Formula Student puts plastics in the fast lane
07.08.2024
Once a year, students from all over the world meet at Germany’s world-famous Hockenheim Ring (Germany) to compete against each other in single-seater race cars made of plastic. In addition to the performance of the cars in various disciplines such as cornering, acceleration and energy consumption, the jury also evaluates the design of the cars, the teams' cost planning and sales presentation.
3D printing: manufacturing eye prostheses from plastic
12.06.2024
Plastic eye prostheses: Lightweight, robust and natural in appearance - and now available via 3D printing. Find out more here!
Customized, 3D-printed bike helmets offer comfort and safety
13.05.2024
The Californian company KAV offers customized headwear in collaboration with Jabil.
BEAD.MACHINE sets new standards in particle foam processing
31.01.2024
Particle foam offers a wide range of applications - from automotive to packaging and lifestyle. The BEAD.MACHINE from Siegfried Hofmann GmbH marks a significant advance in the processing of this versatile class of materials: it enables the efficient production of complex moulded particle foam parts, setting new standards in terms of product quality and environmental friendliness.
From the 3D printer to the dishwasher: researchers develop biodegradable support material
27.09.2023
In the world of additive manufacturing, innovations are constantly revolutionising the possibilities. Despite the progress, there is one major challenge: the need for support structures. They prevent material layers from sagging – but removing them after printing can have environmentally damaging consequences. In the AquaLoes project, the IKT is tackling this challenge.
New GENBETA car developed by Formula E and its innovation partner SABIC shatters Guinness World Records™ title
19.09.2023
SABIC's materials contributed to the GENBETA car setting an indoor speed record at the 2023 Hankook London E-Prix, with driver Jake Hughes reaching 218.71KPH. These materials, including thermoplastics, enhanced the car's performance, aligning with SABIC's commitment to electrification and sustainability in partnership with Formula E.
Digital meets material: a software transforms additive manufacturing
17.08.2023
ADAM could redefine plastics manufacturing. A big claim, but not without reason: Behind the acronym ADAM is a software called "Advanced Dimension Additive Manufacturing" that caused a real stir at K 2022. The impressive result of this software in action? A high-performance screw extruder controlled by an agile jointed-arm robot.
Additive manufacturing is pioneering for Röchling Industrial
12.04.2023
Röchling Industrial integrated the Röchling Direct Manufacturing Center from Waldachtal into the Röchling Industrial Laupheim at the Burgrieden site. The international plastics processor takes an important step in the industrialization of its 3D printing competencies and continues to focus on additive manufacturing.
Bio-based flame retardants for bioplastics in electrical engineering and electronics
06.02.2023
Fraunhofer researchers, in collab with industrial partners, have achieved initial success in the development of bio-based flame retardants in bioplastics. In the future, it could therefore be possible to utilize plastics in electronics and electrical engineering that consist of 100% bio-based materials. Processing was tested by means of compounding, injection molding and additive manufacturing.
The VR glove from the 3D printer
26.12.2022
In a project called "Manufhaptics", researchers at Empa, together with EPFL and ETH Zurich, want to develop a VR glove that will make virtual worlds tangible. The VR glove is to be created using a 3D printing process and will have three different actuators.
All tidied up: Customizable cleaning solution for light-based 3D printing
21.12.2022
As the saying goes, one cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs – in a metaphorical sense, this is also the case when it comes to the 3D printing process. In most cases, material residue must be removed manually and then discarded. Cubicure delivers a different way that's automated, customizable, and sustainable.
Joining Forces: Fast-as-lightning 3D Microprinting with Two Lasers
19.12.2022
A research team from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the University of Heidelberg, and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) developed a laser printing process that can print micrometer-sized parts within a very short time.
Powered-up plastics
08.12.2022
A research team from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA has succeeded inadditively manufacture sensors and other electronic devices in a single operation. As part of this research, the conductivity of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) was tested to find out, for example, how best to incorporate electronic components.
Wonderfully versatile: Plastics shape the car of the future
17.11.2022
The versatility of plastic is one of its strongest characteristics, and it makes it particularly popular amongst designers. Plastic is also a favored material for BASF's design team: in collaboration with Citroën, the chemical company rethought the classic car - with plastic as the central building block that made the implementation of the innovative concept possible in the first place.
A flexible device that harvests thermal energy to power wearable electronics
08.09.2022
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed the first flexible, wearable thermoelectric device capable of converting body heat into electricity. The researchers demonstrated that they can print these devices on stretchable textiles and curved surfaces. This will allow the devices to be applied to clothing and other objects in the future.
