In our latest Technology Tuesdays podcast, Design World’s Michelle Froese speaks with Mitsubishi Electric Automation’s product marketing manager for mechatronics and robotics, Patrick Varley. In this discussion, we delve into the topic of robotic automation and software provider solutions — and, specifically, how this combination can help ease labor shortages. Patrick explains the significance of…

In our latest Technology Tuesday’s podcast, Design World’s Michelle Froese speaks with David Church, president of Sorbothane, about innovative shock and vibration solutions. Sorbothane has been developing materials and components that isolate vibration, attenuate shock, and damp unwanted noise for 40 years. In fact, the company is celebrating four decades in business this year! In…

The supply chain continues to be a story for additive manufacturing, especially with the recent news from President Biden on the new AM Forward initiative. I recently interviewed Dave Evans, CEO of Fictiv, to discuss AM and the supply chain, among other subjects. Design World · Going digital with additive manufacturing Here are highlights from […]

The scale of sizes that 3D printing machines can handle is impressive, from huge wind turbine blades to parts that are small, such as two microns. John Kawola, CEO of Boston Micro Fabrication discusses the microscale side of 3D printing. Design World · Going small with 3D printing Microscale 3D printing is the concept of […]

Among the many benefits of using 3D printing is how it effects sustainable efforts in design and production. Recently I had a chance to speak with Nadav Goshen, president and CEO at MakerBot on 3D printing developments in this area. Here are highlights from our conversation. Design World · 3D printings effects on sustainability Sustainability […]

Julliette Combe is a mechanical engineer. She began working on 3D printing during her master thesis on nano 3D printing. When she joined Formlabs, she first went into the business development team for product partnership and worked on custom products for key accounts. She moved into application engineering and has been there for the past […]

In our latest Technology Tuesdays podcast, Design World’s Michelle Froese speaks with David Church, president of Sorbothane, about innovative shock and vibration solutions. Sorbothane has been developing materials and components that isolate vibration, attenuate shock, and damp unwanted noise for more than 35 years. We discuss visco-elastic technology and the Sorbothane brand of material, including…

The aerospace industry was an early adopter of additive technology, followed by the automotive industry. Where do these industries stand in relation to additive technology today? In a recent interview, David Giebenhain, global product director at Protolabs, shares his thoughts. Design World · Trends in aerospace and automotive additive manufacturing The aerospace industry has been […]

Additive manufacturing has long been used in automotive, especially in racing. AM enables designers to make fast changes when faced with rapidly changing regulations and short design times. What are some of the lessons learned by those who work with motorsports and what can you gain from their experiences? Kevin Baughey, 3D systems segment leader, […]

In our latest Technology Tuesdays podcast, Design World’s Michelle Froese speaks with Jonathan Cottrell, lead program manager with PTI Engineered Plastics, about design for manufacturing and the injection-molding process. We discuss the key factors to take into account when designing plastic parts, including the material, gate, wall, and draft considerations, as well as tips for…

Materials have been and will continue to be key elements of any additive manufacturing or 3D printing operation. New materials are emerging all the time. As vendors explore and develop materials, new information emerges about the best ways to use additive equipment. We recently interviewed Davide Marini, Inkbit CEO and co-founder. Davide is a mechanical […]

More 3D printing vendors are introducing metal materials for their systems. One popular metal, in particular, is stainless steel. This material offers a number of benefits to designers. We interviewed Felipe Castaneda, Creative Director at MakerBot, on ways to make the most of it in your designs for 3D printing. Here are key points from […]

Lattice structures are those geometric shapes grouped together to create repeatable patterns for engineering purposes. The idea of lattices has been around for quite some time. You see these repeating patterns on buildings and bridges. For design engineers, lattices can deliver specific mechanical properties to an object, often in the form of a stiffness-to-mass ratio. […]

3D printing/additive manufacturing and injection molding do not have to be competitors. In fact, 3D printing can aid injection molding. Formlabs recently commented that 3D printing is more of an accelerator for injection molding. 3D printers can introduce a hybrid approach where molds can be created fast and at low cost. Here are key points […]

Like so many other markets and industries, the COVID pandemic has affected the supply of components used to make semiconductor processing equipment. Semiconductor capital equipment manufacturers are turning to additive manufacturing to help repair the supply chain and enable designers to design for function first. I spoke with Scott Green, Principal Solutions Leader for semiconductors […]

The DARPA Transformative Design TRADES program was created to develop foundational design tools that will help designers take more advantage of the capabilities of additive technology. Recently, Siemens Technology completed its work on a software project for this program.  I spoke with Mark Burhop, principal investigator with the research arm of Siemens, to discuss the […]

Designers in the sports world have been one of the quickest groups to adopt additive manufacturing technology. They’ve developed a few insights and perspectives that might be useful for engineers in other fields. David Woodlock, Application Development and Design Manager at HP, discusses a few of these insights. Designers of sports equipment need to show […]

In a recent podcast interview, we got the chance to talk with Jeff Johnson of Beckhoff Automation about linear-motor conveyors (also called intelligent transport systems) as well as the planar-motor system from Beckhoff called the XPlanar. Listen in:  Design World · Planar motors and linear transfer systems in action! Beckhoff engineer Jeff Johnson explains […]

2020 was an eventful year for the additive manufacturing industry that no one predicted. The coronavirus pandemic practically shut down the global supply chain. But these gaps in supply, especially for personal medical protection equipment, were initially met through the efforts of users of 3D printing and additive manufacturing systems. The spotlight on the additive […]

In our most recent Technology Tuesdays podcast, Dave Hein — senior vice president and engineering and chief technology officer at Nexen Group — chatted with us about three brake options that now have Functional Safety certification. Listen in:  Design World · Brakes with Functional Safety certification: Update from Nexen Group engineer Dave Hein According […]

What are the design challenges of developing a car that can walk? Hyundai Motor engineers recently set about exploring that idea and developed a prototype vehicle called the Elevate. The goal was for the car to have several types of locomotion–reptilian, mammalian, and the more familiar passive suspension. The Hyundai engineering team was keen to […]

A recent interview with Daniel Lazear, Strategic Application Engineer, at Markforged, covers tips on getting the most out of your additive manufacturing project. Design World · Design tips for metal additive manufacturing Here are a few points from the interview. 1. Increasing yield to same time and money. Yield, in the context of additive manufacturing, […]

Regal Beloit Corporation, a leading manufacturer of electric motors, electrical motion controls, power generation, and power transmission components, announced the launch of its new Community News — On The Air podcast series from its Power Transmission Solutions (PTS) unit. This podcast will share tools, tips, and new innovations to help Regal customers address their challenges…

3D Systems has a long history in the 3D printing/additive manufacturing (3DP/AM), beginning when Chuck Hull developed stereolithography technology. Throughout the years, the company has expanded and adjusted its mission as the 3DP/AM industry has evolved. With the recent appointment in May of Dr. Jeffrey Graves as the new president and CEO, the company will […]

The additive industry is dynamic, with new techniques introduced frequently.  Ethan Escowitz, CEO and founder of Arris Composites, for example, developed a technique called additive molding. This proprietary process combines additive manufacturing and high-volume molding technologies to create composite materials made of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics. The technology has broad benefits across many applications and markets, […]