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ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING


that are substantially more expensive and have more geometric restrictions. While every process has its particular purpose, “the


future of additive manufacturing is functional parts,” said Swartz. CBAM allows for parts with few geometric restrictions created with high-strength materials that can be used immediately. Additional milling can be done after the part is finished in order to make the part more


Dave O’Neil, Group Publisher of Advanced Manufacturing Media, presents the Impossible Objects team with the RAPID 2015 Outstand- ing Innovation Award. From left to right: Dave O’Neil, Bob Swartz, Larry Kaplan and Jeff DeGrange.


shops, people use CNC machines to create low-volume metal parts without tooling costs, which is still expen- sive, he said. But most of those parts don’t necessarily need to be made out of steel or aluminum. CBAM offers a faster, less expensive way to create parts with specific material properties.


“3D printing is fundamentally a material science problem,” Swartz said.


accurate, but most of the parts Impossible Objects delivers do not need additional processing. “This is really the first new process in the last 25 years


that solves a lot of the problems with present 3D-printing speed, material properties and material selection, and that’s what distinguishes it from existing processes,” he said. One advantage of CBAM is its speed. Impossible Ob- jects uses relatively inexpensive, thermal inkjet heads to apply the aqueous solution, and because the solution is low-viscosity, the inkjet heads can run very fast. Right now, the printer is being developed to print about 12 pages of 8 × 10” (20 × 25 cm) sheets of material in a minute, and Swartz said he sees the capability of going five times faster. This doesn’t include the heating step or the removal of the excess material, of course, but Swartz said other processes still can’t compete with CBAM’s speed. Another advantage is the strength and selection of


materials for both the substrate and the polymer powder. “Because we’re adhering the powder to this aqueous solution, we can use pretty much any thermoplastic pow- der,” so the printer can use polyethylene, nylon and high- performance materials like PEEK, Swartz said. The finished part is durable due to both the strength of the substrate used and the strength of the underlying polymer. CBAM also allows for the creation of high-strength parts without tooling costs. Sometimes, at machine


46


Developing the Business The new approach has attracted customers, and Impos- sible Objects has grown. Today, the company has about 10 employees, several major investors, and has brought on key leaders from within the 3D printing sector. CEO Larry Kaplan officially joined the team in June


2014. Previously, he was CEO of Eudora Global, a company that develops and operates new companies. Before that, he spent 16 years at NAVTEQ, a provider of digital maps and navigation systems. He left as CEO. In April 2015, Jeff DeGrange joined as chief commer-


cial officer. DeGrange was previously vice president at Stratasys and before that led additive manufacturing ef- forts at Boeing. John Bayldon came on in July 2014, after having worked


with Swartz as a consultant for the company. He specializes in manufacturing and mechanics of composite materials. In December, the company announced it received $2.8 million in seed financing led by OCA Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Chicago that focuses on “companies with dramatic growth potential, primarily in technology and highly-scalable services businesses.” Northwestern University is also an investor. Most of the parts the company is producing are for the


aerospace, defense and automotive firms, Kaplan said. Two of its customers are Aurora Flight Sciences and Horton,


Spring 2016


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