Molds for orthoses are usually machined. That is not optimal – neither for the patient nor for the manufacturer. Within the scope of a study, Lehmann & Voss therefore investigated whether 3D printing is an alternative – both ecologically and economically.

3D-printed laminating standard for the production of CFRP orthoses.

16:9

Molds for Orthoses

Polyethylenterephthalat

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Thermoplaste

Technische Kunststoffe

Additive Fertigung

Medizintechnik

Medizinprodukte

3D-Printed, Not Machined

On October 16, 2019, on the first evening of the K fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, Carl Hanser Verlag awarded the Dr. Richard Escales prize for the eighth time in memory of the founder of the journal Kunststoffe. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Gebhardt achieved the award for “outstanding achievements in the advancement of technical knowledge”, as the citation on the certificate states.

Fig. 3. From artwork to replica: the data were read with a hand scanner in about an hour (left); Antonius Köster discusses the result at a 3D fair (center); Stratasys Manager, Michael Eichmann, with a print in virtually the original size (right), which at first glance cannot be distinguished from  the original

Award for Technical Author on Additive Manufacturing

Verfahren für die additive Fertigung

Messe K-Kunststoffmesse

kunststoffe-international.com

Bildverarbeitungs-Software

Fertigungsautomation

Bildverarbeitung

Klotz, Karlhorst, Dr.

Anlagen Additive Fertigung / 3D-Druck, Kunststoff

Anlagen für die Additive Fertigung

Outstanding 3D Achievements

3D printing is a fast-growing market, opening up completely new product and manufacturing options for customers and industry. The newly developed SEAM process significantly extends the options for the efficient manufacture of printed components. An impression of this is conveyed by the example of a fiber-reinforced clamping fixture.

Vacuum clamping fixture of a B-column segment, manufactured by the SEAM process 

Additive Manufacturing of Plastic Components in a High-Speed Process Using Standard Pellet Stock

Anlagen Additive Fertigung / 3D-Druck, andere

3D-Drucker (für FDM, FFF, etc.)

Anlagen Additive Fertigung / 3D-Druck, Metall

Faserverbundwerkstoffe

Andere Werkstoffe

Ultrafast 3D Printing

In order to minimize the development time for new products, Geberit International AG manufactures many prototypes using 3D printing. Since 2016, the Swiss company uses a Sintratec S1 for design optimization and material testing in its prototyping laboratory. A visit to Switzerland.

On the left the prototype of the valve connection angle made of Sintratec TPE and on the right the series component made of EPP

Geberit: „Selective Laser Sintering Really Sparks our Imagination“

Anlagen Selektives Lasersintern, Kunststoff

Rapid Prototyping

Werkstoffe für additive Verfahren

Sanitary Prototypes with  High Requirements

Fiber-reinforced plastic components, including those for load-bearing areas, are established alternatives to metals in vehicle construction. It is not just their low specific weight that makes them interesting, but also their acoustic properties, which reduce noise transmission.

Fig. 1. Internal combustion engine and its connection to the vehicle structure via engine support and support (colored black)

3D Printing Shortens Development Times for Load-Bearing Parts under the Hood

Spritzgießsimulation

Software

Simulation

Functional Prototypes for  Car Components

Arburg Plastic Freeforming is predestined for the additive manufacturing of medtech components. The associated Freeformer-type additive manufacturing systems process the same plastic pellets that are used in injection molding. That makes the open systems very economical to use.

In the AKF process, resorbable original materials such a plate-implants similar to bone, can be manufactured. They are gradually replaced by endogenous tissue

Medical Product Manufacturers Are Processing Original Materials Using the Freeformer

Biokunststoffe

Arburg Kunststoff Freiformen

Freiraumverfahren

New Possibilities for Use  in the Human Body

ARBURG is one of the world‘s leading manufacturers of plastic processing machines. The product portfolio encompasses ALLROUNDER injection moulding machines with clamping forces of between 125 and 6,500 kN, the freeformer for industrial additive manufacturing, plus robotic systems, customer and industry-specific turnkey solutions, and further peripheral equipment.

