Top 5: Markforged’s Part Production For Own Use

Hello everyone and welcome to our top 5 of the week! It is of course Christmas Day, but 3Dnatives is still here with a weekly video round up. Perhaps you’re reading this tucking into your turkey or laying on the sofa after having one too many chocolate coins. Or maybe you don’t celebrate Christmas at all, and you’re looking forward to your weekly dose of additive manufacturing video content. Either way, we’re very glad to have you join us. We have an exciting selection of videos for you this week, from Markforged’s part production, to Volkmann to a 3Dnatives original interview. We hope you enjoy.

Top 1: Markforged’s Part Production

This first video comes from the well-known American company Markforged, which discusses the use of their technologies to resolve supply chain issues locally: by printing parts for their own use. They take full advantage of their 3D printing technologies to reduce the lead time to effectively zero: they recognize a need, and they print the solution. As an example given in the video, the Markforged team used the principles of ergonomics to print a part to automate a task which, before, the team were performing manually. This increased production speed and prevented human issues like soreness from manual handling.

Top 2: #Talk3D With Sherri Monroe

Next up, we have another 3Dnatives original from our #Talk3D series. In this video, we chatted with Sherri Monroe, the Executive Director of the AMGTA (or Additive Manufacturing Green Trade Association). She told us all about what the AMGTA does, their goals and aims, as well as about her personal journey with 3D printing and how it can be used with sustainable manufacturing. If you want an insight into additive manufacturing’s relationship to the environment, check out her thoughts below!

Top 3: Volkmann’s Digitized Production Line

This next video comes from the German firm Volkmann, which makes metal powders. Their IDAM research project has shown production lines can be automated and digitized, from unpacking to preparation to removal of supports. The project aims to ‘significantly reduce production costs’ through automation. Volkmann believes that this is the future of additive manufacturing and that it is ready to be used with the 3D printers currently available on the market. The system is available as an example at GKN Additive in Bonn. The video features extensive discussion on the benefit of automation for cost and efficiency.

Top 4: Additive Manufacturing at Central Nantes

Personal interviews are a great way to get to know the brains behind 3D printing operations. This video features Tugdual Le Néel, a researcher in additive manufacturing at Central Nantes (a renowned engineering school in France). We learn all about his background, experiences, and how he came to work in 3D printing. He also talks about his experience at Central Nantes and what his current research involves: tool path trajectories. His team even perform simulations in partnership with numerous companies including SNCF (the French national railway company).

Top 5: Bridge Testing with Imperial College London

The final video from this week’s round up comes from the renowned university Imperial College London, known for excellence in engineering. This video is a talk from Leroy Gardner, Professor of Structural Engineering and Director of Research, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He discusses the world’s first 3D printed bridge, now in use in Amsterdam. He tells the viewers all about how structural engineering, robotics, testing and digital modeling were combined to make the creation. This is definitely a more technical video, so if you’re particularly well-versed on engineering this video is perfect for you!

What do you think of the top 5 videos of the week, including Markforged’s part production? Let us know in a comment below or on our Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.