Engineer Back Where His Career Began
Bobby Kells walked out of university and into a job but he didn’t need to go far – he is back at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering helping construct a new multi-million dollar building in the place where he once studied.
Bobby, 27, is employed as a construction engineer for H Construction (formerly Hawkins Construction) and he graduates from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor in Civil & Environmental Engineering.
He was educated at Westlake Boys High School and lives on the North Shore at Mairangi Bay/Forrest Hill.
His job involves helping build a multi-storey dedicated engineering block that will showcase the best in engineering design and which is due for completion in late 2019.
Bobby loves his job and is passionate about the new building because it embodies the very best in engineering design and technology.
“The great part of this job is that the University wanted to put engineering on display and I think this building does that in a way that is really innovative,” he says.
“The detailing and braced framing is exposed and can be clearly seen inside the building with a complex construction sequence so it’s a great project to be involved with,” he says.
Bobby took a bit longer than usual to graduate with his Bachelor of Engineering because for years he had to fit his studies around the demands of representing New Zealand in rowing at Olympic level.
He was selected as a reserve for the 2016 Olympic Games held in Brazil and rowed for New Zealand in a number of World Championships and regattas.
“Every year the New Zealand team relocated to Europe to compete in various international regattas including the World Champs so for a long time I had to cut my study down to a minimum and often sat exams while overseas,” he says.
Now that his rowing career is over, he’s grateful to have a job that he loves.
“I feel really at home with this project, some of the construction methods in the building are exactly what I was studying in my final year at university so I’m thrilled to be involved with this project.”
The post Engineer Back Where His Career Began appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Budget Impact on Exporters and Manufacturers
The 2018 Budget’s allocation of $1 billion towards R&D tax credits will be welcomed by exporting and manufacturing firms according to industry commentators.
Catherine Beard, executive director for ExportNZ and ManufacturingNZ, says innovation support was particularly valued by exporters and manufacturers.
“Setting up a tax credit scheme in addition to the support available through Callaghan Innovation will increase the support available for business.
“While the firms that were getting Growth Grants under the Callaghan Innovation scheme were very happy with that support, there were a large number of companies that were getting little or no support.
She says that the new approach should be more broadly targeted and hopes it will accelerate business investment in R&D across the board.
“ExportNZ and ManufacturingNZ are working with industry and officials to ensure we get the scheme to be as effective as is possible for both the large and small businesses we represent.
“Exporters will also be supportive of additional funding going to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in these increasingly troubling times when it comes to talk of trade wars, and higher tariffs and non-tariff barriers.
Catherine adds that New Zealand officials work hard on behalf of exporters and as a small country they have to do it with fewer boots on the ground, so this boost will be welcome.
“With regard to greater investment in the Pacific to the tune of $714 million, ExportNZ and ManufacturingNZ would want to ensure that this is quality spending.
“By ‘quality spending’ we mean that New Zealand firms are given good opportunity to tender for any building or infrastructure projects and that tenders are let on the basis of quality rather than cheapest price.
“New Zealand firms can compete on quality products and services and the Pacific Islands need quality that will last the distance and be enduring solutions.
“Spending in the Pacific which included New Zealand business solutions would be ‘win-win’,” Catherine Beard says.
The post Budget Impact on Exporters and Manufacturers appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Seatools Exhibits Quality with Appearance Models from 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing
3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing delivers durable and high quality detail 3D printed appearance model display.
No matter how many leagues under the sea your underwater problem is, Seatools exists to design, build and test custom equipment to solve subsea challenges. Based in the Netherlands, Seatools is a global provider of bespoke subsea solutions for companies ranging from offshore oil and gas to offshore renewables and aquaculture development. In light of its expansive and diverse scope, Seatools faced a distinct challenge in quickly and effectively communicating its range of custom offerings at the highly attended Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, TX.
With the help of 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing services, Seatools devised a unique subsea landscape to display seven distinct 3D printed appearance models of its various custom underwater technologies. Offering expansive prototyping and manufacturing services to support the entire product development lifecycle, 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing experts deliver quick, high quality parts ranging from fast turn and advanced prototypes to appearance models and low volume production.
Read the full case study here..
