The Process of Importing Organic Shapes
In this article, we go into more details about the process of importing organic shapes into CAD. We will explain how we created a custom coffee pod holder by scanning a human hand and including it in the CAD design. The first step involved capturing the geometry. There are many different 3D scanners out, all of which vary in accuracy, resolution, and light technologies. In order to facilitate the scanning of the hand, we used a structured white light scanner, which does not require positioning targets. Once the data was acquired, the second task involved data clean up. Using mesh editing software like Geomagic Wrap, we were able to easily post-process the data, optimize the mesh quality, and thicken it, and then align it to a World Coordinate System. We needed to ensure that we had a water-tight mesh and then we needed to take that data and convert it to something manageable and useable in CAD. Instead of exporting each of the thousands or millions of triangles into CAD, we used Geomagic Wrap to create B-Rep surfaces, group the triangles into surface patches, and create a solid body. At this point, we exported this body as a non-parametric neutral CAD file, like [...]
Autodesk Netfabb Lattice Assistant and Lattice Commander
Today we are going to cover how to use Autodesk Netfabb to create lattices with two of Netfabb’s internal tools, Lattice Assistant and Lattice Commander. Autodesk Netfabb is Additive Manufacturing software that allows you to repair, prepare and build your parts. Lattice Assistant and Lattice Commander are currently available as tech previews, and included in Netfabb Premium and Ultimate. The first tool we will discuss is Lattice Assistant, which combines hollowing, lattice generation and merging with tools to generate perforation and the matching plugs for drainage of unused material. Shown below is a connecting rod used for one of our Mastercam events. It is fairly thick, and you can see the various options from the thickness of the skin to size and shape of the lattice cells in the dialogue box on the left. In this example, we selected a simple X cell and hit calculate. With the part hollowed and latticed, we have to add perforations in order to be able to remove the unfused powder which can be reused in the HP JF 4200. The second tool for latticing is Lattice Commander, which can be used to create and modify the individual lattices and wall sections, or skins, for a project. With this [...]
Mastercam Mill and Router 2019 Enhancements
Mastercam 2019 includes many new features and enhancements to the milling and routing side of the software. General Improvements Accelerated Finishing technology addresses today’s finishing tool geometries and processes, resulting in greater efficiency and higher machining productivity when using Mill. Two new tool types, Lens Form and Taper Form, have been added, and Barrel Mill has been moved to the Accelerated Finishing group, with additional variations of this shape now available. Skip Pocket Smaller Than is a new parameter that allows you to skip pockets based on a tool diameter percent, rather than by entering a dedicated size of the pocket. This is helpful when Mastercam thinks that a pocket is large enough to accommodate the tool, but the entry move is so compressed that the tool is effectively plunging into the part. Check Holder is integrated with Mastercam and has been improved. Use this feature to check an operation’s tool holder for interference with the part. It calculates areas where there are interferences between the holder and the part and tells you the minimum tool length required to avoid it. 2D High Speed Toolpaths A new toolpath is now available for 2D machining. The Model Chamfer toolpath allows you to machine safe [...]
Startup Businesses Can Claim Cash Rebates
We want to share this information because the window is soon closing on the opportunity to get up to $250,000 in cash rebates for startups purchasing new equipment. This equipment includes 3D printing equipment, materials, and service providers. The following article was written by Charles Goulding & Raymond Kumar of www.rdtaxsavers.com. 3D printing is poised to become an integral component of production in a variety of industries, ranging from traditional manufacturing and food processing to laboratories and architectural design. Reasons for integrating 3D printing include cost-reduction, increased efficiencies, and better methods for prototyping. Startups not only developing 3D printers but also utilizing the technology in operations have a unique opportunity to claim up to $250,000 annual in cash rebates as part of the Federal R&D Tax Credit program. To timely monetize the payroll tax credit, startups must file their 2018 income tax returns by the end of Q1 2019. The Research & Development Tax Credit Enacted in 1981, the now permanent Federal Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit allows a credit that typically ranges from 4%-7% of eligible spending for new and improved products and processes. Qualified research must meet the following four criteria: Must be technological in nature Must be a component [...]
What’s New in Mastercam Design 2019
Mastercam Design 2019 includes some great new functionality. Here are just some of the highlights. Drafting Associativity This new function shows which dimensions are associated to geometry. Mastercam displays dimensions that are associative with the Result color and dimensions that are not associative with the Group color. Rolling your mouse over associative dimensions highlights the geometry they are associative to. Mastercam will also display how many selected dimensions are associative. On-screen Triggers When you dimension an arc or a circle, small triggers appear in each quadrant of the arc or circle. These triggers can be used to switch between creating tangent and circular dimensions. Hover over a quadrant to create a tangent dimension, or hover over an offset trigger to create a circular dimension. Solids and Model Prep Enhancements You can chamfer entities, such as holes in cylinders, where the angle of the newly created chamfer face will vary. Disassemble now supports the selection of cylinders, cones, and other solid models without flat faces. Hole Axis can now include tapered holes, as well as have the function draw vectors for holes that you will spot drill. Additionally, a new All Holes button selects all of the holes in the part with one click. [...]
RIZE’s Hybrid AM Helps Solve Complex Warfighter Problems
SI2 Technologies, Inc. produces functional parts for the Department of Defense with their RIZE ONE 3D printer up to 6X faster and at a cost savings of $2K per part. They wanted one machine that could combine 3D printing and inkjet printing capabilities. SI2’s core mission is to ‘make things smart’ by pushing the boundaries of where antennas can be placed and how they can be made. SI2’s mission requires the latest technology and innovation in the additive manufacturing field to deliver an advantage to the warfighter. Much of the development work that SI2 does happens in their state-of-the-art facility. Among their collection of modern equipment, SI2 has 3D printers ranging from entry-level consumer 3D printers to much more expensive and complex wide-format inkjet equipment. Although SI2 had a range of 3D printers and wide format inkjet printers, they didn’t have a single machine that could combine these two capabilities. RIZE’s patented hybrid Augmented Deposition process solved this problem, simultaneously extruding engineering-grade thermoplastic and jetting functional inks precisely where they are needed in the part. Airflow Chamber Apparatus One recent application where SI2 used their RIZE ONE 3D printer was to produce an end-use airflow controller for an airflow chamber apparatus. The apparatus [...]