Application Selection

what makes a successful application this module intends to unlock the mystery of what makes a successful application and provide a high level thought process for application/part identification this method is not the only answer for identifying the best applications, but provides a good starting point for selecting potential applications while disqualifying unsuitable ones there are many examples of successful additive applications to review some of carbon customer's successes, study the case studies on the carbon website , or those application selection docid\ ovjqamnsudifqcpcdzc e as these cases are reviewed, some main categories of business value become apparent design freedom, economic advantages, and part consolidation the value associated with these categories is briefly discussed in the application selection docid\ ovjqamnsudifqcpcdzc e of this module with a deeper explanation provided by the application selection docid\ ovjqamnsudifqcpcdzc e section common characterics of successful applications additive material that meets the needs of the application temperature requirements chemical resistance biocompatibility needs mechanical properties business case (value) for utilizing additive design freedoms economic advantages part consolidation knowledgeable team a vision and/or inspiration on the value of using additive ability to design for the function of the part used in the application knowledge of the chosen application knowledge of the chosen additive process implementation strategy good relationships with customers (where customers are most likely a part of the team) g lossary the following terms are used throughout this module additive manufacturing (3d printing) refers to a collection of technologies where materials are selectively accumulated to build, grow, or increase the mass of an object layer by layer until a three dimensional object conforms to its digital model objects manufactured additively can be found throughout the product lifecycle, from pre production ( e g , rapid prototyping) to full scale production ( e g , rapid manufacturing) and tooling applications and post production customization iso/astm 52900 2015 additive manufacturing general principles application function being performed component/part object manufactured to perform in the application dls™ (digital light synthesis™) a resin based 3d printing technology utilizing clip, carbon’s resins, and software to produce engineering grade isotropic plastic parts with a good surface finish manufacturability as referred to in the presentation, encompasses the entire dls process digital prep (orientation & support), printing, cleaning (washing & support removal), baking (curing), and secondary operations (sanding/finishing) manufacturing method a way to produce a part any part whether it’s for prototyping, functional end use testing, or true production the manufacturing method could be modeling in clay, machining, molding, or additive manufacturing additive offers many tools for the manufacturing toolbox dls strengths additive manufacturing processes offer new options for producing parts understanding the value the chosen process brings to your part/application helps you know when to implement additive this is similar to knowing how to choose between machining, injection molding, rotational molding, blow molding, extrusion, etc each of these processes has particular strengths depending on the application; they are all options in your manufacturing toolbox additive processes like dls, sls and fdm have recently joined well established options like injection molding and machining in the manufacturing toolbox additive manufacturing methods provide flexibility and design freedoms not possible from traditional methods use additive manufacturing strengths to drive value to your project, whether you are producing prototypes, production parts, or need a manufacturing solution each additive method has its own strengths for example, digital light synthesis (dls™) combines the benefits of a liquid based process with engineering grade materials allowing your project to transition from prototyping to production utilizing the same manufacturing method to decide if dls manufacturing is the right process for the application, one must understand it's strengths dls provides needed material performance & versatility dls vs injection molding/machining design freedom customization dls can easily create bespoke parts that are untenable with repetition focused processes patient specific | personalization unmoldable geometries dls has the ability to produce geometries that are unmoldable or cannot be machined lattice | texture | topology optimization design freedom case studies customization erpro myfit solutions customization resolution medical loving eyes unmoldable geometries becton, dickinson and company (bd) part consolidation dls produced parts can reduce assembly time and complexity when multiple parts can be redesigned as a single part reduce assembly part consolidation case studies 3 to 1 paragon agrifac 6 to 1 the technology house vitamix economic advantages dls can provide clear economic advantages in low volume production with no tooling costs or minimum buys to compensate for setting up tooling there are further benefits to producing in low volumes by saving on inventory overhead dls also offers a clear advantages when quick design iterations and turnaround is needed low volume | quick iterations economic