Product category:
Moulding materials
News Release from: 3D Systems | Subject: Solid imaging materials at EuroMOLD
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 22 October 2002
New standards set for solid imaging
materials
Setting new standards for solid imaging materials at EuroMold 2002, developments will include aluminium, A6 steel material and a fire retardant nylon for use in batch production.
3D Systems, a market leader in solid imaging technologies, will announce new material across all product lines at EuroMold, Frankfurt from 4-7 December 2002 3D Systems will be located in Hall 8, booth G70/F71 and will give an insight into developments in laser sintering materials for 2003
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 23 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Moulding material offers thermoplastics features
3D Systems Europe has launched a new durable material called SL 5240, for use with its SLA250 system.
Rapid tooling to be developed jointly
3D Systems Corp. and DSM Desotech will develop and jointly market non-liquid stereolithography (SL) hardware, software and materials for rapid tooling and in-line manufacturing processes.
The company will also demonstrate the latest advancements in ADM - Advanced Digital Manufacturing.
Product launches - the new metal material LaserForm ST-200 for laser sintering of tool inserts and parts offers a number of improvements including higher accuracy, sharper features and edges as well as enhanced surface finish.
Tooling inserts and metal prototypes created with 3D Systems' high-productive processes are stress-free and 100 % dense compared to other metal-laser-sintering product offerings.
Further reading
Solid imaging suits pattern-making
3D Systems Europe SLA solid imaging product line, the Viper si2 system, combines the versatility of its high-end machines with the affordability of its entry-level industrial system.
Advanced digital manufacturing partnership set up
3D Systems Corp has announced the partnership and establishment of an Advanced Digital ManufacturingSM (ADM) centre in conjunction with the Renault F1 Team in Enstone, England.
SL materials offer faster build speed
New stereolithography materials offer a number of improvements over current market offerings including faster build speed, smoother surface finish and better side wall quality.
The indirect metal-laser-sintering process is well suited for complex metal parts since large surface supports are no longer required.
The Accura SI 40 material for stereolithography combines durability with improved temperature resistance.
High elongation, flexural modulus and temperature resistance are similar to ABS plastic materials.
The Software Version 3.1.
for SLS Systems (selective lasersintering technology) enables the simple identification of parts by adding a physical name tag with personalised text to each part.
This is particularly relevant for identifying individual parts in build processes with similar geometries, for example the production of 200 hearing aid shells in one build.
The software also includes an improved slicing algorithm and a new smart feed function for optimisation of material supply utilisation.
For SLA Systems (stereolithography technology) 3D Systems presents the new Buildstation 5.3 and Lightyear 1.3 Software.
In addition to improved handling, the software allows for considerably higher productivity of the process on using an optimised surface finish scan (Smart Best Surface Finish).
The software also provides new build styles for Accura SL materials.
3D Systems will also give an insight into development projects for laser sintering materials for 2003.
This is the first time in the history of laser sintering that the company will offer an Aluminium material for the direct manufacturing of metal parts.
It is the ideal material for parts which are currently created by die casting.
The direct manufacturing of parts on SLS Systems saves tooling costs and offers increased freedom of design.
Parts can be more complex and can form re-entrant shapes.
At EuroMold 2002 3D Systems will show first samples of aluminium parts, created in the 3D Systems R and D department on a Vanguard SLS System.
As a step closer towards production tooling the company is investigating an A6 steel material.
The required higher durability will be achieved by higher tool hardness, which requires increased finishing efforts compared to LaserForm ST-200.
For Advanced Digital Manufacturing (ADM) applications, in particular in commercial aerospace, 3D Systems is developing a flame retardant polyamide material for selective laser sintering systems to be used as a functional plastics material.
Applications include components for air ducting systems.
The fire retardant polyamide material will be FAA (Federal Aerospace Association) certified.
Initial tests have already been passed and the new materials will be launched during 2003.
Advanced Digital Manufacturing (ADM) - with Advanced Digital Manufacturing (ADM) 3D Systems extends the applications of rapid prototyping processes to true flexible manufacturing of batch production.
Benefits include higher productivity, shorter lead times, lower capital investment and more cost-effective custom and short-run production.
Designers are free to create functional properties without being limited by the final manufacturing process.
"With ADM we are ahead of the industry.
We have an increasing number of customers applying our technologies as the manufacturing process." says Sandra Seitz, product manager Europe at 3D Systems.
In aerospace, air ducting systems that were conventionally produced by rota moulding of segmented parts are now directly manufactured on the selective laser sintering systems.
In the field of medical technology individual housings for inner hearing aid shells are directly created from polyamide materials.
In the jewellery industry the Viper si2 SLA System is used for the production of investment casting patterns.
Another application includes the electronic industry where connectors are being produced directly on a SLA system for short-run-manufacturing of lot sizes between 100 and 10,000 parts." About 3D Systems - founded in 1986, 3D Systems as a pioneer and market leader for solid imaging systems is operating all over the world.
The company provides solid imaging products and solutions to reduce the time and cost of designing products and facilitate direct and indirect manufacturing.
Its systems use patented technologies to create physical objects from digital input used for design communication, prototyping and functional end-use parts.
3D Systems currently offers the ThermoJet solid object printer, SLA (stereolithography) systems, SLS (selective laser sintering) systems, and Accura materials (includes; photopolymers, metals, engineering plastics and thermoplastics).
The acquisition of DTM Corporation Austin, USA enabled the integration of the Selective Laser Sintering Process into the production line.
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