“Don't give it to me easy, I like a little challenge. Winning feels better when you take a little damage.”
– 20syl, featuring Oddisee, “Ongoing Thing
1. Thermwood Has Been Busy!
What did you do during the pandemic? Well while I was experimenting with what foods I could air fry, Thermwood was working on getting 32 patents granted. I tell you, CEO Kenneth Susnjara and Brian Smiddy, vice president-product development, have been some busy dudes!
2. Flame-Retardant Additive
Halogenated polyamide is the Nomex of 3D printing! “Polyamide (PA) is the workhorse material of additive manufacturing, and the most-used polymer globally.” In aerospace, too – PA has been in use as a flame-retardant since 2015.
3. One Micron? Psh.
Shortly after I joined AMT, I learned the “almighty micron” was the degree of accuracy manufacturers dreamed of. A micron, or 1 μm (micrometer), consists of 1,000 nanometers. Using electrodeposition, scientists have been able to print objects as small as 25 nanometers in diameter. That’s the equivalent of 195 copper atoms in a row. Have fun chasing your not-so-little microns.
4. Foam Means Less Concrete
ETH Zurich researchers 3D-printed pre-cast concrete slab formwork elements made from recyclable mineral foam for a lighter and better-insulated product while using 70% less material. “The resulting internal geometry was optimized to reinforce the slab along its principal stress lines, creating the necessary strength while drastically reducing the amount of concrete needed to produce it.”
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