3D printer shows its potential
If I hadn’t seen it withmyown eyes, Iwould not have believed that a product so strong could be made by a printer in minutes.
Geoff Mead, owner of Manufacturing Solutions Ltd in Katikati, recently bought a MarkforgedMark two 3D printer capable of printing amixture of nylon carbon fibre that can be reinforced with Kevlar fibreglass or carbon fibre strand. It’s believed to be one of a few in the country.
“It is the only printer in the industry that enables you to go fromCAD(computer aided design) to end-use strong parts in hours.
“Whatever you can draw— you can print.
“The printed component that is produced has a similar strength to 6061 aluminium,” Geoff said.
Aproduct design engineer and tool and die maker by trade, Geoff, 46, grew up here and was educated at Katikati College, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Wellington Polytechnic and Auckland AIT. He did a 6000-hour toolmaking apprenticeship with Pearce Tool& Manufacturing in Katikati and established Manufacturing Solutions Ltd in 2002. He now contracts back to Pearce Tools.
The business involvesmainly product design and manufacturing.
“I take people’s ideas and inventions through to production using ComputerCAD systems, CNCmachines (a process that involves the use of computers to control machine tools), EDM(electrical discharge machining) wirecut machines and 3D plastic printers.
“With work I’ve been away in Auckland, Sydney, the South Island, Mount Maunganui and California, so it’s good to be back in Katikati.”
The printer cost $24,000, which Geoff said is quite high compared to other printers, “but the end result is amore accurate and a better stronger finished product”.
The parts that are produced can be used to design and develop new products.
This technology was not around when Geoff first started engineering. The latest Eiger software for the3D printer allows you to look at the part and manipulate the exact internal structure required for strength and weight. The printer can print in layers of 0.125mm up to 0.2mm to make up the parts structure.
The nozzle on the printer warms up to 270 degreesCand takes about 16 minutes to print an object weighing about 2.37 grams.
“You can pause the printer at any stage to inspect or insert parts as required. As an engineer I can work out the most efficient way to design the part giving itmaximum strength and durability.”
In the old days using lathes, mills and hand tools would take six or seven hours to make a part, he said.
“Today the more complicated the product, the more the printer makes it easier. And it’s less labour intensive.”
Geoff hopes the printer will help his 10-year-old son who is growing up in a computer-based generation.
“He can make his own Lego.” Product research, design and development, particularly prototypes are what Geoff enjoys most, in fact any part not currently made. He sees future potential for the printer in designing prosthetics and parts for robots asmore are being used now.