Evology Manufacturing to offer sheet metal forming | VoxelMatters - The heart of additive manufacturing

In their continued effort to revolutionize the way parts manufacturing and rapid prototyping take place, Evology Manufacturing, a leading US-based AM service provider, expanded its manufacturing capabilities with the addition of Digital Sheet Metal Forming via the Figur G15 system from Desktop Metal. Having served the additive and traditional manufacturing markets for the last few years, this addition is another example of the commitment Evology Manufacturing has to its customers and their specific needs.

New forming and rapid molding technologies are picking up steam in the AM community, with companies such as Desktop Metal (Figur G15), Machina Labs and 3DTI, among several others, offering versions that in some cases integrate an AM process to produce the initial “form” or in other cases include robots working to shape metal digitally. In both cases the technologies enable digital production of highly customizable products, but with higher throughput than AM alone.

More specifically, Digital Sheet Metal Forming, or DSMF for short, is a technology that allows the creation of complex sheet metal parts without the need for expensive tooling. Furthermore, Digital Sheet Metal Forming reduces manufacturing time, leading to shorter lead times, faster production, and a lower cost of overall production versus traditional sheet metal stamping.

“We already manufacture parts and assemblies in our FDM and DMLS printers with a better customer experience than anyone else in the industry. With no expensive and long lead tooling, this technology opens the door for parts to be made in metal that could never justify the tooling costs.” Said Sean Momsen, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing at Evology Manufacturing. “Digital Sheet Metal Forming adds another tool in our toolbox to help bring our customers’ products to market faster and in the intended material.”

When asked what this new technology meant to the Evology Manufacturing team, Vice President of Operations Chris Keidl had this to say: “We always keep a pulse on new and innovative technologies that might benefit our customers. We look for step changes in manufacturing speed and capabilities and are proud to help bring this change to the rapid prototyping and low-volume production market as the first contract manufacturing company to offer this technology as a service. This isn’t just another “additive material development” for an existing process or technology. This technology is a true change and revolution in manufacturing.”

This new technology is made possible at Evology Manufacturing by a Figur G15 Digital Sheet Metal Forming Machine from Desktop Metal, which utilizes a single forming head point to shape complex parts from a variety of materials. Currently, the Figur G15 supports select steel and aluminum materials with additional materials still in development. The Digital Sheet Metal Forming process supports a variety of industries including automotive, medical, aerospace, consumer products, industrial, architecture, and more.