Sigma Labs Inc (SASI)

[jpi]

http://www.inside3dp.com/inside3dp-exlusive-interview-terry-wohlers/

Joris Peels: There’s a lot of talk right now about using metal 3D printing in industry. From personal experience, I know that this is very complicated with a lot of dependencies.

Terry Wohlers: We see a lot of promise in the near term for the use of metals in industry. However, it’s much more involved compared to building polymer parts. These systems are not turn-key, although the same could be said about polymer-based printers. Companies really have to understand the requirements of the parts.

They must also understand the capabilities of the machines and the ancillary equipment required. They will need to develop skills and know-how associated with preparing the and finishing the parts. In producing aerospace parts, we list nine distinct steps required to manufacture parts for aerospace applications.

The first two are 1) data generation and 2) building the parts. The remaining steps involve postprocessing, and most people don’t initially know this. The media often creates the illusion that you push a button and out pops a shiny part.

It’s important to understand the requirements surrounding stress relief, removing the parts from the build plate, removing the supports/anchors, thermal processing, surface treatment, CNC machining, and other possible steps. Implementing metal 3D printing in a company is often more difficult and expensive than anticipated.