Where Innovation and Technology Merge
Our Blog
April 14-18, 2013
Laser Reproductions sent 5 TEAM members to the AMUG conference this year to network and expand their knowledge of the Additive Manufacturing industry. The 5 TEAM members represented were Paul Bordner (President), Bret Bordner (Vice President), Natalie Bordner (SLA Special Projects), Deann Clark (SLA Machine Programmer), and Aryn Bourk (Marketing). Laser Reproductions was also a Gold Sponsor.
AMUG turned out to be a big conference for the Bordner brothers; co-owners of Laser Reproductions.
Additive Manufacturing Users Group Presents a 3rd Bordner with the DINO Award
Paul Bordner took home one of five DINO (Distinguished INnovator Operator) awards presented at the 2013 AMUG conference earlier this month. The DINO award recognizes veterans in the industry with remarkable skills which contribute to the Additive Manufacturing industry as a whole. As quoted on the official AMUG website, ‘Gary Rabinovitz, outgoing president, said, “Without question, this is one of the most prestigious awards in the additive manufacturing industry. While there were many deserving candidates among the hundreds of highly skilled, seasoned veterans that attended the conference, these five men best represent what the DINO Award is all about: excellence and service.” ‘
The presentation of this award to Paul Bordner holds a special place in the hearts of the AMUG community, Laser Reproductions, and the Bordner family. Why? This marks the first time in AMUG history that the DINO award has been awarded to three members of the same family. Jerry Bordner, founder and Board Chairman of Laser Reproductions, received the DINO award in 2010. In 2011, his middle son, Bret Bordner, received the DINO award. And now in 2013, his youngest son, Paul Bordner has received the award.
Bret Bordner Elected as President of the 2014 Additive Manufacturing Users Group
Bret Bordner was elected as the president of the 2014 AMUG board of directors. This will be Bret’s third year serving on the AMUG board. In 2011 he held the position of secretary and 2012 he held the position of vice-president along with Mark Barfoot of Christie Digital Systems. As quoted on the official AMUG website, ‘Bret Bordner, incoming president, said, “I have no doubt that next year’s conference will be even better and significantly larger. Considering both the elected and appointed board positions, I have the advantage of leading a team that is predominantly the same as the one that supported Gary.”
*Photography by Ed Winters: http://www.edwintersphotography.com/
Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is a highly publicized production technology that involves the layering technique of certain material to form solid, three dimensional objects, such as prototypes and assembly parts. This technique has grown into several specialized areas and is changing the way digital files are translated into tangible objects.
By applying 3D printing methods, consumers can receive a personalized product in record time–leading to endless possibilities for production. Check out our list of 5 unique items currently being manufactured using 3D printing technology.
5. Phone Cases
Phone cases were one of the first mass produced 3D-printed objects in the consumer market. Buyers enjoy ordering a unique, personalized phone case that’s easily shipped to their home within days. The design company SaGa developed a phone case that transforms Siri, the intelligent personal assistant, into a haunting face. When the cover is on the smartphone, users are forced to make a direct connection with the ghostly appearance. When a consumer must use the iPhone screen, the cover can easily be slipped off. We certainly couldn’t fit this case in our back pocket, but would you use this elusive Siri cover?
4. Furniture
Talk about going green! Dirk Vander Kooij, a Dutch student, discovered the process of creating customized furniture using materials from an old fridge. His recycled furniture has been making headlines and winning awards around the world. Now 3D printing machines can be adjusted to create larger objects such as furniture. We’re thinking about ordering a Mario Kart Racing bean bag chair!
3. Toys
Spiked dice are the new 3D toy attraction due to their complex form. The dice range from $20 to $40 depending on the amount of detail required for the design. Another type of toy gaining hype is ModiBots, which integrate the printing technology to produce 700 interchangeable parts for kids to build the bot of their dreams.
2. Cars
Can you imagine driving a vehicle that was made using a 3D printing machine? Urbee is recognized as the first to be manufactured using this technology. Advantages of the 3D printed car, Urbee, include fuel efficiency, safety and low-maintenance costs.
1. Body Parts
Parts of the human body are not only being reconstructed through archaeological science, but living people are benefiting from this technology that creates a more comfortable, healthy life. Scientists use 3D printing to produce less invasive ways of creating a body part. A 3D printed jaw was transplanted into a British elderly woman to replace her deteriorating one. Researchers have now printed ears and hope to change the lives of many people in the next few years.
