by Charlie Wood, Ph.D.
VP of Innovation, Research & Development

As a part of the SyBridge team, I’ve witnessed the remarkable evolution of design and engineering tools over the past decade. These digital advancements have revolutionized our approach to manufacturing, allowing for more data-driven processes and insights. But it can be difficult to know where to start, or even to understand where there are opportunities to implement.

At the heart of our approach lies the concept of the “Digital Thread,” a framework that interconnects data across the entire lifecycle. This concept enables us to leverage the wealth of design and operational data across our data lake that is generated in the manufacturing process, from CAD designs to inspection results. While the industry is still moving towards seamless integration, we’ve made significant strides in creating workflows that prioritize data-driven decision-making.

Streamlining Injection Mold Design Workflows

One key area where data is contributing to efficiencies within manufacturing is that of injection mold tooling design. By utilizing virtual component libraries for mold designs, we’ve been able to streamline the complex process of coordinating and collaborating on intricate assemblies for mold making. In these libraries, we have standard blocks, system approaches and components stored in a way that allows us to quickly identify and digitally pull components. This approach offers lots of flexibility when it comes to customer requests and needs, all while keeping standard practices built right into our tools. Over the course of many years, we’ve built software-driven processes to design new builds based off of these standard components, allowing us to quickly handle new requests from customers and build a learning feedback loop to avoid costly mistakes.

Additionally, through the use of parametric component libraries, we’ve been able to significantly reduce design complexity and incorporate our own manufacturing intelligence into these components, allowing us to directly check for design issues and integrate manufacturing information into CAD files. This process creates a flow of information from the conceptual stage of the design through manufacturing and approval, extending our Digital Thread from end to end. This information flow can also go backwards, tying quoting, estimation assumptions and specifications directly to tool designs. These advancements in our design approach have not only made the job of a tool designer a bit easier, but have improved quality by creating
more explicit feedback loops in our design processes.

Innovations in Conformal Cooling

As many know, 3D printing has unlocked incredible design freedom for manufacturing engineers around the world. However, what can be overlooked is how impactful it has been for system designers, like toolmakers, who can utilize that design freedom and low cost of complexity to create components that radically improve performance. In the case of toolmaking, 3D printing has unlocked new cooling channel designs simply not possible before.

Although increasing numbers of toolmakers are using these advanced manufacturing techniques today, the new design space is so complex it can be hard to probe. In the past, conformal cooling channels were fairly straight, in-plane paths driven by tool access limitations in machining. With metal 3D printing, the limits are far less restrictive and allow designers to pursue more creative and complicated structures.

Using advanced data-driven methods with virtual design and testing capabilities, we’ve been able to uncover non-obvious opportunity areas in the design space. Through these novel design and
manufacturing workflows, we’re optimizing cooling performance and achieving remarkable improvements in tool performance as measured through cycle time. Through our approach, we’re seeing cycle time reductions as high as 50%. These successes have inspired us to further integrate and enhance these workflows, driving continued innovation.

AI Tools for Manufacturing

The Fast Radius Portal’s AI-powered DFM checks

Looking ahead, we’re enthusiastic about the possibilities that emerging technologies like machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) offer. These novel data modeling approaches have shown incredible potential, and the pace of technological advancement is rapidly accelerating. We’ve been able to use ML models to build data models faster than through simple bottom-up logic, particularly for complex problems that contain many correlating factors.

The critical ingredient in implementing AI for manufacturing are large data sets that provide a source of truth for model training and validation. By leveraging our existing datasets, we aim to predict defects, optimize designs in real-time and ultimately revolutionize quality control processes. These technologies are not a distant vision; they’re an integral part of our current digital platform, with features like instant quoting and DFM checks based on captured manufacturing data. And this is just the beginning of what’s possible.

Unlocking Manufacturing Innovation via the Digital Thread

Our journey in harnessing digital workflows for injection molding design has seen remarkable progress and tangible results. The end-to-end integration of data into the Digital Thread, combined with the power of ML and AI, holds the key to unlocking even greater innovation. As we continue to push boundaries and explore new frontiers, we’re excited about the advancements at the interface between the physical and digital worlds.

Are you ready to harness the power of the Digital Thread for your organization? Contact us today to get started.

The post The Digital Thread: End-to-End Data-Driven Manufacturing appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

Manufacturing in Focus sat down with Senior Director of R&D, Dr. Charlie Wood and one of the company’s leading Additive Manufacturing and Engineering experts, Greg Nemecek, to learn how SyBridge Technologies is changing the industry with the latest advances in additive manufacturing.

See page 70

The post Advances in Manufacturing: SyBridge Leads the Way appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, has become an increasingly popular manufacturing method across many industries, from the automotive industry to the medical industry. Over the last few years, there have been several advancements in 3D printing technology, allowing manufacturers to create increasingly complex and durable components that are on par with those made via CNC machining or injection molding.

Additive manufacturing has also had a significant impact on the food industry, which has strict requirements to ensure that the materials which come in contact with food are safe for people.

Is Additive Manufacturing Food-Safe?