ARBURG GmbH + Co KG  

https://www.arburg.com

Abkantmaschinen, -pressen, -bänke

Blechbearbeitungsmaschinen

Maschinen für die spanlose Fertigung

Antriebselemente

Lineartechnik

Maschinenelemente

Ceramic-Injection-Moulding, CIM

Spritzgießen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Condition Monitoring für die Qualitätssicherung

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

Industrie 4.0

Energieeffizienz

Handling, Handhabungstechnik

Automatisierungstechnik

Kennzahlen

Qualitätsmanagement

Kennzahlen, Q-Leitstand, Q-Monitor

Qualitätssicherung

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Kühlelemente, aktive

Kühlkörper

Elektromechanik

Management-Informationssysteme

Mehrfarben-Spritzgießmaschinen

Spritzgießmaschinen

Mikrobauteile

Montage

Montagetechnik

Mikrospritzgießen

Mischer

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

NE-Metalle

Metall Werkstoffe

PUR-Schäummaschinen

Schäumen / Reaktive Verarbeitung

Partikelschäumen

Produktionssystem

Rapid Manufacturing

Reinraumsysteme / -technik

Reinraumtechnik

Betriebsausrüstung / Betriebsmittel

Reporting-Tools

Rückverfolgbarkeit, Traceability

Schnecken und Plastifiziersysteme

Schnecken und Zylinder

Spanneinrichtungen

Systemperipherie

Spritzgieß-Zubehör und Einzelteile

Stetigförderer

Fördertechnik

Logistik

Trockner

Vorbeugende Instandhaltung für die spanende Fertigung

Industrie 4.0 für die spanende Fertigung

For the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at the RWTH Aachen University, Germany, 2020 is an anniversary year in three different ways. The RWTH Aachen University is celebrating its 150th anniversary, and is marking the occasion, by hosting the International Colloquium of Plastics Technology for the 30th time – with special feature on the previous day. A preview of the celebrations.

Institute Director Professor Christian Hopmann expects 800 participants to attend the 30th International Colloquium of Plastics Technology

A Varied Menu

Extrusion

Doriat, Clemens, Dr.

Temperiertechnik

Künstliche Intelligenz für die Qualitätssicherung

Extrusionswerkzeuge

Werkzeuge für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Extrusionsanlagen

Reason to Celebrate 30th International Colloquium of Plastics Technology and  70 Years of the IKV

Hybrid production chains have been increasingly in the spotlight in recent years. This also applies to the combination of conventional manufacturing and additive processes in tool construction. With the example of an injection molding tool, it is shown how mold inserts produced by additive manufacturing can greatly shorten cycle times, and thereby significantly reduce unit costs. The important thing is to find a suitable combination of processes from the variety available.

Tool insert for a spacer of a glass fiber-reinforced PA66. The example shows that hybrid manufacturing is suitable and provides added value, even with comparatively simple parts

Additive Manufacturing and Hybrid Molds in Combination with Conventional Machining

HSC- / HPC-Bearbeitung

Spanende Verfahren

Werkzeugkonstruktion

Dienstleistungen

Werkzeug-, Formen- und Modellbau

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

The Potential of Redesign and  Part Consolidation

Marbling is often a real eye-catcher in plastic components. However, the effect is difficult to create and there are some pitfalls when it comes to reproducibility. Novel nozzles for injection molding machines in combination with a special dosing technology allow marbled molded parts to be produced far more easily in a much more robust process.

Marbling leads to attractively designed molded plastic parts, but is not so easy to implement in production

A 3D-Printed Nozzle and Modified Dosing Method Deliver Reproducible Marbling  in a Robust Process

Kunststoffe

Photonik

Optik

Farben, flüssig

Additive

Exciting Design instead of  Exciting Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing processes count as future-oriented manufacturing techniques. Numerous studies and award-winning demonstrators underline the interest of the industry.

The bicycle frame (600 g, produced in 80 min) is printed directly onto a metal sheet. This combination unites the advantages of two worlds

Plastic-Metal Hybrid Cuts Costs and Time in Additive Manufacturing

Anlagen fÃ¼r die Additive Fertigung

Bleche, BÃ¤nder

Verbindungstechnik, hybride

Verbindungstechnik Verfahren

Werkstoffe fÃ¼r additive Verfahren

3D Printing with Pellet Extruded Plastics on Metal

What AM technology is considered capable of today and how it can be applied in many areas of application is shown (representative) by this expert’s view of medical technology.

