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6. Agenda
• Materialise…?
• Use of prototype models
• Overview different techniques
• Low Volume Manufactering
• Cases
7. Use of prototype models:
1. Why?
Different reasons for production of prototypes
• Limitation of risks
• Reduction of costs
• Time to market reduction
• Sales & Marketing support
• Communication
8. 1.1 Limitation of risks
Does the model live up to the expectations?
• Visual control
• Features, ergonomics, ...
• Does the concept “fit”
• Acceptation customers
• Assembly control
• Joining of multiple components
• Functional control
• Mechanical, thermal, chemical, ...
• Clickfingers, ...
• Features, ...
• Production control
• Mould-ability, ...
9. 1.2 Reduction of costs
Prototyping changes the design process
• RP makes product- and process optimisation possible, with a view to
cost savings
• RP allows early detection and correction of errors
• RP allows verification of usability of designs in an early stage
• RP allows start-up of production lines when the series mould is not
ready yet
10. 1.3 TtM reduction
• Prototypes allow testing of ideas while still in the concept
phase
• Different concepts in parallel
• Immediate feeling of feasibility
• eg. NextDay prototypes
• Faster final “freeze” of design
• You can enter the market with a prototype, without the final
product being ready
• Marketing
• Initial feedback
11. 1.4 Sales & Marketing
• Prototypes can be used
• To talk to customers about a new concept
• eg. A real estate project, a new bumper concept
• To allow customers a choice between several concepts
• eg. P&G showing 10 new shampoo bottles to the general public
• To start up marketing campagnes without the product being ready
• eg. Visually perfect prototype can be used for photo shoots
12. 1.5 Communication
• A fysical model allows
• Talking to customers about the concept
• “Show & Tell”
• Talking to suppliers about the requirements
• Talking to colleagues with less technical knowledge
• Determining milestones in a project, in order to give the entire team a
common goal
13. Use of prototype models:
2. Customers
• The main industries using prototypes are:
• Automotive
• Consumer goods
• Coffee machine, washing machine, …
• Industrial goods
• Instrumentation panels, printers, …
• Design & Engineering bureaus
• Designers of new products commissioned by other companies
• Medical goods
• Kidney dialyses, measuring equipment, …
• Architectural Models
• The individual customer
• i.materialise
14. Use of prototype models:
3. Trends
• Low Volume Manufacturing
• Using prototyping techniques to make final series components
• Advantages
• Designs tailored to the customer
• Free-form design without limitations of traditional production techniques
like tooling
• Smart design can lead to
• Integrated functionality
• Avoiding (expensive) assembly
18. 1.1 Stereolithography
• Support structure – principle
• vs.
• Made up out of epoxy resin too
• Creates an extra expense, but can‟t be avoided
19. 1.1 Stereolithography
• Importance of orientation during the build
• Amount of support
• vs.
• Lead time
• Time needed for finishing
• Slight anisotrophy of material properties (mechanical, optical)
20. 1.1 Stereolithography
• Finishing
• After the last layer, the building platform rises
• Parts are released from building platform, and support structure is
removed
• Excess resin is rinsed away (alcohol)
• Parts undergo a “UV cure” step, which provides extra strength
• Surface is sandpapered
• Connection points of the support structure
• Visible layer structure
• Finishing depends on requirements of customer
• Afterwards parts can be finished with different coatings(…)
21. 1.1 Stereolithography
• Materialises Mammoth machines
• Stereolithography machines based on curtain coating principle
• Dimensions up to 2100x700x800 mm
• Application
• Very large parts in one piece
• Several smaller parts in 1 build,
which makes building capacity very
large
22. 1.1 Stereolithography
• Available materials
• Photo-hardening epoxy materials
• Current Materialise range
• Poly 1500
• Rigi 2200
• TUSK 2700 (white / transparent)
• Protogen
• Next
• Xtreme
• Tusk Solid Grey
• Differences in stiffness, hardness, temperature resistance, sensitivity
to shocks
23. 1.1 Stereolithography
• Advantages of Stereolithography
• Parts can easily be sanded and finished
• Ideal for visual parts, show & tell models
• Thanks to curtain coating technique
• Very large parts in 1 pice possible (2100x650x600 mm), which gives extra
strength and accuracy
• Very fast (NextDay) service possible for parts within 650x650x450 mm
• Transparent parts are possible
24. 1.1 Stereolithography
• Disadvantages
• Relatively weak mechanical properties
• Stiffness
• Impact strength
• Low temperature resistance (~ 50°C)
• Finished parts will keep reacting to UV light (the sun), unless
protected with transparent paint.
• Exception:
• Nanotool: High stiffness, high temperature resistance, low resistance to
impact
• Next/ Xtreme/Tusk Solid Grey: improved impact resistance.
26. 1.2 Laser sintering
• 3D nesting
• The nylon powder can support the overhanging structures on its own,
so there is no need for a additional support structure.