3D printed parts can be food-safe and meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations, as long as specific steps and precautions are taken. To ensure your parts are safe for use with food, you’ll want to follow 3-A Sanitary Standards and review your part’s design, your materials, and the additive manufacturing process itself. To help you get started, follow these best practices when it comes to designing 3D printed food-safe products:

Eliminate Crevices and Voids

Make sure that any section of your part or product that can come into contact with food (product contact surfaces) is free of crevices and voids. These features are difficult to clean and can allow bacteria to thrive. If your part requires voids or crevices, ensure that those areas can be easily accessed for cleaning when your product is disassembled.

Round any Sharp Corners

Sharp corners are difficult to clean, and like crevices and voids, can potentially harbor bacteria. With this in mind, you should round any corners within your design, and instead incorporate fillets with large radii when possible.

Ensure Toughness

When you’re manufacturing food-safe products, make sure that your parts are robust enough for their applications. If they crack, corrode, or break down, bacteria can grow, putting users at risk. Additionally, if a part breaks, small pieces may contaminate the food, posing a danger to consumers and often requiring a recall of the product.

Smooth Surface Finishes

A part’s surface finish can be problematic, as rough surfaces have small pockets that enable bacteria to grow. However, creating food-safe 3D printed products with smooth, non-porous surfaces can be challenging, as 3D printers build parts layer by layer, resulting in microscopic crevices. To achieve surface smoothness, you can use:

• Mechanical finishing: Mechanical finishing techniques, such as sanding, bead blasting, and polishing, can help smooth a part’s surface while also improving clarity.
• Vapor smoothing: Compatible with certain plastics, vapor smoothing involves exposing 3D printed plastic parts to vaporized solvent. Your part’s external features and edges will melt and re-seal, creating a smoother, glossier surface without voids or crevices.
• Surface coatings: In situations where mechanical finishing isn’t a viable or cost-effective option, you might be able to use a food-safe coating, such as food-grade epoxy or polyurethane. Make sure your coating is compatible with any cleaning products and other chemicals your part will come into contact with to avoid pitting, delamination, and blistering.

The additive manufacturing process you choose also plays a role in the amount of post-processing you’ll need to do. Technologies like stereolithography (SLA), HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF), and Carbon® Digital Light Synthesis™ (DLS) produce parts with smoother surface finishes than fused deposition modeling (FDM), and typically require less post-processing. However, regardless of technology, even if a part is printed with food-safe materials, it might not be considered food-safe if the printer isn’t itself deemed food-safe. Something as small as an FDM printer’s nozzle containing lubricant can cause the resulting parts to be considered non-food-safe, so every detail counts.

How is Additive Manufacturing Used in the Food Industry?

Additive manufacturing, unlike injection molding, doesn’t involve machining expensive tooling to mold plastic parts. By eliminating the cost and lead time associated with machining injection mold tooling, companies can save a great deal of time and money when making parts and maintenance tools for their factories, such as spacers, grippers, and assembly tools. Additionally, additive manufacturing — particularly when combined with digital part storage and factories with cloud-based manufacturing capabilities — is an ideal process for producing spare parts, keeping equipment up and running and avoiding expensive, unplanned downtime.

What Materials are Used in Food-Safe Additive Manufacturing?

When creating products that will come into contact with food, choosing the right material is essential. You’ll want to choose a non-toxic, non-contaminating, corrosion-resistant base material, and you’ll need to make sure any added coatings or dyes are also food safe.

Specific food-grade plastics that are compatible with the additive manufacturing process include:

• Polyetheretherketone (PEEK): PEEK has high resistance to heat and dimensional stability, so it can be used in the microwave and dishwasher. It’s lightweight yet strong and can be manufactured with colorants, giving it plenty of design flexibility. PEEK can be found in coffee machine nozzles, mixing scrapers, blenders, kneaders, food packaging, and more.
• ULTEM 1010: ULTEM 1010 is a strong, high-performance thermoplastic compatible with the FDM 3D printing process. In addition to being mechanically suitable for many applications, it has been certified to NSF 51, meeting the FDA’s minimum public health and sanitation requirements for materials used in the construction of commercial food equipment.

What are Some Sterilizable Additive Materials That Meet Food Safety Standards?

Manufacturers often use sterilizable additive materials, as the last thing they want is for bacteria to grow unchecked within a product that comes into contact with food. However, it’s important to know that not all sterilizable materials are necessarily food-safe materials.

Creating Food-Safe Products With SyBridge

The introduction of additive manufacturing to the food industry has changed the game. Thanks to 3D printing, companies can create food-safe products from a wide variety of materials quickly, cost-effectively, and on demand. However, creating food-safe products via additive manufacturing isn’t as simple as selecting appropriate materials. You’ll also need to pay attention to your printer, your part’s design, and your part’s surface finish.

There’s a lot to remember when trying to meet regulations and create food-safe products, so using an experienced manufacturing partner can put your mind at ease and ensure your customers aren’t put at risk by unsafe products. When you work with SyBridge, our engineering team can help you choose an FDA-approved plastic that will meet your needs and ensure your design is ready for printing. You can also upload your part files to get an instant DFM analysis of your design, explore material options, and order your parts online — even using a purchase order (PO). Contact us to discuss the requirements for your next food-safe additive manufacturing project.

