Additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing means the step-by-step or layered construction of a product. In contrast to subtractive processes such as grinding, turning or milling, generative manufacturing processes do not work by removing material, but by building it up in layers.

What are the advantages of additive manufacturing processes?

Additive manufacturing 3D printing can convince in many aspects compared to other manufacturing processes. This means that three-dimensional samples, prototypes or small series can be produced quickly without the need for special molds or tools. Unlike the subtractive processes described, additive manufacturing is a very sustainable solution. Since almost 100% of the raw material flows into the resulting component, there is no significant waste.

Are there different types of additive manufacturing?

Additive manufacturing has different faces in daily practice. In addition to the resin-based (SLA) and powder-based processes (SLS), the filament-based process (FFF) has proven to be particularly advantageous.

Multec has specialized in filament-based additive manufacturing. This offers a very wide range of possible applications, while the investment and raw material costs remain manageable. Filament-based additive manufacturing is therefore extremely economical. The handling of the filament is also particularly easy. The patented 4MOVE multiple print head makes a major contribution to this. The particularly high requirements in terms of occupational safety, such as those associated with additive manufacturing with resins or powders, are irrelevant here.

Which filaments are available from Multec for additive manufacturing?

Multec offers you numerous filaments for very different areas of application:

• FDM plastics and metal
• High-strength plastics for technical functional parts
• Fiber Reinforced Filament
• Temperature resistant filament
• Food grade filament
• Metal printing filament BASF Ultrafuse 316L

following filaments come from our own production for numerous 3D printing applications

• Multec PLA-HT
• Multec Carbon (PA-CF)
• Multec PLA
• Multec PETG
• Multec Smart Support

Multec continues to develop filaments for additive manufacturing to expand the possibilities of this manufacturing process.

Additive manufacturing in the metal sector

Additive manufacturing offers a wide range of possibilities, since the plastic in the filament has a relatively low melting point. The material can therefore be liquefied in the 3D print head without any problems and built up into a three-dimensional object. With metal, of course, this production comes up against a limit, because the melting point is naturally much higher here.

To avoid having to build completely different, significantly more complex machines for additive manufacturing, Multec takes a detour. The filament used for metal printing consists of 90% by weight metal powder, while the remaining 10% consists of a binder polymer. In 3D printing, only this plastic is liquefied.

The additional work steps of debinding and sintering are unavoidable here. Nevertheless, this additive manufacturing has a clear advantage over other processes.

Where can you find examples of additive manufacturing using 3D printing?

Numerous industries have been revolutionized by the possibilities of 3D printing. This applies above all to the areas of mold construction, equipment construction and prototype construction. In the past, models or prototypes usually had to be created by hand, which of course caused high costs and led to a high level of rejects. 3D printing as additive manufacturing saves costs, time and nerves.

On our website we show you numerous examples of how 3D printing as additive manufacturing opens up new possibilities for your company.

If you have any questions or requests, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time. The consultation is completely non-binding and free of charge for you – contact us.