Manufacturing Technology

Farnborough: How to organise an air display

When the air display starts each afternoon at the Farnborough International Air Show, business transactions pause and eyes roll heavenward, surrendering to the raucous power play. A major part of the attraction is the evident – if calculated – risk the aviators take. The organisers of this sky-borne shop window for aviation hardware may appear to have little more to do than arrange the order in which the players make their entrances and their exits. That was indeed true a long time ago. Now, however, both the air display and static park at the show are painstakingly choreographed. The aviators are definitely not given carte blanche. There is plenty of activity in prospect. The star debutante this year will be a Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II, the first jet with vertical landing capability since the British Aerospace Harrier started wowing the crowds in the mid-1960s, flown by the UK Royal Air Force’s Sqn Ldr Hugh Nichols. On the civil side, Airbus’s still-under-test A350 will take its first Farnborough bow. And the organisers have to be prepared for a full aerobatic display team because the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows will perform on the last three days. When the Farnborough air show began back in 1948, accidents at air shows, often fatal to pilots and sometimes to onlookers, were not rare. Some of the crashes were the result of test pilots pushing their luck with experimental aircraft in an era of less sophisticated engineering; others were victims of the risk-taking culture left over from the Second World War. Aviators were expected to be dare-devils, and some of them embraced that image with enthusiasm. Picture: Pilots putting types like the Saab Gripen through their paces must adhere to strict guidelines. Aviation professionalism has evolved as the laws defining corporate responsibility […]

itSeez3D turns iPad Into 3D Scanner

When it comes to 3D scanning, more and more solutions are becoming available as the months go by. 3D scanning is allowing us to take photographs of people and things, in ways that we could never imagine before. Instead of only being able to look at a flat, 2-dimensional photo, we can now interact with 3D photographs via our computers, and create 3D replicas with the use of 3D printers. A company called itSeez3D has come up with a new iOS application, that when paired with the Structure Sensor allows people to take full 3-dimensional photographs of people and objects. It has an incredible ability to capture color and structural information of a subject, and then process it into a realistic looking 3D model. The app has the capability of capturing high resolution data, and features a unique augmented reality feedback system which enhances the scanning process (see video below). Once a scan has been captured, users have the ability to email the 3D representation to their friends, in .ply or .obj file formats, or simply upload it to sketchfab.com. Users can also 3D print it at home on their own 3D printers. If it is printed on an at-home FDM or SLA 3D printer, however, the colors will not print because of the current technology available. On the other hand, if a high quality 3D printer is used, the colors will be able to be preserved. For example, users could send their 3D scan to Shapeways or another service, to have it printed in full-color sandstone. itSeez3D has already uploaded 18 different models that they have created using the app, to their sketchfab profile, and I must admit, the quality appears to be excellent. Uploaded models include several people as well as a stuffed animal, a sneaker, a mug, […]

Design for Manufacture

– Jurgen Brand, Designbrand Ltd When receiving the suggestion to write this article I had to make a choice of the right ‘angle of attack’, just as designers’ need to ask the first question to define the way we embark on the product development path. Usually we would ask WHO we are designing for – who, as in the user, because that is ultimately what defines the product in almost all its user attributes. A product will rarely develop in the way one first expects and the WHO of our first question needs to be differentiated further. For example, if you are designing a sleep solution for babies, is it the baby or the parents you are designing for? If you are getting the product right for the baby, you would inevitably win over the parent, yet the emotive quality of the product has got to address the parent first – it is them who make the purchase decision. The design process will constantly enable you to question the design criteria, make changes and even arrange a shift in focus, if the knowledge gained through the design research/investigation justifies this shift. Every project runs through a series of questions before conceptual design starts in earnest. Some projects are far more complex than others. Other products have a set of users and their different objectives have to be considered. So far I have only mentioned the ‘actual’ user. Imagine the case of a care-giver assisted off-road wheelchair for the mobility impaired! The design criteria for the care-giver are vastly different from the criteria of the passenger. However, this is only the very front end of a design development. There are many aspects which will influence a product’s appearance, its user experience, functionality or manufacturing process. Within […]

High strength cellular aluminium foam for the automotive industry

Aluminium foam is used for applications that requires high level of energy and sound absorption characteristics. Researchers have developed an innovative process to make high strength cellular aluminium foam with help from some salt. Aluminium foam exhibits unique properties when compared to its dense form, particularly its lightweight characteristics. Generally, the foam can be divided into two categories; closed cell and open cell, both have different characteristics and applications. The features of the closed cell are, the pores structure is isolated and they are not connected to each other. This type of aluminium foam is suitable for application that requires high level of energy and sound absorption characteristics. It has been used widely in many structural parts, particularly in areas exposed to high damping capacity, for example in the automotive front bumper component. Meanwhile, the open cell, owing to greater level of connectivity of the pores, the structure has been accepted and used in thermal management applications. One such promising application is as a heat exchanger, particularly as a cooling medium to transfer heat, due to the development of its porous structure, which provides greater surface area, thus, enabling improved heat transfer efficiency. Producing a combined structure of open and closed cell in one volume component appears to be a difficult process due to the different processing techniques involved and their individual limitations. Therefore, in this study, an innovative processing route for high strength cellular aluminium foam (CAF) by integrating porous and dense structures is presented. The CAF is well known as a light-weight product exhibiting high level of inter-connected porosity which is very useful as a thermal management application, particularly as a heat transfer or cooling medium. However, the level of strength for the CAF is not really promising when it is subjected to high impact; thus, limit its […]

