3D Printing for Innovative Mould Making Combined
3D Printing for Innovative Mould Making Combined with Simulation Driven Design Inspiration Push the Limits for High Performance Castings
Blending engineering technologies leads to innovative design and manufacturing process: Altair, Click2Cast, HBM nCode, and voxeljet combine design optimization, casting simulation, fatigue analysis, and 3D printing to create better-performing, lightweight vehicle component
Böblingen, Rotherham, Barcelona, Friedberg – Mar. 25, 2015 – Altair, Click2Cast, HBM nCode, and voxeljet today announced that the companies have collaborated on a new design and manufacturing process which combines the freedom of 3D printing for innovative mould making with a simulation driven design process. Together they present a technology demonstration that stands out with dramatic performance improvements and the solid potential for serial manufacturing and mass production. Bringing design optimization, fatigue analysis, casting, and 3D printing together addresses the challenges of lightweight design and enables the creation of an innovative design and manufacturing process that enhances performance and efficiency.
“When it comes to speed and capabilities for serial production you might want to look at this process," said Kevin Smith, Director Global Applications, voxeljet. It marks the “rebirth” of one of the oldest manufacturing process available – casting! The new process includes moulds made with 3D printing, an entirely new approach to mould making. By using the voxeljet 3D printing process, mould making is dramatically faster and the design freedom this process offers is great. 3D printing the patterns and moulds, is potentially the only way we can achieve this level of cast complexity. To leverage the design freedom 3D printing offers to full capacity, the design for the printed piece comes from simulation tools, which provide structural inspiration and enable the assessment of manufacturability and durability. The result we have received is very promising: the component is now 3-5 times stiffer (depending on the load case) than the original design without having to add weight. Another great advantage of this approach is, that the manufacturing process is already well established, certified in various industries and is suitable for mass production."
Blending engineering technologies leads to innovative design and manufacturing process: Altair, Click2Cast, HBM nCode, and voxeljet combine design optimization, casting simulation, fatigue analysis, and 3D printing to create better-performing, lightweight vehicle component
Böblingen, Rotherham, Barcelona, Friedberg – Mar. 25, 2015 – Altair, Click2Cast, HBM nCode, and voxeljet today announced that the companies have collaborated on a new design and manufacturing process which combines the freedom of 3D printing for innovative mould making with a simulation driven design process. Together they present a technology demonstration that stands out with dramatic performance improvements and the solid potential for serial manufacturing and mass production. Bringing design optimization, fatigue analysis, casting, and 3D printing together addresses the challenges of lightweight design and enables the creation of an innovative design and manufacturing process that enhances performance and efficiency.
“When it comes to speed and capabilities for serial production you might want to look at this process," said Kevin Smith, Director Global Applications, voxeljet. It marks the “rebirth” of one of the oldest manufacturing process available – casting! The new process includes moulds made with 3D printing, an entirely new approach to mould making. By using the voxeljet 3D printing process, mould making is dramatically faster and the design freedom this process offers is great. 3D printing the patterns and moulds, is potentially the only way we can achieve this level of cast complexity. To leverage the design freedom 3D printing offers to full capacity, the design for the printed piece comes from simulation tools, which provide structural inspiration and enable the assessment of manufacturability and durability. The result we have received is very promising: the component is now 3-5 times stiffer (depending on the load case) than the original design without having to add weight. Another great advantage of this approach is, that the manufacturing process is already well established, certified in various industries and is suitable for mass production."