To get a quote for your new project or for expert advice, all our team on +61 3 9819 4422 or email today, info.asiapac@3dsystems.com
The post Seatools Exhibits Quality with Appearance Models from 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Direct Metal Printing Now Offered by 3D Systems, On Demand Manufacturing – Asia Pacific
Direct Metal Printing (DMP) is an additive manufacturing technology that allows for the production of metal parts with challenging geometries that would not be possible using traditional subtractive or casting technologies
Engineers looking to break the limitations inherent with traditional manufacturing techniques should consider Direct Metal Printing to overcome challenges associated with component weight, complexity, multiple component assemblies & part customisation. A wide variety of materials are available including Stainless Steel, Inconel, Aluminium, Cobalt Chrome and more, for prototypes up to production size quantities.
Product Features:
- Production of the small and extremely complex shapes
- High quality parts that ideal for R&D and serial part manufacturing at the tightest tolerances
- Industry’s best surface finished parts with exceptional accuracy
- Accommodate innovative part design versus conventional processes
- Topology optimized parts and mass customization
- Complex and thin-walled structures allow significant part weight reduction
Many of our On Demand Manufacturing clients working in Motorsport, Aerospace & Defence, Medical & Dental, and Manufacturing are already experiencing the significant advantages this technology offers and you can too.
To discuss the benefits Direct Metal Printing can deliver to your project, or for information about materials and applications, contact our DMP expert Jon Bloomfield directly on +61 3 9819 6007 or via jonathan.bloomfield@3dsystems.com
The post Direct Metal Printing Now Offered by 3D Systems, On Demand Manufacturing – Asia Pacific appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
How 3D Systems Partners with Customers to Push Boundaries
Despite the 3D printing manuals and how-to’s in circulation around the world and on the web, the fact remains that many 3D printing rules are still mostly guidelines.
Capabilities have caveats: an impossible part becomes possible; what builds beautifully on one technology requires reconfiguring for another; sometimes 3D printing means getting your hands dirty, other times it is just a matter of pressing buttons. At 3D Systems, we have found one thing to hold true regardless, and that is our firm belief that 3D printing is a worthy investment in your future and in the future of your business. We believe this because we see incredible customer innovation on a daily basis that could be achieved in no other way. We see our customers impress and be impressed time and time again because our technology is so receptive to boundary pushing.
There are two sides to boundary pushing: the side with all the glory, and the side with all the grit. Our application engineers and On Demand Manufacturing experts pride themselves in their deep familiarity with both sides and are most in their element with their sleeves rolled up, thinking caps on. This translates into meaningful partnerships for our customers that are built on our sincere mutual interest to arrive at the best solution possible for any given challenge.
When we talk about partnerships at 3D Systems, we are referring to the relationships we develop with our On Demand Manufacturing clients, where trust and expertise is shared and successes are celebrated together for the betterment of both businesses.
At 3D Systems, our core approach across technologies, products and services is to deliver extraordinary to our customers, and we do this in several ways. The first is by understanding our customers’ needs and wants. Whether this is a flexible manufacturing structure that meets cost or scheduling requirements, delegated low volume production to ease logistical burdens or help devising a new solution to an old problem through better design in comparable materials, our first priority is to listen.
From there, we put our combined years of experience to work to address, and in many cases, advance the desired outcome. Our team is hardwired to innovate and can frequently offer solutions that have been overlooked or are unheard of. From our experience, collaborating in this way delivers returns far greater than expectations across a variety of metrics, from total time and costs to improved part and system performance. When it comes to working with customers to push boundaries, they show us where the boundaries are and we show them where to push.
3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing offers a one-stop-shop to our customers, delivering not only the broadest portfolio of 3D printing technologies under one roof, but expansive traditional manufacturing capability as well as technical expertise and many years of experience solving complex and unique problems.
Whether you need help delivering your product or managing your product development cycle, 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing experts are available to partner globally and bring more innovation and capability to your next project.
Contact our experts to see how your next project could benefit.
5 Lynch St, Hawthorn, Vic 3122 | + 61 3 9819 4422 info.asiapac@3dsystems.com
The post How 3D Systems Partners with Customers to Push Boundaries appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
BEHEADING THE ‘NORM’ IN TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT
Counterfeiting has been around for centuries.
It has, and as the world continues its march toward globalisation, will always be a problem. I recently saw a tv programme where an expert explained how Japanese samurai sword (known as a katana in this case) makers would chisel signatures (mei) on the tangs of a sword to ensure its origin of ownership. Owners would put their own unique versions of who, what, where and when underneath the intricately wrapped handles.
