Boosting productivity with 3D printing design tools for engineers – Presented by Alkaios Bournias Varotsis, 3D Hubs, at the 3D Printing Design & Engineering Conference, on April 17, 2018, at Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Geleen, The Netherlands.
The 3D printing landscape is changing rapidly! How can an organization keep up with the developments in the technology and integrate 3D printing effectively in the product design cycle? In this presentation, you will learn about the tools we have recently developed to educate engineers and designers on 3D printing, help them find the right material for their application and check their models before they send them to print.
About Alkaios Bournias Varotsis
I studied mechanical engineering at the National Technical University of Athens, Greece and I did my Ph.D. in Additive Manufacturing at Loughborough University, UK before I joined 3D Hubs as the Technical Marketing Engineer. At my current position, I am responsible for all technical content published on the platform and I have the mission of educating designers and engineers about 3D printing and help them get the most out of the technology.
About 3D Hubs
3D Hubs is the world’s largest network of manufacturing services. With production facilities connected in over 140 countries, the 3D Hubs online platform helps you find the fastest and most price competitive manufacturing solution near you. Founded in 2013, the network has since produced more than 1,000,000 parts locally, making it the global leader in distributed manufacturing.
Interview
I want to help engineers and designers get the most out of 3D printing.
A boat. Enough fuel to get me to the next non-deserted island. Enough food to help me go through this month-long vacation.
What emerging technologies/trends do you see as having the greatest potential in the short and long run?
Short-term: Low-cost metal 3D printing. Long-term: 3D printed structural electronics (i.e. the integration of electronic circuitry and sensing in 3D printed parts).
What kind of impact do you expect them to have?
I think that low-cost metal printing will have a significant impact on digital supply chains and enable the on-demand manufacturing of non-critical metal parts. Structural electronics will lead to the development of products that integrate sensing and computing into the fabric of society, making our lives easier.
What are the barriers that might stand in the way?
Material considerations and technology availability.
What do you hope people to learn from your presentation?
How the 3D printing landscape has changed the past 3-4 years, from a method of fabricating novelty items to a legitimate way to manufacture engineering prototypes and end-use parts, and how a company like 3D Hubs has evolved with it.
About 3D Printing Design & Engineering Conference
The 3D Printing Design & Engineering Conference will take place on April 17, 2018, at Brightlands Chemelot Campus. At the same location, the 3D Printing Materials Conference on April 17 and the 4D Printing & Meta Materials Conference on April 18 take place.
The following topics will be covered during the conference:
- 3D design & 3D engineering tools / Visualisation tools
- Value Engineering / Virtual Engineering
- Topology Optimization
- Validation
- IP, liability, legal and technical issues
- Reverse engineering
- Postprocessing / AMES (Additive Manufacturing Execution Systems) / (MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems)
- Blockchain
Who should attend?
Any person who is involved in developing products using 3D printing, from designer to engineer, from researcher to 3D printer manufacturer and from material manufacturer to software developer. We invite you to visit the website to find out why you should attend the full day conference.
| Day 1: April 17, 2018 | Day 2: April 18, 2018 | |
| 3D Printing Materials Conference | 3D Printing Design & Engineering Conference | 4D Printing & Meta Materials Conference |
| Polymers (New materials) Application of polymers in 3D Printing (from standard to high quality / high risk) Multi material 3D Printing |
3D design & 3D engineering tools / Visualisation tools Value Engineering / Virtual Engineering Topology Optimization Reverse engineering Postprocessing / AMES (Additive Manufacturing Execution Systems) / (MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) Blockchain |
4D Printing from idea to full functionality Smart materials Applications & opportunities for designing and engineering New materials for shoes and wearables Applications in robotics New type of sensors. |