advantage case studies low volume fast radius aptiv low volume dinsmore biolase quick turnaround the technology house nasa dls vs additive technologies dls offers distinct advantages when compared to other additive technologies engineering grade materials rigid and elastomeric watertight & airtight parts no secondary operation required cosmetic surfaces fine features logos and labels, threads, textures watertight & airtight | fine features | cosmetic surfaces key strength carbon technology merges engineering grade material properties with all the advantages of additive manufacturing while utilizing the same manufacturing process and material from prototyping to production evaluation process this easy to implement high level process uses 3 categories material specifications value manufacturability combining these categories with a few questions will help quickly identify good potential applications for the dls manufacturing process this method will also eliminate the unsuitable ones the venn diagram is used to depict the relationship of the categories and how each one has dependencies on the others the ideal dls application meets criteria in all three categories application selection venn diagram this information was compiled from sales, engineers, and support functions that have served in the additive business for many years apply your own knowledge as well to tailor the method to your particular needs and create a starting point for application selection apply the method as a team or an individual, then once a good potential application has been identified, work with your team to make it successful material material specifications know the material requirements it all starts with the right material for the application incorrect material choice can doom a project for many reasons, from causing your part to fail or simply making the part too costly material selection process the material selection process will narrow the list of manufacturing methods available for an application and provide a handful of suitable materials knowing the material options for dls manufacturing is important for establishing design possibilities identify the end use application of the component evaluate the critical performance needs of the application material type rigid elastomer temperature requirements chemical resistance biocompatibility needs needed mechanical performance select a suitable material by reviewing material resources material technical data sheets (tds) this page shows all of the materials available on carbon's platform including rigid, elastomeric and dental specific resins click on a material category to see the full list with links to tdss carbon alternatives to common thermoplastics comparison table of common thermoplastics to carbon materials materials property summary chart this table lists the properties of all carbon materials in one place a great reference for engineers and designers! material chemical compatibility comparison table of common chemicals to carbon materials carbon's material advantage an advantage of the carbon process is the ability to use the same material and process throughout the part's life cycle (prototype, production, end of life) during the prototyping process, the part's manufacturability can be honed and improved this is how materials overlap with value (business case) of the evaluation process value value define advantage of carbon engineering grade materials combined with the strengths of additive manufacturing utilizing of the same material and process throughout the parts life cycle (prototyping, production, end of life) all projects have to be justified therefore, once a suitable material has been identified, the next part of the evaluation process is a compelling business case for prototyping or a manufacturing jig, a business case may not always be a necessity, but walking through the value evaluation can lead to new ideas, showing what is possible with additive manufacturing and dls technology when determining value, answer this question what is the business reason for utilizing additive manufacturing and dls technology for this application? building a compelling business case this is about utilizing the strengths and economic advantages of additive manufacturing for the application in question is there an existing value for this project or can value be created (add a function or prevent an issue) by using the additive process that is not currently an option? three large groups to categorize value criteria are design freedom | part consolidation | econonomics the application in question might benefit from one or all three of these for a compelling business case design freedom molds or toolpaths do not restrict dls technology, unlocking unconstrained design freedom that allows designers/engineers to showcase unmoldable/challenging geometries this provides the following design benefits manufacture to the function of the application quicker iterations no tooling or lengthy machine setups more options/sizes for a part family or user specific options these benefits add value to your project and end part by improving part performance, reducing warranty, being on the market faster the design freedom provided by additive manufacturing allows the designer to implement different design strategies that are difficult to utilize with traditional manufacturing let's explore some of those strategies customization customization is an important strength of any additive manufacturing