Talking Additive

Hello and welcome to an Ultimaker turns 10 - Bonus episode - a miniature portrait of one of our "Year One" staff members, who -- along with our co-founders and some of their early collaborators -- help paint a portrait of Ultimaker in its earliest years. 

This bonus episode features the great Harma Woldhuis!

We'll return next week with another full episode of Talking Additive. And in TWO week's time, join us right here for our next bonus episode. 

Don't want to miss any of this great content? If you haven't already, you should subscribe to Talking Additive wherever you listen to podcasts, and join the conversation by signing up for news and announcements at talkingadditive.com!

This week’s Talking Additive is the first of the “Future of Work” miniseries. As the world begins to thaw from the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, we find that the nature of the workplace and the flow of work within companies has changed forever. Additive Manufacturing played a unique role in addressing some of the painful vulnerabilities revealed by the fragility of supply chains, trade relations, and the complexity of the products of today.

In this episode, Matt Griffin examines the evolving role of 3D printing in education – and the disruption caused by COVID-19. He’ll speak with university, K-12, and informal educators, touching on topics including the benefits of making 3D printing technology widely available, STEM, and virtual learning.     

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we kick off a miniseries of Ultimaker-focused Talking Additive episodes. Throughout seasons three and four, certain episodes will focus on Ultimaker’s journey through the past decade, as well as FFF 3D printing’s evolution during that time. 

First up: the company’s early years. Join host Matt Griffin and Ultimaker co-founder Siert Wijnia in conversation as they look back at Ultimaker’s foundation, and several stories of its early transformation. Together, they will explore 2010-2014, traveling through the evolution of the business from the Protobox and Ultimaker Original, to the major leaps forward with the Ultimaker 2 and Ultimaker 3. 

Next, watch for a series of Ultimaker Turns 10 Talking Additive Mini Episodes, from #1-#10! Check out these Bonus Episodes to hear more short interviews featuring the company’s "first-year" team members, co-founders, and early collaborators.

In a new episode of Talking Additive, host Matt Griffin examines three unique software solutions for 3D printing for manufacturing. The episode highlights three guests, each with unique approaches to the role that 3D printing software can play in manufacturing objects: Omer Blaier, co-founder and CEO of CASTOR; Florian de Boeck, cofounder of Spentys; and Duann Scott, VP of Partnerships nTopology. 

In the latest episode of Talking Additive, Matt Griffin sits with educator Caroline Keep, director of Spark Penketh at Penketh High School, in Liverpool, the UK, to discuss the country’s first in-school makerspace. 

In addition to playing a key role in creating and directing the makerspace, Caroline has also worked closely with UK policymakers to develop a response to COVID-19 in education, advocating for the return of hands-on, project-based learning – with the right safety mechanisms in place. Matt has spoken with Caroline several times in 2020 and 2021 – including meeting with her remotely within her reopened makerspace. This is an episode you will not want to miss!

Ultimaker Innovator Spotlight Segment: CAPT Brad Baker, Makerspace USNA, United States Naval Academy

As a reminder, no Talking Additive on April 20th. Our next episode with the inspiring educator Caroline Keep, Director of Spark Penketh and co-founder of MakeFest in Liverpool in the UK, will launch on Tuesday, April 27th! This week, the team for Talking Additive are producing/hosting the conference at the Ultimaker Transformation Summit at ultimaker.com/summit. To experience the technology of tomorrow, today -- and to spend time with the Talking Additive team live in chat and on screen -- register for your spot. Right now. Don't wait!

Ultimaker staff from around the world will be joining for this event, which will kick off with a special presentation by our guest from Talking Additive Episode 21, CEO Jürgen von Hollen. You can also hear Doug Kenik, from Episode 22, in conversation with Thiago Medieros from Ultimaker material partner LEHVOSS Group featured in Episode 5 -- in a special session of the conference, presented by the Talking Additive team: "Transform advanced use cases with Ultimaker ecosystem partners." And don't miss other Talking Additive favorites such as Terri-Ann dela Cruz and Jeremy Evers from Ulitmakers, and Tobias Rödlmeier from BASF!

