#United States #Additive Manufacturing #QuesTek Innovations #Evanston, Illinois #ICMD®

QuesTek Innovations Unveils Enhancements to ICMD® Software Platform

On October 1, 2025, QuesTek Innovations, located in Evanston, Illinois, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced significant advancements to its ICMD® software platform aimed at enhancing additive manufacturing (AM) processes. By introducing new simulation-driven capabilities, the software aims to optimize production timelines, minimize costs, and improve the quality of manufactured parts.

The Need for Efficient Solutions

Additive manufacturing has transformed industries by offering a new way to design and produce components, but its adoption has often been hampered by uncertainties in material properties and production outcomes. QuesTek's ICMD® software addresses this challenge, enabling manufacturers to move away from costly trial-and-error methods. Instead, the platform provides high-fidelity simulations that predict the outcomes of the printing process, including factors such as melt pool dynamics, microstructure formation, and part strength. This capability is particularly vital in industries where safety and performance are paramount, such as aerospace and medical devices.

Features of the Enhanced ICMD® Platform

The latest iteration of ICMD® incorporates an Alloy Design Toolkit, allowing engineers to create materials with specific properties aimed at enhancing printability. This functionality helps mitigate issues like cracking and porosity during the printing process, ensuring that the produced parts meet quality standards while still pushing the boundaries of what materials can do.

Bill Mahoney, COO of QuesTek Innovations, stated, "Additive manufacturing is reshaping how critical industries design and deliver parts, but uncertainty has slowed adoption. ICMD® lets engineers simulate outcomes before printing, cutting trial-and-error and helping companies bring safer, more reliable products to market faster."

One of the standout features of the platform is its intuitive printability maps. These maps outline the safe operating windows for crucial parameters, such as laser power and scan speed, allowing manufacturers to optimize their processes and reduce defects. Such tools are crucial for industries seeking to scale up their AM capabilities efficiently and effectively.

Impact on Various Industries

From extending the fatigue life of aerospace engines to creating custom alloys for medical devices, QuesTek's enhanced capabilities position the company as a leader in materials innovation. By facilitating a digital-first approach to material design, the AM toolkit significantly reduces costs and risks, ultimately allowing for faster market delivery of high-performance products.

In a recent announcement, QuesTek shared that their advancements in additive manufacturing were recognized in the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory AM Modeling Challenge and the NIST AM Bench Challenge, showcasing the relevance and accuracy of their simulations in real-world applications.

Looking Ahead

With these enhancements, QuesTek aims to continue leading in materials design and engineering, focusing on delivering solutions that empower manufacturers across various sectors. Earlier this year, the company introduced a fatigue toolkit as part of the ICMD® platform, further broadening its offerings.

As industries navigate the complexities of modern manufacturing, QuesTek's innovations promise to drive efficiency, safety, and performance to the forefront of additive manufacturing.