Laser Reproductions is a leading provider of rapid prototyping, manufacturing and model development services to industrial design firms, original equipment manufacturers, inventors and architects.
Laser Reproductions’ New iPro™ 8000 Stereolithography Machine
COLUMBUS, OH (February 21, 2013) – Laser Reproductions recently enhanced their prototype output capacity by adding a 19th stereolithography machine. The new machine is a 3D Systems iPro™ 8000 which is a high-productivity, mid-range system. Parts from this 3D printing machine have superb edge definition and are extraordinarily smooth. The tolerances rival the accuracy of CNC-machined parts. The iPro™ 8000 will allow Laser Reproductions to produce plastic parts with a maximum non-sectioned part size of 25 x 29 x 20 inches.
Laser Reproductions enhanced their material selection as well by choosing Accura® Bluestone™ as the resin for the new iPro™ 8000 machine. Accura® Bluestone™ is great for parts that are extremely rigid and need to be thermally resistant. Parts from this resin have excellent accuracy, a non-settling formulation, and exceptional stiffness. Bluestone™ prototypes will resist deformation and retain their properties overtime.
Paul Bordner, Laser Reproductions’ President, shared a few words on the logic behind purchasing the new machine. “In order to live out our mission and vision, we needed to bring on more equipment to support our growing stereolithography service. With the smaller printers hitting the market, it seems the demand for larger parts and larger overall projects has grown. In order to make sure we have the necessary capacity to please our clients, we needed to get a larger piece of equipment. The new iPro™ 8000 now allows us to build larger parts with slightly better sidewall quality. With the new 3D printing machine and the Bluestone™ material, we now have a competitive advantage in various markets, especially in the automotive and aerospace industries.”
Follow the link below for further material specs.
Call Today For Your Rapid Prototyping Quote: 614.552.6905
Laser Reproductions is a rapid prototyping service bureau located in Columbus, Ohio. Encompassing 19 SLA machines and a full in-house model shop, LR specializes in Stereolithography (SLA) and Cast Urethane Molds. Other services include SLS, CNC, FDM, DMLS, and Tooling & Manufacturing. Visit us at www.laserrepro.com or give us a call at 614.552.6905 to discuss your next rapid prototyping project.
Laser Reproductions will be exhibiting at the following shows this year. Let us know if you will be there as well!
SouthPack March 6-7, 2013
Would you like to meet with us at the show?: Send us an email!
Subject: Meet me @ SouthPack!
AMUG (Additive Manufacturing Users Group) April 14-18, 2013
Would you like to meet with us at the show?: Send us an email!
Subject: Meet me @ AMUG!
AutoEPCON April 30, 2013
Would you like to meet with us at the show?: Send us an email!
Subject: Meet me @ AutoEPCON!
D2P Schaumburg May 7-8, 2013
Booth #430
Would you like to meet with us at the show?: Send us an email!
Subject: Meet me @ D2P Schaumburg!
Rapid 2013 June 10-13, 2013
Booth #426
Would you like to meet with us at the show?: Send us an email!
Subject: Meet me @ Rapid!
Inpex June 19-21, 2013
Would you like to meet with us at the show?: Send us an email!
Subject: Meet me @ Inpex!
Design & Manufacturing Midwest September 10-12, 2013
Would you like to meet with us at the show?: Send us an email!
Subject: Meet me @ D&M Chicago!
Design and Manufacturing Texas October 15-16, 2013
Would you like to meet with us at the show?: Send us an email!
Subject: Meet me @ D&M Texas!
D2P Kentucky November 20-21, 2013
Would you like to meet with us at the show?: Send us an email!
Subject: Meet me @ D2P Kentucky!
Check out our latest case study!
Pen Pal
SLA and Cast Urethane Pen Holders
Laser Reproductions prototypes a flexible pen holder for a local inventor.
Check out our offering of Somos® TetraShell. We use this piece of software to eliminate excess internal material when dealing with large, bulky SLA parts that only need to meet external structural requirements.
Check out our case study before you read this post: www.laserrepro.com/cast-urethane-bird-beaks
A brief recap of the case study: “COSI, a hands-on science center located in Columbus, Ohio, called upon Laser Reproductions to design and create bird-like scissors to be used in one of their traveling exhibits. Using CAD models, stereo lithography, clay sculpting, cast urethane molds, and a paint booth, Laser Reproductions was able to carry out COSI’s request.”
