3D Printing
Knowing the durability of a 3D-printed component often makes it easier to choose the right material. This is why igus has now added a service to its 3D printing range. Apart from a price calculation and a feasibility analysis, the online 3D printing service can now also predict service life for individually manufactured special parts in just a few seconds. Just upload the STEP or STL file, have the service life calculated, choose the right material and order the part, and it will be shipped within three days.
igus, the motion plastics specialist based in Cologne, is launching a new laser sintering material for 3D printers: the powdered iglidur i6-BLUE is easy to detect thanks to its blue colouring, and also complies with FDA and EU 10/2011 regulations. The new material thus increases the safety of machines and systems in the food and beverage industry. iglidur i6-BLUE is in no way inferior to the proven iglidur i6 in terms of strength and sliding properties, and is particularly suitable for printing worm gears, toothed gears and snap-on connections in 3D.
With the iglidur i3000, igus is now presenting the world’s first 3D printing resin specifically for DLP 3D printing of wearing parts. This enables the additive manufacturing of particularly small, precise components with a service life that is 30 to 60 times longer than with conventional 3D printing resins. igus is also expanding its 3D printing service with DLP printers that achieve a resolution of 0.035 millimetres.
igus is expanding the scope of its 3D printing service: Chemical-resistant, lubrication-free tribo-polymer components can be manufactured using selective laser sintering (SLS). This evolutionary step is made possible by a new printing material for laser sintering printers: iglidur I10 is resistant to acids, bases, alcohols as well as greases and is therefore suitable for use in electroplating and food processing plants.
Unique store concepts, concrete stairs with futuristic designs or modern facades: Aectual, a Dutch company, implements special architecture projects with its XXL 3D printer. For reliable “lights out” robot operation, the design engineers decided to use highly flexible chainflex cables in a triflex R energy chain with a pneumatic retraction system. In the seventh axis, an E4/light energy supply system supplies the robot with energy and data.
To manufacture wear-resistant parts in special dimensions quickly and cost-effectively, igus has now developed a new, easy-to-machine all-rounder filament: iglidur I190. It is remarkable for its great mechanical flexural strength (80 MPa). The tribologically optimised material requires no lubrication or maintenance and can be used with all commercially available 3D printers with heated printing plates.
When booms for solar panels or satellite antennas are transported into space in a launch vehicle, they are exposed to high loads. To simplify the complex transport and speed up the production of the elements, the AIMIS-FYT student team is working on a 3D printing process. In the future, it should be possible to produce structural parts in outer space. To conduct experimental tests in zero gravity, the students built a 3D printer. For the drive technology supported by igus, they relied on the maintenance-free and lightweight drylin SAW linear axes.
Even today, 3D printed wear-resistant parts from igus often have the same service life as original parts. Now igus goes one step further and makes the printed components intelligent. Manufactured in filament printing, they warn against overload and report their maintenance requirements. The special feature: for the first time, the sensors are directly “printed into” the parts. As a result, they not only have extremely short delivery times and low costs but also feature useful Industry 4.0 options.
120,000 additively manufactured components were delivered by igus last year. Reason enough for the motion plastics specialist to further increase its capacities and equip its 3D printing service with new functions such as wall thickness and undercut analysis. In this way, customers worldwide can obtain their lubrication-free and low-maintenance components very easily and quickly, thereby saving costs.
Prototypes, spare parts, tools and small batches: 3D printers of the Cologne-based plastics specialist igus now also produce components with various filaments. Different material properties can be easily combined in this 2-component 3D printing. For example, 3D printing can be used to produce components that require both special rigidity and high wear resistance. This gives companies more freedom and flexibility in design.