2024 Updated Tour of Texas' Largest 3D Print Farm

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Within the sprawling 10,000 square feet of its North Houston location, i-SOLIDS: 3D Printing & Engineering promises to immerse you in the frontiers of additive manufacturing with their “2024 Updated Tour of Texas’ Largest 3D Print Farm.” Hosted by Managing Director Kason Knight, this thorough walkthrough will showcase the facility’s cutting-edge technology, including the extensive HP Multi Jet Fusion fleet and other advanced additive manufacturing equipment.

You will gain comprehensive insight into the state-of-the-art operations supporting sectors like aerospace, automotive, and energy. Key highlights of the tour include the facility’s robust engineering and design services, versatile 3D scanning capabilities, and intricate processes of post-production. Furthermore, the showcase extends to how the integration of artificial intelligence optimizes workflows and ensures supreme quality control, offering an invaluable perspective into the future of manufacturing.

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Table of Contents

Intro & Welcome

Welcome to the 2024 updated tour of Texas’ largest 3D printing facility, hosted by Kason Knight, the Managing Director of i-SOLIDS: 3D Printing & Engineering. The popularity of our previous tours on YouTube has motivated us to provide you with a comprehensive and updated glance into our cutting-edge operations. We are thrilled to showcase the advancements and improvements made over the past year, giving you an insider look into the future of additive manufacturing.

Facility Overview

Located in North Houston, our facility spans an impressive 10,000 sq. ft. This establishment is strategically positioned to cater to various high-demand industries within Texas, such as aerospace, automotive, and energy. Our primary ambition is to become one of the largest, privately-owned additive manufacturing facilities in Texas, and eventually, in the nation. By leveraging large-scale 3D printing capabilities, we aim to revolutionize production processes for a multitude of sectors requiring intricate, high-quality components swiftly and efficiently.

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Operations & Services

Within our expansive facility, we offer a range of operations and services to meet the diverse needs of our clients. We provide specialized engineering design and contractor services, focusing heavily on technical evaluation and the potential for design improvement. Notably, our 3D scanning capabilities are enhanced by advanced equipment sourced from our partners at Vision Miner, enabling us to capture detailed and precise surface geometries.

Our engineering team lends expertise in evaluating every component from a technical viewpoint to identify potential enhancements that can contribute to better results with 3D printing. Rather than adopting a plug-and-play approach, our processes involve meticulous planning and precision to ensure optimal print quality and functionality.

Production Facility Tour

FDM Print Farm

The FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) print farm is one of the bedrocks of our production capabilities, housing between 130 to 140 active printers at any given time. These printers utilize a suite of materials such as PLA (Polylactic Acid), ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol), TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), and carbon fiber composites. We particularly emphasize the use of ABS and ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate) given their superior UV resistance, making them ideal for applications exposed to outdoor elements.

Industrial Machines

Central to our high-volume production is the deployment of HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology. These industrial-grade machines are capable of producing a wide variety of materials, including PA12 (Polyamide 12), PA11 (Polyamide 11), PA12 with glass beads, and TPA (Thermoplastic Polyurethane). MJF technology allows us to significantly scale up our production output while maintaining a smaller operational footprint compared to traditional manufacturing methods.

Technological Highlights

MJF Technology

MJF (Multi Jet Fusion) technology is a powder-based printing process similar to selective laser sintering (SLS). However, instead of using lasers, MJF employs a series of heat lamps and print heads to fuse the powder material. The process involves strategically heating the powder and printing cross-sectional layers with a fusing agent, typically a black ink, which absorbs more energy and initiates the fusing at specific points, creating a solid structure.

HP 5420W

The newest addition to our technological arsenal is the HP 5420W. This machine stands out due to its utilization of a unique white fusing agent, allowing for new material handling and application possibilities. It represents the pinnacle of MJF’s capabilities, pushing the boundaries of additive manufacturing.

AM Flow

In our commitment to enhance efficiency and accuracy, we integrate AM Flow technology. This system utilizes advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence for part identification and workflow management. By leveraging these technologies, we streamline our operations, ensuring precise and reliable production cycles.

Support Systems

Compressed air systems and reliable power sources are the backbones of our facility’s operation. Our facility’s efficiency is significantly dependent on these support systems to maintain the optimal running of our 3D printers and other machinery. In anticipation of future expansions, we are considering acquiring Nexa 3D systems, renowned for their low-waste solutions and sustainable production practices.

Post-Production

Post-production is an integral phase of our manufacturing process, often as intricate and crucial as the printing itself. Our facility hosts a range of equipment designed for post-production processes such as dyeing, vapor treatment, and surface finishing. For volume management, we utilize the HP automatic unpacker, which significantly enhances our efficiency in handling large quantities of printed parts.

Quality Control

Quality assurance is supported by our integration of AM Flow technology. This system not only aids in part identification but also enhances traceability, ensuring all components meet the stringent quality standards required by our clients. By employing these systems, we maintain the highest level of precision and accuracy in our manufacturing process.

Showroom

Our showroom serves as a display of various projects and parts we have produced, exemplifying the diversity and quality of our printed components. While showcasing our capabilities, we maintain confidentiality for projects requiring discretion, ensuring our clients’ intellectual property is safeguarded.

Acknowledgements

We extend our gratitude to our partners and contributors who help make our operations successful. Special shout-outs to VisionMiner, impacsystemsengineering7012, Merit-3D, and Nexa3D for their continued support and contributions to our technological advancements.

Conclusion

We sincerely thank you for joining us on this updated tour of our 3D printing facility. We hope this overview has provided valuable insights into our operations and the future of additive manufacturing. Should you have any questions or wish to engage with us further, we encourage you to connect via our website. Your continuous engagement and interest drive us to pursue excellence and innovation in 3D printing and engineering.

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