3D Printing with higher grade, engineering materials is a key theme for 2017。我赶上了两个联合创始人AON3D要了解这家3D打印初创公司如何提高最新技术的状态。
兰德普·辛格（Randeep Singh）和凯文·汉（Kevin Han）在研究材料工程时相识。他们与安德鲁·沃克（Andrew Walker）共同创立了AON3D，在2015年成功进行了Kickstarter活动之后，他们现在准备将工程级材料带入更广泛的用户组。
Working with higher grade materials
Like many of the best inventions, the AON-M was created to solve a problem faced by the inventor themselves. Running a 3D printing bureau Kevin Han found that existing 3D printers were unable to meet the demands of clients. “我开始从商业客户那里获取项目，这些客户的需求无法满足现有的低成本打印解决方案“ 他说。
Han和他的联合创始人一起开始制作能够满足这些需求的3D打印机，例如使用高温材料和较大的构建量的能力。“最初，我开始设计仅用于内部使用的3D打印机,” he tells me.
在设计过程的早期，我意识到，如果我要制造合适的产品，那么我自己将在我自己之外都有一个巨大的市场。
According to Han one of the key markets for AON3D is service bureaus who are trying to move up market without having to take on a huge bank loan to expand. The company has “also worked with research labs from universities and government institutions。” In the case of the such research groups Singh explains how, “They need a solution that can work with high performance materials (which are often new offerings developed in-house), but is also an open system so they can make modifications as required.”
功能最终使用3D打印
These high-performance materials include PEEK and ULTEM, and other thermoplastics at the upper levels of the plastic pyramid. 3D printing with engineering plastics means functional, end-use components can be made. However, the technical requirements and current costs of machinery are greater than most 3D printers on the market.
“具有加热环境的主要挑战之一是，随着您的温度越高，机电组件开始遇到可靠性问题，辛格告诉我。
在大型公司拥有的这些加热环境中，AON3D必须找到一种解决该问题的新方法。“We put a lot of engineering effort into compensating for the heated environment through careful component selection and features like water cooling, which we were one of the first to adopt,” says Singh.
正如我们之前报道的the AON-M 3D Printer certainly looks impressive, and we’re eager to put the machine through its paces at 3D Printing Industry.
The new design mindset
While the hardware is of course vital, AON3D are paying attention to the full additive manufacturing ecosystem. Han tells me, “You have this new technology and people are still using it to build parts that were designed for injection molding or something like CNC. That is not taking full advantage of 3D printing.”
添加剂制造（DFAM）的设计需要不同的心态。汉解释说，
We’re at an early stage of additive enabled design, and one of the most common frameworks you see are these organically-inspired lattice-like structures. You can have the strength while minimizing the amount of material.
您得到的是这些自然启发的设计。但是这个设计过程仍然非常困难。
In anintriguing blog postAON3D talk more about the possibilities and in particular the concept of procedural generation. Singh tells me,
For procedural generation, when you build parts like that you’re getting closer to the limit of the material. Realistically you’re not going to use it to build a part from PLA. But it’s worth doing for a material like ULTEM or PEEK.
If we can eliminate the inconsistency and the complication in printing and give people a reliable and clear way to build high strength parts, then this kind of design can become a lot more useful.
The company also have some exciting news coming up later this year, Han and Singh remain tight lipped on this for now, but 3D Printing Industry will bring you the news as soon as we have it.
