Significant Manufacturing – Machine Insider

For this yr’s first episode of the discuss sequence Makers and Movers, we acquired the possibility to talk with Rajiv Bajaj, the Managing Director of Stratasys India & SEA, who shouldn’t be solely a part of the management group of a spectacularly profitable world 3D Printing know-how firm however can be an authority in his personal proper on 3DP know-how and its purposes.  Mr. Bajaj shared with DMI editor Aanand Pandey detailed insights on 3D Printing, the know-how’s rising adoption within the manufacturing business, and its highly effective benefits. You may watch the extremely informative dialog on MeshMix Media’s YouTube and LinkedIn channels. Sharing, the discuss’s highlights. 

About 3DP’s makes use of in healthcare, Mr. Bajaj mentioned that the know-how is taking part in an enormous function in bettering human life in addition to bettering surgical outcomes. There are areas the place 3DP has helped make inoperable instances operable, for instance, by serving to docs deal with newborns recognized with coronary heart defects. Equally, the know-how helps docs and surgeons perceive the anatomy of people to the truest dimension to assist with operations. In sufferers affected by kidney most cancers, the know-how helps with a process referred to as partial nephrectomy the place the cancerous a part of the kidney is eliminated, leaving the wholesome tissues intact. 3DP helps docs visualize to a excessive diploma of accuracy the unfold of most cancers within the kidney. Customized-designed prosthetics are one more space the place it’s altering the lives of individuals, serving to caregivers design synthetic limbs with the accuracy and advantages not attainable earlier than.

One other space in healthcare the place 3D printing has made a big influence is dentistry, Mr. Bajaj mentioned. The dentistry workflow, ranging from crowns and bridges to the making of dentures, is turning into extra attuned to affected person wants, and thus extra helpful to the person affected person. DMI Editor Mr. Pandey famous that clear aligners, additionally referred to as invisible braces, have gained reputation and acceptance in India lately amongst individuals of all ages. There are start-ups being launched across the idea, he mentioned. Mr. Bajaj replied that clear aligners are quick changing the standard manner of straightening one’s enamel generally achieved via wired braces. Clear aligners are additionally serving to individuals appropriate sure teeth-related defects that proved tougher to deal with earlier.

Industrial purposes

Right this moment, 3DP has turn out to be an integral a part of the product design and growth course of. Excessive-innovation industries like aerospace, area, and electronics are utilizing and integrating this know-how into their manufacturing processes.  Mr. Bajaj knowledgeable the viewers that 3DP helps automotive corporations fast-track their product growth course of – be it that of vehicles, automobiles, or automobile components – from months and weeks to hours. This has delivered corporations a vastly improved ROI (Return on Funding) for his or her merchandise.

He shared the instance of Honda Motor Firm which had initially calculated an ROI interval of three years for the primary machine that the automotive firm purchased from Stratasys. The corporate, nevertheless, was in a position to recuperate the ROI inside six months and that gave them the arrogance to spend money on one other 3DP machine.   

The sheet-metal business, notably together with the tooling and toolmaking corporations, can be quick adopting 3DP as a part of their product growth course of owing to the know-how’s distinct benefits of lowering the event time and delivering ROI on machines sooner than anticipated. 

When requested about whether or not the know-how is being accepted and built-in into the standard manufacturing course of, Mr. Bajaj mentioned that the know-how has not solely turn out to be mainstream however shouldn’t be solely being seen as one augmenting legacy processes.

“Within the final three to 4 years 3D printing has developed [in the manufacturing sector] from being largely perceived as an industrial design studio utility to an answer that may remedy corporations’ challenges in mainstream manufacturing,” he mentioned. 

New ideas like hyper-personalization and end-use components (see field Finish-Use Elements and Stratasys FDM Expertise) have introduced down cost-per-part to a big diploma. Right this moment, loads of CNC producers in India and the world over are integrating additive manufacturing and Robotics into their mainline manufacturing course of.

Catastrophe restoration and administration is a vital space the place 3D printing has helped save lives. Its function within the making of PPE Kits, face masks, and valves and splitters for ventilators that helped hospitals face the problem of apparatus scarcity has been well known and lauded. “We opened our facility and sources to everybody working to assist remedy facilities and caregivers throughout the pandemic,” Mr. Bajaj mentioned.  One other instance of the know-how’s utility for catastrophe administration is the creation of the topography of a disaster-affected space that helps with catastrophe restoration and welfare planning, he knowledgeable the viewers. 

