Modular robot cell for large-format 3D printing

From designer seating furniture and thin-walled automotive components to tools for the resin transfer molding (RTM) process: industrial 3D printing is conquering areas with different requirements. PowerPrint Flex, the robot solution from KraussMaffei, is a system that offers flexibility. The system combines the company's extrusion technology with a modular architecture and gives manufacturers freedom of design and materials. With the PowerPrint Flex, production cells can be scaled and individually adapted to the customer's needs.

A thin-walled component is created

At the Formnext trade fair, KraussMaffei will be demonstrating how the PowerPrint Flex can be used to produce a rear diffuser for a sports car made of carbon fiber-reinforced polycarbonate. Large-format 3D printing enables the fast and tool-free production of large-area and thin-walled components with high rigidity and precision - ideal for functional prototypes and design studies. This allows design changes to be implemented immediately, shortening development times and reducing costs.

PrintCore - Extruder for industrial additive manufacturing © KraussMaffei

In addition to the cell, the standard equipment of the PowerPrint Flex includes a Comau N-170 robot, which can be customized in a variety of ways. The print bed measures 2500 x 2000 mm, can be heated to 180 °C and has 16 vacuum zones for the printing plates. The PrintCore 35-25 extruder developed by KraussMaffei enables output rates of 30 to 70 kilograms per hour, depending on the material supply used. Thanks to the maximum melt temperature of 400 °C, even demanding fiber-reinforced thermoplastics and high-performance polymers can be processed, making the system suitable for applications in the automotive and aerospace industries as well as for tool production and general industrial projects.

Integration of the robot in modular production systems

PowerPrint Flex uses the Sinumerik One system from Siemens to control the six-axis robot. This control system enables consistently networked, precise and dynamic motion control. Thanks to the modular system design, PowerPrint Flex can be integrated into existing production environments and expanded with additional functions, such as rotary tables or milling centers. This results in fully developed solutions that are optimally adapted to the respective production process.

KraussMaffei at Formnext: Hall 12.1, Stand E119