French foundry and machining company sees lead
times cut from up to five weeks to a few hours when producing
master models for sand casting molds
Stratasys Connex Multi-material 3D Printer
utilized for wide array of applications including prototyping,
tooling, replacement of obsolete and spare parts, as well as final
part production
Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq:SSYS), the 3D printing and additive
manufacturing solutions company, today announced that French
foundry and machining company, VHM Fonderie, is experiencing faster
product development time and improved capacity since introducing
PolyJet 3D printing across its entire design and manufacturing
process. Further exploiting the wider potential of its Stratasys
Connex Multi-material 3D Printer for external customers, the
company has established its own service bureau, Reali3D.
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3D printed production tools include
positioning supports (seen here in white) for VHM Fonderie's
deburring robot (Photo: Business Wire)
VHM Fonderie (formerly Heinrich Fonderie), which specializes in
the production of various types of industrial iron castings using
the traditional sand casting process, utilizes its Stratasys Connex
Multi-material 3D Printer across a broad spectrum of applications
throughout product development. This includes everything from the
production of functional prototypes and master models for sand
casting, to manufacturing tools, as well as the 3D printing of
spare production parts for certain tooling machines.
For complex sand casting applications in particular, the company
is using Stratasys’ advanced simulated polypropylene material,
Rigur, to produce 3D printed models that are subsequently used to
make sand molds.
“To manufacture an object using the sand casting process, we
need to first produce a master model of the specific part,”
explains Laurent Poux, Industrial Director, VHM Group. “This is
then used to make a mold, from which the desired object itself is
then manufactured. In the context of the end-to-end manufacturing
workflow, the level of time-saving enjoyed with 3D printing isn’t
merely improvement or progression – it’s transformational.
“With 3D printing, we save about a month when it comes to
producing the various models used to create our molds. This enables
us to deliver orders for our customers incredibly quickly, which
has in turn improved our capacity,” he adds.
Such time-savings allows VHM Fonderie to reduce product
development time for the many castings it manufactures for its
clients. As well as the VHM Group’s other businesses, this
comprises a number of external clients – among them, Paris
landmarks like the Le Jardin des Tuileries, Le Caroussel du Louvre
and La Place Vendôme, as well as companies like flow management
solutions provider, Flowserve.
According to Poux, 3D printed molds are just one application in
which its Stratasys Connex 3D Printer is deployed. Another area of
use is in the production of various tooling items, such as
positioning jigs that are used across the assembly line to increase
production efficiency. The 3D printer’s use has even been extended
to replacing obsolete parts for the company’s tooling machines,
such as its belt sander machine, providing VHM Fonderie with a new
level of versatility in production.
“Use of Stratasys 3D printing technology has given us a level of
self-reliance that has not only revolutionized some of our
traditional production processes, but it has allowed us to become
significantly more flexible as a company when it comes to
manufacturing,” says Poux. “We’re really excited to be able to
extend the benefits of 3D printing to our customers through
Reali3D, where we expect to produce everything from concept models
and fully-functional prototypes, to assembly tools for the
production line.”
“VHM Fonderie is the perfect example of how a growing number of
manufacturers are not merely exploring the use of 3D printing in a
limited capacity, but are reaping multiple benefits through its
widespread integration across all areas of production,” says Andy
Middleton, President, Stratasys, EMEA. “Stratasys remains committed
to educating the market and working closely with customers to
ensure that, like VHM Fonderie, they maximize the full potential of
3D printing technology to reduce time and costs within their
manufacturing operations.”
For more than 25 years, Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS) has
been a defining force and dominant player in 3D printing and
additive manufacturing – shaping the way things are made.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Rehovot, Israel, the
company empowers customers across a broad range of vertical markets
by enabling new paradigms for design and manufacturing. The
company’s solutions provide customers with unmatched design freedom
and manufacturing flexibility – reducing time-to-market and
lowering development costs, while improving designs and
communications. Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and
Solidscape, and the Stratasys ecosystem includes 3D printers for
prototyping and production; a wide range of 3D printing materials;
parts on-demand via Stratasys Direct Manufacturing; strategic
consulting and professional services; and the Thingiverse and
GrabCAD communities with over 2 million 3D printable files for free
designs. With more than 2,700 employees and 1,200 granted or
pending additive manufacturing patents, Stratasys has received more
than 30 technology and leadership awards. Visit us online at:
www.stratasys.com or http://blog.stratasys.com/, and follow us on
LinkedIn.
Stratasys, Fortus, FDM, and GrabCAD are registered trademarks,
and the Stratasys signet, 900mc, and GrabCAD Print are trademarks
of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates. ULTEM is a
registered trademark of SABIC or its affiliates or subsidiaries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
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