INNOVATION | 3D PRINTING
Right: Luvocom 3F Filament PET CF 9780 enabled printing of a complex cavity in the mould for a hook part
The team worked on proving the feasibility of injecting several plastic parts made of an acetal resin (POM) with a very low cycle time. The part tested was a hook designed during the Covid-19 pandem- ic for opening doors and pushing buttons without human contact. Multiple injections were performed with a 65s cycle time with the POM material injected at 240° C. The 3D printed mould withstood the temperatures and pressures involved in the injection process and after several injections, the mould was performing as well as it had been at the start of the test. All testing occurred at the facilities of Cepex (Fluidra group) in La Garriga, Spain. The exercise enabled the prototyping phase to be expedited, as the mould could be printed overnight. “This disruptive approach could also be a viable solution for repairs by enabling a 3D mould to be used as a temporary substitute for a traditional metal mould,” says Collet.
Sustainable materials LehVoss is also improving sustainability of 3D printing with the launch of Luvocom 3F Eco PET family. It is 90% based on recycled PET, which Collet says is currently the highest recycling rate on the market for a PET 3D printing material. Luvocom 3F Eco PET is designed for the FFF and FGF (fused granulate fabrication) processes. The first available product is Luvocom 3F Eco
PET 50291 BK, an unreinforced, black type that gives parts with very good surface finish. The temperature resistance is up to 125 °C.
Techmer PM, a custom materials designer and compounder, has meanwhile developed a new series of recycled PETG grades available in unfilled (HiFill PETG 2106 ECO 3DP), glass fibre reinforced (HiFill PETG 2105 ECO 3DP), and recycled carbon fibre reinforced (Electrafil PETG 2107 ECO 3DP) versions. These grades offer up to 100% recycled content by weight, and print similarly to compa- rable prime materials. These grades are suitable for room temperature jigs and fixtures, prototyping, and general purpose printing. PETG offers substan- tial benefits over ABS grades commonly used. These advantages include better processing, less odour and smoke generation, superior dimension- al stability compared to ABS. PETG is also easily colourable, so aesthetics for artistic projects/ installations are more easily achieved.
Using AM in synergy with injection moulding
It’s a balancing act to choose the right technology. If flexible batch sizes, warehousing, and design iterations are relevant, 3D printing can offer solutions to increase cost-efficiency and lower risks. Looking more closely at injection moulding and 3D printing, there are in fact synergies when combining them in the right way. The tool making process for injection moulding is not only an economical factor, but also has an impact on how fast production can be ramped up. Bridging the gap be- tween finalised product design and production start is one of the advan- tages 3D printing has to offer. Manufacturers [can benefit] by applying injection moulding and 3D
32 INJECTION WORLD | June 2022 Mathieu Cornelis,
Innovation Manager at Materialise, discusses the pros and cons of AM and injection moulding
printing in parallel. Once the product design is ready, the mould production is initiated and simultaneously a first series of parts is produced with 3D printing. This enables companies to serve the market on a very short notice, making money with it, while the mould is still in development. In addition to accelerating the
go-to-market, this approach is also applied to avoid risks. By delaying the mould production after delivering a first 0 series, small adjustments to the part design are still feasible. That way, additional costs to change an existing tool can be avoided. There are key elements to consider when using 3D printing in synergy with injection moulding. The part design needs to support production with both technologies. Depending on the used 3D printing technology, this can be achieved with minor adaptions. Another relevant element is the material. Each 3D printing technology offers a different set of materials, and their properties are influenced by the used process.
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IMAGE: LEHMANN&VOSS
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