technology traditional manufacturing methods require new tools, which means more tools to manage, and/ or new machine setups this can be a determinate to implementing customizations some of the customizations that can be easily implemented with additive are user/patient specific parts application specific parts logos part numbers lopart with logo | part number | materialw volume part with a logo, part number, material used, etc this information can be placed into the native cad file or in some cases added with the printer ui texturing textures can be aesthetic or functional like adding grip to a part textures can be molded but normally this a secondary operation to the mold depending on the texture it can be a costly add with dls technology it is added to the digital file lattices lattices are impossible or extremely difficult to produce by other means this design strategy opens up many product possibilities from light weighting to designing for performance using design engine docid 6 kc bob7ndbpnaw7du3i , lattices can be built to performance specifications allowing for a variety of applications squeezing a lattice topology optimization topology optimization creates some interesting structures that reduce material use and maximize part performance due to the organic nature of theses parts, they are not producible with conventional manufacturing methods these structures are easily manufactured with dls technology as seen in this example of a carbon motor mount topology optimized motor mount part consolidation another strength of additive manufacturing is the ability to implement part consolidations consolidating assemblies can provide the following benefits with varying degrees of value for your project simplify the product or the product use ability to add function to the part (aka design the part for function) reduce points of failure like leak paths for sealing systems reduce assembly time eliminate hardware components such as screws and other fasteners eliminate tooling (molds, manufacturing jigs and fixtures, etc) for individual parts reduce cost of logistics for sourcing, storing, and shipping original design individually molded parts = 3 o rings = 2 screws = 8 assembly time required designed for carbon dls individually printed parts = 1 improved wire routing all bullet points above designed for carbon dls economics the economics of the value evaluation is related to design freedom and part consolidation if your part benefits from one or both of the other two, it will definitely have economic benefits sometimes, the economic benefits of using additive manufacturing can prompt the designer to look more closely at the design freedoms a good example is when an injection mold tool needs replacing, and it is determined that eliminating the tooling cost is business case enough to justify the project by going back to the design freedoms of additive, the designer/engineer might add a new value that wasn't available with traditional means three large economic advantage of the dls technology using the same material and process from the beginning to the end of a product lifecycle this eliminates tooling cost, reduces testing iterations, and gets your product on the market faster ability to complete iterations fast turn around time with minimum setup part quantity flexibility no minimum buys produce 5 to 10,000s in certain scenarios even higher, without minimum order quantities this economic evaluation focuses heavily on the manufacturing economics of the part eliminating tooling reducing raw material or assembly part needs reducing shipping cost reducing warehouse storage eliminate minimum order buys specific factors that effect dls manufacturing economics quantity of parts per build when printing a production part more parts on the platform increases yield with the same print time example 1 bracket = 2 hrs 12 mins vs 22 brackets = 2 hrs 12 mins same print time for 1 or 22 print time how long a print takes is affected by part size (length x width x height) and material selection part height increases printing time and the number of supports needed to stabilize the part the surface area (length x width) affects print time by how much time is needed to cure the current projection and heat build up from that uv exposure part dimensions (mm) 20x20x20 20x20x80 90x90x20 qty per build 40 40 2 solid part rpu 70 print time 0h 53m 3h 16m 1h 37m epu 46 print time 0h 29m 1h 30m 0h 49m latticed part rpu 70 print time 0h 41m 2h 16m 0h 41m epu 46 print time 0h 24m 1h 18m 0h 24m example only, subject to change based on printer improvements large surface area solid shapes not recommended for printing used for demonstration only 20x20x20 | 20x20x80 | 90x90x20 information is based on an m3 printer and is for reference only actual print times are variable based on part geometry and software version post processing support removal cleaning baking these factors can be mitigated with design review the dls design guidelines docid\ t94pr a c0pihy6ljswk7 for tips and tricks manufacturability manufacturability encompasses the entire process of physically producing a part manufacturability print prep printing post processing washing baking (thermal curing) secondary operations manufacturability evaluation is critical for the application/part's success if the part can not be physically produced then another manufacturing method will have to be identified or research will need to be completed to figure out how to manufacture