From 13 to 15 September 2021, Arburg has exhibited two freeformers at Rapid + TCT in Chicago, USA. Using a variety of sample parts, the company has demonstrated their capabilities.
When developing new products, OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and automotive suppliers use the APF process to produce items such as elastic hoses, axle boots and housing seals from original soft materials. The freeformer can also manufacture production equipment such as customised assembly devices and grippers for robotic systems on demand, in single-unit batches and upwards. A gripper of this type with a positive bond in hard/soft combination is used, for example, in Arburg’s own plastic parts production for the automated removal of handles from Arburg’s temperature control units.
In addition, the APF process can be used to process almost any standard bioplastic in the form of standard pellets. Since no special filaments are required, the energy-intensive extrusion stage is not necessary. The droplet-based discharge process and the design of the support structures enable the production of hollow bodies, complex lightweight structures and component walls only a few layers thick.
Source: Arburg
