Just when you think you’ve seen everything that can be done with additive manufacturing, a new application, a new project, shows you otherwise. A new consortium formed by University of Exeter (Center for AM), Victrex, FDM Digital Solutions, Q5D Technology and GRM Consulting, is working on the identification, development and optimization of materials and solutions for overprinting organic sheets and other components. Led by Lehvoss Group, the project is funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, and is due to run until May 2023.
For those who do not know, Lehvoss Group is an organization that operates under the management of its parent company Lehmann&Voss&Co., which comprises several chemical companies that develop, and commercialize special materials for a variety of industrial clients.
The project ambitions to achieve new material combinations and enhance processes for overprinting, new applications, unique hardware for printing high-performance polymers onto non-planar surfaces, new software for the optimal positioning and orientation of materials and parts, as well as demonstrator components.
If promising, the results will make a difference in the automotive, aerospace, medical technology, and defense sectors and will lead to applications such as electronic components, sensors, structural components and medical instruments and aids.
Apart from leading the new consortium, LEHVOSS Group will bring its material expertise in the project. Indeed, when you understand any materials producer’s story, LEHVOSS Group in particular, you know that the most important part of the game is not to develop new 3D printing materials, it’s being able to guarantee their reproducibility during the decade following their release.
As part of this project, the materials expert says it will first develop and provide the required polymeric printing materials, with a key focus on high-performance polymers such as PPS, PEI and PAEK (including PEEK) and the technical polymer polyamide (PA), modified with fibers and functional fillers.
As a reminder, the company already delivers custom materials for FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) and FGF (Fused Granulate Fabrication) based on the aforementioned polymers and others. For the expert, component strengths can be achieved that do not have to shy away from comparison with parts produced using traditional manufacturing processes such as injection molding.
“Additive Manufacturing is already established in serial applications today. This project aims to expand its application providing a suitable alternative to overmolding, which can be very cost intensive and time consuming. We are very pleased to lead this project together with our extremely capable and experienced consortium partners”, says Dr. Thiago Medeiros Araujo, Global Product Management LUVOCOM® 3F and head of the project.
Remember, you can post free of charge job opportunities in the AM Industry on 3D ADEPT Media or look for a job via our job board. Make sure to follow us on our social networks and subscribe to our weekly newsletter : Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Instagram ! If you want to be featured in the next issue of our digital magazine or if you hear a story that needs to be heard, make sure to send it to contact@3dadept.com