with dlstm technology part design has a major impact on this evaluation utilize the recommended feature sizes from the dls design guidelines and the design principles to evaluate the part for printing feasibility the design guidelines provided recommended feature sizes, tips for designing parts without supports, and other pieces of information to help you design/evaluate a part for dls manufacturability evaluation process before evaluating printing feasibility, it is important to establish which carbon printer best accommodates your application by assessing the available build volumes the part must fit inside the given print envelope of the machine otherwise, the part design (or manufacturing method) needs to be reevaluated it is not advised to build to the maximum of any direction parts will be printer ui for shrinkage in the printing process build volume xyz axis m2/m3 m3 max l1 x 189 mm (7 4 in) 307 mm (12 1 in) 400 mm (15 7 in) y 118 mm (4 6 in) 163 mm (6 4 in) 250 mm (9 8 in) z 326 mm (12 8 in) 326 mm (12 8 in) 460 mm (18 1 in) part quantity per build how many parts can be built at once? this is very important when assessing the feasibility of production runs or needing to produce a finite amount of parts in a quick amount of time as shown before in manufacturing economics, the more parts per build, the better the economics (more parts in the same amount of time) part size guidance for production applications optimal size for the m2/m3 50 mm x 25 mm x 80 mm about the since of a deck of playing cards this allows 20 parts per build ideal part size per quantity per build the dls platform can certainly produce parts that are larger than a deck of cards! some economic scenarios for larger parts are prototyping replacement parts where tooling is no longer available and/or too expensive to create reducing inventory and storage overhead with low volume production runs design is not possible with conventional manufacturing practices; dls technology is the only option printability what is the printability of the part? now that it is determined, the part will fit in the build envelope, and quantity has been addressed look the part over for how well it will print use the recommended feature sizes and design principles to assist with this evaluation design principles consistent wall thickness gradual geometry changes no trapped volumes self supporting other items to look for thin walls tall parts feature sizes as you are evaluating the part, areas may be noted where slight improvements could really improve the manufacturability of the part it is important to note those and discuss them with your customer a very small change can be the difference between a part that is difficult to print vs great legacy 6 part design optimized to a single part post processing how easily can the part be post processed? while the printability of the part is being assessed, also consider how the part will be post processed (washed and cured) similar items need to be addressed design principles consistent wall thickness gradual geometry changes cleanability support removal feature spacing to allow the resin to be removed by solvent other items to look for thin walls sharp corners drastic change in geometry many of these items can be addressed with design and the changes you make to improve printability will improve the post processing and vice versa as would be done with printability, note where changes could improve the post processing to discuss with your customer this can greatly improve the part's manufacturability for example, the part shown here has several defects from print errors and post processing problems that are all resolvable with slight design changes post processing problems thin walls warped during the bake unvented volumes caused resin removal issues salt is stuck to part poor design updated for easy post processing value and the manufacturability of a part are heavily influenced by the design of the part the manufacturing economics are discussed during the value evaluation because it affects the business case these interdependencies are how value and manufacturability are related applying the method the following is an exercise in applying the application selection evaluation method example project requirements the company is a leading battery powered zero emission bus producer that creates unique vehicle configurations to meet local requirements the part is an ergonomic door switch handle the typical order quantity for each bus configuration is 2 to 25 each bus has approximately 4,000 different parts part information quantity needed = 10 tooling cost $25,000 customer bonus if possible can this handle be used as a handle to access different panels on the bus? ergonomic door switch handle material requirements temperature requirements no extreme temperatures 0 65° c chemical resistance requirements basic chemical resistance needed no extreme resistance required no submersion in any chemical or other types of long term exposure biocompatibility none mechanical properties needs to withstand general impacts, in case items are dropped on it, etc stiff enough to withstand hand torque example project assessment use these printable handouts to assist you with this exercise and ask yourself these questions in each category as you go dls application selection quick guide https //archbee doc uploads s3 amazonaws com/dptyqcthpbvzhe3zung4v tzvszwes5njvtfh24gbtw 20241207 022912 pdf dls application selection worksheet