FDM/FFF 3D printing technology based on material extrusion process brings efficient solutions for industrial-grade manufacturing applications in the customized production and low-volume production of thermoplastic and composite parts. This has been demonstrated in automotive manufacturing, where material extrusion 3D printing technology offers manufacturers a flexible solution, from prototyping at the prototyping process to tooling fixtures in factory assembly lines to functional parts for end applications. In some areas, metal parts can be replaced, low-volume production development costs, and weight reductions can even be achieved through high-performance materials or fiber-reinforced composites and designs for additive manufacturing.
Far casting intelligence
In this issue, 3D Science Valley will share the mold parts production cases carried out by Shanghai Leibiao Industrial Co., Ltd., an auto parts development company, through INLAMSYS Intelligent Industrial FFF 3D printing technology. This case illustrates the advantages of FFF 3D printing technology in small batches of rapid production and the potential to replace metals with high-performance plastics and composites.
Rapid production of small batches with metal substitution
Shanghai Leibiao Industrial Co., Ltd. provides related products and technical services for the development and manufacture of complete vehicles and parts, including the production of complete vehicles, the development of molds, tooling fixtures, interior and exterior decoration design, sheet metal and casting small batch production, etc., and is committed to the material extrusion 3D printing process applied to the automotive industry. At the same time, Leibiao Industry will also apply 3D printed parts to its own production equipment, in order to solve the needs of automation equipment parts iteration, Leibiao Industry contacted Yuanzhu Intelligence.
Leibiao Industrial independently designed and developed mold rocker arm pneumatic clamping device has a pneumatic shaker arm part, the role of the part is to connect the transmission shaft and the mold spill piston, the working state needs continuous high-speed operation, anti-fatigue and high stiffness has high requirements, and needs to be iterated regularly.
In the past, Leibiao Industrial used CNC processing aluminum alloy to manufacture this mold air-shaking arm part. Since this part is a non-standardized small batch part, the use of 3D printing technology to produce brings better economy and shorter lead times.
▲The original design scheme will crack due to force problems
The 3D printed air-wave arm part uses PA-CF carbon fiber reinforced nylon with good creep resistance and stiffness instead of aluminum alloy material.
Early 3D printed air boom parts were designed with 20% padding, but parts with this design scheme cracked in areas where stress was concentrated during use. The intelligent team of Yuanzhu and Leibiao Industry communicated and discussed, and the two sides improved the design of the robot arm in an all-round way based on mechanical analysis and topology optimization, achieved the final design goal of the 3D printing part of the air-shaken arm, and completed the small batch production and delivery of the part.
Yuanzhu intelligent industrial grade FFF 3D printing equipment FUNMAT PRO 610HT, equipped with dual nozzle high cavity temperature, printing size up to 610X508X508mm, a batch printing of 10 pneumatic boom parts.
In addition, the device can manufacture a wide range of engineering plastic materials, including high-performance specialty plastics such as PEEK, PEEK-CF, engineering plastics PA, PC, and fiber-reinforced composites, which can flexibly adapt to the diverse application scenarios in the automotive manufacturing industry chain.
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