Laser Sintering (SLS)

Selective Laser Sintering uses thermoplastic materials to manufacture prototypes with good mechanical and functional properties, which are therefore sometimes used as final parts. It uses a high-power laser to melt plastic powder particles layer by layer. The possibility of using composite materials with fibre (glass and carbon fibre) and metals allows the range of applications to be extended. This technology does not require a support structure and allows one part to be fabricated on top of the other.

Traditionally, polyamide (PA) is used as a material, but new emerging technologies available at CIM UPC (Ricoh AM S5500P) allow the use of more common plastics such as polypropylene (PP).

Advantages

  • Very good mechanical behavior.
  • Resistance to humidity and temperatures up to 80 ºC.
  • Resistance to impact and aggressive liquids such as hydrocarbons, glycol, hot water.
  • Cheaper cost than stereolithography
  • Absence of construction and construction and post-construction supports
  • No geometric limitations.

Applications

  • Validation of assembly of a product: ideal for clipping and to validate mechanisms and parts that must be assembled
  • Parts with complex geometries: As no support structure is required during manufacturing, sintering is capable of manufacturing any geometry, no matter how difficult it may seem.
  • Short series or final part: Fiber-filled or metallic materials allow the production of short series or the use of prototypes as final parts.
  • Parts in contact with aggressive liquids: such as hydrocarbons, glycol and hot water.
  • Large scale prototypes: By means of a welding post-process there is no dimensional limitation for the fabrication of prototypes.

Available equipment

DTM Vanguard HS

RICOH AM S5500P

This equipment from 3D systems is similar to DTM’s fundamental Sinterstation machines, as both use DTM’s selective laser sintering, or SLS, process. However, Vanguard machines are designed to make production quality parts faster and more accurately, that is, with finer details and smoother and more perfect surface finishes.

In addition, tolerance and dimensional data from these machines showed a substantial 20 percent improvement over the Sinterstation 2500, making it a faster, more accurate machine that offers greater manufacturing flexibility.

Features

  • Laser power: 25-100 W.
  • Max. scanning speed: 10 mm/s
  • Maximum workpiece dimensions: 370 x 320 x 445 mm
  • Minimum layer height: less than 0.1 mm

The RICOH AM S5500P is the future of additive manufacturing. With its generous build volume, the AM S5500P makes it possible to produce many components at once, ensuring fast, flexible and cost-effective production. Use Powder Bed Fusion (or SLS technology) to melt a wide variety of polymers and produce parts. Our technology utilizes heat and a smart coating combined with a laser to manufacture end-use components and can be used in industries such as aerospace, automotive and medical. Using advanced thermal control parameters, you benefit from highly accurate manufacturing capabilities.

Features

  • Large construction volume.
  • Advanced temperature control.
  • Dual powder distribution.
  • High reliability.
  • Wide selection of materials: you can select materials from Ricoh’s approved range, including Polypropylene (PP), PA6GB, PA11, PA12, PA12GB.
  • Effective volume: 550 x 550 x 500 mm

3D printing (FFF)

Fused Wire Fabrication (FFF) is a technique for the manufacture of prototypes or final parts that bases its operation on a wire of thermoplastic material and an extruder that moves in the horizontal X and Y plane and the bed in the vertical Z plane. This thermoplastic solidifies immediately on the previous layer.

CIM-UPC you have access to both industrial equipment (Stratasys Fortus range) and open source desktop equipment: CIM-UPC, with spin-off BCN3D Technologies, has made this technology accessible to everyone, perfecting its use with the independent dual extruder system IDEX (Independent Dual EXtruder) that incorporates the BCN3D Sigma and Sigmax printers.

Advantages

  • Very accessible thermoplastic materials (PLA) and widely used in end products (ABS, PET-G…).
  • Production of parts at a very low cost.
  • Mixing of different types of materials (rigid and flexible) and with different characteristics (resistance, color, …).
  • Construction of complex geometries: thanks to the use of water-soluble supports.
  • Reduction of printing time: by the use of different nozzle thicknesses.