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Over the last few years, companies around the globe have experienced supply chain problems, showing that the global pandemic has had consequences for businesses large and small. On top of the surge in consumer demand, there was a shortage of shipping containers and dockworkers, a decline in air freight capacity, and a lack of truck drivers, leading to port congestion. Ships were left idling off shore for days, or even weeks — and the problem is ongoing. At the tail end of 2021 and the start of 2022, container ships spent an average of seven days at American ports.

These supply chain disruptions have also caused manufacturing delays. All industries experienced record-long lead times for raw materials in October of 2021, and things haven’t improved much. For example, chipmakers must wait 18 months for critical equipment, such as electronic modules, lenses, valves, and pumps.

Additive manufacturing may offer some much-needed relief to supply chain issues. It can provide several benefits when it comes to low-volume production runs, quality control, and material cost, making it a viable alternative to the traditional supply chain and a more predictable asset during turbulent times.

Why additive manufacturing?

Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, involves manufacturing or printing a part directly layer by layer, as opposed to subtractive methods like machining. It’s an accurate, highly digitized process that requires much less tooling and setup, eliminating the need for molds, forms, and specialized cutting tools.

Compared to traditional manufacturing methods, additive manufacturing technology offers several advantages, including:

Faster lead times

Additive manufacturing allows for faster prototyping and low volume production, helping companies accelerate the design iteration and product validation processes to get their products to market faster.

Plus, since there’s no need for tooling, you can print end-use parts within a few hours or days instead of spending weeks or months for setup associated with designing and fabricating tooling, like a mold, as you would when injection molding. Essentially, you can start the production run as soon as the final design is complete and a printer is available.

Increased flexibility and agility

3D printers enable companies to print parts on demand, offering incredible flexibility and agility. Not only can companies quickly and cheaply create custom products with 3D printing technology, but they can also easily produce more or less of a product as demand shifts.

While ramping up production with injection molding, design changes after release can mean waiting weeks or months for another tool to be created. With the elimination of tooling, 3D printing enables companies to shift gears quickly. For example, during the early stages of the pandemic, HP printed over 2.3 million medical components, including nasal swabs, personal protective equipment, and ventilator parts when the demand was dynamically growing. Had they used injection molding, they would have needed to design and manufacture a mold, which could have taken months.

Decentralized production

Using 3D printing technology will also enable companies to decentralize production. Instead of producing goods in a single location and shipping them worldwide, companies can manufacture goods close to or at their point of use. Distributed production can drastically shorten the supply chain, eliminating many potential bottlenecks and accelerating a product’s time to market, so it’s hardly surprising that 52% of companies were considering localized production in 2021.

Shifting towards additive technology and a decentralized production system can also help companies get products in consumers’ hands faster, avoid the cost of long-haul shipping, and cut back on transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Reduced warehousing costs

3D printers allow companies to manufacture goods on-demand, meaning you can produce the exact number of parts you need and then ship them directly to your customers, more perfectly matching supply and demand. Instead of buying or renting a warehouse, you can rely on digital inventories and produce parts whenever a customer submits an order.

Since warehouse vacancy is at just 3.6% and demand will likely only increase as more companies reshore manufacturing and diversify their supply chains, printing on demand and shifting to a digital warehouse rather than storing physical inventory can help save a significant amount of capital.

Can building additive manufacturing into production cycles avoid future disruptions?

While most companies believe it’s time to take action to avoid future supply chain disruptions, it can be difficult to identify which measures to take. For those that have shifted tactics, many are relying on short-term measures. In fact, less than half of the 3,000 chief executives surveyed by AlixPartners have taken action to alleviate supply chain disruptions in the long term.

Building additive manufacturing into the production cycle can help companies mitigate or avoid future supply chain disruptions. After all, additive manufacturing supports decentralized manufacturing and allows for a simpler supply chain and increased flexibility and agility. Companies can produce products closer to their destination, potentially avoiding supply chain bottlenecks like severe port congestion. Additive allows companies to produce the exact quantity required, reducing excess shipments to warehouses before distribution to customers.

What are the risks of replacing the traditional supply chain with an additive manufacturing supply chain?

Given the many benefits of additive manufacturing, it’s hardly surprising that the global market for 3D printing products and services was around $12.6 billion in 2020 and will continue to grow in the coming years as more companies rebuild shorter or more flexible additive supply chains. However, people who have spent their careers designing for or working with injection molding or CNC machining may have difficulty shifting to these newer disruptive processes.

Common problems people run into while 3D printing include warping, cracks, poor layer-to-layer adhesion, and part failures. Thankfully, technological advancements in the manufacturing equipment and materials worlds have made these problems smaller and less frequent, as well as engineers working across the life cycle from design to manufacturing. For example, in fused deposition modeling (FDM), layer shifting, stringing, under-extrusion, and over-extrusion are possible, but experienced engineers and manufacturing technicians are continually developing solutions to improve part quality. Similar process advancements in other additive technologies (SLA, SLS, etc.) have been made to make more applications possible. However, these advancements require a 3D printing partner that has the knowledge and expertise to develop and employ these novel processes.

