Heads for large format 3D printers

How to meet the challenge of FDM [Fused Deposition Modeling] 3D printing on a large scale by pellet extrusion. When it comes to the benefits that large format 3D printing can bring to your business, several factors come into play. Key considerations include the ability to improve speed, cost and quality. Among its many uses, large format 3D printing finds its way into some well-known applications, including 1:1 scale prototypes, moulds, patterns, furniture, boats and end parts. All of them are particularly well positioned for the growing use of large format 3D printing. Prototyping was the first and remains the largest application area of 3D printing. In industries such as automotive, aerospace, boat building and anywhere where large parts made of thermofusible plastics are needed. Being able to do this relatively quickly in-house speeds up the design process and time to market. Ensuring proper fit and functionality of parts is a critical parameter in the design process. Hands-on use of 1:1 scale prototypes allows teams to provide all the real-world parameters required by the project. For such applications, 3D printing is an obvious solution as it is faster and cheaper than standard alternatives. The greatest advantage of industrial 3D printing is the freedom to design parts that do not depend on any tool or mold.

The realities of large-scale printing of large parts by pellet extrusion

Building larger parts means pushing the limits of extruded plastic 3D printing technology As the part size increases, so are the challenges that must be overcome to achieve good results using FDM technology FDM technology is the process of creating physical objects by building successive layers of material Thermoplastic fiber is pushed through an extruder and placed where it is needed, in every layer to complete the desired itemUse an additive manufacturing (AM) method or process as opposed to traditional manufacturing, which is based on subtractive technology 3D printing in FDM technology is clean, simple to use and user-friendly Thanks to production-grade materials that are mechanically and environmentally stable produce amazing results These include many of the same tried and tested thermoplastics used in traditional manufacturing processes such as extrusion or injection molding.
FDM [Fused Deposition Modeling] printing technology using fiber-powered 3D printers has limited extrusion efficiency Also, the price of the fiber [filament] itself is high compared to the price of plastics supplied in the form of granules An additional factor to be considered is the need for repeated processing [melting] of plastics plastics to produce [extrude] the filament.

Using the advantages of 3D printing with pellets

Extrusion using lightweight pellet-powered extruders provides a number of benefits. It allows you to achieve very high productivity from 1kg/h to 120 kg/h depending on the 3D printing head used, reduces material costs and offers access to new types of polymers that are not present in the filament format.
These benefits are offered by a new range of 3D printing heads designed for use in robotic 3D printing. Thanks to our technical solutions, customers achieve higher printing speeds and larger print sizes. Due to the professional construction of our 3D printing heads, they provide excellent parameters of polymer plasticization, transport and pressure building and very good distributing mixing and homogenization of the extruded alloy. These are the key factors that have a decisive impact on the quality and mechanical properties of the printed prototype using the FDM [Fused Deposition Modeling] technology.
The combination of pellet-powered 3D printing heads in combination with multi-axis industrial robots from companies such as ABB, Kuka, Fanuc is usually used for large-scale printing, e.g. furniture, boats, and makes the production of these objects more economical due to lower material costs and faster print times
In addition, customers can create their own custom composites and material blends to a limited extent by combining different granules By easily adding various dyes, additives and reinforcing fibers to the mix, customers can create custom composite plastics Professionally creating your own blends and composites requires a professional granulation line equipped with twin-screw extruder together with the appropriate equipment necessary to carry out the process. Therefore, 3D printing with pellet-fed heads not only provides efficiency and financial benefits, but the technology also provides environmental benefits.
The flexibility and versatility of industrial robots makes them an ideal component for the implementation of automated additive manufacturing methods due to their repeatability and accuracy. By combining automation tools, extruders and application-specific software, the needs of industrial additive manufacturing can increasingly be met.The demand for custom ad hoc manufactured components and a faster, stronger and cheaper approach to manufacturing continues.
This is an exciting time for modern manufacturing as very small or very large components and parts can be manufactured in line with an on-demand economy, with benefits such as reduced cost of prototypingThereby lowering the cost of product to market compared to traditional subtractive methods Product integrity , consolidation of larger assemblies and multiple material combinations can be achieved, expanding the range of production possibilities.