Your right, Nobahamas, processes are changed all the time. The entire 3d printing movement is designed to take fabrication/molding/destructive manufacturing processes away and replace them with additive 3d printing manufacturing. Some of the 3d printing improvements may even be replaced with composites and other materials and processes down the road. The key for Arcam and ebm is not the small things like powder waste, speed/slowness and design efficiency, etc.
The key issue, key factor, in Arcam's case, and that is what really matters, is to develop new uses for EBM manufacturing and printing which will ultimately prove to be commercial. Improvements over existing techniques in as many areas as possible. That is why research and developing new uses is so important as it will serve to increase the potential growth of arcam beyond what it has already achieved Some posters are adamant that arcam will only print blades on the 9x. Myself, based on what research is being done, I conclude there will be a lot more uses for EBM in the aviation, medical and maybe other sectors (autos come to mind) and those advancements, not whether sales are announced, material is wasted, or other little things are most important and will determine arcam's ultimate success.
Some say arcam will only make blades, and some of those not too long ago were saying arcam would not even do that. I've consistently stated that so long as the EBM process yields better results than current processes, demand for EBM will continue to increase and arcam's future will expand as Rene has consistently said. While some have said arcam might be left behind, Rene has been saying arcam may not be able to keep up demand. My bet is with arcam and Rene, not the nay sayers. Sadly there are some who are so anxious to focus on moot little issues that they loose sight of the big picture, the picture that Rene has been painting for over a year. It is nice to be vindicated over all those who shouted that arcams pps would go to 10 and below, that they might not get any bulk orders, that they might not participate in the GE engines, that the EBM process might be leap frogged and all those other nay saying posts that we have seen on the arcam board and here for the last year So far Rene has accomplished everything he has promised and only the delay and timing of the customers has been negative I think Rene and all of us have been disappointed in how slow the trend towards volume 3d manufacturing has taken. Of course some have shouted that the arcam blades and Leap engines have already been certified by regulators and in production and we were left out. Now it is clear that the process is long, not finalized as yet and the jury is still out re just how successful arcam will be now and in the near future.
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