Solutionology Podcast

Our Solutionology podcast shares behind-the-scenes stories of projects and problem-solving using a digital mindset. In Episode #25, Carl Douglass, DI Lab CEO, and Brian Douglass, DI Labs COO, have an in-depth discussion about quality with Hannah Kinder, DI Labs Production Manager. Quality can be a touchy subject in additive manufacturing because it often seems ambiguous and expectations can be wildly different between each client and project. Brian states that quality, which is considered a deliverable, and a digital mindset, which is a state of constant transition, can feel like oil & water. That’s because when people think of quality, they think of standardization and repeatability - not constant change.As the industry continues to evolve and mature, having a digital mindset is critical to our success, especially when it comes to quality. DI Labs is in a constant state of transition to new levels of performance, capabilities and standards of quality. As Hannah said in the wrap-up, change is inevitable especially if you want to be better. And we always do.Listen to the full episode to learn more.Chapters & Episode Topics: 00:00 Intro01:02 Structure of quality01:27 Digital mindset and quality - oil and water03:15 Quality is a tradeoff04:06 Definitions of quality05:50 Culture supports quality07:51 Our ISO9001 onboarding process11:53 Understanding client expectations15:45 How quality drives scrap rates18:59 Scrap from 10-25%19:11 Current improvementsMore Solutionology Stories Podcast Episodes: https://dilabs.cc/podcast/

What is a digital mindset, and how does it add value to the product development, design, management & manufacturing process?In Episode #24 of the Solutionology Podcast Carl Douglass, P.E. and Brian Douglass from DI Labs dig into this topic. Brian starts by providing a simple definition of a digital mindset from the DI Labs perspective. "A digital mindset is a way for us to stay flexible throughout a process or project... so that we're not locked into a preconceived bias... it's the ability to create rapid changes and store them in a quick and lightweight format like digital..."Carl then quotes an article from the Harvard Business Review by Tsedal Neeley and Paul Leonardi called, "*Developing a Digital Mindset." Under the section "Change as a Constant" he reads:According to change management theory, organizations move from a current state to a transitional state and then on to a future state... In a digitally driven world, however, there is no endpoint to the transitional phase.This excerpt resonated with Brian and Carl due to the never-ending state of transition, which is a mindset they embrace. Listen to the full episode to hear more.**Find the full article here.At DI Labs, we've been applying a digital mindset for a long time and now help clients build it into their programs and products, leading us to what's next! Stay tuned to learn more about the custom-designed Solutionology Sessions we'll be offering to companies interested in mobilizing their teams with a digital mindset.More about DI Labs: dilabs.ccFind more episodes of the Solutionology Podcast on YouTube.

What does it mean to have a digital mindset and how does it open up possibilities in product development and manufacturing? On this episode of the Solutionology Podcast, Carl and Brian share DI Lab’s journey in creating a consumer product line that has grown exponentially by leveraging the power of a digital mindset and manufacturing process. It allowed us to approach the market without the constraints of traditional manufacturing, accelerate our product launch, and give us a competitive edge through customization. We started by solving a very specific problem which quickly revealed unexpected market demand and an opportunity to create a wide spectrum of products and variations. Our technology tools include the HP Multi Jet Fusion for printing and the AMT PostPro for finishing.00:00 Intro00:34 Welcome - we’re in a different space01:13 Product owners and manufacturers01:51 Product development & testing02:36 Solving a problem05:21 Mass customization workflow07:17 Segmenting the market for variations08:57 Maximizing value with a digital mindset09:56 The tools needed10:57 What we’ve learned

