获奖3D打印机制造商桌面金属已宣布推出Fiber，这是一种与自动化纤维放置（AFP）技术集成的新连续纤维桌面3D打印机。
AFP被称为制造复合材料的方法。Fiber的技术将FFF 3D打印与小型版的AFP，标记为Micro自动化纤维放置（μAFP）相结合，以打印高分辨率连续的连续纤维复合零件，据报道具有较高的强度和刚度水平。Desktop Metal的首席执行官兼联合创始人Ric Fulop解释说：
“For the first time, Fiber printers combine the material properties of high performance AFP continuous fiber materials with the affordability and speed of a desktop 3D printer.”
桌面金属通过订阅服务发布了两个新打印机的版本。首先，光纤HT的起价为每年5,495美元，而价格合理的Fiber LT每年为3,495美元。光纤3D打印机计划于2020年春季发货。
将桥穿过塑料3D打印
光纤3D打印机代表台式金属进入聚合物3D打印市场。自2015年成立以来，该公司仅专注于金属3D打印。它引入了它前两个系统2017年4月，工作室系统和生产系统，从那以后它继续升级。
这工作室系统uses the company’s proprietary technology called结合金属沉积（BMD），一种基于金属聚合物的挤出工艺，具有熔炉和烧结步骤。桌面金属的生产系统另一方面结合了金属3D打印的基于喷墨和粉末的方法。该公司总共收到了4.38亿美元的资金to help further develop its金属3D打印技术。
桌面金属决定添加一个聚合物3 d打印ing solution to its portfolio was driven by the need to create a desktop system for continuous fiber 3D printing. Speaking to 3D Printing Industry, the company stated that “Our vision is rooted in metal 3D printing technology, and it continues to be with the launch of both the Studio System and Production System. It was clear, however, that there is a void in the industry for advanced, continuous fiber 3D printing in a desktop system.”
To help develop its composite 3D printing technology, Desktop Metal therefore acquired制作复合材料, a material company based in Massachusetts specializing in the manufacturing of small composite end-use parts. Make Composites’ AFP continuous carbon fiber technology has consequently been used to expand Desktop Metal’s 3D printing product portfolio. As a result, Dr. Konstantine Fetfatsidis, previously the Founder and CEO of Make Composites, has been appointed as Vice President of Composite Products for Desktop Metal.
Fetfatsidis评论说：“作为各种开发至生产的航空结构计划的数百万美元的AFP技术的长期用户，我很高兴将AFP技术带到制造地板上，以换成较小，更复杂的零件。”“这项新的印刷技术最终将AFP复合材料的材料特性带到了20磅以下的小零件上，通常需要昂贵的工具，大量的体力劳动，多重消耗量以及多步骤的长途周期。”
将3D打印与AFP技术相结合
法新社technology, typically used in high end carbon fiber production processes, is an automated composites manufacturing process. It involves heating and compacting fiber reinforcements on typically complex tooling molds to produce continuous fiber composite materials. These materials are known for matching or surpassing the strength of metals while remaining lighter weight.
By combining μAFP with FFF 3D printing technology in its new Fiber systems, Desktop Metal aims to increase the accessibility of high performance continuous fiber materials produced by AFP machines, which are typically expensive. The company also aims to bring the benefits of the 3D printing process together with continuous fiber materials. Desktop Metal explains that composite parts are often used by manufacturers for prototyping, critical end-use parts that require high stiffness and fast lead-times, jigs and fixtures and lightweight components. They are mainly implemented in industries such as tooling, automotive, consumer electronics, sporting goods, medical, education/research and marine.
纤维HT和纤维LT均具有310毫米x 240毫米x 270毫米的构建体积，设计为6或10打印机的印刷农场配置。它们配备了机器人工具换架体系结构，该体系结构允许最多存储四个工具，包括其他材料的FFF头部。这些系统可以沿着临界负载路径的靶向连续纤维加固打印零件，以创建据报道的组件，据报道高达60倍僵硬，比ABS塑料零件强75倍。
但是，两台3D打印机之间的材料兼容性不同。纤维HT与孔隙率少于1％的连续复合材料兼容，并具有高达晚期基质的连续纤维载荷。这打开了使用高级材料制造零件的可能性，例如切碎的碳纤维填充的窥视和佩克丝。该系统还具有3D打印的阻燃零件，可以承受高达250摄氏度的高温以及符合ESD的组件。
另一方面，纤维LT代表了3D打印AFP连续复合零件的更便宜的解决方案。相比之下，纤维LT能够处理含不到5％孔隙率的连续纤维材料，适合PA6热塑性塑料。这两个系统都在硬件即服务订阅计划中可用，最低订阅为三年。
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特色图片显示桌面金属的新光纤3D打印机。通过桌面金属图像。
