(PITTSBURGH, May 9, 2017) ― SME announced its Additive Manufacturing Community awards at the RAPID + TCT event, being held this week at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. Now in its 27th year, RAPID + TCT is North America’s preeminent event for discovery, innovation and networking in additive manufacturing.

SME’s Additive Manufacturing Community produces technical content for SME programs and other industry events on advanced additive manufacturing technologies and processes that allow the development, testing, and manufacture of new products faster and more cost-effectively.

This year, the community has recognized Dieter Schwarze, PhD, of SLM Solutions GmbH with the 2017 Industry Achievement Award because of his significant and continued impact on additive manufacturing through development of processes and technology applied in industry. In 1989, Schwarze began his research and development work on additive manufacturing and its commercialization. He is one of the primary inventors of selective laser melting. Schwarze holds several patents and previously studied physics at the University of Paderborn.

Dieter Schwarze, PhD, head of science and technology research, SLM Solutions, accepts the 2017 Industry Achievement Award presented by SME's Additive Manufacturing Community at SME's RAPID + TCT event. (Photo courtesy of SME) — Dieter Schwarze, PhD, head of science and technology research, SLM Solutions, accepts the 2017 Industry Achievement Award presented by SME’s Additive Manufacturing Community at SME’s RAPID + TCT event. (Photo courtesy of SME)

“Dr. Schwarze has been instrumental in the development and expansion of global additive manufacturing,” said Mihaela Vlasea, PhD, assistant professor in the Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering Department at the University of Waterloo and an advisor to SME’s Additive Manufacturing Community. “The impact of his research, development and application of groundbreaking technologies just cannot be overstated. We’re proud to recognize him with this award.”

Dick Aubin Distinguished Paper Award
This award is named after the late Dick Aubin, a founding member of the former Rapid Prototyping Association of SME and a pioneer in the international intelligent manufacturing systems effort.

This year’s award-winning paper, “Liquid Metal 3D Printing: A Magnetohydrodynamic Approach,” truly embodies the award spirit of innovation and potential impact in the additive manufacturing field. The paper describes a method where metal is influenced by heat and magnetic fields to essentially generate drop-on-demand, molten-metal printing using MagnetoJet technology based on Magnetohydrodynamics.

Present at RAPID + TCT to accept the Dick Aubin Distinguished Paper Award were authors Swati Chandran Thirumangalath, Scott Vader and Zachary Vader of Vader Systems.

Digital Manufacturing Challenge Award
Since 2008, SME’s Direct Digital Manufacturing Tech Group has held an annual student competition for high school and college students, challenging them to showcase their technical and commercial talents using additive manufacturing to add value to a particular design.

In that time, students have submitted some inventive and innovative designs for inspector drones, door handles, crutch handgrips, knee braces and even a prosthetic leg for dogs.

Sponsored by Fujifilm Service, The 2017 Digital Manufacturing Challenge was won by the team from Virginia Tech: Jacob Fallon, Camden Chatham, Andrew Cohen and Eric Gilmer; and their faculty advisor Christopher Williams, PhD.

2017 SME Digital Manufacturing Challenge winners from left to right: Eric Gilmer, Camden Chatham and Jacob Fallon of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and Carl Dekker, chair of the SME’s DDM Tech Group. (Photo courtesy of SME)

The Virginia Tech team created a Customized Golf Grip to facilitate proper swings and allow players to practice without a professional’s supervision. The grips are custom fit using clay, which is scanned to create a 3D-CAD model. Using additive manufacturing, the CAD model is directly manufactured into a set of grips.

RAPID + TCT concludes May 11. To learn more about the event, please visit rapid3devent.com.

About RAPID + TCT
For over 25 years, RAPID has defined the crucial role of additive manufacturing and empowered the establishment of an industry that continues to conceive, test, improve and manufacture new products at a faster, more cost-efficient pace. The two industry leaders in 3D technology events, SME and The TCT Group, are teaming up to produce the annual RAPID + TCT event starting in 2017. For users and suppliers alike, the event will be the premier destination for those who provide technology and for those who need to understand, explore and adopt 3D printing, additive manufacturing, 3D scanning, CAD/CAE, metrology and inspection technologies. For more information, please visit rapid3devent.com.

About SME
SME connects all those who are passionate about making things that improve our world. As a nonprofit organization, SME has served practitioners, companies, educators, government and communities across the manufacturing spectrum for more than 80 years. Through its strategic areas of events, media, membership, training and development, and the SME Education Foundation, SME is uniquely dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing by addressing both knowledge and skills needed for the industry. Follow @SME_MFG on Twitter or facebook.com/SMEmfg.

Source: SME