Additive Manufacturing with Volumetric data using Autodesk Netfabb and Formflow by Additive Flow

Solving production bottlenecks and reducing cost in Additive Manufacturing

Additive Flow and Autodesk Inc. announce a streamlined interoperability between Formflow and Autodesk Netfabb to optimize process parameters up-front in order to simultaneously address design and production needs.

Engineering exists under multiple constraints and objectives. Additive Flow’s software addresses business and engineering goals by optimizing performance, cost and production speed. Formflow by Additive Flow now delivers a streamlined workflow for Autodesk Netfabb users, who can automate repeatable tasks and optimize the allocation of multiple process parameters, creating ideal solutions based on their specific goals.

Users can now compare how different objectives, constraints, and physics drive AM parameter allocations with Additive Flow – and influence the metrics they care about. These spatially optimized parameters can be loaded into Autodesk Netfabb to generate efficient multi-scale toolpaths. These toolpaths can also be exported as machine files for production, ensuring consistency of critical data when transferred across the digital thread.

“The future of engineering involves fully connected workflows that extend human insight with accessible software that meets manufacturing performance, sustainability, and cost efficiency. Additive Flow maximizes the opportunity of industrial Additive Manufacturing with multi-parameter optimization, and Autodesk Netfabb generates high-resolution machine-control files through our direct interface. We’re thrilled to combine the power of our technologies to pioneer integrated workflows that will improve outcomes for millions of users and businesses across industry“

Alexander Pluke, CEO at Additive Flow

Additive Flow’s Formflow interface enables Autodesk Netfabb users to leverage the variable material and business properties of different parameter sets. Engineers can rank the outcomes against metrics that span the digital thread, and generate solutions sets that compare results based on things like production speed vs. engineering performance or cost vs. quality.

 “The combination of Additive Flow’s powerful parameter optimization and Autodesk Netfabb’s advanced toolpathing capabilities is a perfect match and takes us one step closer to the full convergence of design and manufacturing.” 

Alexander Oster, Director Additive Manufacturing at Autodesk.

Engineers can now easily generate machine-specific production files for their multi-property parts optimized in Formflow, with a one-step interface to Autodesk Netfabb – which interprets the full spectrum of Additive Flow’s multi-scale volumetric data (i.e. hatching, speed and power) into advanced manufacturable toolpaths.

“Being able to take the build process and parameters into account for a part’s design from the very beginning will enable a much more efficient use of AM technology and help streamline the production process.” 

Lukas Fuhrmann, Product Owner Additive Manufacturing at Autodesk.

Additive Flow and Autodesk are currently working with leading brands and Additive Manufacturing users who are excited about replacing their existing high-friction multi-parameter workflows, with accessible optimization interfaces that bridge silos and scale across teams. This achieves both Additive Flow and Autodesk’s goals to provide engineers, scientists and innovators the best-in-class technology to meet their diverse objectives with a seamless workflow.

“This interface presents a key milestone to unlock the latent capability of AM. Additive Flow’s optimization spatially varies production parameters to offer component performance and manufacturing productivity that was not previously possible, with Autodesk Netfabb efficiently generating multi-parameter toolpaths – saving considerable time for users.I think we’ve done a fantastic job at abstracting the complexity inherent with multiple scales and millions of voxels, in a powerful workflow that experts and novices alike can benefit from.” 

Charles Fried, CTO at Additive Flow.

This connected workflow between Formflow and Autodesk Netfabb is available upon request on a project basis from Additive Flow and Autodesk.

Click here to contact Additive Flow and Autodesk for further information.