After creating the cast urethane models for COSI, Laser’s marketing assistant, Aryn, thought, ‘I wonder if we could sponsor a local school to have COSI On Wheels come for a day. How cool would that be to actually see something we created in action? And better yet, being used to educate children about science!”
So, she inquired about sponsoring COSI On Wheels to come to a local school. After approval from COSI, she contacted Liberty Union Elementary, where Paul (Laser’s CEO) and his wife Natalie (Laser’s SLA Operations Manager) have a daughter in first grade. The principal was thrilled and a date was scheduled in early November for COSI On Wheels to exhibit at Liberty Union Elementary.
Paul, Natalie, and Aryn volunteered at the event as well as parents from Liberty Union. Children picked up the bird beaks by the ‘scissor handles’ and were able to open and close the functional cast urethane beaks. They used the robin’s beak to dig in brown beans (dirt) to find worms. The woodpecker’s beak was stuck into little holes in wood and then opened slightly to find insects. The hummingbird’s beak did not open. Instead, it was used to insert into plastic flowers so the tongue could lap up the nectar. The great blue heron’s beak was used to catch fish in blue cotton balls (water).
Below are pictures of the students using the cast urethane bird beaks we made.
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Taking Care of Parts in Various Weather Conditions:
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Warm Weather:
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Distortion – When rapid prototyping parts are left in high temperatures, they run the risk of becoming warped. Obviously, this is not something that you want to happen to your parts. We advise keeping all parts at room temperature whenever possible.
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Yellowing – When rapid prototyping parts are left in the sun for extended periods of time, they may start to yellow. This is due to the ultra violet rays reacting with the chemicals in the resin. Although this scenario is most likely to happen in the summer, the UV rays in the winter can have the same effect. Unpainted stereolithography parts are very susceptible to this chemical reaction. We recommend keeping parts away from direct sunlight. Do not leave prototypes in your car or near a window in your office. (Cast urethane parts and painted stereolithography parts usually are not prone to yellowing.)
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Cold Weather:
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Cracking – When rapid prototyping parts are left in cold environments, they become brittle and are vulnerable to cracking. Avoid leaving prototypes in excessively low temperatures for long periods of time. If it has been in cold temperatures, make sure to let your prototype acclimate to room temperature before handling the part. Once the part is at room temperature, the possibilities of it cracking should be significantly less.
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During the Holidays:
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Plan ahead with your projects and ship dates!
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Although our machines never stop running, we must go home to visit our families during the holidays. This means no parts will be shipped on the days that we are off. These days include:
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Thursday November 22nd – Thanksgiving Day
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Friday November 23rd – Black Friday
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Monday December 24th – Christmas Eve
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Tuesday December 25th – Christmas Day
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Tuesday January 1st – New Year’s Day
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Make sure you plan ahead! If you need your parts around any of these dates, talk with your sales engineer and/or project manager to figure out your best alternate options.
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Don’t ship on Fridays if you can avoid it:
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When prototype parts are shipped on Friday’s they most likely will be sitting in trucks or warehouses over the weekend. This creates an atmosphere conducive to damage. As stated above, parts that sit in trucks in extreme weather conditions may experience distortion or cracking. Although this advice is applicable any time of the year, it is especially important to remember during the holiday season. More packages are being sent which means your parts may be in transit for longer times.
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What is NPS?
Laser Reproductions is a company focused on customer service and continuous improvement. In order to measure how we are doing in the customer service area, we use a nationally recognized system called the Net Promoter Score. The Net Promoter Score, which was developed by Satmetrix, is determined by asking clients one simple question; ‘How likely is it that you would recommend Laser Reproductions to a friend or colleague?’ Clients answer the question using a ten-point scale; 1 being ‘not at all likely’, and 10 being ‘extremely likely’. Clients are then categorized based upon their answers:
- Promoters (score 9-10) are loyal enthusiasts who will keep buying and refer others, fueling growth.
- Passives (score 7-8) are satisfied but unenthusiastic customers who are vulnerable to competitive offerings.
- Detractors (score 0-6) are unhappy customers who can damage your brand and impede growth through negative word-of-mouth.
