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America Makes Announces Project Funding Yields Potentially Game-Changing Results for CNC Machines
May 12, 2015 | Categories: America Makes News
The First Legacy CNC Machine Tool Upgraded with Advanced 3D Metal AM Technology to be Unveiled
Youngstown, Ohio — May 12, 2015. America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, along with Optomec, TechSolve, and MachMotion, is proud to announce that tomorrow, Wednesday, May 13th, the first legacy CNC machine tool, a Fadal Vertical Mill, upgraded with LENS® 3DP, an advanced 3D metal additive manufacturing technology, will be unveiled. The private event is being held in Cincinnati, Ohio at TechSolve’s headquarters and is also sponsored by Lockheed Martin, and the U.S. Army Benét Labs.
Wednesday’s unveiling is a direct result of project funding awarded by America Makes to a team led by Optomec, in conjunction with MachMotion, TechSolve, Lockheed Martin, and Benét Labs. The project team was able to cost-effectively bridge the gap between additive and subtractive manufacturing processes by embedding the latest in controls, toolpath generation, and quality monitoring in a modular design to enable any CNC machine tool to be upgraded with 3D printing capability.
“I look forward to attending and participating in this important unveiling,” said Ralph Resnick, America Makes Founding Director and NCDMM President and Executive Director. “It’s incredibly exciting to be able to witness firsthand such a successful outcome of one of America Makes funded projects and collaborations. Moreover, this project exemplifies the America Makes mission to efficiently accelerate the transition of promising additive technologies into mainstream manufacturing. This achievement is poised to have a game-changing impact on the manufacturing industry. For manufacturers and machine shops to now have the dual ability of employing additive and subtractive manufacturing processes in one machine is tremendous. They will be able to leverage their existing machine tool assets to cost-effectively use 3D printing in their facilities.”
Additionally, Mr. Resnick will also be participating in a moderated panel, titled “An Evolutionary Approach to Adopting 3D Printing,” with such industry experts as Jennifer Chase Fielding, Ph.D., Program Manager, America Makes; Shawn Kelly, Ph.D., Director of the Additive Manufacturing Consortium EWI; and Chris Thompson, Global Repair Development Center Manager, G.E. Power and Water. The panel will discuss how this CNC machine 3DP upgrade could impact the industrial adoption of metal additive manufacturing technology, as well as explore the challenges, opportunities, and long-term impact of integrating advanced additive processes on the factory floor.
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About America Makes
America Makes is the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. As the national accelerator for additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing (3DP), America Makes is the nation’s leading and collaborative partner in AM and 3DP technology research, discovery, creation, and innovation. Structured as a public-private partnership with member organizations from industry, academia, government, non-government agencies, and workforce and economic development resources, we are working together to innovate and accelerate AM and 3DP to increase our nation’s global manufacturing competitiveness. Based in Youngstown, Ohio, America Makes is the flagship Institute for the National Network of Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) infrastructure of up to 45 Institutes to follow and is driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). For more information about America Makes, visit http://americamakes.us.
About NCDMM
The NCDMM delivers optimized manufacturing solutions that enhance the quality, affordability, maintainability, and rapid deployment of existing and yet-to-be developed defense systems. This is accomplished through collaboration with government, industry, and academic organizations to promote the implementation of best practices to key stakeholders through the development and delivery of disciplined training, advanced technologies, and methodologies. For additional information, visit the NCDMM at ncdmm.org.
About Optomec
Optomec is a privately-held, rapidly growing supplier of Additive Manufacturing systems. Optomec’s patented Aerosol Jet Systems for printed electronics and LENS 3D Printers for metal components are used by industry to reduce product cost and improve performance. Together, these unique printing solutions work with the broadest spectrum of functional materials, ranging from electronic inks to structural metals and even biological matter. Optomec has more than 175 marquee customers around the world, targeting production applications in the electronics, energy, life sciences and aerospace industries. For more information about Optomec, visit http://optomec.com.