Recently, Carl and Brian Douglass were guest experts on a Webinar hosted by MasterGraphics and Mindfire. We are posting this as an episode of the Solutionology Podcast with their permission. Access the original posting here. Could you elevate your Approach with a Solid Plan from the Experts?Challenge the status quo by asking yourself: Is your current additive manufacturing plan truly optimized, and how can you elevate it to new heights of success? Prepare for enlightening insights as our experts share their valuable knowledge. You'll hear from 4 expert panelists:Carl Douglass, CEO, DI LabsBrian Douglass, COO, DI LabsDavid Rosendahl, President & Co-Founder, MindFire IncKevin Carr, President, MasterGraphicsIn this session, our panelists will analyze and exchange insights on:How embracing Additive Manufacturing can reshape your product development approach, fostering agility and sparking creative ingenuity.Why having a structured process for product development through Additive Manufacturing is not just advantageous, but essential.How aligning your additive manufacturing strategies with your business goals can drive growth, boost efficiency, and amplify your competitive edge.Whether you're a business owner, product manager, or industry professional, this webinar offers valuable insights and practical strategies for anyone seeking to enhance their additive manufacturing prowess.

In this mini-episode of the Solutionology Podcast, we’re addressing some of the most common questions we get about volume production using additive manufacturing. In fact, these questions were the driving force behind a technical presentation that Carl Douglass, DI Labs CEO, created and will be delivering at the Medical Device and Manufacturing tradeshow in Minneapolis. We’re just getting warmed up and hope to see you there! Common questions about volume production with additive manufacturing:What types of applications and projects are the right fit? What reasons should drive the decision to use additive?What reasons should drive the decision NOT to use additive?What does the production part approval (PPAP) process look like?Takeaways from Carl’s presentation:To successfully leverage additive for production, build it in earlyHigh-tolerance parts are possibleAdditive shouldn’t be considered the end-all-be-allAdditive can be a superpower if used in the right applicationsRelated Content: MD&M technical presentation detailsArticle in "Plastics Today" about the presentationChapters & Topics: 00:00 Intro00:15 Welcome00:40 MD&M presentation takeaways02:27 Go & yield applications for additive04:51 Organizational limitations05:34 Need a champion and stakeholders08:28 Keys for successful production09:27 Developing a production part approval process11:37 Validating biocompatibility for medical device 13:35 Biggest shortcomings in preparing for additive 14:06 See you at MD&MMore about DI Labs: https://dilabs.cc/

We’re back with a favorite client and good friend, Mike Van Staagen, owner of Van Staagen Design and VP of Advanced Design and Development for Cirrus Aircraft.In this episode, Mike talks about working with a company to design the internal body of a very specialized camera about the size of a soda can. He explains how leveraging the DI Labs Multi-Jet Fusion (MJF) capabilities for final production allowed him to drive complexity into his final design. His solution included a single printed part, which he describes as “impossible,” that held over 20 components together and went through multiple iterations to add new features such as snaps, wire runs, and clips. Mike calls MJF technology "a solution that can grow with you."More about DI Labs.Watch all of our Solutionology Podcast Episodes on YouTube.  Related Content: Ep #18 | The Impact of Rapid Modeling at Full Scale: Cirrus FuselageEp #19 | Insights from a 30-Year Career in Product Design w/ Mike Van Staagen

In this special episode, we got 30 years of wisdom from renowned product and aviation designer, Mike Van Staagen. Mike is extremely passion about sharing what he's learned on his professional journey which started with architecture and led to his current position as VP of Advanced Design and Development for Cirrus Aircraft.Among Mike's many career achievements, he helped to envision, design and lead teams for the best-selling Cirrus SR20/22 aircraft. He was also the creator and driving force behind the Cirrus SF50 Vision personal jet. Here's a snapshot of the insightful and powerful points Mike makes in this episode. If you're looking for inspiration, take a listen!Episode Topics:00:00  Intro01:41  Thinking like an architect changes your perspective06:25  If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then models are worth 1,000 pictures07:33  Making bold moves can create bold results18:17  A design is never, ever finished20:11  Accidental discovery is a superpower, so create opportunities for it to happen25:56  Models and prototypes are the best possible ambassador for your design32:14  Polygon modelers are easy to manipulate and like having digital clayWatch all of our Solutionology Podcast Episodes on YouTube:    • Solutionology Podcast  More about DI Labs: https://dilabs.cc/