If you work with SyBridge, our experienced engineers will be able to review and refine your design, helping you manufacture parts quickly and cost-effectively without making difficult quality sacrifices. Our domestic factories and distributed production capabilities will help you avoid the delays and headaches associated with overseas logistics, and our suite of digital tools can automatically detect design issues before your part or product goes into production. You can also explore various materials and manufacturing methods before initiating a quote. To learn more about how our additive capabilities can help resolve your supply chain issues, accelerate production, and ensure maximum cost-per-part efficiency, create an account or contact us today.

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The popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) began with the Toyota Prius, a hybrid vehicle powered by the combination of an internal combustion engine and a nickel-metal hydride battery. Since the introduction of the Prius, many hybrid and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have entered the market, and the adoption of electric vehicles continues to increase year over year. In 2020, 3.1 million EVs were sold and in November of 2021 alone, over 721,000 plug-in vehicles were sold, setting a monthly sales record and signifying a growing interest in EVs — and there’s no sign of that trend slowing down.

General Motors plans to phase out gas-powered cars — aka internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles — and pledges that its entire fleet will be comprised of zero-emission vehicles by 2035. Similarly, President Biden announced that the government fleet will be replaced with EVs, totaling over 645,000 vehicles, and issued an executive order with the goal of making half of all new cars sold in 2030 electric. Additionally, Bloomberg Markets predicts that over two-thirds of global car sales will be electric by 2040, while Edison Electric estimates that EV sales will surpass 3.5 million annually by 2030.

It’s clear that the future of the automotive industry is electric, and now is the time for companies to start developing EVs. Keeping up with the automotive production market can be tricky, but using additive manufacturing can simplify the process and help automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) thrive as we enter an increasingly electric world.

Compared to traditional manufacturing methods, additive manufacturing allows for lighter components and increased customization, while also avoiding supply chain constrictions that have been prominent production roadblocks. With relatively low production volumes and a growing yet uncertain demand, EV manufacturers and suppliers can benefit from the flexibility, speed, and affordability that additive manufacturing offers.

Benefits of additive manufacturing in electric vehicles

Additive manufacturing offers several advantages to those in the EV industry. By factoring ​​additive manufacturing into the EV production cycle, you can:

Design intricate parts, reduce weight, and extend battery life

The automotive industry has spent years pursuing various lightweighting options, as less weight means increased fuel efficiency. In EVs, lighter parts result in better battery life, so manufacturers have been scrambling to find ways to make vehicles lighter without sacrificing quality or safety.

Enter additive manufacturing. Not only does 3D printing enable engineers to create complex, organic geometries using less material than conventional manufacturing techniques, but it also enables them to consolidate several parts into a single component that requires little-to-no assembly. The resulting product is often lighter than a fitted or welded part and in many applications can match traditionally manufactured parts when it comes to strength. Additive’s ability to create intricate parts can also help when it comes to maximizing battery space, as designers are able to fabricate casings with thinner walls into complex, stackable shapes.

Use a variety of materials and achieve better thermal performance

While 3D printing has a reputation for having a limited selection of compatible materials, the number of available options has grown significantly over the last few years. There are now many that meet automotive specifications and can help reduce vehicle weight. For example, some materials offer a 20% weight reduction compared to glass fiber reinforced polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). You can even formulate custom 3D printing materials to achieve specific mechanical properties if no existing options fulfill your needs.

Additionally, many materials compatible with 3D printing have better thermal capabilities than traditional manufacturing materials, which can help prolong EV battery lifespans. After all, EV batteries are best kept at mild temperatures — 50°F is best for storage, while 77°F is ideal for charging and driving — but maintaining those temperatures can be tricky when using metal components. On the other hand, 3D printed encasings and heat exchangers give engineers more material options that can help better regulate battery temperatures.

Cost-efficiently produce low-volume production runs

While injection molding is ideal for high-volume production runs, it can be expensive and impractical when executing low-volume runs due to the cost of creating tooling. The demand for EVs is rapidly increasing, but it still isn’t near the market size of traditional ICE vehicles, so the cost-effectiveness of additive manufacturing at low volumes can help companies make the components they need at a reasonable cost-per-part.

Reduce your time to market

Since additive manufacturing doesn’t require tooling, you can accelerate your manufacturing timeline. Compared to injection molding delivery times, additive offers a lead time reduction of up to 50%, which speeds up the iteration process and final production. As a result, companies can drastically cut vehicle development times by using additive manufacturing.

Easily customize vehicles

The lack of tooling makes updating designs and providing customization options easier and significantly less expensive. With additive manufacturing, customers can easily customize everything from badges to brackets without significantly driving up costs or production times.

Avoid supply chain constrictions

Following traditional manufacturing methods often means getting caught up in supply chain issues — especially with recent global supply chain problems. Additive manufacturing enables companies to skip many of these potential bottlenecks, as companies can make parts anywhere they or their manufacturing partners have 3D printers. Instead of waiting for traditional production and shipment channels, they can design and print parts on-demand from anywhere.

Common applications of additive manufacturing in EV production

Many industries use additive manufacturing in prototyping due to its speed and affordability, and the EV industry is no different. Additionally, companies use additive manufacturing to cost-effectively create jigs, fixtures, and other tools necessary for the manufacturing and prototyping processes.