https //archbee doc uploads s3 amazonaws com/dptyqcthpbvzhe3zung4v qephy72asanoa304l8fxn 20241207 022927 pdf https //archbee doc uploads s3 amazonaws com/dptyqcthpbvzhe3zung4v dswc8d8owhczdfy6pjkgo 20241207 022058 pdf material specifications should this material be a rigid or elastomeric material? what is the right material for this application? value what is the business case for utilizing additive to produce this part? what are the dls strengths that can be utilized? each column will not always have an answer manufacturability can this part be physically produced with dls technology? example project conclusion by applying the application method, it is clear this is a good fit for carbon dls there is a material that fits the needs of the application design freedom can be utilized to add function to the part (a texture for grip) and to design the part in such a way it can be used for multiple functions great low volume manufacturing economics the part is physically manufacturable with the m2 or m3 printer electric bus components dls application fit compelling business case material specifications rpu 70 met needed requirements value design freedom manufacturing economics low volume 2 to 25 of each part proterra is a leader in the design and manufacture of zero emission electric transit vehicles and ev technology solutions for commercial applications since 2004, proterra technology has been proven through more than 18 million service miles in heavy duty applications this company needed low volume, high quality, production parts proterra electric bus company this part incorporates multiple criteria from two of the evaluation categories of the application selection process it highlights an example when larger parts are economical for the m2/m3 platform read the full proterra case study explaining how carbon met the low volume needs of this manufacturer with products built to order volumes range from 2 to 25 vehicles an average proterra vehicle has about 4,000 different parts , each of which can require different materials and manufacturing methods a sizable portion of these parts are injection molded plastic parts, and managing thousands of these parts through their entire lifecycle is an enormous task low volumes result in the injection molded components to be expensive! challenges tooling cost inventory management molds parts utilize dls technology material that meets the needs of the applications, rpu 70 high quality surface finish ability to produce on demand the needed quantities ability to iterate quickly and met production schedules two parts were chosen for production on the m2 platform ergonomic dual purpose handle able to use the design freedom to make this a dual purpose handle for a door switch and a functional tool handle for access panels added a texture for better grip large (318 x 110 x 40 mm) customized dash plate cost reduction from traditional methods better surface quality than the previous family of parts proterra bus parts example case studies see how this selection method works for other successful applications from across industries vitamix rinsing nozzle dls application fit compelling business case material specifications rpu 70 met all needed requirements value part consolidation design freedom manufacturing economics manufacturability design freedom allowed the part to be fully optimized for the process with minimized supports and improved cleanability vitamix is a market leader in blending technology for consumer and foodservice commercial markets these blenders are used across the united states in coffee houses and other foodservice markets vitamix was looking to produce a durable microfluidic nozzle to rinse their commercial blender container to make cleaning more automatic and remove the manual labor for the coffee house vitamix rinse o matic full assembly traditional injection molding design used 6 parts and was assembled ability of the part to handle daily wear and tear in a commercial food service environment material had to perform in environments with high pressure water, bleach, and other sanitizers short timeline a newly designed single part that requires no tooling or assembly 10x more durable than previous designs passes 1 5 million rinse cycles in the field part uses 30% less material part is 33% more economical vitamix rinse nozzle redesign engineers at vitamix and the technology house , a carbon production partner, worked together to solve the challenges of this part and optimize it for the dls technology this part incorporates multiple criteria from all three evaluation categories of the application selection process for the full vitamix case study and a video visit the carbon website medical equipment component dls application fit compelling business case material specifications mpu 100 met all needed requirements value design freedom manufacturing economics manufacturability design freedom allowed the part to be fully optimized for the process becton, dickinson and company (bd) built a next generation cell level genomic analyzer used to understand cellular form and function on the basis of individual cells this information is used in medical fields such as immunology and oncology one of the key components is the hemocytometer adapter that integrates a fluidic microwell component into an optical system bd full assembly traditional manufacturing had too many limitations and additive manufacturing was chosen as a potential solution the right additive process