Don’t miss this conversation with a favorite client and good friend, Mike Van Staagen. Mike is a renowned designer of aircraft, mobility solutions, products of all sorts, and a manufacturing engineer with an award-winning 30-year career. He currently serves as the VP of Advanced Design and Development for Cirrus Aircraft while also operating his own design firm. Mike's many accolades include helping to envision, design and lead teams for the best-selling Cirrus SR20/22 aircraft. He was also the creator and driving force behind the Cirrus SF50 Vision personal jet. In this episode, Mike explains the daunting challenge he brought to DI Labs during the design phase of a new Cirrus aircraft project. Our solution, which was delivered to Cirrus in just 30 days, was a full-scale fuselage prototype created using additive manufacturing. We printed over 130 thin-walled panels and developed a proprietary system of mechanical joints and assembly to build a 10' x 4.5' model that became the ambassador of Mike’s new design concept. Dimensional accuracy was critical in this project which is why it is a perfect example of Mike's theory that 1/8 of an inch can make all the difference.00:00 01:07 Welcome and introduction 03:32 Accomplishments at Cirrus04:30 Ideas behind the Cirrus SR20 & SR2207:14 Creating the best passenger experience08:07 Hand constructed full-scale fuselage of the vision jet11:12 The  ⅛’s of an inch difference12:11 3D printed full-scale fuselage shows ⅛’s of an inch14:22 An accomplishmentSee this project profile on our website: https://dilabs.cc/portfolio-item/full...Watch all the episodes on YouTube: Solutionology Podcast  Learn more about DI Labs: https://dilabs.cc/

This episode of the Solutionology podcast is unlike any other we've done. Our guest is Todd Buness, the CFO and President of Prinsco, a long standing product development client of DI Labs. In this conversation we do a deep dive into the business and finance side of product innovation from his perspective. It's a topic that takes us away from the technical details of additive manufacturing and highlights how the benefits of additive support innovation with speed, rapid learning, and flexibility to iterate. Todd is a great storyteller and shares specific examples of how this has played out in companies he's worked for such as Cargill, Heraeus, and Prinsco. He describes himself as a "manufacturing guy" and not a typical CFO because of his strategic focus on bringing together the functional units of an organization to drive success. He talks about understanding customer needs, designing the right thing, getting something into customer hands as soon as possible for feedback, getting to market quickly to start a revenue stream and building a partner relationship with clients. It's a long-term, solutions-based way of thinking that is very aligned with our approach at DI Labs which is why these types of conversations are so much fun for us! Enjoy!00:00 Intro05:02 Inside the episode07:42 Bringing together engineering, manufacturing and sales08:30 Heraeus contract manufacturing approach10:21 Medical component example14:18 Not a typical finance guy15:35 Shifting the customer perspective at Cargill16:49 First ever customer solutions strategy18:25 Converting a commodity business into a solution model19:36 Beer barley examples22:21 Helping customers shift their thinking25:57 Story of shifting from commodity vs solution customers29:53 Scarcity mindset to opportunity mindset31:55 Enlarging the pie vs getting the lowest price33:04 Classifying customers to service them correctly34:19 Challenges of managing a program37:30 Advice to your younger self39:46 Getting the commitment to get programs launchedhttps://dilabs.cc/

Carl & Brian walk through examples of how they’ve used industrial 3D printing (additive manufacturing) to drive innovation in projects using low pressure molding methods such as thermoforming. You’ll see examples where traditional molds were modified with 3D printed components in order to enhance features and test design changes during real time production. When additive is used this way and in this part of the process, it can help product development teams fuel innovation and make better, more strategic decisions.https://dilabs.cc/00:00 Intro03:33 Additive isn’t always the best solution04:05 Early thermoforming mold05:26 Glass bead reinforced nylon 1207:13 Traditional manufacturing10:48 Different testing approaches11:45 Product changes in real time– modified molds12:19 Scheduling production down time15:30 Balancing desired outcome with economics16:14 Our approach– understanding the whole picture17:14 What validating thermoforming can achieve19:32 Demonstrating use of additively produced components21:46 Thermoforming in process demonstration23:21 Improve product with existing tooling24:24 Inserts attached to the mold to change geometries in real time30:24 Marrying technologies to drive a decision32:13 HP Multi Jet Fusion is the primary resource35:40 Change is part of our