Source: http://www.netpromoter.com/why-net-promoter/know/
Our Results
We started this program in March of 2012 by sending out the survey to clients once their order has been shipped. We are proud to announce that the year-to-date Net Promoter Score for Laser is 80%. We are also delighted that we have had 18 consecutive responses with a perfect 10!
How Do We Compare?
“When Satmetrix developed Net Promoter, we saw that companies with a better ratio of Promoters to Detractors tend to grow more rapidly than their competitors. Companies with the most efficient growth engines operate with an NPS of 50 to 80. The average firm sputters along at an NPS of only 5 to 10 — in other words, their Promoters barely outnumber their Detractors.”
(Source: http://www.netpromoter.com/why-net-promoter/compare/ )
Client’s Experience
We added an extra question to the survey to further understand the experience that our clients have with our company; ‘Tell us about your experience with Laser Reproductions’. Following are a few of the responses we have received:
- (10) Very quick and efficient service. Helpful and friendly. Definitely would refer others to Laser Reproductions.
- (10) Good experience. Quick quoting system, good pricing, fast delivery. I have used and recommended Laser Repro for our SLA needs.
- (10) Outstanding
- (10) Excellent. My quote was back to me in a few minutes. They were able to provide a quick turnaround so I could have the parts for a meeting a couple of days later.
- (10) We always receive the highest level service with every representative of Laser Reproductions. The quotation process is fast and they always update me on the status of my orders. We have used Laser Reproductions for quite a few years and have never had any problems with quality, pricing or delivery.
- (10) The best of the best!
- (10) My SLA house of choice.
This September marks the 30th anniversary of Bordner & Associates / Laser Reproductions. Bordner & Associates was founded by Jerry Bordner on September 1, 1982. Jerry received his first check in November of ’82, for the amount of $650. The original business had been a manufacturer’s rep firm mainly focused on the profiles extrusion industry. In 1993, an SLA machine was purchased and Jerry’s business began to enter the rapid prototyping industry in a major way. Laser Reproductions was formed as a dba of Bordner & Associates to handle the rapid prototyping side of the business.
Fast forward to today where Laser Reproductions averages $4.9 million in revenue per year. The manufacturing rep portion of Laser accounts for 20% of revenue while the 3D printing business accounts for 80%. The business has been transformed over time and setup for future growth in a relatively young industry.
During the past 30 years, Laser has prevailed through economic hardship, the transition of leadership from first generation to second, and the 2011 loss of their DotCom sales/marketing customer which accounted for 45% of Laser revenue. Yet these trials and tribulations have given Laser a sense of confidence that they are better for having endured the hardships of the last several years.
Laser Reproductions will be celebrating their 30th Anniversary by hosting a tailgate bash at the Ohio State University vs. University of California football game on September 15th. “This will be a great way to thank all of our employees, clients, vendors, and mentors that have helped us to create a flourishing business throughout the years,” notes Laser’s Vice President, Bret Bordner. All are welcome to attend – contact info@laserrepro.com if you are interested.
Laser Reproductions would like to thank everyone for their support, encouragement, and loyalty during the past 30 years. Laser is having a great time remembering the past – but they are also focused on improving for the future.
Take a journey with us through the years: http://www.laserrepro.com/celebrating-30-years /.
Laser Reproductions will be at the upcoming Design-2-Part show in Akron, Ohio on September 19 & 20, 2012.
Come visit us at booth 418 to learn about all things rapid prototyping; SLA (stereolithography), RTV (cast urethanes), SLS (selective laser sintering), CNC (computer numerical control machining), FDM (fused deposition modeling), DMLS (direct metal laser sintering) , and Tooling & Manufacturing.
If you would like to set up an appointment at the show, please give us a call at 614.552.6905 .
Click on the photo to sign up for free admission – See you there!
COLUMBUS, OH (August 13, 2012) – Laser Reproductions recently enhanced their stereolithography resin list by adding Somos® ProtoGen™ O-XT 18420. 18420 is a liquid, ABS-like, photopolymer used for general purpose prototyping. As stated on the material spec sheet, ‘ProtoGen 18420 offers superior chemical resistance, a wide processing latitude and excellent tolerance to a broad range of temperatures and humidities, both during and after build.’ Ideal uses include SLA prototyping for the medical, electronic, aerospace, and automotive markets.
