Additive-manufacturing and 3D-printing solutions provider Stratasys got a helping hand from industry giants Boeing, Ford and Siemens when developing its latest 3D printing technologies.
Infinite-Build 3D Demonstrator is designed to address the requirements of aerospace, automotive and other industries for large lightweight, thermoplastic parts with repeatable mechanical properties. Boeing played an influential role in defining the requirements and specifications for the demonstrator, which features a revolutionary approach to FDM extrusion that increases throughput and repeatability. The system prints on a vertical plane for practically unlimited part size in the build direction. Boeing is currently using an Infinite-Build 3D Demonstrator to explore the production of low-volume, lightweight parts.
Ford Motor Company, meanwhile, is working with Stratasys to test and develop new applications for the Infinite-Build 3D Demonstrator for automotive-grade 3D-printed materials that were not previously possible due to limited size.
Stratasys and Siemens cooperative efforts have resulted in the Robotic Composite 3D Demonstrator, which integrates Stratasys’ additive-manufacturing technologies with industrial motion control hardware and design-to-3D-printing software provided by Siemens. This system, which is designed to accelerate the production of parts made from a wide variety of materials, uses an 8-axis motion system that enables precise, directional material placement for strength while also reducing the need for speed-hindering support strategies.