F900 | 3D printers, 3D scanners and 3D services for industry

Radford Motors: custom car manufacturing with 3D printing

Author : Varinex Date : 2024-08-15

Radford Motors: custom car manufacturing with 3D printing

Radford Motors produces small-batch, highly customized, one-of-a-kind cars. Additive manufacturing is part of the company's recipe for success – its flexibility, special materials, and tool-free manufacturing capabilities.

Radford Motors builds exclusive luxury cars with a focus on high-end craftsmanship, limited edition production, customization and performance. The company's history dates back to the original Radford Motors, a British coachbuilder founded in 1948, which built custom bodies for car manufacturers such as Bentley, Aston Martin and Austin Mini Cooper.

Challenge: small-batch, cost-effective production

Radford Motors’ first model series, consisting of just 62 units, did not allow for traditional manufacturing methods that rely on the economics of mass production. A faster and more cost-effective means of prototyping was needed than the traditional method of CNC machining foam and clay. Installing a full factory tooling kit would have involved costs and logistics that were not feasible for this highly customized, limited-run business model.

Solution: additive manufacturing

To create and produce the prototype of the Radford Lotus Type 62-2 production vehicle, the company relied on additive manufacturing, which allows for a flexible development and manufacturing process. Radford uses large-format Stratasys F770™ and Stratasys F900™ printers, which offer a spacious build volume. Thermoplastics such as carbon fiber ABS-CF10 and ASA offer the right strength-to-weight properties for tooling and production line parts.

Result: economically viable business

The combination of Stratasys 3D printing capabilities and strong, yet lightweight materials allows Radford Motors to design, iterate and build custom vehicle tools and components much faster and more economically than traditional manufacturing methods. The capabilities offered by additive manufacturing help make Radford Motors’ business model of building small, highly customized vehicles economically viable.

Learn how additive manufacturing can bring new momentum to the fixture manufacturing process while increasing time and cost savings!

Download the 12-page
Solution Guide in Hungarian!

New developments expand the manufacturing capabilities of the Stratasys F900 3D printer

Author : Varinex Date : 2024-01-24

New developments expand the manufacturing capabilities of the Stratasys F900 3D printer

Did you know that the Swiss Army Knife was invented over 120 years ago? However, regardless of its age, it is still a success today, a century after its creator, Karl Esener, combined many useful functions into a single tool. What is the secret to its long-term success? It follows several timeless principles that are characteristic of most long-lasting products:

Versatility – providing versatile capabilities for multiple uses.
Continuous innovation – updated with new values to meet changing needs.
Quality – made for long-lasting use, durable and long-lasting.

The same principles that make the Swiss Army Knife a steadfast, reliable tool are also the foundation of the Stratasys F900 3D printer , which customers refer to as a true FDM “workhorse.” While the latter is a bit more sophisticated than the former, the results they achieve are the same: reliable service and proven performance, while also allowing for continued innovation.

Users attest to the versatile capabilities of the F900

Make no mistake, the F900 is a significant investment for any business. At the same time, this machine represents the pinnacle of sophistication and capability in industrial FDM additive manufacturing. This is probably one of the main reasons why manufacturers are eager to adopt it – the F900 has the tools to get the job done, whether it’s the capacity to print large-scale parts, the materials needed to produce spacecraft parts, or anything in between – all with the proven accuracy and reliability that users expect.

Plyform, an Italian aerospace composites manufacturer, is using 3D printing to create tooling for composite parts because it is cheaper and more time-efficient than traditional metal tooling. The Stratasys F900’s large build volume is designed to accommodate the parts that aerospace companies want to print, and ULTEM™ 1010 resin, a high-performance thermoplastic in the F900, provides the material properties needed to produce 3D printed molds.

“Of all the additive manufacturing technologies we have tested, the Stratasys F900 offers the best accuracy and repeatability,” says Luca Ceriani, Plyform’s manufacturing technology manager.

Another aircraft manufacturer, British BAE Systems, is also benefiting from the F900’s capacity and versatile material offering. The company uses its F900s for a variety of applications, producing aerospace models, design verification prototypes, production line tools and end-use parts 24/7.

“We installed our latest Stratasys F900 3D printer towards the end of last year, primarily to increase our capacity through the wider use of FDM technology, but the ongoing material developments also give us a significant advantage in tooling applications,” says Greg Flanagan, head of additive manufacturing at BAE Systems.

