DfAM & PPE Part 1: More than a Shape
By John E. Barnes (TBGA) & Buck Helfferich (TRONIX3D)
The Barnes Group Advisors (TBGA) and TRONIX3D have teamed up as small businesses to provide a unique perspective on how Additive Manufacturing (AM) can support COVID-19 efforts. TBGA is supporting the Veterans Health Administration, and TRONIX3D has been busy making Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our healthcare workers. While the type of PPE each team is creating is different, the approach to making a product that meets the right requirements is very similar.
With the shortage of medical PPE, many are turning to AM to provide a rapid, stop gap solution. In this series, we tackle important considerations for AM as it is used to support COVID-19 efforts globally.
More than a Shape
As we’ve written before, Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) is about much more than just making an interesting shape. Just like other products, medical PPE has requirements; in many cases, this means passing testing as well as being made in an approved facility.
One of the exciting aspects of AM is the design flexibility it enables. In some cases, initial designs are sent to printers without any design optimization. Other times, initial AM designs are created to meet a set of technical performance requirements and to fit with the capabilities of a specific AM process. Subsequent design iterations may then optimize the solution to account for other important business requirements like lead time, cost, and quantity.
Optimizing Shapes for Huge Savings
Taking a requirements-based approach and looking at the entire manufacturing chain for DfAM is a repeat theme for TBGA, as we recently emphasized in this nTopology blog “Focus on Requirements: Transforming Shapes into Engineered Products”. A dive into specific case studies from TBGA and TRONIX3D highlight tangible savings created with appropriately applied DfAM principles.
TBGA: As one part of an active collaboration, Principal ADDvisor® Chris Aldridge worked with a VA and National Institute of Health (NIH) approved face mask design and made some simple tweaks to shave about 10 minutes off the print time. 10 minutes might sound like a small number, until you need 100,000. That 10 minutes can turn into 10,000 hours of saved print time.
TRONIX3D: The team is partnering with a Western PA Wabtec facility to produce and assemble face shield PPE. TRONIX3D provides the printed components, and Wabtec will assemble the face shield in this arrangement.
The design they started with was functional, but it was designed using limited DfAM. Consequently, it was taking too long to produce. TRONIX3D employed their DfAM skills for the Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) system they operate, and they were able to reduce both print time and material consumption. Additionally, using the same DfAM approach, they reduced post processing time by incorporating features that would make the shields easier to handle during bead blasting; this means they can be easily removed when finished, reducing time, labor and, consequently, saving money. The final product design yielded a 75% cost reduction with a 450% increase in production efficiency.
TRONIX3D’s comparison of “Cost to Produce” & “Production Units per Week” of a face shield before and after Design for AM.
10,000 hours savings and 450% increase in production efficiency are significant numbers. However, to support COVID-19 efforts, time is of the essence. Since we cannot buy time, the true value created by these DfAM time savers is nearly incalculable.
ABOUT TRONIX3D
Tronix3D is greater Pittsburgh’s first high-volume 3D/additive contract manufacturer and innovation center. The company provides concept-to-finished product design and development expertise and collaborates with companies in the aerospace, automotive, medical and electronics industries to deliver high-volume 3D printed end-use parts and rapid prototyping services. Whether you’re just beginning to explore the power of 3D printing or have been harnessing its potential for some time, we invite you to bring us your challenge. We will help you produce one prototype part to validate your design or hundreds of strong, functional end-use parts.
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tronix3d/about/
Website: https://tronix3d.com/
Email: info@tronix3D.com
ABOUT THE BARNES GROUP ADVISORS
Formed in 2017 due to the rapid expansion in additive manufacturing (AM), The Barnes Group Advisors LLC (TBGA) seeks to fill a market gap in seasoned engineering and strategy specifically suited to the field. The advisors have a combined experience of 130 years in additive manufacturing, aerospace requirements, research and development and highly complex product development. We have participated in world’s first endeavors and OEM qualification. We offer specialized services in Materials, Systems, Techno-Economics, Digital, Economics and Strategy for advanced manufacturing, specifically, AM.
Materials
From metal powders, to wire, each feedstock brings its own requirements and each materials system its own processing sweet spot. We bring deep and intimate knowledge of where the material feedstock comes from, what the risks are and who are the major players as key to a successful engagement in AM. This includes powder production, system optimization, metallurgy, and post processing with an eye on part requirements.
Systems & Process Economics
An AM factory is a system of systems. TBGA offers advice on factory layout, machine selection, parameter development and machine customization to improve economics. We can help with quantifiable, analytical advice. TBGA can model your system to identify growth scaling issues, cost impacts and sensitivity guidance to help you achieve shorter development times and better process economics.
Digital
TBGA offers modeling and simulation support to reduce risk and offer insight to multiple processes. TBGA can assist in projects to capture existing data and make better use of it.
Professional Services, Strategy & Communications
Currently, companies know they want to participate in the value being created with additive manufacturing, they just don’t know exactly how. TBGA can use its profound knowledge to help you with your strategy. TBGA provides advice for the VC and equity markets on trends in the industry and which groups have the magic to travel the distance. Lastly, because we understand the depth and breadth of the AM market, we can help shape the communications strategy and bring efficiency to the message AM companies intend to bring.
Workforce Development and Training
TBGA develops AM specific workforce development strategies and deploys on site and online training.