Things were a bit different back then though. In the case above, if you were caught counterfeiting the sword and copying the signature and or mark of the house where the sword was made, punishment was swift – you’d be beheaded.
In fact, the beheading would not stop there. The culprit’s entire family would be sought out and all would suffer a similar outcome.
Today, life is much more complicated for those who hold legitimate rights to the manufacture of products. Recently we saw Enerpac walk the talk and start legal proceedings against those that it sees are infringing on what it quite-rightly owns.
When at EMEX, a chat with Cigweld’s Ken Durbin reinforced the continual issue brands face today. It’s an epidemic according to Ken, in many industries and across many brands, and the legitimate owners are often forced to pour hundreds of thousands if not millions into protecting what they own.
You cannot help but feel for such brands. Companies sink huge money into building their brands. Masses into research and development… the list of expenses just goes on. And then someone piggy backs and makes replica type product that often breaks down, or worse, does injury, and then the bogus product swings again and lands one flush on the jaw by creating negativity toward the brand that has had blood, sweat and tears put into it.
All of these raise the final price of the product, creating an even wider gap between the real and the Mickey Mouse.
Should you come across any counterfeit product or product you feel infringes on the rights of property owners report it immediately to authorities, let the brand owner know what’s going on or even get in touch with me.
But the big thing is to not get involved at all. Buy through legitimate suppliers and resellers. Eliminate any risk.
More than two decades ago – as editor of a similar trade magazine – I wrote hundreds of column inches on the problem, and had all sorts of product pop up on my desk from dodgy-as power tools to crumbling Callaway golf clubs. It was the birth of China as a manufacturing facility, and as companies shifted manufacturing operations to those shores to reduce operational costs an increasing amount of problems began to occur. Products were copied, rightful ownerships ignored and there were many cases where even the legitimate product was coming out the front door while knock-offs were seeping out of the back.
Today, I feel it is everyone’s responsibility to tackle the problem. It’s become so big that brand owners need as much help as they can get.
I’m not asking for mass vigilante groups performing samurai-like slices through necks, just the realisation that the widespread effect of this problem impacts on everyone and in ways you don’t see but sure do feel. Counterfeit products depower entire industries.
And speaking of being depowering, the Government is in need of urgently addressing and delivering a secure energy supply to New Zealand’s energy-intensive heavy industry.
Policies to decarbonise the economy, such as ceasing the issuing of new exploration permits, need to be weighed in direct relation to where the baseload power is to come from for fueling smelter and/or steel works and the likes.
A commitment to 100% renewable electricity by 2035 is one thing, but not at the expense of chopping off the head of heavy industry.
Balance is required – much like that of the finest samurai sword.
Greg Robertson
Publisher
The post BEHEADING THE ‘NORM’ IN TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Brand Sources Designs with Smartphones Delivers with 3D Printing
Wiivv Wearables is on a mission to make body-perfect gear accessible to the masses
Its flagship product, a custom shoe insole, has proven to be a good first step and uses a combination of customer-collected smartphone data and 3D printing to feed its design and manufacturing process. According to the company, this methodology has enabled Wiivv to deliver highly personalized products on demand at a competitive cost compared to conventional methodologies.
Co-founders Louis-Victor Jadaji and Shamil Hargovan say the flexibility of their process not only enables mass customization, but removes the need to stock inventory and invites localized production. “The supply chain is fundamentally different,” says Hargovan. As Wiivv continues to perfect its process, he says their efficiency has only increased, giving him confidence in Wiivv’s ability to scale from tens of thousands of units to hundreds of thousands of units within a year.
“3D printing has allowed us to remove most of the limitations of traditional manufacturing,” says Chris Bellamy, senior product and manufacturing engineer for Wiivv. Wiivv relies on 3D Systems’ sPro SLS 60 machines to deliver each pair of custom ordered insoles. Hargovan says the efficiency and lower costs of this machine are central to Wiivv’s continued growth.
Read the full case study here.
To get a quote for your new project or for expert advice, all our team on +61 3 9819 4422 or email today, info.asiapac@3dsystems.com.
The post Brand Sources Designs with Smartphones Delivers with 3D Printing appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Direct Metal 3D Printing Enables CEEE to Manufacture Lean and Green Heat Exchange
Direct Metal Printing delivers a 20% more efficient heat exchanger through innovative design for additive manufacturing, produced in weeks not months and with significantly lower weight
The University of Maryland’s Centre for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE) sums up its quest to deliver 
innovative approaches to energy conversion in two words: lean and green. Keep reading to learn how the unique capabilities of Direct Metal Printing provided by 3D Systems, On Demand Manufacturing delivered design improvements and enhanced manufacturability whilst meeting CEEE’s lean & green mandates.
