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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.

Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below. 

 

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Interview with BigRep CEO Stephan Beyer

Hot off of their announcement to partner with Bosh Rexroth we interviewed CEO Dr. Stephan Beyer of BigRep GmbH. The large format company seems to be excelling in partnerships and marketing. What is happening with the Berlin-based startup and where are they headed?

How is BigRep doing?

“We are seeing a very dynamic business right now, with BigRep and its partners leading the way in one of the 21 st century’s most exciting, disruptive technologies: 3D printing is already re-shaping Additive Manufacturing now in many industries. We are building the world’s largest serial production 3D printers, so we are experiencing a high level of interest and requests from industrial companies from around the world.”

What are your target verticals and types of companies?

“We are serving many different company types and industries, among them, of course, aviation, automotive, rail, design and architecture. We have a great many small- to mid-sized companies among our clients, but also major corporations. This reflects our highly flexible, customer-oriented approach. You need to listen to the industry. So we first identify and analyze the required application, which, in turn, drives the selection of performance materials, leading to the third and final step, the system as such, industrial AM equipment based on a 3D large-format printer.”

Why should I buy a BigRep?

“The top five reasons are these:

  • Size – with a capacity of over one cubic meter, the BigRep ONE provides the largest FFFbuilt volume currently available in the market.

  • “Made in Germany” – only our printers are based on the know-how of high-standard Germanengineering.

  • Technical quality – Our machines guarantee reliable, precise manufacturing with the highestlevel of iteration quality.

  • An open-choice approach for filaments.

  • Costs – BigRep printers are highly cost-efficient, both in acquisition costs and in long-term operations.”

How big is BigRep?

“We are headquartered in Berlin with a team of 90 engineers, developers, designers and experts from 22 different nations. As we are serving clients around the world, we also have offices in Boston and Singapore. In addition, we rely on an excellent global network of partners and re-sellers. We also have a global network of leading industry partners, such as Etihad Airways and Deutsche Bahn, as well as key investors – including BASF, Koehler, Klöckner and Körber.”

Are you aiming to make many small things quickly or large items?

“Actually both. One of the advantages of large-scale printers, of course, is to create large industrial objects in one single piece. But speed is of essence, too. So a fast extruder is quite important. For the ONE, we offer an optional Power Extruder with 0.6, 1 and 2 mm nozzles that can print 60% quicker, thus making our printer one of the fastest large-format 3D printers in the market.”

Will your machines grow bigger still?

“Well, they might depend on customer requirements. But more important is to make them faster and even more efficient – and more connected.”

You received EU funding, what did you use it for?

“The EU funding aims at supporting the growth of BigRep.”

What are the challenges when developing a 3D printer?

“Today, as any 3D printers, the large-format machines also will have to become faster and more efficient. They also need to offer interconnectivity and data in order to become a key element in smart factories and IoT applications. These are the challenges any manufacturer faces right now.

Where do you hope to see BigRep in five years?  What is BigRep’s ambition?
For us, it has always been about moving this technology and this industry forward. Studies show that the 3D printer market will grow by 20 per cent annually until 2020. A study by McKinsey forecasts a market volume of 100-250 billion Euros by then – and one of the driving forces behind this will be large-format 3D printing.

Given this background, we are aiming at taking a leading role in the 3D printing market for industrial manufacturing. Equally, we are aiming at further expanding the business while, at the same time, becoming the innovation and thought leader in the 3D printing industry.”

Do you see yourself as being a part of an ecosystem or developing a platform or just shipping a machine?

“We follow a comprehensive, sustained approach, so we develop complete solutions for integrated additive manufacturing systems, as well as a wide range of printing materials on an open-choice basis.”

What kind of industries do you think will use 3D printing for manufacturing in the near future?

“The same as today – automotive, aviation and transportation such as rail. In addition, medical technology, consumer goods, research and science are other promising areas of applications.”

Is sand casting important to you?