To enhance the mobility of the spine, the upper and lower shell of this disc prosthesis are connected with an elastic double spring made of titanium. The core also contains a cushioning silicone filling. The prosthesis can be manufactured according to the patient’s anatomy using the LaserCusing process 

Status and Perspectives for Human Medicine

Medical Applications of Additive Manufacturing

Shape-changing structures (smart structures) are able to change their shape in response to external stimuli. The change of shape is self-induced and requires no artificial energy input. In view of the increasing demand for efficiency and resource conservation, shape-changing (smart) materials offer a sensible approach to integrating functionalities into a component without giving rise to additional energy and material costs. Even greater sustainability is achieved if the components are produced from bioplastics.

Prototype of a weather-sensitive smart facade system

Bioplastics for Shape-Changing Structures

Polylactid

Green Shape Changers

Friday, 6 March 2020 marked the opening ceremony of Arburg¿s new Training Center measuring 13,700 square metres at the company¿s headquarters in Lossburg.  

More Space, More Digitalisation, More Focus On Customers 

New Arburg Training Center 

Ineos Styrolution announced first results of the PolySLS project, which is focused on developing a new energy saving styrenics based material for additive manufacturing, otherwise known as „3D printing“.

The PolySLS project is focused on developing a new energy saving styrenics based material for additive manufacturing

Technik Trend

Polystyrol

Kunststoff-Erzeugung

Energy Savings with Styrenics Polymer Tailored for 3D Printing

IKV develops process for non-planar additive manufacturing with a jointed-arm robot and screw extruder.

The IKV has developed a process for non-planar additive manufacturing with jointed-arm robots and screw extruders. Compared to conventional additive manufacturing, the surface roughness can be reduced by up to 76 %.

Through the layer-by-layer production of plastic parts, additive manufacturing offers a high level of geometric freedom. Components with complex geometries and internal structures can be quickly manufactured without any set-up operations. However, these layers have until now always been planar in form and aligned parallel to the construction platform. Compared with other manufacturing technologies, layer-based processes thus have disadvantages with regard to the surface quality of the parts, caused by the step effect. Because of the lower load resistance in the build direction (attributable to the adhesion between the individual layers), the mechanical properties of the component are also anisotropic. In order to overcome these difficulties, a process for non-planar additive manufacturing with variable layer thickness was developed at IKV. With this method of path planning, it was shown that the surface roughness can be reduced by 76 % compared with conventional additive manufacturing.

With non-planar additive manufacturing, the exact form of the component and the existing load cases are taken into account when calculating the machine code. The layers generated in this way can be freely arranged in the space and can be curved. This applies both to the layers on the outer sides of the components for producing high-quality surfaces and for all layers on the inside of the component. The latter allows the specific exploitation of the technology-related anisotropy through the load path-oriented design of the individual plastic strands. The variable layer thickness, which is achieved through the specific variation of the material output, allows a gap-free transition between different curvatures and orientations.

Larger Parts, Material Variety And Accelerated Production

In order to increase the size of the part, the diversity of materials and the production rate, the implementation of non-planar path planning on a large-volume additive manufacturing screw extruder – IKV‘s hybrid production cell – is being examined in a research project. The machine‘s robot arm allows a large build volume and the use of three additional freedom levels, which are utilised to adjust the extruder according to the gradient of the component to be manufactured. In this way, the quality of the part can be further improved. In addition, the possibility exists of adjusting the load path with large-volume additively manufactured parts. By processing fibre-filled standard granules, which show very good mechanical properties in the strand direction, in combination with the specific orientation of the individual strands by non-planar additive manufacturing, the technology-related anisotropy can be exploited. This technological lead is especially relevant in the industrial application of additively manufactured parts.

Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV) in Industrie und Handwerk an der RWTH Aachen

https://www.ikv-aachen.de

IKV‘s hybrid production cell for the additive manufacturing of large-volume parts.

2022-07-27 - IKV

Additive Manufacturing at the 31<sup>st</sup> IKV Colloquium

Additive manufacturing will be the topic of Session 14: Additive manufacturing of large components with a keynote speech from industry by Dr. Wolfgang Meyer, Head of Central Function and Innovations, Volkswagen AG and two scientific presentations by IKV. For further information cklick <a href="https://en.kunststoffe.de/a/news/research-meets-practice-2769135" target="_blank">here</a>.