It is reported that Apple uses a technology called “bond jetting”, which can print out the outline of the device close to the actual shape with a powder-like substance. Then, the material is compressed into a steel-like texture by hot pressing and then refined by milling.

It is noticed that Mark Gurman’s revelations are in line with what Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said before. Ming-Chi Kuo said in July that the upcoming second-generation Apple Watch Ultra will include 3D-printed mechanical parts. He also said that Apple is “aggressively embracing 3D printing technology” and that some of the titanium parts in the new Apple Watch Ultra will be 3D printed.

Mark Gurman said that Apple plans to use this new 3D printing method to make the stainless steel Apple Watch Series 9 casing, but not the Ultra version parts. Either way, it suggests Apple is testing this manufacturing method more aggressively in 2023. Mark Gurman also said that Apple plans to start 3D printing titanium devices in 2024.

If Apple can successfully use 3D printing technology to produce some devices, it can improve production efficiency and reduce costs. Ming-Chi Kuo said that if Apple’s 2023 Apple Watch production proceeds smoothly, 3D printing technology will be applied to more devices in the future.

According to Mark Gurman, Apple and suppliers have been developing 3D printing technology for at least three years. Mark Gurman also confirmed that if the Apple Watch test is successful, Apple will expand this process to more products in the next few years.

The post Apple is using 3D printing to make the Apple Watch Series 9 case appeared first on TechGoing.

Finding a way to manufacture 3D-printed houses on a large scale is a challenge that many companies have tried to solve in recent years. Unlike most solutions to date, which have had to use concrete or clay and traditional construction methods such as wood framing, ASCC’s “BioHome3D” 3D-printed house is a different story.

The 55.7-square-meter 3D-printed house prototype features 3D-printed floors, walls and roofs made from sustainably sourced wood fibers and bio-resins. The house is also fully recyclable and does not require weeks or months of on-site construction time to assemble. After 3D printing four modules, the center assembled BioHome3D in half a day. then an electrician spent about two hours wiring the house.

The ASCC believes that BioHome3D can help solve the U.S. housing shortage by reducing the amount of materials and labor needed to build affordable housing. In Maine alone, there is a growing housing shortage of about 20,000 homes statewide.

Jenny Schuetz, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, believes that the current U.S. housing problem stems from restrictive zoning laws and land-use regulations that allow residents to prevent more homes from being built in their neighborhoods. In other words, the U.S. housing crisis is a policy problem, not a technology problem.

This is not to say that technology has no role to play in improving housing. Cement, a key component of concrete, has a huge carbon footprint. As of 2018, production of the material contributed about 8 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions, more pollution than the entire aviation industry produces. Reducing or completely eliminating the need for concrete in residential construction is important for the environment.

The post Researchers 3D print a fully recyclable natural material house appeared first on TechGoing.

A team at MIT, led by Professor Zachary Cordero, has developed a heat treatment process that makes these grains larger and thus less prone to creep. This is a variation of an existing technique known as directional recrystallization.

In laboratory tests, 3D-printed nickel alloy rods were initially placed in a room-temperature water bath directly beneath an induction coil and then slowly pulled upward through the coil at varying speeds. Doing so heated a portion of each rod to temperatures ranging from 1200 ºC to 1245 ºC (2192 ºF to 2273 ºF), which created a steep thermal gradient within the metal between the coil and the water.

This gradient in turn causes the microscopic grains of the metal to transform into much larger “columnar” grains. As the term implies, the new grains take the form of columns, aligned with the axis of maximum stress within the metal.

The best results occur at a temperature of 1235 ºC (2255 ºF) and a stretching rate of 2.5 millimeters per hour, and scientists are working to increase this rate, and other combinations may work better for other metals. In fact, depending on the intended use of the 3D printed part, the grain structure can be changed in a single project by varying the temperature and speed during processing.

The researchers now plan to test the technique on structures similar to gas turbine or jet engine blades, which must be subjected to constant mechanical stress and high heat. If they do prove less prone to creep, it could pave the way for better, more efficient designs.

The new blade and weathervane geometry will make land-based gas turbines and eventually aero engines more energy efficient,” Cordero said. From a baseline perspective, this could lead to lower CO2 emissions and improved efficiency of these devices.”

A paper on this research was recently published in the journal Additive Manufacturing.

The post New process helps 3D printed metal parts withstand high-temperature environments appeared first on TechGoing.

Emil Somekh (Photo credit: Sidney Eisner)

October 2022 – SolidCAM has entered the additive manufacturing market, particularly in the area of metal 3D printing, Antarctic Bear has learned. The company recently launched a desktop metal 3D printing solution that combines both additive and subtractive production methods. For SolidCAM, additive manufacturing is an excellent complement to subtractive CNC manufacturing and as such, it wants to solve all the complex manufacturing problems and provide real added value to its customers.

SolidCAM’s founder and CEO, Dr. Emil Somekh, notes that since 1984, SolidCAM has been revolutionizing the way CNC machines operate through CAM software solutions and patented iMachining technology.

Why is SolidCAM moving to additive manufacturing?

Emil Somekh notes that SolidCAM sees additive materials as a complement to its subtractive CNC manufacturing customers. Over the past few years, SolidCAM has seen incredible innovation in metal 3D printing and is committed to being one of the leading resources in the field. Now, even the smallest CNC machine shop can print complex metal parts quickly and reproducibly.SolidCAM Additive was founded to help customers adopt additive technology and harness its full potential with the same level of world-renowned technical support that SolidCAM is known for.

Why did you choose to work with Desktop Metal?

On this question, Emil Somekh shows that through their shop floor system, Desktop Metal pioneered the introduction of metal additive manufacturing, utilizing adhesive injection technology that is available to all shops. They have invested heavily in streamlining complex processes to increase the productivity and yield of metal parts without having to use a lot of manpower. desktop Metal is the perfect partner for SolidCAM’s expansion into additive manufacturing.

Live Sinter allows users to obtain defect-free parts from the sintering furnace

What are the key benefits of Desktop Metal’s technology?

Desktop Metal has invested in a holistic approach to developing additive manufacturing, from the manufacture of proprietary metal powders to sintering parts in its advanced Furnace solution. At SolidCAM, the hardware is as good as the software that supports it, and Desktop Metal offers the first-ever Live Sinter application. developed in collaboration with Desktop Metal’s world-class materials science team, Live Sinter uses a unique multi-physics model that can simulate the complex force and deformation part experience of the sintering process and generate “negative deflection” parts in Generate “negative offset” geometries in minutes, and when sintered, remove defect-free parts directly from the furnace.

How does SolidCAM see the complementary nature of AM and CNC machining?

Both additive manufacturing and CNC machining have their advantages and limitations. By combining these two technologies, companies can solve complex manufacturing problems in an innovative way. Metal 3D printing still requires post-processing using CNC machining to ensure the part meets the customer’s required finish specifications and tight tolerances.SolidCAM is positioned as a CAM solution leader by adapting its software technology to effectively post-process the growing market for additive parts.

By combining CNC machining and additive manufacturing, very complex geometries can be obtained (image credit: SolidCAM)

How do you see the future of metal additive manufacturing?

It’s an exciting time for metal additive manufacturing. As companies begin to understand the benefits that 3D printing brings in terms of productivity and capability, SolidCAM sees the industry evolving rapidly in ways that were not possible before CNC manufacturing. SolidCAM will take the lead in providing customers with the knowledge and resources necessary to take full advantage of the potential of additive manufacturing.

The post Computer-aided manufacturing software maker SolidCAM enters 3D printing market appeared first on TechGoing.