Existing 3D printing technologies are rather expensive or not applicable for functional parts production. Our technology is a revolutionary solution combining low equipment price typical for personal plastic printers with capability of producing high performance structural elements.
2. Problem
Modern 3D-prinitng technologies are divided into to major groups
Cheap, but not capable for function
al parts production
Production of end-use parts, but
expensive
• FDM
• SLA
Equipment cost around $ 1000
Low material cost
Material – plastic with low
mechanical properties
Materials – metals or ceramics
with superior properties
• SLM
Average equipment cost
around $ 500 000
High material prices
There are no affordable solutions on the market, capable for functional parts p
roduction
3. Comparison of 3D-printing with automated
composite manufacturing technologies
Winding
Well-known process
High productivity
Requires curing
Tooling is required
Only convex shapes
Fiber placement
High quality parts
High productivity
Very high price
Only thin-walled structures
Tooling is required
3D-printing
Low price
No curing required
No tooling required
Arbitrary shapes
Low productivity
Low mechanical properties
4. Plastic spool
Feeder
Thermal barrierHeater
Extruder nozzle
Printer bed
Plastic bead
Traditional FDM
Plastic spool
Feeder
Thermal barrier
Heater
Extruder nozzle
Printer bedComposite filament
Reinforcing fiber
Composite FDM
Mechanical properties:
Strength – from 20 to 120 MPa; Stiffness – from 2 to 6 GPa
Materials used: PLA, ABS, PA, PC, PEI
By adding continuous fibers to FDM 3D- printing process
mechanical properties can be increased 10-20 times
Mechanical properties
Strength – up to 1000 MPa; Stiffens – up to 60 GPa
Reinforcing fibers: Carbon, glass, aramid
Plastics: PLA, ABS, PA, PC
Special treatment of reinforcing fiber ensures
impregnation quality and better adhesion to
plastic material
Continuous fibers 3D-printing
5. Technology advantages
• Strong – Mechanical properties are close to aerospace composites
• Real 3D – allows to print in pure 3D (using 3D-printed supports)
• Versatile – allows the use of different thermoplastics and reinforcing
fibers
• Tailorable – allows the local variation of fiber path and fiber volume
fraction for optimal parts production
• Easy – based on FDM technology
• Feasible – uses specially prepared
carbon fiber tow, which guarantees good
impregnation of fiber and adhesion of
fibers to plastic
Существующие технологии трехмерной печати и производства изделий из композитных материалов либо не позволяют изготавливать функциональные изделия, т.к. физико-механические характеристики материала таких изделий весьма малы, либо являются дорогостоящими.
Разработка промышленной платформы планируется на базе роботизированного манипулятора KUKA.
Сравнительный анализ показывает, единственным серьезным конкурентом является американская компания MarkForged, которая также занимается разработкой технологии 3D-печати композитов, армированных непрерывными волокнами.