By supplementing the resin index with ProtoGen 18420, Laser Reproductions now has a wider variety of white ABS-like resins for their clientele. Laser Reproductions currently hosts 18420 in an SLA 7000 machine which allows for a maximum non-sectioned part size of 20 x 20 x 23. Follow the link below for further material specs.
Call Today For Your Rapid Prototyping Quote: 614.552.6905
Laser Reproductions is a rapid prototyping service bureau located in Columbus, Ohio. Encompassing 18 SLA machines and a full in-house model shop, LR specializes in Stereolithography (SLA) and Cast Urethane Molds. Other services include SLS, CNC, FDM, DMLS, and Tooling & Manufacturing. Visit us at www.laserrepro.com or give us a call at 614.552.6905 to discuss your next rapid prototyping project.
COLUMBUS, OH (July 09, 2012) – The Laser Reproductions casting department is currently expanding its facility to accommodate supplemental pressure tanks. Laser Reproductions currently has two 24” x 48” tanks. As of July 6th LR has added another 24” x 48” tank along with an oversized 36” x 60” tank for larger molds. We have also added a 250 gallon reserve feeder tank to decrease fill times for the oversized tank. These tanks are an important part of the casting procedure. By placing molds in a pressure vessel we can, in almost all cases, eliminate air bubbles and voids in our cast parts.
The expansion is also intended to promote flow. Expanding from 1135 sq/ft to 1500 sq/ft will provide a more productive work environment, more ‘room to breathe’, and the ability to produce better quality parts in a shorter amount of time.
Laser Reproductions is a rapid prototyping service bureau located in Columbus, Ohio. Encompassing 18 SLA machines and a full in-house model shop, LR specializes in Stereolithography (SLA) and Cast Urethane Molds. Other services include SLS, CNC, FDM, DMLS, and Contract Manufacturing. Visit us at www.laserrepro.com or give us a call at 614.552.6905 to discuss your next rapid prototyping project.
Check out our latest case study!
BernzOmatic
SLA Hand Torches
Laser Reproductions helps BernzOmatic light their torch.
Jason Lukacsko - MDL Poly Finish Lead, Laser Reproductions
Laser Reproductions has been implementing the 5S program for the past few years. SORT. SWEEP. STRAIGHTEN. SCHEDULE. SUSTAIN. By abiding by this program, we have been able to eliminate waste and keep our facility clean and organized. Here are a few ways in which we implement the program:
- SORT
- Paper recycling bins which are emptied each month by Shred-it.
- All scrap parts are kept in a designated area.
- SWEEP
- Sweep daily
- Take out trash daily
- Vacuum weekly
- Constantly clean any areas in need
- STRAIGHTEN
- Supply closets are organized.
- Model-shop technicians have a picture of their area posted on their desk. This way, they know exactly where each tool goes.
- “No ‘stuff’ on top of cabinets or shelves” policy
- SCHEDULE
- Monthly 5S audit
- SUSTAIN
- If someone is using shop equipment incorrectly, a Laser employee is expected to stop and educate them on how to use it properly.
We have found this program extremely helpful and we plan to continue the use of it now and in the future. Being a company that is always improving, we found a way to improve the 5S system. How? Simple – make it a 6S system. But why?
Each month, our company performs a 5S audit. Our president, along with an outside advisor, walks the floors of Laser to make sure the program is being implemented properly. In March, as the 5S audit was taking place, our president noticed an apparent flaw. One of the members of the casting team was not wearing safety glasses. Here at Laser, we want to make sure employees are always protected and working in a safe environment. Therefore, we have implemented the 6th S — SAFETY. All members of the team must wear safety glasses when working in the model shop.
Dave Evans - Model Shop Operations Manager, Laser Reproductions
Cast urethane parts are produced using silicone rubber tools or molds. A master pattern, usually made on an SLA machine, is hand finished to approximate the surface required for the cast parts. This master is then used to create the silicone tool. In preparing the tool for casting, a spray release agent is applied to the internal cavity to aid in removing the cast part from the mold.
