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These practical examples can be found at the Arburg booth

Arburg demonstrates the optimal complementarity of 3D printing and automated injection molding processes through the production of plant pots. An electric injection molding machine, type Allrounder 720 A with a 4-cavity tool, is used to manufacture these thin-walled pots from recycled material. To gently remove these from the tool, the company Osko uses specialized packaging automation with grippers precisely tailored to the product, which can be quickly and "on demand" 3D-printed. The stable black middle piece made of fiber-reinforced plastic filament, produced using a TiQ printer, is two to three times lighter and thus significantly cheaper than a component made of aluminum. The four white gripping rings in a hard-soft combination are produced by a Freeformer using the APF process. To remove the plant pots, the soft gripper is "inflated" with compressed air, securing and gently handling the injection-molded part. Additionally, a Freeformer user in the medical technology field has developed a novel method that could replace or at least delay complex knee surgeries involving metal implants. His alternative is called "iKnee". Utilizing patented R.A.D. technology (Resilient Arthroplasty Device), a patient-specific, biocompatible polycarbonate implant is minimally invasively inserted into the knee as a cartilage replacement.

More on the "Seestern" research project

At Formnext 2024, you will also be able to see the first exciting results from the "Seestern" project. This project involves the use of Starjet and Freeformer for hybrid printing of structural electronics. In addition to Arburgadditive, the project collaborates with Hahn Schickart Society for Applied Research based in Freiburg and Stuttgart. The process combines Starjet technology from the Freiburg Institute for Microsystem Technology (Imtek) with the Freeformer. The project is part of the "Invest BW-Promotion" program for innovation and technology projects and is supported by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Tourism. The core of Starjet technology is a star-shaped nozzle through which metal droplets are deposited to print conductive electronic components, such as from solder. The aim is to integrate Starjet technology into the build space and control system of the Freeformer to industrially but additively manufacture hybrid components like sensors in a single step. Hybrid printing with electrically conductive metals directly in the Freeformer's build chamber is seen as promising for the electronics industry, significantly reducing costs, chemical usage, logistical efforts, and the CO₂ footprint of the product, as Arburg highlights.

“This article was first published on our sister portal
"MM Maschinenmarkt" (German Edition), Vogel Communications Group.“

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Date: 08.12.2025

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