Solutionology Podcast

There's a high degree of pricing and quality variability in the market from additive manufacturing service providers. In this excerpt from the Solutionology Podcast Episode 13, Carl and Brian talk about the difference in approach between service providers offering cheap parts and companies like ours focusing on achieving the highest quality possible.

It's a mindset shift that starts with packing density when preparing parts for printing. Packing a build vs designing a build is an important distinction and can have a tremendous impact on quality. It's a manufacturing variable in additive that can be compared to controlling speed and cooling profiles in injection molding to ensure dimensional accuracy.

Tune in to learn more!

More about DI Labs: https://dilabs.cc/

Many additive adopters are buying new printers with the expectation that they're "plug & play." In this excerpt from the Solutionology Podcast Episode #13, Brian and Carl dive into the topic of what it really takes to successfully onboard new additive technologies and build a digital workflow to support quality and consistency. Additive is an industrial manufacturing process just like injection molding with a wide spectrum of variables to manage, many of which come as a surprise to new adopters. 

In this episode, we brought our great friend and team member, Justin Hildebrandt, into the podcast studio during his annual stint at DI Labs. You see, Justin has spent two weeks a year for the past ten years as a DI Labs Solutionologist.

Why only two weeks? Because the rest of the year he's a highly skilled pilot as part of his family's agricultural aviation business in Colorado. Justin is a lifelong friend of Brian, Carl, and Sean Douglass. He's also an avid learner and a passionate problem solver, which is why he spends time at DI Labs each year doing everything from repairing complex technologies, to building dye stations, to installing robots.

During our discussion, Justin shares his unique perspective on our Solutionology culture. He describes witnessing significant, generational technology changes over the years paired with an incredible consistency in focus and customer-centered problem-solving.

1:10 Welcome
2:27 Justin’s background
3:48 Crop dusting is like golf
4:46 An introduction to precision
6:06 Being an aircraft engine mechanic
7:24 Not a fit for the auto industry
7:59 Hunger to learn & high precision
9:51 Two weeks a year for 10 years
10:48 Modeling solutionology
11:31 Generational change and consistency
13:14 Justin's definition of solutionology
15:25 Advice to customers or team members
16:27 Always hungry to do something new or better
17:19 Evolution of the way we think
18:31 Why DI Labs exists
20:07 You make us better

Learn more: https://dilabs.cc 

This Solutionology episode is inspired by our work serving the medical device industry, which makes up over 50% of our business. We dig into the details of medical device applications but the takeaways apply to product innovation in many high-end applications where a manufacturing process that supports tight tolerances, exacting quality, unique geometries, design flexibility, and sealed surfaces is absolutely critical to success.

You'll hear our take on the ways additive manufacturing currently serves medical device applications and the opportunities it has to create transformational innovation when considered earlier in product development cycles. It's an important topic as we prepare to attend the Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) Tradeshow in California which will initiate all kinds of problem-solving and exploratory conversations about additive manufacturing with medical device innovators.

Find us at MD&M:
https://www.linkedin.com/events/md-mwest7022977598309748737/ 

Schedule a 1:1 engineering consult with Carl Douglass at MD&M:
https://calendly.com/dilabs/am-eng-consult

Episode Topics:
01:08 Welcome
02:13 Phases of medical device development
03:14 Driving change toward additive
03:32 Materials
04:11 Functional aspects
05:15 Process controls and traceability
06:12 The speed of evolving technology
06:54 Types of medical device we can support
07:29 Cardiovascular applications
07:54 Enclosures for medical device components
08:15 Internal structures for medical device
08:54 High mix low volume
09:19 Applications in the operating room
09:38 Analogue or digital
10:50 Entire system - greatest advancement for additive
12:11 Benchtop trials and iterate in weeks instead of months
12:24 Design validation and clinical trials in months rather than years
12:42 Supporting the switch from traditional manufacturing to AM
13:40 Opportunities in concept phase for DFAM and components
14:19 Design validation - adapting legacy design to AM
15:22 Early-stage opportunities vs late-stage opportunities
16:34 Ground zero allows for innovation and timeline advancement
17:13 Supporting transformational innovation
18:04 Reducing timelines is our focus
18:20 Full-color printing for enclosures can build confidence
20:10 Enhancing the user experience
20:50 Parts we'll have at MD&M
21:42 Functional anatomical models
23:46 Consistently high tolerance production
24:26 Visual CMM for dimensional analysis and quality control
25:59 Preproduction analysis & predictive modeling
27:26 Misconceptions about what it takes for consistency
28:34 Quality is a core foundation
30:14 Bring us your pain points at MD&M - connect with Carl

Find us at MD&M:
https://www.linkedin.com/events/md-mwest7022977598309748737/

Schedule a 1:1 engineering consult with Carl Douglass at MD&M:
https://calendly.com/dilabs/am-eng-consult

Listen to the Solutionology Podcast on...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4p0F0SQHsTl5oXjFcy1x6z

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solutionology-podcast/id1667349314

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMTA4NDM1LnJzcw==

In this episode of the Solutionology Podcast, we talk with Serah Peterson, engineer and project lead at PHYTEC America, and learn about her experience working with DI Labs to solve a problem so many innovative companies face: bridging the gap between a new product and its final application so customers can connect more deeply with it, see its potential and appreciate its value.

