EOS and others use 3D printing technology to promote the development of glass fiber production
Precious metal experts Cooksongold AM and Sempsa JP, both of which belong to the Heimerle + Meule group, have successfully 3D printed a tip plate of a bushing (for extruding glass fiber) using precious metals.
This work aims to develop and innovate future glass fiber production and was done in cooperation with the Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University and EOS. Since then, the platinum/rhodium alloy cutting-edge plate has passed the preliminary production test in Slovakia-based building material manufacturer Johns Manville (Johns Manville).
Said Thomas Weitlaner, Director of Additive Minds and Business Development of EOS. “At EOS, we are working hard every day to make industrial 3D printing a sustainable mainstream manufacturing process. 3D printing cutting-edge boards is another good example of how rapid prototyping manufacturing can bring real commercial value and innovation to the fiberglass industry. In addition, we also see more promising applications that can further improve the efficiency of the glass fiber production process. This innovative application combined with the rapid prototyping manufacturing settings in the digital factory will bring huge innovation potential.”
3D printing precious metals
Cooksongold AM has been cooperating with EOS for many years, industrializing EOS’s jewelry 3D printers M 080 and M 100, and fine-tuned them to enable them to print precious metals. In fact, it was Cooksongold AM that developed the precious metal parameters to make it compatible with EOS PBF technology.
Cooksongold believes that being able to 3D print precious metals on an industrial scale, coupled with the development of commercially viable novel applications, will prove to be a powerful technological impetus. ITA is also supplementing with its own research, hoping to achieve “earthquake-like progress” in the industrialized rapid prototyping manufacturing of precious metals. On top of this, ITA, as an important partner, applies the group’s AM technology to the glass fiber industry.
The partners established AMPS (Advanced Manufacturing Process Solutions) company to showcase the technology they are working on. The new company will also be used to provide R&D and prototyping services. After learning about the project, fiberglass companies from all over the world have joined. The structured design of the project meets the needs of every contributor. All commercially sensitive work will be carried out in a “cost sharing” environment without intellectual property rights-the partners hope that this novel way of cooperation will promote innovation and promote glass fiber production “beyond the accepted” within the next ten years.
JEC Composites Magazine Special Award
As a reward for their innovative approach, the partners won the JEC Composites Magazine Special Award on May 13. Martin Bach, the general manager of Cooksongold, said: “I am very honored to receive the JEC Magazine Special Award.” I am very proud to receive the JEC Magazine Special Award, but what makes my team even more proud is that my team is successful. The integration of global cooperation methods has enabled it to realize game-changing material and design innovations in production, and improve production efficiency, which was unexpected and unimaginable just a few years ago. “
Professor Thomas Gries, Director of ITA added. “We are very pleased to receive this honor for our work in the field of rapid prototyping manufacturing of bushings. We truly believe that these research and development results will become an important driving force for future innovation in the field of glass fiber production. I am my research team and our Our collaborators are proud to be able to achieve this goal. As an institute that develops processes, equipment and machinery, ITA is more than just developing fibers and textile products. The digital manufacturing of casing allows us to cross the boundaries of existing process innovation , Achieved unprecedented production and product innovation.”
This is not the first time Cooksongold has participated in AM cooperation. At the end of last year, the jewelry manufacturer developed a small precious metal powder atomizer in cooperation with 3D LAB, the official distributor of 3D Systems. This small machine is the first of its kind and uses a patented ultrasonic plasma atomization process specifically for silver, platinum and gold processing. Also no stranger to cooperation, EOS is leading a 15-partner European lighthouse project to develop a digital AM production line for the automotive industry.
