Metrology Minute – Runout and Total Runout in GD&T
In continuing our Metrology Minute focus on GD&T, this month we will discuss Runout and Total Runout. Simply defined, Runout is how much a model feature varies with respect to a datum when the part is rotated about the datum’s axis 360 degrees. The datum in question would necessarily be an axisymmetric feature. It generally involves the analysis of a circular feature that is created when taking a single point tool and rotating it around a feature to form what would be a circle. Runout may be called out against any feature that is rotated about an axis. Some refer to it as how much ‘wobble’ occurs when one part feature is referenced to another feature that is generally a datum. In the example shown, Datum A is the larger cylinder and the Runout is tested by taking a single point and revolving it in a circular path around the smaller cylinder to test for how much wobble (out-of-round) the formed circle is. The tolerance provided in the callout symbol (.2mm, in this case) references the acceptable wobble in the resultant circle. What is important to note is that these formed circles are checked individually, not with respect to each other. So in [...]
Comparing 3D Printer Soluble Support Material
Today we will discuss soluble support material for 3D printers that are in the extrusion category. During the extrusion-based 3D printing process, parts that feature structural overhangs or internal cavities require support material during a build. Think of it as temporary scaffolding extruded alongside the base material to support the part as it is building up layer by layer. Upon completion of a print, the support structure can be either torn away manually or dissolved in a solution. Soluble support is removed by a completely automated process using either a wash tank or a container filled with water. Dissolvable material allows for geometries that have internal void and leaves little to no blemishes to the outer wall - keeping fine delicate features fully intact. Internal cavities and un-scarred surface-finish are features that breakaway support material cannot accommodate. Let’s take a look at four different types of soluble supports material. The first type of soluble support we'll cover is the most common - PVA or Polyvinyl Alcohol, a water-soluble polymer. PVA is a colorless, odorless synthetic polymer with significant biocompatibility properties. It is compatible with PLA, Tough PLA, PET-G, and Nylon. Aquasys(r) 120 is the world's first tap water-soluble support material that works with [...]
Desktop Metal Redefines Woodworking With New Wood 3D Printing Technology
reprint from https://3dprintingindustry.com/ Desktop Metal has launched its subsidiary Forust, a brand focused on 3D printing functional end-use wood parts via binder jetting. The Forust process works by upscaling waste byproducts from the wood manufacturing and paper industries (sawdust and lignin). By mixing these byproducts with a special bio-epoxy resin composite, the company can create sustainable 3D printing materials compatible with Desktop Metal’s binder jet technology. With the launch, Desktop Metal is now offering architects, designers, and manufacturers a new route to custom wood part production, whether it be for home decor or luxury architectural applications. Although it may seem like a late April Fools’ joke at first, customers can already visit the Forust store page to order one of the company’s ready-made, 3D printed consumer home goods pieces. The first batch of products is being offered as part of an exclusive collection by Swiss industrial designer Yves Béhar. William McDonough, a renowned architect and leader in sustainable development, stated, “The Forust technology allows us to take something that was previously wood waste and re-materialize it into exquisitely beautiful and useful things. We are honoring the cellulose and lignin of the trees by rearticulating them into assets for present and future generations. By [...]
Nexa3D Expands Partnership with BASF Forward AM
Ultrafast Photoplastics for Rapid Prototyping Nexa3D, the maker of ultrafast stereolithography production 3D printers, recently announced that it has expanded its partnership with BASF Forward AM to deliver three new ultrafast photopolymer materials through its expanding Nexa3D channels globally. Nexa3D’s collaboration with BASF Forward AM leverages their combined capabilities to deliver faster additive-manufactured prototypes across multiple industries, leveraging the 20X productivity advantage of its ultrafast NXE 400 3D printer. No other manufacturing process offers as many possibilities for greater design agility, supply chain resiliency and rapid implementation at every phase of the product lifecycle. Combining Nexa3D’s productivity with Forward AM’s rapidly expanding suite of tailor-made photopolymer formulations makes it possible for customers to rapidly design a wider range of parts such as housings, enclosures, pipes, packaging products, and footwear components with greater performance and functionality. x45-NATURAL is a tough material that is ideal for models and functional prototypes requiring high strength and durability. Capable of much higher print speeds than current materials, x45-NATURAL features excellent out-of-printer properties with robust print styles to ensure high first-time build success. Supporting a wide variety of applications with short processing times, x45-NATURAL’s draft build mode enables companies greater flexibility within their manufacturing processes. To learn more about [...]
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Metrology Minute May
The Benefit of using GD&T and a Positional Tolerance vs +/- Tolerances When creating a part like the one below, the intent of the four holes is likely to fasten this component to another in the final assembly where the round holes will accept round fasteners. We want to look for a way to maximize our tolerance to provide as few scrapped parts as possible. A typical dimensioning scheme using +/- tolerances might look something like this, defining the hole’s locations off of the adjacent flat surfaces. Furthermore, consider the datums as playing a key role in how the part will fit inside the final assembly. The datums allow the designer to simulate the part in the assembly. Consider datums A and B below. Now consider how the hole’s location tolerance is placed as +/-.050”. This created a tolerance box of .1” x .1”, surrounding the ‘perfect’ hole center. Therefore, any manufactured holes where the center points fit inside that square will represent an in-spec hole location. But now, consider any of the four corner points of the box, representing the extreme location that still fit the tolerance conditions. Our goal in manufacturing is to provide as much acceptable tolerance as possible to [...]