CHATSWORTH, CALIF., May 13, 2015 – The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) today announced recipients of awards for technical skill. The awards were presented at the 27th annual users group conference in Jacksonville, Florida.
During its annual Awards Banquet, the association named the winners of the 2015 Technical Competition. This annual event recognizes excellence in additive manufacturing applications and skill in finishing additive manufacturing parts.
A panel of industry veterans selected Mike Hascher of Eagle Engineered Solutions as the winner in the advanced concepts category. His entry, named Tomorrow’s Turbine Blade, featured various additive manufacturing technologies used to create both the external and internal detail of investment cast turbine blades. Hascher used Eagle’s Direct Print Ceramic (DPC) Core technology to create ceramic cores that form complex cooling channels within the turbine blade that are paired with 3D-printed investment casting patterns.
The same panel selected Todd Reese of Realize, Inc. as the winner in the advanced finishing category. Reese’s Realize team turned a stereolithography model into a beautiful, yet somewhat grotesque, “Hunting Trophy.” The head of Klarg, a fantasy Orc figure, was brought to life with highlights, shadows and even a cataract in a wounded eye. Realize has posted a “making of” video at .
Stewart Davis of CRP USA and Mike Roosa of Midwest Prototyping tied for second place in the advanced concepts category. Davis entered the Energica Ego motorcycle, and Roosa entered a lightweight blower system for the racing industry, both of which feature additive manufacturing parts in the production versions. In the advanced finishing category, Daniel Hutchinson of Postprocess Technologies took second place with his “Harey Davidson” motorcycle, and Andrew Sliwa of Custom Prototypes took third with rear taillight lenses.
The five judges for the Technical Competition were Kevin Ayers, Bob Dzugan, Paul Bates, Mark Horner, and Graham Tromans. Each was a past recipient of AMUG’s DINO (Distinguished Innovator Operator) Award.
About Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG)
AMUG is an organization that educates and advances the uses and applications of additive manufacturing technologies. AMUG members include those with any commercial additive manufacturing/3D printing technologies from companies such as Stratasys, Somos, Concept Laser, SLM Solutions, EOS, ExOne, Renishaw, HP and Prodways. AMUG meets annually to provide education and training through technical presentations on processes and new technologies. This information addresses operation of additive manufacturing equipment and the applications that use the parts they make. Online at www.am-ug.com.
