Additive manufacturing is pioneering for Röchling Industrial

At the beginning of the year, the international plastics processor Röchling Industrial integrated the Röchling Direct Manufacturing Center (3D printing) from Waldachtal into the Röchling Industrial Laupheim at the Burgrieden site. With the move, Röchling is taking the next step in the industrialisation of additive manufacturing. At the new location, customers and partners also benefit from the comprehensive know-how in 3D printing and the modern manufacturing processes of the plastics processor. The Röchling 3D printing experts are already successfully supporting existing and new projects at the Burgrieden site.

"With the move, we have brought additive manufacturing closer to our existing operational processes, so we are able to respond even better to the needs of our customers and partners. As a system supplier, we deliver everything from a single source and are a partner for our customers from the development process, additive manufacturing processes, mechanical post-processing to the finished product," explains Rudolf Karremann, Managing Director of Röchling Industrial Laupheim GmbH. Using state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies such as the Multi Jet Fusion process, fused deposition modeling and selective laser sintering, Röchling Industrial will increasingly focus on the industrialization of these technologies in the future.

In addition to the industrialisation of its 3D printing skills, Röchling Industrial also regularly supports charitable projects. As one of the first projects, the Röchling experts in Burgrieden recently supported the St. Vitus plant in Meppen/ Germany. The facility for people with disabilities commissioned the production of a measuring device for their own workshop. "We are particularly pleased about the project relating to the measuring device since it is a newly developed technical component. Our experts in 3D printing accompanied and implemented the entire process of manufacturing the measuring device together with the technical manager of the workshop at St. Vitus," says Michael Haller, Managing Director of Röchling Industrial.

For the manufacturing process, the 3D printing experts opted for the Multi Jet Fusion process. With this technology, functional and mechanically resilient components with complex elements can be printed very quickly. The polymer material used, a powder material based on polyamide 12, gives the measuring device very good mechanical properties, which allows it to withstand high loads. The measuring device is used in cable assembly and makes it easier for workshop employees to determine the length of the cable. The cooperation between Röchling Industrial and the St.-Vitus-Werk came about through a jointly implemented project from last year.