The production of implants made from medically approved PEEK (polyetheretherketone) is of interest to the AM industry. A total of four freeformer exhibits and the portfolio of Arburg's sister company InnovatiQ will be on display. Component highlights include individualized Wilson baseball bats and adhesives from Tesa that are additively processed in smartphones. PEEK is particularly suitable for medical technology applications.

At Formnext, a Freeformer 300-3X designed for high-temperature applications will be processing the original plastic granulate Vestakeep i2 G from partner Evonik into individualized skull bone implants for the first time. The original material, which is approved for permanently implantable medical devices, expands the range of applications for Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF). The AKF process is also particularly interesting for practical use in medical technology because it enables reliable documentation of process quality and clear traceability of each component.

Another medical technology application will be demonstrated as part of a joint project with Basel University Hospital, which is using a Freeformer 200-3X. The exhibit in Frankfurt produces resorbable implants Resomer LR 706 (composite of poly L-lactide-co-D, L-lactide and ß-TCP). This polymer composite from Evonik contains 30 percent ceramic additives. The component is therefore more stable and also releases calcium to promote bone formation.

Using numerous components, Arburg will be demonstrating how Freeformer customers generate real added value. One highlight is baseball bats from Wilson. The US sporting goods manufacturer uses the AKF process to refine and individualize its mass-produced items - in the example presented, bat handles - according to customer requirements. Another field of application is automation solutions and operating equipment. A Freeformer 300-3X produces a two-component gripper made of PC/ABS and TPU, which is designed for a tricky removal task in Arburg's injection molding production. The special feature is a soft TPU membrane that expands positively using compressed air.

Together with its partner Otec, the company will also be demonstrating how AKF components can achieve the same surface quality as injection-molded parts through post-processing. Tesa has shown that even unusual materials can be processed with the Freeformer. The manufacturer, known for its self-adhesive system solutions, processes adhesive granules. A smartphone with a bonded glass cover can be seen at Formnext. Compared to conventional bonding processes, AKF can reduce waste by around 90 percent. The "mouth-nose mask" project implemented by Arburg during the coronavirus pandemic sets a benchmark in terms of time-to-market: with the help of the freeformer, it took just 41 days from the development and optimization of the first prototypes to injection moulding series production of the ready-to-use multifunctional masks made from medically approved original material.

In addition to the four Freeformer exhibits, the InnovatiQ portfolio will also be on display at the Arburg stand for the first time, including a LiQ 320 3D printing system. With this company, which was integrated into the Arburg family in 2020, Arburg is offering its customers an additional additive manufacturing technology that allows them to operate even more flexibly in their markets. The exhibit uses liquid additive manufacturing (LAM) to produce components directly from liquid silicone (LSR).

Hall 12.1, Stand D131