In what year did Americans celebrate two Thanksgivings? A. 1800 B. 1815 C. 1939 D. 1962Where did Jack O’lanterns originate? A. Spain B. America C. Ireland D. GermanyThunder in the fall fortells what? A. Warm winter B. Raining fall C. Cold winter D. Hot summerPlease send your guesses/requests for the correct matches to: newsletter@met-l-flo.comIf you’ve got an idea for a great trivia teaser, please submit it to the email above for possible inclusion in a future addition.Answers from the last trivia: America The Beautiful 1. What day did most of the signatures take place on the Declaration of Independence? A. August 2, 17762. What US President was born on 4th of July? B. Calvin Coolidge3. How many other countries celebrate the 4th of July? (Bonus points if you can name them) B. 4 - Denmark, Norway, Sweden and England.4. What year did congress vote the 4th of July a paid federal holiday in the US? A. 19385. How many US Presidents have died on the 4th of July? (Bonus points if you can name them) C. 3 - Thomas Jefferson, John Adams & James Monroe
Opening Our Doors
Here at Met-L-Flo we are always happy to open our doors to customers, students, and other interested parties to advance the general knowledge of our Industry. Additive Manufacturing, commonly referred to as 3D Printing, is an ever evolving field and Met-L-Flo believes in participating in industry education.On Friday, August 1, 2014, Met-L-Flo had the privilege of holding a BBQ and open house for some of our local customers. We appreciate everyone taking the time to come see our facility and interact with us. Throughout the event wonderful discussions were had about industry advancements, Met-L-Flo processes and most importantly direct solutions for customer programs.Met-L-Flo, Inc. Open HouseOn Tuesday, September 9, 2014, we had another opportunity to increase industry awareness. Met-L-Flo hosted a group of students through ASM International, the Materials Information Society and Northern Illinois University. The students were invited for a tour of our facility. After the tour, Carl Dekker, President of Met-L-Flo, gave a comprehensive power point presentation followed by lively discussion on the advantages of 3D Printing, and where the industry is forecasted to be within the next few years.Due to the success of these events we are planning to continue opening our doors. Watch for your invitation soon.
The Skull
A few weeks back, Carl emailed a link to a Radiolab podcast article. The article provided links to 3D files for a Taung Skull, which Carl downloaded. Two days later, he handed me a tiny skull that we had built in our SLA labs.It's a fascinating listen. The narrators brought to life the 1920's discovery of an ancient cave in Taung, South Africa. Geologist Raymond Dart painstakingly scraped away at a limestone rock until he found himself staring at a perfectly preserved face of a human child. To make this even more noteworthy, the preserved skull also reflected characteristics similar to that found in a chimpanzee.Many times I find myself focusing on emerging tech and cutting edge design--this is the perfect melding of both. It’s incredible to hear how many individuals had a part in the little replica sitting before me. We want to thank everyone involved for their hard work.
Industry News
As additive manufacturing technology advances, the ability to use 3D printed parts for end production is becoming more and more accessible. Up to this point the majority of 3D printed/rapid parts have been mainly used for prototypes. One technology furthering these advances is Electron Beam Melting (EBM).EBM is being used to produce metal parts 3-5 times faster than SLS, SLM and DMLS. The main advancement is in the melting process. With EBM the melting is done in a vacuum as the beam completely melts the particles to create a fully solid object, requiring minimal reworking compared to other additive manufacturing methods.Due to their strength and heat tolerance, these parts are ideally suited for many industries, including auto, medical, and aerospace. We’d be happy to discuss your project with you to help determine which of our many processes is best suited for your application.
It's a fascinating listen. The narrators brought to life the 1920's discovery of an ancient cave in Taung, South Africa. Geologist Raymond Dart painstakingly scraped away at a limestone rock until he found himself staring at a perfectly preserved face of a human child. To make this even more noteworthy, the preserved skull also reflected characteristics similar to that found in a chimpanzee.Many times I find myself focusing on emerging tech and cutting edge design--this is the perfect melding of both. It’s incredible to hear how many individuals had a part in the little replica sitting before me. We want to thank everyone involved for their hard work.
