Compositex is, since more than 30 years, a leader company in the composite material production.
In the last 2 years we are investing, developing and integrating 3D printing technology in our core business.
3D printing, given the quick production rate, is often the way to go for the production of prototypes, useful for aesthetic, functional and dimensional checks.
The availability of high performance materials (eg. Ultem o Nylon CF) allows the production of structural parts with outstanding mechanical properties.
The repeatability of the 3D printing allows as well series production
The integration with our core business leads every day to new developments, both for the production of inserts and for the use of soluble mandrels (male molds)
3D printing, given its flexibility and rapid production rate, is well suited for the manufacturing of tools to be used during composite parts production phases such as lamination, finishing or machining.
Rapid prototyping with 3D printing is the quickest, easiest and cheaper way to translate amazing ideas into successful products. Rapid prototyping will allow the flexibility to create, test and refine in ways you wouldn’t imagine, with incredible short time from concept to production.
Stratasys founder Scott Crump invented FDM Technology more than 20 years ago, and Stratasys has continued to lead the 3D printing revolution ever since.
FDM technology, given his additive nature, melts a filament of thermoplastic material which is then deposited by an extruder on overlapped layers, making the part. Various degree of precision and finishing are available, as well as a wide range of materials which differs by cost and properties.
The limit of 3D printing technology lays in the creativity of designers
The duct is a part of the air conditioning system of a well-known Italian supercar, for which some components are no
longer sold.
The renovation was possible thanks to reverse engineering of the original product and implementation of 3D printing technology.
Original duct, composed of 6 parts, was produced with injection molding and thermoforming. However, in the case of singular pieces those
technologies are expensive and for this reason not suitable.
Mechanicaly stressed parts were printed in carbon filled nylon and others in ASA.
The customer's request was to keep the internal polished finish of the element, which was not possible to achieve with negative mold. Application of a positive mold was not feasible due to impossibility to extract the mold from the duct after curing cycle. The solution was a soluble mandrel, produced with 3D printing technology, which can be dissolved and removed from the finished product. Furthermore, this technique allowed to use general plies and, as a consequence, to improve structural performance of the product.
The customer needed a functional prototype with the same dimensions and aesthetics as the future product. 3D printed element and carbon fiber were applied in order to guarantee properties similar to standard product and eliminate necessity of conventional equipment usage.
Vicenza, one of Italy's most important industrial and economic centers, is the heart of an area featuring small and medium-sized businesses, a production area that has been the third largest area in Italy for export sales for several years.
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