Read the full case study here.
To get a quote for your new project or for expert advice, all our team on +61 3 9819 4422 or email today, info.asiapac@3dsystems.com.
The post Direct Metal 3D Printing Enables CEEE to Manufacture Lean and Green Heat Exchange appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Philmac Adopts 3D Printing for Prototype Tooling to Enable More Complex Design
3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing experts help Philmac find the right process and materials for 3D printed production tooling
Improving the design of a part within a system is rarely straightforward. From the simplest enhancement to the most complex, a cycle of iterations can be expected to verify the design during prototyping and implement it in production. During a recent test for a new valve product design, this experience played out for Philmac, a global leader in designing and manufacturing specialist fittings and valves for the transfer, control and application of water.
Accustomed to accelerating its design cycle with 3D printing for prototyping, Philmac expanded its use of 3D printing to prototype tooling in order to enable a more complex geometry. Teaming with 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing experts in Australia, Philmac conducted a successful trial of this new methodology to bring its new concept to life.
3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing delivers the technologies, materials and expertise to support the entire product development lifecycle from fast turn and advanced prototypes to appearance models and low volume production.
Read the full case study here.
To get a quote for your new project or for expert advice, all our team on +61 3 9819 4422 or email today, info.asiapac@3dsystems.com.
The post Philmac Adopts 3D Printing for Prototype Tooling to Enable More Complex Design appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
On Demand Appearance Models Help Companies and Customers Win
Quick delivery of accurate, high quality appearance models advances design outcomes for better products, faster
Anyone in product development can confirm: progress is not always linear. Going from an idea to a reality takes careful consideration, implementation and verification, often with rounds of redesign and refinement in between. And while we rely on the function of a product, we engage with the form, making each aspect meaningful to the overall user experience.
A great example is an electric razor. Regardless of manufacturer, this product is made and purchased to trim hair, yet other distinctive features impact specific success with customers. Ergonomics, for one; how it will look on a bathroom counter, for another. Designing with the customer in mind therefore necessitates appearance modeling to assess and address the look and feel of a product before launching into the next phase of production.
The uses and purposes of appearance models can vary greatly throughout the product development process, from non-functional appearance models for assessment to functional appearance models that mimic the final product in look and feel. An appearance model can offer insight and add value at every stage. Early prototype appearance models create an opportunity to evaluate and evolve designs, whereas compelling functional appearance models at later stages can be used to solicit consumer feedback or help secure investors or buyers. In large equipment manufacturing and construction, scaled appearance models play a vital communications role to ensure upfront alignment among stakeholders, inspire discussion, and bring dimension to concept drawings.
To offset the cost and energy that accompanies delivering appearance models in product development, 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing offers a range of appearance model services. 3D Systems’ manufacturing experts work collaboratively with brands and individuals to dial in on a project’s specific requirements and deliver precise articles or article tooling at any stage of development. In addition to its broad portfolio of 3D printing technologies, 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing offers CNC milling, vacuum casting, color developing, mechatronics and engineering services to deliver appearance models across a wide range of sizes, finishes and materials.
3D Systems is also equipped to help customers who have completed the development phase and are ready to begin engineering for production. Continuing to work with 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing often proves advantageous in terms of time and cost, as 3D Systems’ engineers are already familiar with the upcoming product and related engineering requirements. Calling on their experience and expertise, 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing can help its customers transition from appearance models to delivering technical parts and soft tooling for full manufacturing services.
3D Systems’ appearance modeling services include:
- Non-functional volume appearance models for study
- Non-functional look and feel appearance models
- Functional appearance models with features like hinges, lighting, displays and other mechatronics
- Low volume production parts
- Soft tooling of parts for early production
In a recent project with Seatools, a global subsea solutions provider, 3D Systems helped deliver a batch of seven hand painted 3D printed appearance models for a trade show display at a major industry conference. According to the company, these models not only helped attract more people to Seatools’ display, but they helped start more conversations with potential customers to make connections for new business. Read the full case study to learn how 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing helped deliver this success.