When it comes to end-use parts, companies use 3D printing technology to create everything from battery boxes to lighting bezels. Enclosures, trim, clips, badges, brackets, as well as air, fluid, and wire routing can be 3D printed. Some companies are printing charging ports, plug covers, HVAC kinematics, mounts, and caps.

3D printing is increasingly popular when it comes to electrical connectors, as they are often small and require extreme precision, which can increase the cost of traditional plastic injection molding. In the future, it may even be possible to 3D print EV batteries at scale.

Manufacturing EV components with SyBridge

Additive manufacturing offers EV manufacturers plenty of benefits, and it’s likely the future of the automotive industry. However, shifting from traditional manufacturing techniques to additive manufacturing won’t necessarily be easy for every organization.

That’s where working with an experienced manufacturing partner comes in. At SyBridge we’re experts in additive manufacturing. When you work with us, we’ll help ensure your 3D parts are ready for production — and you can also use our online tools to explore design, material, and production options or begin a quote. Ready to get started? Create an account to upload your part designs or contact us today!

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Injection molding involves melting and injecting plastic into a mold, cooling it, and ejecting the finished product. Injection molding is used across various industries, but it’s particularly instrumental in the medical supply and device industry, as it can produce large quantities of accurate, high-quality parts and is compatible with many medical-grade plastics.

Common Medical Applications of Injection Molding

Injection molding offers high levels of accuracy, compatibility with FDA-approved materials, the ability to achieve ISO 13485 compliance, and a low cost-per-part, making it ideal for many medical applications. Medical injection molding can be used to create components for dental X-ray equipment, catheter locks, diagnostic testing kit components, personal protection equipment, microfluidic devices, and surgical and drug delivery equipment.

Other medical plastic injection molding applications include orthopedics, syringes, Petri dishes, and pipettes, as well as parts, housings, and casings for medical devices, electronic devices, and computerized medical equipment. Injection molding is ideal for situations that require high volumes of durable, accurate, and sterilization-friendly parts.

The Benefits of Using Injection Molding in the Medical Industry

Injection molding has plenty to offer the medical industry, including:

Cost Efficiency

While creating tooling requires a significant amount of time and money upfront, injection molding is extremely cost-effective at high volumes. Bulk injection molding will spread the tooling cost across thousands of parts, lowering the overall cost-per-part.

High Levels of Accuracy

Injection molding is known for its accuracy and repeatability, making it perfect for the medical industry, where the slightest mistake can cause a part or device to fail. Injection molding allows companies to quickly create hundreds or thousands of identical parts while providing exceptional accuracy and adhering to tight tolerances.

A Wide Range of Compatible Materials

Compared to all other manufacturing processes, injection molding has one of the widest material selections. While some materials aren’t suitable for use in the medical industry, there are still many materials capable of meeting the industry’s various requirements and regulations.

Superior Strength, Durability and Mechanical Properties

Injection molded parts are quite strong and durable. They may also be resistant to vibrations, impacts, and harsh environments. Some are resistant to heat, meaning they can be easily and repeatedly sterilized via an autoclave without suffering any damage.

Comparing Medical Injection Molding Materials

• Polyethylene (PE): This thermoplastic has a high molecular weight and is perfect for use in wearable medical devices. However, you can’t sterilize PE with an autoclave, as it’s less resistant to heat.
• Polypropylene (PP): PP is highly heat resistant, making it ideal for parts that will be regularly sterilized by an autoclave. PP is also tough, lightweight, affordable, and resistant to radiation, chemicals, electricity, and organic solvents.
• Polystyrene (PS): PS offers good impact resistance and dimensional stability. It’s also non-toxic, inexpensive, odorless, FDA-compliant, and lightweight, making it great for Petri dishes and test tubes.
• Polyetheretherketone (PEEK): PEEK is highly resistant to chemicals, radiation, and wear. Since PEEK is also incredibly resistant to high temperatures, it’s great for sterilization and injection molding. PEEK is often used in orthopedic devices, dental implants, healing caps, and spinal fusion devices.
• Polycarbonate (PC): This strong yet flexible engineering-grade thermoplastic offers high vibration, heat, impact, and UV light resistance. PC offers good dimensional stability and is often used in medical devices.

Determining Which Material is Best for Medical-Grade Products

There are plenty of materials suitable for medical injection molding, but each medical-grade plastic has its own advantages, and each will perform differently. In addition to opting for a contaminant-resistant material that can be sterilized, consider:

• Durability and strength: In the medical industry, using an easily breakable material isn’t very practical. In fact, it can be both inconvenient and dangerous if it breaks at a crucial moment, so make sure to opt for a material that’s resistant to shattering and breaking and offers the durability and strength needed for its intended application.
• Operating conditions: Before deciding which material to use, you’ll need to consider the application environment. For example, if the part is repeatedly sterilized and subjected to high heat, a material resistant to high temperatures is needed, such as polypropylene. On the other hand, if a part needs to be flexible and durable, use a strong material like polycarbonate, which is resistant to vibrations, abrasions, and heat.
• Ease of use: When selecting a part’s material, consider who will use the part and how. After all, a heavy, non-ergonomic surgical instrument would only hinder a surgeon from doing their job. A light, ergonomic surgical instrument that’s functional and easy to sterilize can make all the difference.