Do you have experience with ultra-high-performance PEEK materials? Come from an industrial application with harsh chemical & thermal conditions? Robert McKay & Silvia Berretta of Victrex have extensive experience with PEEK and have been instrumental in launching PAEK, an ultra-high-performance option to PEEK with increased printability & more flexible processing window. In fact, VictrexAM™ 200 PAEK is now a Stratasys validated material. We've experienced challenges printing with PEEK & believe the processing ease & flexibility offered by PAEK could vastly accelerate the adoption of additive across applications like aerospace, defense, medical, heavy industrial & electronics. Learn how PAEK is an additive manufacturing superhero!00:00 Intro01:52 PEEK material & challenges05:26 Intro to Victrex, inventor of PEEK06:04 PAEK is the true superhero06:30 Meet Robert McKay & Silvia Berretta09:33 Victrex & PEEK designed for injection molding10:35 Evidence of PEEK’s use worldwide11:25 Victrex manufacturing12:20 The AM world in Victrex13:26 PEEK support group?14:07 PAEK pulled by trends15:50 Relationship between PEEK & PAEK16:21 Misconceptions of PAEK18:42 PAEK molecular differences & crystallization speed21:39 PAEK lower viscosity & wider processing window23:00 PAEK soluble supports & a sweet spot of crystallization26:25 Victrex & the Stratasys OpenAM program28:55 OpenAM Beta & first part using AM 200 PAEK34:36 Acceptance and success of PAEK36:47 PAEK qualified for aerospace flight uses38:28 Defining certifications to achieve39:36 Higher chemical resistance45:34 Reinforcement additives48:25 Requests for fiber-filled filament49:45 Specifying materials for additive51:21 Drivers of carbon fiber 53:02 Advice about exploring PAEK55:22 Confidence to align PAEK with PEEK applicationsPAEK at DI Labs

There's a lot of overselling and hype in the additive industry right now that's not founded in reality. In this excerpt from the Solutionology Podcast Episode #13, we talk about this trend toward transactional, short-term thinking. On the flip side, we share how embracing discomfort and taking ownership of client projects is built into the DI Labs culture. Hear examples of when our engineering-first approach has driven us to take risks, push beyond client expectations, and do things differently. Ideally, our client relationships become a collaborative push and pull where both sides are challenged to see past short-term wins and create strategic, long-term solutions.Find the full episode on YouTube!Learn more: https://dilabs.cc

As a customer, have you ever been disappointed by a company's willingness to honor promises? Does it feel like their commitment stops when their profitability stops? We've been on the receiving end of this problem recently, which has only strengthened our resolve to deliver on promises we make to customers, no matter what. DI Labs is an engineering-first additive provider committed to solving problems the right way vs making sales the quick way. That's the topic of this excerpt from episode #13 of the Solutionology podcast about the 5 Pain Points of Additive. What's been your experience with making promises vs delivering on promises?

When companies promote quality, what do they really mean? In this excerpt from the Solutionology Podcast 13, DI Labs Co-founders Carl and Brian Douglass dive into the topic of quality and the role it plays in meeting customer expectations. In additive manufacturing, quality is tied to dimensional accuracy, tolerance control, consistency, and performance. It’s about understanding and setting expectations on the front end, then building in process controls through the entire production cycle to ensure that every single part meets the quality standard required for that client, application and performance level. Learn how our 3D scanning CMM (Computerized Measuring Machine) along with our digital workflow and hands-on inspection process give DI Labs the ability to ensure quality on an entirely new level. https://dilabs.cc/

