UL AMCC Visit

The UL AMCC offers hands-on AM training for metals (initially) and curriculum spanning design set up, design optimization, machine set up, part production, post processing, part inspection, testing, validation, and facility and process safety.

(l to r) David Virgin of Kinetic Filtration, who works with UL AMCC to develop AM-related filtration technology, UL AMCC GM Paul Bates and Ed Tackett, director of educational programs at UL AMCC.

UL AMCC is home to AM technologies, machining, metrology and powder handling equipment on coated floors for electrostatic discharge (ESD).

The UL AMCC stresses small class size to enable student interaction and hands-on learning.

Coursework helps facilitate the safe and successful implementation of AM for experienced engineers, designers, production technicians and business professionals.

This table of parts that fell apart in the build process help expose students to different geometries of parts, and how and why they are built.

This part was built with no supports. It is a trick of how you manipulate the parameters of the machine to build it, according to Ed Tackett.

Proper head gear is an often misunderstood safety consideration. Lightweight, loose-fit, full head gear with a respirator is what UL AMCC recommends and uses.

Part of the training is safety, which includes learning about condensate, which is the smoky emission created when the laser is firing. It has an extremely small particle size, which gives it tremendous surface area and the ability to ignite with very little energy to cause ignition.

With cameras installed, trainers can broadcast what is going on in the machines from anywhere in the facility. An 80-inch flat screen is set up for easy viewing.

Checklists are continually developed, used and shared with trainees at UL AMCC. Although they are just guides, the Center has realized they are necessary because the knowledge of how to run the machines is just not there.

This platform leveling checklist was developed for one of the Center's EOS machines after a student got everything set up, hit the button and moved the plate down. Then they didn't know where the top plate was, so leveling had to be done over again.

This checklist lists the 19 steps that are necessary to get data into the machine.

Training goes downstream also, including manual and automated plate inspection--defining a plane, x and y, and ensuring it is all parallel.

Stress relief and heat treat for various materials is another essential step reviewed during training. Students are given the tools to figure out stress and the type of equipment that is necessary, like this small lab oven.

Students are also taught how to build out a stress relief schedule.

This shot peener uses a number seven shot and hardens the surfaces of the parts. It uses little steel beads.

UL AMCC has partnered with Bel Air Finishing to add post-processing to the training.

UL AMCC contacted Kinetic Filtration, a Kentucky-based filter manufacturer when they were looking for a solution for recycling metal powder picked up by the specialized wet separation system used in metal additive manufacturing.

Kinetic President David Virgin developed the “Hazo-loc,” a unit that connects to the wet separator and sequesters the metal powders from the waste stream.

The unit is part of a wet separator maintenance starter kit, which includes a blue 30-gallon drum with a removable lid so the operator has a quick visual inspection of the filtered water; a custom drain funnel for the top of the drum; a pressurized and easily directed water rinse/spray unit; and quick-release clamps.

Checklists also apply to wet separator service.

This prototype filter product from Kinetic is placed at the top of a machine to capture powder that is bypassing its current filters.

This special filter prototype from Kinetic Filtration is for CNC machines that do additive to capture the powder before it gets sucked into the machine and blows out the pump.