At Formnext 2019, German large-format 3D printer manufacturer BigRep has unveiled an entirely 3D printed autonomous electric podcar, known as LOCI. A design prototype, LOCI is intended to showcase the application of large-format additive manufacturing in designing and creating functional end-use transportation. The 3D printed vehicle also premieres “BigRep Part DNA” technology, which embeds NFC […]
See the 3D printed BANYAN ECO WALL, BigRep and NOWLAB’s latest large format innovation
large-format 3D printer manufacturer BigRep has unveiled a fully 3D printed wall with inbuilt water and drainage system. Developed by the company’s award-winning NOWLAB initiative the BANYAN ECO WALL has been created to demonstrate the bounds of design exclusive to this technology. Stephan Beyer, CEO of BigRep, said, “Our BANYAN ECO WALL is adopting nature’s principle […]
Unveiled at Hannover Messe: BigRep Pro & 3D Printed NEXT Automated Guided Vehicle
Eventgoers at Hannover Messe, held in Hannover Germany from April 1-5, are getting a preview of the latest in spectacular new technology and innovation. This includes learning more about new dimensions in additive manufacturing too as companies like BigRep unveil 3D printers such as the 5G connected industrial BigRep PRO—developed with partner Bosch Rexroth.
The BigRep PRO was designed with engineers around the world in mind, as the two companies sought to give industrial businesses greater opportunities to create models that are completely functioning prototypes—along with the ability to fabricate composite, end-use parts, and small-number serial production using high-performance materials.
BigRep CEO Stephan Beyer, PhD
“Our new printers are the launching pad for the factory of the future. We are opening a new dimension for additive manufacturing by establishing industrial 3D printing in automated and IoT-integrated systems,” said BigRep CEO Stephan Beyer, PhD. “BigRep’s quality solutions meet the industry’s requirements for precise, controlled and efficient machines with full data integration.”
“We will establish 3D printing as an added value production technology in industries such as automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, manufacturing and more.”
Powered by BigRep’s proprietary Metering Extrusion Technology MXT and featuring a motion control system produced by Bosch Rexroth, this new 3D printer was created to offer better precision and quality overall, along with higher speed and full IoT connectivity for applications such as sensors and monitors. These progressive solutions mean higher quality in 3D printing, along with better maintenance of the hardware itself as any issues or defects are quickly detected by the software. With access to the 5G network, monitoring of manufacturing projects can be delegated to cloud or production-related edge systems. The PRO can be ordered now.
BigRep PRO 3D printer
“Over the medium term, additive manufacturing cannot ignore the need to adapt to the standards of established production processes,” said Thomas Fechner, Head of the Business Unit New Business at Bosch Rexroth. “The goal is a completely digital workflow. The data must be able to pass consistently – from the customer order, the CAD software and simulation environments to specific machine movements and quality assurance.”
The Berlin-headquartered developer of large-scale 3D printing hardware and materials is also unveiling a new scanner for mid-print product quality inspection, as well as the NEXT AGV prototype, their 3D printed and automated guided vehicle for the factory of the future. BigRep has partnered with Bosch Rexroth for this project also, as they both envision such technology being vital to automated manufacturing of the future.
The NEXT AGV runs on a power grid, supplied by inductive energy, and is meant to function not only as an automated logistics carrier but also a mounting platform for other devices such as robots. The AGV design can be customized as needed for production purposes, featuring 3D printed wheels which allow the machine to move sideways, and a 3D printed antenna as an added safety detail.
Founded in 2014, BigRep has been involved in countless other dynamic projects and collaborations over the years, to include working with Magigoo, BASF, and even companies like Etihad Airways, the second largest airline in the United Arab Emirates. What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.
