Additive processing of high-temperature plastic

Freeformer for high-temperature and soft materials

With the Arburg Plastic Freeformers (AKF), fully functional components and small series based on original plastic granulates can be additively manufactured on an industrial scale, even from very soft materials (up to a hardness of 28 Shore A) or in hard/soft combinations. They are generally suitable for demanding applications in medical technology, the automotive industry or aerospace.

At Formnext 2023, the new Freeformer 750-3X in a high-temperature version will be producing geometrically sophisticated air distributors from the original Ultem 9085 material. The high-end machine has three discharge units and is externally indistinguishable from the Freeformer 300-3X. However, at around 750 square centimeters, the component carrier is around 2.5 times larger. In addition, the data preparation and the Gestica control system developed and manufactured by Arburg itself have been optimized in terms of process stability and component quality, and the build time has been significantly reduced. The result is significantly reduced costs per component and lower material usage. The build chamber can be tempered to 200 degrees Celsius and the plasticizing of the granulate takes place at up to 450 degrees Celsius.

A second Freeformer 750-3X produces orthopaedic insoles up to shoe size 50. Thanks to the AKF process, certain areas of the footbed can be individually reinforced and others specifically made soft - either through a multi-material combination, e.g. of hard PP and soft TPE, or by adjusting the filling density. This sample part will also be used to show how construction time can be reduced, for example thanks to advanced software features and grid-shaped support structures. The third AKF exhibit, a Freeformer 200-3X, is specially designed for processing soft materials.

Short fiber-reinforced components and small series

"We are seeing a high demand for additively manufactured components made from short-fibre-reinforced thermoplastics," emphasizes Simon Leitl, Head of Development at Arburg Additive. "At Formnext, we will be demonstrating the latest advances in the AKF process with the Freeformer using the first sample components for various industries. This includes, for example, the development of a modified discharge system."

The fact that the AKF process is also suitable for the efficient production of small batches can be seen in the example of a construction panel, tightly fitted with 3D-printed holders made of PA. The experts are also happy to share their experience with interested parties from the fields of injection molding and additive manufacturing.