3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing combines technology and craftsmanship under one roof to help its customers achieve accurate, high quality parts quickly and reliably. Additional On Demand Manufacturing services include fast-turn and advanced prototyping as well as low volume production including CNC, urethane casting and injection tooling.
To get a quote for your new project or for expert advice, all our team on +61 3 9819 4422 or email today, info.asiapac@3dsystems.com.
The post On Demand Appearance Models Help Companies and Customers Win appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Engineer Back Where His Career Began
Bobby Kells walked out of university and into a job but he didn’t need to go far – he is back at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering helping construct a new multi-million dollar building in the place where he once studied.
Bobby, 27, is employed as a construction engineer for H Construction (formerly Hawkins Construction) and he graduates from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor in Civil & Environmental Engineering.
He was educated at Westlake Boys High School and lives on the North Shore at Mairangi Bay/Forrest Hill.
His job involves helping build a multi-storey dedicated engineering block that will showcase the best in engineering design and which is due for completion in late 2019.
Bobby loves his job and is passionate about the new building because it embodies the very best in engineering design and technology.
“The great part of this job is that the University wanted to put engineering on display and I think this building does that in a way that is really innovative,” he says.
“The detailing and braced framing is exposed and can be clearly seen inside the building with a complex construction sequence so it’s a great project to be involved with,” he says.
Bobby took a bit longer than usual to graduate with his Bachelor of Engineering because for years he had to fit his studies around the demands of representing New Zealand in rowing at Olympic level.
He was selected as a reserve for the 2016 Olympic Games held in Brazil and rowed for New Zealand in a number of World Championships and regattas.
“Every year the New Zealand team relocated to Europe to compete in various international regattas including the World Champs so for a long time I had to cut my study down to a minimum and often sat exams while overseas,” he says.
Now that his rowing career is over, he’s grateful to have a job that he loves.
“I feel really at home with this project, some of the construction methods in the building are exactly what I was studying in my final year at university so I’m thrilled to be involved with this project.”
The post Engineer Back Where His Career Began appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Budget Impact on Exporters and Manufacturers
The 2018 Budget’s allocation of $1 billion towards R&D tax credits will be welcomed by exporting and manufacturing firms according to industry commentators.
Catherine Beard, executive director for ExportNZ and ManufacturingNZ, says innovation support was particularly valued by exporters and manufacturers.
“Setting up a tax credit scheme in addition to the support available through Callaghan Innovation will increase the support available for business.
“While the firms that were getting Growth Grants under the Callaghan Innovation scheme were very happy with that support, there were a large number of companies that were getting little or no support.
She says that the new approach should be more broadly targeted and hopes it will accelerate business investment in R&D across the board.
“ExportNZ and ManufacturingNZ are working with industry and officials to ensure we get the scheme to be as effective as is possible for both the large and small businesses we represent.
“Exporters will also be supportive of additional funding going to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in these increasingly troubling times when it comes to talk of trade wars, and higher tariffs and non-tariff barriers.
Catherine adds that New Zealand officials work hard on behalf of exporters and as a small country they have to do it with fewer boots on the ground, so this boost will be welcome.
“With regard to greater investment in the Pacific to the tune of $714 million, ExportNZ and ManufacturingNZ would want to ensure that this is quality spending.
“By ‘quality spending’ we mean that New Zealand firms are given good opportunity to tender for any building or infrastructure projects and that tenders are let on the basis of quality rather than cheapest price.
“New Zealand firms can compete on quality products and services and the Pacific Islands need quality that will last the distance and be enduring solutions.
“Spending in the Pacific which included New Zealand business solutions would be ‘win-win’,” Catherine Beard says.
The post Budget Impact on Exporters and Manufacturers appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Seatools Exhibits Quality with Appearance Models from 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing
No matter how many leagues under the sea your underwater problem is, Seatools exists to design, build and test custom equipment to solve subsea challenges. Based in the Netherlands, Seatools is a global provider of bespoke subsea solutions for companies ranging from offshore oil and gas to offshore renewables and aquaculture development. In light of its expansive and diverse scope, Seatools faced a distinct challenge in quickly and effectively communicating its range of custom offerings at the highly attended Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, TX.
With the help of 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing services, Seatools devised a unique subsea landscape to display seven distinct 3D printed appearance models of its various custom underwater technologies. Offering expansive prototyping and manufacturing services to support the entire product development lifecycle, 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing experts deliver quick, high quality parts ranging from fast turn and advanced prototypes to appearance models and low volume production.
Read the full case study here..