There's a high degree of pricing and quality variability in the market from additive manufacturing service providers. In this excerpt from the Solutionology Podcast Episode 13, Carl and Brian talk about the difference in approach between service providers offering cheap parts and companies like ours focusing on achieving the highest quality possible. It's a mindset shift that starts with packing density when preparing parts for printing. Packing a build vs designing a build is an important distinction and can have a tremendous impact on quality. It's a manufacturing variable in additive that can be compared to controlling speed and cooling profiles in injection molding to ensure dimensional accuracy. Tune in to learn more!More about DI Labs: https://dilabs.cc/

Many additive adopters are buying new printers with the expectation that they're "plug & play." In this excerpt from the Solutionology Podcast Episode #13, Brian and Carl dive into the topic of what it really takes to successfully onboard new additive technologies and build a digital workflow to support quality and consistency. Additive is an industrial manufacturing process just like injection molding with a wide spectrum of variables to manage, many of which come as a surprise to new adopters.

In this episode, we brought our great friend and team member, Justin Hildebrandt, into the podcast studio during his annual stint at DI Labs. You see, Justin has spent two weeks a year for the past ten years as a DI Labs Solutionologist. Why only two weeks? Because the rest of the year he's a highly skilled pilot as part of his family's agricultural aviation business in Colorado. Justin is a lifelong friend of Brian, Carl, and Sean Douglass. He's also an avid learner and a passionate problem solver, which is why he spends time at DI Labs each year doing everything from repairing complex technologies, to building dye stations, to installing robots. During our discussion, Justin shares his unique perspective on our Solutionology culture. He describes witnessing significant, generational technology changes over the years paired with an incredible consistency in focus and customer-centered problem-solving.1:10 Welcome2:27 Justin’s background3:48 Crop dusting is like golf4:46 An introduction to precision6:06 Being an aircraft engine mechanic 7:24 Not a fit for the auto industry 7:59 Hunger to learn & high precision9:51 Two weeks a year for 10 years10:48 Modeling solutionology 11:31 Generational change and consistency13:14 Justin's definition of solutionology15:25 Advice to customers or team members16:27 Always hungry to do something new or better17:19 Evolution of the way we think18:31 Why DI Labs exists20:07 You make us betterLearn more: https://dilabs.cc

This Solutionology episode is inspired by our work serving the medical device industry, which makes up over 50% of our business. We dig into the details of medical device applications but the takeaways apply to product innovation in many high-end applications where a manufacturing process that supports tight tolerances, exacting quality, unique geometries, design flexibility, and sealed surfaces is absolutely critical to success.You'll hear our take on the ways additive manufacturing currently serves medical device applications and the opportunities it has to create transformational innovation when considered earlier in product development cycles. It's an important topic as we prepare to attend the Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) Tradeshow in California which will initiate all kinds of problem-solving and exploratory conversations about additive manufacturing with medical device innovators. Find us at MD&M: https://www.linkedin.com/events/md-mwest7022977598309748737/  Schedule a 1:1 engineering consult with Carl Douglass at MD&M:https://calendly.com/dilabs/am-eng-consultEpisode Topics: 01:08 Welcome02:13 Phases of medical device development03:14 Driving change toward additive03:32 Materials04:11 Functional aspects05:15 Process controls and traceability06:12 The speed of evolving technology06:54 Types of medical device we can support07:29 Cardiovascular applications07:54 Enclosures for medical device components08:15 Internal structures for medical device08:54 High mix low volume09:19 Applications in the operating room09:38 Analogue or digital10:50 Entire system - greatest advancement for additive12:11 Benchtop trials and iterate in weeks instead of months12:24 Design validation and clinical trials in months rather than years12:42 Supporting the switch from traditional manufacturing to AM13:40 Opportunities in concept phase for DFAM and components14:19 Design validation - adapting legacy design to AM15:22 Early-stage opportunities vs late-stage opportunities16:34 Ground zero allows for innovation and timeline advancement17:13 Supporting transformational innovation 18:04 Reducing timelines is our focus18:20 Full-color printing for enclosures can build confidence20:10 Enhancing the user experience20:50 Parts we'll have at MD&M21:42 Functional anatomical models23:46 Consistently high tolerance production 24:26 Visual CMM for dimensional analysis and quality control25:59 Preproduction analysis & predictive modeling27:26 Misconceptions about what it takes for consistency28:34 Quality is a core foundation30:14 Bring us your pain points at MD&M - connect with CarlFind us at MD&M: https://www.linkedin.com/events/md-mwest7022977598309748737/Schedule a 1:1 engineering consult with Carl Douglass at MD&M:https://calendly.com/dilabs/am-eng-consultListen to the Solutionology Podcast on...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4p0F0SQHsTl5oXjFcy1x6zApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solutionology-podcast/id1667349314Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMTA4NDM1LnJzcw==

