prototyping system, an early version of the stereolithography (SLA) machine. For years additive manufacturing was not considered a method for high-volume production because older 3D printing systems did not offer high throughput, had poor surface finishing, and inadequate material properties. Now 3D printing is helping many companies
3D
transform their business models to become more efficient and agile as well as handle supply chain disruptions. It produces a broad range of items with a high degree of customisation, reducing waste and labour thanks to automation systems that control volume design and workflows, post-processing, and quality assurance. A study on additive manufacturing made by Deloitte shows that 63 per cent of users deploy the technology on prototyping, while only 21 per cent use it for items that cannot be made any other way. Additive manufacturing combines the
manufacturing and assembling stages in a single process. This differs from traditional manufacturing processes such as injection moulding, CNC machining, milling, and cutting, that only produce one part of a product or a low mix of very similar products at high volumes. These parts are then typically joined or fastened to create the finished product. For example, with
printing dates back to the early 1980s in Japan, when Hideo Kodama developed a rapid
Additive vs. trAditionAl mAnUfActUring
3D printing, manufacturers are able to create individually customised prosthetics in only one step. According to Statista, the number of additive manufacturing devices are forecast to grow to more than 2.7 million by 2030. Despite its benefits, additive manufacturing still
has to improve process stability, part quality and reproducibility. Currently it’s not as easy as simply switching from a polymer 3D printer to a metal 3D printer without making other changes to the process. Recent development has grown the list of printable materials, going from plastics and concrete to large pieces of metal. Manufacturers need to identify which steps of their products can be done by a 3D printer and decide if it will be worth the expense. By combining both models, known as bridge manufacturing, businesses can expand capabilities and deal with tight deadlines or machine outages. As the industry embraces 3D printing, it
becomes crucial for manufacturers to select a PC-based control system that demonstrates compatibility with modern technologies. Beckhoff’s cloud-based PC-Control solution, TwinCAT, can monitor in real-time the whole 3D printing process and transitions, meeting high industrial demands for robustness, speed,
functionality, standardisation and costs. This includes controlling the movement of the printer head, adjusting the temperature and speed, and scheduling the printing process. TwinCAT extension modules ensure
compatibility with diverse third-party software, enabling seamless integration with both Beckhoff hardware and software. Beckhoff PC- Control systems can be used to collect and analyse data for optimisation such as print time, material usage, and print quality, which allows manufacturers to correct any issues, reduce waste and improve overall efficiency. Depending on the industry, combining
additive and traditional manufacturing can help to centralise processes, deal with higher demands and meet customer needs. By closely integrating part design, production and post- processing using industrial PC-Control, manufacturers can reduce supply chain complexity and further automate their 3D printing operations.
Beckhoff UK
www.beckhoff.com
rotAry And lineAr encoders for demAnding ApplicAtions
encoders in the size of a single industry standard size 58mm, 75mm or 115mm body. The completely redundant CAT4 design has
T
no counters or batteries and you have the choice of either SIL2/PLd or SIL3/PLe, meaning you can select exactly the right safety performance level for your application.
R-Electronic is one of the leading manufacturers of rotary and linear encoders. The company’s SIL2/PLd & SIL3/PLe Safety Safety encoders are the smallest available with two fully independent multi-turn
Available in solid shaft, hollow shaft and
blind hollow shaft, they are ideal for both new applications or for upgrading existing applications to functional safety. Interfaces include PROFIBUS / PROFINET with
PROFIsafe, FSoE Safety over EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP - CIP Safety, Safety over POWERLINK, and CANopen Safety. TR-Electronic’s incremental safety encoders
are available with either a 5v/TTL, HTL or Sin/Cos output and there is an optional secondary output available on our absolute safety encoder range, in the form of either an incremental 5v/TTL, HTL, Sin/Cos or SSI output. There is additional physical protection in the
form of sea water resistant housings and even a 316L Stainless Steel housing for harsher environments and wash down areas. For linear measurement, there are TR-
Electronic’s complete Wire Rope Pull units with lengths up to 60 metres. For explosive atmospheres, the company can
offer SIL3/PLe safety in both Zone 1/21 and Zone 2/22 ATEX rated encoder housings and can even offer ATEX Wire Rope Pull units. The free fitting, operating and commissioning manuals, together with EPLAN marcos,
20 connecting indUstry 20th AnniversAry edition
SISTEMA Library files and 3D STEP files, allow for easy CAD design and fast setup. The step by step commissioning guides are
available for Siemens SIMATIC S7, ABB AC500- S, Beckhoff TwinCAT System Manager, Schneider M580 (BME P58), Rockwell (GuardLogix 5370) and B&R X20 CPU. All TR-Electronic safety encoders are TÜV
Functional Safety Type Approved and UKCA, CE & UL Compliant. CIP Safety interface encoders are additionally ODVA conformant.
tr-electronic
www.tr-electronic.co.uk 01371 876 187
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