To get a quote for your new project or for expert advice, all our team on +61 3 9819 4422 or email today, info.asiapac@3dsystems.com
The post Seatools Exhibits Quality with Appearance Models from 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Direct Metal Printing Now Offered by 3D Systems, On Demand Manufacturing – Asia Pacific
Direct Metal Printing (DMP) is an additive manufacturing technology that allows for the production of metal parts with challenging geometries that would not be possible using traditional subtractive or casting technologies
Engineers looking to break the limitations inherent with traditional manufacturing techniques should consider Direct Metal Printing to overcome challenges associated with component weight, complexity, multiple component assemblies & part customisation. A wide variety of materials are available including Stainless Steel, Inconel, Aluminium, Cobalt Chrome and more, for prototypes up to production size quantities.
Product Features:
Many of our On Demand Manufacturing clients working in Motorsport, Aerospace & Defence, Medical & Dental, and Manufacturing are already experiencing the significant advantages this technology offers and you can too.
To discuss the benefits Direct Metal Printing can deliver to your project, or for information about materials and applications, contact our DMP expert Jon Bloomfield directly on +61 3 9819 6007 or via jonathan.bloomfield@3dsystems.com
The post Direct Metal Printing Now Offered by 3D Systems, On Demand Manufacturing – Asia Pacific appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
How 3D Systems Partners with Customers to Push Boundaries
Despite the 3D printing manuals and how-to’s in circulation around the world and on the web, the fact remains that many 3D printing rules are still mostly guidelines.
Capabilities have caveats: an impossible part becomes possible; what builds beautifully on one technology requires reconfiguring for another; sometimes 3D printing means getting your hands dirty, other times it is just a matter of pressing buttons. At 3D Systems, we have found one thing to hold true regardless, and that is our firm belief that 3D printing is a worthy investment in your future and in the future of your business. We believe this because we see incredible customer innovation on a daily basis that could be achieved in no other way. We see our customers impress and be impressed time and time again because our technology is so receptive to boundary pushing.
There are two sides to boundary pushing: the side with all the glory, and the side with all the grit. Our application engineers and On Demand Manufacturing experts pride themselves in their deep familiarity with both sides and are most in their element with their sleeves rolled up, thinking caps on. This translates into meaningful partnerships for our customers that are built on our sincere mutual interest to arrive at the best solution possible for any given challenge.
When we talk about partnerships at 3D Systems, we are referring to the relationships we develop with our On Demand Manufacturing clients, where trust and expertise is shared and successes are celebrated together for the betterment of both businesses.
At 3D Systems, our core approach across technologies, products and services is to deliver extraordinary to our customers, and we do this in several ways. The first is by understanding our customers’ needs and wants. Whether this is a flexible manufacturing structure that meets cost or scheduling requirements, delegated low volume production to ease logistical burdens or help devising a new solution to an old problem through better design in comparable materials, our first priority is to listen.
From there, we put our combined years of experience to work to address, and in many cases, advance the desired outcome. Our team is hardwired to innovate and can frequently offer solutions that have been overlooked or are unheard of. From our experience, collaborating in this way delivers returns far greater than expectations across a variety of metrics, from total time and costs to improved part and system performance. When it comes to working with customers to push boundaries, they show us where the boundaries are and we show them where to push.
3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing offers a one-stop-shop to our customers, delivering not only the broadest portfolio of 3D printing technologies under one roof, but expansive traditional manufacturing capability as well as technical expertise and many years of experience solving complex and unique problems.
Whether you need help delivering your product or managing your product development cycle, 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing experts are available to partner globally and bring more innovation and capability to your next project.
Contact our experts to see how your next project could benefit.
5 Lynch St, Hawthorn, Vic 3122 | + 61 3 9819 4422 info.asiapac@3dsystems.com
The post How 3D Systems Partners with Customers to Push Boundaries appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
BEHEADING THE ‘NORM’ IN TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT
It has, and as the world continues its march toward globalisation, will always be a problem. I recently saw a tv programme where an expert explained how Japanese samurai sword (known as a katana in this case) makers would chisel signatures (mei) on the tangs of a sword to ensure its origin of ownership. Owners would put their own unique versions of who, what, where and when underneath the intricately wrapped handles.
Things were a bit different back then though. In the case above, if you were caught counterfeiting the sword and copying the signature and or mark of the house where the sword was made, punishment was swift – you’d be beheaded.
