April 16-19, 2016 Kick your business into high gear at the most inspiring, fun and effective trade show in the jewelry industry. Designed to meet the needs of forward-thinking independent retailers from across North America, The SMART Show combines an unmatched (and free!) education program with a wide selection of top vendors in every key category — making you the smartest jeweler in your area. Simply put, there’s no better place to fill your cases and boost your business know-how. Join us at Navy Pier this April and find out how good it is to be part of The SMART Jewelry Show community.
The Smart Show – April 16, 2016 – April 19, 2016
Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
This year, TechForm President, Teresa Frye will be making two presentations during the Saturday, April 16th educational sessions as follows:
The Basic Metallurgy of Precious Metals: Important Considerations for the Bench and the Consumer
Saturday, April 16 • 9:00am – 10:00am
Do not underestimate the importance of having metals behave in a consistent and predictable manner at the bench and during regular wear. A bad casting, an overly soft alloy, or a piece that has simply been cold-worked too long can result in scrap and rework, causing potential downstream problems for both your clients and profitability.
In this session, we will look at the far-reaching effects of metallurgical quality on the performance of a jewelry item. We will discuss porosity, microstructure, mechanical strength, and the effects of alloying elements, as well as best practices for high-quality metallurgical outcomes.
Casting of 3-D Printed Models: Methods, Materials, and the Role of Design
Saturday, April 16 • 3:45pm – 5:00pm
Jewelry manufacturers increasingly are integrating digital casting models into their production processes with a wide variety of machines and materials from which to choose. There is a significant body of evidence, both anecdotal and documented, indicating that digital model materials have varying degrees of success in casting. The root causes of related defects are not well understood, leaving the industry plagued with speculation and a variety of homegrown methods aimed at addressing these problems.
This presentation will share original research using controlled studies to understand the casting behaviors of several model materials, including an evaluation of dimensional movement experienced by these materials when subjected to firing. In addition, we will show how we track related casting defects to their root causes through observations of defect size and shape.