ARBURGadditive Premier Freeformer 550-3X at Formnext 2024

At Formnext 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany, ARBURGadditive (Hall 12.1, Stand D79) will be presenting the world premiere of its Freeformer 550-3X with the Gestica planning assistant, which actively supports users at the machine. The TiQ 8 filament printer will demonstrate how flame-retardant PC and high-temperature materials such as PEKK can be processed, while the LiQ5 will produce LSR parts using support material for the first time. In addition, the company will showcase interesting applications, research projects, and material developments in the mobility, medical technology, and electronics industries, among others.

With Freeformers and 3D printers from the TiQ and LiQ series, ARBURGadditive offers a suitable solution for practically every requirement in additive manufacturing. “The new Freeformer 550-3X is an industrial machine with features that will enable even unskilled workers to quickly and reliably print high-quality functional parts,” says Simon Leitl, Director Development APF at ARBURGadditive. “One major advantage is that we can draw on a wealth of expertise and exploit synergies with the world of injection moulding, for example in the areas of control systems, automation, turnkey solutions and digitalisation. At Formnext 2024, we will be presenting many application examples of how to do this that will deliver real added value.”

Freeformer 550-3X with the latest APF technology

At Formnext 2024, Arburg will be presenting a prototype of the Freeformer 550-3X with the latest technology for processing a wide range of different original plastic granules using Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF). The new machine, equipped with two discharge units and a 230 x 230 x 230-millimetre build chamber, is slightly smaller but also more affordable than the Freeformer 750-3X and will replace the Freeformer 200-3X. The Freeformer 550-3X is of particular interest to industrial customers and users in the medical technology sector. At Formnext 2024, for example, resorbable implants made from an original medical material will be on display.

The latest features of the open system include an elevated droplet discharge, optimised material changes and, above all, the new production assistant, which actively supports the operator via the Gestica control system – from loading the build job to starting the 3D printing. This makes working with the machine much easier and enables even non-experts to additively manufacture components in a reliable, error-free process and to a high standard of quality.

New products from innovatiQ

The TiQ 8 filament printer from innovatiQ, which is available now, has a build chamber that is heated to high temperatures and measures 500 x 400 x 450 millimetres. It is suitable, among other things, for additively manufacturing durable components made of flame-retardant materials such as PC and PEKK for the transport sector. innovatiQ will also be demonstrating an interesting gripper application in collaboration with Kuka.

On show for the first time will be the processing of liquid silicone (LSR) using a special support material. To this end, the LiQ 5 will be equipped with a second print head. The exhibit will demonstrate 3D printing with original LSR from Shin-Etsu in various Shore hardnesses. This material can be used to produce items such as customised orthopaedic accessories and products for the food industry.

Extended range of materials

A high-temperature Freeformer 750-3X will be processing aerospace-approved Ultem 9085. A new demonstration will show how break-away supporting structures of this cost-intensive material can be reused multiple times in the form of flakes. A new addition to the APF material portfolio is TR 90 material, which has been approved for food and drinking water. ARBURG has worked with Ems Chemie to make this amorphous PA12 original granulate “3D printable” in order to enable the additive manufacturing of items such as flexible and chemical-resistant frames for sports glasses. As a result, the development time for injection-moulded products can be significantly reduced and the time to market accelerated.

Fascinating applications

One application example of how 3D printing and automated injection moulding processes can be optimally combined can be seen in the production of plant pots. An electric Allrounder 720 A injection moulding machine with a 4-cavity mould produces the thin-walled pots from recyclate. To gently remove the pots from the mould, Osko uses a special packaging automation system with grippers that are precisely adapted to the product.

These grippers can be quickly 3D-printed on demand. The sturdy black middle section, made of fibre-reinforced plastic filament and produced with a TiQ printer, is two to three times lighter and significantly cheaper than an aluminium component. The four white gripping rings in a hard/soft combination were produced by a Freeformer using the APF process. To remove the plant pots, the soft gripper part is “inflated” with compressed air, allowing the injection-moulded part to be fixed and handled gently.

A Freeformer customer in the medical technology sector has developed a novel application that can replace or at least delay complex knee operations with metal implants. The alternative is called “iKnee”: using the patented Resilient Arthroplasty Device (RAD) technology, a patient-specific implant made from biocompatible polycarbonate is inserted into the knee as a cartilage replacement using a minimally invasive procedure.

“Seestern” research project

The first exciting results of the “Seestern” project will also be presented at Formnext 2024. “Seestern”, which means “Starfish” in German, stands for the use of StarJet and Freeformer for the hybrid printing of structural electronics. In addition to ARBURGadditive, Hahn Schickart Gesellschaft für angewandte Forschung in Freiburg and Stuttgart is a partner in this project.

This involves combining StarJet technology from the Freiburg Institute for Microsystems Technology (Imtek) with the Freeformer. The project is part of the “Invest BW” funding program for innovation and technology projects and is supported by Baden-Württemberg’s Ministry of Economics, Labour and Tourism.

Ambitious project goals

The heart of StarJet is a star-shaped nozzle through which metal droplets are ejected in order to print conductive electronic components from solder, for example. The aim is to integrate the StarJet technology into the build chamber and control system of the Freeformer so that multi-material hybrid components such as hybrid sensors can be additively manufactured industrially in a single step. Hybrid printing with electrically conductive metals directly in the Freeformer build chamber is an interesting solution for the electronics industry that significantly reduces costs, the use of chemicals and logistical effort and also substantially shrinks the carbon footprint of the product.

Read more news from ARBURG here.

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