Super polymer parts on demand
We are currently trying to establish a local partner to become a production hub for additive manufacturing machines and services for industrial use in Norway, says Terje Mork from Lindberg & Lund.
In partnership with Roboze, Lindberg & Lund are excited to announce that it is marketing additive manufacturing machines & services for industrial use in Norway. These machines are made to provide super polymer parts on demand in a repeatable and precise process, quickly and effectively to the end customer.
Additive manufacturing with superpolymers
Roboze machines can produce parts in a wide range of materials, from high-end materials such as PEEK/PEKK to less complex PP/ABS/PLA polymers. Materials can be produced with reinforcements in the form of either carbon fibers or ceramics, to improve material properties. The selection of polymers that are capable of being produced with Roboze machines is constantly in flux as new materials get added to the range.
As an example, recently PEKK and a carbon-reinforced PPS polymer were added, alongside a ceramically reinforced PEEK material.
Manufacturing with PEEK and other super polymers such as Ultem & PEKK can be quite challenging, as the materials are demanding to work with and process properly. Roboze’s patented heated chambers and high-temperature extrusion nozzles help to ensure that the additive manufacturing of parts in these materials can be done in a way that maintains the integrity of the material.
Looking at the cost of these materials, one of the greatest strengths of additive manufacturing is the massive reduction in waste material compared to traditional machining from workpieces. This is especially true for the higher end of the materials, such as PEEK.
Repeatability, Precision, and Standardization
To secure repeatability and precision for additive manufacturing, Roboze has invested heavily into a pinion and rack system instead of a belt-driven system for operating the nozzle head, as well as sensors to record any relevant properties during printing.
Logged data is available to the end-user to verify that parts are indeed produced according to specification, and work is being done to implement standards from oil & gas, as well as aerospace industries directly in the production process.
These features should greatly simplify the acceptance of additive manufactured parts in the broader industry, as well as secure quality control for the end-user.
Roboze professional & production series
Roboze provides two different series of machines for their customers, known as the professional & production series of machines. The PRO series of machines serve as an entry point into this market, in particular the Plus PRO which is capable of printing PEEK/PEKK parts, but with more limited build volumes due to the size of the machine.
The ARGO series of production machines however is aimed at the production of super polymer parts in large volumes, either replacing metals with strong polymers such as PEEK, PEKK, and reinforced PEEK, or providing parts in these materials eliminating expensive machining.
Additionally, the world’s largest filament printer will be launched this year with the Argo 1000, providing a full cubic meter of build volume to customers.
Local partners & suppliers
As with any industrial production capacity finding a local partner for production is an important milestone for us at Lindberg & Lund and for Roboze. We’re in talks with potential local industry partners about becoming a production hub for Roboze in Norway, being able to provide parts on demand and with short lead times for end-users.
Cutting transport distance and travel times is crucial to cut lead times, and with a production partner in Norway cooperation will be easier.
Especially looking back at the past two years with a challenging supply situation for both parts & raw materials, we at Lindberg & Lund believe strongly in establishing local production capacity to serve local markets.
Contact information:
Terje Mork
Project Engineer
Terje (at) Lindberg-lund.no
+47 948 95 560