Leading industrial 3D printer manufacturer EOS has awarded its Additive Manufacturing Quality (AMQ) certification to Japanese engineering service provider Herada Vehicle Design (HVD). This is the first AMQ certification in Japan, and it was awarded to HVD due to its position and commitment to quality production within the part manufacturing industry, and enables the company to receive support from EOS for further quality assurance. HVD plans to use the certification to guarantee its manufacturing flow management process for metal and polymer systems meet the standards for global additive manufacturing service bureaus.
“We are excited to be the first manufacturer in Japan to receive the AMQ certification, which is also an acknowledgement of our quality management standards in AM metal and polymer part production,” commented Hisamitsu Harada, Chief Executive Officer, HVD.
“Working with EOS enables us to establish a robust manufacturing flow management process and expand our global supply chain to bring Japan’s AM expertise worldwide.”
The Additive Manufacturing Quality certification
The EOS AMQ certification was developed to enable companies with the “highest possible quality processes and service quality” in additive manufacturing. EOS hope to achieve this by conducting a holistic assessment of all quality management elements in a company’s additive manufacturing production chain. EOS will then ensure these quality management systems are sustainable and repeatable, a critical aspect for companies using additive manufacturing in heavily regulated industries like aerospace and medical.
Currently, the AMQ certification has been awarded to a total of seven companies globally, including HVD. These AMQ certified companies comprise a network of manufacturers that receive support from EOS to “assure the outstanding reputation for the AM technology.”
Terrence Oh, Senior Vice President of EOS Asia-Pacific, explains that, “The EOS AMQ certification demonstrates our dedication to help our customers pursuit the highest levels of quality and success in their AM journey.”
“The AM market in Japan has shown significant growth and adoption, especially in the domestic manufacturing sector , and having the EOS’ AMQ certification is vital in ensuring that quality excellence will be met in all aspects of AM production.”
First AMQ certified company in Japan
HVD began working with EOS through a mutual partner; the NTT Data Engineering Systems Corporation (NDES), a provider of digital manufacturing services, including 3D CAD software. HVD initially started working with NDES in 2015, when it was also certified with the Japanese national quality management standard, JIS Q9100. It has since expanded its use of 3D CAD software in the production of its parts for various sectors.
As the first recipient of the AMQ certification in Japan, HVD will leverage this position to provide its customers with high quality additively manufactured parts, working closely with EOS. “We look forward to furthering our partnership with EOS and NTT Data Engineering Systems Corporation to be at the forefront of the AM part production industry and Japan’s manufacturing sector,” added Harada.
Quality assurance in additive manufacturing
Quality control in 3D printing forms a significant element of the technology, with a rising number of print runs to create a final part, and therefore an increase in the cost of the 3D printed part itself. By assuring the quality of the part, this lessens the overall cost of using 3D printing, saving time and money.
EOS has previously established other methods of quality assurance alongside its AMQ certification, through its consultancy branch Additive Minds. Working with Canadian advanced manufacturing service bureau Precision ADM, Additive Minds has completed a Validation Master Plan for additive manufacturing to drive quality control. Regarding Additive Minds, Terrence Oh also added, “Our in-house consulting unit, Additive Minds, partners with our customers like HVD, to strengthen their AM value proposition by enhancing the level of quality assurance within their organization.”
Other companies have also established initiatives to maintain quality control in 3D printing. Protolabs, an award-winning on-demand manufacturing service, has launched a secondary services package, which includes post-production quality assurance solutions for customers.
Furthermore, computer-aided inspection (CAI) company Sigma Labs has also provided its software to the UK’s Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to enable in-process quality monitoring for additive manufacturing systems.
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Featured image shows the validation of a 3D printed part using an EOS system. Screengrab via EOS.
