Cincinnati Incorporated places 3D printer at CDME for hands-on training and technology advancement
Researchers and students are now better equipped to advance additive manufacturing technology and techniques firsthand, thanks to a recent partnership between Cincinnati Incorporated (CI) and The Ohio State University's Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME). The company has placed its Medium Area Additive Manufacturing (MAAM) printer, an industrial-sized additive machine built for production manufacturing, at CDME.
"CI's MAAM printer expands the diversity of printers we have to offer at CDME and further differentiates Ohio State as one of the global leaders in additive manufacturing," CDME Executive Director Nate Ames said. "The ability to 3D print ULTEM, PEEK, and PEKK at meter-scale opens a new world of manufacturing opportunities."
CDME facilitates innovation for a wide breadth of advanced manufacturing practices. The center's novel approach to applied engineering, technology translation, and workforce development is executed in its 32,000 square-foot advanced manufacturing facility on Ohio State's West Campus.
The center houses more than $5 million worth of additive manufacturing equipment, including industrial 3D printers capable of processing metals, polymers, composites, biomaterials, and ceramics.
"Ohio State provides the engineering resources and experience in additive manufacturing that will help CI further develop MAAM's potential in material and parameter development, as well as discovering new applications for the technology," Alex Riestenberg, additive manufacturing product manager at CI, said. "Having a partner in Ohio State that is just two hours away provides logistics advantages for our team and easy access for potential customers."
With a rigid welded frame, CNC controls, and the latest extruder technology, the MAAM printer was designed to print materials accurately and consistently at speeds currently unmatched in the market.
"This is an incredible opportunity to bring industrial scale polymer and composite printing to Ohio State students and researchers," Edward Herderick, the director of additive manufacturing at CDME, shared. "We have a roadmap for materials innovations and prototype vehicle manufacturing, as well as advancing the status quo in industrial additive manufacturing in partnership with CI."
With a stated organizational goal of enhancing America's manufacturing competitiveness, CDME allows undergraduate students to work in a manufacturing environment that matches what they'll experience after graduation and in their careers. That experiential education includes leveraging the latest 3D printing equipment and tools, including the MAAM machine.
"You can't fake real, and CDME students are directly contributing to customer projects," said Herderick.
Along with training the next generation of difference-makers, the CDME team also has its sights set on pushing its 3D printing practices to new heights.
"We've already declared an internal mission to design and print a fully functional turbine and internal combustion engines using the MAAM printer," Ames shared. "Who knows, maybe Elon Musk will call us to power his terrestrial vehicles for Mars."
To learn more about CI's MAAM, please visit their website. If you're interested in collaborating with CDME on an additive manufacturing project, you can connect with Edward Herderick via email at herderick.2@osu.edu.
About Cincinnati Incorporated
For over 100 years, Cincinnati Incorporated has engineered some of the longest-lasting metal fabrication equipment for the world’s largest and most storied manufacturers. Today, its products include Laser Cutting Machines, Press Brakes, Shears, Powder Metal Presses and Additive Manufacturing, and are used in some of the largest and most technologically advanced facilities throughout the world. The company headquarters is in Harrison, Ohio, just west of Cincinnati.