Release agents tend to change the surface appearance of cast parts. This change is not consistent from part to part. Cast parts that use release and come out ‘as-is’ are considered to be of standard quality. In order to achieve a consistent show quality finish, we have two options. Our first option is to cast parts without using a release agent. The challenges with this option are that mold life will be reduced and the number of parts produced from the mold will be limited. Also, it is not always possible to choose this option due to the geometry of some parts. When parts have been designed with intricate geometry, release must be used to keep the fragile components from breaking. Our second option is to post finish and paint the cast part after release has been used. Painting allows for different levels of texture to be applied to the final parts. This process gives the most consistent appearance.
Laser Lesson: Before placing an order, decide if standard quality is sufficient for your project. If you need your piece to look picture perfect, we would advise you to choose show quality. Depending upon the geometry, we will choose whether to use show finish option one or show finish option two.
Bret Bordner - Vice President, Laser Reproductions
Another conference in the books. This year was a historic one at that. It was the first year the AMUG (formerly 3DSUG) opened the doors to all additive manufacturing technologies. Last year, when the decision was made, we were not sure how this change would be received. Turns out, the conference was a huge success. The number of attendees and exhibitors were way up and everyone had a great time. As secretary of the board, it was a pleasure to work with such a great team of advisors. Thanks to all who worked hard and a special thanks to all the sponsors, vendors, and presenters who helped make this a success. The board has already begun planning next year’s conference in Jacksonville by holding meetings on site June 6-10. Our goal is to continue to improve and build on what we learned this year to make next year even better. See you in April 2013!
Aryn Bourk - Marketing Assistant, Laser Reproductions
Barry Coyle and I attended the BIOMEDevice trade show in Boston, MA last week. It was the first trade show I had ever been to as a booth staffer, so I didn’t know what to expect. Luckily, everything turned out great. Our booth was located on a corner spot allowing for traffic flow from all angles. Our booth was consistently occupied by attendees who were interested in learning about what we do and how we would be beneficial to their company. People were drawn to our array of prototype parts displayed on our table. It was nice to have tangible parts for attendees to touch and look at first hand. But, I think the most attractive part of our booth was our Fishbowl made of DSM Somos 10122 which was filled to the brim with ‘wint-o-green’ mints… they were definitely a hit!
During our off-time, we ate at a restaurant called Del Friscos. It is known for steaks and red wine. So naturally, we ordered sea food and white wine. It was still delicious. We also went on a Duck Tour. If you have never been, you should do it. The ‘Dukw’ is a hybrid between a bus and a boat. The driver doubles as a tour guide who divulges all of the historical facts of the area. As the driver is talking, he drives the Dukw through the city, then drives down a ramp right into the water. Our favorite historical story was ‘The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919’. There was literally a tidal wave of molasses. Crazy! Our last adventure was to a place where everybody knows your name – ‘Cheers’.
Overall, the trip was great. We had a wonderful time working the booth and exploring the city. We returned with dozens of good leads that will hopefully turn into new customers.
Enjoy the pictures!
Paul Bordner - President, Laser Reproductions
Last week marked the first ever AMUG (Additive Manufacturing Users Group) Conference in Costa Mesa, CA. I was really impressed with the AMUG volunteers and venue, they all did an exceptional job pulling together this year’s conference and handling double the amount of attendees versus the former 3DSUG conferences. We all had a great time networking, learning, and of course playing during the week. Tuesday night awards dinner was not a letdown either, as it was hosted at Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park exclusively for our group. I am extremely proud that my brother Bret stepped up to fill the shoes of Guy Bourdeau who could not make it due to illness (get better soon Guy, we missed you!) Bret helped with the registration and conference items to help make it a success. At the conference, Bret was nominated to serve on the 2012-2013 AMUG board as VP. Great job Bret!
Check out our latest case study!
Centerbrook Architects & Planners
SLA Model Components
Laser Reproductions works with Centerbrook to build SLA components for an Academic Laboratory Building model.
Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together.
– Vesta M. Kelly
McGill Centre for Intelligent Machines has adopted the use of water & ice as the build material for their additive manufacturing process. In 2006, professors Pieter Sijpkes and Jorge Angeles received a research grant for a project called New Architecture of Phase Change: Computer-Assisted Ice Construction. These two professors, along with their team of architects and engineers, wanted to explore the possibility of constructing ice sculptures through the use of rapid prototyping. The ice sculptures would be used for small to medium scale models as well as for use in the ice-tourism industry.
