3D PRINTING | INNOVATION


April, it announced the formation of Evolve Additive Solutions to handle its Selective Electro- photographic Process (STEP) technology, which it has been incubating for the last 10 years. The intention is to deliver high-volume produc- tion additive manufacturing “at breakthrough speeds compared to other commercially available additive processes,” says the company, which is also pitching STEP against production processes. “The solution is intended for high-volume produc- tion runs into the hundreds of thousands per year. As such, it is expected to compete with traditional processes, such as injection moulding. The highly scalable and extensible solution combines Evolve’s own proprietary technology with the proven capability of electrophotographic imaging.” “We believe the STEP technology is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap in the market not yet addressed by additive or traditional manufacturing technologies,” says Steve Chillscyzn, CEO of Evolve Additive Solutions and co-inventor of STEP. The STEP process is said to use sophisticated bonding techniques to create parts “that are fully dense with isotropic properties of injection moulding.” It works with amorphous and semi- crystalline thermoplastics, with production speeds of up to 50 times faster than existing additive manufacturing solutions. Cost per part and surface quality are claimed to be comparable to traditional manufacturing. Different materials and colours can be combined within the same layer. According to Stratasys, Evolve has already commenced seeking initial purchase orders from several leading automotive, consumer goods and aerospace companies during its alpha stage. “Over the next 12 months, Evolve also plans to engage new customers to evaluate beta systems for applications in volume production environments across many vertical markets,” it says. Evolve has not yet announced the date of expected general availability of its products.


More materials for APF Arburg says practical experience with its Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) technology “has clearly demonstrated that this open system is not only suitable for prototyping, but also and particularly for the industrial additive manufacturing of functional parts.” The company points out that one big advantage of APF is that the qualified standard plastic granulates used in injection moulding can be processed. The extent of setting options is comparable to those available with injection moulding, Arburg says. The better the process is adjusted, the higher the


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part quality. During testing of the strength of tensile rods made from PC (Makrolon 2805), the yield strength in the x/y direction corresponds 100% to that of injection moulded parts, while a very good value (83%) is also achieved in the z direction. The material database for AFP continues to grow. In autumn 2017, semi-crystalline PP was added, followed this March by PMMA and SEBS, joining amorphous standard granulates such as ABS, PA, and PC. At the Freeformer User Day in April 2018, the APF team reported on new hardware and software features as well as providing tips on additive manufacturing using the open system. The new upgraded slicing software is available to all custom- ers as a free update. The enhancements result in a high level of process stability and part quality.


CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.wohlersassociates.com � www.plasticsconverters.eu � www8.hp.com � www.hp.com � www.evonik.com � www.eos.info � www.3dsystems.com � www.basf.com � www.essentium3d.com � www.dsm.com � www.ultimaker.com � www.dow-dupont.com � www.perstorp.com � www.3d4makers.com � www.clariant.com � www.sabic.com � www.solvay.com � www.carbon3d.com � www.aptiv.com � www.stratasys.com � www.arburg.com � www.domochemicals.com


June 2018 | INJECTION WORLD 29


Above: Stratasys has set up Evolve Additive Solutions to handle its Selective Electrophoto- graphic Process (STEP) technology


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