In fact, the beheading would not stop there. The culprit’s entire family would be sought out and all would suffer a similar outcome.
Today, life is much more complicated for those who hold legitimate rights to the manufacture of products. Recently we saw Enerpac walk the talk and start legal proceedings against those that it sees are infringing on what it quite-rightly owns.
When at EMEX, a chat with Cigweld’s Ken Durbin reinforced the continual issue brands face today. It’s an epidemic according to Ken, in many industries and across many brands, and the legitimate owners are often forced to pour hundreds of thousands if not millions into protecting what they own.
You cannot help but feel for such brands. Companies sink huge money into building their brands. Masses into research and development… the list of expenses just goes on. And then someone piggy backs and makes replica type product that often breaks down, or worse, does injury, and then the bogus product swings again and lands one flush on the jaw by creating negativity toward the brand that has had blood, sweat and tears put into it.
All of these raise the final price of the product, creating an even wider gap between the real and the Mickey Mouse.
Should you come across any counterfeit product or product you feel infringes on the rights of property owners report it immediately to authorities, let the brand owner know what’s going on or even get in touch with me.
But the big thing is to not get involved at all. Buy through legitimate suppliers and resellers. Eliminate any risk.
More than two decades ago – as editor of a similar trade magazine – I wrote hundreds of column inches on the problem, and had all sorts of product pop up on my desk from dodgy-as power tools to crumbling Callaway golf clubs. It was the birth of China as a manufacturing facility, and as companies shifted manufacturing operations to those shores to reduce operational costs an increasing amount of problems began to occur. Products were copied, rightful ownerships ignored and there were many cases where even the legitimate product was coming out the front door while knock-offs were seeping out of the back.
Today, I feel it is everyone’s responsibility to tackle the problem. It’s become so big that brand owners need as much help as they can get.
I’m not asking for mass vigilante groups performing samurai-like slices through necks, just the realisation that the widespread effect of this problem impacts on everyone and in ways you don’t see but sure do feel. Counterfeit products depower entire industries.
And speaking of being depowering, the Government is in need of urgently addressing and delivering a secure energy supply to New Zealand’s energy-intensive heavy industry.
Policies to decarbonise the economy, such as ceasing the issuing of new exploration permits, need to be weighed in direct relation to where the baseload power is to come from for fueling smelter and/or steel works and the likes.
A commitment to 100% renewable electricity by 2035 is one thing, but not at the expense of chopping off the head of heavy industry.
Balance is required – much like that of the finest samurai sword.
Greg Robertson
Publisher
The post BEHEADING THE ‘NORM’ IN TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Brand Sources Designs with Smartphones Delivers with 3D Printing
Wiivv Wearables is on a mission to make body-perfect gear accessible to the masses
Its flagship product, a custom shoe insole, has proven to be a good first step and uses a combination of customer-collected smartphone data and 3D printing to feed its design and manufacturing process. According to the company, this methodology has enabled Wiivv to deliver highly personalized products on demand at a competitive cost compared to conventional methodologies.
Co-founders Louis-Victor Jadaji and Shamil Hargovan say the flexibility of their process not only enables mass customization, but removes the need to stock inventory and invites localized production. “The supply chain is fundamentally different,” says Hargovan. As Wiivv continues to perfect its process, he says their efficiency has only increased, giving him confidence in Wiivv’s ability to scale from tens of thousands of units to hundreds of thousands of units within a year.
“3D printing has allowed us to remove most of the limitations of traditional manufacturing,” says Chris Bellamy, senior product and manufacturing engineer for Wiivv. Wiivv relies on 3D Systems’ sPro SLS 60 machines to deliver each pair of custom ordered insoles. Hargovan says the efficiency and lower costs of this machine are central to Wiivv’s continued growth.
Read the full case study here.
To get a quote for your new project or for expert advice, all our team on +61 3 9819 4422 or email today, info.asiapac@3dsystems.com.
The post Brand Sources Designs with Smartphones Delivers with 3D Printing appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Direct Metal 3D Printing Enables CEEE to Manufacture Lean and Green Heat Exchange
Direct Metal Printing delivers a 20% more efficient heat exchanger through innovative design for additive manufacturing, produced in weeks not months and with significantly lower weight
The University of Maryland’s Centre for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE) sums up its quest to deliver
innovative approaches to energy conversion in two words: lean and green. Keep reading to learn how the unique capabilities of Direct Metal Printing provided by 3D Systems, On Demand Manufacturing delivered design improvements and enhanced manufacturability whilst meeting CEEE’s lean & green mandates.
