Arburg is pressing on with its 3D printing technology, with the injection moulding giant opening a new centre for industrial polymer additive manufacturing alongside service provider Faberlab in Origgio, Italy.
The ‘Faberlab powered by Arburg’ additive centre will open on 2 March 2023 allowing demonstrations and part supply from kit including an Arburg Freeformer 200-3X, a high-temperature Freeformer 300-3X and an InnovatiQ TiQ 5 printer, a 500 x 400 x 450mm FDM printer from the brand formerly known as German RepRap, which was acquired by Arburg’s parent company in 2020.
Arburg’s 3D printing technology has been in the sector for nearly a decade now, having been announced at Euromold (now Formnext) in 2013.
The pilot project is based on the same blueprint as the Arburg Prototyping Center (APC), which the company operates at its headquarters in Lossburg, Germany, as well as at its branches in the USA and China.
Arburg says that the opening of the new facility will allow them to benchmark parts, functional prototypes and produce small series using additively manufacturing at the Origgio site from a wide variety of original materials, around the clock if needs be. This allows prospective customers of manufacturing systems to determine in advance whether Arburg Plastic Freeforming or the FDM technology is actually suitable for the desired part, material and application before they commit to a purchase.
Two of many examples are 3D printing using ABS for impact-resistant components with a high quality surface finish and the additive processing of SEBS, a highly elastic and soft TPE with good colourability and malleability. In Italy too, every requirement for industrial additive manufacturing can now be met.
