Additive Manufacturing (AM) has undergone impressive growth over the past few years and one of the leading centres in AM development is the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM) at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT). The CRPM was established in 1997 as a centre for commercial work and research and has, since then, more than delivered on its remit.
“The CRPM uses rapid prototyping, rapid manufacturing, rapid tooling and medical product development technologies to further education, understanding and development,” says Gerrie Booysen, Director at CRPM, CUT. “The centre has an impressive array of state-of-the-art machinery and equipment that includes the Objet Connex 350 3D printing machine that allows users to print with more than one material at a time.”
The CRPM has received significant support and funding from the National Research Foundation and this has allowed for the centre to install and use the latest in technology and tools. As a result of this, the staff and students are able to keep maintain their lead at the forefront of research into 3D printing technology.
The recent award under the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) through the Department of Science and Technology (DST) is testament to the commitment that CRPM has to innovation in the AM field. This Research Chair will be focusing on medical product development through Additive Manufacturing and was awarded in recognition of the phenomenal work that CUT is doing in this dynamic and exciting field.
“The CRPM is growing from strength to strength and has such a fantastic line-up of achievements,” says Booysen. “We continue to find new ways of developing innovative solutions and building strategic partnerships that support our goals and ideals. The AM field is incredibly exciting right now and we are exceptionally lucky to be able to sit right at the edge of the latest developments and to take part in their evolution.”
The SARChI Research Chair under the leadership of Professor Ihar Yadroitsau will focus on medical technology and many members of the medical profession have shown a keen interest in the work that the CRPM has been doing. The centre’s capabilities in the design and manufacture of patient-specific implants has undergone impressive strides and its goal is to further this arena significantly, forming deeper alliances with medical professionals and institutions.
“Our goal is to create safe environments for medical practitioners to share their ideas and to establish a consortium between doctors and CUT’s product development centres,” says Yadroitsau. “This will allow us to really drill down into new ideas and engage with what the medical community needs and ensure that we remain strategically aligned with real world objectives.”
The long- and short-term benefits to both the medical profession and the AM environment are undeniable. The CRPM can take the information from the consortium and use it to focus on the technical development of products. Add to this the long list of strategic partnerships, superb innovations and the SARChI Research Chair, and it looks like the CRPM is set to revolutionise Additive Manufacturing in South Africa.
Unleashing innovation
The Central University of Technology (CUT) has placed innovation at the core of its Vision 2020 plan along with a commitment to teaching and learning, research and community engagement.
“I am particularly pleased that CUT is proudly taking a lead in innovations that will change the face of medical science in South Africa. The Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM) continues with its ground-breaking work on the design, development and manufacturing of medical devices, and has assisted 12 patients to date. This is the first medical device of its kind in the country, and CRPM makes us stand proud at the forefront of innovation in this field,” said Professor Thandwa Mthembu, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at CUT.
As a result of this focus, CUT has achieved some impressive results with innovation platforms, hubs and solutions that are among the best in the world and has recently been awarded the Research Chair on medical product development through Additive Manufacturing by the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) by the National Research Foundation (NRF).
“We are extremely dedicated to coming together to examine how the three partners can think and act differently and work towards finding methods of improved and cost-effective product development,” says Research Chair, Professor Ihar Yadroitsau from CUT. “Additive Manufacturing has grown exponentially across the globe and our chair status on Medical Product Development through AM sets us onto the world map.”
There are a number of areas where CUT really stands out, not least of which is the Product Development Technology Station (PDTS) which is involved in product design, prototyping and short run production. New ideas are translated into products and existing solutions are improved upon through detailed engineering.
The PDTS offers a range of expert services that include product development, product enclosure development, agricultural equipment development, machine design and manufacture, tool development and short run production. The innovative technologies that power these services incorporate Computer Aided Design (CAD), Finite Element Analysis, Rapid Prototyping and Reverse Engineering.
“The station makes use of leading engineering expertise form CUT as well as specialised prototyping equipment from the CRPM, says Barnard. “It gives the ability to support small to medium enterprises and provide them with tools they need to become globally competitive”.
AM allows for the printing of objects out of almost any type of material — from titanium to chocolate. Add to this the laser metal sintering machine that supports the creation of highly complex moulds and a manufacturing system that supports the casting industries and it is clear why the CRPM has incredible potential.
Other innovation platforms developed by CUT and the CRPM include the Technology and Human Resourced for Industry Programme (THRIP) partnership with ADEPT Technology and EOS e-manufacturing solutions in Germany. Technology designed by CRPM was acquired through this partnership and used by ADEPT Airmotive, a local company based in Durban.
Then, CUT research published in the International Journal of Atmospheric Sciences in December 2014 focused on the relationship between El Nino and drought conditions in parts of central South Africa. CUT lecturer, Desalegn Edossa, explained that El Nino is the fluctuation of sea temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that has an impact on meteorological processes as far as Africa and Australia. The research will allow for the creation of drought forecast models up to seven months in the future.
“Every part of the work we do here at CUT is focused on transformative development and finding innovation around every corner,” says Professor Alfred Ngowi, Dean of Engineering an Information Technology. “It is a real privilege to see how the brilliant minds here at CUT create solutions that are exciting, dynamic and impact real world challenges. Our innovation platforms are all about change and transformation and we continue to drive this every year.”