Category Archives: LAM News

Stryker’s Marc Esformes Discusses Future of Medical Implants at LAM 2017

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**UPDATED Speaker as of 2/1/17

In preparation for LAM® 2017, Lasers Today takes a closer look at the presenters and industry leaders at this year’s workshop.

The additive manufacturing revolution is in full swing. With more industries adopting 3D printing capabilities for their parts development, 3D printed materials are here to stay. At the 2017 Laser Additive Manufacturing Workshop (LAM®), researchers and industry leaders alike will discuss the state of additive manufacturing, as well as present ongoing developments within the various industries they serve.

Stryker Trident II Tritanium

Additive Manufacturing of Metal Implants

Presenting on Day One, during Session One: Trends in Laser Additive Manufacturing, is Marc Esformes of Stryker Corporation, discussing “Additive Manufacturing of Medical Implants.” Stryker Corporation is among the pioneering companies to use additive manufacturing technology to develop medical devices and tools, and recently announced the expansion of their 3D printing capabilities by developing a brand new, multi-million dollar facility. Their exciting new solution for spinal surgical implants has garnered ample attention, not just in the world of additive manufacturing, but in fields like orthopedics, neurosurgery and general surgery.

About Stryker Corporation

Stryker Corporation began as the medical practice of Dr. Homer Stryker. The practice was incorporated as an orthopedic frame company in 1946, before becoming Stryker Corporation following Dr. Stryker’s retirement in 1964.

In recent years, Stryker Corporation has become one of the leading companies using additive manufacturing technology to develop parts for the medical field. Unlike other industries, the parts and implants created in the medical industry must go through numerous comprehensive trials and tests for biocompatibility, long before they are used for their intended purpose.

Stryker’s Most Recent Development

This year, Stryker Corporation developed a 3D printed Tritanium (the brand name of Stryker’s alloy material, used in their powder bed laser sintering process) Posterior Lumbar Cage Spinal Implant. The implant was showcased at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting.

Using virtual reality technology, the presentation showed viewers the evolution of Stryker’s manufacturing before giving a virtual tour of the Stryker facility, including a close-up look at the implant.

Expanding upon existing implant technology, and over a decade worth of research, the spinal implant is porous, and resembles bone tissue. Given its flexible, permeable state, early trials suggest that the implant may encourage natural bone growth, leading to a longer-lasting, more functional implant, that behaves like natural bone.

Don’t miss your chance to explore the latest advancements in medical additive manufacturing when Marc Esformes of Stryker Corporation presents at LAM 2017. LAM will take place February 21-22, 2017, in Houston, Texas. For more information, and to register, please visit https://www.lia.org/conferences/lam.

Don’t miss a single laser industry update! Visit Lasers Today and sign up to receive the latest in lasers delivered directly to your inbox.

The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the international society for laser applications and safety. Our mission is to foster lasers, laser applications, and laser safety worldwide.

 

 

Livermore Scientist Wayne King to Deliver LAM 2017 Keynote

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In preparation for LAM® 2017, Lasers Today takes a closer look at the presenters and industry leaders at this year’s workshop.

The Laser Additive Manufacturing Workshop (LAM) is just around the corner, kicking off the next round of conferences and seminars designed for laser professionals. The Workshop is of importance in the ever-growing world of additive manufacturing; 3D printing and other additive manufacturing processes continue to reshape manufacturing as we know it, often creating revolutionary solutions to numerous challenges in a wide array of industries. Additive manufacturing is also creating jobs, and in some cases, reducing the environmental footprint of parts manufacturing.

At LAM, researchers and industry leaders come together to showcase research and developments in additive manufacturing. Sharing emerging technologies and concepts is how these experts aim to project the future of where additive manufacturing is headed to next. One of these presenters is Dr. Wayne King of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). King will deliver the Day Two keynote, “Modeling of Selective Laser Melting Process.”

About Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

For the most part, LLNL is closed to the public. However earlier this year, a few publications were welcomed into the facility for a small glimpse of the work being performed at the facility.

They are not just known for their 3D printing capabilities. The laboratory and its scientists, in association with University of California, have made more than a few key scientific discoveries and developments. To them, adding new elements to the periodic table and developing supercomputers are everyday tasks that are integral parts of their scholastic organizational culture.