PHYTEC is an industry-leading provider and integrator of System on Modules (SOMs) which are core components of an embedded processing system. In 2022, they developed a software and chipset for EV chargers that included Texas Instrument components. When they contacted DI Labs, they had been displaying their new product in a fabricated acrylic housing that was functional but not at all reflective of the industry they wanted to serve.

Join us to learn how Serah discovered additive as a potential solution and how DI Labs was able to design and manufacture an EV charger housing that would change the game for the launch of PHYTEC's innovative new product.

The final PHYTEC solution delivered by DI Labs included product design, prototyping, and low-volume production using HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, Nylon PA12 material, Vapor Smooth finishing, and dyeing.

Watch the full episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/Ppak_YUXBb4

Episode Topics
01:12 Welcome, PHYTEC
02:53 Project details
03:46 EV charger reference design: Rev 0
06:28 Framing the problem: the fish tank
08:43 New product development process
09:26 Initial sketches and translating
10:57 You don't know what you don't know
11:41 How DI Labs did it
16:06 Working with electronic files
16:49 Final design
17:20 A housing to connect with customers
19:24 Learning about SOMs
21:30 PHYTEC's customer base
23:07 Saving years getting to market
24:10 Enabler for the advancement of technology
25:02 Solving supply chain issues
25:54 PHYTEC accelerates action
27:40 Appreciating embedded systems
28:04 Serah's journey to additive
29:22 "We have to injection mold, right?"
33:00 Parallels of DI Labs & PHYTEC
35:56 Bridging the gap

More about DI Labs: https://dilabs.cc 

There's lots of buzz about mass customization, but how do you actually apply it from a product development and manufacturing standpoint?

In this episode, we dive into the details of our two-year journey using mass customization to develop our own direct-to-consumer brand called Threedom. It's a behind-the-scenes conversation about the challenges we faced creating the complex digital workflow necessary to scale one product design to nine products and over 30,000 SKUs. We talk about the opportunity we discovered to build an ever-expanding platform of unique products that connect with customers in a whole new way and you'll also get ideas about how to apply the concept of mass customization to functional or industrial parts.

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ufsomEV1vbU

Episode Topics
01:03 Welcome
02:35 Challenge of injection molding
04:18 Speed to market and increased market share
05:19 Difference in capital investment
06:00 Uses of mass customization
07:35 Visual personalization
09:04 Serving unique market segments
10:01 Business model innovation
10:50 Our use case for mass customization
14:50 Nine products
15:15 38,500 digital files for 9 products
17:24 Getting real-time feedback from customers
19:55 Initial vision for tailored products
20:32 Managing SKUs
21:28 Building on demand & inventory management
22:00 What we've learned
23:21 Time investment in digital workflow
24:24 It's really hard
25:00 Competitive products
26:16 One design became a product platform
26:54 Applying it to functional or industrial parts
28:28 Version control
30:19 Surface textures
31:39 Manufacturing process to manage complexity
34:25 Defining key constraints
35:01 Multi Jet Fusion
36:01 Lessons after 2 years
37:47 Apply our experience to your project
38:52 Business model innovation vs part costs
39:14 Perceived value of the product
40:58 Powerful brand that connects with consumers

Learn more about Threedom: https://dilabs.cc/portfolio-item/threedom/
Learn more about DI Labs: https://dilabs.cc/ 

On this episode, we address an edgy topic that has caused more than a little frustration among customers and industry peers - “Additive Hype vs. Additive Reality.” To gain a broader perspective, we invited Kyle Harvey, Additive Manufacturing Business Unit Manager at Extol, to join us. He’s a self-proclaimed “recovering engineer” and outspoken educator in the additive space. Extol is a manufacturing technology company that provides plastic assembly technology, custom automation, and engineering services.

