Global 3D printing mainstream technology and powerful companies at a glance

Global 3D printing mainstream technology and powerful companies at a glance

Premier Li Keqiang described the changes brought about by the use of 3D printing in the foundry industry. He said: “We just saw 'Silly big black' and now it’s 'My Fair Lady'”, then what is the magic of 3D printing in the foundry industry? effect?

3DP Adhesive Jet 3D Printing Technology

3DP 3D adhesive 3D printing technology in the name of the name suggests is 3D printing, which is the origin of today's 3D printing technology. The working principle of 3DP is to lay a layer of powder first, then use the nozzle to spray the adhesive on the area that needs to be formed, so that the material powder is bonded to form the cross section of the part, and then the process of powder coating, spraying and bonding is repeated continuously. Overlay to get the final printed part.

3DP technology is used in the foundry industry. The easiest way to think of it is to print the sand mold and ignore another application: print PMMA. - The classic case of the foundry industry in Germany and Japan.

Of course, the range of printing materials for 3DP technology is also constantly developing. In addition to sand molds and PMMA, what new materials will enter this field in the future? It is worth paying attention and expectation.

Representative enterprises:

Germany Voxeljet

Voxeljet Germany was founded in 1999. The company also produces three-dimensional inkjet printers through a non-exclusive patent license from MIT. Voxeljet was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in October 2013. Sales of Voxeljet equipment rose from 19 in 2014 to 25 in 2015. The price of its equipment is between 120,000 and 1.6 million euros. Voxeljet is mainly used in the aerospace industry. It also provides prototype services and product development services for foundries, automotive industry, artists and architects.

American Exone

ExOne, an industrial-grade 3D printer manufacturer, mainly serves aerospace, automotive, heavy equipment, and energy. Its application area is mainly small-batch, high-value manufacturing compound sand molds. In 2015, Exerial, the largest 3D printing system ever, will be launched. The Exerial system enables customers to mass-produce industrially, surpassing other systems that the company can currently use for rapid manufacturing and low-volume production.

China Feng Hua Zhuoli

The technology for printing 3D sand molds in China is called PCM technology. It was derived from R&D and process practice carried out at the Laser Forming Center of Tsinghua University in 1997. In 2002, the Foshan Science and Technology Bureau introduced and settled the project in Foshan City. Fenghua Zhuoli equipment is characterized by rapid mold-free manufacturing, flexible and accurate integration of manufacturing, can create metal mold blanks, equipment, low operating costs, high degree of automation.

SLS Selective Laser Sintering

The SLS process is formed using a powdered material. The material powder is spread on the upper surface of the formed part and is leveled; a section of the part is scanned with a high-strength CO2 laser on a freshly laid layer; the powders of the material are sintered together under high-intensity laser irradiation. The cross-section of the part is bonded to the part that has been shaped below; when the section is sintered, a new layer of material powder is applied and the lower section is selectively sintered. The biggest advantage of the SLS process is the wide selection of materials, such as nylon, wax, ABS, resin coated sand (coated sand), poly carbonates, metals and ceramic powders, etc.

The use of SLS technology in the foundry industry includes sinter-coated sand instead of sand casting. Sintered plastic material for investment casting.

Representative enterprises:

German EOS

Founded in 1989, EOS is a world-renowned manufacturer of rapid prototyping equipment. EOS offers a portfolio of modular solutions including systems, software, materials, and materials development and services. In addition to the market-famous SLM selective laser melting technology, its selective laser sintering technology (SLS) for plastics and metals is the market leader.

China TPM Yingpu

Zhongshan Yingpu Optoelectronic Equipment Co., Ltd. was established in 2004. In 2007, it created the first laser sintering forming 3D printing system that directly manufactures nylon plastic parts. In 2013, Yingpeng entered into a joint venture agreement with the giants of the 3D printing industry in the United States, and launched the Shanghai Joint Venture Company Program in 2014. It is engaged in the research and development of industrial-grade 3D printing technology using laser sintering of polymer materials and metal materials as the core process. Production and sales business.

China Farsoon Huaying Gaoke

Huasheng Gaoke not only has selective laser sintering (SLS) equipment manufacturing capabilities, but also has material production technology, Huasheng Gaoke SLS nylon powder materials in the supply of the domestic market, but also successfully exported to the United States, Sweden, Italy and other overseas markets.

China Huake 3D Huake 3D

Wuhan Huake 3D Technology Co., Ltd. is the largest professional R&D and manufacturing platform for 3D printing equipment in Central China with a registered capital of RMB 60 million; Huazhong University of Science and Technology Industry Group, Huazhong CNC, Huagong Investment, Hexu Holdings and Huazhong HKUST Rapid Prototyping Technology Teams and other companies jointly initiate the establishment of high-tech enterprises.

China AFS Longyuan Automatic Molding

Beijing Longyuan Automatic Forming System Co., Ltd. was established in 1994 as a subsidiary of 3DP Technology, Inc. Longyuan is the earliest company in China to develop powder sintering laser rapid prototyping machines in selected areas. The current equipment technology range includes SLS, SLM and LENS technology. Longyuan Forming and Processing Service Center has rapidly manufactured large-volume special-shaped complex parts for the aerospace, automobile and motorcycle, and pump industry.

