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G
enerative manufacturing
processes – called rapid
prototyping or rapid
manufacturing, depending
on the point of view – are an integral
component of the product development
process today. Prototypes produced
through generative manufacturing have
most of the technical properties of a
marketable product. Companies in
medical and dental technology, aviation
and space travel, machine building, as
well as automotive manufacturers and
their suppliers can thus quickly and cost
effectively produce small production runs
without expensive and complicated
moulds and tools.
Four ways to the end product
In principle, rapid prototyping is quite
simple. A component is cut virtually into
individual slices using a 3D CAD model.
A 3D printer then actually builds it up
layer by layer. The material is applied as a
liquid or as a molton powder to the places
where the component is to be produced
later.
In addition to selective laser sintering
(SLS), three other methods are used at
Festo: selective laser melting (SLM) for
metals such as aluminium or steel, fused
deposition manufacturing (FDM) for
polymer products and stereolithography
(SLA). Experts predict a bright future for
plastic processing using laser sintering
and FDM. ”In five years, these processes
will be standard,” says Klaus
Müller-Lohmeier, Head of Advanced
Prototyping Technology at Festo,
confidently.
Bionically fast gripping
The best example is the bionic adaptive
gripper. Shaped like a fish fin, the gripper
was created using the selective laser
sintering method. To do this, layers of
plastic powder 0.1 mm thin were applied
one after the other to a platform and then
each one was fused into a definite
component using a laser. This reduces the
weight by up to90% compared with a
traditional metal gripper.
The investment in the new Festo Fast
Factory has paid off. Klaus
Müller-Lohmeier adds: ”We use rapid
prototyping in research and development
in order to reduce the time for producing
initial samples, particularly for moulded
parts. Ultimately this reduces the total
development time and the products get to
market more quickly.” It will also enable
Festo to produce individual components
in small production runs quickly and
comparatively cheaply because savings
can be made on tooling costs.
Close contact with customers
These modern processes are also
influential during interactions with
customers. ”We can create sample
components faster so that we can then
discuss special designs with customers
and offer alternative solutions,” explains
Müller-Lohmeier. Thus, a model for
communication with customers and
initial sample parts can be created
overnight.
Now, only 75%of the products
manufactured using the generative
manufacturing method are internal
developments; 25% go directly to the
customer.
¢
Interview
trends in automation:
Festo was awarded the
German Future Award
2010 for the bionic
handling assistant. What
part did the Festo Fast
Factory play in this
innovative robot system?
Klaus Müller-Lohmeier:
We built the individual
parts of the bionic
handling assistant in
our ”powder bakery”.
To do this, we
intensively and
consistently used
plastic laser sintering.
What are the particular advantages of the generative
manufacturing methods for the bionic handling
assistant?
Müller-Lohmeier:
Using generative manufacturing as
opposed to conventional manufacturing methods, we
can create structures that are almost identical to those
found in nature, such as the elephant's trunk or the
vertical tail fin. There are almost no alternative
manufacturing options for this particular geometry
of the deep folds in the wall of the ”trunk segment”.
There is a clear shift away from production-oriented
design to design-oriented production.
Will rapid manufacturing oust the machining process
in future?
Müller-Lohmeier:
I see the generative method more like
another string to our bow of manufacturing methods
that can be applied and used as required depending on
the materials used, the number of parts, the complexity
of the geometry, the functional requirements and the
economic constraints. Experts predict, however, that
a growing number of parts will be produced through
generative manufacturing, although this depends on
the industry. The layer manufacturing process clearly
accommodates the trend for customisation.
Klaus Müller-Lohmeier,
Leiter Advanced Prototyping
Technology, Festo
trends in automation
Impulse
18
–
19