Page 54 - ETP-April-May2020

3D PRINTING

Launch pad for 3D printing

A company has specifically founded a 3D printing center – the Additive Innovation
Center – and has presented a route map.

t Optima in Schwaebisch
Hall, 3D printing is now
part of the company’s
Arange of machines. For
this future-oriented technology, the
company has specifically founded a
3D printing center – the Additive
Innovation Center – and has pre-
sented a route map. 3D printing will
massively change special purpose
machine manufacturing.
“Machine parts that previously
took a week to manufacture can now
be printed in a significantly shorter
time”, says Optima Vice President
Manufacturing Volker Freisinger. At | Optima has invested in the advanced multi-jet fusion technology which enables parts to be produced
its Schwaebisch Hall site, Optima faster than with the SLS process. (Source: Optima)
has invested around half a million e-commerce are accelerating this sign solutions that could not be im-
euros in the new 3D printing center, growth. This affects all the market plemented before are now possible.
known as the Additive Innovation segments for that Optima develops Inspired by nature, existing parts can
Center. The Additive Innovation machines for, which include phar- be made lighter, stronger and with
Center has been in operation since maceuticals, paper hygiene, consum- less material than before, for exam-
July 2019 and, after a test phase and er goods and healthcare products. ple, by using honeycomb structures.
staff training, went into produc- New agile and flexible processes and This is also a positive development in
tion at the end of 2019. It features technology are needed to counter terms of sustainability – after all, no
a 3D printing lab and a training and this trend. “That’s why we are pro- shavings or waste are generated dur-
design area, known as the Innova- viding our customers with support ing production.
tion Space. Since December 2019, in terms of flexibility with additive
employees with key roles are being manufacturing technology”, says All current printing meth-
trained there in 3D-compatible de- Michael Weber, Director Service at ods are possible
sign. OPTIMA consumer GmbH. Ma- In the Additive Innovation Center,
chine, format and replacement parts all the standard 3D printing meth-
The Economic Times POLYMERS | April-May 2020
The 3D printing process can be produced in a significantly ods are used. To produce prototypes
enhances customer flex- shorter amount of time. In addition, quickly, Optima uses the fused dep-
ibility a better price/performance ratio osition modeling (FDM) process,
The consumer demand for specific can also be achieved over the entire which has been successfully used in
products is changing at an ever in- manufacturing process, especially for the automotive industry for many
creasing pace. Social media and complex components. Therefore, de- years, and the selective laser sinter-
ing (SLS) process. The SLS process
opens up a broad range of materials,
IN THE ADDITIVE INNOVATION CENTER’S colors and subsequent treatments. A
INNOVATION SPACE, OPTIMA’S ENGINEERING partner company contributes to the
DEPARTMENT IS LEARNING HOW TO USE THE NEW team advanced SLS processes with
TECHNOLOGIES. NEW PARTS ARE BEING CREATED a wide variety of post-processing
USING COMPLETELY NEW METHODS, AND EXISTING options. These include, tinting and
PARTS CAN BE DESIGNED TO BE LIGHTER AND MORE smoothing the components.
STABLE THAN BEFORE AND WITH LESS MATERIAL.
Source: OPTIMA packaging group GmbH

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