This week, host Matt Griffin sits with Doug Kenik, VP of Product at Teton Simulation, to speak about the company and its flagship product, SmartSlice for Cura. SmartSlice, which was launched in 2020, embeds as a plugin into Ultimaker Cura, automatically assigning slicing parameters that make it possible to highly optimize printing time without sacrificing functional requirements. As Teton Simulation promises on its home page: “Better parts, printed faster, and with less material.” 

Matt and Doug will also delve into Doug’s extensive professional background as a "classically trained FEA engineer," his expertise in researching the performance of continuous strand composite materials in injection molding applications, and the trajectory of FFF technology as a functional part powerhouse. 

In the latest episode of Talking Additive, Matt Griffin sits with Ultimaker’s new CEO, Jürgen von Hollen. 

Together, the pair will discuss Jürgen’s previous roles in industry and emerging tech, the core philosophy that shapes his leadership and management style, and what it was like for him to join the Ultimaker team in the middle of a pandemic.  

They’ll also discuss the evolution of the 3D printing industry, while Jürgen shapes his vision for the future of the company, which focuses on driving the adoption of professional 3D printing with Ultimaker as a platform to accelerate the world's transformation to flexible, empowering, and sustainable solutions. 

Matt Griffin sits with Senior Product Line Manager for Autodesk Tinkercad and Fusion 360, Guillermo Melantoni, to highlight the evolution of Tinkercad, Autodesk’s groundbreaking software that has introduced 3D design to over 30 million users (and counting). Guillermo has worked with Autodesk since 2006, evangelizing, implementing, and training on most of the disciplines covered by Autodesk. In this episode, Guillermo reveals how 3D printing is playing new and expanded roles in how students, designers, and engineers solve problems, create prototypes, and develop stronger skills. Matt is joined by two other guests as well: Autodesk Fusion 360 community manager Jonathan Odom, followed by Additive Manufacturing consultant and Autodesk superuser Steve Cox (a repeat guest on our show!) who expand the discussion to Autodesk Fusion 360 and advanced manufacturing as well.
 
BONUS SEGMENT: Stick around after the show to meet Erik Cederberg from 3DVerkstan, a highlight from the 2020 Ultimaker Innovators list! 

Matt Griffin explores the methods by which several individuals and organizations have adopted 3D printing.  

Drawing from the first two seasons of Talking Additive – and including a few follow-up calls with past guests – this episode will look at what it really takes for companies around the world to introduce, embed, and regularly use additive manufacturing technology to achieve the previously impossible.  

Matt Griffin speaks with members of the 2020 Ultimaker Innovators list and their nominators about their initiatives and ideas. 

The 2020 Ultimaker Innovators list is the first in what will become a yearly celebration of the 3D printing industry, placing the spotlight on individuals or teams around the world using the technology to transform the ways people work, think, and live. It is a showcase of 3D printing technology and the innovative results that can be achieved through its use.  

From architecture to manufacturing, from automotive to healthcare – and everywhere in between – we believe the 2020 Ultimaker Innovators list is a great way to send off the year – and kick off a new one.

Matt Griffin draws insights about the application engineering role from Ultimaker colleagues and allies concerning identifying and implementing opportunities for 3D printing. Whether it’s holding workshops, growing capabilities within a team, or undertaking site scans in a factory, application engineers often play a key role as champions for the adoption of additive manufacturing. 

Episode 17 of Talking Additive creates a group portrait of the diverse ways in which these experts make a difference in organizations around the world, as well as showcases trends in the growing catalogue of challenges well-suited to a 3D printed solution. 

Matt Griffin sits virtually with Roger Sijlbing and Tobias Rödlmeier of BASF 3D Printing Solutions to discuss the company’s role in additive manufacturing, which includes divisions for metal FFF as well as thermoplastic filaments, along with other 3D printing technologies.  

Roger is BASF’s Head of Sales Additive Extrusion Solutions. He joined BASF with the acquisition of Innofil3D in the Netherlands to expand BASF's role in additive manufacturing. Tobias serves as a Project Manager focused on the company’s metal FFF strategy.  

Matt Griffin and Cody Cochran, General Manager of Azoth discuss the creation of “digital inventory” items, a method for preparing projects for immediate, on-demand part production. Azoth is a recent additive manufacturing service launched within the EWIE Group of Companies (EGC), a family of manufacturing brands headquartered in Ann Abor, Michigan. Azoth 3D’s Center of Excellence is said to have grown from “an empty warehouse into an impressive lab of the industry’s highest-performing technology in less than two years.” 

