Thermwood, headquartered in the US, has announced a third print orientation for its Large Scale Additive Manufacturing systems. Dieter Ottmann, Business Development Manager for the 3D printer manufacturer in the DACH region had announced the release of this new feature during an interview with 3D ADEPT Media at formnext.
As a reminder, Thermwood’s large scale composite thermoplastic additive equipment process a wide range of reinforced composite polymers from room temperature ABS and PC to high temperature material such as PSU, PESU and PEI. This combination is an ideal production equipment for the fabrication of moulds and tools for the aerospace industry, patterns for the foundry industry and for a variety of other unique applications.
With sizes that vary 5×10 foot (1,7 x 3.3m) to 15×60 foot (5 x 18m) in a variety of configurations including print only and full print and trim, Thermwood probably has the broadest product offering in the large scale additive arena.
The reality is, each print orientation comes with its share of advantages and limitations for a particular design. Not only does the Angle Layer Printing (ALP) option complete the Vertical Layer Print (VLP) option, but it also provides a maximum print flexibility.
This new capability provides operators with the ability to print at a 45-degree angle. All print orientations use the complete LSAM print head including exclusive LSAM print features such as the patented compression wheel and Thermal Sensor Layer Automation. This helps maintain an even layer temperature throughout the print. LSAM automatically adjusts the individual layer temperature to provide for superior layer fusion, the company explains in a press release.
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To date, manufacturers who already have a VLP option can easily add the ALP one to machines that are already in operation. They can benefit from the advantages of the ALP capability with other features including a temperature-controlled compression wheel and automatic thermal layer speed control, both of which help assure the best possible fusion between printed layers.
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