trends in automation

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in a liquid state so that a new section can be glued to existing structures. The parallel
kinematic system receives the necessary positioning data and control signals directly
from an animation software program that is normally used to create virtual 3D models,
computer graphics and simulations.
3D printing freely in space
Even if conventional injection moulding is still superior when it comes to tolerance and
dimensional precision, additive manufacturing methods are already part of standard
industrial production processes. Especially in model construction, 3D printing has become
indispensable for making prototypes and end products in small quantities. The required
shape is built up layer by layer according to the specifications from a CAD program.
Depending on the process, powders, granulates or thermoplastic filaments are melted
together line by line to make a solid body. However, materials that can be freely printed
in space – such as the UV-cured glass fibres used in the 3D Cocooner – are still undergoing
research and are not yet available on the market. With the 3D Cocooner, Festo has devel-
oped a bionic technology platform that combines the individual benefits of additive
manufacturing with the precision control and agility of an industrial high-speed handling
system. A new tool of this kind enables shapes and structures that cannot be made
using conventional production means.
New dimensions in design
The delicate frameworks made of rods open up new dimensions for individual product
design. Complex shapes, which up until now could only be depicted as a virtual model
in a computer simulation, are now taking shape with the 3D Cocooner. The thread can be
attached at any point of the lattice structure so that the shape can continue being built.
This ultimately results in an almost endless variety of design options using minimal
amounts of material. The UV-cured glass fibre itself has astonishing tensile and bending
strength. If you were to connect several 3D Cocooners together via a network, extensive
structures could be constructed within a very short time. Thanks to their stability, they
could have tremendous potential in the most diverse areas. Particularly in sectors like
the packaging industry or medical technology, this technology is opening up a whole host
of new possibilities.
Further information
and videos
can be found at
Digital production: the software transfers the geometry
of the structure directly to the parallel kinematic system’s
motion paths.
Technical data
• Design software: ............ Cinema 4D
• Multi-axis kinematics: .... Festo parallel kinematic
system EXPT-45
• Construction space: ....... Approx. 450 × 300 × 600 mm
• Construction speed: ....... 10 mm/s
• UV light: ......................... Fibre-coupled LED; 365 nm;
9.3 mWW
• Material: ......................... Glass-fibre roving with 2400
tex for producing glass-fibre
rods with 2 mm diameter and
60% fibre-volume ratio
• Weight of glass-fibre rod: 5–7 g/m
• UV plastic: ...................... 1-Vinylhexahydro-2H-
azepin-2-on, acrylate mixture
2.2016 trends in automation
Compass 14 – 15