Applications

  • Small prototypes, gift items, gadgets…
  • The parts obtained can be used as prototypes in the technical office or as final parts in production processes (customized tooling), capital goods (single parts), etc.
  • Training programs in Digital Fabrication, due to its great accessibility. Mock-ups and assemblies of educational projects are commonly performed in FFF due to the availability and low cost.
  • Self-manufacturing of models and final parts.
  • Manufacturing of multi-material and/or multi-color parts.

Equipment available

BCN3D Epsilon W27

BCN3D Epsilon W50

The Epsilon W27 is a powerful professional 3D printer, designed to manufacture solid parts with industrial materials, thanks to features such as its closed design, which allows greater temperature control inside the chamber.

Equipped with our revolutionary Independent Double Extrusion (IDEX) system, the Epsilon W27 prints functional and resistant parts with extreme quality and precision.

Features

  • Recommended profiles: Layer height: 0.2mm | 0.3mm | 0.4mm (depending on filter diameter).
  • Layer height: 0.05mm – 0.5 mm – (custom profiles).
  • Positioning resolution (X / I / Z): 1.25 µm / 1.25 µm / 1 µm
  • Operating temperature: 15°C – 30°C
  • Maximum extruder temperature: 300°C
  • Maximum bed temperature: 120°C

The Epsilon W50 is a powerful professional 3D printer, designed to manufacture large-scale parts with industrial materials, thanks to features such as its closed design, which allows greater temperature control inside the chamber.

Equipped with our revolutionary Independent Double Extrusion (IDEX) system, the Epsilon W50 prints functional and resistant fish with extreme quality and precision.

Features

  • Recommended profiles: Layer height: 0.2mm | 0.3mm | 0.4mm (depending on filter diameter).
  • Layer height: 0.05mm – 0.5 mm – (custom profiles).
  • Positioning resolution (X / I / Z): 1.25 µm / 1.25 µm / 1 µm
  • Operating temperature: 15°C – 30°C
  • Maximum extruder temperature: 300°C
  • Maximum bed temperature: 120°C

Stereolithography (SLA)

Stereolithography (SLA) is an additive technology for the manufacture of prototypes that require high detail accuracy, good surface finish and appearance similar to engineering plastics.

It is classified within the field of tank photopolymerization (Vat photopolymerization), and uses photopolymerized epoxy resins that solidify when exposed to ultraviolet light, either by laser or DLP type projectors. In the first case, starting from a 3D CAD file, an ultraviolet laser beam traces each section of the model to be manufactured on a photopolymer resin tank and materializes the model layer by layer. This technology requires a support structure, which is made with the same resin, to hold the part to the tank during manufacturing.

Advantages

  • Manufacturing speed: Functional objects can be produced in less than one day.
  • High presence in the industry. First additive manufacturing technology capable of reproducing details and raw walls.
  • Good surface finish: No porosity on the surface, and do not require treatment to make them impermeable to water or air.
  • Parts produced by stereolithography can be machined later.

Applications

  • Marketing presentations: Mirror finish identical to the final part, ideal for product promotion. Suitable for final parts without high mechanical requirements.
  • Fluid testing: Given the smoothness of the surfaces and the low roughness of the walls, it is ideal for prototypes that have to be in contact with fluids.
  • Silicone molds: From the production of a master part, the silicone mold is made.
  • Sculpture and art: Easy to polish, manipulate and paint. Artists and model makers make use of this technology as a tool for the fabrication of their models.

Equipment available

SLA-7000

This 3D printing equipment by stereolithography technology (photo-solidification of resins) allows the manufacture of parts of any geometry with high precision finishes and high quality surface and mechanical capabilities.

The parts obtained can be machined and used to create master molds for injection molding, thermoforming or blow molding. In addition, the parts offer the possibility of perfect assembly, fastening and metal inserts. The materials used can be transparent or colored, rigid or elastic, or even combine properties in different proportions.

Features

  • Minimum layer height: 0,0254 mm
  • Maximum piece weight: 68 kg
  • Maximum part volume: 253.6 liters
  • Maximum part dimensions: 508 x 508 x 600 mm

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