These are just two examples of the more than 1,000 F900 installations where customers have improved their production processes with the help of capacity, wide range of raw materials, reliability and repeatability.

Of the additive manufacturing technologies we have tested, the Stratasys F900 offers the best accuracy and repeatability.

Luca Ceriani

Plyform Manufacturing Technology Manager

New features add further value to the F900

Just as the Swiss Army Knife has adapted to modern use, the F900 has received new features to keep up with the needs of manufacturers.

The two new printheads offer higher extrusion speeds to reduce part build time, especially for larger prints. The T40A and T40C tips print ULTEM™ 9085 resinand FDM^® Nylon 12CF material. The dual printheads allow for faster part build times, enabling faster production speeds. Print speeds vary by geometry, but some large Nylon 12CF parts can see an increase of up to 40%. Although the step-up surface formation may be slightly more pronounced depending on the shape of the part, this is not an issue if surface resolution is secondary to the priority of faster part production.

In terms of materials, F900 users can now benefit from Validated Materials. Stratasys Validated Materials are thermoplastics that have been developed by a third party and meet Stratasys quality standards, and have been validated through fundamental reliability tests on Stratasys FDM printers. This new material category broadens the F900’s material portfolio, enabling faster introduction of new materials that open up new applications. For example, Kimya PC-FR: this fire-resistant polycarbonate meets the smoke and fire protection standards of the railway industry, making it the perfect material for low-volume applications such as replacing obsolete parts.

Proven performance that continuously evolves to adapt to production

The Stratasys F900 the FDM technologywithembodies itself countlessthat has over thein the hands of proven customers . But years changing the needshorizon. themore of its users. The new T40 tips and Validated Materials, including colored ULTEM™ 9085 resins, are just two recent additions, but there are more useful developments on

For businesses that require reliable industrial additive manufacturing capabilities, the Stratasys F900 should be on the list of systems to consider.

To learn more about the capabilities and value of the F900, visit the F900 3D printer website!

You can also access a wealth of additional information, including downloading the Stratasys White Paper on Validating FDM Repeatability and Performance!

News, events

Radford Motors: custom car manufacturing with 3D printing

Radford Motors produces small-scale, customized cars. Additive manufacturing is part of the company's recipe for success. They chose large-format 3D printers from Stratasys.

News, events

New developments expand the manufacturing capabilities of the Stratasys F900 3D printer

The Stratasys F900 3D printer is constantly expanding with new features and capabilities, offering added value to meet the changing needs of users

New Stratasys Materials for End-User Manufacturing and Industrial Prototyping

News, events

New Stratasys Materials

Stratasys Announces Four New Materials for the P3™ DLP Platform and Two New Materials and New Colors for the Stratasys F900 3D Printer

New Stratasys Materials

Author : Varinex Date : 2023-12-01

Stratasys Strengthens Commitment to End-User Manufacturing and Industrial Prototyping by Expanding Its Materials Offering

Stratasys Announces Four New Materials for the P3™ DLP Platform and Two New Materials and New Colors for the Stratasys F900 3D Printer

Stratasys, the leader in polymer 3D printing solutions, today announced four new materials, including Somos® WeatherX™ 100, for its P3 technology 3D printers, as well as new validated materials for the F900™ additive manufacturing system, including Kimya PC-FR and FDM HIPS. The introduction of these new materials opens the door to a wider range of manufacturing applications and accelerates the expansion of the material selection available in the market.

Four new materials for P3™ DLP technology

Stratasys Origin One 3D printers for end-user manufacturing and production-grade prototyping with four new high-performance materials for its P3™ DLP platform.

Somos® WeatherX™ 100*
For environmentally resistant applications such as vehicle interiors, motorcycle parts and outdoor consumer products. Provides manufacturers with more reliable test data on the weatherability, durability and dimensional accuracy of materials, as it is tested to rigorous SAE industry standards.
Somos® PerFORM™ HW*
for injection molds or high rigidity fixtures. Ceramic-filled material that provides high wear and high temperature resistance.
P3™ Deflect™ 190 ESD*
A specialty resin developed in collaboration with Henkel for the production of jigs and fixtures used in electronics and general manufacturing, as well as tooling and housings. Benefits include a 190°C HDT (Heat Transfer Temperature), electrostatic dissipative (ESD) properties and high rigidity.
P3™ Stretch™ 80*
An elastomer prototyping resin developed jointly by BASF and Forward AM for soft or flexible parts such as seals, seals, grips and masking devices. This material is an affordable addition to existing elastomers for users new to elastomer printing or looking for a replacement for traditional polyurethane or TPU.