Matt Griffin speaks with Steve Serpe of Arkema about the company’s high-performance materials development, including FFF 3D printing materials made with engineering-grade polymers capable of resisting harsh chemicals, high temperatures, and UV exposure. 

Steve works within Arkema’s North American presence, at its research center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, the site that also contains Arkema’s global center of excellence for FFF extrusion technologies. 

In the third episode of Talking Additive’s second season, Matt Griffin speaks with Job van de Sande, manager of Engineering and Design for ERIKS, the Netherlands, about co-engineering certified parts and 3D printing in a “clean” facility – changing the way additive manufacturing is used to meet business and logistical needs of organizations around the world. 

In the latest episode of Talking Additive, Matt Griffin sits down with Haleyanne Freedman of M. Holland Co. to discuss the evolving role of additive manufacturing in the injection molding industry. M.Holland, one of the industry’s leading resins distributors, was founded in Illinois in 1950. In the past few years, it has created a team dedicated to offering cross-industry knowledge, advice, and expertise to help its customers compete in the world of 3D printing.

**SPECIAL PRO-BUNDLE-LENGTH EPISODE!** In the first episode of Talking Additive’s second season, Jabil Additive’s Director of Product Management, Matt Torosian, discusses how Jabil produces engineering-grade polymer filaments for manufacturing processes and end-use parts. 

Jabil’s factory ecosystem has deployed these solutions for its own print cells for several years, and continues to introduce new materials to the Ultimaker Materials Alliance that help manufacturers increase the capabilities for jigs, fixtures, tooling – and eventually end-use parts. And stay with this special Pro Bundle-Length episode as Matt Torosian draws on his thirty plus year experience in the polymer business to discuss the role of additive in the future of manufacturing.

In episode 10 of Talking Additive, Matt Griffin speaks with Marie-Luise Naerum from Schubert Additive Solutions about the Schubert Group’s unique approach to distributed manufacturing. Gerhard Schubert GmbH is a global market leader in top-loading packaging machines (TLM). Schubert Additive Solutions uses Ultimaker 3D printers to fulfill validated parts from a “digital warehouse” using the Partbox networked platform for certified printing jobs. FFF technology also gives the Crailsheim, Germany-based company more freedom in the designs it creates for its packaging machines, allowing for faster, cheaper iterations and ensuring it is future-proofed in a rapidly changing industry.

Asli Oney is Digital Fabrication Manager at Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF)’s New York office. This multinational architectural firm has worked on buildings shaping the cityscapes of many of the world's greatest cities and has been on a twenty-year journey to explore ways to implement 3D printing to support its design processes. 

This week, Asli explains how the KPF has standardized on approaches to 3D printing to allow designers and architects to create multiple iterations of design concepts within the KPF design studio. These low-cost models enable better communication of ideas to clients and shareholders. They also promote a more experimental, exciting approach to architectural design, with 3D printed parts usually costing a few dollars or less. She is joined by three of her colleagues -- CIO and principal James Brogan, applied research director Cobus Bothma, and master modelmaker Ross Page -- who contribute additional perspectives.

BONUS Episode! Talking Additive takes a momentary pause from its usual programming to share a behind the scenes experience from Ultimaker's software launch event, considering the potential impact on the industry.

Ultimaker’s CMO Nuno Campos and SVP Software Paul Heijmans share news about Ultimaker’s latest products: Ultimaker Essentials and Ultimaker 3D Printing Academy. 

They go into depth about each product, explaining how Essentials helps businesses deploy and scale 3D printing innovation, and how 3D Printing Academy supports learning within your organization. 

The products also complement one another, with 3D Printing Academy providing IT admins with the information they need to incorporate Ultimaker Essentials into their existing workflow. Both products are designed to make it even easier to implement AM in your business, and Nuno and Paul explain exactly how this works. 

Several experts join us in this episode to discuss the role of additive manufacturing in the Food and Beverage Industry. 3D printing presents exciting opportunities in this field, and now, innovators are keen to share their post-pandemic AM strategies, and their vision for the long-term future.

