It used to be limited to niche applications and ambitious individuals, but 3D printing has now become an industrial reality, too. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) in particular is becoming an established process in prototype development. Now, Bahr Modultechnik GmbH is taking the next step forward at HANNOVER MESSE 2016. Thanks to a 3D printing application made up of standard modules from Bahr Modultechnik, businesses will be able to use the FDM process to print parts significantly larger than the components conventional 3D printers have been able to produce to date. Although Bahr GmbH, a specialist in modular technology and positioning systems, had the necessary hardware for such an innovative project, it lacked the relevant 3D printing expertise, which is why it teamed up with a skilled partner - the automation specialists at Systec.

Together, the two companies developed a solution that can manufacture 3D printed parts measuring up to 650 x 680 x 720 millimeters - far exceeding the capabilities of previous processes. It all starts with a sealed, heatable cabin developed by Bahr Modultechnik that has an integrated two-axis system and a baseplate with a 720 millimeter working stroke. The added ingredients from the motion experts at Systec GmbH include stepper motor drives, Xemo stepper motor controls, temperature modules, the operating software and the extruder. "The challenge was then coordinating the mechanical components with the drive and control technology so that we can print large, warp-free, high-quality parts using the FDM process," explains Jochen Keuschnig, a product developer at Systec. Visitors to HANNOVER MESSE can now see exactly how the partners overcame that challenge.

Bahr Modultechnik GmbH (31711 Luhden, Germany), Hall 16, Stand D17