Our speaker on Tuesday was Part President Brian McMath. Brian gave us a rundown of his involvement in what is now the Product Accelerator at Auckland University. He referred to past visits from guests such as Olaf Diegel who spoke to us on the subject of 3-D printing. Brian made the comment that there is lots of hype about 3-D printing and noting that it is more a niche area as, at the moment, high-volume production cannot be achieved. Brian spoke to the realities of 3-D printing and the opportunities available in New Zealand. 3-D printing is, in fact, a misnomer. The proper term is additive manufacturing but 3-D printing is easier to say and has become the description most used. It would appear the concept is now stuck fast in the consciousness. 3D Printing is in effect additive manufacturing as it involves layering the material being used an creating an item in that manner. It differs from subtractive manufacturing which involves manufacturing process using removal of material. There are a number of varieties of 3-D printing: FTM – final the positive modelling SLS – selective laser sintering SLM - selective laser melting As technologies improve no doubt the varieties of 3D Printing will expand. Our club has been supplying 3-D printers to schools over the past few years. These have been simple versions, best described as large glue guns. AUT on the other hand has an up-to-date printer which is capable of printing aluminium, titanium and other metallic items. Brian commented that the evolution of this type of 3-D printing is absolutely astonishing. For example in Tauranga Rapid Advanced Manufacturing produced 3-D printed titanium knives for team New Zealand to be used as part of crew safety kits. Brian also told us that the Aston Martin used in the recent James Bond movie Skyfall was substituted in scenes requiring its destruction by a “stand in” constructed using 3-D printing techniques. 3-D printing is finding its way into the medical scene. In the Wellington School of Design a student created a 3-D printed cast as part of the design project. It may be the case that such casts will be the future of orthopaedic surgery. Indeed Victoria University staff have developed a prosthetic nose using 3-D printing which is far in advance of what was available. Massey University has developed for dietary challenged individuals, those with cancer, Gastro issues, the aged and elderly, 3-D food printing so that instead of mush or thin gruel people are provided with food that looks like food, taste like food and makes them feel good about eating it. Air New Zealand is using 3-D printing for things like drinks trays. This means the stock of spares held by Air New Zealand can be reduced and the cost of holding the inventory can likewise be reduced. As noted above 3-D printing is good for small runs of goods. Presently it is very slow for low-cost high-volume products. Pre-and post finishing work is still required. The knives mentioned previously still needed to be hardened and made usable using traditional manufacturing techniques. The technique is useful for hundreds to thousands of products not hundreds of thousands of products. Having said that change in this particular sector is so rapid that these comments may be redundant within two or three years. Brian noted that 3-D technology provides a great opportunity for New Zealand because we are a niche area, market and producer There are opportunities in food printing small high-value niche production runs new materials the effect of the reduction in inventory as replacement parts are manufactured as required and the only inventory required is the raw material used in the components themselves. As noted Newmarket Rotary Club has been placing 3-D printers and schools. Other clubs are now involved in this program, including Remuera, St Johns, Otahuhu, Waiheke Island, Riccarton, Wellington and Greymouth to name a few. Brian told us that Greymouth Rotary is looking for 10 printers so they can place one in every school on the West Coast. Interestingly it seems that boys really understand the 3-D printing and how it works. This gives them engagement in the school process when a lot of today’s education techniques seem to disengage them. Maybe there was a reason for woodwork and metalwork classes after all. Brians address was very enjoyable and further opened our eyes to an exciting area of technology and one in which New Zealand is at the leading edge. |