Three levels of ice construction:
- Fab@home Rapid Prototyping Machine
- Modified to make small 3D ice objects in a -20°C environment
- Adept Cobra 600 Robot
- Produces finely detailed 3D ice objects about 30cm across by 20cm high
- Macro Robot
- Hoped to develop this by 2012 for working at an architectural scale
Check out the articles below. There are a lot of interesting articles, photos, videos, publications, and links. My favorite is the link to the ‘Hotel de Glace’. I would love to go there… simply AMAZING!
Articles
Main Article: http://www.arch.mcgill.ca/prof/sijpkes/ice/
PDF of Process: http://www.arch.mcgill.ca/prof/sijpkes/ice/_source/REPARTI_ice_poster.pdf
Photos & Videos: http://www.arch.mcgill.ca/prof/sijpkes/ice/
Hotel de Glace: http://www.hoteldeglace-canada.com/hotel.php?action=nouveautes
Michael Blaz - Sales Engineer, Laser Reproductions
I had the pleasure of representing Laser Reproductions at the 2012 Association of Professional Model Makers show in Kansas City last month. Many companies were in attendance, filling the conference with the “Who’s Who” of the model making world. With so many renowned companies present, this was the perfect opportunity for us to exhibit and hold a workshop during the 4-day event.
In LR’s breakout session, I touched on the many technologies that we offer including SLA, SLS, and FDM. After this brief introduction to our company, I focused on how the rapid prototyping industry has assisted modern-day model makers. With LR having an in-house model shop, the synergies of knowing the detail required for serving the model makers of the world certainly is helpful.
During my downtime, I attended many of the workshops that were available. From what is new in RP, to new techniques and materials in model-making, the workshops were jam packed. On Saturday evening, the show hosted a conference dinner which featured a speaker from Garmin who spoke about taking a model shop in the basement of his own home to a major player in the industry, and then ultimately working for Garmin.
LR had the pleasure of seeing many existing customers and of course meeting many new faces as well. It was an honor to be a part of a conference where everyone in attendance takes so much pride in their true talents. Seeing firsthand what these model makers are tasked with each and every day, makes us gain a deeper appreciation for the projects that we get from model makers. The overall experience was truly remarkable and I look forward to attending the conference again in 2014.
Look for the Case Study that will be posted next Wednesday to get an inside view of how Laser has recently assisted a model maker.
A new type of rapid prototyping was investigated at Missouri University of Science and Technology about 10 years ago. It is called Rapid Freeze Prototyping (RFP). This is a solid freeform fabrication process that freezes droplets of water layer-by-layer to create a part. Much like the process of stereolithography (SLA), RFP is an additive manufacturing process created from CAD models. Once the RFP process is complete, the ice part is then used to create metal castings.
Some potential advantages of using water as the build material are:
·Equipment is less expensive
·Material is environmentally friendly
·Lower energy consumption
·Faster build speeds
·Improved surface finish
When geometries are complex, additive manufacturing processes often require the need for support materials. These support materials hold up overhangs or internal voids during the build process. Once the process is complete, the support materials are then removed. The scientists at Missouri S&T needed to make sure that the support materials for the RFP process had certain properties such as:
·Freezing temperature similar to water
·Non-soluble in water
·Similar surface contact angle as water
·Environmentally benign
·Easy removal from ice structure
They ended up testing two different support materials
1. Eutectic salt solution
·Found out this could not be used because it caused degradation of the ice.
2. Eutectic sugar solution
·Used this as the support material.
Many tests were conducted to test the feasibility, usefulness, and build quality of the Rapid Freeze Prototyping process. Results can be found in the links below.
Ice part prototypes and metal parts made by investment castings with ice patterns were successfully created.
I have not been successful in finding many RFP articles since these two were written in the early 2000’s. I wonder if this process is still one that scientists are pursuing.
Articles & Images:
“The most delightful surprise in life is to suddenly recognize your own worth.”
– Maxwell Maltz
Olaf Diegel is a professor of mechatronics at Massey University in Auckland, New Zealand. He has expertise in Rapid Product Development, Additive Manufacturing, CAD, and much more. Olaf combines these skills with his interest in 50’s and 60’s Rock & Roll to create awesome guitars using 3D printing.
The Spider 3D printed guitar featured in this article was created using an EOS Formiga P100 selective laser sintering machine. The process of SLS was chosen because it allows for making strong and sturdy parts that are highly detailed. The whole body of the guitar was manufactured as one piece. AMAZING!