Don’t miss this conversation! Here are the timestamped highlights:

3:00
GUEST INTRO: Kyle introduces Extol and how they are working to shift the focus from parts to products

5:52
HYPE: Additive offers high value within a business for functional prototypes and end-use production (i.e., it’s easy)
REALITY: No one offers a game plan for making the value real (i.e., it’s difficult)

9:00
HYPE: You can buy a printer, push print, and catch the money as it prints out (i.e., it’s plug & play)
REALITY: The additive adoption process is full of hidden costs for design, downtime and scrap (i.e., it’s expensive)

19:11
HYPE: The value of additive manufacturing is low-cost parts (i.e. it saves money)
REALITY: Companies are offering below-cost pricing which is a race to the bottom (i.e., low cost = low quality)

22:52
HYPE: The fall of Fast Radius proves the additive industry bubble is bursting (i.e., it’s not as valuable as promised)
REALITY: Additive has long-term value when done sustainably, but we’re seeing business model failures driven by unreal expectations. (i.e., success requires a wholistic approach)

34:40
HYPE: Printer manufacturers focused on selling “all the latest” hardware will drive success for our industry (i.e., more technology = more success)
REALITY: Education about successful additive adoption must be pushed upstream to equipment suppliers and downstream to additive customers. (i.e., success can’t happen without education)

38:38
OUR ADVICE: Kyle, Carl & Brian offer words of advice to those getting started with additive

Watch the full episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/ImahP5gcGYE
More about DI Labs: https://dilabs.cc/ 

One of the most common questions we get about additive capabilities is: how do you achieve and manage tight tolerances? Those asking are usually in mission critical applications like medical device, aerospace, or aviation where extremely high levels of quality are required to meet exacting tolerance specifications and performance needs.

Our quality assurance and control process now includes a non-contact, high-accuracy, 3D scanning coordinate measuring machine (CMM). It's an incredible technology that alleviates our dependence on traditional or manual measuring tools which are not effective for parts with nonstandard geometric features and are not scalable for full production. Our CMM measures parts from all directions, capturing millions of data points that allow us to compare 360° scans directly to CAD data to detect deviations and defects or do a wear analysis before and after use of a part. This new tool greatly expands and supports our ability to serve mission critical applications with additive manufacturing.

Watch the full episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/4eCNyp-gnTg

Episode Topics
01:00 Most common question
01:35 What we're doing to manage tolerances
02:01 Managing tolerances for production
02:25 Starts with onboarding a project
05:24 Tolerance stack up for additive
05:56 CMM allows us to capture data
07:14 Production runs with dimensional traceability
08:32 Mitigating the risks
10:02 Collecting & analyzing the data
10:40 How we've fine-tuned our processes
11:48 Role CMM plays in PPAP
13:14 Quality is not sexy
13:48 Variations that exist throughout a build
15:02 Our focus is quality
15:46 Pushing the technology as far as it can be pushed
16:42 Aspects of achieving tight tolerances
18:02 Quality is a piece of our culture
18:55 Project that pushed us to invest in the technology
22:48 Continuing to push the boundaries

More about DI Labs: http://www.dilabs.cc 

In this episode we share some exciting news about the latest advancements in additive solutions at DI Labs. We've added Ultra White to our core capabilities powered by HP’s 5420W, a new generation of Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology that is currently being launched at FormNext in Germany! We’re proud to be an HP beta partner and the first in North America to run this new technology and help get it to market.

The addition of Ultra White gives DI Labs another valuable tool in our toolbox for high-end applications like medical device and automotive where white parts are an essential aesthetic.

Watch and listen to see some of the Ultra White parts we've printed, several of which are currently on display at the HP booth at FormNext, and learn more about the strategic advantages of this new solution.

Full press release: https://dilabs.cc/di-labs-adds-ultra-white-printing-to-core-capabilities/
More about Ultra White: https://dilabs.cc/ultra-white/

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jvZB7-eB7Qs 

Episode Topics 
00:34 Welcome & big news
00:48 What is Ultra White
01:31 Selected for HP Beta
03:30 What is the 5420W
03:56 Legacy of white parts
04:29 Parts so far & advantages
05:31 Compared to SLS
06:35 Resolution to support our texturizing
08:46 Texture for ergonomics
09:17 Benefits to medical industry
10:10 Surface treatment maintains white color
11:12 Color uniformity
11:44 Parts on table - surface quality
12:48 Dyeing creates brilliant colors
13:42 Excited to be an HP partner
14:26 MJF scales well
14:57 Our parts at FormNext
15:59 Contact us for Ultra White

DI Labs is always seeking opportunities to be on the cutting edge and push boundaries. In this episode, we share some exciting news about the work we've been doing with white nylon parts. We've got some beautiful samples and give you a preview of what's to come with this latest advancement in additive manufacturing which will be another tool in our toolbox to serve high-end markets like medical and automotive where white is an essential aesthetic.

Towards the end, you'll also hear how the three brothers and owners of DI Labs define "solutionology" in their roles at the company.

Watch the full episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/ZU2DK5AkaW4

Episode Topics
00:35 Welcome
01:17 Change in podcast
01:48 White nylon parts
02:44 Another new project & technology
03:34 Why not SLS
04:45 White for medical device
06:03 Onboarding new technology
06:38 It takes a team
08:12 Expanding the podcast
09:15 Being a solutionologist

LEARN MORE ABOUT DI LABS: https://dilabs.cc