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In this episode of the Solid Podcast, David Cranor and I talk with Robert Bodor, vice president and general manager for the Americas at Proto Labs, a rapid-prototyping service that’s been able to digitize large parts of the fabrication process.
Discussion points:
- Proto Labs’ contribution to the Pop-Up Factory at the Solid 2015 conference
- How Proto Labs infused software into the injection molding process, enabling 24-hour turnaround on tooling
- 3D printing vs. injection molding (that old battle)
- Parts of the process that defy automation
- The pros and cons of in-house prototyping
Other things mentioned in this episode:
- Invisalign braces, one of the largest single applications of 3D printing
- How Boeing and Airbus use 3D printing for parts
- The Shapeoko and Othermill CNC machines (Othermill founder Danielle Applestone has been on this podcast)
- Proto Labs “Cool Idea” Award
Public domain image via the Google Art Project on Wikimedia Commons.