In 3D printing or additive manufacturing as it is also called, various materials are used, such as metals, synthetic resins and polymers, ceramics or carbon materials. The 3D printing of polymeric materials offers special advantages due to the low weight of the resulting products, very flexible design possibilities or the opportunity to integrate sensors. In the German-Dutch joint project, Fraunhofer IMWS and Brightlands Materials Center want to combine the advantages of individual production by means of 3D printing and the attractive properties of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic materials.
First of all, the partners will develop a better understanding of the manufacturing process in 3D printing, for example, the question of how the reinforcing fibers are embedded in the matrix and how this affects the properties of the printed composite part, such as stiffness or tensile strength. In the next step, the partners intend to develop materials and technologies that enable manufacturing of highly resilient and tailor-made components such as spare parts for automotive, aerospace and construction industries.
“We are excited to start this partnership with Fraunhofer IMWS, which has an excellent track record in the field of thermoplastic composites, including non-destructive diagnostics of product quality. This collaboration gives us access to great skills and facilities to support our own ambitions in the field of continuous fiber reinforced 3D printing,” says Marnix van Gurp, Managing Director of Brightlands Materials Center.
The cooperation between the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the province of Limburg is a long-term intensive cooperation between the two regions. “In many collaborative projects, such as »European chemical Regions Network (ECRN)«, »ChemSME«, »ChemClust« and »S3Chem«, we have seen how enriching cooperation is and how much both regions can benefit from it. I am optimistic that the cooperation in the field of 3D printing will continue this success story," says Joost van den Akker, Minister of Economic Affairs of the province of Limburg.