Stratasys is also introducing automatic support generation for Origin One GrabCAD Print software, simplifying workflows by allowing users to choose from predefined support profiles based on material properties – rigid, tough or elastomeric – or customize them to optimize workflows.

Two new materials and new colors for the F900 3D printer

Stratasys is offering two new materials for the F900 fabrication system, as well as eight new colors in ULTEM™, PC and PC-ABS. The expanded material family provides a broader range of applications, while the new colors offer users greater flexibility and reduce post-processing costs.

Kimya PC-FR
Flame-retardant polycarbonate material that meets the requirements of EN45545 for railway applications and is specifically designed for end-use components, including small series production and replacement parts.
FDM HIPS
Affordable, high impact polystyrene-based material for low-demand applications.

The new OpenAM™ software is now available for the F900, which includes an open material license, enabling 3D printing with third-party materials.

“Expanding our portfolio of validated materials gives customers more choices to cover a wider range of applications and enable scalable manufacturing,” said Dr. Yoav Zeif, CEO of Stratasys. “As additive manufacturing continues to grow, there is no limit to what is possible with 3D printing, and we are excited to support our customers in this.”

* These materials will become commercially available in late 2023 - early 2024.

Get to know Origin 3D printers and the F900 additive manufacturing system!

Stratasys FDM additive manufacturing in Naples public transport

Author : Varinex Date : 2021-02-26

Stratasys FDM additive manufacturing in Naples public transport

The downtime of trolleybuses in Naples has been reduced from 12 months to just two weeks using replacement parts manufactured with a Stratasys F900 industrial 3D printer. Encouraged by the success of the project, there are plans to expand FDM additive manufacturing to the entire Italian public transport network.

Engineering company 3DnA aims to revolutionize the maintenance and repair of public transport in Italy using Stratasys FDM additive manufacturing. Recent work the company has done for Azienda Napoletana Mobilità (ANM), the public transport company in Naples, has shown that on-demand 3D printing of spare parts can reduce vehicle downtime by up to 95% compared to traditional spare part manufacturing.

***The Naples trolleybus provides a cost-effective, sustainable mode of transportation throughout the city.***

ANM manages the entire public transport network in Naples, including the city’s famous trolleybuses. The company recently discovered that many of the bus pantographs – the vital components that connect the bus to the overhead line – were broken or no longer usable. Without a working pantograph, these buses would be inoperable and the service would have to be suspended.
Due to the age of the trolleybus fleet, the replacement part in question was no longer available on the market – which would not only have meant the bus being out of service, but would have put the entire fleet at risk in the event of repeated component breakages. Addressing the problem brought 3DnA’s additive manufacturing expertise to the fore – ANM’s large-scale, industrial Stratasys F900® 3D printer was the solution.

“Manufacturing the pantographs using traditional processes would have taken up to 12 months. This would have resulted in a long downtime for the vehicle, which is simply unthinkable,” explains Alessandro Manzo, CEO of 3DnA.

“With our Stratasys F900, we were able to manufacture and deliver around 20 of the most critical components of the pantograph in two weeks, allowing ANM to eliminate the further risk of downtime for its fleet and ensure reliable public transport for three million Neapolitans. Overall, this production flexibility is extremely important for ANM, as it can now order parts based on actual demand, without the need to stock large, costly inventories.”

3D printed parts are used throughout the entire fleet

As the original pantograph was obsolete, 3DnA redesigned the part using 3D scanning. Importantly, by taking advantage of the geometric freedom offered by additive manufacturing, the team was able to redesign the part so that in the event of damage, only a small part of the pantograph would need to be replaced – not the entire unit as before.
The core of the new pantograph is a metal structure, and the F900 3D printer is used to produce the outer casing that connects the pantograph to the overhead lines.

3D printed pantograph top cover made of ULTEMTM 9085 material, F900 equipment — ***durable Stratasys ULTEM^™ 3D printed pantograph top cover made of***

***New 3D printed pantograph connects trolleybus to overhead line***

“The innovative new design was so well received that ANM decided to replace the pantographs on its entire trolleybus fleet with the new 3D printed version,” Manzo continues. “Without such high-precision part manufacturing capabilities, this would not have been possible. The beauty of the matter is that the F900 not only ensures a high level of part accuracy, but also has an industry-leading repeatability.”