In this episode of the Solutionology Podcast, we talk with Serah Peterson, engineer and project lead at PHYTEC America, and learn about her experience working with DI Labs to solve a problem so many innovative companies face: bridging the gap between a new product and its final application so customers can connect more deeply with it, see its potential and appreciate its value.PHYTEC is an industry-leading provider and integrator of System on Modules (SOMs) which are core components of an embedded processing system. In 2022, they developed a software and chipset for EV chargers that included Texas Instrument components. When they contacted DI Labs, they had been displaying their new product in a fabricated acrylic housing that was functional but not at all reflective of the industry they wanted to serve. Join us to learn how Serah discovered additive as a potential solution and how DI Labs was able to design and manufacture an EV charger housing that would change the game for the launch of PHYTEC's innovative new product.The final PHYTEC solution delivered by DI Labs included product design, prototyping, and low-volume production using HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, Nylon PA12 material, Vapor Smooth finishing, and dyeing.Watch the full episode on YouTube!https://youtu.be/Ppak_YUXBb4 Episode Topics01:12 Welcome, PHYTEC02:53 Project details03:46 EV charger reference design: Rev 0 06:28 Framing the problem: the fish tank08:43 New product development process09:26 Initial sketches and translating10:57 You don't know what you don't know11:41 How DI Labs did it16:06 Working with electronic files16:49 Final design17:20 A housing to connect with customers19:24 Learning about SOMs21:30 PHYTEC's customer base23:07 Saving years getting to market24:10 Enabler for the advancement of technology25:02 Solving supply chain issues25:54 PHYTEC accelerates action27:40 Appreciating embedded systems28:04 Serah's journey to additive 29:22 "We have to injection mold, right?"33:00 Parallels of DI Labs & PHYTEC35:56 Bridging the gapMore about DI Labs: https://dilabs.cc

There's lots of buzz about mass customization, but how do you actually apply it from a product development and manufacturing standpoint? In this episode, we dive into the details of our two-year journey using mass customization to develop our own direct-to-consumer brand called Threedom. It's a behind-the-scenes conversation about the challenges we faced creating the complex digital workflow necessary to scale one product design to nine products and over 30,000 SKUs. We talk about the opportunity we discovered to build an ever-expanding platform of unique products that connect with customers in a whole new way and you'll also get ideas about how to apply the concept of mass customization to functional or industrial parts.Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ufsomEV1vbU Episode Topics01:03 Welcome02:35 Challenge of injection molding04:18 Speed to market and increased market share05:19 Difference in capital investment06:00 Uses of mass customization07:35 Visual personalization09:04 Serving unique market segments10:01 Business model innovation10:50 Our use case for mass customization14:50 Nine products15:15 38,500 digital files for 9 products17:24 Getting real-time feedback from customers19:55 Initial vision for tailored products20:32 Managing SKUs21:28 Building on demand & inventory management22:00 What we've learned23:21 Time investment in digital workflow24:24 It's really hard25:00 Competitive products26:16 One design became a product platform26:54 Applying it to functional or industrial parts28:28 Version control30:19 Surface textures31:39 Manufacturing process to manage complexity34:25 Defining key constraints35:01 Multi Jet Fusion36:01 Lessons after 2 years37:47 Apply our experience to your project38:52 Business model innovation vs part costs39:14 Perceived value of the product40:58 Powerful brand that connects with consumersLearn more about Threedom: https://dilabs.cc/portfolio-item/threedom/ Learn more about DI Labs: https://dilabs.cc/