The BuildUp | More Than a One-Trick Pony

When I began researching Double D Trailers in preparation for my interview with founder Brad Heath, the main question I had in mind was simple: Why would an established horse trailer supplier be seriously considering 3D printing those trailers? VIEW THIS EMAIL IN BROWSER   Presented By: American Precision Museum   The BuildUp How additive manufacturing is transforming production More Than a One-Trick Pony By Stephanie Hendrixson, Executive Editor   When I began researching Double D Trailers in preparation for my interview with founder Brad Heath, the main question I had in mind was simple: Why would an established horse trailer supplier be seriously considering 3D printing those trailers? Other efforts to 3D print passenger vehicles and shuttles from composite-reinforced polymers seem to have mostly fallen by the wayside at this point, and it wasn’t clear to me what benefit AM would bring to an even bigger recreational vehicle meant to carry very large animals. There was a lot I wasn’t seeing, it turned out. By the end of my conversation with Brad, I came to appreciate the amount of complexity there is in fabricating a conventional horse trailer (to summarize: lots of welding and assembly) and how robotic 3D printing is a solution not only for assembly consolidation but also greater automation, shorter lead times and more flexible customization. Plus, we talked about some other possibilities that are truly wild: 3D printed windows? air ducts built right into the walls? Saddle up for this one — it’s an interesting ride. Below: 4 Times AM and Agriculture Overlapped   3D Printing's Most Common Questions Sponsored Content Whether you’re looking to develop a comprehensive strategy or just want to experiment with metal 3D printing, you need to start with the basics. LEARN MORE   AMS NYC: Feb 6-8, 2024 Sponsored Content AMS NYC is a 100% in-person event Feb 6-8, 2024. AMS brings together AM stakeholders from all over the world to focus on the business of AM and realizing its potential. REGISTER   3D Printing Makes Solar Fuel Production More Efficient   Using a new 3D printing technique, researchers at ETH Zurich have developed special ceramic structures for a solar reactor. Initial experimental testing shows that these structures can boost the production yield of solar fuels. WEBINAR Intro to DLP: Learn the Basics of Digital Light Processing Technology On-Demand Webinar VIEW NOW   WEBINAR AMS7032 Qualification of Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion Technology for Aerospace Production December 05, 2:00 PM REGISTER HERE   4 Overlaps Between AM and Agriculture   By Jodee McElfresh, Digital Associate Editor   1. Castor beans. Rilsan polyamide 11, a high-performance powder bed fusion material from Arkema, is produced entirely from renewable castor beans.   2. Agricultural food waste. Furniture maker Model No. uses PLA made from agricultural food waste such as sugarcane, corn and soybean starches to 3D print portions of its creations.   3. Extrusion planting. Not exactly additive manufacturing, but FarmBot utilizes a machine that’s a mix of a CNC machine and a FDM printer to till, sow, water, weed and monitor a garden.   4. Tractor treads. 64 tread plates for an antique John Deere crawler were 3D printed in polyurethane and backfilled with a resin gun by Chromatic 3D Materials.     LATEST | MAGAZINE | AM RADIO | THE COOL PARTS SHOW | NEW TO AM? Gardner Business Media 6915 Valley Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45244 800-950-8020 gardnerweb.com Subscribe to Additive Manufacturing magazine Your privacy is important to Gardner Business Media, Inc. (GBM). Please review GBM's online Privacy Policy. Trademarks: All trademarks and logos represented in this marketing message are the property of their respective owners. © 2023 Gardner Business Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Unsubscribe Follow Us