had to deliver cost and speed benefits without compromising the part's design requirements key design requirements sliding surfaces central slide holder for fluid analysis high quality surface finish challenging features trapped negative space undercut structures window for optics utilize dls technology material that meets the needs of the application, mpu 100 design freedoms over traditional manufacturing and other additive technologies high quality surface finish engineers from bd and carbon worked together to optimize the part for the process rotated grid by 45° to allow direct on platform printing eliminated need for supports improving post processing and reducing labor integrate a texture on the hero surface to improve aesthetics and functionality the result was a cost effective part with improved functionality and meet the project timelines by optimizing the part for the dls process print time was reduced by 55% 7% less material usage dls medical equipment component redesign this part incorporates multiple criteria from all three evaluation categories of the application selection process it is also a great example of part optimization for the dls process for the full bd case study that walks through the design changes made visit the carbon website aptiv™ dust cap dls application fit compelling business case material specifications fpu 50 met needed requirements value design freedom manufacturing economics aptiv is a global technology company providing electrical and fiber optic connection solutions for ocean travel, including commercial and military vessels aptiv offers fiber optic connection systems, including connectors, termini, and cable assemblies suitable for ocean faring vessels as part of a connected solution when docked in a harbor or with another ship, a ship can use these cables to transfer sensor data rapidly the fiber optic interior must be completely insulated from the harsh conditions outside, including saltwater, fungal life, impact from the ship moving, and, critically, dust each cable is outfitted with a dust cap to prevent dust from interrupting the fiber to fiber connection this company needed a lighter weight, easier to produce, and cheaper solution aptive dust cap full assembly historical solutions are predominantly stainless steel or plated aluminum requiring intense post processing to meet functional and environmental criteria these are expensive to produce and heavy injection molded polymer solutions were two parts and could not pass the quality tests challenges strict qualification criteria impact resistance sand and dust exposure fungal resistance salt spray resistance design requirements threaded part undercuts tight tolerances requiring part precision and repeatability dls technology was able to provide a material that met all requirements including 2 military grade standards and a part that was lighter weight and more economical to produce fpu 50 passed 6 strict qualification tests impact sand + dust exposure engagement/disengagement torque ( military standard ) id marking ( military standard ) salt spray testing fungus resistance precision and repeatability for the threads aptive dust cap redesign this part incorporates multiple criteria from two of the evaluation categories of the application selection process it highlights an example when the engineering grade material performance was a key contributor to the success of the part the economic advantages of additive manufacturing were important but the right material needed to be available that material was found in fpu 50 for the full aptiv dust cap case study explaining how carbon met the low volume needs of this manufacturer visit the carbon website note that it is not always necessary to have an application that falls into all 3 evaluation criteria and that meeting 2 of the criteria is enough for a successful project uncompelling business cases it is critical to use the manufacturing method that best fits the needs of the component and dls technology is not always the best fit here are some scenarios when dls technology is not the best fit for production locked designs designing for the process is the key to success if a part is designed for cnc machining, it would need some design changes to produce by injection molding manufacturing with dls technology is no different, design changes will be needed to change over to this process long/tall, thin parts parts less than 1 5 mm thick parts that do not meet any of the dls design guidelines parts easily produced by other methods injection molding | machining | die cutting | thermoforming application fit summary the carbon platform is a proven manufacturing technology that offers a flexible process for quantities with design freedoms not possible from traditional methods part design plays an important role in the success of your part/component combine design and application selection knowledge to create successful parts dls strengths keep the strengths of dls in mind when evaluating a particular application dls vs traditional methods (machining, injection molding, etc ) unconstrained design freedom (textures, lattices, etc ) part consolidation (fewer points of failure, etc ) easy to implement iterations (no tooling) economic advantages (low volume, reduce time to market) dls vs additive technologies engineering grade materials (rigid and elastomeric) watertight and airtight materials cosmetic surfaces fine features (logos, threads, textures) dls application fit