The first speaker is Jeremy Evers, Ultimaker’s Application Engineer who focuses on manufacturing and the food and beverage industry. Jeremy discusses his time spent visiting companies around the world, and his collaborations with big businesses in this sector. 

We next talk to industrial 3D design and additive manufacturing adoption consultant Steve Cox who works closely with traditional manufacturers seeking to test the waters of 3D printing within their businesses for the first time. 

And we wrap up the discussion with writer and consultant Joris Peels (3DPrint.com), who shares a journalist’s perspective on these developments.

Niklas Eutebach is Development Engineer for Igus. Over the years, Igus has developed a unique line of ‘motion plastics’ – parts that are self-lubricating, wear-resistant, low coefficient of friction, and tailored for functional use. In 2014, they launched a range of 3D printing materials, using a blend of polymers to provide better motion functionality. This gave businesses across the world the ability to develop their own customized parts with ‘tribologically optimized’ features. This week, Niklas talks about the role of additive manufacturing at Igus, and how their motion plastic filaments encourage design innovation for functional parts and mechanisms.  

CAPT Brad Baker of the US Navy served for years as a high-ranking officer aboard nuclear submarines, but considers his most rewarding duty to be training future military leaders at the United States Naval Academy (USNA). There, he directs the MakerSpace USNA, introducing additive manufacturing technology to Naval Academy students. In Talking Additive’s latest episode, he speaks about the use of 3D printing – and Ultimaker 3D printers – at the USNA, as well as how FFF technology prepares students for future careers in the military and engineering fields, where additive manufacturing technology is quickly becoming widespread.  

Matt Griffin speaks with Thomas Collet, Director 3D Printing Materials and Marketing at LEHVOSS Group, about FFF 3D printing materials and how they are shaped through compounding to meet functional requirements. LEHVOSS Group is a leading material developer and global manufacturer of customized polymers with 125 years of innovation in chemical and mineral specialties. It has pursued 3D printing for the past nine years, offering high-performance materials with a broad portfolio and engineering support. Thomas will guide us through that portfolio, providing detail on specific materials’ properties and showing how end-users can better understand material requirements – as well as what can be achieved in specific compounds and formulations.

Matt Griffin speaks with presenters from the Construct3D education conference about the adoption of 3D printing in education. We share highlights of their presentations, as well as follow-up interviews, during which Tim Pula from Spark!Lab at the Smithsonian, Melodie Yashar from SEArch+, and Glenn Walters from UNC Chapel Hill will reveal insights into how 3D printing is improving and advancing the ways we learn, create, and innovate. By adopting additive manufacturing, our guests’ organizations are introducing staff, learners, and researchers to new ways of problem-solving, opening the door to advanced manufacturing materials and digital design frameworks for the careers of tomorrow.

In our third episode, Ultimaker’s team shares insight into the evolving role of FFF 3D printing, both in manufacturing and design.  

Our guests from Ultimaker include:  

Paul Heiden, Senior Vice President of Product Management, Merijn Neeleman, Portfolio Development Manager, and Rohit Jhamb, Director of Global Research and Analytics. 

In this interview, they discuss the role of additive in LEAN manufacturing, digital distributed manufacturing, the future of the supply chain, and how production processes evolve when companies adopt 3D printing in their product development and fulfilment pipelines. 

Danielle Glasbergen-Benning is an Application Development Specialist for DSM Additive Manufacturing. DSM is a multinational material and life science company, located in around 50 countries across the world. It provides everything from a significant proportion of the world’s Vitamin C and animal nutrition to injection molding materials for electronics and mobility, and advanced additive manufacturing materials.  

DSM started pioneering additive manufacturing more than 35 years ago, and to this day, continues to offer a variety of high-performance solutions across a range of 3D printing technologies.   

This week, Danielle explains the process of translating application needs into material solutions, with insight into recent cutting-edge projects made possible by their portfolio of materials, which are available for open platform professional 3D printers. 

In our first episode, we visit L’Oréal headquarters in Clichy, France to sit down with Matthew Forrester, the company’s Additive Manufacturing Technical Manager. Matthew is a passionate advocate for additive manufacturing deployment. 

He’s become a key evangelist for 3D printing in his field, and works across a variety of industries, supporting others as they adopt this technology. This week, he tells us about the three stages of adopting additive manufacturing: prototyping, plants, and production.