AddUp, a metal AM solutions provider, and ESI Group, a French virtual prototyping company, have announced a new simulation add-on for the AddUp Manager software. The latest add-on will enhance AddUp’s workflow management and add to the capabilities of FormUp metal 3D printers.
Vincent Ferreiro, CEO of AddUp said, “With this simulation technology we can help our customers improve their operational efficiencies and responsiveness, by significantly increasing the number of first time right parts.”
AddUp’s growing additive manufacturing portfolio
Formerly known as Fives-Michelin Additive Solutions, AddUp was started in 2016 by two industrial groups Fives and Michelin, the French tire manufacturer. AddUp has helped Michelin develop 3D printed tire molds which were not possible to make using traditional manufacturing methods, and the company offers a complete 3D metal printing package to its customers, including design and training.
Recently, AddUp has expanded its 3D printing portfolio, acquiring DED metal 3D printer manufacturer BeAM Machines and attaining a majority stake in Poly-Shape, a 3D printing service bureau.
The SOFIA project for metal 3D printing
Since 2016, AddUp and ESI have worked on SOFIA (Solutions pour la Fabrication Industrielle Additive Métallique – Solutions for Industrial Metal Additive Manufacturing). The aims of SOFIA include: increasing the variety of metal powders for additive manufacturing; improving the performance of metal 3D printers; and developing health and safety standards.
In particular, the project focuses on manufacturing end-use additive products for the aerospace industry. SOFIA project contributions so far include AddUp co-founder Michelin and France’s Zodiac Aerospace among others.
Distortion Simulation AddOn
AddUp Manager is a design and management software by AddUp for metal additive manufacturing. The software is used for manipulation of design, informatics, and simulation. It takes care of slicing and generating laser scan-path, a feature provided by award-winning software company Materialise. Furthermore, the AddUp Manager can define laser melting patterns such as stripe and chessboard hatching.
Simulation tools have helped engineers and designers in assessing the validity of a manufactured part. But in general, part validation is only possible after manufacturing. This method has proved inefficient for design and manufacturing.
With the help of the Distortion Simulation AddOn, made for use by experts and amateur operators, simulation can be generated during the designing stage in the AddUp Manager rather than after completion of the model. This has brought simulation analysis to the preparatory stages of the product development.
Ferreiro explained, “Thanks to its accessibility, Distortion Simulation AddOn will appeal to a wide range of users, requiring only a very short learning curve. This tool will help them maximize the potential of our FormUp machines.”
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Feature image shows a visual of the Distortion Simulation AddOn. Image via AddUp
