There have been CNC machines at a lot of these shows over the years, but one in particular caught my eye this year. There are have been machines that specialize in the cutting of metal, either by adding it or subtracting it. The CNC machines that I have seen have always done both, but the ones that I saw in Germany at the show this year, were only capable of subtracting metal. We will be able to add or subtract more to these machines in the coming years.
Key Takeaways:
- The annual Formnext show, which took place last month in Frankfurt, Germany, is the world’s leading exposition on additive manufacturing (AM) technology.
- This year, there were CNC machines doing just the subtraction and nothing else, just the cutting and nothing else.
- The ongoing advance of AM into production is making postprocessing an increasingly important part of Formnext’s exhibits.
“Machining is a complement to AM as a means of finishing metal 3D printed parts.”
