Fathom Digital Mfg

05/23/2023

Photochemical Etching, an alternative to laser cutting.

Laser cutting uses a fine laser beam to cut complex shapes out of thin metal plates. But because its cost is determined by the perimeter of the cut, complex parts can be prohibitively expensive to produce. The heat of the laser can also affect the properties of the metal.

Photochemical etching can be significantly more affordable than laser cutting. Learn more about PCE: https://fathommfg.com/newcut

03/23/2023

We manufacture some incredible products for our incredible customers- but first and foremost, we're a company of compassionate people. Meet Cassandra, our Sr Graphic Designer here at Fathom. Aside from her amazing talent, she also embodies our Core Value of "Honoring Our Differences".

She's campaigned to raise $5,000 for the Special Olympics Wisconsin. The goal was to get our CEO Ryan Martin to "take the plunge" into FREEZING Lake Michigan on Saturday morning under 17 degree and windy weather along with herself, Madelyn Boyd, and Theresa Geiszler. And boy did they succeed!

Not many people have the gumption, drive and motivation to not only raise money for a VERY special cause, but then also jump into a freezing lake after! We celebrate you, and thank you for your contribution to the community!

03/08/2023

On this day we recognize women around the world and their achievements. Moms, sisters, daughters, bosses, co-workers...we see you and we appreciate everything you do. YOU are an integral part of this world. We see your achievements and we celebrate them with you. But TODAY we want to highlight the women who are making an impact in our industry. Please join us in celebrating and building awareness of these women in manufacturing across all levels of the organization 👏 .

We are proud to be a manufacturing company that shows support to employees where we have resource groups like the Fathom GEMS (Gender Equity in Manufacturing). We aim to be a frontrunner in manufacturing to bridge the gap and to be an organization that is the best place to work for anyone, regardless of gender.

02/22/2023

It takes a LOT to make an Oscar-nominated nose 😉.

Fathom Co-Founder and CCO Rich Stump notes the challenges the team faced in bringing the characters of Pinocchio to life. “The branch noses were incredibly challenging, because you have to clean them and rinse off the support structures…You can’t have any chips, damage, or warping. As [the] nose grew, that became more of a challenge because it can be more delicate. These challenges, you have to design around.”

Read the full article to learn more about how 3D printing helped to create Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.
https://lnkd.in/eZv2eiZJ

Thank you, TCT Magazine, for publishing this article about how 3D printing brought the characters of Pinocchio to life!

“Astory about puppets, acted by puppets. You don’t have to believe they are real people – you have to believe in them as characters.” These words, posted on the Mackinnon & Saunders Instagram page in January 2023, only fell out of Guillermo del Toro's mouth on the promo trail ahead of the re...

01/03/2023

2023 Additive Manufacturing Trends: What industries and technologies will likely see a rise in AM utilization? Our CEO, Ryan Martin, along with other industry stakeholders share their opinion.

https://www.3dprintingmedia.network/industry-stakeholders-and-a-bot-predict-key-am-trends-in-2023/

12/20/2022

The magic of 3D printing extends to the silver screen.

We are in AWE of the amazing talent, artistry, visual storytelling, and detail in “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” on Netflix! With Fathom's expertise and the use of 3D Polyjet Technology, we were able to watch the magic unfold. But even more than that, it was AMAZING to be involved in this project among the hundreds of artisans and technologists that worked on the wooden boy. Congratulations!

To see more about the making of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, head on over to NY MoMA to the “Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio" exhibit where you can immerse yourself in the production of this film. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-museum-of-modern-art_pinocchio-craftingpinocchio-pinocchio-activity-7009550849995587585-xsfL

(Images taken at NY MoMA, Courtesy of IGB PR)

12/02/2022

On this 3DP day, we encourage you to ask the question - where can 3DP assist in my product development and manufacturing needs?

More and more, 3D Printing is redefining its role as a critical problem-solving tool alongside traditional manufacturing. Every day at Fathom, our customers take advantage of our wide expertise across additive, injection molding, CNC machining and sheet metal fabrication among our 25+ manufacturing processes. We have used 3DP for a wide variety of applications and notably, in one example, 3DP was added as tool for the injection molding process. We have used 3DP for conformal cooling, validation, test parts before incurring the cost of making a mold for injection molding, accelerating design cycles or running efficient volume production with repeatable part quality -- and that's just the tip of the iceberg, all for just one manufacturing process.

Where most people think 3DP is traditionally used for prototyping, Fathom has seen its real value across the entire product development process. It’s not just about 3DP as a standalone anymore, but instead it has become about examining how it fits into the traditional technology stack in manufacturing. And as usual, the limitless possibilities of additive continue to surprise, fascinate and solve for our customers.

11/11/2022

Direct Metal Laser Sintering, DMLS, is an additive technology that has proven to assist with traditional manufacturing by solving multiple hurdles. It provides improved accuracy compared to other technologies, reduces the weight of components, and offers high precision and complex geometries. DMLS is a popular technology for customers to use thanks to its wide range of applications, like rapid prototyping and the production of metal parts. It eliminates the need for tooling and fixturing, enabling even tiny changes to multiple parts to be printed all at once.

10/28/2022

The PolyJet printer, like most 3D printers, builds an object layer-by-layer on a build platform. They use specialized photopolymers engineered with specific mechanical and aesthetic traits. Each layer is cured with a UV light as it is printed. The result is a ready-to-use part made from your selected material and ready for production or prototype testing.

PolyJet is the only technology that supports a wide selection of materials with properties that range from rubber to rigid and transparent to opaque in the same part. It is commonly used for marketing models, tradeshow items, visual prototypes, or in some cases, inspection tools or manufacturing aids.

10/27/2022

Manufacturing matters, and it’s at the heart of what we do. From the time you wake up to the time you go to bed, manufacturing is all around you. October is which provides us an opportunity to highlight our workers and energize a future pipeline of skilled workers.

Attention parents: don’t forget to send us a photo of a project your child has made (via the link below). When you do, we’ll send your child a DIY Toy Making Kit from us to help them continue developing your young aspiring creator! Here is a picture of a young inventor who submitted his creation, “Funny.” Next to him is the 3D printed DIY Toy Making Kit we’ll send out to our participants who submit their photos.

We love Manufacturing Month so much that we’ve decided to extend the deadline for our ! Submissions are due November 18, 2022. Click the link below to submit your photo!

https://buff.ly/3fYZumE

10/21/2022

Stereolithography (SLA) was one of the first 3D printing technologies that hit the market. Even though many other technologies have since been invented, SLA is still an essential technology. Why? It offers a wide selection of materials to choose from, has very high aesthetic appeal, and is one of the most well-known and time-tested 3D printing processes.

10/19/2022

Now more than ever, we need to encourage the growth of the manufacturing industry. Across the US, manufacturing businesses are feeling the impact of the shortage of skilled workers. This may sound like a crisis, but we see this as an opportunity. This is why we want to inspire the next generation to be creators and innovators.

Tomeo Wise, Director of Sales, is helping his kids get in the Manufacturing Month spirit by building a toy worm. Don’t forget to submit your child’s project! Deadline to participate in our giveaway is Friday, October 28, 2022.

Click this link to submit their photo! https://fathommfg.com/lets-celebrate-the-future-of-manufacturing