If you are interested in getting a customized guitar, contact Olaf at: O.Diegel@massey.ac.nz
Articles & Pictures:
Check out our most recent case study!
DNA Capsule
DNA Capsule Prototype
Laser Reproductions collaborated with Sean and Stephanie Recchi to create a working prototype of their invention, DNA Capsule
What would a chair look like if your knees bent the other way?
Barry Coyle - Sales Engineer, Laser Reproductions
The Aerospace Lighting Institute (ALI) has been educating and disseminating technical information to the aerospace lighting industry since 1970. The Seminar was designed to share updates regarding new technologies and to explore current issues affecting the industry.
The speakers included:
John Lundberg – Chief Technical Officer at Sirio Panel
Kevin McDermott – Vice President of Business Development at Patriot Taxiway Industries
Matt Bogart – Manager of Process Engineering at Kopp Glass, Inc.
Laurent Debuire – Director of Engineering at IDD, Zodiac Aerospace Group
Josh Crow – Lead Engineer – Government Systems Product Development at Emteq
Corinne Weil – Head of Engineering, External Lighting And Windshield Wiper Group at ECE Zodiac Aerospace Group
Günther Hasna – Chief Technical Officer at OPTIS
Dr. Michael Crognale – Director, Cognitive Brain Sciences Program at University of Nevada , Reno
Jim Kramer – Vice President at Astronics- LSI
George Teets – Technical Sales Manager at Wamco, Inc.
The most discussed topics were the use of LED lighting in applications such as Cockpit Lighting Systems, Landing Lights and Runway Lighting, as well as the pros and cons of LED performance as used and developed in the industry. The speakers described the historical context of lighting and their future ideas for development.
One of the most interesting speakers was Dr. Crognale. His topic stressed the ability of the brain to gather large amounts of information through vision and extrapolate an image. The old adage, “you have to see it to believe it” was challenged.
The group was open to teaching and looking for alternative solutions to their prototyping and productions needs.
A few of our employees will be attending the RAPID 2012 Conference & Exposition in May this year. We will be walking the floors of the exposition to see the latest innovations in additive manufacturing technology. One of the events that we are looking forward to is the 3D Printing Fashion show.
Fashion designers submitted their CAD designs in February and found out if they had been selected for the fashion show in early March. If the designs were selected, they had to upload an STL file for printing. At the show, models will walk the runway to model the exquisite and innovative designs that we are excited to see. The designer, inspiration for the piece, manufacturing company, and additive manufacturing processes used will be detailed during the event.
I wonder what type of pieces will be the most popular… Jewelry? Coats? Shoes? Purses? Let us know your answer in the ‘Question of the Week’ post later on today.
After the show, I will give a full report on what we saw. I will try to have some pictures as well!
Articles:
http://rapid.sme.org/2012/CUSTOM/Uploads/Rapid-2012-Fashion-Show-Invite.pdf
http://www.dexigner.com/news/24643
Images:
Aryn Bourk – Marketing Assistant, Laser Reproductions
Hello World!
I hope you all are having a fabulous day…. I know everyone at Laser Reproductions is!
I would like to start by introducing myself. My name is Aryn and I am the new Marketing Assistant for Laser Reproductions. I graduated from The Ohio State University last June with a degree in Business-Marketing and started my career with Laser at the beginning of January.
One of my goals is to emerge LR into the world of social media. I have already created:
- Facebook Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/LaserRepro
- Twitter Account http://twitter.com/#!/LR_LaserRepro
- YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialLaserRepro
(Like Us/Follow Us!)
My next social media project = Start a blog.
I will be posting on Laser’s behalf. The blog will include posts such as:
- Articles and Reviews Related to the Rapid Prototyping Industry
- YouTube Videos Related to the Rapid Prototyping Industry
- Customer and Vendor Highlights
- Employee Bio’s and Updates
- Laser Reproductions Videos
- Laser Reproductions Updates (Company Events, Trade Show Summaries, Etc,)
- And of Course, ‘Just for Fun’ Posts (Riddles, Questions, Quotes, Etc.)
Feel free to leave comments, questions, and suggestions on any of our blog posts.
We look forward to connecting with you and providing you with useful information!
Sincerely,
Aryn & The Laser Reproductions Team
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