In this episode Joe speaks with Alex Kingsbury. Alex is a well-known additive manufacturing technical expert and has worked in metal additive manufacturing in technical, leadership, and advisory roles for the last ten years. She is currently the Market Development Manager for nLIGHT, a leading provider of high-power semiconductor and fiber lasers. In this role Alex leads nLIGHT’s Additive Manufacturing business, facilitating the adoption of lasers that provide the next breakthrough in quality and productivity in additive manufacturing.
Prior to nLIGHT, Alex has held leadership positions at CSIRO and then RMIT University, both in Melbourne, Australia. Additionally, Alex maintained a private consultancy, Additive Economics, to provide expert, strategic advice to investment firms, company boards, and government agencies on the commercialization of and investment in advanced manufacturing technologies. More recently, Alex has been co-creator and occasional guest of ‘Printing Money’, a podcast on finance and investment in the additive manufacturing industry. Alex is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Bachelor of Engineering from RMIT University.
In the beginning of the episode Alex explains some of the the tech behind nLight lasers and what it means for the additive manufacturing industry. She tells the story of how she got into the 3D printing industry which eventually brought her to the US from Australia. Alex shares insights on the psychology and finances behind marketing and adoption of new technology—specifically the Diffusion of Innovations Theory. Then towards the end Alex offers perspective and advice for women wanting to get into 3D printing and the STEM fields in general.
Timecodes
00:00 Introduction
03:05 nLight and Lasers
08:22 Beam Shaping Lasers in Additive Manufacturing
13:47 Alex's Career Path
16:54 Alex's experience in media and podcasting
19:44 nLight and moving to the US
28:16 Diffusion of Innovations and Barriers to Adoption
33:57 Finances of 3D Printing
39:48 Tech Alex is exited about
48:07 Advice for Women in 3D Printing and STEM
55:43 Closing Remarks and Contact Info
Resources
NLight: https://www.nlight.net/
AFX Laser: https://www.nlight.net/programmable-rackmount-single-mode-fiber-lasers
Gaussian Beams: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaussian_beam
CSIRO: https://www.csiro.au/en/
RMIT: https://www.rmit.edu.au/
Diffusion of Innovations Theory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QnfWhtujPA
DfAM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_for_additive_manufacturing
SPAC: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special-purpose_acquisition_company
Arno Held: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arno-held/
AM Ventures: https://amventures.com/
Summary of Arno’s keynote at AMS 2024: https://3dprint.com/307039/charting-the-future-3d-printing-investments-at-ams-2024/
DED: Directed Energy Deposition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jAyUQJoAr8
Laser Powderbed Fusion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrxef_4DL_g
Binder Jet 3D Printing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhxSrWuzIdA
Alex’s Contact info
Website: https://www.nlight.net/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexbkingsbury/
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