• At the same time, it allows to build several parts above one another
• Considering the large fixed cost (and time) for 1 build, it is worth the
effort of building as many parts in one build volume as possible
• This leads to the process of 3D nesting: parts are placed as close to
each other as possible
• The excess powder is recycled.
29. 1.2 Laser sintering
• Finishing
• After the last layer, the machine cools down. This can easily take two
days.
• The parts are taken out of the machine
• Excess powder is blown off
• Laser Sintered parts can’t be sanded
• Sintered structure is porous, and material melts rather than being sanded
• A part can possibly be treated with a filler. Afterwards parts can be
primed or lacquered (…)
• The filling however, closes up fine details
30. 1.2 Laser sintering
• Available materials
• Pa (Nylon)
• Pa-Gf (Glass filled PA 12
• Alumide ( Aluminium filled Pa12)
• Differences in stiffness, temperature resistance, possible finishing
• Specials
• C-reinforced PA
• Metallic powder can also be sintered
31. 1.2 Laser sintering
• Advantages of Laser Sintering
• 3D nesting allows optimal use of capacity – this can result in low part
prices.
• This is true especially for very small parts that are easily nestable
• Large series but cost-effective
• The PA parts have good mechanical properties
• Functional, eg. living hinge
• Laser Sintered parts are less fragile than stereolithography parts
• Relatively large parts 700x380x580 mm
• Food safe material
• High temperature resistance (120°C)
32. 1.2 Laser sintering
• Disadvantages of Laser Sintering
• Machine operates at 180°C, cool down needs to be sufficiently slow in
order to avoid thermal tensions and distortion.
• Certain geometries are very sensitive to distortion as consequence of
these tensions (large, plane)
• Eg cutting bumper in pieces and building it in Selective Laser Sintering:
low accuracy
• No transparent parts possible
• Without special treatment the surface feels relatively coarse
• Not suitable for cosmetic finishing in case of many details
34. 1.3 Fused Deposition
• Finishing
• After the last layer, the building platform rises
• Parts are released from building platform, and support structure is
removed (in a water tank)
• FDM parts can’t be sanded
• A part can possibly be treated with a filler. Afterwards parts can be
primed or laquered (…)
• Filling however closes up all fine details
35. 1.3 Fused Deposition
• Available materials
• Engineering plastics ABS, PC, PC-ABS, ABS M30,Ultem, PPSU
• Differences in stiffness, hardness, impact resistance, temperature
resistance
• High-performance materials
• PPSU
• Ultem (strong, lightweight and flame retardant)
36. 1.3 Fused Deposition
• Advantages of FDM
• Materials are engineering plastics
• Properties comparable to tooling parts
• Very functional parts
• Reasonable resistance to temperature (90-180°C)
• Waterresistant
• ABS is available „coloured in mass‟ in a number of basic colours
• New Fortus 900 MC machine: also big parts.
• Stable in time
• No UV aging
• No thermal distortion
37. 1.3 Fused Deposition
• Disadvantages of FDM
• Relatively slow building process
• Anisotropy in the z-direction (risk of delamination if not well positioned)
• No transparent parts possible
• Without special treatment the surface feels relatively coarse
• Not suitable for cosmetic finishing is there are many details
39. 1.4 Polyjet
• Advantages of Polyjet
• Very thin layers (16 µm tot 32 µm)
• Good surface quality when parts are lifted from the machine
• Fast technique
• Disadvantages
• Limited material range
• Limited dimensions 500x400x200 mm
• Available materials are not functional
40. 2. Levels of finishing
• Parts can be finished to the level of the final production part
• Lacquering
• Stereolithography, Objet: black layer of lacquer to see all defects, after that
desired colourlayer
• Selective Laser Sintering, FDM: primer on filler because filler is too
porous. After that layer of lacquer on the primer.
• Colour layer: RAL or Pantone definition
• “Chromium-plating”
• Metal Paint
• Metal Plating
41. 2. Levels of finishing
• Parts can be finished to the level of the final series part
• Coating with fabrics
• Leather
• Textile
• Texture
• Depending on pressure and distance of paint gun
• Coarser texture at lower pressure and larger distance
• Texture printed into the part
• Prints, labelling
• Tampon printing, …
42. 3. Tolerances
• Layerthickness and tolerances of primary techniques
Layerthickness Accuracy
NextDay Stereo 0,15 - 0,2 mm +/- 0,20 % (*)
Standard Stereo 0,1 - 0,15 mm +/- 0,20 % (*)
Mammoth Stereo 0,1- 0,12 mm +/- 0,20 % (*)
LS 0,1- 0,15 mm +/- 0,25 % (*)
FDM 0,13 - 0,25 mm +/- 0,10 % (**)
Objet 16 - 32 µm +/- 0,20 % (**)
(*) minimum 0,2 mm
(**) minimum 0,1 mm
43. 4 Applications
• Stereolithography
• Show and tell, visual models
• Large parts
• Fast run-through times (NextDay)
• Master for Vacuum Casting
• LS
• Functional parts
• Additive Manufacturing
• Cosmetic aspect less important
44. 4. Applications
• FDM
• Strong functional parts
• Cosmetic aspect less important
• Additive Manufacturing
• Polyjet
• Small, detailed parts
• Rubber parts
45. Agenda
• Materialise…?