Their 3D Printing Labs

LLNL is one of the largest additive manufacturing developers in the world. It is also home to the National Ignition Facility, which features the world’s largest laser. The facility’s primary focus is on metal parts, with two of the three 3D printing labs focusing on metal-based processes. In these labs, a jet engine was built in just eight days for approximately $10,000 dollars.

The laboratory is not just dedicated to its personal development of additive manufacturing. LLNL also launched the Accelerated Certification of Additively Manufactured Metals Initiative; a program which aims to improve metal 3D printing processes, while simultaneously increasing its adoption across industries. This initiative is directed by King.

Researchers at LLNL were the ones to discover what caused tiny, porous surfaces in 3D printed metal structures. They were also responsible for a breakthrough laser design using a powder bed select laser melting (SLM) 3D printer. That only scratches the surface of the progress underway at the laboratory, as LLNL also delves into 3D bioprinting, 3D printed foam and new state of the art 3D printing techniques.

With this much already under their belt at LLNL, one can only imagine what developments are in the near future. To learn more about the 3D Labs at the laboratory, check out this tour with 3ders.org before attending the Keynote Presentation by Wayne King at Day Two of LAM.

Laser Additive Manufacturing Workshop will take place February 21-22, 2017 in Houston, Texas. For more information, and to register, please visit www.lia.org/lam.

Don’t miss a single laser industry update, visit Lasers Today and sign up to receive the latest in lasers delivered directly to your inbox.

The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the international society for laser applications and safety. Our mission is to foster lasers, laser applications and laser safety worldwide.

 

 

Laser Institute of America’s LAM 2017: Keeping up with Laser Additive Manufacturing

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ORLANDO, FL (PRWEB) DECEMBER 21, 2016

Laser Institute of America (LIA) will host its annual Laser Additive Manufacturing Workshop (LAM®) February 21-22, 2017 in Houston, Texas. As LAM returns to Houston, a brand new set of Workshop Chairs will drive LAM’s focus on leading edge additive processes and their process chain integration by telling success stories of real world industrial applications.

Milan Brandt of RMIT University will lead LAM 2017 as the General Chair, with John Hunter of LPW Technology, Inc. and Minlin Zhong of Tsinghua University serving as the Workshop’s Co-chairs.

As the economy grows so does the need for additive manufacturing and LAM aims to facilitate this growth by encouraging networking and educational opportunities in various industries for anyone interested in utilizing this new laser technology.

“Laser additive manufacturing is now the fastest growing sector of manufacturing globally because of the many benefits the technology offers compared to the traditional subtractive methods,” said Brandt. “LAM 2017 will provide an opportunity for national and international practitioners to discuss and explore challenges and progress in additive technology and applications from design to manufacture in the context of defense, aerospace and medical applications.”

LAM focuses on a significant number of additive manufacturing applications, with representation from over a dozen industries involved with this technology. You will hear from companies like Siemens, Stryker and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory that maintain marketplace influence internationally in countries like Australia, China and Germany.

A rapidly rising area of laser manufacturing is micro/nano laser additive manufacturing. The 2017 workshop will introduce a new, can’t miss session covering the latest in this emerging area.

Other sessions include:

●    Trends in Laser Additive Manufacturing led by an invited keynote from GE
●    Additive Manufacturing Technology led by keynote presentation from Wayne King of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
●    Designs and Structures for Additive Manufacturing
●    Materials for Additive Manufacturing and more

Following presentations on day one, LIA will give attendees the opportunity to network with experienced laser-industry professionals at the Exhibitor Reception.

“This isn’t just a workshop,” said Jim Naugle, Marketing Director with LIA. “This is an opportunity to establish lifelong business relationships with experts in their respective fields. Our goal is for attendees to leave with more than business cards, we want them to leave with business partners.”

Alabama Laser returns as the Platinum Sponsor for LAM 2017. Other sponsors include Fraunhofer USA – CLA, IPG Photonics Corporation, Laserline Inc., LPW Technology, Inc., Optomec, OR Laser Technology, Inc. and TRUMPF Inc. A complete list of LAM 2017 Exhibitors can be found on the LAM website.

