Table of contents:
Video: Development Of A New 3D Printing Process For High-performance Polymers
Laser sintering of high-performance polymers such as PPS and PAEK is still a technical challenge. Today's commercial solutions require special laser sintering machines due to the high melting temperatures. During the construction job, the polymer powders are exposed to very high temperatures for a long time. This causes the materials to age rapidly and prevents economical powder recycling. But it's not just the powder, the printed components also suffer from the strong heat. Ultimately, it is the high temperature alone that makes laser sintering of high-performance polymers so expensive today. To develop high-performance polymers for industrial additive manufacturing,laser sintering must be carried out at low installation space temperatures - the thermo-melt process offers the solution.
The Airbus Innovation Group has started a cooperation with the laser sintering specialist LSS Laser-Sinter-Service and the material manufacturer Lehmann & Voss to develop the thermo-melt process including high-performance materials to market maturity. The laser sintering service provider Rauch CNC Manufacturing, experienced in laser sintering of high temperature polymers, accompanies the development and will be the first user of the technology.
Picture gallery
The thermo-melt process enables laser sintering of high-performance polymers on conventional laser sintering machines that are already available on the market, which only need to be modified slightly. The required modifications - developed by LSS - include improved temperature and laser energy control. Thermo-Melt significantly reduces thermal aging effects during the construction process, increases the powder recycling ability and reduces manufacturing costs compared to classic laser sintering processes. Extensive parameter studies have already been carried out. Previous results show significantly improved component properties compared to conventional solutions. (qui)
Formnext 2016: Hall 3.1, Stand F81
Article files and article links
Link: More news about 3D printing
Popular by topic
New 3D Printing Process "materializes" Objects
A newly developed 3D printing process materializes whole objects at once, instead of building them layer by layer. The / replicator /u201c works like a CT scan in reverse and has some advantages over layer-by-layer 3D printing
Tribo-polymers For 3D Printing Of Wear-resistant Components
With additive manufacturing and new high-performance plastics, two technologies have come together that enable components with a high degree of design freedom and wear resistance at the same time
New 3D Printing Process Uses The Interplay Of Light And Cold
The Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT and Rapid Shape GmbH are jointly developing resin-based 3D printing. The new two-cure process not only does not require any support, it also enables the components to be positioned without being connected to the construction platform
Metallic Fused Filament Fabrication - New Process For Metallic 3D Printing
The melt layer process Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is already established as a process for the additive manufacturing of plastic components and is widely used in both industrial and private areas. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Applied Materials Research IFAM in Dresden have expanded the process for a significantly wider range of applications by opening up the range of materials for metallic components
New Process Chain For Topology Optimization In The Machining Process
When a lightweight component is developed, it first happens on the computer. The designer simulates the workpiece with a finite element program (FE) and can have a design proposal issued. However, the software only takes into account the special requirements of the manufacturing process to a limited extent