Compliance: Adhering to FDA Regulations and ISO Standards

In addition to the use-case and material-specific considerations that you need to make when manufacturing injection molded parts and products for the medical industry, there’s also the matter of compliance. The medical industry is highly regulated. This means that any parts or products that you make, whether through injection molding or another manufacturing process, must adhere to FDA regulations, as well as receive ISO certification and comply with the corresponding standards.

• FDA regulations: The FDA has strict regulations regarding the cleanliness and sterility of implantable devices, medical instruments, other medical components, as well as materials used in cleanrooms. This means that you’ll need to ensure that your chosen material is capable of meeting those standards. Plus, you’ll need to pay attention to the injection molding process itself, as you or your manufacturing partner will likely need to pass an audit to receive medical-grade approval.
• ISO certification and compliance: You’ll also need to ensure your medical components meet ISO standards. Meeting ISO 13485:2016 standards is a must, but you may also need to meet other standards. In some cases, you may need to demonstrate compliance with Class I, II, or III requirements or ISO 10993 and other biocompatibility standards.

Medical Industry Solutions From SyBridge

Injection molding is a precise, cost-efficient manufacturing method that results in high-quality parts and is capable of meeting the strict standards of the medical industry. There are countless applications for injection molding in the medical industry, but some materials are better suited for specific situations than others. To ensure you have the best design paired with the right material and can meet strict regulatory requirements, consider working with an injection molding expert.

At SyBridge, our expert engineers can help you refine your design and select the right material for your component. You can also access instant DFM analysis and more by uploading your designs to identify potential design pitfalls, reduce unnecessary production slowdowns, and lower your cost-per-part.

Create an account or contact us today to discover what SyBridge can do to help you make injection molded parts for the medical industry or other applications.

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Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for businesses and consumers alike. Not only can businesses capitalize on opportunities for tax credits and more stable energy prices, but in the long run, companies that commit to sustainability will see greater success with consumers as individuals seek environmentally friendly product offerings.

From the energy and material used in production to the carbon emissions from transportation, there are opportunities across the manufacturing process for businesses to improve their environmental impact. One simple place to start is with product design. Simple changes — like lightweighting parts — can reduce material use, emissions, and more.

Use the infographic below for ideas on how to incorporate more sustainable practices into your design process.

Contact us today to get started.

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Outsourcing production to an experienced 3D printing partner can make all the difference in your final product. Here’s what you need to know.

Today, the 3D printing market is larger than ever, and it’s still growing as more and more people explore its many advantages. 3D printing offers quick turnaround times, relatively low costs, and increased flexibility, making it an attractive manufacturing option for teams in a variety of sectors, from the automotive industry to medical modeling companies.

Despite all the benefits, buying a 3D printer isn’t automatically the best option for everyone. Not only does it require a significant initial investment in equipment and materials, but negotiating operational costs can also be challenging. Plus, it can be expensive and time-consuming to implement the new technology and hire engineers with the necessary technical expertise. That’s where outsourcing your projects to a 3D printing service partner can help. Here are five reasons to use a 3D printing partner.

5 Reasons to Outsource Manufacturing to a 3D Printing Partner

1. Access to More Materials

Most consumer 3D printers only use light-sensitive resin or plastic filaments like acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), but 3D printing providers have industrial-grade printers and offer a wider variety of materials. If your project has specific mechanical, chemical, or aesthetic needs, it’s best to use a 3D printing partner.

Even if the material you need is relatively common, you may face challenges printing. Acquiring materials can be more expensive than ordering a printed part, and some materials or printing processes are not safe to use in office environments. When you use a printing partner, you won’t have to worry about buying, storing, and eventually disposing of an entire spool of a material you’ll only use once. Plus, your partner will have dedicated manufacturing areas and safety procedures for technologies and materials that your facilities may otherwise restrict you from using.

At SyBridge, we have a wide range of materials available for 3D printing, from EPX 82 to PA 12 (Nylon 12) to acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA). And we’re always adding more.

2. Access to a Larger Range of Post-Processing Options

Using a 3D printing partner grants you access to a wider variety of finishing options, helping you create a final product that matches your vision. For example, depending on the process, we offer smoothing, painting, bead blasting, hydrographics, laser etching, laser surface decorating, digital texturing, press-fit inserts, heat staking inserts, black dyeing, helicoil inserts, and sanding.

While every material and 3D printing process can’t be compatible with every post-processing technique, a good partner will be able to advise you on which post-processing techniques will work best with your part’s material and functional requirements.

3. The Ability to Print Various Sizes

Not only can a 3D printing partner help you meet high levels of consumer demand and ensure reasonable lead times, but they can also offer you more flexibility when it comes to print sizes. 3D printing service partners have a selection of 3D printers, including ones with larger build plates than those you’d find in a desktop 3D printing machine. Instead of printing a part in multiple segments, you may be able to order your print from your 3D printing service in one piece. You can also order extremely small prints from a 3D printing partner, as they’ll have more sophisticated printers and expert technicians capable of producing intricate details.

