German OEM Arburg states that injection molding plants can benefit from the additive manufacturing of grippers and operating equipment – through its sister company ARBURGadditive whose core business is dedicated to AM.
As part of its offering dedicated to AM, Arburg provides the Freeformer 300-3X, an industrial 3D printer that can produce parts with dimensions of up to 234 x 134 x 230 millimeters. Based on Arburg Plastic Freeforming (AFP), the machine can process a wide range of original and certified plastic granules, including granules for high-temperature applications.
According to Arburg, this machine makes it possible to achieve additive end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) for various robotic systems and handling tasks can be 3D printed on demand quickly, cost-effectively, and customized for specific applications.
One example is a multi-material gripper, which is created in a single step with the aid of support material and without the need for any additional assembly work. The result is a resilient functional component in a hard/soft combination. The hard housing is made of PC/ABS, while the soft TPE nozzle closure expands positively using compressed air to reliably remove a molded part from the mold.
Other applications
The Freeformer can be used to produce sophisticated designs and complex geometries for various industries. A few examples include aerospace 3D printed parts made from Ultem 9085, customized multi-material applications such as shoe insoles made of flexible TPE, parts made from semi-crystalline PP, resorbable implants, breast prostheses as well as medical devices and aids.
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