A UK-based manufacturer of turnkey 3D printing solutions has signed a new international contract that will see it use additive manufacturing to create complex concrete shapes.
Rapid Fusion, which designs and manufactures at its research and development center in the South West, has used its ZEUS 3D robotic system to produce intricate concrete parts for Italian start-up Nanoo.
The complex shapes were used to create table legs for an exclusive Italian furniture manufacturer and took just a few days to produce – compared to almost two weeks using traditional methods.
By using additive manufacturing – along with an integrated CNC milling tool – the two companies were able to achieve precise quality while reducing expensive labor costs and improving the sustainable performance of the project through the use of recycled PET-G.
This groundbreaking contract has given Rapid Fusion and Nanoo the ideal test case to prove to the construction industry that 3D printing is suitable for custom-made molds commonly used in large-scale projects to create free-form façade elements, complex concrete structures and World-designed furniture elements create -leading architects.
The test was conducted on a relatively small scale, but allowed the two companies to validate the idea, production time, accuracy and behavior of advanced cementitious materials such as UHPCs and related release agents in conjunction with a PET-G mold.
Further trials are currently underway to see how many times the mold can be reused without maintenance and there is real confidence that it can be used more than 100 times.
“The construction industry is under increased pressure to innovate, optimize costs and reduce environmental impact. Switching to additive manufacturing for some of their molds helps them achieve these goals,” explained Martin Wood, sales manager at Rapid Fusion.
“We have proven with our partners at Nanoo that large-scale 3D robotic printing offers a faster, more sustainable and cost-effective solution to the challenges faced by traditional concrete mold production.”
He continued: “Another important benefit is the reduction of waste, as manufacturing from composite materials often creates a lot of surplus, not to mention the molds that are discarded after use and the associated environmental degradation.”
“3D printing uses recycled materials and can be reused once the mold is finished. This is a huge sustainable benefit for the construction industry.”
Rapid Fusion, a sister company to 3D printing hardware specialist EVO 3D, aims to become a major player in global additive manufacturing platforms – all designed, built and assembled in the UK and recently awarded ” Made in Britain” award.
Earlier this year, the company launched its first custom cell, Apollo, which has already attracted significant interest due to its ability to offer faster speeds than existing FDM printers (nearly 200 times faster).
The company is just months away from officially releasing a second cell called ZEUS, which includes the CNC milling tool and enables precision milling and post-processing of polymer 3D parts.
Martin continued: “Automotive, aerospace, medical technology and renewable energy are all sectors that have traditionally been suitable for the possibilities of additive manufacturing.” We knew this could be transferred to the world of construction, and thanks to our first Contracted with Nanoo, we produce complex shapes that are used in real-world applications.
“In fact, our Italian friends were so impressed with the results that they have just signed on the dotted line for the delivery of a ZEUS system, one of the first in the world to be deployed.”
Mirko Scaburri, founder of Nanoo, added his support: “This is an interesting partnership that works because we leverage each other's technical strengths in exploring how we can design and manufacture concrete forms using large-scale 3D printing.”
“After Rapid Fusion developed ZEUS, we have the ability to print and then CNC mill away any excess layers that could create a barrier. Instead, the customer now receives a mold exactly the way they want, in days instead of weeks and at a comparable cost.”
He concluded: “I work with a lot of large construction companies and architects and this technology is really causing a stir in the industry. The latter particularly value the additional design geometries they can achieve with additive manufacturing – this is a big seller for them.”
Martin concluded: “Much of our work lies in research and development and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Working with Nanoo, we have developed a positive mold solution that has the potential to transform the construction industry.”
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