SyBridge’s printers support various build volumes including:

• Carbon Digital Light Synthesis™ M2 printers — 7.4 x 4.6 x 12.8 inches
• Carbon Digital Light Synthesis™ L1 printers — 15.7 x 9.8 x 18.1 inches
• HP Multi Jet Fusion 4200/5200 printers — 14.8 x 14.8 x 11.0 inches
• HP Multi Jet Fusion 580 color printers 13.1 x 7.4 x 9.8 inches
• Formlabs Stereolithography printers — 13.2 x 7.9 x 11.8 inches
• Stratasys Fused Deposition Modeling printers 36.0 x 24.0 x 36.0 inches

4. Increased Scalability

3D printing is widely used for prototyping and low- to mid-volume production runs, but many product teams don’t know that 3D printing can be used for mass production as well. To produce a large number of parts quickly without compromising quality or adapt your production needs to meet fluctuating customer demand, you should connect with a 3D printing partner. Your partner may have the equipment to support high-volume production runs, and you’ll even be able to print parts on-demand, eliminating the need for additional storage warehouses. This also gives you the freedom to rapidly scale up or down.

5. Access to Experts and Higher Quality Parts

Between the advanced, industrial-grade machinery and the insights provided by industry experts, parts printed by a professional 3D printing partner will be more consistent, have tighter tolerances, and look more professional than those printed with consumer-grade printers.

In addition, the insights of expert engineers and technicians can be highly valuable to the 3D printing process. The optimal method for printing the same part can vary widely from technology to technology, and not every part is well suited for the same type of 3D printing. The expertise specialized professionals have about part orientation, process parameters, and design for additive manufacturing can help you overcome technical challenges, saving you time and money in the long run and helping you produce the best possible part for your budget and timeline.

3D Printing With SyBridge

When you work with an experienced 3D printing partner, you’ll be able to access more materials and post-processing options, take advantage of higher quality printers, and unlock key insights from 3D printing experts. This will help you quickly and cost-effectively create high-quality parts that meet your consumers’ expectations.

If you’re looking for a 3D printing partner, SyBridge is ready to help. We can guide you through the entire production process, from design to fulfillment, and we have a team of experts and industrial-grade machines to ensure your parts are made to your specifications. Ready to see what SyBridge can do for you? Contact us today.

The post 5 Reasons to Use a 3D Printing Partner appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

3D printing (also called additive manufacturing when done in an industrial setting) has been steadily increasing in popularity over the past ten years. The 3D printing industry was valued at $13.7 billion in 2020, according to a recent Mordor Intelligence report, and it’s projected to reach $63.46 by 2026. That’s a compound annual growth rate of nearly 30 percent.

New materials, more advanced technologies, and cost-effective printing techniques have convinced many manufacturers that 3D printing is the future of part production. Let’s explore some of the latest 3D printing innovations in manufacturing today.

How 3D printing paves the way for innovation in manufacturing

3D printing empowers product teams to create high-quality products faster and at a fraction of the cost of other techniques. While injection molding requires manufacturers to design and create expensive tooling before producing parts, 3D printing enables them to simply send a digital design file to the printer.

This level of speed and affordability gives manufacturers unmatched flexibility when it comes to prototyping and production. Manufacturers can easily alter designs to keep up with consumer trends without rendering existing tooling obsolete. Product teams can also offer increased customization, eliminate time-consuming assembly steps, reduce storage costs, and produce cost-effective low-volume runs.

3D printing technology is also compatible with a wide variety of materials, making it much easier for product teams to find a material that meets their physical and chemical requirements. In addition to popular thermosets and thermoplastics, some 3D printers can also print with composite filaments, photosensitive resins, and more to produce parts with complex geometries.

New and innovative 3D printing solutions

The 3D printing possibilities are endless, and additive manufacturing is already a driving force behind innovation across several industries.

The healthcare industry: 3D printing has plenty of exciting applications in the medical industry. 3D printing’s relatively low cost combined with high levels of customization and the ability to print parts with hollow internal geometries makes additive manufacturing an ideal choice for producing light, strong prostheses. For example, SyBridge helped Coapt design and print components for their second generation of COMPLETE CONTROL, a system that helps amputees fully control their prosthetic arm’s movement via an electrical pattern recognition system.

The pandemic also introduced many new 3D printing innovations in healthcare, from mass-producing face shields to printing ventilator parts. Other 3D printing medical innovations include patient-specific surgical models and a variety of dental applications like antibacterial dental implants, dentures, impression trays, and more.

The automotive industry: Many manufacturers in the automotive industry turn to 3D printing to create parts for car interiors like customized sports car seats. Others use additive manufacturing to cost-effectively produce obsolete spare parts for vintage cars or create contoured seats that fit customers perfectly. Even Formula One race cars leverage 3D printing for their parts.

The aerospace industry: In the aerospace industry, aviation firms are just starting to incorporate 3D printing in their manufacturing processes. 3D-printed parts are cheaper and often lighter than conventional parts, offering greater fuel efficiency without sacrificing strength, heat resistance, or structural integrity.