Read the full case study here.
To get a quote for your new project or for expert advice, all our team on +61 3 9819 4422 or email today, info.asiapac@3dsystems.com.
The post Direct Metal 3D Printing Enables CEEE to Manufacture Lean and Green Heat Exchange appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Philmac Adopts 3D Printing for Prototype Tooling to Enable More Complex Design
3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing experts help Philmac find the right process and materials for 3D printed production tooling
Improving the design of a part within a system is rarely straightforward. From the simplest enhancement to the most complex, a cycle of iterations can be expected to verify the design during prototyping and implement it in production. During a recent test for a new valve product design, this experience played out for Philmac, a global leader in designing and manufacturing specialist fittings and valves for the transfer, control and application of water.
Accustomed to accelerating its design cycle with 3D printing for prototyping, Philmac expanded its use of 3D printing to prototype tooling in order to enable a more complex geometry. Teaming with 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing experts in Australia, Philmac conducted a successful trial of this new methodology to bring its new concept to life.
3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing delivers the technologies, materials and expertise to support the entire product development lifecycle from fast turn and advanced prototypes to appearance models and low volume production.
Read the full case study here.
To get a quote for your new project or for expert advice, all our team on +61 3 9819 4422 or email today, info.asiapac@3dsystems.com.
The post Philmac Adopts 3D Printing for Prototype Tooling to Enable More Complex Design appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
On Demand Appearance Models Help Companies and Customers Win
Quick delivery of accurate, high quality appearance models advances design outcomes for better products, faster
Anyone in product development can confirm: progress is not always linear. Going from an idea to a reality takes careful consideration, implementation and verification, often with rounds of redesign and refinement in between. And while we rely on the function of a product, we engage with the form, making each aspect meaningful to the overall user experience.
A great example is an electric razor. Regardless of manufacturer, this product is made and purchased to trim hair, yet other distinctive features impact specific success with customers. Ergonomics, for one; how it will look on a bathroom counter, for another. Designing with the customer in mind therefore necessitates appearance modeling to assess and address the look and feel of a product before launching into the next phase of production.
The uses and purposes of appearance models can vary greatly throughout the product development process, from non-functional appearance models for assessment to functional appearance models that mimic the final product in look and feel. An appearance model can offer insight and add value at every stage. Early prototype appearance models create an opportunity to evaluate and evolve designs, whereas compelling functional appearance models at later stages can be used to solicit consumer feedback or help secure investors or buyers. In large equipment manufacturing and construction, scaled appearance models play a vital communications role to ensure upfront alignment among stakeholders, inspire discussion, and bring dimension to concept drawings.
To offset the cost and energy that accompanies delivering appearance models in product development, 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing offers a range of appearance model services. 3D Systems’ manufacturing experts work collaboratively with brands and individuals to dial in on a project’s specific requirements and deliver precise articles or article tooling at any stage of development. In addition to its broad portfolio of 3D printing technologies, 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing offers CNC milling, vacuum casting, color developing, mechatronics and engineering services to deliver appearance models across a wide range of sizes, finishes and materials.
3D Systems is also equipped to help customers who have completed the development phase and are ready to begin engineering for production. Continuing to work with 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing often proves advantageous in terms of time and cost, as 3D Systems’ engineers are already familiar with the upcoming product and related engineering requirements. Calling on their experience and expertise, 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing can help its customers transition from appearance models to delivering technical parts and soft tooling for full manufacturing services.
3D Systems’ appearance modeling services include:
In a recent project with Seatools, a global subsea solutions provider, 3D Systems helped deliver a batch of seven hand painted 3D printed appearance models for a trade show display at a major industry conference. According to the company, these models not only helped attract more people to Seatools’ display, but they helped start more conversations with potential customers to make connections for new business. Read the full case study to learn how 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing helped deliver this success.
3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing combines technology and craftsmanship under one roof to help its customers achieve accurate, high quality parts quickly and reliably. Additional On Demand Manufacturing services include fast-turn and advanced prototyping as well as low volume production including CNC, urethane casting and injection tooling.
To get a quote for your new project or for expert advice, all our team on +61 3 9819 4422 or email today, info.asiapac@3dsystems.com.
The post On Demand Appearance Models Help Companies and Customers Win appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
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