[Source / Images: BigRep]
3D Printing News Sliced: Titomic, Barclays, AMUG, Formnext + PM South China, Desktop Metal
In this week’s edition of the 3D Printing Industry News digest, Sliced, companies such as BigRep, Senvol gear up for the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG), and Nanofabrica strategically prepares for Hannover Messe. Additional conferences related to additive manufacturing such as MECSPE Parma, in Italy, and Amerimold: The Event for Mold Manufacturing, are presenting the […]
BigRep Showcases New Technology with the PRO and EDGE 3D Printers
The BigRep PRO
At formnext this week, large-scale 3D printing company BigRep introduced its latest sizable offerings in the form of two new industrial FFF 3D printers called the BigRep PRO and BigRep EDGE. The next-generation 3D printers will allow designers and engineers to create functional prototypes, composite tooling, end-use parts and small-number serial production. The PRO and EDGE are both capable of 3D printing with high-performance materials and are aimed at establishing additive manufacturing as a production technology in industries such as automotive, aerospace, consumer goods and manufacturing.
The two new 3D printers are embedded with MXT, BigRep’s Metering Extruder Technology, and equipped with a Bosch Rexroth motion control system for speed, precision, quality and IoT connectivity.
“This new technology delivers the type of innovation that the industry has been awaiting, as our groundbreaking MXT® system makes our new printers five times faster – with greater precision and quality – than current extrusion speeds,” said BigRep CEO Stephan Beyer, PhD. “This is one giant leap for additive manufacturing, allowing BigRep customers to make full use of today’s most advanced large-scale 3D printing technology.”
The BigRep PRO has a build envelope of one cubic meter and a large, temperature-controlled spool chamber allowing for continuous printing of high-performance materials such as ASA/ABS, nylon and more. An insulated, enclosed metal frame allows for even temperature control, while glass doors allow the user to keep an eye on the print. A heated print bed is mounted with polyimide foil for better adhesion during the 3D printing process, and an integrated inductive sensor allows for semi-automatic leveling.
The BigRep EDGE has a build envelope of 1500 x 800 x 600 mm and is designed for printing high-performance materials on a large scale. End-use parts, composite tooling and functional prototypes are all possible. A heated build chamber provides a controlled, high-temperature environment of up to 200° C in the chamber and 220° C in the print bed. The EDGE is also designed to be easy to use, with automatic, upward-moving doors and an easy-to-use graphical interface on a large screen that enables full control over all print settings.
The BigRep EDGE
The partnership between BigRep and Bosch Rexroth was announced last month, and the PRO and EDGE 3D printers are the first by BigRep to incorporate Bosch’s control systems and drives.
“Thanks to professional control systems technology, 3D printing is establishing itself as an industrial manufacturing application,” said Thomas Fechner, Director of the Business Unit New Business at Bosch Rexroth. “In terms of hardware, the CNC control system by Bosch Rexroth is delivering the necessary performance, precision and durability. In our development partnership with BigRep, we are advancing the potential of 3D printing for its use in the environment of the Factory of the Future.”
Meanwhile, BigRep’s MXT technology allows for a clear separation between filament feeding and melting and molten extrusion, enabling full control over the amount and speed of material extruded at any given time. The technology is designed to take full advantage of the new 3D printing materials BigRep is developing in partnership with BASF. Both the PRO and EDGE are equipped with two MXT modular extrusion heads, which manage and synchronize the printing operations.
When used with its finest 0.6 mm nozzle, the PRO can achieve printing speeds of more than 600 mm per second, five times faster than any other FFF 3D printer on the market, according to BigRep. The EDGE can reach speeds of 1,000 mm per second with the same size nozzle. Both 3D printers have achieved filament throughput rate of 5x at the maximum extrusion rate and 3x at the average extrusion rate compared to standard FFF technology.
Formnext is taking place in Frankfurt, Germany until November 16th. You can visit BigRep and learn more about its new technology at Booth E-20 in Hall 3.1.
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BigRep debuts PRO and EDGE industrial large format 3D printers
German large-scale 3D printer manufacturer BigRep, has today launched two 3D printers, the PRO and EDGE, powered by new proprietary Metering Extruder Technology (MXT). “This new technology delivers the type of innovation that the industry has been awaiting, as our groundbreaking MXT system makes our new printers five times faster – with greater precision and […]