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One pitfall in implementing metal additive manufacturing is to think of metal AM in terms of CNC machining. Doing so can set unreasonable expectations in terms of productivity. Even more dangerous, however, is to treat AM equipment like CNC machine tools in terms of safety.

“Believe it or not, companies are not being safe,” explains Ed Tackett, director of educational programs at UL's Additive Manufacturing Competency Center (AMCC). The UL AMCC takes a safety-first approach to all aspects of metal additive manufacturing, teaching students how to identify risks—material behavior, health risks, waste management—and then mitigate those risks. Read the full story in the February issue of Additive Manufacturing magazine, beginning on page 26.

Also in this issue:

• A titanium alloy makes it possible to additively manufacture a more stable spinal implant;
• A manufacturer of plumbing products expands its luxury line with faucets that could only be made through metal AM;
• A laser cutting specialist introduces a large-travel metal additive manufacturing approach that combines powder-bed and laser-deposition on one platform.

Click here to view, read or download the February 2017 digital edition, and be sure to if you want to receive future issues in your mailbox or inbox.