Solutionology Podcast
Dedicated to Educating & Advocating
The DI Labs Solutionology Podcast started in 2022 as a way to provide updates on two significant beta programs we were implementing for two of the largest technology providers in the industry.
From there, we expanded its mission to be a place for those interested in additive manufacturing to get a behind-the-scenes understanding of what it takes to implement, the challenges that come along with it, and the incredible opportunities it offers product developers and innovative companies looking to gain a competitive advantage.
Our approach is educational with no bias towards particular technologies, materials or applications. We discuss them all with equal passion in hopes that we can help accelerate the understanding and adoption of additive manufacturing.
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Podcast Episodes
Approaching Quality & ISO 9001 with a Digital Mindset
Solutionology Stories Podcast Episode #25 | 22:16 min
Quality can be a touchy subject in additive manufacturing because it often seems ambiguous and expectations can be very different between each client and project. Quality, which is considered a deliverable, and a digital mindset, which is a state of constant transition, can feel like oil & water. In this edition of the Solutionology Stories Podcast, we have an in-depth discussion with Hannah Kinder, DI Labs Production Manager, about approaching quality and our recent ISO 9001 certification using a digital mindset.
Using a Digital Mindset in Product Development & Manufacturing
Solutionology Stories Podcast Episode #24 | 22:30 min
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…”
Maximizing Value Using a Digital Mindset
Solutionology Podcast Episode #23 | 14 min
What does it mean to have a digital mindset and how does it open up possibilities in product development and manufacturing? Carl and Brian share DI Labs’ journey in creating a consumer product line that has grown exponentially by leveraging the power of a digital mindset and manufacturing process.
Do You Have a Blueprint for Additive Manufacturing Success?
Solutionology Podcast Episode #22 | 1 hr 26 min
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.
When to Consider Additive Manufacturing for Production
Solutionology Podcast Episode #21 | 15 min
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.
Driving design complexity using additive manufacturing for production
Solutionology Podcast: Ep #20 | 15 min
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.
Insights from a 30-Year Career in Product Design w/ Mike Van Staagen
Solutionology Podcast: Ep #19 | 38 min
In this special episode, we got 30 years of wisdom from renowned product and aviation designer, Mike Van Staagen. Mike is extremely passionate 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.
The Impact of Rapid Modeling at Full Scale: Cirrus Fuselage
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #18 | 15 min
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.
A CFO’s Perspective on Innovation
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #17 | 41 min
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.
Leveraging 3D Printing to Drive Thermoforming Innovation
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #16 | 37 min
On this episode of the Solutionology Podcast, Carl and Brian walk you 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.
PAEK: The Superhero of Ultra-High-Performance Materials
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #15 | 57 min
If you’ve had experience with ultra-high-performance PEEK materials, or come from an industrial application with harsh chemical and thermal conditions, this conversation is for you. In Episode 15 of the Solutionology Podcast, we talk with Robert McKay and Silvia Berretta from Victrex, the company that invented PEEK in the 1980s.
Pain Point #5: Short Term Thinking vs Long Term Solutions
Solutionology Podcast Episode #14.5 | 14 min
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.
Pain Point #4: Making Promises vs Delivering on Promises
Solutionology Podcast Episode #14.4 | 11 min
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?
Pain Point #3- Promoting Quality vs. Ensuring Quality
Solutionology Podcast Episode #14.3 | 10 min
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.
Pain Point #2: Packing Builds vs Designing Builds
Solutionology Podcast Episode #14.2 | 13 min
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.
Pain Point #1: Buying a Printer vs Building a Digital Workflow
Solutionology Podcast Episode #14.1 | 11 min
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.
The Two-Week Effect: A Friendship that Shaped our Culture
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #12 | 22 min
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.
Supporting Transformational Innovation in Medical Device
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #11 | 33 min
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.
Discovering the Power of Additive: Phytec’s Journey
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #10 | 39 min
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.
The Journey Behind Our Mass Customization Use Case
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #9 | 42 min
There’s lots of buzz about mass customization, but how do you actually apply it from a product development and manufacturing standpoint?
Additive Hype vs. Additive Reality
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #8 | 49 min
On this episode, we address an edgy topic that has caused more than a little frustration among customers and industry peers – “Additive Hype vs. Additive Reality.”
Managing tolerances & quality for mission critical applications
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #7 | 24 min
One of the most common questions we get about additive capabilities is: how do you achieve and manage tight tolerances? Those asking are usually in mission critical applications like medical device, aerospace, or aviation where extremely high levels of quality are required to meet exacting tolerance specifications and performance needs.
Introducing Ultra White
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #6 | 17 min
We’ve added Ultra White to our core capabilities powered by HP’s 5420W, a new generation of Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology that is currently being launched at FormNext in Germany! We’re proud to be an HP beta partner and the first in North America to run this new technology and help get it to market.
Advancements with White Parts
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #5 | 14 min
We share some exciting news about the work we’ve been doing with white nylon parts. We’ve got some beautiful samples and give you a preview of what’s to come with this latest advancement in additive manufacturing which will be another tool in our toolbox to serve high-end markets like medical and automotive where white is an essential aesthetic.
The “Art” of Onboarding Materials & Technologies
Solutionology Podcast: Episode #4 | 25 min
This episode marks an important transition! The DI Labs podcast has been renamed the Solutionology podcast, allowing us to interview all types of guests and share our problem-solving perspective on a wide variety of topics such as innovating for unique applications, bringing on new technologies, optimizing for new materials, and growing our business.
A Deep Dive into Material Innovation
Free The Fortus Podcast: Episode #3 | 32 min
Welcome to the “Free the Fortus” Podcast, fueled by the Stratasys #OpenAM Validated Materials Beta underway at DI Labs. We’re a Stratasys global launch partner for this groundbreaking program that will free the Fortus 450MC of its closed system limitations and unlock the potential of the industry’s most powerful FDM platform.
OpenAM Beta Update Week 3
5 min
We have completed week three of the Stratasys #OpenAM Beta. As product development engineers, we live and breathe this type of beta process so were not surprised to face some challenges as we pushed the new software in our production environment.
Opportunities with Engineered Materials with Nathan Litmer
Free The Fortus Podcast: Episode #2 | 31 min
Welcome to the “Free the Fortus” Podcast, fueled by the Stratasys #OpenAM Validated Materials Beta underway at DI Labs. We’re a Stratasys global launch partner for this groundbreaking program that will free the Fortus 450MC of its closed system limitations and unlock the potential of the industry’s most powerful FDM platform.
OpenAM Beta Update Week 1
1 min
The Stratasys #OpenAM Beta is off to a great start at DI Labs as we unlock the potential of our Fortus 450MC. What was once a closed system is now open and brimming with opportunities to run new materials and solve new, complex challenges for customers! Brian Douglass, DI Labs Co-Founder and COO, shares the week one update.
Free The Fortus Podcast
Episode #1 | 30 min
Welcome to the “Free the Fortus” Podcast, fueled by the Stratasys #OpenAM Validated Materials Beta underway at DI Labs. We’re a Stratasys global launch partner for this groundbreaking program that will free the Fortus 450MC of its closed system limitations and unlock the potential of the industry’s most powerful FDM platform.