The Additive Manufacturing Customers Group (AMUG) has introduced the most recent recipients of its prestigious DINO (Distinguished INnovator Operator) Award and Technical Competitors winners.
Thus far, AMUG has awarded solely 199 DINOs. The newly named recipients, which had been recognised for his or her tenure and contributions to the AM business and energetic help of AMUG, are:
- Amy Alexander, Mayo Clinic
- Dan Braley, Boeing International Providers
- Patrick Gannon, Ricoh USA, Inc.
- Ryan Kircher, rms Firm
- Dallas Martin, Toyota
- Brennon White, Normal Motors
Bruce LeMaster, co-chair of the DINO Choice Committee and AMUG’s director at massive, stated, “The DINO Committee will get to see, in nice element, the contributions candidates make in our business. Candidates are typically very humble people, however once we obtain their nominations, we find out about their involvement with STEM initiatives and business organizations, in addition to how they reply questions from these within the business and the way they’re keen to make introductions and connections that assist others.
“Those that are finally chosen for a DINO Award exemplify a ‘giving’ perspective that enhances their data of additive manufacturing,”
Nominations for 2026 DINO candidates might be accepted starting October 1, 2025.
AMUG has additionally named the winners of its annual Technical Competitors. Entries from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Equispheres Inc. took house awards for Superior Ending and Superior Ideas, respectively, as voted for by a panel of ten AMUG DINOs, whereas a undertaking from Ricoh 3D for Healthcare was chosen because the Members’ Alternative winner.
Bonnie Meyer, co-chair of the Technical Competitors Committee, stated, “The AMUG Technical Competitors brings collectively a powerful vary of industries and purposes, providing contributors a priceless platform to focus on their accomplishments. This 12 months, the judges positioned a larger emphasis on entries that demonstrated sensible options with real-world influence – purposes that aren’t solely revolutionary however ship tangible advantages. In the end, the competitors fosters creativity and excellence in additive manufacturing.”
Ryan Watkins, analysis engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and keynote speaker at this 12 months’s AMUG Convention, submitted the successful entry within the Superior Ending class, “Mars Pattern Return Crush Lattices.” Whereas AM produced small unit-cell lattice buildings, printing limitations yielded ligament thicknesses (and total half mass) that had been suboptimal for the mission. To deal with the constraints, NASA JPL labored with REM Floor Engineering’s chemical sharpening course of to controllably cut back ligament thickness and total part mass by over 80% whereas making certain that the elements would meet mission necessities.
Evan Butler-Jones, vp of product & technique at Equispheres Inc., submitted the successful entry titled “Making use of Additive Manufacturing for Built-in Passive Cooling in an e-Motor Housing” for Superior Ideas. Equispheres labored with Martinrea Internationals to ship an aluminium half that’s stated to supply important potential in electrical autos (EVs) and different industries with thermal administration challenges. The design and printing course of produced an built-in vapor chamber for two-phase passive and liquid cooling in a single construction, which eliminates the necessity for added cooling elements whereas enhancing warmth switch effectivity. Essentially, the laser powder mattress fusion course of mixed partial and full melting to supply the passively cooled vapor chambers throughout the motor housing.
Within the Members’ Alternative class, which is voted for by AMUG’s Members, Luke Hileman, lead technician for Ricoh 3D for Healthcare, was recognised for the “Neonatal Thoracentesis Coach”, which is able to function an important coaching software for healthcare professionals. The high-fidelity simulation mannequin used superior printing methods and expertise to create the coach with haptics that “really feel like the actual factor.”
For Superior Ending, Aaron Sherman of HellermanTyton took second place for “Miniature Tabletop Gaming Fashions by Pocket Dimension Studios.” Third place was awarded to Brent Griffith of Labconco Company for “Nature’s Grip Recreated: Superior 3D Print Ending Strategies on Rock Climbing.” In Superior Ideas, second place was awarded to the Members’ Alternative winner, Luke Hileman. Jacob Kallivayakik of Eaton Company garnered third place for “AM for Electrical Machines.”
Additionally at this month’s AMUG Convention, Jason Lopes, Chief Know-how Officer of Light Large Studios, was recognised with its President’s Award, and 3D printing veteran Joe Allison was introduced with the Innovators Award in recognition of what has been described as his “pivotal position” throughout the 3D printing business.