The energy industry: 3D printing allows energy companies to quickly produce parts at a lower price point. 3D printing solar panels can cut manufacturing costs by 50% while also improving their efficiency, and 3D printing turbine blade molds can reduce transportation costs and eliminate the labor-intensive process of manually creating molds. Plus, companies can print discontinued parts, extending their equipment’s lifespan.

The sporting goods industry: Sporting goods manufacturers can create highly customized products for athletes, improving their performance and providing more protection and comfort. For example, 3D printing custom helmets with lattice structures improves ventilation and impact absorbency while minimizing weight. Other 3D printing innovations include snowboard bindings that match riders’ boards, baseball glove inserts that improve reaction time and gameplay, and custom bike saddles that offer the ideal balance of comfort, stability, and weight.

Partnering with SyBridge

3D printing is already transforming the manufacturing landscape due to its speed, affordability, high level of customization, and ability to produce complex geometries. As the technology continues to mature, manufacturers will develop new and innovative 3D printing solutions.

If you need help getting started with 3D printing, consider working with an experienced additive manufacturing partner like SyBridge. When you partner with us, our team of experienced professionals will help you through the entire production process, from design to fulfillment. We also stay up to date on the latest 3D printing technologies to help you future-proof your business and take advantage of all that additive manufacturing has to offer. Contact us today.

The post How 3D Printing Drives Innovation in Manufacturing appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

3D printing used to be used primarily to manufacture prototypes; however, the field has expanded now that printer costs have dropped, cutting-edge materials are more widely available, and printing techniques have become more advanced. Manufacturers can now print durable end-use parts with more complex geometries on a larger scale, which has led them to explore 3D printing’s potential in a variety of industries.

3D printing can cut production costs and shrink lead times, so it’s not surprising that 85% of spare parts suppliers expect to adopt 3D printing as part of their manufacturing strategy in the near future. Here’s everything you need to know about additive manufacturing for spare parts.

Challenges in the spare parts industry

Suppliers have been encountering challenges in producing, storing, and shipping spare parts for years. Manufacturing spare parts using traditional manufacturing methods can be expensive and time consuming. Typically companies will mass-produce spare parts in an effort to decrease the cost-per-part and avoid shortages. However, maintaining warehouses full of spare parts is expensive and delivery times can get even longer when components are stored offsite. This forces operations and logistics teams to balance the number of parts on hand with the cost of storing them.

Spare parts suppliers can also have trouble negotiating inventory. Stocking an appropriate amount of inventory is essential, as underestimating can lead to long customer wait times and overestimating can cause an unnecessary increase in storage costs and waste. Unfortunately, anything from a natural disaster to a quality problem can affect spare parts demand, making it difficult for companies to accurately predict how much inventory to stock. For some, stocking infrequently requested spare parts isn’t worth the effort or the cost so they stop producing them, which can pose a problem if and when customers are looking for niche parts.

3D printing in the spare parts industry

Incorporating additive manufacturing in the spare parts supply chain can help companies meet their customers’ demand for spare parts. 3D printing is helping companies quickly and cost-effectively supply customers with spare parts when they need them, from household appliances to broken plane cabin parts. With 3D printing, you can:

• Produce cost-efficient parts in low volumes: While it can easily cost over $100,000 to create a new mold for injection molding spare parts, 3D printing offers much lower costs-per-part, even for complex designs. 3D printing doesn’t require expensive tooling or start-up costs, which means on-demand parts can be produced affordably.
• Reduce inventory requirements: Additive manufacturing spare parts on demand helps reduce inventory and storage costs without sacrificing the ability to meet customer demand for spare parts. Keeping designs for low-demand spare parts in a digital inventory, frees up warehouse space for more commonly requested parts.
• Shorten set up times and lead times: Between the design and tooling processes, it can take months to produce a spare part using traditional manufacturing methods. For example, manufacturing a spare bracket via extrusion and metal bending processes can take more than 12 weeks. In comparison, that same bracket could be manufactured in days with additive manufacturing.
• Make custom parts upon demand and stay flexible: While injection molding requires retooling whenever a part’s design changes, it’s fast and simple to make design changes to a 3D-printed part. You can update your digital file and start printing the updated part with little to no added cost.

You can see the advantages of 3D printing space parts at work in the automotive industry. Instead of investing in expensive tooling and storage space for low-volume runs of rare or vintage parts, manufacturers can store 3D designs and print accurate parts on demand. By 3D printing automotive spare parts companies can increase operational efficiency, optimize inventory, and eliminate tooling costs for parts whose old tooling is in poor condition or no longer exists.

3D printing spare parts with SyBridge

3D printing enables manufacturers to cost-effectively produce small quantities of spare parts in ways traditional manufacturing methods cannot. Companies can decrease warehousing and manufacturing costs, shorten lead times, reduce risk, and stay agile by 3D printing spare parts.

With the help of an expert manufacturer like SyBridge, you can quickly create quality 3D-printed spare parts without sacrificing quality or durability. When you partner with us, you’ll gain access to our experienced engineers who can help you with everything from deciding which 3D printing technology to use to design optimization. Contact us today to get started.

The post How 3D Printing is Changing the Spare Parts Industry appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.