Norman Noble Inc., Cleveland, announces that its new capability for 3D printing of metal alloys enables manufacturing of next-gen medical devices and implants with internal features and custom surface structures. Additive manufacturing enables new product designs that could otherwise not be produced by standard methods. Parts can be made from metal alloys such as titanium, stainless steel, and cobalt chrome. The ability to produce additive-manufactured parts from magnesium and Nitinol also is currently under development.
Norman Noble will use the 3D printing technology for a variety of customer needs, including shape-setting fixtures for Nitinol-based rapid prototypes, prototype-to-production manufacturing for next-gen medical implant designs and the manufacture of aerospace and commercial parts.
To support its 3D printing capabilities, Norman Noble has also purchased a state-of-the-art Computerized Tomography inspection system that provides complete dimensional analysis of all internal and external part features. In addition, this technology enables the dimensional inspection of very complex geometries that conventional systems are unable to perform.
As engineers conceive new products or designs they can be uncertain of the manufacturing capability, but Norman Noble can produce the conceptual product on our 3D printer, X-ray it on our CT scanner, and email our customer a virtual part within minutes after it is printed including full metrology data. Thus the manufacturing capability is designed into the product upfront and the design for manufacturability cycle becomes shortened dramatically. This is a service that no other contract manufacturer can provide.
