The early eighties have seen the birth of a very curious adventure: in parallel, the invention in France and the United States of the Additive Layer Manufacturing the acronym of which is ALM. We now measure the singularity of this invention through both (i) the industrial importance taken by the rapid prototyping and by (ii) the growing need for innovation required by economic globalization. But these two items do not tell nothing about the dynamic singularity which resulted in the invention. The purpose of the key-note is to revisit the history of this invention, and to consider the context in which it occurred. It is also to trace the development prospects that can now be designed. Surprisingly, these developments are not so far removed from those that had been imagined in 1984, when the ALM was patented. The history of the invention could be classified in what the Anglo-Saxons call: "innovation case". The spirit of the lecture will be to give a feedback of this history. With regard to innovation the requirements of a paradoxical management, as proposed by SR ... and ALM, will be introduced. Speakers Alain Le Méhauté, Scientific Adviser of CEO, Institut Franco Quebecois

1. ALM according to ALM
and vice versa
A short personal history of Additive Layer Manufacturing
Pr. Dr. Alain Le Méhauté

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1975
Yves Kodratoff
Arts and computer sciences
ALM Craft sculptureCAD files
How industrialize the handicraft sculpture (question in 1975 ) ?

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The american CEO of 3D Systems (1986)
is considered as the father
of ALM. He received in 2014
the European Award of
European Inventor for non European citysen
for the invention of the photo stereo lithographie…
…BUT!
Chuck Hull’s Answer

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Historial Truth
N° 2 567 668
N° INPI 84 11 241
July 16th 1984
Compagnie des Lasers
(CILAS)
Authors :
Jean Claude André
Alain Le Méhauté
Olivier de Witte
3D systems
Creation
1986
FIRST PATENT CILAS Chuck Hull
Patent
8 August 1984!
US4575330 A
….The real initial patent…

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O. De Witte (CILAS)
The aim was the development of
Non military laser applications
J.C. André (CNRS)
The aim was photochemical
developments and applications
A Le Méhauté
(CGE Research Centre Marcoussis)
After invention and first pre-developments
of Lithium Batteries
Move research activities to photo-chemistry
From CAD to CAM
How to build a Fractal Object
Bezier (CAO 1962 )
Paul de Casteljau
CAD
( Renault 1962
Citroën 1958)
CAM
1983
CGE/CNRS)
Cost of
Citroen Modeling Department
~ 8M€/y (1983)

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Marcoussis (1983-1984)
First Machin in Europe
Cl-Eximer laser
2D printing device
1D analogic
Monomer CNRS
Valencia California USA
Creation 3D Systems
Chuck Hull (1986)
2013
~1000 employees
~700 M$
~850 patents
Target: 7B$
Marcoussis environment
Not any support of the company
Marketing analysis : no future markets
~1990 Cancelation of patent fees
without technical exchanges with experts
SLA
How idea create employments
and industrial revolution
Estimated Market : 70B$/y
1993O.deWitte
Director3DSystemsFrance

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Strategical d-Mistake
At the end of eighties
CILAS had to chose between two
types of Markets
Manufacturing : Additive Layer Manufacturing
and
Instrumentation: Laser Granulometer
absence of long term strategic vision
Internal fights between experts
absence of transdisciplinary point of view
narrow mind and cost killer management …
CILAS: ~170 employees (2009)
36% civil market
versus
3D systems : ~1000 employees (2013)
1962 Dick Rowe (Decca)
Refused the Beatles…
Hats Off for Chuck!

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(*) In fact gentlemen agreement. I leave the company
to contribute to the creation
Of a new type of Engineering School
NicolasLeMéhauté
1994: I was fired* for disagreeing with
the strategy of the company (Fab Less Option)
La Revue des Science de Gestion 2009/1 (n°235)

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The industrial impact being obvious (CAD to CAM)…
We had to think about scientific demonstrator…
How to manufacture Fractale Geometry
Among technical questions
a Scientific Issue
C
V
V
C
C
V
V
C
C
V
V
C
Smart Materials
(informations)
?1)(  id
Focus on smart materials

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www.arsmathematica.org
Engineering, Arts and Maths

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Engineering, Arts and Maths
Smart Topological Chemical Reactor
Daniel Tondeur (LSGC Nancy)

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Modeling Music (REIFI 3D)
Archetype for Modeling Complex Systems
http://3dprint.com/57356/reify-3d-printed-sculptures/
The ride of the Valkyries

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3A dope la fabrication métallique
PAR LUDOVIC FERY PUBLIÉ LE 25/06/2012 À 11H50
Exemple de pièce réalisée par EBM pour le médical.
© © Arcam AB
La start-up3A utilise la fusion par faisceau d’électrons (EBM)
pour fabriquer rapidement des pièces métalliques.
Elle présente plusieurs avantages comparée à la fabrication rapide par fusion laser.
Fondée par Philippe Vannerot, un ingénieur mécanicien qui a fait ses
armes chez Plastic Omnium et Freudenberg, la start-up Applications
Additives Avancées (3A) mise sur une technologie prometteuse : la
fusion par faisceau d’électrons (EBM). Lancé au début des années
2000 par la société suédoise Arcam, le procédé en est encore à ses
prémices, avec moins de 100 machines en fonctionnement
aujourd’hui dans le monde.
Alloy Additive Layer Manufacturing

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Stratoconception (CIRTES)
R
Packing layers

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From Macro To Micro
http://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/high-tech/
20150617.OBS0980/
bientot-un-pont-imprime-en-3d-a-amsterdam.html

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SPADD and prototyping
R
ALM ( 3 Patents 1984-1985)
ARTEC Technologies
SPADD ( patent 1996)
Smart Passive Damping Devices
-120
-100
-80
-60
-40
-20
0
10 100 1000
dBref1m/s2
-60 -55 -50 -45 -40 -35 -30
1
2
3
configuration
dB ref 1 m/s2
Reference
SPADD® surfacic
Constraint layer

17. Let us note the very active French involvement in ALM
Alain Bernard (ECN)
Christian Lavigne
http://www.arsmathematica.org/
and their teams
Stratoconception
CIRTES
Claude Barlier
Laurent Nivanen
(Ismans)

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ALM according to ALM
and vice versa
Additive Layer Manufacturing
My own acronyme
(initials)
American Joke!
It is a personal tale, just an a part of the history. An invention is always a complex story,
and the Yoneda lemma well known in the theory of category has to be
applied to describe all the truth.
My colleagues would have probably tell you another story…
but this point of view is mine.

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Conclusions
Le canard enchainé
Capabilities in creativity requires some relays :
1. Relay in management
(french technological management is not efficient for innovation)
2. Financial support and Business Angel s
(French banks are to big to fail. The financial risks is
more profitable than technical risks)
3. Tax policy for entrepreneurship must be revisited
4. Relay in education must be taken ( less academic)
Additive Layer Technologies is an archetypal
example confirming Schumpeter hypothesis :
The technological revolution changes the way
of running the economy

20. O. De Witte (CILAS)J.C. André (CNRS)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
and the ALM
And special thank for Laurent Nivanen who was my student and my colleague
for the pedagogical development of the education in rapid prototyping (1992 – 2010)