Airbus Helicopter’s Deutschland GmbH wanted to outfit their helicopters with observation cameras allowing for possible future applications for the police or army to aid in following movements on the ground. Historically, this process would require a part to be cut from aluminum and a “trial and error” period that would increase both cost and overall time required. However, using the x400 3D Printer from German RepRap, several prototypes were printed for testing which cut both cost and manufacturing time.
In September 2016 the Footwear Polytechnic of Riviera del Brenta, institute of excellence in the footwear industry, launched FFlab – a digital laboratory specializing on new 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies.
The decision to change from a laser-sinter process to the fused-filament fabrication (FFF) was not only driven by the cost savings. “The parts are a lot more rigid than the laser-sintered models”, says Thomas Pazulla, “The model contains hooks which often broke off in the past.”
BorgiForm, a young, innovative family business headquartered in the heart of eastern Westphalia (Germany), focuses its business literally “shaping” ideas. Dirk Kriegel, Managing Director, introduced 3D printing technology a while ago. Additive manufacturing simplifies the company’s work and isused in the development of die-cutting and bending tools as well as in automated manufacturing.
Popp Group designs prototypes used for medical equipment. Their prototype development has become much more efficient due to their purchase of a German RepRap x400 3D printer.
Distillery equipment manufacturer Carl GmbH is using an x400 3D printer to reduce their manufacturing costs. Carl GmbH has been manufacturing equipment for artisan stills, distilling and brewing for over 140 years. The Swabian company delivers and installs factories all over the world. When they received an order from an Irish whisky distillery, they broke new ground and used cast copper.
Production using additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry brings many advantages. Airbus Helicopters use their German RepRap x400 3D printer in the development field to ensure deadlines, cost and quality goals. In a recent case, it's about validating the design of an integral new step.
The head of research and development, Benjamin Wolf recalls, “We have been using 3D Printing and rapid prototyping for a long time now, however, the stereo lithography equipment available at the beginning was of no use to us due to the limited selection of materials- we wanted to print with a material that would match the final product as closely as possible.”
Printing spare parts yourself – that is one of the most frequently mentioned applications of 3D printing. However, there are surprisingly few cases in which this application is actually implemented. One of these rare cases is at the lifting platform hire company SCHMID Hebebühnenverleih, based in Haimhausen near Munich.
Due to the rapid development of new additive manufacturing processes, industry is facing new challenges. In recent years the increasing professionalization of industry-standard manufacturing systems has been greatly influenced by manufacturers like German RepRap GmbH.
The Popp Group, based in Forchheim, Germany produced 3D printed door hinges to help a customer in the medical technology sector reduce manufacturing costs for medical cabinets as part of a cost-down procedure. “Our aim was to reduce production costs by producing an adjustable hinge for which many identical parts can be used,” explains Holger Reid, technical product designer...