Binhurp Wuhan Binhu

Wuhan Binhu Electromechanical Technology Industry Co., Ltd. is based on the fast manufacturing center of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. It is one of the earliest companies engaged in independent research and development of 3D printing technology. Since 1991, the company has successively developed and manufactured 3D printing equipment such as SLS and SLM.

Photosensitive resin curing technology

The liquid photosensitive resin undergoes a curing reaction (laser head or projection, and a chemical method) and solidifies into the shape of the product. Similar to the SLA (Stereolithography Apparatus) photo-curing rapid prototyping technology, DLP (Digital Light Processing) digital light processing, CLIP continuous liquid interface production technology.

The photosensitive resin curing technology is mainly used in the casting industry to make investment molds, and it can also replace the wood molds used in sand die casting. In addition, 3D Science Valley believes that the photosensitive resin curing technology itself is rapidly developing, including the combination of ceramics, carbon fiber and other material technologies and resin curing technologies. What new technology will be brought to the foundry industry in the future is worthy of attention and expectation.

Representative enterprises:

United States 3D Systems

In 1988, 3D Systems of the United States produced and commercialized the SLA250, the world's first rapid prototyping machine, based on this patent. Since then, 3D printers based on SLA molding technology have entered the public eye. 3D Systems The ProX 800 3D printer based on SLA molding technology is suitable for applications in many fields.

China unioTec Liantai 3D

Since 2000, Luen Thai Technology has been engaged in the research and development of industrial-grade 3D printing technology for over 10 years. It is the earliest company engaged in the R&D and production of 3D printer SLA laser rapid prototyping technology. In the field of investment casting, Luen Thai 3D printed prototypes of photosensitive resins with special hollow structures are used for rapid casting of metal products, greatly reducing the time from design to production. Luen Thai 3D photo-curing rapid prototyping 3D printing closed-loop control systems and methods have proprietary intellectual property patents.

China PrismaLab Pleasant Electromechanical

Shanghai PuLiSheng Electromechanical Technology uses LCD optics, and its 3D printers for stereolithography (SLA) are 400. It is independently researched and developed by Prichson Electromechanical Co., Ltd. and has independent intellectual property rights. Sharp 400 is based on Presley's years of technology accumulation in the field of exposure equipment and photochemical technology. The unique MFP technology has been patented.

In addition, the photosensitive resin curing technology also includes EnvisionTec (sales and service provided in China through Dachang Foreign Bank of Switzerland), Carbon 3D, Formlab, and China's Zhilei Electronic Technology, Zhuhai Xitong Electronics, Zhongshan Dongfang Boda Electronics, etc. .

In addition, in addition to the photosensitive resin, FDM melt-extrusion 3D printing technology can also be used for investment casting. See the desktop 3D printer released by 3D Scientific Valley for Siemens metal parts manufacturing.

In terms of industrialization, photo-curing resin curing technology is used in investment casting applications in the field of jewelry and dentistry. It is changing the traditional industry chain of these industries, and a new user experience has been born. Around the individualized scale production, the photosensitive resin curing technology is bound to be used. Prototype applications for lever wrench design validation go to additive manufacturing applications.

Opportunities and risks coexist. For equipment manufacturers and material suppliers, they are more refined and faster to become keywords that can occupy a place in the field of photosensitive resin curing technology. The fierce technological competition also puts a lot of pressure on upstream companies. For enterprises engaged in the development and service of photosensitive resin curing technology in China, how to lay out the industrial chain and how to compete at the brand strategy level will further challenge the wisdom of the operators.

Wax Casting Technology

Wax model 3D printing has been widely used in our lives, for example: jewelry designers use digital design tools to print 3D accessories directly into wax patterns, or dentists make artificial teeth, dental molds, tooth molds, etc. The use of wax pattern technology replaces traditional plaster molds to create more rigid dentures for use on patients.

Representative enterprises:

United States 3D Systems

The main model used by 3D Systems for wax pattern printing is the ProJet 3510 series.

United States SolidScape

SolidScape, a company of Stratasys, was established in 1994. Its printed wax pattern is the ideal prototype for dewaxing casting and mold making. It is widely used in biomedical products, orthopedics, dentistry, artificial limbs, jewelry, toys and other fields.

In addition to the 3D printing technology and companies described in detail above, 3D printing is also used for the printing of metal molds in the foundry sector. LENS Near-net-shape molding technology continues to exceed the print size limit, and also brings material processing solutions for multi-material printing. space. When the size of the sand mold or investment printing is limited by printing, LOM laminated 3D printing technology can also be used for printing to replace the wood mold. At this point, the international automotive manufacturers have used LOM laminated 3D printing technology. To print the "wood mold" of a large crankshaft.

China's foundry industry is facing the pressure of transformation and upgrading. China Casting Association predicts that by 2020 the number of foundry companies will be reduced to 15,000, the total output of castings will reach 55 million tons, and the output value of castings will be about 700 billion yuan. Castings, which account for 30% of the total number of companies (about 4,500), will produce more than 80% of the total casting output. The proportion of nodular cast iron (comprising vermicular cast iron) to the output of cast iron will increase from 37% in 2014 to about 42%, and the production of light alloys such as aluminum and magnesium will increase from 13% to about 20%. By 2020, China's overall energy consumption for casting will be reduced by 10% compared with 2015, and the utilization rate of waste sand will be further increased. The annual amount of reclaimed foundry sand will reach 3 million tons.

Global 3D printing mainstream technology and powerful companies at a glance