The outer shell is printed using Stratasys ULTEM^™ 9085 resin , which provides the structural support needed for everyday use while also meeting the required electrical insulation standards. Manzo adds, “The part is non-conductive, so using this resin is essential. In addition, ULTEM^™ 9085 resin provides three key requirements for end-user transportation applications: excellent heat resistance with a heat deflection temperature of 153°C, a flame-retardant thermoplastic, and a very high strength-to-weight ratio.”

Expansion nationwide

Encouraged by the success in Naples, 3DnA’s management sees it as a catalyst for the transformation of the wider Italian transport sector.
“We believe that additive manufacturing will become the primary method of spare parts production in the public transport sector,” concludes Manzo. “Small-volume, on-demand production is cost-effective and the industry is ripe for transformation, as the ANM example shows. As a result of the project, we are already in advanced discussions with several transport management companies in Italy to support their spare parts needs with this technology.”

Here you can find more information about the F900 3D printerand the durable ULTEM™ 9085 resin material.

Szuperautó 3D nyomtatási technológiával

Author : Varinex Date : 2019-10-01

Szuperautó 3D nyomtatási technológiával

Szuperautó 3D nyomtatási technológiával – a gyors, hatékony, ipari szintű additív gyártás áttörést hozott

A Briggs Automotive Company a Stratasys FDM 3D nyomtatási technológiáját használja egy légbeszívó prototípusának elkészítéséhez.

A Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) a Stratasys FDM technológiájával gyártotta le a légbeszívó rendszer működő prototípusát.

A Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) a Stratasys Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technológiájával gyártotta le a légbeszívó rendszer működő prototípusát a Mono R szuperautóhoz.

A 3D nyomtatással a BAC-nek sikerült a két hetes munkafolyamatot mindössze néhány órásra rövidítenie, így hamarabb be tudta szerelni a légszűrőházat, és megkezdhette annak ellenőrzését, hogy a terv a közutakon is működőképesnek bizonyul-e.

A BAC Mono R nagyjából 270 km/h-s végsebességre képes, teljesítménye meghaladja a 340 féklóerőt (bhp), tömegarányos teljesítménye pedig eléri a 612 féklóerőt tonnánként. Azáltal, hogy több oxigént képes eljuttatni az égéstérbe, az autó légszűrőháza kulcsfontosságú szerepet játszik abban, hogy az autó ilyen sebesség és teljesítmény elérésére lehet képes. Működés közben az alkatrész jellemzően 100 °C feletti hőmérsékletnek van kitéve, ezért a végterméknek teljes egészében szénszálas anyagból kell készülnie.

*3D nyomtatással készült működőképes légbeszívó tesztelése a Mono R szuperautóval a közúti teljesítmény javítása érdekében.*

A BAC csapata a Stratasys F900 Production 3D nyomtatóval kinyomtatta a légszűrőház prototípusát a cég szénszálakkal erősített, hőre lágyuló Nylon 12CF alapanyagából, amely akár 140 °C-os hőmérsékletnek is képes ellenállni. Ezzel a megoldással a vállalat mindössze néhány napon belül el tudta végezni a teljesítményteszteket, és biztos lehetett benne, hogy ha szükséges, még a hét vége előtt egy újabb változatot is össze tud állítani. A hagyományos prototípus-készítési módszerek alkalmazása esetén az esetleges tervmódosítások további két hetes várakozást eredményeztek volna.

„A gyors, hatékony, ipari szintű additív gyártás áttörést hozott a fejlesztési folyamatban – állapította meg Ian Briggs, a BAC tervezési igazgatója. – 3D nyomtatással órák alatt elkészült a légszűrőház pontos prototípusa, amelyet azonnal beépíthettünk az autóba, és megkezdhettük a tesztelést. Így sokkal hamarabb el tudtunk jutni a fejlesztéstől a gyártásig. A prototípus teljesítménye nagyon közel állt az öntőformában készült, szénszállal megerősített műanyagéhoz, és könnyen megállta a helyét a tesztpályán. Ez csak a kezdet volt a BAC csapata számára. A tervezői csapat a jövőben is szeretne élni az additív gyártás előnyeivel, hogy újabb és újabb korlátokat törhessünk át.”

Forrás: Todd Jones / Stratasys blog

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