The dialog coated the necessary space of sustainability the place rising applied sciences like AI and 3DP are taking part in an necessary function. Mr. Bajaj knowledgeable the viewers that the method of 3DP is extra environmentally sustainable because the know-how itself is about minimizing materials wastage. It builds components floor up from materials which is much extra environment friendly and sustainable in comparison with subtractive processes, “which is why we name it Significant Manufacturing,” he added.

He additionally shared insights on new 3D printing supplies similar to PA11 or Nylon 11, which can be produced from Castor beans and subsequently make a sustainable substitute for plastics. Stratasys is a member of Additive Manufacturing Inexperienced Commerce Affiliation, a worldwide commerce group based to advertise the environmental advantages of additive manufacturing over conventional strategies of producing.  Stratasys’ latest acquisition of the additive manufacturing supplies enterprise of Covestro AG, and material-development partnerships with main corporations similar to BASF and Evonik are examples of Stratasys’ dedication to the business’s sustainability targets, he mentioned.

Mr. Bajaj additional addressed plenty of viewers questions overlaying necessary features like the standard and function of 3DP programs being supplied by the academia, and the function of the corporate’s Facilities of Excellence which were arrange in main cities in India within the development of the know-how in healthcare and industrial sectors.

Finish-use components embody all elements, sub-assemblies and merchandise created throughout each sequence manufacturing and/or customized manufacturing. Additive manufacturing is a viable different to molding, machining, forming and casting of end-use components. These conventional processes depend on instruments and dies when manufacturing volumes are reasonable or excessive. For low portions, typical approaches typically depend on guide or semi-automated machining, forming and fabrication.

Fused Deposition Modeling™ (FDM®) is an additive manufacturing know-how that eliminates instruments and dies so as to streamline the manufacturing course of.

Substituting FDM for conventional manufacturing processes considerably reduces lead occasions and prices. It additionally makes manufacturing a easy, unattended and nearly labor-free operation.

As a frontrunner within the 3D printing business, Stratasys has developed a variety of progressive options that allow producers, engineers, designers, inventors, educators, and dreamers to create issues extra successfully and effectively.

FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) was initially invented and patented by Stratasys founder Scott Crump in 1989. Quick ahead to the current, FDM is now essentially the most generally used 3D printing course of.

What’s FDM Expertise

FDM know-how is the method of creating bodily objects by increase successive layers of fabric. A thermoplastic filament is pushed via an extruder and deposited the place wanted in every layer to finish the specified object.

At its core is an additive manufacturing (AM) technique or course of reverse of conventional manufacturing which is subtractive, involving slicing away at a block of fabric to supply an object.

3D printing with FDM know-how is clear, easy to make use of, and office-friendly. Due to production-grade supplies which can be mechanically and environmentally secure. They embody most of the similar tried-and-tested thermoplastics utilized in conventional manufacturing processes like injection molding.

With Stratasys FDM know-how, making advanced geometries and components with inside cavities turns into attainable. For purposes that demand exact tolerances, sturdiness, and stability in numerous environments, FDM thermoplastics ship the required properties.

The advantages and benefits of FDM embody its potential to cut back manufacturing bills and produce end-use components on demand. Additional, it helps producers speed up the turnaround time the place they’ll skip tooling, which brings down lead occasions from weeks to days.

Supply: Stratasys

Government Profile: Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Stratasys India and Southeast Asia

With over 20 years of expertise within the know-how business, Rajiv leads Stratasys India & SEA group for the final 7+ years to drive sustainable progress of additive manufacturing within the area.

Rajiv has intensive expertise within the manufacturing business in driving enterprise transformation. He participates as a speaker in main business boards just like the CII, ACMA and IMTMA on driving innovation via know-how adoption in Aerospace, Automotive and Shopper items industries.

Previous to this, Rajiv was the Nation Supervisor at Autodesk India and SAARC, heading the Manufacturing Options enterprise unit and managing the expansion technique throughout completely different business segments. Rajiv has additionally held positions with main Product Lifecycle Administration (PLM) corporations together with Dassault Systemes and PTC, taking part in an instrumental function in gross sales and channel administration.

Supply: Stratasys