Jon Donner, general manager, Fabrica Group, Nano Dimension
Additive manufacturing (AM) has been seen as a disruptive technology ever since it came onto the scene more than 30 years ago. First, it disrupted the prototyping stage of product development, being widely referred to as rapid prototyping back in the day. More recently, AM has disrupted manufacturing itself and is now a production technology that in many situations is a speedy and cost-effective alternative to legacy manufacturing technologies, at the same time stimulating the development of innovative, geometrically complex parts and mass customisation.
However, in the case of micromanufacturing, AM, until recently, struggled to find a foothold, due, in no small part, to an inherent lack of precision in industrial AM processes that could only be overcome by prohibitively expensive and extremely slow platforms. The industry-wide drive towards miniaturisation of parts and components has been the key driver behind Nano Dimension’s development of the commercially successful Fabrica 2.0 precision additive micromanufacturing (μAM) machine.
The Fabrica 2.0 brings AM to new markets and applications, enabling micromanufacturers to re-imagine the way they produce precision parts and components. This is something that can be demonstrated in numerous industry sectors across the world and is described in a new eBook entitled Precision micro additive manufacturing—change the way you think about precision parts.
AM benefits for micromanufacturers
The Fabrica 2.0’s key selling point is the precision levels that it affords, thus allowing an μAM process to rival the precision levels achieved via micromoulding. These levels of precision are accompanied by a host of additional AM benefits, all combining to reduce the prototyping and product development times for micro-parts and -components or indeed micromoulds.
The Fabrica 2.0 is capable of attaining 1 μm resolution, and it can be used to build innovative, miniaturised parts in 1–5 μm layers faster and cheaper than conventional manufacturing equipment.
Nano Dimension’s Fabrica 2.0 precision additive micromanufacturing (μAM) machine.
Another significant benefit of AM is that it is relatively agnostic to part complexity, meaning it is possible to design and manufacture unique geometries. As such, the Fabrica 2.0 becomes a true stimulator of innovation, making the manufacture of parts and features previously impossible, possible.
Moreover, AM does not incur tooling costs. The tooling required for traditional manufacturing processes not only has a negative impact on time to market, but also makes such processes uneconomical for small- or medium-sized production runs.
If one also considers that AM allows for mass customisation and personalisation, and use of the same manufacturing platform for prototyping, small- to medium-sized batches and mass manufacturing, it becomes increasingly apparent that a myriad of possibilities exist for micromanufacturers.
Microns in hours
In the eBook, there are details of real-time case studies that show how micromanufacturers have benefitted from using the Fabrica 2.0 in terms of innovation and time-to-market and cost reductions. However, in general terms, success through the use of the Fabrica 2.0 is measured in microns and hours. Micron-level detail can be achieved without the need to produce tools, and this means that intricate and geometrically complex prototypes can be produced in a matter of hours.
Moreover, the Fabrica 2.0 facilitates workflow optimisation, producing less scrap and requiring fewer tools than conventional manufacturing processes. It also promotes a reduction of time for the iterative process, assembly and inventory. This means that significant operational cost benefits are attainable at the micromanufacturing level.
Technology, software and materials
The Fabrica 2.0 is based on Nano Fabrica’s digital light processing (DLP) technology, made unique through its use of adaptive optics. In conjunction with an array of sensors, these optics allow for a closed feedback loop, which enables the attainment of micron-level accuracy while remaining cost-effective as a manufacturing solution. Adaptive optics have been used in other technologies, but this is the first time that they have been applied to an AM technology.
The Fabrica 2.0’s software allows the part areas requiring fine details to be printed relatively slowly and part areas that do not require such fine detail to be printed 10 to 100 times faster. It also uses an algorithm family that focuses on the optimisation of file preparation, parameters such as print angle of build plate, supports, etc., thus further ensuring a precise and reliable print process.
Nano Dimension has developed a number of materials for the Fabrica 2.0 that are being used commercially. The two key ones are Precision N-800 and Precision N-900. Precision N-800 is an ABS-like material that is strong and flexible. There are countless applications for this engineering material. It is especially suitable for structural applications across various industries, including aerospace, automotive, electronics and optics.
Precision N-900, a material that is to be released soon, is a reinforced composite, almost 100 percent ceramic particle-loaded material that allows for the attainment of 1 μm resolution, is high-temperature tolerant and has enhanced mechanical properties such as high wear resistance. It is recommended for mechanical assemblies and outdoor applications.
Idan Gil
A direct rapid soft tool produced on the Fabrica 2.0.
Summary
As detailed in the eBook, the success of the Fabrica 2.0 machine is attributable to it bringing the benefits of AM to micromanufacturers; these benefits include the ability to achieve hitherto impossible part and feature complexity (enhancing design and functionality), no tooling costs, mass customisation and personalisation, and use for prototyping, small- to medium-sized batches and mass manufacturing.
Nano Dimension