ organizations. Even as the industry moves towards large-scale AM, 28% of manufacturers reported their personnel lacked AM skills.
In recent years, it has become apparent that additive manufacturing—aka 3D printing—is destined to have a role in plastics mold making, owing to cost and lead-time advantages over conventional subtractive manufacturing—CNC machining—and unique abilities to produce complex internal tooling geometries such as conformal cooling channels.
Additive Manufacturing Supplier Categories
- Clamps, Holding Devices
- Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing/Prototyping Materials)
- Automation/Systems Integration
- Speed, Drive Controls
- Recording Instruments
- Troubleshooting, Problem Solving Systems
- Recycled/Reprocessed Materials--Ground Flake Form
- Machining, Drilling, Routing Equipment
- Machining, Routing Software
- Materials Formulating Systems
- SPC, SQC Systems
- Product & Tool Design, Analysis Software (CAD/CAM/CAE)
- Liquid Resin Filtration Materials, Equipment
- Assembly Robots and EOAT
- Flow Monitoring/Control Devices (for Liquids)
- Bending, Heat-forming Equipment
- Maintenance Management Systems
- Core Materials
- Timers
- Ultrasonic Cutters
- Prototyping Services
- Cutting Tools
- ISO 9000 Software
- Stock Shapes--Rod, Tube
- Recycled/Reprocessed Materials--Bale or Bulk Form
- Particle Screeners, Classifiers, Separators
- Job Quoting, Cost Estimating and Accounting Systems
- Stock Shapes--Film
- Dewpoint Monitors/Moisture Analyzers
- Fasteners
- Spray Painting Robots and EOAT
- Scheduling, MRP, Production and Inventory Management Systems
- Fluid-jet Cutting Systems
- Consultants - Design, Manufacturing, Purchasing
- Pressure Controllers, Monitors
- Temperature Controllers, Monitors
- Color Matching/Formulating Systems
- Temperature Pyrometers, Sensors, Thermocouples
- Design of Experiments (DOE) Software
- Motion or Position Controls
- Part or Sprue Removal Robots and EOAT
- Screw Design/Analysis Software
- Sequence Logic Controls
- Level Sensors and Controls
- Recycled/Reprocessed Materials--Pelletized Form
- Closed-loop Process Control Systems
- Stock Shapes--Sheet
- Machine Monitoring/Alarm Systems
- Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
- Biodegradable, Photodegradable Resins and Compounds
- Lasers (for Cutting, Machining, Welding)
- Pressure Sensors, Transducers
- General Purpose Robots and EOAT