BASF and THOR GmbH fight fire together
03.08.2022
To improve plastic compounds and meet stringent fire safety requirements, BASF and THOR GmbH are using their joint expertise in flame retardants. The focus is on developing alternatives to halogen-containing additives.
Product development in Alpla's One-Stop Shop
02.08.2022
Those who work meticulously to design a product can hardly await the day they can hold the finished item in their hands. Alpla is a company headquartered in Hard, Austria, that speeds up this process. Customers can convert their ideas into reality and ideally leave Alpla's STUDIOa with a prototype in hand.
Audi: Recycling plastic waste in-house
14.07.2022
For a year now, automobile manufacturer Audi has been running a pilot project for a closed plastic cycle. Assembly aids are produced from packaging material in a 3D printer. We took a closer look at the Neckarsulm plant to find out exactly how this works and what challenges have to be overcome.
3D printing for automated pre-assembly of thermoplastic CFRP integral frames
01.07.2022
In the "OSFIT" (One Shot Fully Integrated Thermoplastic Frame) project, automated processes were developed to reduce both the time required and the complexity of the assembly and joining steps in aircraft production.
Intelligent software for 3D printing optimises properties of plastic components
06.06.2022
Researchers at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern have developed intelligent software that can adjust parameters such as temperature and printing speed during printing.
Safely above the clouds – plastics in aviation
13.04.2022
Around 10,000 m altitude, speeds of almost 1,000 km/h, outside temperatures as low as -60°C. One of the reasons why we as airline passengers don't notice any of this is because of plastics. These are not only mechanically and chemically resistant, but also lightweight. And lighter aircraft cause fewer CO2 emissions, which is of great importance for achieving climate targets.
Same but different: say hello to the 3D printed trombone
25.03.2022
It looks and sounds like a standard trombone - but is actually lightweight and made of carbon fiber rather than brass metal. To craft the musical instrument using this raw material, additive manufacturing is the right application for success: the process provides great options to manufacture the relevant molds used to build the instrument.
Polymer discovery gives 3D-printed sand super strength
10.01.2022
Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory designed a novel polymer to bind and strengthen silica sand for binder jet additive manufacturing, a 3D-printing method used by industries for prototyping and part production.
Bringing back the good name – a museum of plastic about plastic
06.10.2021
In May 2021, another museum of a special kind was created in front of the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid: a Plastic Museum. It was not just a museum ABOUT plastic, but MADE OF plastic. The media response to the campaign of the EsPlásticos association was huge.
Clean room production of breast implants
14.09.2021
The Fraunhofer IPT has teamed up with BelloSeno GmbH to study biocompatible implants that are made using 3D printing. Kai Janning from the Fraunhofer IPT describes the conditions a medical device production facility must meet and reveals the latest successes of the researchers.
3D printing of multilayered materials for smart helmets
09.08.2021
A mechanical and aerospace engineering professor at The University of Texas at Arlington is developing advanced helmets to ensure that members of the military are as protected as possible from blasts and other types of attacks.
Printed polymers with active ingredient
20.07.2021
3D printing can be used to produce versatile, individual shapes. This type of extrusion process is therefore not only popular in the plastics industry – it is also suitable for medical technology applications. Only the right polymers have to be found first.
Industry 4.0: "We should seize opportunities and create added digital value"
04.05.2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the rise of the digital workplace. This also applies to industry in general, where massive amounts of data are collected from countless sources. The so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution (or Industry 4.0) aims to use this data to gain actionable insights and target the development of marketable products, technologies, and services.
Connecting apprentices with plastics companies
30.03.2021
Preparing small and medium-sized plastics manufacturing enterprises for the challenges of digitization in the vocational training and continuing education of employees and apprentices – that was the objective of the project titled "Kunststoff goes Future", abbreviated KungFu. The project ran for three years in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe district, Germany. It was successfully completed in mid-2020.
Smallest 3D printed miniature endoscope in the world
24.07.2020
Researchers of the Universities of Stuttgart and Adelaide in cooperation with medical research centers in Australia developed a special microoptical tool with a thickness of only 125 microns. This enables endoscopic examimations within blood vessels whose diameter is smaller than 0.5 mm and helps detecting plaques or thrombs to reduce the danger of a stroke or a heart attack.
A look at the shifting trends in additive manufacturing
22.05.2020
"Harvesting" body heat more efficiently with superrubber
12.02.2020
North Carolina State University engineers have demonstrated a flexible device that harvests the heat energy from the human body to monitor health. The device is more efficient than other flexible harvesters that use body heat as the sole energy source.