“It is a fascinating application. 3D models created by engineers with the use of a CAD software only need to be transferred to a BigRep 3D printer to be produced. It shortens the production cycle, reduces the use of resources and makes the complete process more cost and time-efficient. One example for this is the UK-based company Teignbridge Propellers International, which produces propellers for tugs, luxury yachts, fishing trawlers and ferries. Here, the BigRep ONE 3D printer is used to 3D print a full-size replica of the designed propeller to be the positive pattern for the cast mold, making the process faster by 33 per cent.”

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Designer Julia Daviy Stuns at New York Fashion Week with Functional 3D Printed Fashion Collection

Parametric Black Ocean Dress

Clothing is one of the many tools with which we use to express ourselves. I am generally a jeans and t-shirt kind of person, but many of my shirts have quotes from books or movies on them, or logos from places I’ve visited; I also still wear many of my shirts from college. Now, I certainly don’t wear t-shirts to special events – I pull out the dresses for those – but I consider casual clothing to be more of my everyday type of outfit, and I bet I’m not the only one. But that’s one of the great things about fashion – if you consider skirts and dresses to be everyday clothes, you’ve got plenty of choices.

Speaking very generally, 3D printed pieces of clothing are not what I usually consider to be everyday wear. I personally find a lot of 3D printed fashion, while very unique and beautiful, too high concept to actually wear out anywhere. However, some 3D printing fashion designers, like Julia Daviy, are working to change this perception.

Daviy, an ecologist and clean technology industry manager, is creating a new kind of biodegradable fashion out of 3D printed plastic. She believes that 3D printing will change the way clothing is produced, and maybe even one day replace traditional textiles altogether. She also believes that the technology can be used to solve worldwide problems such as chemical pollution, animal exploitation, energy consumption, and material waste.

At this month’s prestigious New York Fashion Week (NYFW), Daviy released the first 3D printed fashion collection in the US that not only uses large-format 3D printing, but is also considered to be a functional, wearable, everyday clothing look for women. According to a press release for the Digital Journal, Daviy’s clothing “aims to liberate the creativity of women by using 3D printing technologies to create an entirely new age for the fashion industry.”

“The 2018 NYFW had history written all over it as different fashion brands across the globe took to the runway to show their latest collection. One designer that particularly caught the eyes of fashion lovers across the globe is Julia Daviy,” the Digital Journal release said. “Over the years, the concept of 3D printed pieces has grown in popularity and acceptance with designers using hard materials with ultra-sophisticated designs to create amazing pieces. However, such pieces are usually almost impossible to wear for everyday activities due to the materials used in making them.”



Daviy’s 3D printed Liberation Collection, consisting of bespoke skirts, dresses, and two suits, debuted on September 6th at The Fashion Meet Technology NYFW event. She used both FDM and SLA technology to 3D print her pieces, and combined multiple filaments. Daviy personally designs each piece from scratch, and also completes each stage of production herself.

“Julia Daviy’s works are particularly unique as all looks are completely 3D printed, which is unlike other designers in the industry that print on several parts and require further post-processing to get the final piece,” the Digital Journal press release stated. “This innovation in addition to the use of “wearable” materials that helps to bring 3D printed fashion into the mainstream of everyday clothing are distinguishing factors of the designer’s collection.”

Pink Coral Neon Skirt

I need to stop right here and say, for the record, that while I think Daviy’s 3D printed collection has some stunning pieces in it (her Polka Dot Exoskeleton dress inspired by sea urchins is one of my favorites), I don’t think the vast majority of it could be considered everyday wear. The closest it comes, in my opinion, is with the Lace Mini Skirt and the Pink Coral Neon Skirt, the latter of which used parametric lines and a 3D pattern not dissimilar to snakeskin. But I can’t imagine walking out of my house on some random Wednesday afternoon in the Fragility Dress.

However, with a few exceptions (looking at you, Parametric Skin Suit), I will agree that most of the collection appears to be pretty wearable. Watching some of the videos on Daviy’s website, the clothing all appears to be breathable and easy to move around in, and I would wear that cute Parametric Black Ocean Dress, 3D printed out of biodegradable PLA and flexible TPU, to any fancy evening event. Just hanging out at the mall on the weekend, however – not so much.

However, feel free to take what I’m saying with a grain of salt – this is coming from a person who is currently clad in denim shorts, a black tank top, and fluffy gray slippers, after all.

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