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Testing Without Limitations

Researchers at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University have embarked on an ambitious project – creating a self-contained, cost-effective, 3D printable heat sink by combining phase-change materials  with plastics. The Composer Filament Maker is taking them closer to making that vision a reality. 

Maximizing efficiency, while reducing development times

Sika Automotive, a preferred partner for leading OEMs and automotive component suppliers, needed to  streamline prototyping and pre-series production for their innovative heat-expandable acoustic inserts.  3devo’s Composer 350 Filament Maker, capable of extruding heat-reactive, low-temp materials, has  helped Sika switch to in-house 3D printing.

BETTER PRODUCTION ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Identifying and solving bottlenecks is an important part of  keeping any business running. Elliott Tool Technologies iden tified a holdup in the process of producing its workholding  fixtures, one that a 3D-printing system from Markforged  (Cambridge, Massachusetts) has helped to solve

End-Use Product

Dexter manufacturer Haddington Dynamics supplies its 7-axis fully assembled robotic arms and kits to NASA, GoogleX, and Toshiba. After using the arm, a high-profile customer suggested they move away from using weak PLA material and instead utilize Markforged’s Onyx material with continuous carbon fiber reinforcement to achieve the strength they desired.

A Place for Metal

Dixon Valve has long used Markforged composite 3D printers to manufacture End of Arm Tooling (EOAT)  for their many robotic arms. However, they could not print grippers that held abrasive surfaces. The  threads these grippers hold quickly wear out printed composite parts, which while strong have the same  surface hardness as thermoplastics. By printing the grippers with the Metal X, Dixon Valve achieves the  same advantages that 3D printing affords without sacrificing part durability. 

Efficient Fabrication

Stanley Infrastructure used to machine wheel shafts out of a single block of steel. Because of the  diameter of the flange and the length of the shaft, this meant that ~90% of the stock material was wasted  in each part. With the help of Markforged engineers, Stanley Infrastructure redesigned the wheel shaft to  be a three-part assembly.

As soon as Dixon Valve unboxed their industrial strength Markforged 3D printer, they put it to work. “We were able to re-tool a robotic arm in a manufacturing cell in under 24 hours,” Everett exclaimed.

Markforged Stands Out On The Unilever Factory Floor

These parts are  developed very  quickly, and it’s  about one night to  print a few parts  for the machine.  They are much  stronger and more  durable than any  parts printed on a  normal 3D printer.