• Use of prototype models
• Overview different techniques
• Low Volume Manufactering
• Cases
46. Low Volume Manufactering
• The technologies:
• Additive Manufactering:
• Layer by layer
• Moulding Technologies:
• Using different kind of moulds
47. 1. Additive Manufactering
Using the „layer by layer‟ technologies.
•Intigrated functionallity
•Production parts in a few days
•Redesign possible in production stage
•Freefrom design
48. 2. Moulding Technologies
• Small investment
• Choice of mould depends on the amount of parts wanted
Silicone mould Ureol mould Aluminium mould
Upto 25 parts/tool Upto 500 parts/tool Upto 10.000 parts/tool
49. Low Volume Manufactering:
Medical case
Customer: Sonowand AS
Bergen, Norway
Project: Small series of housings for
intra-operative brain scanner
Series size: 50 sets per year
50. Low Volume Manufactering:
Medical case
1. Additive manufacturing
Probe holders have
Inserts in additive manufacturing
(laser sintering)
51. Low Volume Manufactering:
Medical case
2. Moulding technologies
Front cover from ureol mould Bumpers from aluminium mould
Probe holders from silicone mould Pedals from aluminium mould
52. Low Volume Manufactering:
Nikon Metrology case
• Eindproductie via additive en low volume
manufacturing
• K-scan mmdx (Nikon Metrology)
• VC met soft-touch finishing
• Complexe SLS handle
53. Low Volume Manufactering:
Nikon Metrology case
1. Additive manufacturing
• Complexe handle via Laser sintering:
current design is not possible to produce
with a moulding technology
54. Low Volume Manufactering:
Nikon Metrology case
2. Moulding technologies
• VC met soft-touch finishing
57. Agenda
• Materialise…?
• Use of prototype models
• Overview different techniques
• Low Volume Manufactering
• Cases
58. Cases
• Reviving Pier Luigi Nervi’s art forms with additive
manufacturing technology
• Making architactural scale models
• Models who will travel the world.
• A unique way of presenting Nervi‟s creations
• A cutting-edges technologie for a cutting-edge architect
• Solution
• Using a white Stereolithographie material to obtian a optimal surface
quality with minor finishing
• Spliting up the files in a smart way to be able to paint the parts.
59. Cases
• Reviving Pier Luigi Nervi’s art forms with additive
manufacturing technology
• Materialise Vs Nervi
61. Cases
• Hearing Aid
PointDe-aeration channel
Trim plane check
Assembly
cloud
Shell generation
Battery door
62. Consumer Goods Case Study
Waste Compactor
• First phase: Prototype of preliminary design
• Customer needs: Single, representative and functional prototype
• To present new concept of compressing trash
• To convince jury during selection rounds of TV show
• Materialise solution: Mix of in-house technologies
• Stereolithography, laser sintering and fused deposition modelling
• Resulting in visual and functional prototype
63. Consumer Goods Case Study
Waste Compactor
• Second phase: Prototype series
• Customer needs: Small series of functional prototypes
• To test concept on the market
• To present product during TV show
• Materialise solution: 60 fully functional prototypes
• Combination of laser sintering and vacuum casting
• Resulting in visual and functional prototype
64. Consumer Goods Case Study
Waste Compactor
• Third phase: Production series
• Customer needs: Small production series
• To launch product on the market
• Materialise solution: Tooling and moulding
• Assisting customer with tool design
“From the beginning it was clear that a lot of
prototyping would be involved: verifying the
design, showing the product in a TV show and
performing long term application tests. As we
believe Materialise is always able to select the
best prototyping solution for every application,
it was obvious for us to turn to them.”
Sveinung Åkra, Vik-Sandvik IDE
65. Architecture Case Study
Designer Chair
• Customer needs: to manufacture a line of related chair forms
to exhibit and offer for sale that are:
• Unique
• High quality
• Functional (end use product)
• Have non-conventional geometries
“Our experience in providing the perfect
tailored solution was in full force for this
project. We paired our unrivalled knowledge
of additive manufacturing with exclusive
technologies and produced a fantastic result
for KOL/MAC. They really made an
impression with their design.”
Joris Debo, Materialise
66. Architecture Case Study
Designer Chair
• Materialise solution: in-house software tools & patented
large-scale stereolithography
• Mammoth stereolithography
• Designs hollowed and custom internal reinforcement structure added
• Chairs filled with PU foam
• High quality finishing and painting