Registration for LAM is now open. For more information on LAM and to register, please visit https://www.lia.org/lam.

About LIA

Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. http://www.lia.org , 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553

Using Direct Metal Sintering to Fight Bacteria in Implants

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Could adding antibacterial agents to the additive manufacturing process lead to safer medical implants?

Direct Metal Sintering is used to create titanium implants for dental and orthopedic use. 3D modeling allows manufacturers to determine the porosity and surface roughness of the implant for medical use. Titanium and titanium alloys are preferred in the medical field due to their biocompatibility and other properties that cause minimal disruptions within the body.

However, the rough surfaces can often lead to breeding grounds for bacteria, and by extension, biofilm in the implants. This can lead to infection or unwanted cell adhesion. These infections can cause implants to come loose or even detach. While measures are taken to prevent these infections, bacteria is still commonly present within an implant. Over time, bacterial colonization leads to the creation of a biofilm, which makes it more difficult to fight and remove the bacteria from within the implant.

To combat this, researchers determined that preventing the spread of bacteria would have to come from within the implant, or rather, with antibacterial coatings on the surface of the implant. This poses a unique challenge, as antibacterial agents used would have to be both compatible with the titanium and titanium alloys, and nontoxic to the patient receiving the implant. Utilizing a novel phase-transited lysosome, with a variable thickness, combined with three layers of negatively charged hyaluronic acid and positively charged chitosan, researchers believed they could prevent the formation of the biofilms by including these within the direct metal sintering process.

The results show that the method (phase transited lysosome-functionalized Direct Metal Laser Sintering Titanium, or PTL-DMLS-Ti)  can help prevent the early onset of bacterial presence in the implant, while still retaining its function and compatibility with the body. The findings are expected to gain interest within the medical field, with potential for additional applications in the future. Check out the full report here, for more information.

Interested in learning more about direct metal sintering and other additive manufacturing practices? Be sure to register for LAM, taking place February 21-22, in Houston, Texas. Don’t miss a single laser industry update, visit Lasers Today and sign up to receive the latest in lasers delivered directly to your inbox.

The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the international society for laser applications and safety. Our mission is to foster lasers, laser applications, and laser safety worldwide.

GE Puts Imagination to Work With Laser Additive Manufacturing

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Last year, GE reinvented itself as the world’s foremost Digital Industrial Company. Its primary mission? To merge the world of open-source, industrial design with proven manufacturing technology.

With the help of lasers and 3D printing, GE is helping define the future of global commerce and product innovation. Here are a few ways they’re putting additive manufacturing imagination to work:

  • Center for Additive Technology Advancement: In early 2016, GE opened a 125,000-square foot Center for Additive Technology Advancement near Pittsburgh, PA. Here, GE engineers experiment with new ways to print industrial components through high-powered lasers.
  • Stake in Concept Laser GmbH: Concept Laser is a leading global supplier of additive manufacturing equipment. Recently, they reached an agreement to acquire a 75 percent stake in Concept Laser GmbH for $599 million. The agreement allows for GE to take full ownership in the long-term.
  • 3D Printing Heats A City: A large power plant in Berlin, Germany, runs through GE Power Services’ gas turbine e-fleet. The Berlin Mitte plant heats the entire metropolitan area using 3D printed first-stage heat shields and first-stage vanes inside a single GE natural gas turbine. These vanes and heat shields help the turbine run more efficiently and burn less gas, and saves Berlin over $3 million each year.

As 3D printing is often envisioned as small, complex, or even invariable components, these technologies prove 3D printing makes a difference on a large scale. With the power of additive manufacturing, engineers can increase the capabilities of modern industrial design through lasers. It can also create much more complex pathways than through traditional metal casting.

GE will continue to invest in 3D printing, pledging to build a $1 billion 3D printing business by 2020. With no end to the momentum in sight, the Lasers Today staff is closely watching GE’s latest trends.

A representative from GE will speak at Laser Institute of America’s 2017 Lasers for Additive Manufacturing (LAM®) Workshop, February 21-22, 2017 in Houston, TX. LAM is the perfect way to stay on top of the additive manufacturing action, including when, where, and how to use laser additive manufacturing. To learn more about LAM and to register, click here.