Latest in the field of 3D and AM

Design for Additive Manufacturing Challenge winners; AM, Windform P1 for emergency ventilator valves

Design for Additive Manufacturing Challenge winners

K3D and Younes Chahid are winners of the Additive World Design for Additive Manufacturing Challenge 2020. Finalists, three in the student category and three professionals, pitched their designs in a video for the 6-member jury. The winning designs, Laser Welding Head and Hip Implants Stem design, are inspiring use cases of industrial 3D metal printing.

The winning student category first prize went to Younes Chahid from BiometicAM based in the United Kingdom with his Hip Implant Stem design. This highly functional application improves patients’ lives by shortening operation and recovery times. The structure is optimized with varying lattice densities and thicknesses for optimal bone ingrowth. The part can only be produced using metal additive manufacturing (AM) and is designed to print without supports, capable of being nested to maximize parts per build, lowering total cost per part.

K3D of The Netherlands took the professional category win for the second consecutive year. K3D CTO Jaap Bulsink’s Laser Welding Head for precision components company Hittech Bihca, improved performance and functional integration, included conformal cooling channels, was light weight, and optimized local porosities. Judges say the K3D application made a strong business case and design in a real, industrial application, a category not always well represented in design competitions. Producible only with AM, it can be printed without supports in an efficient build setup.

All finalists get a free license of Altair Inspire and Autodesk Netfabb software. Younes Chahid, as student winner, has won an Ultimaker 2+ printer while the K3D team will receive an Ultimaker S3. Both winners will also receive a 3D printing starter-pack from MakerPoint

AM, Windform P1 for emergency ventilator valves

CRP Technology is using its expertise to help save COVID-19 patients. The company has manufactured several functional prototypes of emergency valves for reanimation devices and link-components for emergency respiratory masks for assisted ventilation. Both components use high-speed sintering 3D printing and Windform P1 isotropic material.

“Following the intensification of the emergency due to the lack of fundamental devices for the care of patients affected by COVID-19, we want to give a concrete sign of our support by 3D printing emergency valves for ventilations and several Charlotte valves,” says Engineer Franco Cevolini, vice president and technical director CRP Technology.

Charlotte valves are link-components for emergency ventilator masks that Isinnova’s Dr. Renato Favero realized could be made by adjusting a snorkeling mask.

“Isinnova has decided to urgently patent the link valve, to prevent any speculation on the price of the component. They clarify that the patent will remain free to use, because it is their intention that all hospitals in need could use it if necessary,” Cevolini states

Read Next

Micromachining

May 2020
Explore the May 2020 Issue

Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.