How can you challenge advanced additive manufacturing experts and provide them with new knowledge? That was the question the AMEXCI team asked themselves when initiating the first AMEXCI Bootcamp. The result was an eventful week full of advanced additive manufacturing exercises and discussions – with a co-creation approach – emphasizing knowledge sharing and growing together.

Twenty leading AM experts from different companies, working mainly with hands-on design for additive manufacturing, joined the intense Bootcamp week in Karlskoga. Johannes Karjalainen, Managing Director of AMEXCI Oy, says the Bootcamp week in contrast to other additive manufacturing courses provided by AMEXCI, was not explicitly focused on traditional teaching because of the substantial experience the participants already possess.

-Our role was to create a common ground for advanced AM experts who work with additive manufacturing daily. The goal was to meet like-minded people, discuss successes, failures, and challenges, and learn something new together, says Johannes Karjalainen.

From optimization to testing of a complex AM application

The first day started with a guest presentation from the French company Bioexegy. This company creates new, innovative solutions for companies with the help of disruptive concepts inspired by nature, combining biological aspects with today’s technologies. (link) The presentation set the bars for the following design challenge, which targeted the optimization of one heat exchanging application. A simple looking assignment, which in the end was a complicated multitarget optimization case.

The group was divided into four teams and worked hard together for two days before their final designs were printed with SLM 500 at AMEXCI overnight. On Thursday the teams got the opportunity to remove the support structures and finally test their printed parts in AMEXCI’s materials lab on the last day of the course.

-We are truly amazed by the results and their engagement in the challenge.  The presenting hour also allowed the participants to go more into depth on how they approached the challenge and their way of work, says Johannes Karjalainen. He continues by saying that he hopes the team presentations widened the participants AM mindset.

Building relationships across companies

The intense nature of the Bootcamp week did not allow any rest; several team-building activities such as Padel, Go-carting, and Boule were scheduled during the evenings to strengthen the team spirit.

-We have created a platform for the participants to use as a peer support group where also AMEXCI will be available for questions and support. We genuinely believe friendships have been created here at AMEXCI this week and that we will continue to overcome challenges together, says Johannes Karjalainen.