Network Time Machine ensures optimal user experience

The Network Time Machine LTE/VoLTE, is a portable LTE troubleshooting appliance that helps wireless carriers resolve network performance issues quickly and cost effectively. This ability is crucial to reducing customer churn, as subscribers who switch wireless carriers increasingly point to poor customer care and inadequate network performance as their reason for leaving. The Network Time Machine provides extensive network and application visibility, as well as the forensic details necessary to solve signalling or data performance problems in 20 Gbps carrier environments. Using Network Time Machine, carriers can measure and prove network performance, resolve subscriber issues and deliver the best possible consumer experience to meet growing voice, video, and data demands. “The proliferation of affordable smartphones, tablets, and other devices has sparked an ever-increasing popularity of mobile videos, games, and data applications,” said Amit Rao, general manager of the Carrier Wireless Core product line. “While networks have evolved from 3G to 4G/LTE to meet performance demands, network monitoring technologies have not kept pace. Network Time Machine LTE/VoLTE is the first troubleshooting appliance that can deliver the 20Gbps performance required for high-performance wireless networks and—even more important—for creating loyalty among today’s fickle wireless subscribers.” According to a recent Ovum survey*, 27 per cent of wireless subscribers who had changed carriers in the previous month cited “low network quality/speed of the services” as their reason for switching. More than 30 per cent said poor customer care was a key reason. While today’s wireless carriers need better and faster ways to resolve the network issues that drive customer complaints, most of their network engineers rely on solutions that lack capture performance or fragile appliances that must be shipped to unmonitored high-traffic LTE port locations. These tools often break and require complex configurations to make them operational. Network Time Machine is a rugged appliance that […]

PowerMILL 2015 to launch at IMTS

Picture: The improved collision detection in PowerMILL 2015 will be demonstrated at IMTS. Delcam will launch the 2015 version of its PowerMILL CAM system for high-speed and five-axis machining at IMTS 2014 in Chicago from 8th to 13th September on booth E3222, the largest CAM software booth at the show. The new release will include improvements to the Vortex high-efficiency area-clearance strategy, improved collision checking to also cover near misses, and more efficient raster finishing. The Vortex area-clearance strategy produces safe toolpaths with a much deeper cut by using a controlled engagement angle that maintains the optimum cutting conditions for the whole toolpath. As a result, higher feed rates and material-removal rates are possible, making the cutting time shorter by as much as 70%. In addition, cutting is undertaken at a more consistent volume-removal rate and at a near constant feedrate, so extending tool life and protecting the machine. Two enhancements in PowerMILL 2015 will give even greater reductions in machining time compared to conventional roughing. The first change allows toolpaths to approach the part from outside the stock at the cutting height for open pockets or in areas where earlier cuts have made this possible. Previously, all entry moves had to be made by plunging onto the surface or by ramping into the material. The second change allows an increased feed rate to be set for non-cutting moves. The default value is set at double the rate for the cutting moves but this can be altered as required for each machine tool. The extra time that can be saved depends on the shape of the part but an additional saving of around 20% should be expected above the earlier releases of Vortex. Another problem in previous versions of PowerMILL was that unnecessary lifts could be added to area-clearance toolpaths […]

3D printer delivers innovative export products

Picture:Warwick Downing of TiDA and Ian Brown of Callaghan Innovation. New Zealand businesses stand to benefit from a top-class 3D printing facility that can create objects from titanium and other metals, enabling the development of a range of new export products. Callaghan Innovation and the Titanium Industry Development Association (TiDA) have jointly purchased a Selective Laser Melting instrument, now in operation at TiDA’s Tauranga site. This instrument has the ability to make state-of-the-art 3D objects by ‘printing’ them using metal powders, such as titanium alloys and stainless steel. Callaghan Innovation’s Advanced Materials research team will work with TiDA to use the Selective Laser Melting machine for research and to help businesses commercialise products. “The future of high tech manufacturing is driven by 3D printing,” says Dr Ian Brown, Callaghan Innovation’s Materials Research Manager. 3D printing techniques – known as Additive Manufacturing – are very efficient ways to transfer complex industrial designs to commercial production. “Titanium is tremendously expensive and traditional ways of machining something from this material involved throwing away 90% of the metal. Using 3D printers, you build the product layer by layer, with very little material wasted,” Dr Brown says. TiDA CEO Warwick Downing says manufacturing using advanced metal alloys is very cost effective when using smart design and clever technology, creating high growth industry that has tremendous potential for New Zealand. “TiDA has well-established skills at designing for and the application of 3D printing in metals. New Zealand is leading the way in research that supports this industry,” Mr Downing says. “Having the Callaghan Innovation team onsite will promote closer working ties and will enhance our materials research capability. We are already seeing the results with new products for companies already being worked on and a faster product turn-around through the combination of the two sets of […]

