From watertight deep sea enclosures to wind tunnel testing fixtures, additive manufacturing applications are everywhere. In this presentation, we share insights from cross-industry Formlabs users who validate their prints for extreme environmental conditions including high mechanical impact, low temperature, high humidity or moisture, UV exposure, and high vacuum. We share how Formlabs stereolithography (SLA) and selective laser sintering (SLS) users optimize their part designs for rugged applications, as well as several protective coating strategies including an overview of a current experiment with copper and nickel-clad electroplated 3D printed parts aboard the International Space Station.
Learning Objectives:
- Consider examples from the most extreme AM use cases (UV exposure, temperature, high vacuum, etc) and apply proven solutions to their own applications
- Understand how engineers arrive at innovative solutions within highly regulated industries
