MATERIALS | 3D PRINTING


Right: Aim3D helped make this ventilation shaft compo- nent from Ultem 9085 – with Replique and Alstom – to replace a metal sheet part


structures, achieve a build volume of up to 10 m3


and simplify the implementation of complex designs – offering an alternative to conven- tional production methods, says Krauss- Maffei.


Component boost Germany-based Aim3D has improved its Voxelfill process, allowing it to produce compo- nents with properties “close to conventional processes such as injection moulding”. The move comes after a difficult


year for the company – when factors such as high energy costs led it to restructure and go through a management buy-out. Voxelfill helps to overcome the inhomogeneous


Below: Replique provides an encrypted 3D printing platform that enables OEMs to store parts digitally


strength properties that are common in 3D-printed parts, due to the layer-based build process. This can lead to tensile and flexural strength shortcom- ings, and brittle behaviour along the Z axis. In contrast, strengths achieved along the X and Y axes with some processes are already close to those possible with conventional injection moulding. Aim3D has shown this with the processing of both fibre-filled components based on PA6 GF30 and pure thermoplastics such as Ultem 9085. Voxelfill can also be used for multi-material components and is generally suitable for construct- ing 3D components using plastics, metals and ceramics.


“Users now has the possibility to use the new


process to improve the z-strength and the printing speed – and we are consistently developing this technology further,” said Clemens Lieberwirth, CTO at Aim3D. The company has also begun cooperating with additive manufacturing (AM) service provider


Replique with the aim of making Ultem 9085 more suitable for 3D printing. Injection moulding technology compo- nents and 3D-printed components exhibit comparable material homoge- neities when using granulate Ultem 9085, says the company. This is shown in the latest tensile tests in accordance with DIN EN ISO 527-2 Type 1A, which confirm low standard


deviations and a high process stability. This is mainly achieved by the patented pellet extruder technology, which ensures gentle processing of the material and minimises degradation of the polymers in the extruder.


In future, the aim is to realise solutions for finer nozzles (below 0.4mm), so that the spectrum for components made of Ultem 9085 can be further expanded. In addition, the composite extrusion modelling (CEM) process opens up new areas of application for the material, says the company. As well as aerospace applications, the material is suitable for automotive and rail technology. An example is the substitution of complex sheet metal assemblies in the ventilation area, as carried out in cooperation with Replique and Alstom. Max Siebert, CEO of Replique, said: “A 3D pellet printer will make existing applications more cost-effective in the future, while we will see new 3D applications of Ultem 9085 – which were not economically feasible in the past.” Replique was recently spun off from Chemovator – the business incubator unit of BASF. Its latest funding round was led by digital technology investor STS Ventures. “Replique’s innovative industrial 3D printing


platform has the potential to disrupt the industry and we are excited to support its growth and expansion,” said Oliver Kaul, partner at STS Ventures. Replique says it provides a fully encrypted 3D printing platform that makes spare part manage- ment and the production of small series more sustainable. The company offers an industrial 3D printing


platform that enables OEMs to store parts digitally. Those parts are provided on demand to customers via a network of more than 80 print farms around the world. The secure platform can easily be integrated into existing business landscapes such as ERP systems and webshops. This enables B2B businesses to leverage 3D printing in a smooth supply chain process, and B2C businesses to offer 3D-printed parts to their customers.


34 INJECTION WORLD | July/August 2024 www.injectionworld.com


IMAGE: REPLIQUE


IMAGE: AIM3D


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