Boeing may have found ultimate jet fuel

“Green diesel approval would be a major breakthrough in the availability of competitively-priced, sustainable aviation fuel”. Airline manufacturer Boeing claims to have identified a new renewable fuel that emits at least 50% less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel over its lifecycle. The company is working with the US Federal Aviation Administration to gain approval for its new ‘green diesel’ which could power aircraft, cutting the aviation industry’s carbon footprint significantly. Boeing researchers have found that green diesel, which is made from oils and fats, is chemically similar to today’s aviation biofuel. If approved, the fuel could be blended directly with traditional jet fuel. “Green diesel approval would be a major breakthrough in the availability of competitively-priced, sustainable aviation fuel,” said Dr. James Kinder, a technical fellow in Boeing Commercial Airplanes Propulsion Systems Division. “We’re collaborating with our industry partners and the aviation community to move this innovative solution forward and reduce the industry’s reliance on fossil fuel.” “Green diesel approval would be a major breakthrough in the availability of competitively-priced, sustainable aviation fuel”. Significant green diesel production capacity already exists in the US, Europe and Singapore that could supply as much as 1% – about 600 million gallons – of global commercial jet fuel demand. The wholesale cost – about $3 a gallon with US government incentives – is competitive with petroleum jet fuel. Boeing, the FAA, engine manufacturers, green diesel producers and others are now compiling a detailed research report that will be submitted to key stakeholders in the fuel approvals process. In 2011, Boeing worked with the aviation community to include a blend of up to 50% aviation biofuel in international jet fuel specifications. Biofuel approved for aviation must meet or exceed stringent jet fuel performance requirements. “Boeing wants to establish new pathways for sustainable jet fuel, and […]

Bentley 3D prints entire 1/3rd scale models of cars

The new Objet500 Connex3 3D printer from Stratasys has the ability to print out in numerous materials and mixtures of materials, as well as the ability to mix three different colours to make hundreds of colours. A truly revolutionary moment within the industry. The Objet500 allows them to print our near exact 3D models of their vehicles, scaled down to 33%. From wheels, to emblems, to shifters, to tailpipes, the printer can produce extremely accurate models of them all. This allows designers to see exactly what a vehicle will look like before it is actually manufactured. They also use the printer to print out actual life sized models of parts for the vehicles as well. Nearly every part will be prototyped as scaled down versions, so that designers can assess their creations on an actual real world model. The accuracy of the Objet30 3D Printer enables Bentley to take a full-size part and scale it down to produce a one-tenth scale model. Once they have approval at this scale, they can move onto their larger Objet500 Connex 3D Printer to produce one-third scale models, full-sized parts as well as parts that combine different material properties without assembly. If you were to read the following statement from the early 20th century by W.O. Bentley, the company’s founder, the use of these printers would certainly make sense: The company’s objectives are to build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class. Maintaining this tradition for automotive excellence and prestige is a fundamental focus for Bentley as it combines innovative technologies with traditional craftsmanship at every stage of development and production. This is without a doubt the future of prototyping. The Objet500 by Stratasys allows Bentley, and will allow many other manufacturers to prototype using multiple materials within one print, […]

3D-printed chocolate as a midnight snack

A recent partnership between 3D systems and Hershey will make it easier to satisfy your strongest candy cravings. You don’t even need to leave the house. Hershey’s new chocolate 3D printer is a pretty sweet project (pun very much intended). The chocolate printer works the same as the other ones. 3D printers use specific materials like concrete, plastic, metal, and now, chocolate to build items layer by layer, following directions from a computer program. 3D Systems said that this deal with Hershey will allow 3D printing to become a more mainstream technology by giving people the opportunity to make their favourite candies as well as invent new designs. I’m not sure how this can be accomplished when the smaller printers for consumers start at $1000 a pop, but it’s a commendable idea to make this technology more attainable to regular folk. William Papa, head of research and development at Hershey, had this to say about the partnership: “Whether it’s creating a whole new form of candy or developing a new way to produce it, we embrace new technologies such as 3-D printing as a way to keep moving our timeless confectionery treats into the future.” 3D printing is definitely the way of the future. People are fascinated by 3D printing but may not have a use for a 3D-printed heart, prosthetic, or building. Candy seems like a good middle-ground to ease into this popular item that seems to be the hot new tech trend right now. Maybe, as it becomes more prevalent, the hefty price tag will go down so we can all play with our Easy Bake Oven for adults. Critics of the chocolate printer, and other 3D-printed endeavors, don’t see the merit in such advancements for consumers. It seems more like a fear of losing manufacturing profits than […]

«‹ 32 33 34 35

News Ticker

Manufacturing Technology